Burn Bright

I wish, my dear, that you understood
All the wond'rous things I have found.
I would tell you everything if I could.
I open my mouth, without a sound:

A whisp'ring voice says it won't resound.
I want what's best for you and pray, as you
Fade from my sight, that you are crowned
With light and glory. Please find His way.

Oh Love, there is so much I want to say;
Fire is burning bright within me Dear
Aching to drive your doubts away.
Words so true, just let yourself hear.

In you, such potential burning bright;
I hope one day, you unleash it's light.

Sonnet Sunday: Dancing Lilies

So, it's not quite a sonnet, but it is Sunday!

Here in Utah, the snow is beginning to melt. Yesterday, the sun was shining and it was almost 50 degrees!! It was the first day in a long time that I could grab my guitar and just sit outside playing. I even needed to take my sweater off after a while! =D

So, as a tribute to spring, here is an original poem written my senior year of high school.

Dancing Lilies

The dancing lilies seem to ask,

"Didst thou forget the silent breeze,

The fragrant soil, the whisp'ring trees

That thy father made for thee?"

I answer, "Only for a time."

To this the lilies do implore

That I will come and visit more;

For in their presence I will find

The most delightful peace of mind.

Photo is not mine. For information about it, visit the photographer's page.

Where Do I Belong?

Sometimes, it can feel like you don't belong. Maybe it is with your friends, your co-workers, or just the world in general. 

For me, I feel like that a lot. I have many acquaintances, but few close friends. I don't have a group of friends that I hang out with regularly. Much of that is due to how busy I like to be, and part of it is self-imposed. I love to socialize, yet sometimes, I just feel out of the loop. Like there is something greater than the everyday gossip and movies. Some higher purpose that I should be working towards. So, I take some time by myself to figure out what that is. Now, I know.

I know that I am heading somewhere better and working to make someone proud. Since high school, I have taken solace in the fact that I don't belong here. One day, I will return to my Father. Until then, "I can go the distance." Will you?

Composed Upon Westminster Bridge

A moving poem by William Wordsworth. Just perfect. I am definitely going to read this over the Thames when I'm in London this spring. =)
I think sometimes we all need a little reminder about the beauty all around us.

Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!

His Nothing Box

I was introduced to an interesting theory when I was hanging out with some friends yesterday. It explains the difference between how guys and girls brains work. Intrigued? Haha, I was.

The Nothing Box

So, apparently, guys have a room with a lot of shelves. These shelves contain boxes. Each box contains a different category of information. Therefore, the boxes cannot touch. That would be bad. I imagined it to look something like this. (Maybe with labels.)

When the subject is say, birds, the guy goes to his bird box and looks in at everything he knows about birds. He can then utilize that information in conversation. As soon as the subject changes, he packs up that box and goes to the next one. 

Sometimes, he won't have anything to do (or just feels like a break) so he grabs his nothing box and looks inside. This box is special because it contains nothing. Apparently, a guy can stay looking at his nothing box for a very long time. So, when he says he's thinking about nothing, chances are: he's actually thinking about nothing. Astounding! 

The Notecard

Most girls (myself included) are constantly baffled by "his nothing box". Perhaps this stems from the difference in the organization of minds. Many women, it is theorized, have more of a note card than a box. This note card is then attached to a string. This string leads to another note card and so on and so forth, looking something like this:

 

Often, the breakdown occurs when a woman jumps to the next note card and the man hurries to put away his current box and find the next one. By the time he has that subject ready to go, she has moved on again and he is lost wondering how a termite became a lion.

After discussing this, I decided to try to be courteous to the only male among three women. He was very grateful when I announced, "Changing topics, blah blah blah." It was pretty entertaining.

*Disclaimer: I did say this was a theory. It does not explain everything nor pertain to all situations. Hope you got a laugh! =)

An Attitude of Gratitude

In life, there are so many things to be grateful for; it's easy to overlook the majority of them. Sometimes, I consider myself a grateful person. Then, I write a list of 10 things that I am thankful for and I always have more to say by the end. I write a "Thank You" note to someone and realize something stunning: I have been blind. With eyes downcast, I missed the setting sun and how beautifully it illuminated the snow upon the mountains, turning white to pink and gold. I only thought, "Man, I'm cold."

Last semester, in one of my classes, we discussed the idea of gratitude journals. The idea is actually quite simple. Take this test, the Fordyce Emotions Questionare, to measure your current happiness. Every night for 3 weeks, write in a journal 5 things that you are grateful for. (I prefer 10.) At the end of the 3 weeks, take the test again and look at the difference between the two. As you take the time each night to ponder your blessings, your satisfaction with life will increase.

If you believe in a higher power, or have even considered the possibility, I challenge you to ask yourself one more question: How have I seen God's hand in my life today?

Miracles happen all the time. We just have to open our eyes to see them.