Welcome Baby Cash!

Also I must send a big CONGRATS to my awesome friends Meg and Colby, for welcoming baby Cash into this world yesterday! I can't wait to meet him. He couldn't have gone to better parents! Love you Meggie!

'To every thing there is a season...'

'To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:'
Ecclesiastes 3:1

How many times have I heard this and not really understood it? This past Sunday this seemed to be the message I was meant to receive. A lot was also said about a talk by Pres. Dieter F. Uchdorf during the October general conference. He spoke a lot about slowing down in life and focusing on the important things. "The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ--" How true this is. Among everything that is expected of us the things that matter most are those of eternal significance.
It seems I'm always in a state of choices. I'm starting to think this will never end. That life will always been filled with them. Sigh. :) I so badly want to do all the things that are important to me. I find that there is really not enough time in the day. When I pause and reflect on where the choices in my life have brought me, I'm truly happy. But it's interesting to see how things change. To look back on the years and see what at the time was important, and what 'season' you were in and what you needed to accomplish. Because we really can't be focused on everything and do it well. Well at least I can't.
I recognize now that there are things and opportunities placed before us depending on the 'season' of our life and it's up to us to take advantage of it. This is how I feel about this graduate degree I'm working towards. I've never thought of myself as very academic but I'm determined to do well and I'm glad that I have this time to focus on my degree and give it my all.
Pres. Uchtdorf goes on and says of keeping the basics of the gospel in our lives 'These simple, basic principles are the key to living in harmony with God and man. They are the keys to opening the windows of heaven. They lead us to the peace, joy, and understand that Heavenly Father has promised to His children who hear and obey Him." I know this to be true. As we put our Father first and do the basics we will be open to his guidance and we can know for ourselves what 'season' we are in and what His will is for us. It's truly amazing and something I'm sure I'll need reminding of at times. :)

Super Heroes and Super Powers

So if you had the chance to come to my 'farewell' talk you may remember that I spoke about superheroes. If you don't remember or couldn't make it I'll summarize.
So I left a film in the summer of '09 just pumped and excited. I started to imagine myself as a super hero. Wonder Woman to be exact. :) Moving on. . . So I started seeing myself doing all these kickin awesome moves. Jump kicks to the chest of a bad guy. A sweet uppercut that knocks them flat! A lot of the moves had to do with jumping really cool and kicking really hard! But that is beside the point. I just found that I so badly wanted to fight the bad guy! To be at the point of defeat and stand up and knock them to smithereens! That's when it dawned on me, I was just about to embark on my own kind of superhero adventure to fight the bad guy. THE main bad guy. Satan.
Being a missionary I was able to solely focus on the gospel and how it could help people change their lives. I really got to see a lot of miracles and how the gospel can bring you from someone without hope, confidence, self control, peace and happiness, to someone who looks forward to each day. Someone who smiles and laughs more. Someone who takes control of their physical temptations. Someone who finally feels they have a purpose in life. It's truly amazing.
Well while being home, maybe I'm slacking, but I haven't been able to see these changes and miracles as often. I feel like I went from being a superhero to a little kid that puts a towel around their neck with a clothes pin and their underwear on the outside of their stretchy pants. A bit of a change.
So now that I've openly admitted to you how much of a nerd I am, I'll turn you to the application. Upon reflection of this fact I realized something. Super heroes aren't always faced with huge crazy bad guys with powers that can heat the earth until we all melt! Sometimes, super heroes are just there to stop a speeding car from hitting one little old lady. Or to save one little baby from a burning house.
Now I really don't view myself as this amazing awesome super hero person. But the fact of the matter is, that we truly all can be. We truly can be someones super hero for the day. To continue fighting for good. To continue to stand up for what we know is right. To do that one more thing at the end of the day when we are tired and worn out and just want to put our feet up and watch some silly program on TV! We can be someone great. All we have to do is use the gifts we're given from the Lord(aka super powers) to help those around us. Because of the restored priesthood, and the covenants we make, we are promised that the Holy Ghost can be with us always. It's just up to us to live so it can be. So that when someone really needs you, your super human hearing turns on and you're able to let a struggling family member or friend know that you love them and are there for them. Most of the time that's all we need.
". . .by small and simple things are great things brought to pass." Alma 37:6

Post post post

So it turns out that when I have to make decisions I don't tend to have much to say. I get a bit pre-occupied. But finally I have a life update for ya'll.
I am starting school again! It's a bit weird the idea of being in class all over again. But I'm determined to do really well this time around. I'll be working towards a graduate degree. Never thought that would happen. But I'm very excited. If anyone has any information on financial aid I could really use the help!
I am in another play. You'll be able to see me dance and sing about in 'Hairspray' at Centerpoint Legecy Theatre in Centerville. My first show is Feb 15th and it runs till March 12th. I'm in the T/H/S cast. It's going to be great!
So with school, this play and a part time job on the way I'm going to be busy. YAHOO!!!!

Now to share something with you . . . I am not good at goals. Setting and accomplishing. I look back on my life and I haven't really had too many goals. So today I decided to read more about goals and how to accomplish things better. In the handy dandy book PMG it simply says about setting goals, "Goals reflect the desires of our hearts and our vision of what we can accomplish. Through goals and plans, our hopes are transformed into action." There is one word that really stuck out to me. VISION. There lies my problem. There are so many things I want to do in life but more often then not I just don't 'see' myself doing it. So that is going to change! I'm sure it will take some changing the way I think, which will be difficult most likely, but it's going to be worth it! Elder Ballard said "When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference int he results he attains in this life." I hope that your 'new years resolutions' or goals can be met this year! Bring it on 2011!

Crazy Christmas Time

So I was thinking about how busy this time of year gets. How we all have so many places to go and so many parties to go to. Suddenly we are filled with thoughts of what to buy for those we love. How to show people we care. It can get very overwhelming. Now I'm not going to complain that we've lost the meaning of Christmas. No, what I have realized is that this is totally the meaning of Christmas. All the things we spend our time on, all the events we engage in, all have to do with those we love. I like that Christmas time is when we all tend to think of one another. Get together with old friends, try and find something for each person that has helped us get through one more year. As hectic as we make it, I think it's fun. There really is no other meaning for Christmas, than thinking of those we love most.
That iss why I'm glad we celebrate the birth of our savior this time of year. He truly gave those he loved most, the greatest gift of all. He descended below us all to come to earth and perform the greatest act. He was only thinking of us when he chose to come to earth. No longer at the right hand of our Father in Heaven where we reigns and rules the Heavens but, down here among those who regarded him as nothing, so that we could one day be with our Father again. So just as we fill this time of year with parties and events that bring us close to each other, I think of how that is just what our Savior did. He caused the event that will one day unite us eternally all together.
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas. I hope that each of us was able to and continues to feel of the Love of our Savior, for that is the spirit of Christmas.
Love you!

Hope

I realize lately how easy it is to focus on all the things that I can't do because of the situation I find myself in. I recognize how often I reflect on the things that are withheld from me instead of the things bestowed upon me. Maybe this is a time to open my mind to new things. To not get stuck on what I think is best or right but to look for opportunities to change in the direction that is intended. I feel that I've been so concerned trying to figure out all the things that I want that I quite possibly have been keeping the door shut to receiving guidance from the one who know what will bring me the most joy. For we know that 'men are that they might have joy.' As I think about the word joy, a lot of experiences come to mind. Most of them have to do with a time that I was able to see someone else experience joy. I cannot think of anything greater to behold. Each time someone was filled with joy it was directly related to them being taught about the gospel, which naturally leads one to hope. I'm reminded of the story in the book of Alma when Ammon gains the trust of kind Lamoni and has the opportunity to teach him all about the 'plan of redemption which was prepared from the foundation of the world; he also made known until them concerning the coming of Christ.' Lamoni had not heard these things before and upon learning them, he immediately turned to the Lord for forgiveness and mercy. He was so overcome with 'joy that he sunk to the earth.' He was taught there was more, better, greater things to come. He had reason now to Hope for a better live than he currently had.
"Hope is the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something will occur."(PMG pg 117) It is so easy to get caught up in the things that aren't happening, trust me I'm an expert. But I know that the Lord does not promise something he does not intend to deliver. So now I guess is time for me to just think of other things to do with my time and make the most of it and to push out those thoughts of doubt and discouragement. Because they will undoubtedly come. But I know that with 'confidence, optimism, enthusiasm and patience' we can live our lives in a way that opens our hearts and souls to joy. For that is why we are here.