Happy Things

Life is kind of fabulous right now. I'm not sure if that's an indication that I'm living my life right, or if this is one of those moments where I'm supposed to catch my breath before the next crisis hits.

Within the past week I've

• Saved one of my friend's from dropping out of school because of financial problems
• Met Bill Nye the Science Guy
• Had dinner with the Samoan Head of State
• Won an essay contest that I wrote an essay for 3 hours before the deadline, and got $200 for it.

I think that that's a pretty good week, all things considered. 

By the way

• I moved to an amazing apartment with my own room
• My roommates are angels and hilarious ones at that
• I use half the gas in my car as I did before
• I discovered that Peppermint ice cream is my new favorite flavor (It tastes like Christmas!)
• My voice teacher helped me find my true singing voice
• My professor pays students "grammer bucks"
• I figured out how to do the poofy Utah hair that girls wear (tip: lots of teasing and hairspray)
• Tonight I ran into one of my efy girls, a friend from high school, and an efy counselor friend, all at a Stake activity which means we'll be seeing a lot of each other
• I still have a job in the President's Office on campus
• My boss is a genius

The List of Happy Things could go on and on. 

I feel pridefully accomplished. And very happy. If only my homework would work on itself. Or that I could do it in my sleep. That would be amazing. 

Find something in life to be grateful for. There are tons of things all around us that we miss in the day to day stress. Finding things that make you happy will help you live longer.

I think.

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE

Me. 

Modesty for Guys

This summer at EFY I had the great pleasure of co-teaching about the For Strength of Youth Standard of Dress and Appearance. It is so important for young men and young women to understand that being "modest" is something that the Lord asks us to do because the way that we dress and act is a reflection of who we are on the inside. It is critical for young women AND young men to realize that their dress and appearance choices can have a profoundly negative effect on those around them.

As part of the lesson, my co-teacher passed out pieces of paper to have youth of both genders write down their thoughts about the OPPOSITE gender when they are immodest. I came across the responses from the young women about the young men, and wanted to preserve them. So here's the list!

"Must be a jerk & treat girls like crap."

"Very uncomfortable.. PULL THOSE PANTS UP BOYS! No one wants to see the color of your boxers, shave those beards and cut your hair! If you don't, it just makes you look like a homeless person."

"I think they're just being disrespectful to us and it's just gross."

"I don't want to be around them."

"It makes me feel awkward and I wish that they would have more respect for themselves."

"I look away, it's awkward, I'm afraid...Something awkward will happen to guys wearing baggy pants."

"I think they look trashy and they look like druggies that have no standards."

"It makes me feel really uncomfortable when guys are 'immodest' or are showing too much, and it makes me want to yell something like 'Pull your pants up, no one wants to see your underwear' or 'Put some CLOTHES on!'"

"PULL UP YOUR PANTS! No one cares what color or pattern your boxers are .I would rather date a clean-cut guy than a guy with dirty, white tank top to see his muscles. Also, not wearing a shirt we can see your abs. WE DON'T CARE! If I can see your bajillion abs, you're probably a show-off that's not worth it. Also, most of us are not Bliebers or hippies, so keep your hair short. You're a guy, not a girl."

"It makes me feel really uncomfortable when I am around them and it sneds a bad message to my brain and its really hard to focus on the Spirit or on good things."

"If you don't take care of yourself then how are you going to treat your wife?"

"When a young man is immodest I feel like they are not honoring their priesthood. It makes it hard for me to respect the power they have."

"Honestly.. I feel slightly scared sometimes. I mean I don't fee secure and good anymore. Men w/ extreme hair and piercings gross me out! And I don't get what message they're trying to send by dressing that and looking that way because it just yells trash to me!"

"It makes me feel like he isn't someone who could take me to the temple. Basically, it's disgusting. Act like a royal son of God that you are."

"When guys dress immodest, it makes me think, is that how you'll treat me...sloppy?"

Preparing for Shabbat

With all of the new coverage of the end of the world happening tomorrow, I started thinking about the Second Coming of the Savior. I posted a scripture on my facebook page that follows:

"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." -Matthew 25:13

We do not know when the Lord will come. We cannot know the day, or the hour. And why? Because the Lord has said that we will not. Good enough for me.

I think it would is wise to watch for His coming, and to observe the signs of His coming. It is also wise to be prepared for His coming, whether it is tomorrow or in twenty years. We need to be doing all that is in our power to prepare ourselves for His coming.

Today I was reading about the preparation for Shabbat, or Jewish Sabbath. There is a preparation time for the Sabbath, because there are many things that cannot be done then. I found so many parallels among the Jewish traditions that I thought it might be of value to share those here. Look for parallels in your own life to these ideas about the preparation time. (Taken from myjewishlearning.com)

-One prepares all week for the Sabbath
-The more observant you are of the details of Shabbat, the more you have to prepare before it arrives

-The true mark of a pious Jew is not that he or she is a shomer Shabbat (a Sabbath observer) but isshomer erev Shabbat (one who properly prepares on the eve of the Sabbath).

-One cannot shop on the Sabbath, so all of the shopping must be done on Friday
-Some Jewish men go to mikvah (a ritual bath) to cleanse themselves not only physically, but spiritually for the Sabbath.

-Many meditate and pray before the Sabbath begins.
-The entire family gathers to light candles and eat the final meal before the Sabbath begins.

May I make a few comments?

Those who are truly seeking the Kingdom of God will do so every day of the week to prepare, and they will not just be those who "go to church". We will bring with us our families, if we have helped them to prepare and they have done what is necessary to qualify for entrance into God's kingdom.

I have learned a lot from reading about the Jewish Shabbat, and the symbolism that it holds for the coming of Jesus Christ.

I know that as we prepare every day to greet the Savior, we are spending our preparation time wisely.

Writer's Block

Sadly, I've had writer's block. And the worst part about it is that I have an article due for a news agency at noon tomorrow. I've pretty much got the article written, but I have no desire to finish it. The saddest part is that I've been so excited about this article for the past week, and now, I don't even want to try to finish it. I'm hoping that if I let all of my thoughts out here on my blog, I might be able to come up with the drive to finish.

I suppose it isn't really writer's block that is inhibiting my desire. I've been helping move my family. Packing, sorting, garage sales, chasing after the kids, playing pretend with them....And I feel exhausted. I think that the greatest part about this article is that it's supposed to be about reducing stress. That has been a blessing this week, thinking about how I can reduce moving stress...or at least recognize it for what it is.

I asked a professor to help me out with the article by being interviewed and she flatly refused, saying that it would be better to talk to a specialist on campus about that topic because it wasn't her specialty.

Bah.

As if having a degree in health disqualifies you from talking about it. If you teach it in the classroom, then you are qualified enough to talk about it.

So, I won't have an interview for my article. Disappointing.

And I can't concentrate on writing this post even. My paragraphs continue to get smaller and smaller.

So, I went and looked at photos of the homes of people who are hoarders. That might make an interesting article/blog post someday.

Alright. I'm going. Time to hash out an article on stress.

Daddy

Dear Daddy-

I know that it's been two years since I last saw you. It seems like a long time. I know that we'll be together again soon...it might just take a few more years before it happens.

I miss riding in the car to work with you every morning, listening to Glenn Beck through the snowstorms, or the sunrise. Thanks for not hating me when I took those classes at 7am, which meant that you had to go to work at 6:30. Thanks for letting me use your printer to print off my papers that were due in less than an hour.....

I miss waiting for you to pick me up from work and listening to whoever the political talk show guys were that we listened to. I don't listen to them anymore because I'm not even sure what station was on.

I miss complaining about school to you and having you tell me how bad it was for you. I was kind of shocked when you told me that you got a C in one of your accounting classes. I think that you told me you failed a class once. It was silly, but it helped me get some perspective. I'll have you know that I haven't failed a class....yet....I hope you'll be proud.

I miss going to see the new, cool movies with you. I think that you would have like How to Train Your Dragon, Despicable Me and Tron. I miss you gagging at princess movies. I think you would have enjoyed Tangled.

I miss waking up early in the morning to find that you were already up and reading your scriptures. I know that you are a quiet, private kind of guy, but I'm glad that you read in the living room. Having your scriptures means so much more to me than it could have if I hadn't caught you reading.

I miss having somebody to squish my spiders. Though now I won't squish any crawling thing. I pretend that its because I don't want to kill them...but really, you were the only one who could squish spiders.

I miss having someone to eat the burned cookies and tell me that they are delicious, and then get in a fake argument with mom because she likes them uncooked. Sometimes I want to burn an entire batch of cookies just for you. You know that no one else would eat them if I did. Mom would pretend to be furious. Then I would make another double batch and undercook them. And the quadruple batch of cookies would be gone before the weekend was over.

I miss you eating your cereal out of a red, plastic cup.

I miss always having ice cream in the freezer. Not the strawberry stuff. Yuck. No one did like that kind. But I guess that's why you bought it. No one else would eat it.

I miss the smell of starch as mom ironed your shirts for work. The whole house would smell like it. I'm not sure that you knew that, because she hardly ironed while you were there.

I miss going to the temple with you. I'm glad that you took time out of your busy schedule to come do baptisms with us.

I miss you laughing.

I miss you crying.

I miss you snoring.

I miss you.

It won't be long now...I'll see you again soon.

Love from your daughter,

Anne.

P.S. Please ask Jesus when He is coming. I'm getting a little anxious.

What I've Learned...April 2010-April 2011

First of all, my apologies for not writing for 3 months...or so...I am a student, and blogging hasn't really been on my priority list. But, it will be now, because finals are coming and I need a new way to procrastinate!

Anyways....

I try to write a "What I've Learned" list every year. A good friend of mine suggested it to me when life was getting me down. She helped me to see that I had been progressing, and that the Lord had been teaching me all along the way. It helped me gain the perspective that I needed to help me through that difficult circumstance.

What I've Learned: April 2010-2011

I've learned....

• That I should constantly be looking beyond the mask that people put up to hide who they are or how they feel. "In the quiet heart is hidden, Sorrow that the eye can't see" (LDS Hymns #219, Because I have Been Given Much)
  
• To care so much for others that I feel sad about missing an opportunity to serve them.
  
• That when you do your very best, the Lord takes care of the rest.
  
• To love with all of my heart "Better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all"
• To be completely honest with everyone around me, my family, my roommates, my friends, my date, strangers, leaders etc.
  
• The Lord uses death as a tool for our spiritual growth
• To not be afraid (I'm not sure if I've finished learning this though...)
• An iPod touch is probably the best invention ever. Besides a Blentech blender. The only thing better than both of those in an iPhone
• I need more than 6 hours of sleep every night.
• Saying goodbye is hard.
• Compassion is an important attribute to have. Everyone has struggles and weaknesses and just because it seems like yours are easier doesn't make you better than them.
• Flame throwers make great substitute matches.
• When I'm having a bad day I buy pizza or ice cream. When I'm having a HORRIFIC day I buy both.
• Exercising every day makes you stronger. That's kind of a no brainer...but I have a testimony of it now.
• Tri-folded wedding announcements look amazing.
• One can survive with only 3 pairs of shoes.
• The Lord will help you heal, sometimes immediately, sometimes later, and sometimes not in this life. It doesn't matter which way it happens, just remember that it always will.
• Country music is therapeutic.
• Mopping the floor on your hands and knees is a productive way to procrastinate paper writing.
• Eating healthy makes you and your body happy.
• You can put everything on an iPod touch, papers for class, books, LDS Institute manuals, pictures, music.....
• There is literally an app for everything. Except a build-your-own-molecule app. Maybe I'll create it. Or suggest it to someone smarter than me.
• Whole grains taste better.
• Doing homework in the living room while your roommate is playing video games=being very, very distracted.

There's probably a lot more. But that's all that I can think of right now. :D

Gumbo

So today I looked into my fridge, and my pantry, and wasn't hungry for anything in either of those.

So I was flipping through my Fannie Farmer cook book looking for something...anything!...that looked appetizing. I saw stuffed bell peppers....but it would take 45 minutes to bake. So that was a no go.

Then. I saw. IT.

A Gumbo recipe.

And that sounded good.

So, I searched online for vegan recipes (remember, I'm trying to be better about what I eat). Besides, I didn't want to buy shrimp, or chicken. And I found a few. I pieced together my own recipe. The only thing lamentable is that I didn't have any okra in the house. Oh well. So here's my recipe for Gumbo!

~Gumbo~
Prep Time: 1 hour (with rice)

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
6 cups vegetable broth (or two vegetable bouillon in 6 cups of water)

3 stalks of celery, diced or chopped
1 onion, diced or chopped
1 bell pepper, diced or chopped
2 tomatoes, diced or chopped
3 cloves of garlic, diced

1 cup cooked whole grain rice

3 dashes of red pepper flakes (I think I may have put in 6....which would explain why it was so spicy)
2 dashes of black pepper
2 dashes of Oregano

*If you don't have any cooked rice on hand, go ahead and start this recipe by cooking a cup of rice. You want to undercook the rice, just a little bit, so that it won't go squishy when added to the gumbo pot.
*While your rice is cooking, go ahead and chop up your vegetables.

Heat stove top to medium heat and place large pot on top. Pour olive oil in pot and let it heat for about a minute. Add flour and stir. Heat these together for a few minutes (technically you should make a roux out of it, and it should cook for hours, but I burn mine so easily that I gave up). Add vegetable broth and all the vegetables. Let this heat up till it is steaming, then go ahead and add the spices. The more red pepper flakes you use, the spicier it will be! let boil until vegetables become softer...and add the rice. Turn down to a simmer for around 10-15 minutes. You should have a nice pot of gumbo!!!

I didn't technically time any of this....or exactly measure anything. But, I must say it's pretty close :D

ENJOY!

A Lesson Learned

Today the Lord taught me an important lesson. The lesson of listening. And the lesson of loving, even when one has been injured by another. I wish I could give specifics, but that would reveal much more than I would intend.

Suffice it to say, that someone had been unkind to me. And I was angry at them for the unkindnesses. I went to talk to them about it, to confront them, to exact of them what was rightfully mine. It would feel good to show them that they were in the wrong, I thought. I had a list of all the charges against them in my head, ready to spring them out. But yet I still prayed that God would help me say and do the right thing. I'm not sure that I realized how against God I was going by being angry. But I felt justified.

I walked in, and it was almost as if....I was a little speechless.

"Hey...how are things going?" I managed to get out.

The person's usual response followed:

"Oh life is drama, and stress...you know."

I didn't know what else to say...the anger was still simmering...but not boiling over like it had before.

"Umm...someone said that you had ___ for me?" I said, trying not to..well, who knows what I was trying to do.

My purpose was to come and get what was owed. I could stick to that purpose.

"Oh. Yeah. Let me see if I have it."

As I waited I felt the anger slip away. I cared more for this person than for what she owed me. All of the sudden, it didn't seem as important as making sure that she knew how much I cared about her. And I was disappointed in myself for having lost sight of that.

"Here you go."

"Thanks" was all I managed to say.

A silence followed as she went back to her work.

"Umm...how are things really going? You're moving back to ____ right?"

"Yeah. It's so much drama right now. You would not believe how much drama."

And she sounded so disheartened. It was heartbreaking to me. Whatever resentment I had had...was gone. I had forgotten to see her as a beloved child of a Heavenly Parent, Someone who loved her more than I could. I had let that escape me as I had traveled with anger to speak to her. It doesn't matter what she had done, I was more in the wrong for neglecting one of the greatest commandments: Love thy neighbor as thyself.

"That's the toughest, isn't it? Life is okay to handle, but drama...drama you can't control. I've always been impressed with your ability to handle life. Drama is hard...but I'm sure you can make it."

"Do you need any help?" I offered, seeing her struggling with the task at hand.

"Oh, really? I'm going to load these things in about 5 minutes. That would be great."

As I helped, I repented quite profusely. A sweet spirit overcame me as I let the beautiful truths sink into my soul. She is my sister. And I am serving her because I love her.

She thanked me so sincerely, I was unsure what to say. I've never seen her be that sincere before. And she meant every thank you. I left her, knowing that she would never have a cause to say that I had been unkind to her. That means a lot to me.

And I was grateful to the Lord for helping me to curb the natural woman within me, to nip my anger in the bud, and to remember the most important truth, that He had had my mother teach me so long ago:

People are more important than things.