Temple Time!

I had a great Saturday with Family and dear friends! The temple is such a wonderful place. I'm so excited for the opportunities they bring.

Name Them One by One

Johnson Oatman Jr. once wrote, "When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged thinking all is lost, count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." I've had to experiment with this. When dealing with things in life, "life's billows" so to speak its definitely easy to get discouraged and see life as some gloomy existence. Except when you keep track of all the blessings you are thankful for. A while back I began a list of every blessing I could think of. I'd like to have a book of things I'm thankful for. To start, I am thankful for; family, friends, scriptures, testimony, the Holy Ghost, The Atonement, Patriarchal Blessings, the Word of Wisdom, Joseph Smith, Prophets and Apostles, sun, moon, stars, air, clouds, ocean, mountains, sight, smell, feel, hearing, walking, running, sounds, music, kids, car, house, water, food, safety, love, listening, laughing, crying, gasoline, money, the ability to speak and understand, writing, reading, books, job, trusting people, Temples, church buildings, freedom, trials (though its tough at times), the ability to grow, agency, church leadership, Institute, colors, paper, pens, communication, travel, air planes, medicine, caring, kindness, computers, internet, e-mail, mail, bikes, electricity, plumbing, Fire people, help, time, bandaids, ponytails, chapstick (burt's bees), forgiveness, the Restoration, knowledge, tests, school, mercy, singing, praying, chairs, air conditioning, windows, cameras, pictures, memories, hugs, cuddles, sleep, profound thought, quotations, ideas, new situations, sunglasses, glasses, copy machines, roller blades, trees, shade, dogs, cats, animals of all types, spiders, insects, birds, stores, storage, laws, law enforcement, horns, streets, street lights, signals (of all types), leashes, tennis shoes, basketball, soccer, grass, sprinklers, pools, UPS, interpretations, perspectives, silly time, serious time, flowers, inventions, trucks, motorcycles, calenders, planning, notebooks, journals, photoshop, drawing, skipping, piers, towels, tooth brushes, tooth paste, eye drops, leaves, sidewalk, door knobs, locks, hammocks, ping pong, volleyball, humor, trust, learning, language, life, etc., etc. How can you not smile now? and this is but a partial list! Do it to it! I promise it works :)

Looking Up

So many things these days get people down and not ok. It's a sad thing and I have fallen from a good day to a bad day in just a few questionable thoughts. Today I realized that just the act of looking up helps, sounds silly but think about it. From the perspective I have, realizing how small you really are in this life puts things in perspective. Just as something that seems to make all the difference in your own life goes bad look up, in the big picture of things it doesn't matter. The way things go has so many variables you can't expect things to happen without being all knowing. I know little in this respect. I know only what I study and believe; I can't possibly figure out all of life's questions out especially the ever present "what if's" and "why's". I think that's also where your faith comes in. If you are searching for answers to questions and you aren't sure what else to do, but aren't getting anything sure from prayer your faith is tested as you pursue something that has no sure result. 

Anyway just a ramble for today :)

My Face on a Screen

"Each week, depending on the number of calls to be assigned, two to four members of the Quorum of the Twelve go to separate rooms at Church headquarters. There, after kneeling in prayer and asking for divine guidance, each sits down before a computer screen. On that screen, one at a time, prospective missionaries’ pictures and personal information appear, along with the current needs of all of the missions of the Church. Each missionary is then personally assigned to a specific mission and given a date on which to enter a missionary training center." by David A. Edwards (Your Call to Serve New Era 2007)
Its pretty crazy to think of my face on a screen in front of a few of the most high esteemed men on earth! Oh I am so looking forward for mail time! Sometimes it's difficult to get in the car, drive to the post office, deal with all the traffic on Main Street; but I think with the prospect of what's on its way I'll be lining up to go and get it. Two more weeks!

Rust with a T

You just have to do it. Allow it in your own life, when dealing with yourself and others. Sometimes it may hurt as stupid decisions are made but a learning experience is sure to follow.

I Wish 2nd Counted

Since a kid life has been a competition, from "shotgun" to the first one to say "Thank You" to the parents after eating out. Life would be so much easier if from the beginning second place counted for anything. With shotgun, the front seat was, and still is the best seat in the car, and no matter what the backseat will never compare. Just as in life today, being the second best at reading my scriptures consistently has its blessings but doing it daily is just better. If 2nd best compared to the Best I'd be set! I'd be fine with almost every aspect of my life. But seeing as how this is not the personality I was best with I will toil and work my tail off until I am the best i can be. I know that there are times when my best won't be enough for someone and that I will always come in second to another but I'm well aware of this fact and hope to not dwell on it much. I can work and grow just as much as the next kid and one day be the best. I know that sometimes when life gets too much to take and the tears come I can rely on my Heavenly Father to help me through. Sometimes you have feelings of "this person has it all", "one day that will be me", and "I just want that." In order for those things to become reality we must work, we can't sit hungry with our mouths open for food to come to us, (as the chinese proverb says) it is our choice what we do with this life and though times are tough we can make the best out of our situations. Had a rough time, but trying to see the light :). Here's hoping and faith-ing 

Lesson Learned

As days go by you can count each day by the lesson learned. Sunday-Kindness, Its just a Hello; I've come to greet people I don't know and it always seems a little awkward but just a hello means the world to some people. I know I have days where I feel invisible and a hello would definitely make it better. Say Hello more, its easy. Monday-A bad day always gets worse; enough said. Tuesday-Friends keep you sane, most days; after the horrible day of Monday Tuesday brought a glimmer of hope, as my two best friends helped me forget myself and work on a few situations I have to fix. Which brings me to today; Never is enough, it is a song lyric and I'm not sure why but I like it. It fits many a coincidence I've been in recently that I never really wanted to be in. It makes me laugh, I wish I could just leave it all behind but it's locked on target (me) so I get to find a way out before someone gets hurt!