#37: J is for Just Kidding!

So I thought I would make it all the way through the alphabet but life had different plans (as usual).

I wanted to let you all know that I'm taking a hiatus from writing my blog. Don't worry, I plan to return to "This Little Light of Mine" during the summer of 2013. I know you'll all be waiting with baited breath until that time. :)

Thanks for all the support and feedback I've received on my blog! You are the ones that make writing this blog so much fun! I hope the best for all of you!

#36: I is for I Am...

I am...

Each of us can finish that sentence in a myriad of different ways. I talked about one struggle I had with that particular phrase in my "A is for Attitude" blog. There is one person in all the history of the world though, that has taken the statement "I am..." and used it to give hope to the entire human race. That is our Savior, Jesus Christ. His declaration, "I am the Light of the world" gave countless generations the hope of Eternal life.

 I love this video portrayal of the Savior's declaration that He is the Light of the world. It is so powerful. (And that good feeling you got when you watched the video? That was the Holy Spirit telling your heart that Jesus is the Christ).

Jesus Christ had to make the boldest "I am" statement anyone has ever made. But He was able to say it because it is true. Jesus IS the Son of God. From the very beginning He was chosen to be our Savior. He came to this earth to redeem each one of us. I know that is the truth. As Christ says in the video, the Father bears witness of Him. The spirit of God has borne that witness to my heart. I stand with millions (if not billions) of others to add my voice that Jesus Christ is the great I Am.

For that knowledge, I am eternally grateful.

#35: H is for High-Vantage Point

I feel like I get asked the same question a lot on my mission:

Why do we need prophets?

The argument is that we should be able to talk to God without a middle-man. And we can. Prayer is always a way for us to talk directly to God. Having a living prophet is just one more way that God can talk to us.

The best comparison I can make is this: [and I’ll add a disclaimer here—I am a band geek. You’ve been warned.] When a band is practicing for a field show competition it’s vital that each member of the band is in exactly the right spot for the show to be perfect. When you’re down on the field, you can’t see the big picture. You can only see what’s immediately around you and so with that limited perspective it’s easy for a team member to feel like they are “close enough” with their choreography and position. But from a higher vantage point (i.e. the press box) it’s much easier to see what corrections need to be made to align the band members with the drill.

When I was on the BSU color guard I had the opportunity to function as co-captain of the team. That gave me the chance to watch some of the practices from the press box with the coach. She and I could look out from our higher vantage point and easily see what needed to be corrected to present a more unified show. After discussing what needed to be done, I would go back down to the field and give instructions to my team members about what they could fix to improve the show. Through this process our field show was more precise and the result was a higher level of performance that was much more enjoyable to watch.

A prophet is just like the captain of the team. A prophet has a somewhat expanded view of our circumstances and is able to receive instructions (or revelations) from the Coach. With this instruction and guidance, the rest of us are able to make the small corrections that help us to align our thoughts and actions with the Lord’s perfect plan. I am grateful for prophets that lead us today and I know that as we listen to their counsel we will be blessed because our lives will be more in harmony with God’s will for us.

H is for High Vantage Point

#34: G is for Good Things

I found this article in the Ensign and absolutely loved it! The author talks about how she has this bad habit of beginning to miss good moments in life before they are even over. She says:

"I have always had a hard time facing change and am hesitant to let go of good things. I miss the past even while it is still the present, desperate to enjoy fully moments in which I consciously and determinedly live. I know when I have a good thing, and I want to hold on and never let go.... Usually when I realize how good things are, I instantly begin thinking of how everything is fleeting, that it will eventually be lost to time or circumstance"

The realization that she had was that good things keep on coming!

I know that may not be profound for some of you but this was life-changing for me! Just like the author, I begin to miss the past while it's still the present (on a regular basis). Usually I'm so desperate to suck all the good out of each experience before it's over--to the point that it's counter-productive because it stresses me out.  Heavenly Father isn't done blessing us though. He's never going to look at you and say, "Well, I'm sorry but that event back there was the climax of your life. Hope you enjoyed it..." He loves each of us WAY too much for that.

The author goes on to say,

"Change is the Lord’s way. He wants us to be happy and growing, to be excited to move on with our lives. Life is a journey, and while still enjoying the present and preparing for inevitable challenges, we must move forward, remaining optimistic, our hearts open to the experiences and good things that are undoubtedly on their way."

So this is my resolution for the new year. My mantra has now become "Good things keep on coming". And I know that good things are on the way for you as well. Because God loves us each that much.

 

G is for Good Things