Happy Thanksgiving...

I've tried several times to write my feelings down today.  *chuckle* Needless to say, there are several drafts started all over my desk area... I haven't even titled this yet, I guess I'm just waiting for inspiration to come or something. 

I have the blessing of being able to wait.  Not being demanded to do something right now.

I'm listening to Josh Groban right now, and will probably go and play the piano in a minute.  Three of my uncles are here, they came for Thanksgiving Lunch.

I have the blessing of hearing.
I have the blessing of expression of emotion...
I have the blessing of a loving family, most of them close by and all welcoming.
My arms work.

I can remember a time just recently when my arms constantly hurt, frequently to the point of wrapping and icing, and sometimes so badly I couldn't even flex my fingers, let alone open a granola bar wrapper. Yeah, that bad.  My arms work, pain free.

I lost my camera a couple of months ago, so I haven't gone on as many sunset jaunts.  But I do have the ones I took over the summer, and a phone that takes pictures, plus my family has a camera, and, hey- I've got my memory... And eyes to see each one, a warm house to return to when it's cold outside.

Recently a man in my ward died, leaving four young kids and a wife behind.  One of the girls is in nursery, where I'm a leader. She clung to me last week, and wrapped herself around my heart in the process...This is the second father to die in seven months in our ward.

I have a dad...he's healthy, loving, and takes care of me.
I have friends and places to turn to when I can't find my way, am lonely, lost, or hurt...

This morning I took a warm shower with clean, good smelling soaps, and had clean, dry clothes choose from to wear.  I had the ability to flip a light switch with a finger and light up my room.  When I was in the hospital five years ago I had to use both arms and my body strength and strain to flip a switch.

I have a healthy, beating heart.
I had a very nice lunch today, and have food in the fridge if I get hungry.
I have the blessing of taste.
I have the blessing of health.
I have the blessing of healing.

Several friends are on missions right now, and several are receiving calls, and going out to serve...

I have the blessing of the gospel in my life.
I have the Glorious blessing of soon to be eight Temples within an hour drive of my home...
I have the blessing of having my church behind my house, and practically my whole neighborhood active.

The list goes on, as I think of more things I'm grateful for. Contacts, so I can see. Glasses, when I run out of contacts. Contacts to talk to. ;-) (Had to throw in a bit of humor there...)

Really, This whole earth.  Yes, I do have a hard time at school sometimes and the load is stressful at times. But then when it's gone I don't know what to do with myself. Grateful for each end of the spectrum, and the times inbetween, I suppose.

Thank you, Heavenly Father for all the blessings I've received.

Thanks, all, for everything.  For listening to my thoughts when I share them, for laughing at, with, and for me.  For taking care of me.  For letting me take care of you at times, too.  So many of you, (I'd dare say all) have changed my life, and helped me on my way.  Thanks for that.  I hope you all can find things to be grateful and thankful for in every day...

...I will be forever grateful for you all in every one of mine. :)

Love, Me.

Ps...Christmas is in a month. :)

It is...That is, Life...

Grow is the song of the young aspen tree,
Paint is the joy found in art.
Hear is the tune sung in bird's melodies,
Sing is the full body's part.

Learn is the will of a young child's mind,
See is the view of the Mount.
Feel is the sound that the pianist brings,
Peace is the strings of guitar.

Cry is the pain that all tragedy knows,
Laugh is the healing inside.
Know is the look from a wise man's mind,
Care is the hug from mankind.

Run is the release of a child at play,
Walk is the talk of the friend.
Swing is the call of the tree with a rope;
Fly is the song of the heart.

Write is the soul of the woman who thinks,
Show is the meaning of truth.
Smile is the knowledge of some greater meaning,
Love is the meaning of life.

Love, Me.

A riddle

You are driving along in your car. It is big enough for you, and a passenger seat, no other people.  You pull up to a bus stop basically in the middle of nowhere.  There are three people there.

Person #1: The epitome of love at first sight- this is your one true love.  Forever with this person has your name on it. :)

Person #2: Your best friend.  You would take a bullet for this person, and vise versa.  This is the one that you can say anything, do anything, and they'll understand.

Person #3: An elderly woman.  She is in dire need of emergency medial care, and can't wait for care.

Your choice: Who do you take, and why?

Well...what would you do? :)

Love, Me.

A disheartening thought...

...as I realize I'm not letting go.  Why am I doing this to myself?  How long has it been?  Days, weeks, months?  I'm trying.  But even in the act of getting up and leaving I know in the back of my mind that I'm half turned, waiting, hoping to be called, ignoring the cruel harsh voice that says "never more".

What is faith?  An hope of the heart, backed with some confirmation that what you believe in is real.

What is hope?  The thing that carries us when we have nothing left to ride on.

What is wishing?  Wishing is the very last chance/hope our hearts have that what we desire may somehow come true.  Wishing is living in the past, forgetting the present, and looking for the future.

Wishing is stupid.

I don't use that word very often, so that's saying something.

I must say, that for someone that doesn't believe in "wishes", "wishing" or having wishes granted, I certainly live a life that follows the act of wishing well.  Not saying they don't exist, I just simply have a hard time putting my trust in them.  I try to plant the idea of wishing and believing in others, because I know Believing at least works, so they can have hope.  There is a liberating feeling when you Believe, and/or know someone Believes in you.  You are your only limit for success.

I sometimes feel like one who is preparing everyone else, and in helping everyone else, when the train arrives found she was not ready...and was left suddenly behind.  The glasses were held up, but when I could finally opened my eyes, he was gone...

Oh, the deepest regrets of my heart!!  That which I do not mean to be said, is somehow spoken, and somehow that which I truly desire to express is hidden, with only glimpses coming out.  And I wonder, "what if?..."

...What if???

I want to be ready for the world.  I want to world to be ready for me.  But most of all, I want to be...me.

How will that "me" come about?  How will she be discovered?  I cannot tell you, but perhaps you could tell me?

For anyone who may read out there, friend or foe, I bid you good luck in life.  I apologize if I have shocked or offended you in any way, and would ask your forgiveness.  I suppose my biggest question is, who sees me, and what do they see? Who do they see? Where do they see me?

97.

I smile in memory of the young boy that met me and called me "mom".  I'm not sure what convinced him of this, for I certainly have no reason to claim this title...
...all the same, I love you, sweetie. Keep smiling, okay, Bub? :)  Try not to kill yourself in discovering flight from the top of a couch. ;-) Let me know if I can do anything for you, ever and always.  Same with you, Laki and Bud.  You guys are amazing, and a reliever in my life, All of you. ;-)

The rest of you, stay true; you never know who's watching. :)  If you can, keep wishing.  If you think you can change my mind about any of this, I'm open for any suggestions you may have...

Love, Me.

Guido!!!

Hey, Guido, thanks for "following" me.  It made my day. ;-) And everyone else, as well.  It makes me smile when I see that list...I don't know if that's conceited or not, but there you go. ;-)  Thanks, all. ;-)

Oh, and Kaden...אתה נראה כמו גמל

...I think you can guess what that means. ;)

Ps. everyone else...that's Hebrew. ;)

Love, Me. :)

Would you?...

If you could do things over in life, what would you do?

Would you laugh more? Sing louder? Cry less?
Would you care stronger? Love harder? Hate less?

Would you try again, even if you knew you would fail?
Would you send handwritten letters to your loved ones by mail?

Would you listen better- at home, at school, and abroad?
Would you plant flowers, help others, praise God?

Would you maybe go fishing with your sibling or father,
     Even though it's not really your "thing"?
Would you sit down more evenings and listen to whether
     Your mother had reason to sing?

Would you bite back that word that you let slip by your tongue?
Would you help a young neighbor climb up a slide rung?

Would you bake up a cake, and give it away?
Would you give of yourself the best every day?

Would you spend less time talking, and some more time doing?
Would you think more of others, and less often of you?

Would you give all your friends a warm hug every day?
Would you tell your sweet family "I love you" every way?

Would you dance in the rain more?
Would you play in the sun?
Would you chase after rainbows when a big storm is done?

Would you say to that person, "I think you are neat"
     Regardless of how they may act or may think?

Would you spend all your days wishing for things out of your range?
...Or would you get up and get out there, and make a great change?

It's up to you.  Today is your day.
What you make of it all is in all that you say.
Get up and leave reason; just give of your best.
Do all you can do, and let God do the rest.

It's true you may not make the best choices in life.
It comes with the deal- it's something called strife.
But you can make today a yesterday worth living,
And look forward to tomorrow- a whole new day full of giving! :)

Love, Me.

There's this thing...

...called Life.  Let me tell you something about "Life".  It happens.

Boy, does it happen.

There's this other thing, called college.  It consumes vast amounts of your time whether you want it to or not, and will gladly take more if you let it.  So you sometimes can find yourself going and going and going (sometimes you grab a snack along the way) and then *BOOM* it's 10:39pm Thursday night...and...you get on here, because who knows why. 

Hmm. Ever noticed something? Someone blogs about something, then if you check around, several other people have blogged about similar things...and they didn't even plan it! (Well, to my knowledge, anyway.)  If this sounds a little familiar, I promise I'm not copying anyone.  I'm just saying what I feel like saying, so there.

I really don't have much of anything to blog about.  't's why I haven't updated for a couple of weeks.  Which, is sadly rare for me, since if nothing's happening, I can usually find something to contemplate about and zing you have a blog post.  But I haven't been much in the mood for anything lately, except play the piano, but what else is new? :-p (haha...no pun intended.)

Speaking of which, I played the piano in the Wilk today.  You know, the one in the corner of the open floor by the Cougareat?  That someone's always playing Schmidt on? I can proudly say that, although I do know and love Schmidt, I played an original.  Or, three.....but hey.  It was 7:30 at night, there were like, 5 people MAX on that floor, and two of them were me and John Werner.  Let me tell ya, Piano is A LOT more enticing than studying for a Psych exam. ;-) (Although, John did make it fun) :) It's a little interesting...it's the second time in less than a week that I've played that piano, and both times the 'first time' in my life.  And you know what?  Even though NO ONE really seems to care whether or not I'm messing up or playing around, I was still a little self-conscious.  It baffles me, but not a whole lot, because I understand why...I think I honestly just wanted to say "baffled"... ;-)
...guess what? I've been playing piano for over 11 years now.  Wow.  Long time. Ish.

Ha, I guess I do have something to blog about, after all. Whattayaknow? ;-)

But.....I'm done.  It's getting late, and I really ought to go to sleep.  Some happy thoughts...I think I'm going to go to the Temple tomorrow.  I haven't been since middle of August...and after a habit of going every week since...holy cow, this time last year, can you believe it, Zoe?? I miss it.  So much.  More life updates from the past little while........
........
......... .
um, yeah. Not a whole lot to say.  We did get How to Train Your Dragon, though, I'm quite exuberated. :) *curiosity*...oh, come on...spell checker is saying that isn't a word...I thought it was...a little help, here?

Just go to bed, Jenna. :-P

Well, All, I can say this.  The Gospel is true.  About the only thing in life that I've found to be true and stay true.  And, please, por favor, prepare yourselves for the future.  We never know what's coming or when, but wouldn't it be nice to have a head start when it gets here? I think so...and I want each and every one of you by my side when it comes, okay? :)

"When it hurts to look back and you're afraid to look ahead; look beside you and there will be friends [me]."  -Some plaque I saw...

I love you all.  Stay true.

Love, Me.