He is my Foundation. :)

I find that these types of posts come every once in a while....probably more often than is interesting, but I can't help it. My emotions just start flowing in the middle of the night it seems. :) The past week at girls camp has been one of the best experiences of my life. Our theme was Helaman 5:12. As I realize more fully that I am moving out and that I will have to stick up for what I know is true, I realize just how much I need God in my life. He is my foundation in every way. I cannot even express how deeply I rely on the atonement and prayer to get me through hard times in my life. He has picked me up and carried me more times than I am even mortally capable of comprehending. I realized over the last week that I wouldn't be the person I am today without God. It hurts me so much to know how many people are missing out on this....it is such an amazing thing. I wish everyone in the world knew how good life can be with Christ. All those lonely people wouldn't be friendless anymore. :)

It's his job. Really. :)

Alright. Here it goes. I have been thinking about this for WEEKS, and now I am finally going to blog about it. :) In the past year, I have discovered something about the boys of our age, for the most part. THEY HARDLY DATE. They always just have a desire to 'hang out', in other words an easy way of getting a girl to do something that doesn't involve any extra effort or planning ahead. Also, I feel like lately I initiate a lot of these 'hang outs', and I am the one who makes the first call. I am so tired of initiating things. I just want the guys to call me first. That's all. :) I want to go on dates, not 'hang out'. dates don't have to cost money...in fact, free ones are almost always the best kind! :) Now, I am not saying this about all boys, because I do know quite a few who are very classy and ask girls on dates quite frequently. For the most part though, boys, you really just need to man-up and ask girls out on dates. ;)

Chasing my sunset. :)

A few days ago, I was driving home from cello lessons, and I experienced something amazing. I watched the sun fading behind me, but it was still bright ahead of me. I smiled and had the small inkling of a desire to drive as fast as I could and just stay in the sun forever. It was catching up so quick though...I couldn't run from it. As much as I wanted to keep that day alive, it was gone. However, I knew that the sun would rise again the next day, and the next day after that. But each one would be new and different. Each day would bring new things. Today, my beautiful, sunny day brought me concern for those near Eagle Mountain and the fire, and a night with some of the most beautiful girls on the face of this planet. It brought me realization that people go different ways in their lives, and it can be hard sometimes. But nevertheless...the sun will come out. Tomorrow. :) It is hard to go to bed and leave a good day behind, but it is easy to welcome a new one with a smiling face and open arms. Forget the bad things, remember the good ones, and be ready for WHATEVER may come at you, even if it is 3 of your best friends leaving to a different college in two months. :)

a little something called perspective. :)

Today, I came home from work, and this is what was going through my head. "Great, I have a STUPID cello lesson tonight, my feet hurt, I can't eat those brownies that I really want, my house is too cold, my car doesn't have air conditioning..." blah blah blah. What is the problem with this situation? Let's think about it. OH YES. My attitude. I was hanging out with a good friend of mine tonight, and my perspective changed a little. I am SO blessed to have a job that pays. I can't even describe to you how lucky I am to take music lessons and have my parents PAY for them. My feet? They still work. I can walk, and that is something that not everyone can do. I may have a wheat intolerance, but what about those celiacs who breathe just a smidgeon of wheat dust and go into cardiac arrest? Air conditioning? I suppose I could life in africa and not have it in my house, and I certainly wouldn't own a car. Sometimes, God teaches you things in strange ways. Mine? Having a friend come over who said one TEENSY comment that changed my perspective on my day. :) Everyone? The glass is ALWAYS half full, no matter where or who you are. :)

I wish I was a four year old at heart. :)

Last night, I was out in my backyard with a friend pushing my little brother (Evan) on the swing. Out of the blue, he started laughing and laughing. As I pushed Evan, he just let his head hang back, he was smiling, and he just laughed and laughed. Why? I have absolutely no idea. I turned to my friend and said, "Why is this so funny? haha" We couldn't figure out the answer, but as I thought on it that night, I realized that children find pleasure and joy in the simplest of everyday things. They are so pure and naive that they don't know to look at the world in a negative manner, to judge others and have an unhappy nature. Maybe that's why I love kids so much. Also, they still have the most amazing imaginations. They think anything is possible, and they will believe almost anything you tell them. What happened to me?! Where did my imagination and trust go? I only wish that I could go back for a day with the knowledge that I have now, and feel what it was like to be carefree and so trusting again. I think that Evan and I will swing more often. :)

Love always comes out on top.. :)

I came across a certain situation a few days ago, and I was reminded of something that happened to me a year and a half ago. I was in an orchestra, and for a few months, our director divided us up into ensembles. I was put in a trio with the two best players in the entire orchestra. The piece that we were supposed to learn was much too advanced for me at the time, but I decided to try and work through it anyway. At our first rehearsal in front of the director, I was horribly nervous and did awful. He stared at me with a stone-faced, icy coldness that I will never forget and told me that my playing was unacceptable. I was scared to death for every single rehearsal after that. He ruled our rehearsals by fear, not love and encouragement. Granted, sometimes people need a little bit of fear to motivate them, but not like that. I have learned through my different leadership positions in my life and living in a family of 9 that scaring people into submission does nothing but ruin relationships and cause hurt. Why not love them instead, and get two things accomplished at once? :) Does not God take this approach with us? Each time we make a mistake, he doesn't send down lightning and strike it so close to us that we run away in fear. He let's us feel remorse and then encourages us to repent and come back to Him. He loves us, not strikes fear in us. That's my thought for the day. :) 

We've all got noses, ears, hearts....

So, it is 2:00am. Why am I up? I am a bookworm. I just finished reading The Help, and I have never had so much appreciation for my life and for the wonderful parents I have grown up with. I am so grateful that they taught me not to be racist. I realized during this book that the black maids in the deep south had to endure way more than we can ever understand. Did God not make all humans the same? We all have brains, noses, ears, hair...does color really matter that much? It is like judging a person by the color of their car--shallow and false. We were all made equally in God's eyes. If we are striving to be like Him, is it not our job to do the same, to view other races the same? We do not live in the 1960's, but there is always change that can be made for the better. :)

Pounding the Pavement at 6:00am. :)

I have started the beginning of what will hopefully be a good habit over the past week--exercise. :) I would now like to share my experience with you. I am the type of person who would generally only exercise if it was a choice between life or death. ;) However, as I have forced myself to get up and run every morning for close to an hour, I have found a little more balance in life. It is so wonderful to start my day out alone, or occasionally with my mom, in the cool, dewy air with no cares or things to worry about. It's just me and the road. I love the feeling of achievement after I walk into my house all sweaty and worn out--it's a beautiful thing. I also find time to think when I run. It is like my mental therapy session every morning from 6-7. It totally clears my mind, calms my emotions, and allows me to think rationally. I love it! Boring blog post? Maybe. I hope you are all inspired to run now, though. :) 

That crazy thing called love...

Obviously everyone has loved something in their lives. It could be a cat, a toy giraffe, a car, a neighbor, or something else. It doesn't matter what it is, everyone has felt it at one point in their lives. As much as I sound like an immature, adolescent girl, I found it. Two years ago in latin, I made the best friend that I ever could have when it comes to a boy. Amongst our long study sessions, star-wars marathons, and Sunday walks, I found a small part of what true love is. Love is sacrifice. It is kind, patient, enduring, and unceasing. It isn't all holding hands and kissing, it is talking and, more importantly, listening. It is giving advice, taking it, and always being available to help. I have the best friends in the whole world. I would not have ever made it through high school without them--Bekah, Camille, Kathryn, Brandon, Hyrum, and many others. Where would I be without their love? Ground zero. Nowhere. I love them with all my heart. College is beginning to sound like a bittersweet experience knowing that they won't be there with me.