Summer is coming to a close

Rain is renewing.
A hardship we pleasantly bear.
It washes down and paces us.
Sunlight gives to life,
and life gives to action.
Fall bearing we pause.
Without knowing we praise Summer's end.
Yearning souls wish for the rain and cold.
A trial to ground and renew.
Refresh the roots.
Too much sun makes for aching souls.

G

Chimneys are scary. Santa is scary. That is all.

-Emma Alvarez

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Thanks to my second guest poster, Emma! Also my niece. She has pretty eyes, and a cute smile, and she loves to tell jokes. Thanks Emma!

~Crystal

family

Our family is too awesome.We play a lot, I mean a lot. We make a bunch of recipes. We have a bunch of cooks in are family.....well we think they are cooks.

My family goes to Texas a lot and we go to Arizona. We love to travel. We also go around Utah a lot. My family loves each other! :)


-Rebecca Alvarez

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Thanks to my guest poster! My niece Rebecca was sweet enough to do a guest post. I love her insight and humor. She has a great smile too.

~Crystal Schultz



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WE WILL HELP PEOPLE ALWAYS!

-Rebecca Alvarez

Who is praying for you?

Who is praying for you?

When I've been in difficult situations in my life I have felt the prayers and good thoughts of people I know who are hoping the best for me, who are praying for me, who want me to get through my hard times.

I was thinking of someone close to me yesterday, and I wondered if that person had any idea how many people are praying for them; how many people want this person to succeed in their life and challenges.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS/Mormon) we have a wonderful built in community.

Those that are called as leadership in our church are constantly praying for those that they watch over in their calling's responsibility. Everyone in a ward is prayed for by a Bishop, and his counselors. If you're a woman you're especially prayed for by the Relief Society President and her counselors. Men have their Quorum's leadership. Those that are teens are prayed for by their leadership (Young Women/Young Men Presidents and counselors). And the little ones are prayed for by the Primary Presidency. And they all might pray for all the others, or the whole ward too! And each ward is in it's own Stake, so then the Stake leadership is also praying for each Ward as well.

Then there's also the temple. Temple goers have the opportunity to place names of people in need of extra blessings/comfort/spiritual help on a Temple Prayer Roll. Then that name might be prayed for by dozens to hundreds of people.

If you are a child, you're parents will pray for you. I know that my parents are constantly praying for their children, just as I am for mine. As well as their grand-children, and of course extended family. I like to include all of my in-laws, and my close, and extended family in mine. And though it sounds kinda silly, I actually do pray for everyone in the world sometimes. We are all brothers and sisters. We all branch from the same tree, and I do sincerely wish that all our lives are blessed and happy and selfless.

I know that the First Presidency and those serving with them pray for everyone in the whole church as well.

Friends pray for friends. On Facebook I see people that are praying for many strangers they don't even know. 

Do not our thoughts have power? Don't our prayers have increased power? I know they do. I have experienced it for myself. The forces for good want us to succeed! One of my favorite parts of the Book of Mormon is after Christ is resurrected and He comes to the Americas, and when seeing how much the people don't want him to go He is filled with compassion, and He stops and prays for them. I love that so much!

And those that don't have a church community, or family, or friends, you may not know who is praying for you, or wishing you the best. Could be a co-worker, could be a friend of a friend. Sometimes I see people in the store and think that they look like they could use some happiness and I wish them goodness, I pray for them. 

No matter how alone you feel, know that there is someone somewhere that is sending you love and praying for you. :)

Sending love, hugs, best wishes, and prayers,

~Crystal

A posture fix for CHEAP

I've been trying to have better posture, but it's really hard. I was thinking about buying one of those back sling things to help improve posture, but I'm too cheap to buy one. And then my classmate Michael (he's a professional dancer) told us this awesome [CHEAP] trick.

Put on a kinda tight tank top over whatever you're going to wear, then take the front and lift it over the back of your head so the tank becomes like a shoulder holster. Then wear it around the house.

I only started doing it yesterday and I can tell there's been a huge improvement!
I have lots of back problems. The muscles in my back are not well trained to good posture anymore.
I had an accident when I was seventeen, and I fractured multiple vertebrae in my back and since then I have had lots back issues, then after two pregnancies...well, my back hates me, we'll put it that way. The muscles are constantly tired. I don't just have bad posture, I shlump like no one's business, especially when I'm at home or alone. Then on Sundays when I try to sit up for church my back is just screaming because it's not used to good posture anymore and those muscles are lazy now.
I've gone to physical therapists, and they help a lot! But doing the exercises at home...with kids...well, it's really hard to get motivation to do. It's so much easier when I have a physical therapist (personal trainer really) with a timer telling me what to do, and I just have to do it. Buuut, I don't have one anymore. Anyhoo, so I can tell you from lots of experience that this little trick is helpful. :)

I noticed that when I'm not wearing the tank (keep in mind I've only been using it for one day, and a morning) that subconsciously I stand up straighter, like I would with the tank on. Also, it helps do a little of the work of keeping my back straight because it's pulling around my shoulders. Basically it's taking a little weight off my muscles so they have an easier time getting whipped back into shape. I took off the 'tank shoulder holster' and sat on the bed at my computer and my back started aching so much I put the tank back on, and it was much easier to sit straight up. Of course it's not a miracle maker, I have to put work into it and consciously be straitening my back all day. But it's a huge, cheap!, help.

I just thought I'd share since most of us (especially if we sit at the computer much) are getting horrible posture which not only looks bad, but it can even lead to internal problems, and create headaches, and all sorts of nasty stuff.
So, try it out!
Tell me what you think? Is it helpful to you? Not that much? Have you tried something else that works better or just as good?

~Crystal