Opportunities

I am so glad that you got to talk to Michael. He is such a great example to me as well. I hope you are doing okay Aly. I sure love ya my friend. 

This morning a girl contacted me who I had met last summer as an AFY Counselor. She was one of the girls in my group. Her message was simple, but she shared somthing she had thought of in seminary. I thought back to that summer and how wild it had been. How stressed out it sometimes made me. Then I thought about ANASAZI and all that stressed me out there. It is weird when looking back that all you really remember is the people. The People and some of the adventures you had together. Today I am grateful for opportunities the Lord puts in our lives and the wonderful people he allows us to meet. Because looking back I realize that happiness really is with others. I hope I can remember that throughout my life and try to better enjoy the ones around me while the moments last! Ill always be grateful for you!!!! I hope you know how much I miss you Aly, but also how grateful I am for the times we have had together! WHAT A GIFT! 

Someone who Listens

Thanks Kelli for your post. I watched that TED talk and I was truly touched by that young man. Thanks for sharing. Today I met with Michael and talked to him about some of my "struggles" in life right now. This seems to be a regular occurrence. He was really kind and gentle in his response to me. I just don't understand how he is so good and willing to take me where I am at. I just don't get it. Maybe God is that same way with me too. He takes me where I am at and loves me completely for me. I want to believe this and to be changed by his love. I'm grateful for those who emulate God's love.

Remembering

Aly I love what you wrote! I am so grateful for this idea!
I wont lie, I was determined since I woke up that this wasnt going to be a good day. And to be honest, most of the day wasnt.... until I remembered some things. I spent the beginning of the day in Rexburg and things truly just didnt go well. haha thats all I will say. When I got home I was feeling all sorry for myself and I felt quite miserable until I checked facebook and saw the following post with this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36m1o-tM05g&feature=share&fb_ref=share

Everything that he says is what I needed today. It was my miracle. I have countless blessings. We all do. We all have challenges... but regardless of our circumstances... God really does love us. He sends us helpful reminders just when we need them. :) If we are choosing to make askings and listenings

Reflections on Yesterday

This morning as I write I am reflecting on my day yesterday. I find in life that I am so richly blessed. The recognition of these blessings can be crowded out by a fixation on what is not going right. Today I CHOOSE to focus on my blessings. 

Yesterday I had a pretty typical day on my off week from the trail. I read a little bit, I talked to a few people on the phone, spent some time outside and ran some errands. It was a pretty ordinary day but maybe those things I classified as ordinary (and kind of run of the mill) were really extraordinary. As I think about what happened yesterday I want to see the miracles in my day.

Yesterday I was in my front yard walking around and talking to my mom on the phone. John, my next door neighbor, smiled and waved. He is always so friendly and considerate. He asked me how my dresser worked out. "It works great. Thank you so much!" I replied. John is always a bright spot and so considerate. 

Yesterday I also spent time in the back yard picking tangelos. How often do I stop to consider the miracle of having legs to climb a tree and and hands to pick fruit with? My body is such a gift. Not only can I pick the fruit but I smell its sweet fragrance and observe its rich color. This fruit also provides nourishment for my body. The tree grows and bears fruit not for itself but to give to others. I want to be more like that tree--giving without reservation.

Yesterday I talked to my mom, Kelli, and Kaitlyn. I am so blessed to have a wonderful mother. My mother is so caring, thoughtful, nurturing, and overall wonderful. I love my mom so much. How blessed I am to have a mother who cares. She is my best friend and I am so glad I can call her mother.
Talking to Kelli and Kaitlyn really brightened my day. They are such good friends and good examples. I love how they live close to the Lord. I always feel uplifted talking to them. 

God is so good to me. What a privilege that I was able to spend time in the company of good friends and family yesterday. How blessed I am to live in a great neighborhood and to feel safe in my environment. Today I am choosing to see these blessings as tender mercies from God. I want to attribute these things to him. I want my heart not to be full and weighed down by the absence of things in my life. I want it to be full with gratitude for all I have been blessed with. I want to see with new eyes. To find the beauty in my circumstances. I want to choose to be happy now.