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.

Easter: Sunday Will Come

Sometimes in life, like just the other night, I am tempted to let myself wallow in loneliness and discouragement. 

I sit and wonder when rest will arrive. 

• When will I find that loving companion who will walk eternity by my side? 
• When will I be blessed with the smiles and laughter of children, most innocent and pure? 
• When will I be able to establish a home of my own, filled with love and peace?

Sometimes, the road looks so long that I fear I may never reach my destination.

However, I know that I can always last one more day. 

The dark night will come to an end. The Son will come again and life to all will be restored. Soon, those who know Him will rest from all their cares.

As His return draws near, I hope that I am waiting by the tomb, that I will recognize my Lord.

"No matter how dark our Friday, Sunday will come." -Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

Memories

Oh mother dear how I do long
To speak with you, to get a hug,
To hear you laugh once more with me
Just smiling brightly in the sun.

Oh, how the mind can twist the past
Twill just recall those memories
Congruent with the mood you wear,
Like a closet full of clothes.

Sometimes I think of yellow dress
In sunshine memories to dance.
While other time, I just have this:
My black raincoat that's full of holes.

My clothes of youth were not most choice;
Sometimes threadbare, with a patch.
Yet, to me were royal robes
At least, that's what my mouth did say.

But as I grew and left your home,
I left most of those clothes behind:
Tried to forget some did exist.
Yet, from the battered cloth, I learned.

They taught me love and charity.
Now you're gone and all I have
Are the values that you held
And wove into my clothes of youth.

The Good Life

In one of my classes last semester, we discussed an interesting topic.

What is "happiness?" What is "the good life?"

We decided on a couple definitions: a good life is one in which the full range of human emotions and experiences occur. 

Likewise, happiness is found or created through establishing connections and meaning in life.

So, just because there is occasional heartbreak or sorrow, that doesn't mean that life isn't good. Happiness can be found in even the hardest times through connecting with others around you. That is when you find yourself laughing through the tears.

I have to say, I have a really good life.

I have fantastic friends that make me laugh till my face hurts...

As we trudge together through the storms of life...

And family who make even the hardest days...

Into fond memories that will last forever...

And a Savior who never gives up on me.

What makes your life good?

March of Dimes

The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

I am gaining an increasing understanding of just how many parents 

have to deal with the grief of a lost child.

My mother worked with premature babies. 

I remember her telling us about babies that fit in the palm of her hand.

I have also met many wonderful people who were born with defects 

and it is only due to the wonders of modern medicine 

that I was able to meet them in the first place.

This year, my sister is walking for the cause.

She has dedicated her walk to her best friend's son who was born 8 weeks premature.

If you want to donate to help her reach her goal, you can view her page here:

http://www.marchforbabies.org/personal_page.asp?pp=2410898&ct=4&w=6111911&u=KimmieF&bt=24