Random Thoughts....

My thoughts are going a million miles a minute. Sorry if this doesn't make any sense, but I've just got to get it out. So, I went out last night with a friend to an ice skating/dance party put on for a bunch of singles. It was actually pretty fun. We got to talking about tons of stuff on the way there. One of the things we conversed about was how different people are.
I expressed some of my insecurities (we all have them) and she said something that really caused me to respect her sooo much more. She basically said we are who we are and asked why she should let others give or take away her happiness? Now, mind you...this is NOT the first time I have heard something similar about not letting others determine how I act or who I am. This meant a lot more to me because of who she is. She is not someone who the world considers 'popular', 'normal', 'skinny', etc.... So, she has struggled a lot with self-esteem and yet she is FEARLESS and always happy! She told me that she just does her thing and focuses on what she wants and what makes her love and enjoy life and doesn't let anything get in her way. It was another one of those 'a-ha!' moments.
So, we got to the venue and skated for a while...met a few people and then she was the first of us to go onto the dance floor and SHINE! It took me a while to work up the courage to go out and dance. My mind started racing and filled with 'oh those people can dance...who i am to go and dance, i don't have any moves', and 'what if they judge me', just tons of things to try and stop me from having fun. Well, sadly it took me watching my friend have the time of her life dancing by herself doing her own thing for me to realize all those things I was thinking doesn't really matter. So, I went out of my comfort zone and started jamming to the music. Once I got out there I realized not everyone knew everyone and they were just trying to have fun. I ended up meeting some really cool people and to think if I had not gone what I would have missed out on. I'm so grateful for my friend and the courage she has to SHINE even if others don't think she is 'normal'....she is awesome and an incredible example to all. If only more people could be just like her, we'd all be in a better place.

Andy Grammer - Keep Your Head Up

A bitter sweet day...

Wow....I have so much to say and am not really sure how to say it. Tonight I found out that a friend of mine (David Whitney) passed away in a plane crash down in Payson. I knew him from High School and Seminary and he and his father were my dad's hometeachers back home in Oregon. When I heard he died and then saw the news story on tv, my heart just sank. He was only 25 years old and yet it was his time to go back home with god. Its just hard to fathom that someone as young as him could leave this earth so quick. He was such an incredible example to me and to those around him. He was soft spoken, loving and strong in the gospel of Jesus Christ...among many other things. I can remember sooo many times growing up when he would reach out to my dad or myself and help out with anything. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to know him and to be able to be influenced by his love, example and testimony of Christ. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to all who knew him and loved him. I know he is in a better place and that death is not the end.

With all that has transpired recently, it has caused me to think about life and how I am living. None of us knows when we will be called back to our Heavenly home. There is no time to waste and so much to be done. It is truly incredible the impact that one person can have on sooo many people. Everyone we meet we can learn from and teach at the same time. There are tons of people that have been or are now in my life that have impacted me so much. I want to be that same type of person. Its the small quiet actions in everyday life that make the biggest difference. Not that the big ones don't have an effect, cuz they do....but, its the smiles, the phone calls or texts, the kindness and love that is expressed in service by our daily deeds that speak as loud as the crash of thunder. I am grateful for those (David Whitney's) in our lives that so willingly serve and express their love through the little deeds of our daily lives. May we all strive to be a  little better and never forget how precious life is.

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” ~Brian Tracy

Ok, so I just have to say I don't like to follow the crowd and do the same thing others are doing, but I feel that I can make an exception in this instance. I have soooo many amazing and inspirational friends that have all posted either on their facebook status or blogs everyday something that they are grateful for. This has caused me to reflect a little harder and a little longer on things that I'm grateful for.

I've always been a person who is BIG on the little things  - its the small and simple things that bring about GREAT things. I think gratitude is one of those "small and simple" things. I believe theres only 2 ways in which we can respond to life....We can either be grateful or we can not. We can be happy or we can be miserable. I believe that gratitude is what helps us become happy. It's what motivates us to keep going forward.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. "


On that note....here's a few of the things I'm grateful for:

• Random guys hitting on me over the phone. (just ask and i'll tell you the story)
• Driving along and seeing other people in their cars dancing or singing loudly to their music.
• Funny stories
• Service (giving/receiving)
• New friendships/Old friendships
• Inside jokes
• Opposition (there wouldn't be any good without the bad)
• Patience (that others have with me)
• Movie marathon's with friends
• My dad's strength, example and love.
• Cheesy jokes.

The list could go on....but, u get the picture. Life is so tender and incredible. Why go through it and be miserable? Take chances, smile, LIVE! "No Regrets".....thats the motto of a good friend of mine on his mission. When we are grateful, we express that in the way we live...so why not be happy and have an attitude of gratitude?!

Favorite Quotes

I love quotes....so, I thought it would be fun to share a few I enjoy.

1. "Trouble is part of your life. If you don't share it, you don't give the person who loves you a chance to love you enough."
2. “It takes more courage to reveal insecurities than to hide them, more strength to relate to people than to dominate them, more 'manhood' to abide by thought-out principles rather than blind reflex. Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles and an immature mind.”
   
3. "Whenever we use another person's reactions towards us as the sole measuring for our own self-worth, we climb aboard a roller coaster with an endless track of ups and downs."
4. "The Wrong one is the Right one to lead you to the BEST one!"
5. "Don't always go for looks; they can deceive. Don't always go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile
6. "Beauty from Within" ~Audrey Hepburn "For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, even more than things, have to be restored, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find them at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others. The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in facial mode, but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years."
   
   
7. "I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
   
   — Marjorie Pay Hinckley
   
   
8. I am STRONG because I am weak.
   I am beautiful because I know my flaws.
   I am a [lover] because I'm a fighter.
   I am fearless because I have been afraid.
   I am WISE because I have been foolish.
   I can {laugh} because I've known sadness.
9. Take Time:
   
   
   Take time to think-
   It is the source of all power.
   
   Take time to read-
   It is the fountain of wisdom.
   
   Take time to play-
   It is the source of perpetual youth.
   
   Take time to be quiet-
   It is the opportunity to seek God.
   
   Take time to be aware-
   It is the opportunity to help others.
   
   Take time to love and be loved-
   It is God’s greatest gift.
   
   Take time to laugh-
   It is the music of the soul.
   
   Take time to be friendly-
   It is the road to happiness.
   
   Take time to dream-
   It is what the future is made of.
   
   Take time to pray-
   It is the greatest power on earth.
   
   Take time to give-
   It is too short a day to be selfish.
   
   Take time to work-
   It is the price of success.
   
   There is a time for everything.
   
   
   
   
   
   

No Arms No Legs No Worries

Man, life can be really hard some days. In fact, there are a lot more difficult times than easy ones. I just had one of "those" days recently. I've been searching for a full-time job for quite a while and I just had another interview. I thought things were looking up...based on the phone conversation beforehand, it seemed as though this was it! This job seemed perfect. It would allow me to work swing shift so I can still attend school during the day...which is totally ideal because i'm completely against the working 9-5 and then going to night school thing. Well, after having explained my situation to this company and taking a look at the options with them, it turned out that I was going to need to continue in my search for the perfect job. I was really bummed. I know this seems like such a "minor" thing, but when you've got bills to pay and a goal to get back out on your own, this roadblock almost feels like the end of the world...especially when you've been searching and receiving a big fat 0 with results.
Well, I don't know about you, but when it rains....it POURS! I don't want this to be some sob story or a "pity me" party....but, I need to give you a bit of background in order for you to understand atleast just a piece of how I feel and to get a glimpse of where I'm coming from. After reading this, you may just roll your eyes and think I'm retarded for feeling the way I do....but, these are my trials and some of MY weaknesses...not yours! haha.
Anyways...So, life hasn't completely turned out the way I saw it all happening in my mind. In fact, it never really has. God loves surprising me! ha. But, about a year ago I decided I wanted to start going back to school to finish a degree and what that was going to be in. That was HUGE for me. I've had sooo many friends take off on missions or decide to join the bandwagon and get married, or move away or just start travelling, that I felt left behind.....I almost felt like I was a big bum with no direction waving at everyone else as they passed by. So, I went to school Spring semester and surprisingly passed most of my classes. That was awesome. But, summer came and I had no job which eventually meant...NO INCOME.....At the beginning I thought, "Hey, no big deal...I've always been able to get a job...piece of cake!" Well, thats when I got a big fat slap in my face. Nothing was happening. I applied, sent out resumes, searched for hours online and emailed resumes/applications, I even asked my friends about any job openings they may had known of....well, out of all that i ended up having one interview. At the time, it seemed promising, but again...no success. What the heck was going on?! Well, reality was certainly sinking in and I was stressing and worrying. I started asking, "Why me? Whats the point of all of this?" Then I started doubting myself...everything about me. Funny how we do that when something doesn't always go the way we had thought or planned. haha.
Well, since then I've had my moments of up and my moments of down. Luckily when fall 2010 came along, I was offered a position back where I was working at before summer began. That was a total blessing....I also had an amazing opportunity to travel to 5 different countries for 2 1/2 weeks in October. Sooo cool. But, lifes been a total rollercoaster ride and when I start to come down to the bottom and then look up....I get overwhelmed sometimes and begin wondering if what I'm doing or where I'm going is the right way. I then start feeling inadequate when I run into a bump in the road or when I have to take a different route than what I had planned...I start questioning if I really know what I'm doing and if what I'm doing is going to get me where I want to be. Sometimes, I even wonder if I know where I want to be....and somedays I just want to be rescued.
I've realized a few things tho through all of my ups and downs and...maybe these lessons haven't completely sunk in, because sometimes, it feels as though I'm having to repeat a few now and again...haha. But, heres what I've learned...

• Life isn't always going to turn out the way we want or expect it to.
• There's never a day that is going to be 100% perfect.
• When life gets tough, giving up is NOT the answer.
• Attitude is Altitude.
• Learning is what happens in the middle of difficulty.
• Laughter is the BEST medicine.
• It takes faith to keep going, even when you have no idea where its leading you.
• Comparing yourself to others isn't always the best motivator.
• Taking the shortcut can make things harder instead of easier.
• Doing your best IS enough.
• Smiling makes the day brighter.
• Gratitude helps us see clearer.
• Weaknesses are but strengths waiting to be found.
• Beauty comes from the inside.
• God loves us and blesses us. He knows what we need more than what we think we need.

I have not yet mastered any of these, (its a constant process) but I know they are true principles. I found this video months ago and downloaded it to my Ipod. I found it again today and it reminded me that life is a blessing and that as long as we are doing our best and never giving up, we can achieve the impossible and we will find happiness along the way. Nick Vuijicic is one of my personal heroes....because of his amazing example. If he can do it, then I can too...and so can you. :) I'm still looking for a full-time job to coincide with school but, I'm not giving up. I can't afford to...its like that saying you always hear...~Anything worthwhile is worth the hard work and effort.~ I figure if it doesn't work out the way I want it to, something else will and it will be BETTER than I ever imagined.  :)

Sisters

Ok...there definately was a reason for this awesome video to be posted. The other day I was in the kitchen talking to my cute 13 year old sister, Piper. She stopped me mid phrase of whatever we were talking about and said, "Where in the world have you been lately? I've missed you lots!" She then proceeded to come and give me a BIG hug and then stated, "I could stay like this all day!"
Those 2 simple gestures made me feel like a million dollars. All I could do to keep from crying was to just hug her back and tell her how lucky I am to have her in my life.

Sisters really are great aren't they? They know when we are sad, or angry, they know how to make us laugh, they listen to us and protect us, they know what buttons to push, they love us despite our imperfections and they help us to have a better view of life. In fact, I found this incredible quote that explains sisters perfectly.
SISTER- She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your... personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, shes the reason you wish you were an only child.

I'm grateful for my sisters! They are AMAZING women and have taught me so much. Each of them brings something incredible into my life. Jen has such a great outlook on life and never gives up. Piper loves others and is always working to be better. Noelle is full of knowledge and is always willing to lend a helping hand wherever. We have so much fun together goofing off and dancing to loud music in the house or just playing video games on the wii or playstation. We love eachother regardless of what goes and and I couldn't ask for more.

Sooo the reason I posted this video is because i think it has a great message about sisters and its hilarious!!! The song kept popping into my head so i was way happy when i found it...it comes from one of my favorite movies of all time...WHITE CHRISTMAS. I hope we all can learn to be grateful for our loved ones....they add spice and pizazz and a whole new dimension into our everyday lives. Life is amazing and we are all truly blessed to have such wonderful people be apart of it.