He Lives

It is a bit early for Christmas, but here is a drawing that was recently finished that attempts to sum up why we sing "Joy to the World" at Christmas time. I don't know if it is just the colder air or the lessening daylight, but the holidays are already in the air. This drawing was originally done for a Christmas card fundraiser for a friend with cancer, and the sadness of someone so young suffering mixed with the spirit of Christmas reminded me of the real hope and peace there is in knowing "He Lives."

Bare foot and happy...

We recently went on a camping trip to the sand dunes that are an hour south of provo. I knew it was going to be a good trip when we all took off our shoes as soon as we got out of the car, and they never went back on! Now if any of you want to feel like a child again here is a prescription for you...

- Go to sand dunes. aka, biggest sand box ever! 

- Go barefoot the whole time. Admit it, you never wore shoes as a kid.

- Jump off of things. The sand is really soft and the dunes are steep so it totally doesn't hurt!

- Roll down really big hills. You cannot ask for a softer hill to roll down than a sand dune, perfect for older and stiffer joints.

- Sculpt your own pillow and sleeping surface under your sleeping bag.

- Wake up and jump off of more things. 

- Don't care how dirty you get.

                      

If youthfulness does not return after one dose, try a second dose but add more friends and more jumping. Maybe some marshmallows (but they will get covered in sand.)

Possible side effects- Lack 0f motivation to wear shoes, sand in eyes, ears, mouth and nose, and extremely exfoliated skin. 

Highly recommended to all. Especially the college student in need of a fall break.   

                          

For Love of the Game.

Have you ever got so attached to something that you crave it, miss it, and can't get enough of it? And when you've been away from it and finally come back, it is like fresh air is breathed into your soul? Am I weird if I feel that way about volleyball? I mean seriously! I didn't cry at high school graduation, but the last day of senior year European Championships I was a mess. As I watched the championships (our team tragically got out in the semi's) I had to keep moving from my teammates, to the bathroom, to my family, to outside, back to my team, back to get more kleenex, it was so ridiculous! I couldn't tell what was wrong with me. I truly suffered from what could be called "love of the game." The hole in my heart left from not playing competitive volleyball slowly healed, and I've been playing copious amounts of sand volleyball, church court ball, and random intramural games.

  But something exciting is happening, I am on an ALL GIRLS intramural indoor volleyball team. I love playing with boys, but with ALL GIRLS, we can play with a GIRLS HEIGHT NET! I am 5'4'', and have not been able to really attempt to hit for the past two years, we never play positions, and hardly have 6 people. Playing on this team was like tasting mother's pie again years later. It tastes like a piece of home.

 So my soul is happy, (even though we have lost every game...;) because I am home again :) Play Ball! 

Sunrise on Mt Timp

Mount Timpanogous at Sun Rise 

Last weekend some of our friends had the brilliant idea to climb seven miles up a mountain in the middle of the night. The point was to see the sunrise, and it really was breathtaking, but I was also blessed with an eye opening experience and understanding about the love of God, and how to find peace while here on this earth. This little analogy really hit me!

The night, like our time here on this earth, is but a moment in all our existence. So picture

 hiking up a mountain in the middle of the night, and think of what would help you get to the top. 

LIFE LESSONS FROM TIMP...

Lesson 1: We can know that we are on the path that leads to the top.

Think about how hard it would be if we were put at the bottom of a mountain in the middle of the night, and told to move forward without a trail. We can't see where we are going! Now picture finding a trail that you know will lead you strait to the top. Big difference huh? We can have peace in this life because our Heavenly Father had shown us the trail :) (Would you want to walk this rocky ledge without a path?)

Lesson 2: I had a light, but I could only see one step at a time. 

See how dark it is around me and Katherine? The whole hike up was like that! 

The words from a Church hymn say it well.

Lead, Kindly Light (hymn 97)

Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom, lead thou me on!

The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead thou me on!

Keep thou my feet, I do not ask to see

The distant seen, one step enough for me.

The key is trusting in our Heavenly Father's love and His plan enough to only need to see one step at a time. And just because I couldn't see the mountain, it didn't mean it wasn't there. So it is with this life! We can't see it all now, but there is so much more than what we now see! Morning will come. 

Lesson 3: It is necessary for the climb to be steep if we are to gain 11,000 feet of elevation.

 "...and where I am ye shall be also." D&C 132:23. We are to progress and grow, and return home to our Heavenly Father, and trials and tough times in this life are just necessary steps as we climb upward. But the view is going to be even more worth it than this!

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And so it begins...

Hello Everyone, I am inexperienced at writing to a general audience, or one that may only include my roommates katherine and cate ;), but either way I am really excited about this blog! I have never been able to write or keep a journal due to embarrassingly manly(no offense men) and messy handwriting, and my inability to sit still and simply write to myself. There are so many moments in my life however that I would like to treasure and expound upon, so this blog is now hopefully going to be my place of record. And the opportunity to include pictures with my thoughts is really exciting! We live in such a beautiful world and I love capturing pieces of it!  

My dear family, I hope we can use this site as a way for you to see how much I miss and am thinking about all of you. Roommates, I'm sorry but you are being forewarned, some of our funny and embarrassing stories may end up on here (all in good taste of course ;). I just don't want to forget them. I also tend to take way too many pictures when we hike, camp, or do basically anything so many pictures are also inevitable. I also love to paint and draw, and this might become a virtual matting place to some pieces. Oh! And i am passionate about my major, Therapeutic Recreation, so i might randomly get on my TR soap box and talk about TR moments. Analogies about how things pertain to the Gospel might also make an appearance as life goes on. So, keep your hands and arms inside the vehicle and laugh, smile, and hopefully not cry as I write about pieces of my wonderful life!