We Might Not Have It All....

We might not have a mansion but we do live in a small modest home with only 1 payment left.

We might not have a Mercedes but we do have a running 19 year old car and an 8 year old car that are both paid for.

We might not be able to have children but we would have never met and adopted our littlecowpoke who is priceless.

We might not be rich with money but we are rich with love and blessed to know what true wealth is.


I know that Heavenly Father wants us to live a happy clean life. It doesn't matter if you are driving to the temple in a 2008 BMW or a 1980 Chevette. It doesn't matter if you live in a small 30,000 dollar house or a 300,000 dollar home. It doesn't matter if you are striving to stay on the straight and narrow in a svelte body or a not-so-svelte body. The Lord looks at your soul, not your wallet, car, home or physical body. We want to be like Him. He was not a person with a lot of wealth and He was even known as plain looking. So why in the world do we put so much emphasis on the money, homes, glamour, cars, notoriety?


Why?


We can live a happy fulfilled life if we put aside the wants of the world and instead think of the eternal value....

As in my case, I could have......

• Fancy House: major debt
• Sacrifice: Years of debt and long hours at work and constant worries about our uneasy economy.

• Fancy Car: $45,000
• Sacrifice: Worrying about dings, scratches and kids getting it dirty or somebody stealing it.

• Fancy Body: Hours in the gym, $$$ plastic surgery, 13 hours a day looking in the mirror.
• Sacrifice: Hours not spent with kids, spouse, temple, missionary work. Worrying about whatothers think way too much.

Instead I have this........

• Modest House: little debt
• Blessing: Will get out of debt sooner, spouse doesn't have to work overtime all the time just to make the mortgage payment and I can be home with my child.

• Modest Car: super cheap and driveable
• Blessings: NO debt, kids can feel relaxed and have fun. No worries about a new ding.

• Modest Body: Priceless
• Blessings: I am sure of who I am. I am no longer worried about what others think of me. I love my body and all it's imperfections, because God provided me with this body.

I know to put good wholesome things into my body. I know that my child is going to emulate what I think of myself and how I perceive what looks good or not. I know that my body will only be perfect in another life. I am happy with who I am!

It has taken me years to come to terms with alot of these issues, but I am happy that I know now. I will not spend another second of my life worrying about what others (or sometimes my own carnal side) think of my home, car, looks, etc.

Life is only a milisecond compared to eternity, YET, it is what I do with this life of mine that will determine who I will be and where I will go into the eternities.

People will flock to your little Christ centered home because it is a safe haven from this wicked world. Whether its fancy or modest.

Whether your body is fat, skinny, pimpled skin, smooth skin, tan, white, blonde, brown, blue eyes, green eyes, deformed. IT DOESNT EVEN MATTER! If your are faithful and striving to live the commandments your light will shine through your soul out of youreyes, toes, fingers, everywhere. That is TRUE BEAUTY. It's the only beauty that is real and eternal. It is the only beauty that matters.

Now don't get me wrong. I don't think it's a sin or anything to have good looks or "nice" stuff. There are way too many people who get caught up in "keeping up with the Joneses". Now our economy is in a major crisis because these same people can't "keep up with the payments" or have been deceived by companies into thinking they could afford what they really couldn't. There is nothing wrong with having a $300,000 house if you have 10 kids and in a safe neighborhood and/or your husband doesn't have to work long hours or two jobs just to keep up with the payments.

I just want you to know that Heavenly Father loves you. He wants you to be happy and live a happy life. He has appointed Prophets in these latter days to help us along theway. They teach us that Heavenly Father and Jesus hold the keys to eternal happiness. If we just follow these guidelines set before us in the scriptures and through General Conference then we will be happy!

In my little family we are striving every day to do the right thing. We are not perfect andwill never claim to be perfect or better than others.

We might not have it all together but together we have it all.