The Last Lecture

Last night I went to book club and the girls discussed the book The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. It's been years since I've read this book but it is such a good one and it was nice to hear everyone's thoughts on it and remember all of the good stories from it. On my run this morning it got me thinking about what I would want my "last lecture" to be to my kids. What knowledge have I gained so far in my life that I would want to leave with them? I had a lot of thoughts so I tried to narrow it down to 3.

#1. Everyday do something that makes your SOUL happy.

There are many things in life that appeal to our carnal self, but what is it that makes your soul so happy you feel as if you feel a tiny bit of heaven with you? Everyone's answer to that question is probably different, but knowing what that answer would be for you and seeking those things everyday will add a lot of peace and happiness into your life. The key in life is for our spiritual desires to outweigh our physical desires, for our spirit to rule our bodies. As we pay attention to what makes our souls happy I think we are able to accomplish that. A few things I've learned that make my soul happy are: being in nature, providing service to others, playing the piano, listening to uplifting music, reading scripture, and spending good quality time with my family.

#2. Make GOALS and DON'T GIVE UP on them.

Making goals is so important. We will never reach our true potential unless we make goals and accomplish them. And really, we won't ever reach our full potential in this life, but gal darn it, I want to die knowing I was trying my hardest to reach my potential. There are times when I've made goals and halfway through I've wanted to give up, but I've learned not to let myself do that. The harder the goal is to reach, the greater the sense of accomplishment you'll have when you reach it. And you will reach it if you don't give up. That is a feeling you don't want to miss out on!

#3. Consistently do the "SUNDAY SCHOOL ANSWERS." (i.e. read your SCRIPTURES, say your PRAYERS, go to CHURCH, SERVE others, regularly attend the TEMPLE, etc.)

These things may seem simple but I've learned that it truly is the simple things that we do on a consistent basis that have the biggest impact on our lives as a whole. We can find direction from the scriptures. We maintain a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father when we pray to Him. We're able to repent, feel the spirit, and learn how to be a better person as we attend church, serving others bring us happiness, and we gain a lot of knowledge in the Temple that prepares us for our life after death. 

"How fragile life, how certain death. We do not know when we will be required to leave this mortal existence. And so I ask, 'What are we doing with today?' If we live only for tomorrow, we'll have a lot of empty yesterdays today." 

-President Thomas S. Monson

Life is to be LIVED! People are to be LOVED! You are to be HAPPY!

Pictures from my runs lately. The river is beautiful in the morning.