Merry Christmas Eve

The packages are wrapped and laying quietly to be unwrapped tomorrow, as we remember the true gift that our our Father in Heaven has given us – the birth of His Son our Savior, Jesus Christ.

What Shall We Give?

Encouragement

So I spent the weekend thinking about what the word 'encouragement' meant to me, personally. I was brought back to a couple of weeks ago as I was flying home from the family reunion in Idaho I was staring out the window of the plane into the clouds watching through the spaces in them the earth beneath pass by. It was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever had. The hope that filled me from within as I was looking out the window was something I didn't want to forget. I haven't had the chance to journal down my thoughts and when I saw that today's blog hop was encouragement - what a perfect time.

I had my iPod on with my headphones in my ears - when these lyrics sang in my ears:

"It passes all my understanding,
All the beauty we have here
From the majesty of the canyons
To a tiny baby's ear
And even when I can't believe it,
He still believes in me
It passes all my understanding

We watched the sun set through the clouds
In a tiny little airplane window
With people sleeping all around
And I thought of how we just expect this world to be

It passes all my understanding,
That the Lord knows both our names
And that He made this world for everyone
That was sitting on that plane
And in spite of all of man's distractions
He offers us His peace
That passes all my understanding"

Our loving Father in Heaven gives us so much hope and peace. Having the knowledge the He lives makes my heart glow with warmth. The encouragement I felt while looking out my own aircraft window knowing that someone greater than us all created this beautiful world for us to live in to enjoy and to grow. Knowing that He sent His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ to die for us so we might return to live with Him and that we could overcome sin and temptation, is filled with hope that encourages me on a daily basis. I am thankful for this, and for being able to literally see His love and the hope He has for us that surrounds us when other things in this life seem to be falling apart everyday.

Thoughts on This Easter Morning

"We know not all that lies ahead of us. We live in a world of uncertainty. For some, there will be great accomplishment. For others, disappointment. For some, much of rejoicing and gladness, good health, and gracious living. For others, perhaps sickness and a measure of sorrow. We do not know. But one thing we do know. Like the Polar Star in the heavens, regardless of what the future holds, there stands the Redeemer of the world, the Son of God, certain and sure as the anchor of our immortal lives. He is the rock of our salvation, our strength, our comfort, the very focus of our faith. In sunshine and in shadow we look to Him, and He is there to assure and smile upon us.

He is the central focus of our worship. He is the Son of the living God, the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten in the flesh. He is "risen from the dead,...the first fruits of them that slept. He is the Lord who shall come again "to reign on the earth over his people." Non so great has ever walked the earth. non other has made a comparable sacrifice or granted a comparable blessing. He is the Savior and the Redeemer of the world. I believe in Him. I declare His divinity withougt equivocation or compromise. I love Him. I speak the name of Jesus Christ in reverence and wonder. He is our King, our Lord, our Master, the living Christ, who stands on the right hand of His Father. He lives! He lives, resplendent and wonderful, the living Son of the living God."

-President Gordon B. Hinckley

Our Saviour - Jesus Christ

Our Saviour Jesus Christ was born into this world with a purpose larger than any one of us can grasp, a perfect infant, who would always remain as pure as He was the day He was born.

A child who was teaching scholars truth they have never heard, a child who enlightened minds of all those He was around. A child who had so much love and compassion for everyone, a child who would grow to be our Saviour, our Advocate with the Father, our Dearest Friend.

A man who loved and consoled. A man who strengthened and lifted. A man who did not judge. A man who forgave and admonished. A man who died so we might live again.

As I watched this video this morning, my heart is lifted as I have added to my testimony that our Saviour lives and loves each and every one of us and will never give up on us or ever let go, it is us who lets go from time to time, and we need to remember and re-evaluate our lives frequently so we can continue to grasp His outstretched hand.

At the end is a verse I have never noticed in my studies before, and it makes you think of how and why you are living your life:

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."

May you remember whos you are, and look forward to the day when Our Saviour will grasp us in a loving hug and say to us, "Well done my good and faithful servant." "I love you."

Life

I can't promise that this will be my last entry for today as I have a lot on my mind lately and I'm not quite sure how to put it into words. I found a picture that I have made my goal picture in the whole scheme of becoming healthy again. I look at this and remember where I once was; resting heart rate in the low to mid 50s, 113lbs, 4.2%BMI, 5% Body Fat... etc. I won't even go to where I am now. I know I'll never be in that good of shape again because I'm not in training but nevertheless, anything would be better than now. So in reference to the title, life. Life is a fascinating thing. There are times when I really feel I have control over everything than there are others where I feel like everything is falling apart, that is how I feel right now. So many things going on that I can't even begin to write about. I was reading Julia's entry from her birthday where she was recounting parts of her life and this part really stood out to me and made me think:

"I found my self looking back at my life and thinking about where I am right now, and it wasn’t a purely pleasant experience. Many thoughts and emotions filled my head and my heart. At first I struggled, to recognize Gods hand and His plan in the events of my life; for it is nothing like I had once thought and even hoped it would be."

She goes on to say so strongly how she can see Gods Hand so clearly in her life and I want that. As I pondered on that and how much I want it the thought, "You have it and you know that you do so stop looking for what is already in front of you." It hit me so powerfully I can't even describe it. All this time I feel like I have been looking for something then the realization came that I have had it all along. The feelings, thoughts, directions. Just the little things that happen, and just as Julia stated above it doesn't happen the way we hoped it would be, but our Father in Heaven/God/Supreme Being no matter what you believe or how you came to believe it, He knows us for what and who we are and how we will recognize His hand in our lives. This is a song that really describes me:

Face lost in a crowd; Feet wondering empty streets
Voice crying outloud; Heart aching with every beat
Someone searching, searching for someone
Everywhere and endlessly
Wishing waiting; Could there be someone searching for
Someone Searching?
Soul battered and bruised; Pride wounded and left for dead
Ears deaf to good news; Eyes tear-drenched and sleepless red
Someone searching, searching for someone
Everywhere and endlessly
Wishing waiting; Could there be someone searching for
Someone Searching?
I hear the cries and I know the pain
Can it be denied, that everyone has been and will be
Someone Searching?
Love standing alone; Hands scarred by the nails of hate
Hope suffering long; Faith urging that it's not too late
Someone searching, searching for someone
Everywhere and endlessly
Wishing waiting; Could there be someone searching for
Someone Searching?
Loving and longing, always there is someone searching for
Someone Searching.

Her lyrics always get to me she is wonderful. I do write I have had a few things published and have always wanted to get into song writing I haven't had the time recently to even think, I always have too much to do (not including all the books I need to read). Maybe I'll sit down someone in the upcoming holidays to dink around a bit.

I do know that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me, and I feel as though I can honestly say that. Yes I do struggle and feel alone but every morning when I drive to work and see all the beauty (yes there is beauty in SF) around me, how can I not know?

It is truly a wonderful sight. Life is rough and difficult but everyday there is a reason to live and do our best to become the person we desire to be and to be the person our God knows we can be.
"The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

"One’s purpose in life has an overriding influence on what he does with his time, energy, and resources. Without this sense of purpose, life has no compass."