Be Smart

“Teach ye diligently … of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—that ye may be prepared in all things” (D&C 88:78–80).

There is so much knowledge to be had. So many things in this life to learn. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a child smile their first smile, take their first step, or say "I love you" for the first time. The sense of accomplishment felt as we graduate from High School and College, get a promotion, a new job, acheive a goal, etc. is one of the best feelings there is. There are so many ways to Be Smart. The main thing I think of, is making good decisions.

We make decisions every day. This morning, I decided to sleep for 5 extra minutes. I decided to eat a granola bar and fruit for breakfast. I decided what to wear, what time to leave for work, I decided to kiss my sweet puppy goodbye. They may seem like simple things done on auto-pilot, but each was a decision. I have made LOTS of good decisions in my life, and LOTS of not so great decisions. Each one has led me to where I am today. And I am SO HAPPY. I wouldn't have my life any other way. Would I love to win a million dollars, sure. But in reality, my life is wonderful. Mostly as a result of making good decisions. I thought I'd outline just a few:

Get An Education:

What a gigantic difference in life an education makes. It is a wonderful way to advance yourself, your career, and to gain knowledge. The world is awealth of opportunities and many of them are opened by furthering your education. I have learned this lesson the hard way, as I have not finished college yet. But I will. And I am so proud of my sweet hubby who is working hard and going to school right now. Way to BE SMART!

Choose Good Friends:

Your friends influence your life. They have the chance to uplift you, or bring you down. Choose good friends so that you can be a good influence on them, and they can influence you for good. Be Smart about who you spend your time with!

Value Your Family:

When all is said and done, your family is the only thing you can take with you. (Aside from your EDUCATION!) Build family relationships in this life, value those that are close to you. Don't take them for granted. They have been given to you to help you through the rough times and will always be there for you. Tell them you love them, one day you may not have the chance.

Love Your Spouse:

Bruce R. McConkie once said, "The most important single thing that any Latter-day Saint ever does in this world is to marry the right person, in the right place, by the right authority." I have the utmost love and respect for my husband. He is a wonderful man, and I am so lucky to be able to experience this journey through life with him. I think, when I made my decision, to marry him... I was being SMART!

Set Goals:

This is my current goal. One that I am working incredibly hard towards. I cannot wait for the blessings that I can receive through entering this holy place.

In addition to good decision making... lately my focus on Being Smart, has led me down another path. Listening to the Spirit. Heavenly Father will guide us if we simply listen. We need to put aside the cares of the world, go to our 'secret places', and offer ourselves to Him. He will guide us. I have been blessed so much lately, but attempting to heed his commandments and follow his council. Because I have been doing everything I can to invite it, I feel that the Spirit has had a more prominent place in my life and I am more prepared to receive inspiration, comfort, peace, love, and encouragement. It is definitely smart to open your heart and mind to the Holy Ghost.

When I graduated from High School, I received the book "Oh The Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss. What wonderful words of wisdome can be found...

Oh The Places You'll Go

"You have brains in your head.You have feet in your shoes.You can steer yourself any direction you choose.You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too...

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left."

Whew... Be Smart was almost as long as Be Grateful!! I am learning FABULOUS lessons by focusing on these "B's". :) Stay tuned for more!!