Tuesday, July 30, 2013

A Reflection Upon a Novel I Recently Read and Other Stories



I received this book for Christmas and had no time to read it until I suddenly had a full day of traveling to the east coast and another full day of traveling back (pics to come ...).  It is simply wonderful.  It's a rather simple read and not what I would usually spend precious reading time on, but I read it out of obligation and I'm glad I did.  If you ever wanted to know about the journey involved with change, this is an excellent book.  Changing is not easy.  It's never been that way, and it never will be.  It takes work, and it takes effort.  Change is something none of us looks forward to, but each of us has to experience.  We must go through the Lord's refining fires to change us from the natural man.  Every day can be a struggle and require so much willpower and force that we shudder to think of the great effort we could possibly put forth.  But the fruits of those efforts are sweeter than the icing on the cake.

I recently related to a friend the old adage that had helped me through so much of my sophomore year: "God won't give you anything you can't handle."  It set off an unpleasant moment and made me feel quite upset.  I've thought about that saying since then and the changes that it had helped me to go through.  I knew that those changes had strongly tested my own abilities and boundaries.  It didn't seem right that God would give me more than I could handle.  After all, I ended my sophomore year on a good note and I've handled everything else that I've been called to endure.  Wasn't I stronger than I had originally thought?  Just yesterday, I found this.


Oh, boy.  What a wake up call.  Christ, through his atonement, gives us the extra power and strength that we need to endure this crazy thing called life.  Yes, friend, you were right.  God sometimes gives us more than we can handle.  But He's there to help us every step of the way.  I didn't do it all and I have never completely handled anything given to me without his help.  No matter the trial, no matter the test, no matter the struggle, no matter the willpower and force, God has helped me to handle what He's given me.  And it's made me realize my reliance on him more than ever.  And perhaps, in a way, that has made me stronger.  But the real glory and wonder of making it, of handling life, goes to Christ and His atonement.  

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy Independence Day!

Reverse Charades,
Games, 
Food, 
Cookies,
Friends, 
and Fireworks.  

Yep.  A pretty wonderful Fourth of July in Provo.

Next year- totally going to Stadium of Fire.


'Merica.  

It's where we rock.

Pretty much.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Lucky Thirteen!

Update on weightloss: 13.6 pounds!!! :D My clothes already feel so much better- it's amazing!

In other news, have you ever not really been sure what's going on or why things are happening, but you like it anyway and you're completely okay with wherever things go?

Me too. Whatever's going on ... I like it. <3

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Six point eight

I recommitted myself to Thrive about two weeks ago and my journey began on Sunday May 5th.  I weighed myself yesterday to see how I'd done for my first week.  I lost 6.8 pounds!!!  Word to yo' motha, fool!!



Thrive is a nutrition program designed to help people attain many different goals, the main one being weight loss.  My mother joined Thrive back in winter of 2009 (right before my senior year of high school) after my grandfather died.  I did it along with her and my father and I lost 75 pounds in six months.  Just with eating the right foods.  To date, my mother and father combined have lost ... a lot ... I always remember my father being a big guy.  Like 300 pounds big.  Now, he's lost more than 100 pounds and looks very different from the man I remember raising me.  My mother has also lost a lot of weight and is now an instructor for the program that saved her life and my father's.  Almost all the weight that I lost in high school has somehow found it's way back on to my hips.  I say no more.  That life style ended two weeks ago when I decided to start Thriving again.  Thrive is a very simple, very doable program.  I work two jobs with at least 20 hours a week at each one.  I am the Relief Society President in my ward with lots of responsibilities and duties during the week.  I also try to have a social life and go out with my friends.  With Thrive, I am able to stick to the program and still maintain all the daily activities of my life.  It's about finding a solution to fit your needs.  No exercise required.  I did go to the gym in years past without Thrive (and didn't lose the weight nearly as fast), but with a busy schedule and no vehicle, it's not really possible for me to go regularly.  And with Thrive, you don't get a long list of foods you can't eat- you can eat almost anything!  It's a matter of what you eat it with, how much you eat of it, and when you eat it.  You can have your steak, just eat broccoli with it!  You can have your baked potato, just eat it with chicken and green beans!  It's simple, easy, and provides results.

Why am I doing Thrive?  The most important part of Thrive is what's called "your why."  I'm going to share part of my why with you today.  It's very personal  to me, but it provides me with the motivation to keep going and to do what I need to do.  While I have always dreamed of going to BYU and getting my degree here, a part of me did come hoping to find the right person to marry.  There's no use denying it- I wanted that MRS degree.  I was sitting on the couch on day probably reading or pondering the meaning of life (I don't remember) when I realized how uncomfortable I was with my body.  I didn't like to look in mirrors, I hated having to buy new clothes, I wasn't happy with me.  If you've ever been in a situation like that before, then you know exactly what it's like.  Everything is painful.  When I realized how uncomfortable I was with my body, a question came to my mind.  How could I expect someone else to be comfortable about my body when I hated it?  More specifically, how could I expect my future spouse, whoever he may be, to love me if I didn't love me?  I've dreamed of meeting him many a time and wondered what he will be like.  I know that he will be wonderful and the best thing that will ever happen to me.  Doesn't he deserve a wife who loves herself and her body?  I certainly think he does.  I think he deserves the best.  I want to make myself look the best so that I can be worthy of any young man.  That's my why.  My eternal companion is the number one reason why I'm Thriving today.

If you want to learn more about Thrive, go to www.thriveweightloss.com or click here.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

I Usually Don't Do This, But ...

I like to keep parts of my personal life private and separate from everything else.  So I usually don't share big events like this with people outside of my family (who already know what's going on anyway) but I know that there is power in prayer and power in numbers, so bear with me.  

Just in case anyone does read my blog, I would like to take a moment to ask for your prayers for my uncle Jody.  He has been through a very long struggle with cancer and brain tumors and it looks like it is all finally coming to an end very soon.  I know I'll be okay so don't waste time on me, but I'm also concerned for my cousin who is serving a mission.  Some of you met Javan while he was here in Provo and he is now serving his mission in Arizona. (Yay!) As much as I love Javan and as much as I love Jody, I know that he needs to be right where he is, serving the Lord.  Please include him and my uncle in your prayers.  It would be greatly appreciated!

Plus you'll be helping people and that make's everyone feel good with lots of warm fuzzies :]

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Hold the Mustard Cause it's KETCHUP time!!!

I haven't blogged in a while so here's what's been going on:

- Adam and I won the indexing competition in our ward!!  So we got Tucanos!!
- Our bishopric is pretty great and we get to meet in a REAL chapel!!  Not a classroom!
- I burned myself at work (see FB for pics).  It hurt.
- I bought a TON of chick flicks for $5 at Wal Mart and am ready for some really awesome girl's nights with my roomies!!
- I got to go to Tucanos with Adam for FREE!!
- Brit moved out and my new roommate, Tiffany, moved in.  No Asian roommates this year!
- I'm working like 50 hours a week between my two jobs.
- I got an Abba CD for $10 with all the songs from MamaMia on it!!!
- Did I mention FREE Tucanos???
- I'm Thriving again!
- My bridesmaid dress came for Meg's wedding- it's super pretty!!
- It's a beautiful day!!!

and oh yeah, FREE TUCANOS. :]

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Little Purple Pansies and Other Precious Things


All the flowers on campus are just beautiful.  I love them!  



We went to a multi-stake conference tonight for redistricting and changes in leadership.  Our ward became the 126th ward in the 9th stake.  And our bishopric was released.  I'm really going to miss them!  It's been a pleasure serving with such inspired and blessed men.  

The Johnsons 

Bishop and Sister Murdock