Sunday, April 22, 2012

a little bit of poetry :)


tonight i was at a friend's house for a music night and part of it involved ppl sharing poems. i shared two poems that i really love that one of my best friends sent me while i was on my mission. it was one of the best gifts i received because they just ended up meaning a lot to me. so i wanted to share one of them because it seems fitting with the wonderful weather we've been having lately that magnifies how beautiful everything is (sun = able to see more beauty). 

i also wanted to share another poem that i hadn't heard before but that i also liked. it is about someone named "hokusai" who says wise things. :)

God's Grandeur
by Gerard Manley Hopkins

The world is charged with the grandeur of God. 
It will flame out, like shining oil from shook foil; 
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things; 
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs--
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

Hokusai says
by Roger Keyes

Hokusai says Look carefully.
He says pay attention, notice.
He says keep looking, stay curious.
He says there is no end to seeing.

He says Look Forward to getting old.
He says keep changing,
you just get more who you really are.
He says get stuck, accept it, repeat yourself
as long as it's interesting.

He says keep doing what you love.
He says keep praying.
He says every one of us is a child,
every one of us is ancient,
every one of us has a body.
He says every one of us is frightened.
He says every one of us has to find a way to live with fear.

He says everything is alive--
shells, buildings, people, fish, mountains, trees.
Wood is alive.
Water is alive.
Everything has its own life.
Everything lives inside us.
He says live with the world inside you.

He says it doesn't matter if you draw, or write books.
It doesn't matter if you saw wood, or catch fish.
It doesn't matter if you sit at home
and stare at the ants on your verandah or the shadows of the trees

It matters that you care.
It matters that you feel.
It matters that you notice.
It matters that life lives through you.

Contentment is life living through you.
Joy is life living through you.
Satisfaction and strength 
are life living through you.
Peace is life living through you.

He says don't be afraid.
Don't be afraid.
Look, feel, let life take you by the hand.
Let life live through you.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

it's my final final! yaaaaay!


it is early morning, the morning of my last final as a 1L!! woohoo!

i feel so much peace right now. i'm listening to a song by steven sharp nelson. it's called "homeward bound" and it's him playing the cello. i love the cello! sunday night i went to a fireside and a girl played "come thou fount" on the cello and it was so amazing. something i've now added to my summer list is I want to play the cello! relatedly, in doing a little reflecting i just want to say to all of the world and before the lord that i am so grateful to him. god has blessed me in so many ways. he is good. he is kind, he is patient, loving, and forgiving. all i want to do is serve him!

happy happy wednesday! :D

Friday, April 13, 2012

5 more days..


FIVE more days until i am officially done with my first year of law school!! no big deal ;)

Today's Stand a little taller quote..
Happy in the work
"Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion" -Ecclesiastes 3:22

Love the work.
Don't do it grudgingly.
Smile about it.
Be happy doing your duty.
Shape up and say your prayers.
Everything will be alright.
-Pres Gordon B. Hinckley

this is cute :)



i got this from a friend, i hope this makes you smile! :)

this guy is my favorite, he's so happy!


Boo, The Pomeranian

Thursday, February 16, 2012

taking time to feel renewed in spirit and mind :)


it's been a wonderful learning experience the past few weeks. and i'm still in the middle of it, and thankfully the lord has given me some perspective to see how difficult times and certain trials might have a purpose and work together for my good.

tonight i talked with a very dear friend and role model and she told me about a dream that she had growing up. she told me bc i called her and asked to hear the dream again, not remembering it well but knowing it would be helpful at this time.

the story.
she told me that in her dream there were two boxes. one was very plain and there was a sticker on it that said just for you. the box was from one person. the other box was wrapped with lots of pretty bows and ribbons and it was from the world. she went over to the other box, excited to open it, and when she did, oh it was just what she wanted. it was perfect. and she loved it. so she played with it and worked with it and then it broke. she was sad, but then there was another pretty box with shiny wrapping paper. it was also from the world, and she opened it. and wow this was even more what she wanted, and it made her so happy to have this perfect present. so she played with it too and worked with it, but then it broke as well. 

and then she noticed the plain box. she went over to it and held it and then opened it. the contents inside were exquisite. she had never seen any thing like it before. it was strong and somehow took her breath away. but she wasn't sure what to do with it. so she tried to play with it, but she never figured out what she was supposed to do. she went to the person who gave it to her and asked what the gift was and how she was supposed to work with what he had given her. he told her that once she figured out what to do with it she would understand what it was and how to use it. she didn't really understand what he meant and decided to save trying to figure it out for another day and put the gift away on a shelf. 

she then went back to the other pretty gifts. she opened each one with great joy and excitement. but over time as she continued to play with each of them they all broke. she looked around and felt frustrated. surrounding her were several boxes, wrapping paper and ribbons, and broken gifts. above the mess she saw the contents of the plain box sitting on her shelf. though it was covered in dust it was still so remarkable to her. she tried again to figure out what it was but then feeling unsuccessful she decided to return it to the person who gave it to her. she went to find him and placed the gift in his hands. 

"i can't keep this. i can't figure out how to use it." 
"please take it back. i know if i keep it i'll just end up breaking it." 

the giver accepted her offering. she had learned what to do with her gift.

there are so many beautiful lessons and principles illustrated in this dream. i'll just share a few: the contents of the plain gift (strong and exquisite) represent who we are. once we figure out what we're supposed to do with it (give it to Christ), then we understand what the gift is (our own divinity) and how to use it (this could be so many things). the shattered gifts, Christ actually helps her put them back together and then she is able to offer them to others.

Friday, February 10, 2012

gratitude, example #9

oh, another thing.


tonight i ran into a friend and while talking i realized how grateful i am for my parents, even though i am probably the best at not showing it and taking them for granted. but i'm grateful for their patience and love with me.


last year, no last last year now, november 2010, thanksgiving, i was sitting in the mtc listening to elder and sister holland with all the missionaries. i LOVE elder holland. so so much. and sister holland pointed that out in her talk. 


she said, "you all love elder holland--you've seen him at the mtc, in videos telling you 'dont you dare go home,' at general conference, and wherever else. you think he's great and wonderful, but (pause), i promise you, that he is even 10 times better at home."


what a good thing to think about and to strive for <3

gratitude, example #8

again i should be sleeping but i always feel so grateful this time of night! and without sounding cheezy bc that's not what i'm going for and i don't want it to be taken that way, it's just interesting that there is so much all around me that when i open my eyes to see things as they really are i am just amazed. what am i amazed about? i don't know i guess the list really could go on: i'm amazed how much the lord knows me; i'm amazed that i always seem to end up being in the right place at the right time (which is just so funny bc i feel like i'm always trying to be in the right place at the right time, but it seems like it happens most when i wasn't trying. go figure :p); i feel amazed that i'm given the opportunities i'm supposed to have; i meet the ppl i'm supposed to meet; connect with ppl i'm supposed to connect with; hear things in a way that speaks personally and most meaningfully to me; learn lessons that are applicable to what i'm going through/thinking about/pondering right now.  


i guess the other point to this deals with worry. i worry so much sometimes, although wahoo i've gotten better, even in the past few months. :) but i'm still a worrier, but the lesson the lord is constantly teaching me is faith and patience, aka don't worry so much. still do my best, but i just don't need to worry about things that will work themselves out. it reminds me of this quote i remember reading and listening to often by Pres Hinckley a few years ago. he basically says, get on your knees and ask for the lord's help, then rise to your feet and do what you need to do, AND leave the matter in the hands of the lord. you'll find that you've accomplish something beyond price. i really like that. 


goodnight moon, hello beautiful world~