God, grant me the courage to be happy.
Miss Fee from "the wild and wily ways of a brunette bombshell" wrote this in a recent post, and I liked it so much that I wanted to share. Sometimes lots of courage is required to allow yourself to feel worthy of happiness and she captures this perfectly in her post.
Thank you, Miss Fee for sharing your courage.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
my life is a golden ticket
Remember the golden ticket from the imaginative story "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"? It promised fantastic things to those who would find it in their bar of Willy Wonka chocolate. People were desperate to find a golden ticket, so much so, that they lost appreciation for the simple joy of eating a chocolate bar if it didn't contain a golden ticket. They missed out on the happiness that was right in front of them.
On Saturday evening, Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, gave this sermon to the women of the LDS Church during a worldwide satellite broadcast:
It's only 20 minutes and well worth your time.
In it he talks about the dangers of waiting for a golden ticket and wanting it so much that it excludes all else in life. How sometimes wanting something so badly can cause us to miss out on the things in our lives, which, if recognized and appreciated, can bring so much fullness and joy to us.
It was a timely message. One that I fully understood and heartily applauded in my heart. I remember discovering, that if I had to wait for happiness to find me, then I sure was going to be waiting a long time. I stopped waiting, and went in search of it, and have kept on having wonderful adventures.
After the broadcast on Saturday, as I was driving some friends home, one of their mothers called to tell her daughter not to wait for her golden ticket to be happy. My mom also called that night, but I missed the call because I was driving and it was late and I had to work early the next morning. I imagined that she was calling to tell me the same thing.
So, I thought about what I would tell my mom if she said the same thing to me, and I had this thought: My life right now is a golden ticket! I am so blessed with a rich full life. I am happy, and learning to be happier. I know who I am and am learning so much about what and who I love. I have so much that I love and enjoy in my life, that I can't quite appreciate it all at times. Sure, I get sad and have hard days, and hard things to overcome. Happiness takes a lot of work sometimes and some days are easier than others, but all of this contributes to the golden ticket that is my life.
I am so thankful that I learned how to turn my life into a golden ticket by appreciating the simple joys in life: enjoying and loving the people around me, being true to myself and my Father in Heaven, and choosing happiness right here, right now. And that, more than anything, is what Pres. Uchtdorf wants us to know.
On Saturday evening, Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, gave this sermon to the women of the LDS Church during a worldwide satellite broadcast:
It's only 20 minutes and well worth your time.
In it he talks about the dangers of waiting for a golden ticket and wanting it so much that it excludes all else in life. How sometimes wanting something so badly can cause us to miss out on the things in our lives, which, if recognized and appreciated, can bring so much fullness and joy to us.
It was a timely message. One that I fully understood and heartily applauded in my heart. I remember discovering, that if I had to wait for happiness to find me, then I sure was going to be waiting a long time. I stopped waiting, and went in search of it, and have kept on having wonderful adventures.
After the broadcast on Saturday, as I was driving some friends home, one of their mothers called to tell her daughter not to wait for her golden ticket to be happy. My mom also called that night, but I missed the call because I was driving and it was late and I had to work early the next morning. I imagined that she was calling to tell me the same thing.
So, I thought about what I would tell my mom if she said the same thing to me, and I had this thought: My life right now is a golden ticket! I am so blessed with a rich full life. I am happy, and learning to be happier. I know who I am and am learning so much about what and who I love. I have so much that I love and enjoy in my life, that I can't quite appreciate it all at times. Sure, I get sad and have hard days, and hard things to overcome. Happiness takes a lot of work sometimes and some days are easier than others, but all of this contributes to the golden ticket that is my life.
I am so thankful that I learned how to turn my life into a golden ticket by appreciating the simple joys in life: enjoying and loving the people around me, being true to myself and my Father in Heaven, and choosing happiness right here, right now. And that, more than anything, is what Pres. Uchtdorf wants us to know.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
things that made me smile this week
*talking to my nephew B and having him say, "you need to be by us." so, so true. at the same time i was smiling, i was crying too with this one.
*i attended the world-wide broadcast of the LDS Church's General Relief Society Meeting on saturday. it was wonderful and i loved all the talks. i left inspired to do more to increase my connection with god. but the thing that night that really made me smile...
*learning quirky, little known, fun things about the sisters in my congregation. for instance, one sister was an mtv dancer while at university (back when mtv was actually music tv), another was a yellow peanut m&m for mars, another met her husband in third grade, another was tony the tiger (how grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-eat is this?!?!), another has 17 grandchildren, another is a marilyn monroe impersonator, and another (i won't say who...) admitted to having two star trek: tos uniforms in her closet.
*getting caught out in a monsoon rainstorm while in uniform. all i could do was laugh, because i was soaked to the skin.
*new bras. (i know too much information, but seriously a good thing.)
*the big bang theory season premiere. "it's not what it looks like." the red chair. paintball war. i about died laughing.
*singing at a friend's retirement ceremony this week. congrats PB. i'll miss you!
*i attended the world-wide broadcast of the LDS Church's General Relief Society Meeting on saturday. it was wonderful and i loved all the talks. i left inspired to do more to increase my connection with god. but the thing that night that really made me smile...
*learning quirky, little known, fun things about the sisters in my congregation. for instance, one sister was an mtv dancer while at university (back when mtv was actually music tv), another was a yellow peanut m&m for mars, another met her husband in third grade, another was tony the tiger (how grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-eat is this?!?!), another has 17 grandchildren, another is a marilyn monroe impersonator, and another (i won't say who...) admitted to having two star trek: tos uniforms in her closet.
*getting caught out in a monsoon rainstorm while in uniform. all i could do was laugh, because i was soaked to the skin.
*new bras. (i know too much information, but seriously a good thing.)
*the big bang theory season premiere. "it's not what it looks like." the red chair. paintball war. i about died laughing.
*singing at a friend's retirement ceremony this week. congrats PB. i'll miss you!
Friday, September 23, 2011
in my backyard
in my backyard are treasures.
getting ready to open its face to the sun.
gorgeousness abounds.
happy fall!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
just keep swimming
who knew that when i saw you again it would all come rushing back? every bit of how it felt to be in your circle, your arms, your life. the times you listened patiently while i tried to explain to you things i wasn't sure i even understood myself. when i cried for no discernible reason and you just let me. the quiet times we shared when the world was only ours and life seemed to stop moving for a minute. the way my heart would skip a beat and i would laugh when you asked me if i missed you after only a matter of hours.
and then the times of frustration. how we knew we both wanted different paths, but didn't want to separate. when we both knew and tried to fight it.
yes, all of that all over again in the moment when i saw you again.
and for a minute i wished we could go back, and then i remembered why we are where we are right now. and you know what? i'm glad it's this way. i'm glad i'm moving forward on my separate path. moving on. moving towards what i really want.
hearts are funny, the things they hold on to, the things they make us remember. i sometimes wish i could turn mine off. but then i would miss out on this life i'm living. and no matter what i want this life. this laugh. this cry. this tiredness. this joy. this work. this time.
and so in the words of dori:
"hey mr. grumpy gills! when life gets you down, you know what'cha gotta do? just keep swimming. just keep swimming. just keep swimming, swimming..." or moving. or running. or working. or reading. or writing. or playing the piano. or believing. or moving forward. or letting go. or loving. or whatever.
just keep doing it. 'cause you know what? it helps.
and then the times of frustration. how we knew we both wanted different paths, but didn't want to separate. when we both knew and tried to fight it.
yes, all of that all over again in the moment when i saw you again.
and for a minute i wished we could go back, and then i remembered why we are where we are right now. and you know what? i'm glad it's this way. i'm glad i'm moving forward on my separate path. moving on. moving towards what i really want.
hearts are funny, the things they hold on to, the things they make us remember. i sometimes wish i could turn mine off. but then i would miss out on this life i'm living. and no matter what i want this life. this laugh. this cry. this tiredness. this joy. this work. this time.
and so in the words of dori:
"hey mr. grumpy gills! when life gets you down, you know what'cha gotta do? just keep swimming. just keep swimming. just keep swimming, swimming..." or moving. or running. or working. or reading. or writing. or playing the piano. or believing. or moving forward. or letting go. or loving. or whatever.
just keep doing it. 'cause you know what? it helps.
thoughtful thursday: truth & love
the world is too dangerous for anything but truth
and too small for anything but love.
~william sloan coffin
and too small for anything but love.
~william sloan coffin
Monday, September 19, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
things that made me smile this week
* good sleep without running my ac unit. it's cooling off at night and it feels so great.
* spending two days with my "closest" friends out in the field training.
* my super cool roommate and her dog. i'm so glad they're a part of my life.
* but this is what really made me happy....
being a part of dreams coming true for a dear friend.
love you tj!
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