Merci! - #20

I'm thankful for . . .

#20 MUSIC

Here are some artists that have gotten me through the last little while. Don't judge. :)

Music is just so great. When you're having a great day, it makes you even happier. When you're having a lousy day, it can cheer you up or it can just be exactly what you need in your morose state. Sometimes it's just necessary to get through arduous tasks. Many a homework assignments would NEVER have been completed if I didn't have my tunes to get me through it. Music is great in SO many ways, but the best thing about it is how it can speak to your soul and say exactly what you wish you could say - only loads better. Even when you totally can't relate to the song (like break up songs and "you are the love of my life" songs in my case), somehow you totally do. You connect and you feel as though you totally know what they are talking about. It's a brilliant thing. Love it.

Just for Lesa

I'm taking a break from the thankful posts I restarted yesterday. This list is for my friend Lesa. Unfortunately, she isn't even going to know how lucky she is because she is currently in the MTC. :( I really wish I could have actually made this list when I said I would. Oops. She would've seen it then . . . Oh well!

Here is my less man-centered list. It's eleven things I want to achieve/do in the next 25 years.

• Get married in the temple (sorry - I just couldn't not include this man-centered goal)
• Become a mom
• Travel the world (particularly Greece, France, and Italy)
• Go on a serious tour of LDS Church History sites (up until Carthage at least)
  
• Work with Lesa as an accountant in whatever organization she starts to help women in the world
• Work for the Walt Disney Company (some type of accounting position)
• Volunteer/work with the Make a Wish Foundation (in an ongoing capacity)
• Spend some time living abroad - preferably France or England (with Lesa of course - we have grand plans to live in France together)
  
• Publish a book
• Start my own company - most likely an all-inclusive wedding reception venue
• Serve in Young Women's (true story . . . knock on wood)
  

Merci! - #19

I'm thankful for . . .

#19 TENDER MERCIES OF THE LORD

This picture (by Del Parson) isn't completely connected, but I was looking for a good picture of Christ,
and I fell in LOVE with this one and had to post it. It's simply beautiful and powerful.

*Disclaimer: This is really long.

As many of you know, today was Fast Sunday in church. When I got there, I was surprised (guilty) to realize I actually really wanted to bear my testimony. I've done it more in this ward than I have in my like . . . life (guilty again). But I still was surprised. And nervous. So I kept waiting for one more person to go. And then we were out of time. :( So I'm bearing my testimony on the tender mercies of the Lord via my blog instead! I just needed to share it.

A few years ago, in General Conference, President Henry B. Eyring gave a talk titled "O, Remember, Remember." I don't know if I've ever mentioned this talk before, but it had a bigger impression on me than almost any other talk I've ever heard. I hate to admit it, but I thought about it for years and felt like I should do what he said he did. But I never did. He asked himself a question every day: "Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?" A few months ago, I finally did what I always felt I should do, and I began to ask myself that question every day. I didn't miss a single day. Eventually, I basically couldn't. And from the very first day, my life completely changed. I was going through a rough spot, and I just was not feeling great about much of anything. But as I took the time every day to see God's hand in my life, that all changed. Now, I regret to tell you that the first day I missed asking the question/writing in my journal was the beginning of the end. I haven't done it since. Even though that's the case, I will FOREVER be grateful for that talk and for the strength I found to do it myself.

And now the reason I felt the need to talk about this today. Lately I feel like my Heavenly Father has been encouraging me to start it up again. I'm seeing His hand in my life so much, without even trying. So many things keep happening just when I need them to happen, and my testimony of the tender mercies of the Lord has grown so much. It's amazing. Literally day after day something would happen and I would know instantly that it was the blessing I needed at that moment. The biggest one was a week and a half ago. I had a group project/presentation for the Accounting program. It terrified me and it was so hard. But even though I was nervous, I felt like I knew my part for the presentation part. So I was the first to go, and I stepped up to the plate . . . and totally missed. It was bad. I forgot what I was going to say. Luckily, I didn't forget it completely and the last half went alright. But the first half was really not good at all.

So I left the building feeling like the world was over basically. I was on the verge of tears and I just knew with every fiber of my being that I had chosen the wrong major and I was never going to succeed in this terrifying business world. Yes, it was quite the downer moment. It was the final straw in the already constant feeling of being overwhelmed and inadequate the whole semester.

Here's the great part. I'm walking across campus to go to work for the next eight hours, fighting back the tears and wishing I could just go home and sleep or something. Suddenly, I see a friend I hadn't seen in a long time. We talked for ten or fifteen minutes, and when we parted ways, I was happy. Not just "Okay, I can handle this until I get done with work" or anything like that. I was literally happy. I went from being positive that my life was over to being honestly happy to be alive. The minute I saw her, I felt so strongly that she was the blessing I was receiving at that moment because my Heavenly Father knew I needed something right then and there. I know that He cared that I was so upset. And I know that He loves me enough that He was willing to bless me in the way that He knew I needed.

I am so grateful for my testimony. I don't know how I would survive this life if I didn't have the knowledge I have. I am grateful that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me more than I know and who really does care what is going on with me. I know that we are all children of God and that we have so much potential that it's actually overwhelming. And incredible. And I know that since we are His children, and He loves us, He blesses us every day. Our lives alone are a blessing in and of themselves. I know that if you take the time every day, you will notice ways He has blessed you. Every single day you can see His hand in your life. Because He loves you. More than you know. Our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, want us to be happy. We just need to let the gospel help us do it.

The List(s)

Really, I don't know if this is one comprehensive list or three not-comprehensive lists. I will let you decided. The general gist is that every little/old girl/woman makes the list of what she wants her future hubby to be. You get all the cutesy things like "He will love me" and all the not-so-cutesy things like "He will have a rockin' bod." Here's my refined list that includes a little bit of both. I have learned over the years that some things aren't that important, but other things totally are.

NOT necessary, but would REALLY like

• Gymnast/dancer/basketball player/baseball player (that is any one of those, not all four - though I would not object should he be a quadruple-super threat)
  
• Speaks French
• Beautiful singing voice
• Drummer
• Blue eyes
• DARK brown hair
• A rockin' bod :)
• BYU fan
• BYU student/alumni
• Has an accent, such as Australian or English

Should probably be on the prior list,
but I want to put them on the third list

• Taller than me (because really, if he isn't, he will be squashed like a bug every day of his life)
• Disney Fanatic
• Has a job that will provide enough money that I won't have to work
• Has horses that I can ride whenever it tickles my fancy (okay, this really should be above)
• Cat lover/not-dog lover (except possibly Pomeranians of course)
  

The Musties

• Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Returned Missionary
• Worthy to take me to the temple
• Honors his Priesthood
• Wants cute little kiddies
• Loves cute little kiddies
• Loves his family
• Gets along with my family
• My Best Friend
• Loves me
  
• Makes me laugh
• Thinks I am also funny
• Respects my non-church-related beliefs, no matter how quirky they are
• Wants to be with me forever and ever and ever

Now wasn't that just adorable? Per request, I will give a less man-centered list to you tomorrow. Prepare yourselves. Encore.

EPIC FAILURE

I . . . am an epic failure when it comes to blogging. Remember that lovely Summer To-Do List I made? It was going to be epic (well, the Summer I guess), but instead I failed to do even half of the things on the list. So instead of an epic summer, the epic-ness fell on the failure that was mine. I couldn't even get myself to finish my gratitude posts! Since I honestly want to finish those, I am definitely starting at #18, or wherever I left of from last year, THIS year for Happy Happy Thanksgiving time.

But for now, I am just going to acknowledge the fact that I cannot a) blog, b) set goals that I will actually achieve, or c) ride a bike.

*deep sigh*

Moving on. Here is a little preview of what I WILL (haha - like you will ever believe me now) post tomorrow. Basically I am a thief and I am doing exactly what my BF4E did on her blog. But it intrigued me, so what the heck. If you'd like to see the original, and better one, go here my friends. If not, prepare to see my "List(s)" tomorrow. A bientot.