2015: Surprises for Readers!

Happy New Year's Eve!

Typically, before New Year's, I'm several weeks in advance creating resolutions, eager to start the new year, and ready to start fresh. This year was a little different for me. I've done a lot of thinking about what I've learned from the past, what I'm working on now in myself, and what type of person I want to become. It wasn't until last night that I sat down after a lot of thinking that I wrote down this upcoming year's resolutions.

I feel like this year had a lot for me to learn, and a lot for me to grow from. 2014 was anything but easy, but looking back, it was TOTALLY worthwhile.

At the beginning of the year, I was still enrolled in and attending BYU-Idaho, and studying Elementary Education. I had some really great friends, but I also had a lot of eye opening experiences. I learned a lot from my friends and from school, but I think the most learning I had to do was from the Lord.

At the beginning of this year I took a class on phonetics (hearing different sounds and letters, and learning a new phonetic alphabet), and I absolutely loved it. I simply thought this was what all education majors did in school, and was happy thinking that I would continue as a teacher.

What really turned my life upside-down (in a good way), and made me really turn to the Lord, was when my professor told me she was impressed with my test scores, and that she could see me really succeeding in a profession that dealt mostly with sounds and speech. She asked if I had ever considered majoring in Speech Pathology, something I had never even heard about. After a few days of conversing with her, realizing that I'd have to switch schools since BYU-Idaho didn't offer the major, and it would be a complete major change, I went completely to the Lord and relied solely on faith.

I didn't know the major. I didn't know what schools offered the major, or where I'd have to pick up and move to in order to pursue it. But after a lot of thinking, praying, and looking at my different options, I trusted the Lord's answer of leaving BYU-Idaho and attending Utah State University.

Best decision I've ever made in my life.

But you all know that from Facebook, or simply from talking to me. I'll stop boring you now, and move on to the point of this post.

Simply stated, 2014 was a great year. I wouldn't want to relive it, but I really needed this year. It's taught me so much about true friends, the very real message of hope and love from the Lord, and how in order to grow, we have to stretch. The stretching process can be a little bit painful, but the Lord is right by our side, helping us see the true potential we have through a new learning and trusting process.

So this year, I've made several resolutions. I can tell that this year is going to be one of growing, of learning, and of coming closer to the Lord. This year is going to be a year for figuring out who I really am, and who I want to be. No more coasting through life.

Here's the surprise part, that's hopefully hooked you into reading this blog post...

One of my resolutions is to study something, or think about something each week. After my thinking on it, I'll write about it at the end of the week, AND, not only do you get the present of my writing, but I'm going to make a free printable each week about the topic I was studying or working on. Anything from a spiritual insight or an inspiring quote made into a printable/poster/picture to something like budget sheets or recipe cards. Something that I can give to YOU. Maybe if they're really good, I'll pin them on Pinterest. If you like them, please share them with those you know, tell me what you'd like to see or have a handout of, and I'll do my best to help you out this year. You've all done so much for me, now it's my turn to do something for you.

Let's make 2015 a great year.

I hope you look forward to seeing what this new year brings. I know I'm excited to see the learning and growth I go through.

Happy New Year's!

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.

What is this thing we call life?

What is this thing we call life?

Think about it.

When we're young, we think about, dream about, and can't wait until we're "grown-up" and we can be an adult. We eagerly wait until we go to school, make a change in the world, and see what the future holds.

As I've been out on my own for the past few years, I've realized that life is what we make of it. Life isn't just handed to us, and amazing things happen. We are all given life, and we all eventually die, and leave this place we call home.

What do you want your life to be made up of when you're gone? What do you want people to remember you by? What change do you want to make in the world?

Perhaps you want to be the person who finds a cure for cancer. Maybe you want to climb all the tallest mountains in every country. Suppose you want to start up a fund for many charities, donation centers, or help out the sick and needy wherever you go.

I admire all the people who have that as their righteous desire and goal. That takes a lot of hard work, effort, and motivation for the right reasons.

I've been trying to think about what my life was going to consist of. If one day, many, many years from now, someone was reading my eulogy, what would be in it? What would people be remembering me for?

Because now, and right now for most people around my age, we're on a threshold for the rest of our lives. Whatever decisions we make in these next moments, these next few years, is going to largely determine which way our life is going to be pointed. It's a little intimidating (to say the least), but I also think it's really exciting.

What is my life going to be made of? What is your life going to consist of?

I came to realize what I wanted to be remembered for, and what would have the most meaning to me, as well as my Heavenly Father when I return to Him one day.

I want to be remembered for being kind and gentle to everyone around me.
I want to be remembered for being a strong member in my church, and that I would do anything and give anything in order to make it back to my Heavenly Father one day.
I want to be remembered for the type of family I have one day. For the kids I have, for how I teach them, and for the type of husband I marry.
I want to be remembered as a good example of how living the gospel can really make you completely happy, and that when you have the light of Christ within you, you can overcome anything.

I could go on, but I feel like everyone's list is personal to them. These are just a few things that I've thought of about how I want my life to be lived and fulfilled. Everyone will have a different list. I just hope we all are active participants in our lives, not just sitting on the fence and watching our life continue as years tick by.

I know that Heavenly Father knows us, individually, and that He made our lives. He made us. He made opportunities for us that could otherwise be unobtainable if created by man alone. I know He wants us to do great things with our lives. God created them, and I want to show Him I loved my life, I loved the chances I had to grow into a better person, to have learning opportunities, and for blessing me with such great family and close friends.

God will not leave you alone, and He eagerly waits to see you again. How happy we will be when we get to see His smiling face and show Him what we did to help others around us, what we worked on and learned in this mortal life, and how we made the best of the life He gave us.

That's what really matters.

Life is a beautiful thing, and I'm so glad we can be such an example for good throughout it.

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.