Blossom Rose

This is for all of the wonderful people I have met in my life who have taught me what true love is. Written from the perspective of a mother whose child was born with a disability. 

Well, you were born perfect to me:
Almond eyes and a button nose.
What a beautiful sight to see,
My tender blossom rose.

They told me to give up hope
You'll never live a normal life
That it's selfish in this scope
To keep you in such strife.

But I decided you were mine
To care for and protect for time
I didn't need a bigger sign
Than your smile, beauty sublime.

You'll walk and talk, but never learn
Arithmetic or cursive
Yet nothing in the world could earn
The love you freely give.

They told me all the faults in you
Yet they never saw ahead
How you would change my view
And make life so blessed.

Now, you're still perfect to me:
Almond eyes and a button nose.
What a beautiful sight to see,
My tender blossom rose.

I Hope They Call Me On a Mission...

Night after night, when my older sister, Amy, would tuck me in to bed at night, I would ask for that same song. Every night.

When I was 10, I started saving up for a mission. By the time I was 13, I had $500 saved up. Then, I decided that a mission probably wasn't in my future because, knowing myself, I wanted to get married instead of serving a mission at 21 years old.

So, I just decided that my life was my mission. I would work every day to make at least one person's day better and brighter through letting the light of Christ shine through me.

Then, last October, the age for sister missionaries was reduced to 19 years old. I was extremely excited, but still felt it wasn't right for me.

About a month ago, something changed. Suddenly, it just seemed so right. Everything fell into place.

And now, it's coming true! I have just submitted my papers to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I just have one interview left before my papers are sent to Salt Lake City where I will be assigned an area in which to serve. For a year and a half, I will put everything aside to serve the Lord, my God.

Stay tuned to see where I get called to serve!*

Yeah, life is good. =)











*Feel free to comment with guesses about where you think/want me to go. Winner gets a prize.

Words of Pride

My soul sorrows within me now
From the mem'ry of my sins;
If I truly loved my Savior,
Would I mock my brother's faults?

I put my worth above his own
Through unkind words, a petty vice,
But truly just abased myself;
True virtue need not prove it's there.

Oh, Lord, my God, forgive me as
I covenant anew with thee,
Partaking of your flesh and blood,
Allowing you to make me clean.

Deciding now to be your hands
To lift my brother from the dust.
Bury all my pride and folly;
Consecrate my time and heart.

As your disciple, teach me how
To be a city on a hill.
I need your help, please let me see
The worth of others unto thee.

Woah, I'm Twenty?

Yepp. Last Saturday was my birthday. In honor of leaving my teenage years behind, I thought I would do some reflecting on the top twenty things I have learned so far in life.

1. Nothing ever comes before family.
2. God is my Heavenly Father; therefore, He comes before all else. 
3. As a daughter of God, I have divine worth that cannot be diminished by anyone.
4. It is okay to be different. (Especially when being silly.)  =P
5. We all have a story to tell.
6. Listening is often better than speaking.
7. "Life is meant to be enjoyed, not merely endured." -Gordon B. Hinkley
8.  Satisfaction in life comes from mindset.
9. Joy in life comes through obedience.
10. Understanding comes after obedience.
11. I obey out of love and respect for my Savior.
12. God does not work through fear.
13. Serving others can bring a smile even in the hardest times.
14. It is just as important to let others serve me as it is for me to serve others.
15. The Atonement is all about fixing what we can't.
16. Forgiving others allows me to heal and find peace.
17. The power of the priesthood blesses lives.
18. The Book of Mormon truly testifies of Christ.
19. Truth is not relative. Truth is truth.
20. In the Church of Christ, we cannot pick and choose what to believe and obey.

If you made it to the end, I commend you and would like to ask a question. Leave a comment with your answer. =)

What is at least one thing you have learned in life?

Dancing Violins

Ok, so I was in a class today and we watched a video on Lindsey Stirling. I had no idea how popular she was! Turns out, a friend of mine had shown me her Lord of the Rings medley last year.

After rediscovering her amazingness, I decided to write a blog post dedicated to her and her music.

Why I love Lord of the Rings:
It just somehow gives me such peace of mind. Everything can be going wrong and I turn on The Fellowship of the Ring and I am laughing through the tears.

I love the Celtic feel in this one.

"We Found Love"

Another awesome thing: she combines two of my favorite things into one: music and dance.

Plus, I just learned that she graduated from my same school with a degree in recreation therapy, the same thing that I am studying. Maybe there is more I could do with dance. It's people like Lindsey that make me wonder if I am living below my potential and inspire me to keep dreaming.