There are no coincidences in life

Yesterday I went to costco. Zane was is in the car with pneumonia waiting for me, so I was in somewhat of a hurry. That, plus I was having the Elders over for pizza and carving pumkins, and I was trying to get home to set up for that.

As I was on my out of the store, I saw a familiar face. A friend of mine from college was there. It was so good to see him and talk to him!

Have you ever had a friend on your life that you knew, no matter what, they would always be your friend? Someone who loves you for who you are (even though you might not?) and treats you as if you are a gift in their life? That's the kind of friend he is. My heart felt happy to see him - and spend a few minutes talking.

I believe there are no coincidences in life. People are gifts given to us by our Heavenly Father. He isn't able to be here in person, so he gives us friends who are able to help us see things from a different perspective than our own. Without a doubt, I know this friend was sent in to my life to help me learn to love myself years ago, and a reminder to me now. I had been wondering where he had gone in life just a few short days ago... and there he was all of a sudden! It was Heavenly Father's way of reminding me just how much he truly loves me.

I am grateful to have good friends!!

Decision time

Have you ever had a time in your life when you didn't know what you really wanted, or what direction you wanted to go? I had an experience this weekend where I had the opportunity to sit and really think about the direction I am going, and where I have come from.

For over a year now, I have had the chance to live a more healthy life than I have in a long time. After dropping 100 pounds, I have been able to run around, hike... do all kinds of things I had never had the health to do. I had become comfortable with the changes I had made in my life. So comfortable, in fact, it seems I had become unwilling to continue to make any new changes in my life. I have been sitting at nearly the same fitness and health level for over a year.

Saturday I had the opportunity to do some deep reflection. Why was I putting so much effort in to staying the same - appearing to put in the effort to lose weight, but sabotaging my own success? I go to the gym 3-4 times a week, work out hard - but choose to eat in a way that will not allow me to meet my goal to drop another 50 pounds. (I say drop... because in my opinion if I say "loose" that means I intend to "find" weight.)

My conclusion was this: if I lose the weight, people who are concerned about me trying to lose weight will no longer have that connection to me. I was afraid that losing the weight will cause me to lose those relationships. I was afraid to lose that connection. In doing so, I have actually given up learning how to connect with myself - in a better way than I have in my life. I have been giving up knowing myself, in order to feel connected to other people. My head wanted to lose weight - but a part of my heart really wasn't in it.

I realized that other people will not be around forever. I will always have to live with me - but friends or family have different directions they go in life. People move on or pass away - and the only person on this earth who is permanent to me... is me. My decision to drop weight really only affects my own quality of life - my health, the way I feel about myself, etc. It also affects the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father. Because I haven't been my full, true self, I haven't been able to connect fully to Him.





"You create your own universe as you go along." -Winston Churchill

"The past has no power to keep you from being present now." -Eckhart Tolle

I have a new responsibility to me now. I have the ability to make new choices that will make my life better from now on. This really is my life to live, and I get to choose how I will live it. I create everything in my day - I feel the way I choose. I act the way I choose. No past experiences or current events can effect me unless I choose to allow them to. Things in my life are going to be different from now on.

Ok ok...

So kids are just too cute and too fun to photograph - to not share with the world! Summer, Zane and I took her kids to a pumpkin patch near by and found a couple pumpkins that grew a little bigger than grandpa's this year. Some of these pictures are too cute to not share! I guess instead of a blog I really need an online photo album... I take WAY too many pictures. The funny thing is that you would never know I was actually there, I am always behind the lens. = )

Grandpa's Pumpkin Patch

Every year, grandpa grows pumpkins in the garden for the grandkids. Tonight, we all went out to the garden and each kid got to pick their own. What a great tradition! Grandpa, this is something the kids will always remember about your garden... just like I remember the raspberries from my grandpa's garden, or rolling down the hill wrapped in a blanket. Thank you for having such a fun tradition!

ZOO!

Is there anything more beautiful in the world than children?

We went to the zoo today to celebrate a birthday!

Happy Cake

When you have some of the cutest nieces and nephews in the world, how can you help but brag on them? We celebrated a 3-year old's birthday on Sunday with his very own Happy Cake. (That's what he calls it.) Later this week, we are all planning on going to the zoo together... so I am sure I will write about that also!

Friends!

I can hardly believe that 13 years ago I returned from serving my full-time LDS mission. There was a cute lady there who became a really close friend - more like a big sister than anything. I have wondered over the years where her life had gone, and where she was. Today, I found her!

Sometimes in life, we move away from friends and our lives take different paths. I have often thought of Gabby. She touched my life in a say that no one else could have. As I talked to her on the phone today, it made me feel so peaceful. True friends are gifts from above. Heavenly Father sends them to us in our lives when we need them most - so they can be for us what He would be, if he were here.

I love you Gabby! I am so glad I found you! I can't wait to see you!!!!!

Come Follow Me

This weekend, I wrote a poem. I know the message was inspired!



Come Follow Me

There is a place within our heart
A man will sometimes go
A place so deep, a place so dark
We feel no other knows.

The lonliness we go through there
Pulls down our hearts
Drags down our minds
To the very depths of deep despair.

There was another, once,
Who felt the salf-same pain:
Gethsemane He faced alone
So eternal life could be our gain.

The friends with him sat idly by
While kneeling, praying
From every pore he bled -
And to His father He did cry
To remove this cup instead.

We cannot ever comprehend
The pain He had to bear:
Nor the agony He faced on Calvary's hill
He struggled through
To comlete our father's will.

So when into our hearts we go
To that place of darkest night
Our Savior wants us to recall
He paid a price already -
To make our burdon's light.

The simple invitation of
"Come follow me"
If we will just accept
Will fill our hearts with joy and peace:
And remind us of His love.

Creed for Abundant Living

You are worth living for just as you are.
You can reach out and bless the world
And the world will enrich you in return.
Such risks are possible
Because your worth is not in peril.

You are more imortant than the events of the day
Whatever their ourcome
You are more valuable than anything you can win
And more enduring than anything you can lose.
You will survive and triumph when you discover
The inevitable opportunity that hides in defeat.

You will make choices.
Make decisions that increase life.
Drink deeply and fully and well
And take joy in the thirst as well as the quenching.

Face the pains you feel
No matter what power they seem to posess.
You hold more power.
Eagerly seek the joys you desire
No matter how grand they are.
You will be more grand.
Give respect, kindness and compassion freely
No matter how much is required.
You will have more than enough.

You are more important than anything that can happen to you.
Therefore no matter your circumstance
Always treat yourself with dignity and kindness
And expect the same from your companions.

Believe in your ultimate triumph.
You are connected to powers beyond yourself
Which strengthen you
And nurture your immortality.
Accept that sustenance;
It is your birthright.
You hold great treasure and promise yet to be unfolded.
Take joy in your discoveries.

- Maria Godfrey

Real Salt Lake

Tonight was the opening game of the Real Salt Lake stadium... Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. The Utah National Guard requested volunteers to be a part of a flag un-furling ceremony for the beginning of the game - which was boradcast on ESPN. Well, as you can imagine, I thought it would be an incredible opportunity to go to the opening game - and free tickets? Oh ya! Zane volunteered, and it was really neat. FREEZING but really cool! Oh ya, and the game was a tie 1-1 against the New York Red Bulls. It was fun to watch... but we had to leave at half time so I could come home and defrost... I was an ice cube sickle-pop! (It was in the 40's and I wasn't so prepared.)

Diamond or Zirconia?

"Good diamonds are expensive, and rare. They are also very beautiful. How many of you know what a zirconia is? It's also a very beautiful stone - that looks like a diamond - but is inexpensive and found in many things - costume jewelry, etc. When you compare a diamond to a zirconia, can you tell the difference just by looking at it? No. It's the material the stone is made out of that makes it what it is - all the hidden elements you can't see. A jeweler can tell because he has spent hours learning his trade." -Vivian Klein.

This is something that I have reflected on recently. How do you know if what you have is truly of value - or if it is a counterfeit? Friendships, jobs, etc. can all become so complicated. In my life experience, if it is something that leads me to think more about my Heavenly Father and His love for me, then it is a beautiful, true thing. If it leads me away from Him, and from where I know He wants me to be in my life, then it is not something I want to have in my life.

The difficult thing, sometimes, is that we sometimes become "emotionally attached" to things that may lead us away from our Father. Only He can help us truly decide whether or not we should pursue something, or leave it alongside the trail and continue onward. We are never alone in our decisions - Father is always there to guide us!

Bridal Veil Falls

I have discovered a new favorite place to photograph fall colors this year! I know many people enjoy the falls... I just had never taken the opportunity to go before. I actually climber right up the fall itself on Friday afternoon! (Not the part you see - the lower section.) It was a thrilling experience. I suggest taking dry shoes, a warm jacket, an extra pair of (dry) pants... and pick a little bit warmer day to climb ~ It was a blast! I would do it again!!!

Angel's Landing - Top of the World!

My dad and I hiked Angel's Landing in Zion National Park yesterday,

and believe it or not, this was the easy part of the trail!


We ended up at the top- right where the contrail goes behind the cliff!



Since 1991, when I first heard of Angel's Landing, I knew I wanted to hike it. Many of my friends at college did -and told me how challenging it was, but how beautiful the view from the top - how worth it every step is! I have always been out of shape, and was terribly afraid to do the hike because of the descriptions such as: At one point you climb up a sheer cliff with a chain to support you, 21 back to back swithchbacks (Walter's Wiggles) make your legs really burn, and if you are afraid of herights, don't even attempt it! In 2 1/2 miles, the trail climbs 1,500 feet. The last 500 are in the last 1/2 mile. Then there is the treck back down the mountain...

In my mind, Angel's Landing was a hike I felt I would never be able to do. It truly seemed insurmountable. I was planning, along the way, to tell my dad at the 2 mile mark (Scout Outlook) whether or not I really could make it that last half mile. I was more than nervous as we set out.

As we reached the Scout outlook, I knew it was possible for me to make it. One step at a time - very carefully - my dad and I headed up. I led the way, and it wasn't as quite as difficult as I had imagined to get to the top. Others had made it sound so impossible...


The great lesson that I learned is: sometimes we make mountains bigger than they really are. I had told myself for 17 years if I could climb that "impossible" hike, I could do anything. I was so afraid of what "might be" along the trail, that I had been unwilling to set out upon it. Yes, I was more prepared this week than I ever had been... but yes, I could have also made it to the top before now. It was an awesome experience, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever thought about doing it! (I might even go with you - if you ask nicely!)