A Refined Heavenly Home

One of my newest favorite blogs to read is the Lazy Organizer. She's an LDS homeschooling mom who has got this "simplify" thing down. I don't agree with everything she does (we're keeping the Legos), but I do love most of her ideas and the ones I don't really make me think.
Anyway, she had a great post yesterday about art vs. entertainment and posted parts from this talk. It really hit on some things I've been thinking about lately. As we've been moving toward greater simplicity and making room in our lives for the important things, we've found ourselves gravitating more toward spiritual, rather than worldly things. We've been getting rid of books, video games, and movies that no longer felt uplifting. Lazy quoted a speech which we read over and over yesterday. We loved it. Hubby even took a copy of it to work. Some of my favorite quotes:

"God speaks all languages, and He speaks them properly. He is restrained and modest of speech. When God described the grand creational process of this earth, He said in measured tones that “it was good.”4 We would be disappointed if God had to use “awesome” or other exaggerated phrases in every paragraph."

"Refinement in speech is reflected not only in our choice of words but also in the things we talk about. There are those who always speak of themselves, and they are either insecure or proud. There are those who always speak of others. They are usually very boring. There are those who speak of stirring ideas, compelling books, and inspiring doctrine. These are the few who make their mark in this world. The subjects discussed in heaven are not trifling or mundane. They are sublime beyond our most extended imagination. We will feel at home there if we are rehearsed on this earth in conversing about the refined and noble, clothing our expressions in well-measured words."

"The nearer we get to God, the more easily our spirits are touched by refined and beautiful things."
That's what I'm finding. The less I am surrounded by distracting "stuff" the more I feel God in my life and the more I noticed the beauty that is around me.

Now, lest I sound too preachy or overly perfect, you should know it still only took an hour this morning before I was screaming at my kids. I still have things in my life that stress me out and wind me up. Some can be eliminated quickly, others I need to learn to deal with. I'm still learning to deal with some.

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