Inspired and Refreshed

I was able to take a little (and much needed) sabbatical and go to Women's Conference for LDS women in Utah this past week. The stadium was packed with 15,000 plus amazing women. It is overwhelming. I looked around and contemplated all the good that there is in the world. The mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters, etc. that filled the room with the desire to be better and to be inspired. I wish I could have taken you all with me! You come home with a motivation to be better and refreshed to handle the joys of motherhood.  

As part of the conference, you select classes to take each day on a myriad of topics. I had some wonderful speakers and came home with a great little notebook full of quotes and lessons to apply. The messages were basic but spoke to me in plain words that I needed to hear:

Choose Joy, no matter what circumstance you are going through.

We are here to unify and strengthen others. We should pray daily to be an answer to someone else's prayers.

We should never judge another. We should support and love.

Appreciate the daily gifts from God. 

Work. It is better to dig a hole and fill it in again then to do nothing. 

Be a builder, Emphasize what is positive in others.

The Lord puts us in the proximity of others on Purpose.

Exchange enmity with empathy.

I thought about how I may judge others when they don't think like I do or believe what I believe. I came home with my tail between my legs with a resolve to be a better  friend to those around me. I thought about how many times in my life people have been placed in close proximity of me for a purpose. We all go through trials in our life and it is up to us to use those experiences to help others. We need to pray daily to be an answer to someone else's prayers. We all need each other. 

Thank you my sweet family for letting me go, for keeping the house in order and the garden alive. Thank you to my Utah family for being such gracious hosts. I did nothing. They served me breakfast and dinner. Drove me and picked me up. I was spoiled beyond belief. It was pure heaven. 

I couldn't wait to come home and play in my garden. My fingernails are dirty but worth the payoff today. Here is a little glimpse of what was collected today:

Before I left, I had my first backyard omelet of the season. A fresh chicken egg,a zucchini, tomato and onion. It was so delicious and vibrant. Hope you are all having garden success! I have some struggling heirloom tomatoes but all else is going well. It takes daily attention to keep things growing right but it is so worth it in the end!