Things a good leader does

It’s official, we are moving away. Daniel is a good leader. Here are five things to do as a leader!

 

1. Excitement! Daniel is always excited about his work no matter how challenging it might be. If you are excited right now, don't lose the excitement. There are people in all walks of life that can't stand to see you succeed. They get jealous and do their best to give you reasons to slack. Don't be a slacker. 

 

2. Obey rules! Look around you. Follow the rules. Daniel is obedient to rules. He learned that from his father. Follow procedure but find ways to do more without expecting anything back regardless of who sees and who doesn't. Share your ideas good or bad and discard the bad as fast as a rotten potato. Become a value part of any place you work. Don't be complacent just because others encourage it. 

 

3. In every job there is something to take pride in. I heard of a woman teaching her grandchildren how to wash a china dish. She and her husband had run a restaurant and the one thing besides the great food that brought people back was that the dishes were spotless. Not a speck of food anywhere on them. When lined in a row they were beautiful not just something to plop food on but incredibly so clean each plate looked as if it was new and being used the first time. She said to them. These people honor me with trust and pay me for doing something I love. I treat them as my loved ones. Treat each job you ever have as treasure. Each one will help you develop the skills to move though life with integrity if you will let it. 

 

4. Learn discipline in speech and honesty. Never let pressure to get something done push you to take short cuts that cheapen who you are. Be the best of you at all time and in all paces. 

 

5. In every job you work with people who also have lives of stress, sadness and successes. Learn to care. Hear their voices. Listen for a tired voice and empathize. Daniel always has a listening ear to anyone is distress. He is so kind and that is why I married him. 

 

Con amor,

vero

Have something to look forward to

“People who say that life is not worthwhile are really saying that they themselves have no personal goals which are worthwhile. Get yourself a goal worth working for. Better still, get yourself a project. Always have something ahead of you to “look forward to“, to work for and hope for.” (Maxwell Malz). 

I don’t know about all of you but I have noticed a very interesting phenomenon with me that has a direct correlation to something that could help us in our work lives and our home lives.  It is this – when we plan-ahead to do something fun on an upcoming Saturday, for example, I have noticed that we somehow find a way during the week to get all of our normal “Saturday” chores done during the week itself, laundry is done, bedrooms are cleaned, etc. – all before Saturday comes.

Then when Saturday arrives we are up bright and early ready to hit a day of fun together. Now, contrast that when the opposite case exists. If we have nothing planned for our Saturday then when Saturday morning arrives we all sleep in, wasting a good portion of our day. Our chores are not handled and our laundry is sitting around waiting to be done. Then we spend our Saturday handling things that we feel would have been impossible to handle during the week. How is it that when we have something exciting we want to be available for on the Saturday that we magically find a way to get everything done during the week and we are magically able to jump out of bed early Saturday morning all bright eyed and bushy tailed and excited for our day? Not only that, but during the week we found ourselves more driven and happy as we knocked everything out that had to get done because we knew that by doing so we would make ourselves available for the fun time on Saturday that we were looking forward to, so it didn’t even feel that burdensome to get everything handled that week?

I have decided that it was all about the motivation and inspiration that comes from being excited about an upcoming event or activity that gave us the extra spark to get more accomplished in more organized fashion. When we are excited about something we look forward to it really helps to lighten our mood and helps to shoulder the weight of the responsibilities that we carry. You see, the week wasn’t easier or longer than normal, but we were more excited and enthusiastic about accomplishing our tasks so we could have our reward that weekend.

When I look at what I learned from this experience I realized that I could use this same magic trick that gets us fired up and going to apply to my housework life. If I plan something fun for myself or my family for the weekend then I am more motivated to accomplish all of my work so I don’t have to do any emails or spreadsheets over the weekend. And we don’t have to plan something expensive in any way, just something that will be on our calendars for us to look forward to all week. So I have desided to sit down every Sunday night and plan ahead for the upcoming Saturday with some sort of fun activity that we can look forward to during the week and that we can all use as a motivator to get our things done. I think it is a good habit to get into and I would challenge everyone to try it with their own families. Like I said, it can be any activity that will give you something to be excited about. Maybe it’s just watching a movie that is coming out that week, or going for a hike or a walk, or taking a road trip for the day, etc. Anything that makes you feel excited and happy all week.

The weekend is almost here!  CHERISH IT!  And when the weekend is over, plan something in your life to look forward to for next week and then watch how productive it makes you all week long!

Don't waste a moment on the yesterdays

He said, "write it on your hear that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

Finish every day and be done with it. You have what you could. Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in. Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirt to be cumbered  with your old nonsense.

This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Con amor,
Vero

Dios da y Dios quita!

Today marks five years since I wrote this journal entry on August 9th 2004.
This is written in Spanish.

 ¡Dios da y Dios quita!

(En la última página de mi diario puse lo siguiente)

Agosto 9, 2004 

Quiero terminar este diario con un último deseo y es que todo el dolor que he sentido, toda la amargura y la ansiedad va a ser recompensada de una forma u otra.  Deseo de todo corazón que las cosas finalmente se arreglen de una manera buena para toda la familia y que por supuesto mi esposo encuentre conmigo de nuevo la felicidad que el busca.

Quiero ser casi perfecta y no tener rencor ni sentir odio, pero si tengo que ser bien recompensada por todo el daño que me han causado a mí y a mi familia. Solo le pido a Dios que ilumine mis pasos y los de Brad. Tengo que ser fuerte Tengo que prepararme para lo que venga. Tengo que cuidarme a mí misma y dejar que Dios tome cartas en el asunto y dejar todo en manos del Señor. 

Es inevitable no sufrir y es inevitable el que mis hijas no sufran, pero al menos quiero tener la fortaleza de soportarlo todo sin que lleguen a destruirme totalmente. Necesito al mismo tiempo tener fe y esperanza que tal vez suceda un milagro. Que Brad pueda recapacitar y que pueda apreciarme como antes. 

Tango que tener paciencia, perseverancia y constancia. Tengo que estar más tranquila y más entregada al Señor. No puedo hacer que Brad actué de otra forma, él tiene su libre albedrío. Solo puedo darle mi amor y comprensión. 

Necesito hoy la fortaleza necesaria para que mi vida que tengo por delante sea totalmente feliz. Tengo que encontrar la felicidad con lo que tengo y con lo que Dios me ha dado. Dios da y Dios quita. Yo solo le pido que me dé la paciencia de aceptar lo que venga. Que nunca le falle como su hija. Que me de ánimo y fortaleza para poder resistir cualquier tentación y que pueda ayudar a mi esposo a recapacitar antes que sea demasiado tarde. 

I didn't think it was necessary to translate every word  into English but in essence it was very clear my desire to do everything in my power to keep our family intact and to prevent the break up of our marriage. I was willing to forgive those who cause so much pain and suffering and that I would remain loyal and faithful to the Lord and endure to the end. I was willing to accept whatever came trusting in the Lord.  One day,  eventually I would be compensated for all my suffering and that I would again feel peace, joy and happiness. 

What I wished the most and I know this is a universal wish, we all wis for miracles. In my case for a miracle of things to go back to the way they were but people have their free agency and my wish might not come true. However I have been promised that I would be compensated with a wonderful man who I will have the privilege to call my husband next month and this time, I hope for the best and to have a happy eternal marriage. 

Con amor,

Vero  

Day 40

Share what you know! Mark 16: 15 Go everywhere in the world, and tell the good news to everyone.

Thought for today: "If the will of every man were free, that is, if every man could act as he chose, the whole history would be a tissue of disconnected accidents."

Day 39

Live in harmony

Psalm 133:1 How wonderful it is, how pleasant , for God's people to live together in harmony! thought for today: " my temptations have been my masters in divinity."

Day 38

Remembering the passion of the Christ

Romans 6:13 Give yourselves to God...Surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes. Thought for today: "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin

Day 37

Remembering our divine nature

Isaiah 44:22 I am your creator, you were in my care before you were born. Thought for today: "God doesn't play dice." Albert Einstein

Day 36

Be Humble

D&C 112:10 Be thou humble and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answers to thy prayers. Thought for today: "Be humble! recognize that everything you have; your time, your talents and skills, your health and energy, your accomplishments, and your very lives, come as free gifts from your Father in Heaven. " Gordon B. Hinckley

Day 35

Be grateful

Ephesians 5:20 Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thought for today " O Lord that lends me life, lend me a heart replete with thankfulness." by Shakespeare's King Henry VI

Day 34

Pray always

James 5: 13 Is any among you aflicted, let him pray...Thought for today: " What is the use of running when we are not on the right road."

Day 33

Forgive and forget

1 Corinthians 13:5 Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it had been wronged. Thought for today: " Man is in reality a child of God nothing in the universe is more important than the individual. His spirit was begotten by God; consequently all men are brothers in the literal sense." Gordon B.Hinckley

Day 32

Have faith

Ether4:19 And blessed is he that is found faithful unto my name at the last day, for he shall be lifted up to dwell in the kingdom prepared for him from the foundation of the world. Thought for today, " Those who wish to sing always find a song." Swedish proverb

Day 31

Be Kind

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith,hope and charity,these three; but the greatest of these is charity. thought for today: " No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." Aesop

Day 30

Be a hard worker

Proverbs 13: 4 those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied. Thought for today: " Stick to a task, til it sticks to you, beginners ar many, finishers are few."

Day 29

Be of good cheer

Proverbs 17: 22 A cheerful heart is good medicine. Thought for today: " It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels he is worthy of himself and claim kindred to the great God who made him." Abraham Lincoln

Day 28

Be Honest

Proverbs 14: 26 An honest answer is like a warm hug. Thought for today: "Honesty is the best policy."

Day 27

Be slow to anger

Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. Thought for today, " We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo ( Walt Kelly)

Day 26

Draw closer together

Isaiah 64:8 O Lord, you are our father. We are the clay, you are the potter, we are all the work of your hand." Thought for today, A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms."

Day 25

Express your love

1 John 3: 18-19 Let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we are living truly,living in God's reality.Thought for today: " When there is great love there are always miracles." Willa Cather

Day 24

The power of love

John 3 :16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. thought for today: The suprime happiness of life is the conviction of being loved for yourself,or more correctly, being loved in spite of yourself." Victor Hugo

Day 23

Endure to the end

Matthew 10:22 He that endureth to the end shall be saved. thought for today, " It is easy in the world to live after the word's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own;but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude."

Day 22

choose friends wisely

Proverbs 22:24-25 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angerd, or you will learn his ways and get yourself ensnared. thought for today:"tell me who you are with, and I'll tell you who you are."

Day 21

have courage to do what's right

Joshua 1: 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Thught for today: " Success is never final, Failure is never fatal, it's courage that counts." John Wooden

Day 20

Don't worry, be happy

Luke 12: 22-23 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes." Tought for today, Our greatest danger in life is in permitting the urgent things to crowd out the important." Charles E. Hummel.

Day 19

Accepting others

Galatians 3: 28 there is neither Jew nor Greek, alave nor free, male nor female, for you are all in Christ Jesus. Thought for today, " Seek first to understand, then to be understood." Covey

Day 18

Love one another deeply from the heart

1 Peter 1:22 " Seeing ye have purify your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned live of the bretheren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. thought for today: " All that is worth cherishing in this world begins in the heart, not in the head."

Day 17

Treat each other like you treat your friends

Mathew 7:12 " Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law...Thought for today: "It isn't the big pleasures that count the most, it is making a great deal out of the little ones."

Day 16

Look after each other

Deuteronomy 15:11 ...Therefore, I command thee, saying, Thou shall open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to the poor, and to thy needy, in thy hand. thought for today: "A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. but the world may be different because I was important to the life of a child." Forest E. Witcraft

Day 15

Be true to each other

Revelations 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb saying, great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints. Thought for today: The greatest kindness we can offer each other is the truth.

Day 14

Be supportive of one another

Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive." thought for today, "Encouragement is oxygen to the soul." George Adams

Day 13

Keep your promises

Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Though for today: "If it is to be... it's up to me."

Day 12

Comfort one another

1 Thessalonians 4:18 " Therefore comfort one another with these words." Though for today: " The most important things in life are not about things."

Day 11

Be kind and tender hearted

Ephhesians 4: 32 And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as Christ sake hath forgiven you. Thought for today: " You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving."

Day 10

Forgive and Forget

Micah 7:18 ...God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity; and passeth by the trangression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, becuase he delighteth in mercy," Though for the day: " To err is human, to forgive, devine."

Day 9

Bear each other burdens

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Thought for today: "To the world, you may be just one person...but to one person, you might just be the world."

Day 8

Count Your blessings

Psalms 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Though for the day, " If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves." Maria Edgeworth

Day 7

Always be honest

Proverbs 12:22

Lying lips are abomination to the Lord:but they that deal truly are his delight. Though for today " things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least."

Day 6

D & C 82: 10 " I, the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."
Quote by Heber J, Grant " That which we persist in doing becomes easier not that the nature of the thing has changed, but that our ability to do has increased."

Day 5

Moroni 7:47 " but charity is the pure love of Christ , and it endureth forever and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."

quote for the day by Nelson Henderson "The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit."

day 4

2 nephi 2:25

" Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." Quote for the day. by John Ruskin" There is no wealth but life."

Day 3

Pray with purpose.

Matthew 6:7 " but when ye pray. use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. "

Thought for the day by kahlil Gibran " You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your day of abundance."

Day 2

D & C 68:28 " And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord."

Thought for the day: " you pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your day of abundance." Kahhill Gibran

Cuaresma or Lent

I am celebrating my own Cuaresma in the next 4o days before Easter.
Today happnes to be Ash Wednesday which is a Catholic tradition as a reminder to be humble. I will try to read the scriptures every day and post part of the main idea of the teaching I am reading. I am also going to write a nice quote for the day.
Day 1
2 Nephi 32:3 "...Wherefore I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold the words of Christ will tell you all things that ye should do."
quote for the day, " The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we could be." John Grimes