A New Experiment
On Saturday I attended Time Out For Women with my sister-in-law's and my daughter, Hailey. While in attendance, Hilary Weeks shared an experience about an experiment with a clicker. She said that she heard a speaker say that on average people think over 300 negative thoughts a day. She wanted to know if it was true, so she purchased a clicker, and began clicking her negative thoughts. After a week of clicking the negative, she felt down and depressed. She realized that by giving recognition to her negative thoughts, it had completely changed her mood. In her words, she said, "the click acknowledged them enough to give the negative thoughts the ability to change my mood and outlook."
President Spencer W. Kimball said, “How could a person possibly become what he is not thinking? Nor is any thought, when persistently entertained, too small to have its effect. The divinity that shapes our ends is indeed in ourselves.”
After clicking for a week on the negative thoughts, Hilary changed her paradigm and started clicking the positive. Each day of her new experiment Hilary's positive thoughts increased. As she started giving recognition to the positive within her, she changed her outlook once again--this time for the positive.
President Brigham Young said, "The greatest mystery a man ever learned, is how to control the human mind, and bring every faculty and power of the same in subjection to Jesus Christ; this is the greatest mystery we have to learn while in these tabernacles of clay."
Grant Von Harrison, author of Drawing on the Powers of Heaven , said, "To a great extent we accomplish what we think about. Your thoughts more than anything else, will be the determining factor in what you accomplish during your life."
So, we have started a new experiment at the Miller Home. We are clicking all that is lovely, and good. We are doing as King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon directed--we are watching our thoughts. A few days after I had presented this experiment to my family, my children were bickering while doing their chores. I reminded them several times to be nice; however, my constant "reprimands" didn't work. Finally, I called my children to my side. As they arrived, their countenances seemed to be screaming, "here comes the talk". To their surprise, I didn't offer advice on being kind. Instead I asked them to get their clickers. I then told them that they would remain by my side until each of them were able to click five things positive about each of their siblings. My sweet Amber is like a book with her expressions, and I focused my attention on her face as she started her clicking--first click-still annoyed; second click-somewhat annoyed; third click-not annoyed, but indifferent; fourth click-half smile; fifth click-absolute joy. My children left to finish their chores, and the contention had left. There was once again peace in our home.
I have a testimony of the power of our thoughts. Satan wants to destroy us. He wants more than anything to defeat our self-worth, and convince us that we are nothing. A few years ago when Hailey started the first grade I found myself distraught that I would no longer be the greatest source of influence in her life--that I would now need to trust on the influences of her teachers and her classmates. I felt strongly that she needed the experiences that only school could provide; however, I also worried for her spiritual well-being. I remember praying to my Father in Heaven. I pleaded with him to protect my daughter from the temptations that surely come. Through several weeks of turning my thoughts to God, and pleading for my daughter's safety, I felt prompted to start a tradition that continues (5 years later) today. Every morning before my children leave I ask them two questions:
"Who are you?"
To which they respond, "I am a child of God."
I then ask them, "What does that mean?"
To which they respond, "I am a princess." (My son answers that he is a prince.)
Our thoughts determine our beliefs in and they shape who we become. Every day our children are reminded of the divinity within them, and that remembrance has power. It has the power to guide their choices, and I have no doubt that it has an impact. In addition to this inspiration, I also felt that I should fill my children's minds with the word of God prior to school, so every morning we have scripture study. This is another way in which we are able to fortify their thoughts, and once again--remind them of their divinity. As we search the scriptures, our spirits are filled, and our thoughts are turned to our Father in Heaven. THOUGHTS do have power. I have felt it in our lives!
I am so excited for this experiment! I am grateful to be reminded of the importance of focusing on the good!
Since starting this experiment, I have witnessed several blessings. Here are three of my favorites:
First, I love watching Jake sit on the floor and repeatedly name all of his blessings, "I love my sister, I love my mom, I love my dad, I love the temple, I love the temple, I love the temple again..." How awesome is that?!!! To be focusing on the good, is an awesome thing!
Second, my two oldest daughter's haven't been bringing their clickers to school, so their time with their clickers has been much shorter than mine. (I have had my clicker all day.) For the past two days, I have listened to my daughter's shout out their total "good thoughts", and they have far exceeded mine. I love the example of little children! This reminds me how Christ has counseled us to "become as little children." I love it!
Third, Jake and I were running through the house looking for his clicker. As soon as Jake saw his clicker, he shouted, "The first one to touch the clicker doesn't get spankin's". He then grabbed his clicker, and then proceeded to chase me around the kitchen table determined to give me my spankin's. As we rounded the table, I grabbed him and gave him a few loving pats on the bottom. We then circled the couch, and Jake shouted, "The first one to get spankin's, get's a piece of candy". He then pointed his bum towards me as if saying "go ahead mom, give me another spankin". (Sometimes spankin's are used for play in our home.)
Third, Jake and I were running through the house looking for his clicker. As soon as Jake saw his clicker, he shouted, "The first one to touch the clicker doesn't get spankin's". He then grabbed his clicker, and then proceeded to chase me around the kitchen table determined to give me my spankin's. As we rounded the table, I grabbed him and gave him a few loving pats on the bottom. We then circled the couch, and Jake shouted, "The first one to get spankin's, get's a piece of candy". He then pointed his bum towards me as if saying "go ahead mom, give me another spankin". (Sometimes spankin's are used for play in our home.)
No comments:
Post a Comment