Ode To My Home States

Ok so I am not really an ode writer BUT I do like Ellen,
and recently my home states of Utah and Idaho have been featured on that very show,
So here are the clips because I like my states....

Because I know *people like these who would do anything to help others....

and even though we may look like terrible drivers with hilarious weather....

Have I ever mentioned how much I love where I come from?

*If you didn't hear/see the original story check out my sisters blog here as it clears up the mistakes that the national media made in telling the story as well as showing you the clip.

Find It: Strength, Confidence, and Beauty

Today I have been blown away by some of the posts I have read.
They aren't necessarily exposing a NEW, BIG idea or anything,
but they are reminding me and some thoughts are astounding.

For instance you can go here and read what Cyri says about strengths and how sometimes we don't even notice the ones we have because they are so natural (welcome to my life of trying to write a resume - I am working on looking to see them and share them on paper though).

The you can go here and read about confidence. I really like this lady. She is happy and doing what she loves. Plus that last line in her post kind of makes you step back and go - whoa. She also has posts on self-esteem, and several on beauty here, here and here.

And then there is my "long lost cousin" Elise, who is super inspiring with her sense of purpose in life. She posted on beauty here (and I happened to be featured - boy is putting a definition of beauty down into words hard), but I love everything in that post. I think I want to say namaste much more frequently. A few more of her posts to make you happy and confident including this one here.

I have THE best people in my life.
I think I could honestly argue that to the death
because it's a really big choice to be down when they are around or sharing insight.

So just know that you are wonderul.
You have strengths, talents, and beauty!
Thanks for sharing with me! :D

p.s. sometimes our strengths are like our ideas and we don't think we are all that special or unique but like our ideas - sometimes we are obvious to ourselves but to others we are astounding.

Something to look forward to.

Change

That six letter word can bring with it

happiness,

sadness,

excitement,

anxiety,

smiles,

tears,

laughter,

hugs,

sorrow,

joy,

and so many other things . . .

But without it nothing would happen
and we wouldn't be who we are.

Odd paradox sometime right?
It scares me nonetheless and so I am working on that.

My aunt posted this to think on a while ago

What would you say to the person you were five years ago? What will you say to the person you’ll be in five years?*

I wrote bunch of things out in letter form to myself,
and then decided it was too long to share,
and that no one would really care that much anyway,
but man how I wish I could tell my 2006 self about all the good things to come,
and prepare her for the bad
(but I kind of liked that I had to get through them without knowing the endings).
I try to live without regrets and trying to write a letter back to myself, I see a few . . .
let's hope I can figure that all out for 2016 me. :)
 I want to live.
I want to say yes to things.
I wan to experience things.
So take me with you?

Also my friend Cyri gave me this quote yesterday:

"Keep on beginning and failing.

Each time you fail, start over again, 

and you will grow stronger
until you have accomplished a purpose...

not the one you began with perhaps, 

But one you'll be glad to remember."

- Anne Sullivan Macy

And my cousin Pamela shared this video:

Oh how I love relishing life. :)

Two of My Loves from Sunday

There were many more than two but here are some small joys I found.


Number One:

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, 

wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, 

my hair expertly coiffed, 

and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon 

that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.

I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter 

on my shirt from making sandwiches for 

a sick neighbors children.

I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails 

from helping to weed someone's garden.

I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks 

and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here 

and that I really lived."

- Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Number Two:

Apple Rhubarb Pie. . . 

Delicious and a half.

Once I spent over an hour chopping delicious the large bag of rhubarb my dear friend the newly Mrs. Quebbeman provided for me I realized just how much that bag contained. 

We made pie, "jam," and syrup, yet still have a TON of rhubarb.

We discovered that it's fine raw, without sugar, if you keep eating it.

Back to the pie though - I loved it so I am sharing it!

Apple Rhubarb Pie

1 1/2 c. rhubarb, diced
1 1/2 c. apples, sliced
1 3oz box of raspberry gelatin
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. melted butter

Extra-sugared Pie Crust (enough for top and bottom)

1 egg

2 TBS sugar

Arrange rhubarb and apples in pie shell, sprinkle with dry gelatin
(we didn't use the whole box but we maybe used 1/3 of it).

Combine remaining ingredients. Sprinkle on top of pie.

Cover with top crust and cover pie with tin foil

and bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees.

With ~15 minutes left whip egg and remove tin foil 

brush egg over the top and sprinkle sugar.

Let cool and enjoy.

I highly recommend tracking down some rhubarb 

and making friends with your taste buddies!

Parachute.

I have a lot of random thoughts I often want to just write out right here but when I get around to it . .  . they are gone.

I remember them sometimes like I once just pondered on how much I love punny people for quite a while.
And like everyone else knows -worms smell gross (except my friend Michelle claims that smell is synonymous with the smell of rain . . . I think her nose is missing out on the real smell of rain).
Heavenly Father really does know SO much more and better than me . . . he knows what's coming and doesn't let me get ahead of myself so I am swamped beyond what I can handle . . . Thankfully he's in control of so much.

Tomorrow is fresh, with no mistakes in it - today may be an awful day where you collapse on your knees and just cry and cry but tomorrow can be better . . . in fact today can still be better if you choose to make it so.

 I have pictures for later but here is a GREAT quote from Elder Holland:

"Face your doubts. 

Master your fears.

"Cast not away therefore your confidence." 

Stay the course 

and see the beauty of life unfold for you."

Today church was perfect.

Just what I needed and my heart is so full.

One thing that really stuck out was in the story found in John 6:3-14.

What did Christ have to work with? 

 5 loaves of barley bread and 2 small fishes.

Where did he get them? 

A lad.

And Christ gave thanks for those few things,

and fed 5000 people ending with leftovers of 12 basketfuls!

Now the miracle is the part often focused on because it is a miracle.

But we talked about the lad. 

He gave what small contribution he had,

and it affected thousands of people.

His effect was somewhat small too -

he stopped their hunger-

but he did something greater, 

he helped Christ perform a miracle.

An ordinary, everyday person with something small to give.

We each have talents, abilities, and other things to give.

Giving those makes a difference to people

and can indeed perform miracles.

Consider the Lilies - Simon Dewey

You

I have written THREE blog posts out

and there are more in my head,

but I still don't know what to post . . 

so here it goes for now.

I haven't learned the lesson of studying well and keeping up in school as evident by my freaking out a little about the big lab report due tomorrow and three tests this week and one more Monday and everything else I have the rest of this semester which by the way only lasts another 8 weeks and then I am no longer an official student (unless grad school comes into the picture but for now . . .)

Am I terrified? A little. 

Excited? Some of that too.

While I haven't learned that lesson I have learned another. I have learned a lot about myself. ME. And in coming to realized my value it's heightened me to the value of others. I have always loved this quote by C.S. Lewis:

"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or the other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors."

That's me but more importantly that is YOU.

Don't forget you ok?
Because I think you are great. Nay,
I know you are great!

90% H2O

While I was in high school my mom introduced me to this study 

and it fascinated me.

The next two videos are the same but they are just pictures.

I don't love the music in either of them but they are cool.

I decided to just show you this picture instead of the other video.

So cool to me.

I love the concept. 

Thoughts and words are powerful.

We are made of 90% water.

So sticks and stones may break my bones 

But words will never hurt me?

May not be true (was it ever? and why would you try

to hurt someone through words?)

I want ALL of the crystals possible inside me

to resemble those of love, joy, family love, happiness. 

Here's to yours to! :)

*sorry for the gross water crystals  - I guess we need to see them too though.

Centered on Christ

This past weekend the Provo Tabernacle burned down.

Inside the firefighters saw this:

And this:

 

 And I love the look on the firefighter's face when they took it out:

Love it.

Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.

I cannot describe how much I love 

It's A Wonderful Life 
(I thought it'd be weird in color - I actually LOVE it)

(start from the beginning here - I love the beginning prayers 

AND the quotes "Is he sick?" "No worse, he's discouraged.")

Don't you wish we could all have an experience such as this? 

To see how we have changed the world? 

To clearly see our importance? 

Our impact in the lives of others?

Although I believe that for most of us it would be heartwrenching,

I think it would be profound.

I don't think everything we do changes 

the course of the future to the extent of George Bailey's 

but I know each of us is important 

and our decisions make a difference. . .

they determine our destiny and sometimes that of others.

Aslan from the Chronicles of Narnia says:

"You wished yourself away and with it much more. 

You doubt your value. Don’t run from who you are."

We're all unique for a reason.

Embrace it.
(I'm slowly but surely learning this lesson)

LiFe

I have learned a lot lately.

One of the biggest things is that

Hindsight really is 20/20.

REALLY.

I have seen it so much as I reflect on how things have worked out in my life and I know I just need to keep walking.

I know my Heavenly Father has been watching me.

And He sets things in play that allow me to grow,

and He helps me find amazing people to be my friends,

and then He lets those friendships grow.

And when things change He has things set up for me to fall back on.

It really amazes me when I think about it.

And you know what else?

He'll always be there. And everything will always work out.

Snoozing through . . .

I don't remember whether I blogged about this already or not, but back in January my friend Whitney blogged something that stuck out. And today due to MY own use of the blessed/cursed snooze button, I have been thinking about that post.

I mean I will be the FIRST to admit that I use the snooze button. Daily. Multiple times. Some days it feels great and sometimes . . . you just wake up feeling blah.
The post contains Jason Mraz's thoughts. He says "The Snooze Button – that device which offers a 2% chance of returning to your dreams and a 98% chance of non-fulfillment on your real ones. This morning as I hit the snooze alarm again, I got present to what it really is: a Procrastination Button."

He then talks about seeing that mentality in other aspects of our lives. Are we procrastinating projects? Bettering ourselves? Doing something we've always wanted to? While I think his dream statement is somewhat of an overstatement I do know that

1. If I didn't use the snooze I could be getting more GOOD sleep

OR

2. I could be doing something more useful and therefore fulfilling my life with a little more exercise, pondering time, or developing a talent.

*sigh*

I guess it's time to stop procrastinating and get out of bed ready to discover and fulfill my dreams.

Small and Simple Things

I have written this post three times.
It's not working but here it is anyway. . .

Today I was thinking and it reoccurred to me
that the simple things are what matters.
They ARE the big things.

"By small and simple things are
great things brought to pass."
Alma 37: 6-7

Happiness.

Joy.

I don't know if you've noticed but these are great things.

And while I know if someone gave me $1,000,000
I'd be ecstatic.
I also KNOW that that happiness wouldn't be like
the happiness I have when I realize the simple joys I experience daily.
(feel free to still give me the money if you were thinking about it though)

I mean yesterday I found joy in so much.

The weather.

My friends.

The Book of Mormon.

The dinner I had.

Picking up Alaura with Michelle.

The way we spent time waiting for her.

Roundabouts.

Empty parking lots.

Good songs playing over and over.

The laughter over something random.

Cyri's reaction to the laughter story.

A thunderstorm lullaby.

It's all so amazing and yet so


SiMpLe.



What simple things have you
noticed bringing you happiness today?

p.s. I just love this song.

Reaction to Life

Remember when I wrote about being so frustrated?

I do.

And I did when a kid in my ward bore his testimony Sunday too.

He said:

"I find it hard to get frustrated with life.
When I know there is a God watching over it all
Directing me.
I do however get frustrated with how I react to life."

While I know being frustrated is a choice
This opened my eyes.

It's ME deciding to react this way.
I am ok.
A loving Heavenly Father has huge influence in my life, everyday.
And he's leading me just as he has promised.
It makes me think of the Tapestry of Life poem.
You know. The one where if we could see how everything that happens
is woven together to make a beautiful picture.
God CAN see.
And not only that he knows us and our potential.
Trust in Him is key.

This also reminds me of the Touch of the Masters Hand poem/song.
We need to notice Him in our life.
We need to let Him be a part of our lives.

Things happen.
Sometimes they are just what we want,
Sometimes they can be fixed easily,
and sometimes they require effort and positive thinking
to be dealt with.

All in all.
Life is good.
Life is a blessing.


And each day has the promise of hope.
And one you chose hope. . . .


Anything is possible.

That's not written as well as I had hoped it to be.
But I hope it's good enough to communicate what I know.
And also a plug, I sadly forget things I know sometimes
If it's along these lines - help me remember.
Thanks.

Change the World

Alaura brought this book home from the library the other day

I haven't read much but I really like it.
It's great to be learning things from the book
but do you know what is greater? . . .


Knowing that I have been taught a lot of it throughout life
Not just through experiences
but actually taught it in places like this
I love that I know who I am.
And with that knowledge I know how I should act.

One thing I found to share went something like this

"Don't miss out on the opportunity to be
YoUrSeLf."

It sounds so simple, yet don't we still all forget to?

Have you noticed that while some sunny days are cloud-less,
most days there are some clouds in the sky.
Even on the cloudiest of days, light still reaches the earth.
In life there may be clouds even on the happiest of days,
While we can't always ignore them,
we need to focus on the suns rays.
Life has been really good lately.
My weeks have been filled with all kinds of sun,
friends,
time to relax,
SPRING,
and even school.

At the same time there are feelings of inadequacy,
numbness, and anxiety/frustration.
I know I choose how I feel.
I know how to get through the hard times.
I know who I follow.
I know who I am
(not necessarily everything about me
but I know what to build the foundation on).
I know a lot of truths.
The sunshine has never looked so good.

In my dreams . . .

I have a lot of thoughts in my head right now

I also don't think they will all be coming out
However I did just read another blog
that I want to share a story from.

"As we stopped off the side of the road to take some scenic pictures the next day, another car had parked 50 feet or so away from us. Two men got out of the car and began unloading their road biking gear. As we looked around at the scenery, I turned around in time to see the two men on their bikes begin climbing the fairly steep road up the canyon. I smiled and called out, "you're braver souls than I!"
One biker man smiled and called back out,
still pedaling, "You could do it too!"

I snorted and countered, "Yeah right! In my dreams."

Then the biker, almost out of earshot, called out without looking back,
"So dream!""

now granted not all of us WANT to ride a bike up a hill
but how many things that we might want to try
that there's an inkling of desire to experience
do you we say, "only in my dreams" to?

I vote we all take this advice and Dream.

wow.

The other day was one of those days where life seems a mess.
I know I don't have a clear plan of where I am going in school,
and that bothers me a lot.
However I remembered a time like this two years back,
and a talk that my cousin gave me to read.
It's about each of our own special missions.
It can be found here.

Then when I was talking with my friend Michelle,
she said she knew of a great youtube video.
It's so amazing that all I can say is wow.
Listening to the words said makes you wish
you could remember them always.
See for yourself below or you can read it here).

And remember who you are, what you are capable of,
and to remind others of that as well.

Pondering

ponder: to consider something deeply and thoroughly

I was reading the Book of Mormon the other day and came across 1 Nephi 11:1.
You can look it up but Nephi is wanting to know
for himself what his father told him of the tree of life
and the Spirit showed things unto him.
However I had another message pop out at me with it.
I'll take parts and put it in my own words.

Believing the Lord was able to make it known unto me,
I sat pondering in my heart
and was caught away in the spirit of the Lord
and many many things were revealed.

So what am I going to do?
Sit and just ponder.
Believe answers will come,
whenever I need them.

All the Necessary Talents

I really have so much to blog about but don't have a way to upload pictures so it will have to wait until tomorrow. However I do want to say this. I was reading the Ensign on Sunday and in President Uchtdof's article he said:

"You have a celestial pedigree
and therefore have all the necessary
talents to make your life
an eternal success story."

I love it!