The Pumpkin Incident and a Simple Equation

Well, this week has been a much of the same as old: school for me, work and school for Joe. In fact, there isn't really much to report except for the pumpkin incident. You see, I got a little ambitious and decided that I wanted to make a pumpkin pie from actual pumpkins. If you know me at all, you know I absolutely LOVE anything pumpkin. So, I thought it appropriate for the pumpkin fanatic to make an authentic pumpkin pie. I bought special pie pumpkins. Did you know that pie pumpkins are a different kind than Jack-o-lantern pumpkins? Supposedly they are sweeter. I followed the directions: cut them up, cleaned them, baked them until they were soft, let them cool, scooped out the meaty insides, mashed it all up to a puree, and then put it in a glass mixing bowl to store for the night. It was pretty late and I figured I'd make the pie the next day. As I was putting the bowl of pumpkin in the fridge, for some reason unknown to man, the bowl slipped out of my hands, hit the bottom of the fridge, and then smashed into a bazillion pieces on my kitchen floor. It was a pumpkin glass mess, which was horrible to clean because I couldn't just sweep it up. So yeah, I never got to make that "real" pumpkin pie. Oh well, it will have to wait until another day. Good thing I still like the canned stuff. Moral of the story--don't use glass mixing bowls.

Other highlights of the week include buying Christmas presents for people, a trip to Costco with Joe where we ate a record number of samples, hearing a speech of a man who has been in prison for 18 years for a murder he didn't commit, and having yet another week without snow. All in all, it was a pretty good week.

On a more spiritual note, I have re-gained a testimony on the power of scripture study. This last semester, I have felt like I haven't been as happy, effective, or energetic as I usually am. I just felt like I was in a funk. It's hard to explain. Anyway, I realized that I've been slacking on all the little stuff, you know, the daily prayer and scripture study. It's not that I didn't want to do it. It's just that life had gotten so busy that after nights of falling asleep during my prayers and scripture study, I just got out of the habit. So, I decided to repent. I say repent because that's really what it was. I changed my heart and made a decision to put those little but oh so important things back into my life. So every night BEFORE I was tired, I took some time to myself and read my scripture for about 30 minutes. I am reading the Doctrine & Covenants and have fallen in love all over again with that book. Can I just tell you that this last week was one of the best weeks that I have had in a long time? I slept better. I studied more effectively. I could concentrate better. I felt happier. I wasn't annoyed as much. I wasn't as stressed. It was great! I know it's because by doing those important little things, I qualified myself for blessings and to have the Holy Ghost with me. You know, it's such a simple equation. Obedience to God = Happiness. I don't know why I allow myself to get so off track. I think it's because we have a lot of opposition in this life and we forget how important those little things are. Well, I am going to try my hardest to not forget again. That's why I am telling you. So if I ever get off track, you can remind me of this experience so that I will get back on it again.

I have a testimony of the power of the Scriptures. I am so grateful for righteous men and women who sacrificed so that we can have the teaching of God. I am grateful for prayer. I know it is a direct conduit to God. I feel so very blessed.