Our Refined Heavenly Home

My Grandma Millar got us a subscription to the Ensign and Friend for Christmas. I think she knew that I wouldn't do it myself and that, although it doesn't cost much, I wouldn't budget it in. Anyways, they came in the mail yesterday and usually I just give Terina the Friend and the Ensign sits on the piano and I'll occasionally flip through it. Yesterday was a different story. The cover has a picture of a family on it and a subtitle of Creating Heavenly Homes. Just what I need right?! So I opened it this morning and sat down to read. I know my home is far from being Heavenly but this far?! I now see that we, as a family, have much more work to do. One thing that really stood out to me was a part towards the end that talks about keeping up our appearances. Out here in Laie it's a common thing to see girls walking around with their hair in a bun, basketball shorts, over sized t-shirts and flip flops. It's freaking hot all the time and now its muggy. Anyways, it says "We must not let ourselves go and become so casual-even sloppy-in our appearance that we distance ourselves from the beauty heaven has given us." I never thought about that. We were created in the image of our Heavenly parents and I'm pretty sure that my Heavenly mother does not look this tore up all the time. The article gives so much information that is really common sense but maybe things we don't think about. It talks about language too. You and I both know that cursing and swearing are not right but something that I never, NEVER thought of was how they speak in Heaven. "We would be disappointed if God had used "awesome" or other exaggerated phrases." Really? I never thought about those kinds of words or phrases as being ungodly but the article goes on to talk about using proper speech and refinement in talking. Just those 2 things alone gives me a lifetime of things to work on. Anyways, it's a great article and I can't wait to read the rest of the Ensign. Right after I clean my house and fix my face