Category Archives: Self-Improvement

Charity seeketh not her own

for-tcms-3

This series of posts is about the pure love of Christ is called Charity.  We read about this love in the Bible, 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13.  In the next few days, watch for posts about this vital attribute of Christ.  When we seek to emulate Him by loving as he loved, our heart changes, we are happier, and each of us can be a more positive INfluence on others.  This is one way we can create positive generational change.

Charity, the pure love of Christ, seeketh not her own.  —1 Corinthians 13:5

“It can be a great challenge to love others, especially if they have hurt us. But the commandment is clear: As the scriptures teach, charity, the pure love of Christ, ‘seeketh not her own.’ (Moro. 7:45.) If we are to come unto Christ and become like him, we must learn to truly love others.

“In the parable of the sheep and the goats, in Matthew 25:31–46 [Matt. 25:31–46], the Savior taught the importance of loving all those around us.

“One of the distinctions between the two groups will be their treatment of those whom we may think of as different from us or difficult to love—the unkind, the unrighteous, the different, and the antagonistic. To those who love and serve these people, the Lord has said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matt. 25:40.)  (Ensign, June 1988)

8-love-even-when-disagree

TODAY’s Affirmation:  I am TODAY’s ChangeMaker*.  I learn to love others, even when I disagree with them.

Join me on my Family Tree Gal Facebook page.  Leave your comments under this post on that page.

Join the Quest to create positive change in your family and family line.
Leave your name and email at FamilyTreeQuest.com

Let’s stay connected!

*****
*NOTE:  TODAY’s ChangeMakers are sincere, determined men and women who do not give up on creating positive change in spite of obstacles. Join the Quest at FamilyTreeQuest.com

Remember what Charity is NOT. Click here.

 

 

About Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Carolyn Calton is an online educator and ReNEW YOU Life Strategist. As founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com, CarolynCalton.com and as CEO of Ron Newsom's LiahonaLightAcademy.com, Carolyn helps sincere, determined men and women embrace with certainty a safe, secure framework for creating their own brighter and happier future TODAY—no matter their past. Turning heartache to happiness, those who Join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles at FamilyTreeQuest.com, learn how to turn stress, anxiety, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace in order to renew and regenerate themselves, their families and family lines.

Envy Not

for-tcms-1

This series of posts is about the pure love of Christ is called Charity.  We read about this love in the Bible, 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13.  In the next few days, watch for posts about this vital attribute of Christ.  When we seek to emulate Him by loving as he loved, our own heart changes, we are happier, and each of us can be a more positive INfluence on others.  This is one way we can create positive generational change.

Charity, the pure love of Christ, envieth not.  –1 Corinthians 13:4

“…the Lord God hath commanded … that [we] should not envy.” (2 Ne. 26:32.) Every day we face situations in which we may feel envy or covet something another person possesses. We may envy another person’s home and comfortable financial situation, someone elses talents and abilities, … or the happy family life of another. Such envy can canker our souls. …

“If we find ourselves envying someone elses talents, possessions, life-style, or accomplishments, we should first turn for help to our Father in Heaven. In his mercy, he will bless us with the ability to rise above the destructive pettiness of envy and to rejoice in his goodness to our brothers and sisters.

“Gordon B. Hinckley points out another way we can learn to overcome feelings of envy. ‘The happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others,’ he says. (Ensign, Aug. 1982, p. 5.)

“By serving others, we can learn to focus not on what we feel is lacking in our lives, but on the many blessings the Lord has given us.

“By seeking the Spirit of the Lord, serving others, and recognizing the blessings the Lord has given us, we can overcome feelings of envy and rejoice in the Lord’s goodness to all of his children.”  (Ensign, February 1988)
5-no-envy
TODAY’s Affirmation:  I am TODAY’s ChangeMaker*.  I do not envy, but seek, instead, to feel happy for others. I work to meet my own needs.

Join me on my Family Tree Gal Facebook page.  Leave your comments under this post on that page.

Join the Quest to create positive change in your family and family line.
Leave your name and email at FamilyTreeQuest.com

Let’s stay connected!

*****
*NOTE:  TODAY’s ChangeMakers are sincere, determined men and women who do not give up on creating positive change in spite of obstacles. Join the Quest at www.FamilyTreeQuest.com

Remember what Charity is NOT. Click here.

About Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Carolyn Calton is an online educator and ReNEW YOU Life Strategist. As founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com, CarolynCalton.com and as CEO of Ron Newsom's LiahonaLightAcademy.com, Carolyn helps sincere, determined men and women embrace with certainty a safe, secure framework for creating their own brighter and happier future TODAY—no matter their past. Turning heartache to happiness, those who Join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles at FamilyTreeQuest.com, learn how to turn stress, anxiety, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace in order to renew and regenerate themselves, their families and family lines.

Are you among the wounded innocent?

feeling-behavior

Are you among the wounded innocent?  You know how it is.  The holidays may hold painful memories.

It’s a privilege to  pay loving attention to the children in our presence.

Let’s join together as TODAY’s ChangeMakers and make a positive difference in the world.  Enough is enough!

Leave your name and email at FamilyTreeQuest.com so we can keep in touch.

Join me on my Family Tree Gal Facebook page.  Let’s uplift our lives and hearts together!

About Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Carolyn Calton is an online educator and ReNEW YOU Life Strategist. As founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com, CarolynCalton.com and as CEO of Ron Newsom's LiahonaLightAcademy.com, Carolyn helps sincere, determined men and women embrace with certainty a safe, secure framework for creating their own brighter and happier future TODAY—no matter their past. Turning heartache to happiness, those who Join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles at FamilyTreeQuest.com, learn how to turn stress, anxiety, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace in order to renew and regenerate themselves, their families and family lines.

Spiritual Vitality: The face of Jesus is like an open door.

Vector background with grass

My Brite Star granddaughter loves to draw. She has quite the gift to draw meaningful pictures.

Today, I was reviewing a journal entry I made in 2015.  She had recently turned nine and said something that is still very precious to me.

She said, “Now I know the secret to drawing Jesus face!  Don’t make it too stern. Make it like an open door.”

I asked, “What does an open door mean to you?

She responded, “Like an open door.

Jesus face is supposed to be kind, letting you in, like an open door, not stern.”

I love that she is learning the truth about the character of Jesus. When we want to approach Him with real intent, and sincerely ask in faith for the desires of our heart that are in alignment with His will and teachings, He lovingly lets us in.

In an article written by Tanja Pajevic after the recent massacre in Florida, “Grieving After Orlando: 5 Ways To Take Care Of Yourself“, one thing she mentioned is, “Recommit to your personal values. Consider the legacy you’d like to leave behind. Will it be love? Kindness? Recommit to the people and the values that bring joy and meaning to your life.”

The power of kindness and love is remarkable! It has a positive ripple effect, and the influence of our kindness can ripple through generations!

Do we think of the face of Jesus as if it were an open door? Do we feel that forgiveness and help is readily available to each of us? Do we take the steps we need to take through prayer and communication with Heavenly Father to access Christ’s kindness and mercy. Do we feel of his grace (enabling power)? Being kind to ourselves and others adds stability to daily living.

Knowing that Jesus will enable us to develop this quality within our hearts and allow us to feel His love is a blessing worth reaching for. Let us do one thing today to connect with God and envision the face of Jesus Christ as if it were an open door.

****

The day of the Lord is at hand.
“Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.” – Joel 1:3

*****

Creating Positive Change?

Don’t forget to purchase JOURNALriffic.  It will help you turn your pain into purpose.  The 4 Steps of Discovery will help you process your emotions quickly so you can continue to progress in spite of obstacles.  Click here to discover the 2 ways you can access JOURNALriffic.
Join one of our ReNEW YOU Membership circles.

Everyone wants to be happy!  Our ReNEW YOU Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles can support you as you take 15 or 20 minutes a day to establish your own renewed, forward-facing  habits.  Elevate your thought patterns, habit patterns and family patterns. You will participate in daily encouragement and join with other TODAY’s ChangeMakers in a small group setting.  We provide charts and graphs for your daily accountability as you take consistent, proactive steps to improve your life’s circumstances.  You will receive personal support from me or my ReNEW YOU leaders and will always have a place to ask your questions. There is no need to feel alone or isolated any longer in your journey to create positive change.

I hope to connect with you soon.
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIN
To your happiness,
Carolyn

*****
Disclaimer.  I am the author of JOURNALriffic, founder of CarolynCalton.com, FamilyTreeQuest.com, HealingYourFamily.com and CEO of the LiahonaLightAcademy.com

About Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Carolyn Calton is an online educator and ReNEW YOU Life Strategist. As founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com, CarolynCalton.com and as CEO of Ron Newsom's LiahonaLightAcademy.com, Carolyn helps sincere, determined men and women embrace with certainty a safe, secure framework for creating their own brighter and happier future TODAY—no matter their past. Turning heartache to happiness, those who Join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles at FamilyTreeQuest.com, learn how to turn stress, anxiety, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace in order to renew and regenerate themselves, their families and family lines.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

As TODAY’s ChangeMakers (TCMs), we can look forward to a lot of joy in this new year.  As we follow our guiding purposes, we empower ourselves to create positive change.  For TCMs everywhere, I hope you will stay true to your guiding purposes as TODAY’s ChangeMaker which are to

  • Glean wisdom from the past rather than stay stuck in it.
  • Be happy and live a purpose-filled life as TODAY’s ChangeMaker.
  • Prepare courageously and confidently for the future—come what may.

This wonderful reminder from Jeffrey R. Holland is perfect for TODAY’s ChangeMakers.  It is a perfect fit for the first guiding purpose of gleaning wisdom from the past rather than staying stuck in it.

He says, “As a new year begins and we try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before, I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives.

So a more theological way to talk about Lot’s wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently, she thought that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as what she was leaving behind.

To yearn to go back to a world that cannot be lived in now, to be perennially dissatisfied with present circumstances and have only dismal views of the future, and to miss the here and now and tomorrow because we are so trapped in the there and then and yesterday are some of the sins of Lot’s wife.”

Let us embrace our present moments as we elevate our daily life circumstances throughout the year.

To your happiness in this new Year,
Carolyn

Don’t miss a thing! Join our mailing list.

* indicates required




*****
Carolyn Calton is the founder of Family Tree Quest.com

About Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Carolyn Calton is an online educator and ReNEW YOU Life Strategist. As founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com, CarolynCalton.com and as CEO of Ron Newsom's LiahonaLightAcademy.com, Carolyn helps sincere, determined men and women embrace with certainty a safe, secure framework for creating their own brighter and happier future TODAY—no matter their past. Turning heartache to happiness, those who Join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles at FamilyTreeQuest.com, learn how to turn stress, anxiety, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace in order to renew and regenerate themselves, their families and family lines.

Flattery and Empathy

LtL- Flattery and empathy, do not confuse

Wow. I gained insight today as I read about a man named Gadianton “who was exceedingly expert in many words.” He used flattery, others bought into it, and it turned out to be more destructive through its ripple effect than could ever be imagined!

I concluded that it’s important that we DO NOT CONFUSE FLATTERY, which is insincere praise, WITH EMPATHY, which is a sincere seeking to understand another’s situation or feelings.

I realized that many good-hearted, empathetic people in our day may confuse flattery with empathy. Many stay in more-than-difficult situations because they see what seems to be good in another person and think it’s empathy, when underneath, in the heart of the other, there is deceit and calculated choices.   Destruction is  brewing.

Developing the quality of discernment is important in our lives today. Discernment is keen perception or insight.  To me, this must be coupled with the influence and insight that comes from God into our own hearts, so that we may see clearly and know clearly what to do next in our lives and in our relationships.

The influence of good-hearted people is needed in our ever-darkening world.  We must continue to shine the light of our positive influence without fear of being used and abused.  To do this, I can see that discernment is needed, so we do not become prey to those with deceitful desires and self-centered, destructive purposes in their hearts.

We must also check our own heart and the methods we use to interact with others.  Do we simply use flattery (insincere praise) to get our own way, or are we truly connecting heart-to-heart through empathy.  We all long to be loved, appreciated and cared about.  Choosing empathy is choosing a path to healthy connections if both parties have empathy in their hearts.  Choosing flattery leaves you feeling emotionally flat and alone–even in a crowd.

Reference to Gadianton:  Helaman 2:4-14 in the Book of Mormon

About Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Carolyn Calton is an online educator and ReNEW YOU Life Strategist. As founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com, CarolynCalton.com and as CEO of Ron Newsom's LiahonaLightAcademy.com, Carolyn helps sincere, determined men and women embrace with certainty a safe, secure framework for creating their own brighter and happier future TODAY—no matter their past. Turning heartache to happiness, those who Join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles at FamilyTreeQuest.com, learn how to turn stress, anxiety, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace in order to renew and regenerate themselves, their families and family lines.

Hope for those with addictions and serious troubles

Here is a message of hope for those with addictions.  Other serious problems are addressed in video #2.  Both videos are full of hope and encouragement.

Video 1:  You Will Be Freed

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all can be transformed, cleansed, and freed from addiction. (It’s a short 2 minutes and 55 seconds.  Well worth the time. )

Video 2:  Look to the Light

The warmth these people speak of in the video below is “the pure love of Christ” spoken of in the video above.

“Wherever He has taken me is always for a better result.”  “There is an eternal plan here.” “The world has a chance to accept His love and follow Him.”

May God continue to keep you in his watchcare on your journey to Him.
Carolyn

About Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Carolyn Calton is an online educator and ReNEW YOU Life Strategist. As founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com, CarolynCalton.com and as CEO of Ron Newsom's LiahonaLightAcademy.com, Carolyn helps sincere, determined men and women embrace with certainty a safe, secure framework for creating their own brighter and happier future TODAY—no matter their past. Turning heartache to happiness, those who Join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles at FamilyTreeQuest.com, learn how to turn stress, anxiety, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace in order to renew and regenerate themselves, their families and family lines.

That Families May Be Blessed

Post Header, 600 x ___ 2, Family, basic unit of eternity
Henry B. Eyring is an amazing man.  He has been an example to me of humble faith and devotion to God and family.  He spoke at the Vatican Summit where faith leaders discussed marriage.  The points he listed at the end of what he said are possible to achieve  if two people are committed to walking together in love.  With faith in God and a commitment to one’s spouse, generations of children can be benefitted and blessed.

I am also a witness of how a single parent can press forward in faith and still influence children for good.  We still need to know how to be faithful IN family settings and, by listening to his words, we can help our children gain insight and understanding, too.  If you are one that has carried heartache and heartbreak–even from childhood–his words may help you make sense, clearly, of what was missing or what went wrong.

Let’s change the  trend of destructive thoughts, words and actions that we carry into marriage and relationships.  Henry B. Eyring suggests how it is possible.  I encourage you to listen to his words.

I’ve included the link to the text under the video.

Click here to link to the text:  Witness.  To Become as One.

About Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Carolyn Calton is an online educator and ReNEW YOU Life Strategist. As founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com, CarolynCalton.com and as CEO of Ron Newsom's LiahonaLightAcademy.com, Carolyn helps sincere, determined men and women embrace with certainty a safe, secure framework for creating their own brighter and happier future TODAY—no matter their past. Turning heartache to happiness, those who Join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles at FamilyTreeQuest.com, learn how to turn stress, anxiety, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace in order to renew and regenerate themselves, their families and family lines.