i love the arbinger institute! it's amazing. everytime i read i learn something i have NEVER thought of before and it is really refreshing.
today i'm reading about forgiveness, which i think is good to think about this time of year. and to share something a little personal, a few years ago i received a blessing from a really wonderful friend, and in that blessing he said something so specific to me. he told me i needed to forgive the people in my life i hadn't forgiven already. really? there are people that i haven't forgiven? who is that? i don't have any grudges or hard feelings against anyone. do i have hard feelings against someone? that's what i was thinking as the words were coming out and sinking into my head.
and then almost as if in answer to my question came the words, "the people you need to forgive in your life are you parents."
no way! really? crazy, i didn't even know i was upset with them? i don't feel like i am.
so that happened several years ago, i think it was 2008, or maybe even 2007. but then a few months ago i was in church and we were reading in the new testament, and i learned this really interesting thing about forgiveness, and what giving our forgiveness may involve.
2 Corinthians 2:7-8
7| so that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, AND comfort him, lest perhaps [or else] such a one [the person you haven't forgiven] should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8| wherefore i beseech you [and now this forgiveness involves] that ye would confirm your love toward him.
interesting. and what i personally learned from that is in order to forgive other, my parents, i not only need to forgive them, but part of forgiving is confirming (i love that word confirm) my love for them to them. which honestly i am not always very good it. but it is something to learn and i am grateful for a life to learn it.
anyway, here is what arbinger says about forgiveness that i really liked that adds a few other thoughts/ideas..
when we forgive genuinely, those we formerly accused suddenly become real for us. we sense their insecurity and anxiety; we perceive something of their struggle to show themselves as worthy and acceptable. . . .
you can see that in an unexpected and odd way we owe to the people we are able to forgive a very large debt. no matter how reprehensibly they may have treated us, they have provided us with a gift. the gift is their humanity. without their humanity to which we are able to open ourselves, we cannot get ourselves emotionally unstuck no matter how we might try. we cannot do it by denying or repressing our feelings or by willing ourselves to feel differently--feelings are subject to our indirect but not our direct control. we are able to do it only by recognizing, respecting, and yes, revering other as they reallya re, in the fullness of their humanity and vulnerability.
SO good. :)
Friday, December 16, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
lessons and arbinger
a few days ago while i was exercising i was also reading the bonds that make us free. i actually have never read the entire book before, but i really love arbinger in general and terry warner! there are so many good parts but something that i wanted to share in particular is about the process of progression and selfishness. here's what he says...
some of us who are seeking to maintain ourselves in our new, more open way of being get tripped up by our anxiety to measure our progress [so true! i know i do that:)]. we want to know how we're doing. but worrying too much about such things means we're probably still too self-absorbed to maintain whatever change of heart we may have experienced. . . .
there's nothing wrong with goals so long as we don't pursue them to prove we're something we're not. but turning the maintenance of the change of heart into a project with measurable steps of achievement usually requires a pretty heavy focus on oneself. this produces a counterfeit of change.
what then do we focus on if not a goal? part of the answer is we do not think of ourselves as a "force on the move" toward some important objective. instead, we feel still, inwardly still.
ask yourself, who is the person i really need to be? is it a being who can come into existence ONLY by determined, gritty effort? No. on reflection it is more likely we will see the person i need to be is who i am already--or MORE accurately, who i will be IF i cease trying to display myself as worthy and acceptable and thus make myself into a grotesque distortion of who i really am. . . . we become most ourselves, without distortion, when we relax our frantic effort to justify ourselves and allow ourselves to simply be still.
i love arbinger. it's so wise and so right on with things. i don't know a better way to describe it and i don't really feel a need to bc i think "the things speaks for itself." :) another law school thing, sorry i can't help it. it just comes into my head.
you should read this! :)
some of us who are seeking to maintain ourselves in our new, more open way of being get tripped up by our anxiety to measure our progress [so true! i know i do that:)]. we want to know how we're doing. but worrying too much about such things means we're probably still too self-absorbed to maintain whatever change of heart we may have experienced. . . .
there's nothing wrong with goals so long as we don't pursue them to prove we're something we're not. but turning the maintenance of the change of heart into a project with measurable steps of achievement usually requires a pretty heavy focus on oneself. this produces a counterfeit of change.
what then do we focus on if not a goal? part of the answer is we do not think of ourselves as a "force on the move" toward some important objective. instead, we feel still, inwardly still.
ask yourself, who is the person i really need to be? is it a being who can come into existence ONLY by determined, gritty effort? No. on reflection it is more likely we will see the person i need to be is who i am already--or MORE accurately, who i will be IF i cease trying to display myself as worthy and acceptable and thus make myself into a grotesque distortion of who i really am. . . . we become most ourselves, without distortion, when we relax our frantic effort to justify ourselves and allow ourselves to simply be still.
i love arbinger. it's so wise and so right on with things. i don't know a better way to describe it and i don't really feel a need to bc i think "the things speaks for itself." :) another law school thing, sorry i can't help it. it just comes into my head.
you should read this! :)
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
things i'm learning ab christmas :)
lately i've been thinking about what christmas really means to me. tonight at institute we talked a lot about the ways we felt about christmas as a little kid. i thought about it and i remember last year thinking maybe christmas was just more fun as a little kid! sad!
but this past week i have realized that i think christmas is just starting to mean more to me.
something i felt really strong tonight--so amazing--and maybe it's not super christmas related, but it definitely is christ related, i just realize i am so grateful for my trials. and i'm not just saying that! or trying to tell myself that when i don't really believe it. the reason i felt that, which i've felt it before, but tonight in particular is because i noticed that i often just feel this new convert feeling. i just feel like i'm glowing inside and out and i feel such a deep love for the savior and his atonement bc i've learned how much i needed it. anyway, i realized it is BECAUSE of my trials that i am constantly turned to the atonement and i love feeling it in my life and seeing it change me little by little. in other words, BUT FOR my trials (haha! i'm a law school nerd ;D) i would not be able to have that new convert feeling with bright eyes and filling full of truth and light.
so i basically wanted to say--i am grateful for my trials. they have turned me to the savior, to love and appreciate and to know him, and to know more fully myself. i know that he knows our most sincere and righteous desires and that he is doing everything he can for us (thanks catie ^^).
and i just wanted to say i am so grateful for people in my life who are always teaching me things. thanks you! i learn so much from you! and you didn't even know it :)
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
something new :)
tonight i participated in my first oral argument.
i was arguing the side of Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School against a professor i'm ta'ing for, who was representing the side of Cheryl Perich, a former teacher for the school. the case was recently heard by the us supreme court and concerns whether and to what the degree the government can be involved in church employment issues. if you're interested you can fine a basic summary here.
so besides being a really interesting case i also had a few thoughts.
1. the role of an attorney vs. the role of a judge. i'm not exactly sure how to describe this without making it too confusing but i'm going to try. (thanks for bearing with me!) this past semester i've had the opportunity to watch mock trial and appellate competitions and a utah supreme court decision. and the thing i've noticed--a pattern--is how incredibly dedicated attorneys are to defending their side/their client. this may seem obvious--of course they would be committed to their client; it's their job. but i guess it seems significant to me when i'm watching a person or partners continue to hold to their side, even when they know (or in my head i'm thinking they must know) their arguments are wrong/flawed. maybe it's bc they don't have a good case or maybe they just don't have good arguments, but it doesn't phase them. attorneys will defend their side until the end. at first i thought maybe it was a pride thing--people care about winning and looking good, so they won't budge even when they know they're losing. they won't admit the other person is right; they just stubbornly defend their side.
BUT--tonight, and i think also during the past competition, i saw things differently. tonight i realized it is a noble thing to defend someone, even if you don't agree with them. crazy right. i used to disagree. i thought i would NEVER put myself in a situation where i had to defend someone i didn't believe in. but i just see things really differently now, and maybe my perspective will continue to grow and change. that seems likely. but the thing i have come to see is an attorney's job is not to be influential in the way maybe we expect to be, or i expected it to be. at least i know i was thinking maybe by being an attorney i can help have an influence in various issues i care about by presenting a case so well--yada, yada, yada. but i don't think that's it anymore. at least, i don't think that's the main goal. rather, i think an attorney's calling is to take care of what he's been given--his client. and it is the judge's role, not ours, to take the arguments and to come up with a decision of how things will be. i don't know if that makes sense (sometimes i don't explain things well, especially things that i'm just starting to think about), but i just feel like there's something to everyone working together, and i think sometimes the way we BEST work together is by knowing our roles and doing them--giving our best--and especially not trying to do each other's roles. i just think of an orchestra. every instrument is different and has a different role in a piece. some are stronger than others, maybe more influential, and it's when everyone is focusing on what they've been given--their part--that there is this beautiful synergy and unity of sound. like a masterpiece. and just bc i think we should all stick to our roles i'm not saying nor do i think that there's absolutely no room to move around or that we can't change roles--i think of it more like there's a time and a season for everything, and as an attorney our time and season is dedicated to our clients. and i also don't think what we do is so defining. it is what we do, but it is not necessarily who we are. anyway, i hope that made sense! i thought it was a great discovery tonight. :)
the other thing i thought about is...
2. i am so excited to be an attorney. weird. i never would've imagined myself saying those words and actually having it feel so right. and all i can say is i am grateful to the lord. AMAZING. he knows us PERFECTLY; and he sees the end from the beginning. no matter how many hard times or discouraging moments we go through, it is so inspiring and encouraging to see the lord CONSTANTLY guiding my life. the lord has taught me so much in the past year, but one thing i have come to see more and more is he has a plan for us. and as we're trying to figure out what to do with ourselves or our lives--where to live, what to do, who to date and later marry, it seems that as long as we are keeping his commandments and honoring our covenants and coming unto christ (not by being perfect or even being our "best" (see brad wilcox's talk "his grace is sufficient"), but by simply exercising our faith and repenting, which in some cases may just involve us trying to move forward), as long as we do that i believe there is NOTHING we can do that will ruin our chances to receive everything he has in store for us--every blessing and every kind of joy he has prepared. so often i think we worry--i know i do--about these decisions, and we think if we choose the wrong one and we should've chosen another one, well then too bad. but i just don't feel it's like that! the lord has shown me time and time again, that sometimes it's like he almost doesn't matter what choice i make, as long as i make a choice, and even if i make a choice that puts me in the wrong place, somehow i end up being in the right place. so it's like i either choose the right place or the wrong place, but either way, as i am seeking and yearning for good things the lord always has a way of helping things to happen as they should.
well that was very long. but i'm glad to write. :)
christmas is coming! yaaaaaaay! i love christmas~~~~~~ :)
i was arguing the side of Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School against a professor i'm ta'ing for, who was representing the side of Cheryl Perich, a former teacher for the school. the case was recently heard by the us supreme court and concerns whether and to what the degree the government can be involved in church employment issues. if you're interested you can fine a basic summary here.
so besides being a really interesting case i also had a few thoughts.
1. the role of an attorney vs. the role of a judge. i'm not exactly sure how to describe this without making it too confusing but i'm going to try. (thanks for bearing with me!) this past semester i've had the opportunity to watch mock trial and appellate competitions and a utah supreme court decision. and the thing i've noticed--a pattern--is how incredibly dedicated attorneys are to defending their side/their client. this may seem obvious--of course they would be committed to their client; it's their job. but i guess it seems significant to me when i'm watching a person or partners continue to hold to their side, even when they know (or in my head i'm thinking they must know) their arguments are wrong/flawed. maybe it's bc they don't have a good case or maybe they just don't have good arguments, but it doesn't phase them. attorneys will defend their side until the end. at first i thought maybe it was a pride thing--people care about winning and looking good, so they won't budge even when they know they're losing. they won't admit the other person is right; they just stubbornly defend their side.
BUT--tonight, and i think also during the past competition, i saw things differently. tonight i realized it is a noble thing to defend someone, even if you don't agree with them. crazy right. i used to disagree. i thought i would NEVER put myself in a situation where i had to defend someone i didn't believe in. but i just see things really differently now, and maybe my perspective will continue to grow and change. that seems likely. but the thing i have come to see is an attorney's job is not to be influential in the way maybe we expect to be, or i expected it to be. at least i know i was thinking maybe by being an attorney i can help have an influence in various issues i care about by presenting a case so well--yada, yada, yada. but i don't think that's it anymore. at least, i don't think that's the main goal. rather, i think an attorney's calling is to take care of what he's been given--his client. and it is the judge's role, not ours, to take the arguments and to come up with a decision of how things will be. i don't know if that makes sense (sometimes i don't explain things well, especially things that i'm just starting to think about), but i just feel like there's something to everyone working together, and i think sometimes the way we BEST work together is by knowing our roles and doing them--giving our best--and especially not trying to do each other's roles. i just think of an orchestra. every instrument is different and has a different role in a piece. some are stronger than others, maybe more influential, and it's when everyone is focusing on what they've been given--their part--that there is this beautiful synergy and unity of sound. like a masterpiece. and just bc i think we should all stick to our roles i'm not saying nor do i think that there's absolutely no room to move around or that we can't change roles--i think of it more like there's a time and a season for everything, and as an attorney our time and season is dedicated to our clients. and i also don't think what we do is so defining. it is what we do, but it is not necessarily who we are. anyway, i hope that made sense! i thought it was a great discovery tonight. :)
the other thing i thought about is...
2. i am so excited to be an attorney. weird. i never would've imagined myself saying those words and actually having it feel so right. and all i can say is i am grateful to the lord. AMAZING. he knows us PERFECTLY; and he sees the end from the beginning. no matter how many hard times or discouraging moments we go through, it is so inspiring and encouraging to see the lord CONSTANTLY guiding my life. the lord has taught me so much in the past year, but one thing i have come to see more and more is he has a plan for us. and as we're trying to figure out what to do with ourselves or our lives--where to live, what to do, who to date and later marry, it seems that as long as we are keeping his commandments and honoring our covenants and coming unto christ (not by being perfect or even being our "best" (see brad wilcox's talk "his grace is sufficient"), but by simply exercising our faith and repenting, which in some cases may just involve us trying to move forward), as long as we do that i believe there is NOTHING we can do that will ruin our chances to receive everything he has in store for us--every blessing and every kind of joy he has prepared. so often i think we worry--i know i do--about these decisions, and we think if we choose the wrong one and we should've chosen another one, well then too bad. but i just don't feel it's like that! the lord has shown me time and time again, that sometimes it's like he almost doesn't matter what choice i make, as long as i make a choice, and even if i make a choice that puts me in the wrong place, somehow i end up being in the right place. so it's like i either choose the right place or the wrong place, but either way, as i am seeking and yearning for good things the lord always has a way of helping things to happen as they should.
well that was very long. but i'm glad to write. :)
christmas is coming! yaaaaaaay! i love christmas~~~~~~ :)
Sunday, November 27, 2011
12 names of christ.
so today i was thinking about something one of my companions told me on my mission. she said while she was at the mtc, and it was christmas time, elder holland came and spoke and talked about 12 names of christ. i don't remember what they all are, although i think i have them written down somewhere, but he picked 12 names and invited the missionaries to take 12 days before christmas to exemplify each of those names.
what a cool thing. and i dont remember if i got this from myself or my companion but the one and only december of my mission, i guess that was 2009, i thought of 12 different names of christ and found 12 different scriptures, and focused on one each month of the year 2010. it was such a neat experience, and i felt that as i prepared the scriptures and things i wanted to focus on for each month that they all ended up being what i needed.
so anyway, lately, and this is kind of a personal thing, but i've been thinking about things that i struggle with--like those things that ultimately keep me from giving everything, from being so one with christ. one thing is this false idea that i have to be this perfect person in order to be special or of worth. most of the time i think i don't believe that and know it's a lie, and i feel comfortable with myself--imperfections and all--bc i know i'm trying, and i know the lord isn't asking me to be perfect, but that life is such a process and the things we struggle with keep us coming toward christ. BUT sometimes! it just isn't that clear to me and i find myself getting lost in pressures i put on myself to be this perfect person in ways that just aren't realistic. and it is something that i struggle with.
but this morning, while i was studying, i had this great thought. i love great thoughts! and new ideas! they are wonderful and so special to me. but i was thinking about the names of christ and also about the principle of replacing bad things with good things (like the example of removing weeds and doing nothing and the weeds come back vs. removing the weeds and planting flowers and the weeds dont grow back but flower blossom). so i thought about the same thing but involving this name of christ thing. i started looking up names of christ and thinking about this issue and i found a few scriptures. i think i came up with about 3 but ended up feeling really good about this one. it's in romans 15:8.
"now i say that jesus christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of god, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:"
now in all honesty, i don't know exactly what that means, but it really stayed with me, and i especially liked the part about him being a minister for truth, which confirms these promises he has made to our fathers and ultimately to us. and so that is the scripture i'm picking, with the purpose to replace a false lie "i'm only special by the things i do" with this name of christ about a truth that confirms promises.
anyway, i wanted to share that as an invitation to anyone else who would like to also do the 12 names thing. i don't know if i'm doing it all year next year; my plan was to just do it up until christmas, and i think i may do more than just one day for each scripture bc i'm starting before dec. 12.
i love christmas!!!!!
what a cool thing. and i dont remember if i got this from myself or my companion but the one and only december of my mission, i guess that was 2009, i thought of 12 different names of christ and found 12 different scriptures, and focused on one each month of the year 2010. it was such a neat experience, and i felt that as i prepared the scriptures and things i wanted to focus on for each month that they all ended up being what i needed.
so anyway, lately, and this is kind of a personal thing, but i've been thinking about things that i struggle with--like those things that ultimately keep me from giving everything, from being so one with christ. one thing is this false idea that i have to be this perfect person in order to be special or of worth. most of the time i think i don't believe that and know it's a lie, and i feel comfortable with myself--imperfections and all--bc i know i'm trying, and i know the lord isn't asking me to be perfect, but that life is such a process and the things we struggle with keep us coming toward christ. BUT sometimes! it just isn't that clear to me and i find myself getting lost in pressures i put on myself to be this perfect person in ways that just aren't realistic. and it is something that i struggle with.
but this morning, while i was studying, i had this great thought. i love great thoughts! and new ideas! they are wonderful and so special to me. but i was thinking about the names of christ and also about the principle of replacing bad things with good things (like the example of removing weeds and doing nothing and the weeds come back vs. removing the weeds and planting flowers and the weeds dont grow back but flower blossom). so i thought about the same thing but involving this name of christ thing. i started looking up names of christ and thinking about this issue and i found a few scriptures. i think i came up with about 3 but ended up feeling really good about this one. it's in romans 15:8.
"now i say that jesus christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of god, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:"
now in all honesty, i don't know exactly what that means, but it really stayed with me, and i especially liked the part about him being a minister for truth, which confirms these promises he has made to our fathers and ultimately to us. and so that is the scripture i'm picking, with the purpose to replace a false lie "i'm only special by the things i do" with this name of christ about a truth that confirms promises.
anyway, i wanted to share that as an invitation to anyone else who would like to also do the 12 names thing. i don't know if i'm doing it all year next year; my plan was to just do it up until christmas, and i think i may do more than just one day for each scripture bc i'm starting before dec. 12.
i love christmas!!!!!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
memo 3 is DONE!!!!
wow i just have to say i have not felt this happy in a long time! I CAN'T STOP SMILING!! BC MEMO 3 IS DONE!!! WOOOOOOO~~~~~~~
Note. Memo 3 is my worst nightmare. :) just kidding, that is dramatic, but no really that paper was awful. so far i have felt really good about law school and not stressed, but that paper was just so much more intense than i expected it to be. BUT NOW IT'S DONE!!!!!! YIPEEEEEEE!!
i thought this was cute :) i think he (or she?) is asian :)
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
dogs, rabbits, and acorns.
today i heard the funniest story! it totally made me laugh.
so there is this family and they have a pet dog. they live next to a family who has a pet rabbit. one day the mom is in the kitchen and the dog comes in, but with the neighbor's pet rabbit in his mouth. well, the mother and the family feel just horrible about it and don't really have the guts to tell their neighbors. so they decide to take the rabbit and fix it up. they clean off the blood, bathe it, dry it, brush out its hair, and then they put the rabbit back in its cage in their neighbor's backyard. well the next day the mother is outside and sees her neighbors all standing around the rabbit's cage. she goes over and asks, "is something wrong?" the father of the other family says, "well, we're not sure what happened. our rabbit died a few days ago but now we're trying to figure out how it got back in its cage."
hahahah! :) :) isn't that funny?
i thought that was funny. maybe you've heard that before or could tell where it was going. i couldn't and so it was really funny for me.
our stake president's wife shared that story this morning at stake conference. our stake president also shared a short little story that i wanted to share that illustrates the principle of faith in a really interesting way. he said,
find a slow growing oak tree and take 2 acorns from the tree. then go and plant one. and then plant the other beside it, about 15 feet away from the first. and then, go out and buy a hammock.
it's so simple, but i thought it illustrated beautifully the principle of faith. the person who buys the hammock has faith and knows the acorns will produce a tree, even though the process of having the acorn mature into a tree is a slow process, so slow it might seem on some days there is no growth at all--no sign that one day there will be a big tall tree standing over the spot where the acorn was planted. but that's what faith is--believing and remembering and then awaiting the miracle of growth.
so there is this family and they have a pet dog. they live next to a family who has a pet rabbit. one day the mom is in the kitchen and the dog comes in, but with the neighbor's pet rabbit in his mouth. well, the mother and the family feel just horrible about it and don't really have the guts to tell their neighbors. so they decide to take the rabbit and fix it up. they clean off the blood, bathe it, dry it, brush out its hair, and then they put the rabbit back in its cage in their neighbor's backyard. well the next day the mother is outside and sees her neighbors all standing around the rabbit's cage. she goes over and asks, "is something wrong?" the father of the other family says, "well, we're not sure what happened. our rabbit died a few days ago but now we're trying to figure out how it got back in its cage."
hahahah! :) :) isn't that funny?
i thought that was funny. maybe you've heard that before or could tell where it was going. i couldn't and so it was really funny for me.
our stake president's wife shared that story this morning at stake conference. our stake president also shared a short little story that i wanted to share that illustrates the principle of faith in a really interesting way. he said,
find a slow growing oak tree and take 2 acorns from the tree. then go and plant one. and then plant the other beside it, about 15 feet away from the first. and then, go out and buy a hammock.
it's so simple, but i thought it illustrated beautifully the principle of faith. the person who buys the hammock has faith and knows the acorns will produce a tree, even though the process of having the acorn mature into a tree is a slow process, so slow it might seem on some days there is no growth at all--no sign that one day there will be a big tall tree standing over the spot where the acorn was planted. but that's what faith is--believing and remembering and then awaiting the miracle of growth.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
things as they really are.
food for thought: things as they really are.
"the spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls." -jacob 4:13
"i want to see truth in all its bearings." -joseph smith.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
more truth found in my property book.
"Courts have a duty to reappraise old doctrines in the light of the facts and values of contemporary life--particularly old common law doctrines which the courts themselves created and developed.
"As we have said before, 'The continued vitality of the common law . . . depends upon its ability to reflect contemporary community values and ethics.'
"Some courts have realized that certain of the old rules of property law governing leases are inappropriate for today's transactions [think of the principle beyond the lease]. In order to reach results more in accord with the legitimate expectations of the parties and the standards of the community, courts have been gradually introducing more modern precepts of contract law in interpreting leases.
"Proceeding piecemeal has, however, led to confusion [important!] where 'decisions are frequently conflicting, [why?] not because of a healthy disagreement on social policy, but because of the lingering impact of rules whose policies are long since dead.'"
I really like that. :)
I remember my first, week maybe? of law school we had an event called the Founder's Day Dinner, with Justice Monroe McKay as our speaker. He talked a lot about the principle of really looking at what we're doing to make sure that our actions are actually leading us to the results we want, that we should avoid temptations to just get stuck in old habits that are no longer beneficial. He used our current prison system as an example, discussing high recidivism rates, rehabilitation versus penalization, etc.
And he gave this really wonderful poem that I have meaning to share but haven't yet.
::What have you preserved from your frenzy?
A lamp that flickers; an eye that weeps.
::What is there from the storm, that you withstood?
A mournful leaf, that has not yet found rest.
::What has love done in your heart?
It has made me understand the pain of the lonely.
::What remains of all the glory that surrounded you?
Nothing but a singing memory.
-H.W.J.M. Keuls
thoughts?
"As we have said before, 'The continued vitality of the common law . . . depends upon its ability to reflect contemporary community values and ethics.'
"Some courts have realized that certain of the old rules of property law governing leases are inappropriate for today's transactions [think of the principle beyond the lease]. In order to reach results more in accord with the legitimate expectations of the parties and the standards of the community, courts have been gradually introducing more modern precepts of contract law in interpreting leases.
"Proceeding piecemeal has, however, led to confusion [important!] where 'decisions are frequently conflicting, [why?] not because of a healthy disagreement on social policy, but because of the lingering impact of rules whose policies are long since dead.'"
I really like that. :)
I remember my first, week maybe? of law school we had an event called the Founder's Day Dinner, with Justice Monroe McKay as our speaker. He talked a lot about the principle of really looking at what we're doing to make sure that our actions are actually leading us to the results we want, that we should avoid temptations to just get stuck in old habits that are no longer beneficial. He used our current prison system as an example, discussing high recidivism rates, rehabilitation versus penalization, etc.
And he gave this really wonderful poem that I have meaning to share but haven't yet.
::What have you preserved from your frenzy?
A lamp that flickers; an eye that weeps.
::What is there from the storm, that you withstood?
A mournful leaf, that has not yet found rest.
::What has love done in your heart?
It has made me understand the pain of the lonely.
::What remains of all the glory that surrounded you?
Nothing but a singing memory.
-H.W.J.M. Keuls
thoughts?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
something i am working on. :)
From 1 Peter 3.
8| Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, bit pitiful, be courteous:
10| For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11| Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
12| For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:
14| But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
my favorite..
15| But sanctify the Lord in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
8| Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, bit pitiful, be courteous:
10| For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11| Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
12| For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:
14| But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
my favorite..
15| But sanctify the Lord in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Sunday, October 30, 2011
family lessons at law school.
I'm an only child, and I've always wanted to have siblings but of course I've never been able to really experience what that's like. When I think about families I usually think of the unity, closeness, warmth, love that's supposed to exist, and not as much about the drama, competition, favorites, rebels, cliques, head-butting, loneliness, or even awkwardness that can also exist in families, especially ones with lots of people in it.
So far I've felt all of these things in school, and in the beginning (or up until a few weeks ago.. woops) I found myself complaining about law school because it feels too much like high school sometimes. Luckily, probably for me most of all, I'm realizing the truth of a quote that says, "love is what you go through together." I really believe that's true.
This past weekend I remembered/though of a few other quotes that illustrate the same principle.
"I used to think love was an attribute, until I realized it was a commandment. And it becomes an attribute only after you keep the commandment."
-Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
"A major reason the family is so important to the plan is really quite straightforward: it is the only place where we cannot hide from who we really are as we strive to become what we are destined to become.
"In essence, a family is the mirror through which we become aware of imperfections and flaws we may not be able or want to acknowledge. Thus the family is the ultimate laboratory in mortality for the improving and perfecting of God's children."
-Elder David A. Bednar
Yay life and learning :). I'm so grateful.
So far I've felt all of these things in school, and in the beginning (or up until a few weeks ago.. woops) I found myself complaining about law school because it feels too much like high school sometimes. Luckily, probably for me most of all, I'm realizing the truth of a quote that says, "love is what you go through together." I really believe that's true.
This past weekend I remembered/though of a few other quotes that illustrate the same principle.
"I used to think love was an attribute, until I realized it was a commandment. And it becomes an attribute only after you keep the commandment."
-Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
"A major reason the family is so important to the plan is really quite straightforward: it is the only place where we cannot hide from who we really are as we strive to become what we are destined to become.
"In essence, a family is the mirror through which we become aware of imperfections and flaws we may not be able or want to acknowledge. Thus the family is the ultimate laboratory in mortality for the improving and perfecting of God's children."
-Elder David A. Bednar
Yay life and learning :). I'm so grateful.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
i love the law and law school, part II
3. the nature of law school helps you learn to give your best without comparing yourself to others (i think, although i know some would argue). you don't ever really know how you're doing in law school, and sometimes i've found at least for me, when i do know how i'm doing compared to everyone else, there is the temptation to perform based on the way i perceive others as doing--which could mean you either perform lower than what you're capable of bc that's all that seems necessary, or you don't try bc everyone else is so far ahead of you it's not worth it to do more bc you'll never catch up. i think those things can still happen, but it seems to happen a lot less, at least it does for me. (that's why this is i love the law and law school.)
4. law school cares enough about you/believes in your capacity to succeed that it pushes us to do hard things and doesn't respond to moments of weakness where we yell, "stop!" "no more!"
Additional thought from CS Lewis..
"So god is something like a divine physician. A cruel man might be bribed--might grow tired of his vile sport--might have a temporary fit of mercy, as alcoholics have temporary fits of sobriety. But suppose that what you are up against is a wonderfully skilled surgeon whose intentions are solely and absolutely good. Then, the kinder and more conscientious he is, the more he cares about you, the more inexorably he will go on cutting in spite of the suffering it may cause. And if he yielded to your entreaties, if he stopped before the operation was complete, all the pain up to that point would have been useless."
4. law school cares enough about you/believes in your capacity to succeed that it pushes us to do hard things and doesn't respond to moments of weakness where we yell, "stop!" "no more!"
Additional thought from CS Lewis..
"So god is something like a divine physician. A cruel man might be bribed--might grow tired of his vile sport--might have a temporary fit of mercy, as alcoholics have temporary fits of sobriety. But suppose that what you are up against is a wonderfully skilled surgeon whose intentions are solely and absolutely good. Then, the kinder and more conscientious he is, the more he cares about you, the more inexorably he will go on cutting in spite of the suffering it may cause. And if he yielded to your entreaties, if he stopped before the operation was complete, all the pain up to that point would have been useless."
Friday, October 7, 2011
i love joseph smith.
i seriously love joseph smith. he is so amazing and i am continuously so impressed by him.
"All difficulties which might and would cross our way must be surmounted. though the soul be tried, the heart faint, and the heads hang down, we must not retrace our steps; there must be decision of character."
"what god may do for us i do not know, but i hope for the best always in all circumstances."
"god ruleth all things after the counsel of his own will. my trust is in him."
read more about joseph smith's teachings by clicking here.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
i love the law and law school.
reason #1.
i think the law school encourages really effective learning. i like that.
reason #2.
i feel like the law is somewhat like me.. not perfect and with flaws, struggles every day, but still trying to give my best/what i'm capable of right now. the law, like us perhaps, doesn't need to be perfect. maybe there is something more important than that. :)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
wish list.
I decided recently to make a wish/to do list, which i'm really excited about. :)
a few things on the list..
-horseback riding in the mountains
-make homemade gingerbread house
-night games--commando! i love that game!
-murder mystery dinner
-start writing poems
-motab christmas concert!!!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
words of comfort.
from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf..
"At the time Big Spring, despite its name, was a small, insignificant, and unknown place. And I often felt exactly the same way about myself--insignificant, unknown, and quite alone. Even so, I never once wondered if the Lord had forgotten me or if He would ever be able to find me there. I knew that it didn't matter to Heavenly Father where I was, where I ranked with others in my pilot training class, or what my calling in the Church was. What mattered to Him was that I was doing the best I could, that my heart was inclined toward Him, and that I was willing to help those around me. I knew if I did the best I could, all would be well.
And all was well."
read full article here.
I think that is so encouraging. I really needed to hear that/be reminded of that. :)
Monday, September 5, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
noticing each other.
I recently read this article by Clayton Christensen, "The Burden of Our Beliefs." It is a blog post in the Washington Post, specifically focusing on "faith." I was really impressed by what he had to say and thought I would share it.
His point is all of us being human have things that would make us feel like a minority or that we don't fit in or for some reason don't belong. But in seeking to fit in and find peace and justification in our differences we should be careful and notice what our actions do to others who might also feel left out and alone.
He talks about this painting by Normal Rockwell and comments, "embedded within the faces and clothing of those in the collage is the message to look beyond ourselves--our rights, our hurts, our pain--[and let us remember to] 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'"
In this article he is specifically addressing the role of religion in relating to same-sex attraction. He explains, "often in the pain and desire to have what everyone else has, and be treated like everyone else is treated, we do exactly the opposite of the Golden Rule. Because we so desperately want to be 'normal' and feel the right to be treated 'normal,' we aggressively lobby for laws that specifically guarantee what we want for ourselves but ignore, in our selfishness, that many other minorities around us have the same desires, needs, and pains--simply manifested in different ways."
"Because we are truly all in this together, we all must succeed together. If there is a win for one minority we must not allow the natural course dictate that another will lose. When one loses, society loses."
"We are facing some difficult questions and decisions in our world and society. I simply hope that each of us will look to our left and right and see more of what others are carrying."
Sunday, August 28, 2011
a wonderful example.
I just saw this video and really liked it. I am so amazed by the power of love and forgiveness!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
the internet and multi-taskers.
I watched this video a little while ago and SO interesting.. definitely made me think.
What do YOU think? :)
from what I remember they filmed a documentary at MIT about students who are expert multi-taskers. but they're finding that actually multi-tasking has some trade-offs, namely can't focus and don't retain a lot of information. that's probably why studying for the lsat was SO hard!.. distractions. inability to focus. trying to do too many things at once. oh my!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
a new thought about legal work.
i love judge thomas b. griffith!!! he spoke to us yesterday and wanted to share 2 things that really stuck out.
1. he quoted jacob 2..
"think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you."
2. he was talking about public defenders and prosecutors..
"there is something about standing in a courtroom.. defending someone who is about to lose their liberty."
Saturday, August 20, 2011
insight from my property book.
wow i really would have never guessed i would enjoy property so much! but it is so Fascinating! and i really liked this quote and think it applies to so many different things.
by margaret j. radin..
"If there is a traditional understanding that a well developed person must invest himself to some extent in external objects, there is no less a traditional understanding that one should not invest oneself in the wrong way or too great an extent in external objects. property is damnation as well as salvation."
Thursday, August 18, 2011
insights from Abe.
yesterday at orientation Dean Rasband shared a great quote by Abraham Lincoln.
"Nearly all men can withstand adversity, but to test a man's character give him power."
Friday, August 12, 2011
thoughts about peace.
"But the peacemaker, O give ear to him! for the words of his mouth and his doctrine drop like the rain, and distil as the dew. They are like the gentle mist upon the herbs, and as the moderate shower upon the grass.
"Animation, virtue, love, contentment, philanthropy, benevolence, compassion, humanity and friendship push life into bliss: and men, a little below the angels, exercising their powers, privileges, and knowledge dwell together in unity; and a sweet odor is wafted by the breath of joy and satisfaction from their righteous communion." -Joseph Smith
:)
Thursday, August 11, 2011
feeling loved.
Why does Heavenly Father love us?
from Dieter F. Uchtdorf..
Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you. 7
God does not look on the outward appearance. 8 I believe that He doesn’t care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely.
He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our résumé but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken.
read more :)
so i had this really interesting experience on sunday. i remembered a few years ago i did this activity where i was blind for a few hours. that activity was SO amazing! really. it still really impresses me when i think about it.
i remember at the time i was sitting in a meeting at school in a large auditorium and had just crawled over several people to get to an empty seat.. remember i'm blind and can't see anything doing this. i sat down and started talking with the two people sitting on both sides of me, and i realized how interesting it was to get to know them without being able to see their face and ultimately make judgments.. e.g., how old they were, what they were wearing, whether they were married or single, etc.
instead, i just listened to them. and not only with my ears but i really felt like not being able to "know them" by seeing allowed me to know them by listening to and feeling their heart.
so for whatever reason i ended up doing a similar thing this past sunday. i was with a new group of people that i didn't know, but instead of judging them by all those things we tend to even define ourselves by, i just made things simple. i stopped doing all those things and i listened. i felt so much love for them. and it was a kind of love more than i am physically capable of feeling/having myself for any person. and i realized more the truth and reality of god's love for all of us. woooo weeeeeeee~~~ :)
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
banana ice cream/smoothie.
yumm this is so good! and so simple~
it's especially nice if you have old bananas that are about to go bad :)
delightful and fresh banana ice cream smoothie
2 frozen bananastouch of milk
blend together to get delicious banana ice cream in seconds!
mm..
Monday, August 8, 2011
desires to do good.
President George Q. Cannon: “God has reserved spirits for this dispensation who have the courage and determination to face the world, and all the powers of the evil one, visible and invisible, to proclaim the Gospel, and maintain the truth, and establish and build up the Zion of our God, fearless of all consequences. He has sent these spirits in this generation to lay the foundation of Zion never more to be overthrown, and to raise up a seed that will be righteous, and that will honor God, and honor him supremely, and be obedient to him under all circumstances.”
I listened to Elder Bednar share this quote this morning in a talk called, "Things as They Really Are."
What a powerful quote! And so crazy.. WE are among those with "courage and determination to face the world, AND all powers of the evil one.. visible and invisible. Courage and determination to proclaim the gospel, to maintain truth.. and to do so Fearless of all consequences."
Take courage and move forward. The future is as bright as your faith. :)
I listened to Elder Bednar share this quote this morning in a talk called, "Things as They Really Are."
What a powerful quote! And so crazy.. WE are among those with "courage and determination to face the world, AND all powers of the evil one.. visible and invisible. Courage and determination to proclaim the gospel, to maintain truth.. and to do so Fearless of all consequences."
Take courage and move forward. The future is as bright as your faith. :)
Thursday, August 4, 2011
finding happiness :)
happiness is a little like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. if you go our deliberately to find it, you may have difficulty catching it. but if you will follow directions closely, you will not need to pursue it. it will overtake you and remain with you. -spencer w. kimball
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