What is REALLY important?

As I have been thinking about this project... I am so excited to get started. I love challenging myself- especially when it is pushing myself to be creative/resourceful/frugal and thrifty.

But in the back of my mind- a little voice of warning whispers: Don't forget and loose sight of the purpose and goal of the project.
(This is for my Choice and Accountability Value Project. It could be used for Divine Nature, Individual Worth- a marketable skill, Knowledge- proper care of clothes,repairs, alterations, or Integrity.)


Heavenly Father doesn't care if we are fashionable.

He doesn't care if we keep up with the current trends.



He does care that we are neat in our appearance and clean- physically and morally.



D. Todd Christofferson in a talk titled :A Sense of the Sacred" says ( in relation to our outward appearance and probably referring to church attire.)



".... some say dress and hair don't matter- it is inside that counts. I believe that truly it is what's inside a person that counts, but that's what worries me. Casual dress at Holy Places and events is a message about what is inside that person. It may be PRIDE or REBELLION or something else, but at a minimum it says, "I DON'T GET IT. I don't understand the difference between the sacred and the profane." ... I worry about them.... You are Saints of the Great Latter-day dispensation- look the part."



Okay. I bold printed the parts that struck a cord with me...

How we dress & present ourselves-- advertise our inside package: our standards, beliefs, morals, values, etc... etc...




And I believe that while Heavenly Father likes us to be creative and craftsy and frugal and thrifty-- he also likes balance in all things...
He likes us to serve one another and be charitable and smart and responsible and develop our spiritual talents along with our other gifts.





So- with all this in mind- I have to set some boundaries for myself.
(Because I have a way of neglecting household chores and other undesirable tasks... under the pretense that I am "researching" for my new calling and spend all my time crafting and creating... )








And I challenge you to set some parameters too... sit down and set time aside for chores, homework study and spiritual study along with time for fun.

I have heard as a guideline...

Figure out how much time it takes you to "get ready (physically) every day."

showered, dressed, etc...

And then set that same amount of time each morning to prepare yourself (spiritually) for the day.

I've noted that it takes me about a half an hour to get dressed and ready for the day.


So I wake up a half hour earlier to read my scriptures before my day begins... to prepare myself spiritually. And I've noticed a difference in my days.
It is nice.
That time helps me keep things in perspective. Not sweat the small stuff.
Helps me focus on what the important things are for me to accomplish this day...
and helps me have more patience.

For those of you who goto seminary- you already have this time worked in your day.
If you aren't in seminary yet- try setting some time aside to prepare yourself spiritually each day.
See how it helps you.