Scatter a little sunshine

I have a friend who really dislikes a few hymns. Actually I have a few friends who dislike this particular hymn. They think it's a little ridiculous. Personally, while it maybe not a be my favorite, I like it. Yesterday we sang it for the closing hymn. The talks had been on service and lifting where you stand. I thought this verse went along with that topic beautifully. 

Slightest actions often

Meet the sorest needs,

For the world wants daily

Little kindly deeds.

Oh, what care and sorrow

You may help remove,

With your songs and courage,

Sympathy and love.

 

The smallest things can sometimes make the greatest impact. That one small act of kindness can turn someone's day around completely. 

 

 

1D to the rescue

This week has been a bit rough. Although most of my sisters quilt is finished and I should be feeling some relief from that department, I'm not. I'm about a week and a half behind in school. I have a new calling that I'm going to have to work to love and one of my coworkers has called in sick 4 days this week. For most people that last one would elicit compassionate thoughts for a speedy recovery. Not in this case. This coworker misses at least 3 days a month. EVERY. MONTH. And there are no consequences except not getting paid. That's fine for her, don't come to work, don't get paid. BUT what about the rest of the people at work who have to do their work AND hers while she's gone. I've looked for a job multiple times in the last 6 months just because of her. I didn't start disliking my job until she got hired. I understand that some people have medical conditions, but if that's the case, they either need to be going to a doctor to get them taken care of, or get a different job that doesn't inconvenience EVERYONE else when they're gone. ALL. THE. TIME. I don't know why they keep her.
With that vent out of the way, yesterday I was in an especially low mood, so what did I do to fix that? Watched some carpool karaoke. Specifically my most favorite One Direction episode. It did the trick. It brought a smile to my face and lifted my spirits. I don't care if I'm ridiculous in my love for 1D. If it works, it works.

 

Happy Birthday to me

I have a love/hate relationship with birthdays. I'm not a huge fan of getting older, BUT at least I'm not dead. :/ I love the attention but at the same time don't want a lot of attention. This year I'm just so busy I have chosen not to plan anything for my birthday. I have lots of homework and still need to finish my sisters quilt.

I also think it's lame to have to work on your birthday. I was going to come in late and sleep in this morning, but I woke up at 6:45. Boo. So I got up and got ready and only came in about 20 minutes late. I've been sitting at my desk working on stuff, watching youtube videos of One Direction. If you're too busy to have a birthday party, at least you can party with One Direction.
I woke up to this gem of an Instagram notification on my phone this morning.

Camilla tagged me in this picture while she was looking at pictures of Liam. My adorable "Irish Princess". I love Camilla and that she shares this silly obsession with 1D and that we both discovered them through Carpool Karoake, which I love, and that it was a VERY recent discovery. We spent all of this last weekend talking about which songs were our favorites and who we loved the most. She's a big Liam fan and I'm a huge Niall fan. Am I a 14 year old girl? I guess when it comes to boy bands I will always be a 14 year old girl. Too bad they are a band no more, Camilla and I would have rocked that concert!

So happy 31st birthday to me!

Life and Salvation

Joseph Smith said “a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.”

I had a friend say something about all the "requirements" of the church and how they can seem, and let's be honest, actually BE, overwhelming. Sometimes you do feel like there is so much to do and you know you aren't doing it all and what you are doing probably isn't all that great, BUT to me it's worth it. It's worth the sacrifice. I believe it is God asking me to do these things and that's the difference. If I was just being asked by some random dude to have FHE and go to institute and have a calling and go visiting teaching and go to ward activities and pay tithing and dress modestly and live the word of wisdom and give a talk and go to the temple and be careful of the entertainment I consume and bear testimony and read my scriptures every day and pray multiple times a day and take meals to the neighbor and a million other things, I'm pretty certain I'd tell him to peace out and just do whatever took  my fancy. But that's not how it works. It's not some random dude, it's our Father in Heaven. And I know these things are in place for a reason and that they will help me and help others become the people God needs us to be. If it wasn't for my conviction that I belong to God's true church and that that will require some sacrifice I wouldn't be able to do it. If I didn't know I had His help in all of this and that even when I come short He is still inviting me to come to Him and be better, I'd give up. Of course there are days we feel overwhelmed and find ourselves not quite measuring up, but that is the beauty of it. That is what builds our faith, keeps us humble and pulls us to Christ. Hopefully my sacrifice, in some small degree, shows God that I love him and that I am trying and that I will keep trying. Day by day my faith will increase and that is what will save me.

Traditions

I like traditions. I'm very sentimental and I love having "your thing". When we don't get pajamas at Christmas I'm a little heartbroken even though I really don't need any more pajamas. I like things to stay the same. That is of course, impossible.

My family has had family pictures taken every year since pretty much forever. Definitely since 1988. That's a long time. We used to always get them taken by the same company, but the high school doesn't do that fundraiser any more so we have had to turn to other avenues. This makes it more difficult to be consistent. Two years ago (2013) we took them in November at Thanksgiving and mom didn't even put them on the wall until October. Last year (2014) we took them in December. And this year (2015) we didn't take them. We were all together in November, but it didn't happen. Then we weren't all home for Christmas so it didn't happen then either. We figured maybe we could take them in January and pretend they were from 2015, but then that didn't look like it would happen then either.

I went home this last weekend and schedules just weren't allowing for it to happen. Sunday came and we hadn't taken them and mom and dad had church at 11, Kevin had church at 1, and the rest had church at 1:50 and I was planning on leaving at 3 so I didn't have to drive too much in the dark. I accepted that that is how life goes. Sometimes things just don't work out how you would have hoped. Things change. I said to Julie "it had to happen sometime". Then a small miracle and tender mercy to me happened. There were too many people in the library at church so mom could leave and dad got someone else to conduct the high priests. One problem, Kevin just left for church. So I text him and asked him if he would come home for just a minute. He did. He's the best. The shirts we got were a little big, but everyone put them on and we went outside to take our family picture. With a selfie stick. That is what we have been reduced to. And you know what? I don't even care. I was just so happy that we got the pictures taken. Kevin was late for church and we are squinting in all the pictures, but they got taken. Things may not always stay the same or change to how you want them, but you have to enjoy what you do have and make the best of every moment.

My Way

Life is hard. Interacting with people is hard. We all have our own way of thinking and doing things and it's very easy to get into the mindset that our way is the BEST way and quite possibly the ONLY way to do things. Sometimes our way really is the best way, but it is NOT the only way and just because it might be best doesn't mean that everyone else has to think so or that they have to do it that way. As I get older I find myself more and more often telling myself that it's okay. It's okay that they don't do it my way, even though my way is better. I have to tell myself this repeatedly because it's so easy to fall into the trap that my way is the ONLY way and that if they aren't doing it my way they are probably terrible people and that the world is going to end. A bit dramatic I know, but sometimes in my tired and frustrated mind that is how it seems. So here's to being more open minded and accepting that people can do things how they want. They can keep their stuff and put it where they want. They can inform people or keep things to themselves. They can spend their money how they want. They eat vegan. They can use 18 rolls of toilet paper in a week. This is life and most of things don't affect me at all.

College was good

I really loved college. I loved class and work and the people I met and the adventures I went on. I feel like the friends I made in college were quality. Obviously not all of those friendships stuck. We're facebook friends, but it doesn't extend much beyond that. And that is perfectly okay. But some of those friends, although they may not be much more than facebook posts, mean a lot. My first year or two of college I helped with video production. I was the only girl on the crew and we all just got along great. Jared and Scot were two of my favorites. They were hard workers and loved to have fun. I loved doing shows with them. Eventually they graduated and moved on with life, as they should and then I went on my mission. While in my second area I got a wedding announcement from Jared. This may not seem like a big deal, but for me it was something really special. This wasn't an announcement sent to my parents and then forwarded on to me, this was addressed to me, in Spain. IN SPAIN. Not only did he have to pay additional postage to get it to me, but I wasn't on facebook. I didn't post my address on any wedding page or google doc. He had to talk to my parents and get that address. Even sitting here writing about it, I'm crying. It's a silly small thing, that meant and means so much to me. At that point in time I hadn't seen or talked to him for a couple years.
 And now here I am 8 years later (8! how did that happen?) and Jared is still such a great friend to me. With his busy life of work and a family, when I needed a new computer (a year ago) he messaged me and let me know what kind of good deals there were and today when I finally ordered one, he helped me with the ordering, calling me from the airport on his way to London and Beijing, gave me some recommendations and made sure everything was good to go. He's basically the best ever. God is always reminding me that there is good in the world. I just have to REMEMBER and always make sure to look for it. Thanks Jared. And thanks God.