This Much I Know

"Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord's anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!"

-John Taylor (D&C 135:3)

There are a lot of things that I haven't figured out. There are a lot of things I have left to learn, and a lot of improvements I have to make. I don't know much--compared to all the information out there, I don't know anything. But this much I do know: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. It is God's one true church on the earth today. I have a loving and caring Father in Heaven who knows me and watches over me. He guides me. His Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life for me so that I can return to live with them again. I am never alone.

So as I go through life, confused and a little lost, I will always be grateful for the sacrifices of those who came before me. Joseph Smith gave all that he had to give and, though I may not be called to die for this cause, I will live for it.

Because this much I undeniably and immovably know: this church is true.

Living Life

“Texting isn’t real life.”

For one reason or another, this phrase has been in my head a lot lately. I think we sometimes think that we are building bridges, developing relationships as we text. And, to an extent, that is true. But I feel like the more I text a person, the more distant I become. Gradually, it becomes less of a conversation between me and another real person, and more between these two…beings. More a conversation between the phones than between people.          

Beyond that, have you ever noticed how we are expected to be constantly connected? I remember that I once planned to delete my Facebook account. (That was actually when I started a blog—I figured this would be a more constructive use of my time.) It wasn’t long, though, till I realized that I simply couldn’t do that. Deleting my Facebook account would mean losing all form of easy, quick, and mindless communication. Deleting my Facebook would mean never knowing about an event, missing my friend’s mission farewells, and being a general out of the loop.

And to a high schooler of barely 17, that was a big problem. It was also a big problem to my mom, who certainly wasn’t in high school anymore. In fact, it seems to be a big problem to most everyone in the world. Ever had someone complain to you, “I wrote on your wall and you never responded!”?  You weren’t connected enough. Automatic stamp of “failure,” right there on your forehead in big, red letters.

In one of my recreation management classes, we discussed that we are often offered different forms of leisure that are, as the textbook puts it, “trivial at best.” They are activities that offer us minimal amounts of happiness—a temporary fix of sorts. But the problem with temporary fixes is that they’re temporary, and pretty soon you need another dose. It doesn’t take long before these little things start to look an awful lot like an addiction.

My big challenge is anything that connects me to people. Texting, Facebook, blogs, etc. I justify them. “I’m developing friendships, I’m supporting people,” I say to myself. But wouldn’t it be better to actually be with that person? Seeing “(hug)” on a phone screen just isn’t the same as an actual hug. We, as human beings, are meant to be connected by more than electronics.

I go through phases. Normal consumption of these activities gradually leads to excessive consumption, which eventually reaches a point where it scares me enough to cut back—so far back that I feel under connected, so I pick back up again, a little at a time. And so it goes, the seemingly neverending cycle.

But, hey, they’re just little things here and there, right? I mean, I’m still getting things done as I go throughout the day.

Well, kind of. The problem is that it so interrupts everything I do. They’re just little things here and there, but they don’t allow for me to think things through anymore because they’re so chopped up by buzzing phones and email dings and Facebook chat pops. I specifically remember thinking to myself during finals week last semester that I understood how everything in Stats worked, but I couldn’t quite see the connection through it all. Well, no wonder it’s all disconnected—I jumble it up as I go. I read a section, respond to a text message. Finish a problem, check my Facebook. Little, tiny things that don’t take much time but certainly do interrupt any kind of rhythm I was getting down.

The same thing happens all day long. I sit in my classes and ideas are sparked. “What if…” I begin to wonder. I start forming ideas all the time—emphasis on the start. But then what happens? I get busy. I run off to the library to study, then to the testing center. I’m in class, at work, on the phone. Always doing little things all day long. Always rushed. Always off. Always doing the next little thing. But when do I get a chance to sit down and make something big happen? It’s pretty rare.

I may be getting a lot done, but do these things add up to anything? Are these little things, here and there, worth what I am sacrificing? Are they worth what we are sacrificing?

I wonder what kind of a society we are creating. Advances in technology—that sounds like a good thing. But there has to be an opportunity cost somewhere. As we’ve repeatedly learned in my Econ 110 class, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” So, what are we losing when we have all the gain laid out before us?

           

Thoughts. I think that we are losing the ability to think things through. To reason. To deduce. To create. Now, I’m not saying that we should forsake all advancements and spend our days reading Thoreau in the forest. (Though that actually does sound lovely at the moment. Let’s pretend that finals aren’t in two days and just read in nature instead.) But I am saying that we must be deliberate about what we allot our time to. We have to be intentional about it, because the path of least resistance is certainly not taking us anywhere that we aspire to be.

           

So what do we really want? I know what I want—I want to think, to grow, to experience. I want to be someone and something bigger than an accumulation of little things. I want to be someone that does and means something larger than a text message. I want to have ideas—I want to come up with solutions. I want to make an impact. I want to reach the end of my life, look back and see that I truly lived.

I have a goal, and I’d love for you to join me. No more space-filler checking for updates on anything. I will break the habit that my fingers have developed to (command+T-->f-->enter) and find myself logged into Facebook and scrolling down my newsfeed without even realizing it. I will learn to leave my phone in my backpack for a few hours at a time and be okay with it. I will not lose my life to the imagined world filled with emoticons instead of emotions, and I will not interrupt my time with real people for something so trivial and impermanent as technology.

             

The world is so beautiful. Everywhere, there is such beauty. And we forget about it. And I forget about it. I want to see that beauty more often—more readily. I want to feel it. I want to remember it. I want that beauty to be a part of me and of who I am.

I will let it in. Will you?

Truth in Stillness

I didn't really want to move here, you know. It scared me. I don't know what it was, but something was holding me back. It was foreboding, it was unknown and unfamiliar. But the stronger I pulled away, the more distinctly I was pulled in. For all the holding back that I did, for all the pulling and squirming away, there was a constant, steady peace that filled me. As if to say, "You know, Dani. You already know."

And I did. I knew that I needed to move here. There was a purpose. I was at a loss as to what exactly that purpose was, but there was a reason bigger than what I had eyes to see.

I probably still don't know what that purpose is, but this much I do know: I love where I live. I love the people that I am surrounded by, and I am happy.

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Conference weekly found here.

Among the Interference Patterns and Entropy

Student: Is there a review PowerPoint online for the final?
Professor: This is it. It's not a very good review though, there's just no way that I could fit all of the review into one PowerPoint. It's best to just go though each unit's review PowerPoint and study that way.

It's always comforting to hear your professor say that there is so much material to cover for the final that he couldn't possibly fit it into one PowerPoint. He's demonstrating to us that he sees our vast potential to retain knowledge and understand the world around us!

It's a good thing that I strangely find the contents of my massive Physical Science book fascinating, otherwise this could be an incredibly stressful remainder of the week.

{Nostalgia} Capable of the World

Balloons, candles, all things blue and orange. It was my teammate and best friend's birthday--and it was a big race. Little trinkets to celebrate. Scripture mastery showdowns. I remember.

I had potential to do well that day. I had the drive. I had nothing to fear, I knew nothing but hope. The world was still new.

I remember the dew on the pristine golf course lawn. I remember the tension, the excitement in the air. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to throw up. I just wanted to run.

I was running the frosh race. We started our warm up late and couldn't get a cheer in before the start, so we did it in the first straightaway. The gun shot off, and so did we:

Where do we come from? We come from T-I-M-P-V-I-E-W, orange white and blue!

We settled into the stillness of footsteps and heartbeats. The top 20 of each race got an award, and I was going to get one of those--I had decided. I ran hard. Step by step, I was keeping with the top girls. I ran past the spectators, I ran around the cones. Step by step, I was behind the rabbit--a golf cart. And I was tired. Somewhere in that middle mile, I lost the pack. I fought to close the gap. My lungs ached for air, my legs begged for rest, and still my heart longed to keep pace.

I crossed the finish line. Relief not quite as sweet as I had imagined for the past 23-something minutes. Clinging to the flimsy flags of the chute, I knew that I had run harder than ever before. Waiting for the lightheadedness and nausea to pass, I knew I had finished a few places behind 20.

But I had set a goal, I had gone after it with my whole heart. I later learned how to run even harder, even faster. This was the wake up moment. This was the time I first knew to push past pain for something more lasting. This was my first race.

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In other news, there are exactly enough talks from General Conference to take one every week until the next session in October. I hereby declare the beginnings of Conference Weekly--a more directed attempt to bring the words of the prophets into my life.

View President Boyd K. Packer's address here.

One More Time

"Life is tough, that's a given. When you stand up, you're gonna be shoved back down. When you're down, you're gonna be stepped on. My advice to you doesn't come with a lot of bells and whistles. It's no secret, you'll fall down, you'll stumble, you'll get pushed, you'll land square on your face. And every time that happens, you get back on your feet. You get up just as fast as you can, no matter how many times you need to do it. Remember this, success has been and continues to be defined as getting up one more time than you've been knocked down. If experience has taught me anything, it's that nothing is free and living ain't easy. Life is hard, real hard, incredibly hard. You fail more often than you win, nobody is handing you anything. It's up to you to puff up your chest, stretch your neck and overcome all the difficult, the nasty, the mean, the unfair. You want more than you've now, prove it! You wanna be the very best there is, get out there and earn it! Once you decide that, you'll know where it is you want to be, and you won't stop pushing forward until you get there! That's how winners are made. At the end of the day, success is what we want. We all wanna win, and the race will be won. There is no question about that. So c'mon, get out on top, run faster, dream bigger, live better than you ever have before. This is in you. You can do this. Do it for yourself. Prove it to yourself."

-Limu

His Strongest Runners

"There will be days when you feel defeated, exhausted, and plain old beat-up by life's whiplash. People you love will disappoint you--and you will disappoint them. You'll probably struggle with some kind of mortal appetite. Some days it will feel as though the veil between heaven and earth is made of reinforced concrete. And you may even face a crisis of faith. In fact, you can count on trials that test your testimony and your faith...

Now is the day when His kingdom is being established once and for all, never again to be taken from the earth. This is the last leg of the relay. This is when He needs His strongest runners."

-Sheri L. Dew, "You Were Born to Lead, You Were Born for Glory"

State track, 2010. My nerves are hidden behind the smile.

With three years of high school track and four of high school cross country under my belt, I have had my fair share of running relays. I've run every leg possible at one time or another, and I have to admit that I certainly enjoyed running the second leg best--I always felt the least pressure there. There, I was coming in after my first teammate had already run and no one could definitely tell how I was placing compared to other relay teams. There were still two more legs to follow me, so there was no particular hurry to pull ahead, and all I had to do was run hard and hand off the baton.

Generally, I only ever ran relays for the fun of it anyway. My events were the mile and 2-mile. I ran long and hard, and most crowds simply don't feel like watching a relay of four girls each running a 2-mile race.  And understandably so--if I weren't such a running nerd, I'd feel the same way. When I did run a relay, though, it was often the 4x800 during indoor track, every so often a sprint medley team's 800 leg, and on rare occasions I'd run a 400 leg. (A distance girl can only shrink her races down so far before placing begins to suffer significantly.) It was all random, and I enjoyed the laid back races my relays often were.

But junior year was different.

The girls' head coach decided to put together a real sprint medley team. Not one that we threw together the day of the meet, but one that consistently ran together at every meet with a same end goal: state. It didn't matter how we qualified, it didn't matter what it took, we were going to state.

The sprint medley is an interesting race. Two 200 meter legs, a 400 meter, and an 800 meter to finish. One mile divided by four girls, and I was chosen to run the 800 leg--half the distance of the race, and about as short as I could go and still do reasonably well. The legs are always run in the above listed order, which placed me, for no reason other than standard protocol, as the final leg.

Each race, I stood and watched my teammates run their best. I cheered, I hoped, I prayed. I jumped in excitement, and clenched my teeth in apprehension. "Yesyesyes," "gogogo," and "come ooooonnnnn, comeoncomeoncomeon" became new and commonly used parts of my vocabulary--often whispered under my breath as I circled around, watching each stride around the all-weather track (which was expected to live up to its name every meet). 

But the moment that baton was placed in my hand, it no longer mattered what had happened in the first three legs. Whether the other girls had run well or not, it was always up to me to pull it in and finish our race strong. The girls ran hard, they gave their best, and I was expected to do the same--plus pick up any slack that may have been left along the way. That is simply the nature of the final leg, no matter the race. 

And so, here we are in the final leg of the race against sin. We, however, have been placed in this leg for more valid a reason than the "standard protocol" order of events. Each of us have been placed here because the Lord knows that we can handle it. He knows that we will fight for the truth, He knows us to be His strongest runners.

There is a lot of weight carried in that knowledge--weight to carry, but also to strengthen. What more comforting, encouraging, and uplifting knowledge can we have than to know that our Father in Heaven trusts most absolutely in our ability? 

If God, who knows all, has enough faith in you to send you here as His strongest runner, can't you find the faith in yourself to run your best?

He is counting on you. He is counting on each of us. He knows your potential--He has seen what you have done, and what you can yet do. He knows what you can become. Trust that He has sent you to earth at this time for a purpose, trust that you are strong enough, and trust that He will strengthen you beyond your own abilities. You are never alone. You are running this race with others against sin, and those who have come before and will yet come are cheering from the sidelines.

And through it all, you will be further strengthened and become more able to thrive through the challenges. You will see the Lord's guiding hand. And, if you choose to listen, you will hear the affirmations that you are, indeed, one of His strongest runners--destined for greatness.

Whatever Difficulties Might

He told me I should never get discouraged, whatever difficulties might surround me. If I were sunk in the lowest pit of Nova Scotia and all the Rocky Mountains piled on top of me, I ought not to be discouraged, but hang on, exercise  faith, and keep good courage, and I should come on top.

-George A. Smith, speaking of his cousin, the prophet Joseph Smith

Photo Credit

Daringly Optimistic

Today was the first time I heard that phrase--daringly optimistic. She was a mother of four boys, one of whom was severely handicapped. He was expected to live a maximum of two years, though it was more likely that he would return to his heavenly home after just a few short weeks. Both estimates were wrong--Caleb lived to bless his family with his presence for seven years.

She was daringly optimistic through it all. She dared to fight reason, to disregard physical limitations, to overturn emotional barriers. She dared to see the beauty and the blessings of what others may have deemed a trial. She dared to live and love with all that she had. She dared to make her heart vulnerable as she strengthened those of others. She dared to believe in God, in His plan, and in His power. She trusted God, because she knew God. Against all odds, she was daringly optimistic in every way.

And I thought, "I want that to be me."

Dare to see the good, to feel the joy, to experience the beauty of life. Dare to love the ride. Dare to live and laugh and love. Dare to love beyond fear. Dare to hope beyond reason. Dare to trust in an unseen God. Dare to see His hand in all things--dare to be guided by His light in the darkest of times.

After all, it takes a few clouds to make the most brilliant of sunsets.

One Step at a Time

Here is how it goes down. Before the month of February comes to a close, I will successfully complete the following: a quiz, two papers, five exams, and scholarship applications. In addition to the usual load of everyday craziness. Finals week is going to be a piece of cake by comparison--there's a plus.

This is me. Until July.

"And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

-Doctrine and Covenants 84:88

June 9, 2012

Today my official marathon training program started. Today I ran three quarter-mile hill repeats--nothing too long, nothing too fast, but man it sure did feel good.

Today I could conquer the world if it came up against me. I feel so strong, so blessed, so supported. I can do hard things. And this will be hard. This will be months and months of early mornings and healthy food. It will be working hard and early bed times. It will be running my butt off, it will be strength training, it will be a whole lot of icing the entirety of my aching-so-good body. (Similarly, it may be a cortisone shot, though I certainly hope to never reach that point.) It will be pushing past feelings of inadequacy, and it will be digging down to the deepest part of me on a regular basis.

I will overcome my fears and my roadblocks. I will work towards my goals and I will achieve something fantastic.

123 days to go. The countdown begins today.

To Do

Photo Credit

Lest we forget what's the most important thing--living life to the fullest. Be happy for the simple fact that you are alive. Look around, there is so much to be grateful for! Never pass up an opportunity to smile. Always look for someone in the shadows. Be the person you always wanted to be. Learn a new talent. Embrace the unexpected. Invest in knowledge. Believe in something. Do something really, really hard. Reward yourself. Deep clean everything--and dance while you do it. Roll down the windows and sing in the rain. Run up a mountain. Stop and smell the roses. Trust in your ability to overcome. Take pictures. Drink hot chocolate. Have a favorite book. Eat what you want. Compliment yourself. Dream an impossible dream. Work to make that dream come true. Make a mess without thinking about cleaning it up. Trust your instinct. Love your family. When life gets hard, laugh harder. Appreciate beauty. Always keep peanut butter on hand. Swing on a swing for a very long time. Build forts around the TV. Keep a journal. Jump in puddles till you're soaked toe to head. Learn about your heritage. Surround yourself with fond memories. Remember funny things said in daily conversation.  Have a plant--try to keep it alive. Check the mail. Write notes of encouragement. Delight in a salad. Carry a water bottle everywhere. Name your car and speak to it fondly. Go out of your way to step on a crunchy leaf. Leave your shoes at home. Do what you love. Live for right now.

"Trust God and believe in good things to come."

--Jeffrey R. Holland, "An High Priest of Good Things to Come"

Right Now

Photo Credit

Here's what I think. I think that there is always a reason to say the above statement. It is my vote that we always look for it. You in?

It's Official...Almost

Kids, I have big news for you today. While carrying out my daily routine of fetching the mail on my way home from school, I happened upon a letter addressed to me--sent by Greg Bell himself! For those of you silly children who don't know who he is, I will tell you. Greg Bell is none other than the Utah Lieutenant Governor. And he sent me, average little me, my very own letter! Here is what it said:

Dear Future Voter:

Voting is the fundamental expression of our American freedom--The freedom to express our ideas, our opinions, and our feelings through electing our own representatives. It is a grassroots, basic principle that built and has carried this nation for nearly 230 years, and will be the sustaining force for our democracy throughout all time.

I congratulate you on your 18th birthday and encourage you to take this opportunity to register to vote.

Best Wishes,

Greg Bell

Lieutenant Governor

And do you know what I did? I sat down that very minute, filled out the enclosed voting registration form, slapped a stamp on the front, popped that baby into the mailbox, and lifted the flag as a finishing touch. Please notice the below pictures, added for your visual enjoyment.

#67 complete. 

So, it's kind of official. Not only am I now an adult, I am now a registered-to-vote-adult. Didn't I tell you I had big news?

Okay, let's be serious for a moment here. I think we can all agree upon the fact that we have something unique here in America. It is by no means perfect, but hey, neither are we. Not every country guarantees its citizens the ability and the right to vote. We are a part of a very lucky, very blessed few.

Why, then, when the U.S. Census Bureau announced that "among citizens of voting age, 68% were registered to vote in 2006," was it good news? Why is a 48% voter turnout an increase? Don't we realize that there is a good 32% of eligible-to-vote Americans who haven't even registered? And of those who have registered, 20% didn't even vote! 

The census reports, "Among those who did not vote, about 4 out of 10 cited conflicting schedules or illness as reasons. About 2 in 10 were either not interested in voting or did not like the candidates. Other reasons for not voting included being out of town, forgetting to vote, registration problems, inconvenient polling locations, transportation issues and bad weather." Admittedly, some of these reasons are legitimate. You cannot control whether or not illness falls upon you, and we Utahns are fully aware of the fact that you cannot control the weather. (Sometimes it seems the weather can't even control itself.) But let's be real here. You don't like the candidates? Come on. At least vote for the one you dislike less than the others. And you forgot? Really? This should be important enough that it won't just slip your mind in the rush of the day.

Yes, we all know that one single vote will likely never change anything. But if that 52% decided to actually utilize their right, as citizens of the United States of America, that could make a difference. That could make a big difference.

In the end, you can sit here and complain about the people leading our country and the things that they are doing. You can sit here and argue about various bills being passed. You can sit and fantasize and hope and dream, but in the end, nothing will happen if you don't do something. If you don't speak your opinions. If you don't let your voice be heard. If you don't vote.

P.S. This place is a super cool place to go as you prepare to vote. It helps to clear out all the mumbo-jumbo of debating and brings you straight to the points. Be an educated voter.

Take It

Every breath is an opportunity.

That's what I remember from my yoga class today. As we stretched, the instructor invited us to sink deeper with each exhale. The room filled with the sound of breathing and shifting bodies -- each drawing nearer to the earth below. Struggling to move past the point of comfort, I heard the instructor say, "Every breath is an opportunity." An opportunity to achieve. She told us to focus on our breathing and allow that focus to remove any thought of our inability. Breathing out, I lowered my nose towards my outstretched legs.

Every breath is an opportunity. Not only in yoga, but in everyday life. In the little things. Every breath offers the choice to push a little harder, reach a little farther, and be a little better. It is an opportunity to forget why you can't do something and remember why you can. In the moment of every breath, there is an offer to progress. Will you take it?

Save a Life -- Give Blood

"I consider it paying rent."

Ralph Vaughan

For those of us who are eligible to donate blood, it is the least that we can do. For a healthy body, it isn't much to ask that you get two pokes every two months. It doesn't take long and you get free food and drinks! (And sometimes free shirts, as pictured above.)

I will forever be an advocate of donating blood. I adore it. I'm up to three times now! I feel so good every time I donate -- I am helping someone in desperate need, I am saving up to three lives. You can count on a pint of my blood every two months.

P.S. Facebook has an app called "Give Blood Countdown" that will notify you when you're almost eligible again.

Find facts about blood and donating blood here.

Find stories about donating blood here.

Find tips on donating blood here.

Go here or here or here to find where you can donate locally.

Now, if you are eligible, go out there and give blood!

A 50 Week Challenge

If you will recall, I recently posted a video entitled "The Power of Words: 50 words that lift, motivate, and inspire from a LDS Mormon view." Okay, so I posted it yesterday. But just in case you struggle scrolling down a tinge to find it, there's the link.

I've honestly lost track of how many times I've watched that video, it's so perfect. As I was watching it this morning, a realization came to me: there are 50 words in the video and there are, if you count this week, 50 weeks left of the year. I'm pretty sure you can see where I'm going with this. Whoever you are, you are hereby invited to join me in this adventure of upliftingness, motivation, inspiration and self-discovery. One word a week can change a lot. Starting with this week's word--peace.

Peace:

a state of tranquility; 

freedom from disturbance

The Power of Words: 50 Words That Lift, Motivate and Inspire

I hope and pray that I can emulate these words more fully in my life. I challenge you to do the same.

Christmas Eve at Home

Merry Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve this year has been a party. The Whitings came over and we just had an absolute blast eating, talking and just enjoying good company. 

We started off sitting around the living room and kitchen, indulging our taste buds and listening to the soft sounds of It's a Wonderful Life and the murmur of quiet conversation. Except for the times interrupted by small children, which was a regular occurrence. Okay, so it wasn't 100% peace and quiet, but it was quite enjoyable. We had a chance to relax and chat and the kids had fun decorating cookies for Santa and playing hand games.

Jackie playing with her dad, Steve.

Dallin and Tori enjoying the movie.

Jackie decorating cookies for Santa.

Adi decorating cookies.

Eli. Eating cheese.

Jackie and Grandpa. I love this.

Eli flipping over the couch.

They just celebrated their 50th anniversary! 

Josi took her first steps today! It was a very exciting moment. Isn't she a doll?

After a while, Adi and Jackie got our attention and notified us that they would be putting on a Nativity show for us and that some of us had been assigned roles. I assigned myself as the photographer for the event.

Grandpa was the narrator.

Steve was Joseph.

Ali was Mary and my dad was the donkey.

Josi was baby Jesus. Note the laundry basket acting as the manger.

Adi and Jackie were angels.

Mike was a wise man.

Benny wanted to be a shepherd too.

It was by far the most entertaining thing of the night. Well done, girls.

Then Dallin sang a Christmas song to us, with Jackie as his backup, and did an excellent job.

Then came present time! You know the drill, hand out the presents and go hog-wild. 

Behold, the sneak peak to the Christmas mess.

After everyone left, I couldn't help but capture a few little pieces of Christmas around my house. After all, my camera was already out and they'd all be disappearing after tomorrow.

I love Christmas time. I love that it brings people together, especially families. I love the songs, I love the decorations, but most of all, I love what Christmas is truly about. A King, a Lord, a Ruler of Nations, born in the most humble of circumstances. A Savior.  My Savior. Born to save us all.

This time of year, especially, take some time to remember the real Christmas. Take some time to be alone and ponder. To feel for yourself what Christmas is. It will change your life.

Look Up

With Thanksgiving coming up and all, I guess it's about time that I join the ranks of the grateful bloggers.

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time. It's a chance for us to come together as we stop to think about our blessings. We all have our moments throughout the year where we are hit with gratitude for someone or something, but the thing about Thanksgiving is that we can do it together. As we come together to share the joys of gratitude, our relationships are strengthened.

I am so grateful for so many things in my life - big and small. I am grateful, first and foremost, for my family. They are the greatest blessing I could ever have. I am grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; this has given me such strength. I am grateful for my friends, for the examples they are to me, and for their influence in my life. I'm grateful for this beautiful world that we live in. I'm grateful for the comforts of my home. I'm grateful for a healthy body. I'm grateful to have the ability to learn. I'm grateful for all the opportunities available to me. I'm grateful for this country and the freedom that it gives me. I'm grateful for the simple pleasures that I am able to enjoy daily. I'm grateful for my hard times and what they've shaped me to become.

Just as important as being grateful for what we have is recognizing where it all came from.

"Someone has said that an ungrateful man is like a hog under a tree eating apples and never looking up to see where they come from."
-President Ezra Taft Benson

Everything that we have was given to us by a kind and loving Heavenly Father who wants the very best for each of us. We have been blessed with so much, and there are more blessings to come if we will simply come to Him. Recognize His influence in your life; look up and see how much He has given you. Look up and be grateful. Look up and allow Him in.