What A Coincidence

Goodness gracious! What have I done?! I let October slip away with no posts and I almost did the same thing with November. This poor, neglected blog. Well, I've got one day left in November and I'm putting on a post. Deathbed repentance.

I've often heard that coincidences are instances in which God chooses to remain anonymous. And there are many coincidences out there. The door just happens to be unlocked on the days I forget my keys. Moose Tracks icecream just happens to be left in my freezer when I'm having a rough day. There just happens to always be someone to talk to when I go to the mailbox. There just happens to be someone who has some connection with Blanding no matter where you go. (This actually happens quite often. In fact, it happened just today.)

But how about this one? It just so happens that the holiday on which we celebrate Jesus Christ's birth falls directly after the holiday on which we give thanks. We have two major holidays to remind us of what truly matters.

Let us start off this Christmas remembering the true reason for this season. And let us make it a memorable Christmas full of peace, joy, and love. Christmas 2011 will never happen again - let's make it worthwhile.

~Tis The Season~

The Best Childhood

Last week we had a Stake Activity and fireside. Casey and I made lots of new friends that we've hung out with this past week, many of them from our ward. And we got free dinner. Really, why would anyone pass that up? You can never plan too far in advance for free food.
For the fireside, Bishop's wife spoke and another girl sang intermittently. It was a beautiful and very spiritual presentation. It was mainly focused on the Atonement as Bishop's wife illustrated it through the story of her conversion. Even though it was lined with hope from the Atonement, the tale itself was a rather woeful one. Bishop's wife and her older sister and grown up with an alcoholic father. Her mother passed away when she was only 11 years old, and her father passed the following year near Christmas time.
Her and her sister went to live with a family that wound up introducing them to the Church (and the two were later baptized). However, they never really felt like they were actually a part of the family, or that they were loved as much as the other children. The story was heartbreaking and brought tears to many in the audience, myself included. Yet, she showed us how much the Atonement had helped her in her life, and the testimony that she bore of it was powerful. I absolutely loved the experience I had listening to that presentation.
However, there was something else that tugged at my heart besides what the speaker had intended. The whole time I was listening to her story, the only thing I wanted to do was run to my parents, give them a hug, and tell them, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much for loving me as much as you do. Thank you so much for all the opportunities you have given me. And most of all, thank you so much for giving me a childhood that I can look back on and smile."
Since I moved up to Provo I've heard of so many people who have had bad childhoods. I guess I never realized how common it was since it had never applied to me. I feel sorrow when people tell me of some of the things that happened in their childhood, or the relationships they had (or still have) with their parents.
I am so thankful for my parents. They helped make my childhood, in my opinion, the best anyone could ever ask for. I never have to look back on my life with regret and sorrow.
So again, I say to my parents, "Thank you. Thank you so much for giving me such a wonderful life!"

Scatter Sunshine

In a world where sorrow ever will be known,
Where are found the needy and the sad and lone,
How much joy and comfort you can all bestow,
If you scatter sunshine everywhere you go.

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.

When the days are gloomy, sing some happy song;
Meet the world's repining with a courage strong.
Go with faith undaunted through the ills of life;
Scatter smiles and sunshine over its toil and strife.

Scatter sunshine all along your way.
Cheer and bless and brighten every passing day.

Hymn # 230
Written by Lanta Wilson Smith

Go to the Mailbox

A few days ago Candace, Stacy (my roomies) and I were just hanging out in our apartment. Bored. Nothing to do. Wanting to socialize and meet some new friends. But we weren't entirely sure how to go about it. I told them that we needed to go check the mail. In my last apartment, when we wanted to socialize we would sometimes go check the mail. For some reason you can't get from the apartment to the mailbox and back without running into someone to talk to.

So we went to the mailbox. All three of us. At the same time. And we weren't ten yards out the door when we ran into some guys to talk to. They were looking for hotdog buns. We didn't have any, but Stacy had hamburger buns. So we improvised. The guys invited us to eat hotdogs with them. We did. We chatted and laughed and had a good time. Then they invited us to go to a bonfire up in American Fork Canyon. We did. They also told scary stories that made the hair on the back of our necks stand up. But we had a blast! And we made new friends. All from going to check the mail.

When looking for enemies, Go to the Mattresses.
When looking for friends, Go to the Mailbox.

Christmas and Disneyland

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

The happiest place on earth!

I know we're just barely starting summer, but the other day something reminded me of Christmas (and since then I've been going Christmas crazy). I love the Christmas Season. I started thinking about things that bring me that same kind of joy and excitement. Disneyland. There is nothing like Christmas and there is no place like Disneyland. These are probably the two things that make me the happiest.

I started wondering why that was. I'm not greedy or materialistic (at least, I don't think I am). I sat mulling over the kinds of feelings I have when it's Christmas and when I've been to Disneyland, feelings that can't really be duplicated by other things. It was then I realized it wasn't just Christmas or Disneyland alone that make me so happy, but rather the people involved. Christ and my family.

Christ is the center of Christmas, and who can bring more joy than him? It is the Spirit of Christmas, the notion of being Christ-like, that makes the Christmas Season so unique and wonderful. And getting to share that with your family makes it even better.

I have never been to Disneyland without my family. And really, if I didn't have them there to share the experience with me, it would have been completely different. I probably wouldn't have had nearly as much fun. That I am certain of.

It isn't where you go or what you do, but who you are with. The two things that make me the happiest: Christmas and Disneyland - Christ and my family. I'm not greedy or materialistic; I think I've got my priorities right (those two at the top, at least).

I love this gospel and I have been so blessed to have it in my life. I know sometimes I make mistakes and mess up, as do we all. But I also know that the Lord loves us and has given us the opportunity to repent and return unto Him. We can always return. His arms are open, waiting to receive us. He is waiting for His children to come home. I am so thankful to have been raised in a Christ-centered home. I am so thankful to my parents for all they have taught me. I love them so much. I love my family with all my heart, and I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of the Plan of Salvation, and that I will always be with them. Nothing makes me happier than being with my family.

To my family: Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. I know sometimes I can make things difficult, but you never give up on me. Thank you for all the wonderful memories as I was growing up. I love how close we all are, and I can't imagine my life without even one of you. I love you.

It's the most wonderful time of the year - When the whole world has the Spirit of Christ.
The happiest place on earth - Where you can spend everyday with your family.

Writing Prompt

Just for fun I want to try something. There are a few things I want to blog about, but I can't decide which one I want to do. So instead, I won't do any of them; I do something completely different. And this is where you come in. If you leave a comment with a writing prompt on it, I'll write on that. You can either have it be a general topic, or it can be something you want me to turn into a sort of story. You could even start the writing and end it with... And then I'll continue. It could be anything like, prairie dogs, stars, or what happens when you give a mouse a cookie.
I guess it's mostly just a writing exercise for me. But you and I - I bet we could come up with some pretty good stuff. :)

It's My Thing

I love to write. I'll write anything. Give me a pen, some paper, and a topic and I can just go. But believe it or not, sometimes I slip up and don't write very much (besides school papers, but those don't count). Things just get so crazy that occasionally I feel like I don't have the time. What a silly thought. That's like thinking that you don't have time to breathe. Okay, so writing takes a little more effort than breathing does, but only because you can multitask while breathing. But when something comes so naturally, it's silly to think that there's no time for it, or that you can do without it for a while.
It's one of my goals to write everyday, whether it's a journal entry, a poem, something to put in my junk book, part of my book, anything. And it comes so easily that I don't really have to put much thought into it. I just write. It's incredible really. Writing can reflect so much of what I'm feeling, what I'm thinking. I don't know if what I'm trying to express always comes across clearly to the readers, but I'm not too worried about that. I mean, my audience isn't really that big anyway--but I give my thanks to those dedicated few. :) Sometimes my writings don't even have an audience. It's just a way to let go. Once I get it out on the page I don't have to carry it around with me anymore. But sometimes, it's a way to relive those funny little moments. There's so much out there to write!
Back in high school I was going through a hard time and one of my closest friends told me, "Find something that's yours, something that no one can take away from you, and hold on to that. Your writing. That's your passion." He was right - it is my passion. Something no one can take away. And I love it. Writing: It's my thing.