ONE

I was just reading an e-mail sent to me to encourage voting. I wanted to continue the thought here.
I hear so many times people are unwilling to get involved because they don't think they can make a difference or get anything accomplished. As I think about all of the times I have been told "it doesn't matter YOU are not going to change it". I often felt discouraged and gave up. But, now think for a minute about history. Rosa Parks was one woman, she refused to sit at the back of the bus. Martin Luther King was one man, he influenced many and still inspires to this day with the example he set. Susan B. Anthony was one woman, she fought for women's rights. Throughout history change was brought about by one person. Supported by another, by another, by another. Thinking that one person cannot make a difference is a thought fostered by those who seek to oppress. If we all think we can't make a difference, we won't. If we think our vote doesn't count, it won't because we didn't cast it. If we decide we can't fight against evil, it will be allowed to prevail. Never believe that one cannot make a difference. It wasn't an easy task for anybody who has stood up against anything wrong. Many have given their lives and all they had, to bring about change and freedom. Sadly, too often we don't appreciate the sacrifices of those who have fought for us to have rights later. Sometimes we don't see the results of the fight right off. Many times we are unpopular or ridiculed. Many die without realizing their difference. Never stop standing up for right because it's hard. Never stop believing YOU can make a difference. Sometimes it just takes one to voice and opinion and others will gain courage to follow. An Islamic woman who fights against radical Islam Irshad Mangi said "Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is recognizing there are more important things than fear."

You make a difference, your vote matters, your voice counts, don't ever think otherwise. And "may God grant me the power to change the things I can, recognize what I cannot and the wisdom to know the difference." So go vote. And keep making a difference. Maybe that just means you help a neighbor in a small way this week.

I love fall because it means winter. I know it is so weird to say it but I love winter. I love snowstorms and sitting inside watching them. I like to drive in snow. I think winter is peaceful, for the most part. The only thing is I am feeling so busy this fall. I don't really know why but it seems that the prelude to the holidays is just as busy. Maybe it's all of the family birthdays and this year blessings and baptisms put into the mix. With all of the craziness I am feeling the need to simplify everything. I am not sure why. The news of the world coming apart I think fuels this need (although I think most of it is just hype because of the election) I don't take enough time to focus on what is really important. I get too wrapped up in the tasks of the day and forget to enjoy it and the things the kids do. Life is meant to be a journey and I find I don't take enough time to enjoy my blessings. So, to help me with this I am challenging myself to count my blessings.
1. children, this one is hard to enjoy sometimes
2. A home to live in.
3. A family
4. Friends
5. Means to provide the nessesities
6. I live in a country where I enjoy freedoms
7. I can pray to my God whenever I want
8. I can teach my children the gospel
9. I can stay home with my kids
10. I can choose what I would like to do with my life.

Ok, so now you post yours.

It has been a fantastic weekend. My daughter was baptized and I was able to spend some time with my family.

I am so proud of my daughter. Her baptism was something special and I am so proud of her choices, she told me she felt clean. It was a wonderful day and experience. I hope she will always remember the day and how she felt and reflect on it often.

My sister and her boyfriend came for the occasion. I can't say how grateful I am to her for making the trip it really meant a lot to me and to my daughter. She braved the snow storm. It was so fun hanging out with them and meeting her boyfriend. We laughed pretty hard and had a good time. I only wish she lived closer and I could spend more time with her more often. I have missed her as we haven't seen each other in awhile. Hopefully we'll get together again soon.

lots to read enjoy

I cleaned out the draft box because I haven't had time to blog in awhile so I hope you enjoy more random thoughts.

Bucket list

This post stemmed from another that went in several directions, so in an effort to simplify I am posting separate.
Things I have always wanted to do, some I have and some I have yet to do.

• I took a stained glass class, it was fun, my final project was never finished and the pieces of it were smashed when my friend was in a car accident bringing it to me. I guess that was not meant to be.
• I want to take a photography class and get into changing the settings ( I could make it a business =) seems like everyone is doing it these days)
• I want to learn to play the guitar, maybe I'll write some songs. I could move my family to Nashville or New York and try to make it big in the music industry. OK maybe not but it would be fun to play the guitar.
• I want to travel to Hawaii, Ireland, and Europe. My dad served his mission in Australia and my Great grandpa served in New Zealand so I would like to visit those countries as well.
• Take gourmet cooking classes or make fabulous desserts for a bakery or upscale restaurant.
• Chocolate sculpture.
• I want to build cabinets.
• I want to physically help build my own house.
• I want to become an electrician.
• I want to work for a great and talented interior designer. I don't think I am cut out to have a business because I don't like the running of the business but the doing things.
• I want to live somewhere other than Utah. (or Idaho)

I am sure there are other things I would like to do and I am sure things change. What are some things you would like to do? (shamelessly trying to find out if I am talking to myself on this blog) Post your answers (I may make you some cookies or something (don't count on it but if it gets you to post ok)).

It's not typical for me to write things about general conference, for me it is what it is and I keep it to myself, but I was struck by President Monson's comments about finding joy in the journey. I am sure that is going to be the new phrase vinyled everywhere (maybe I need to start cutting today so I can be the first) I struggle with this everyday. Some days are better than others but I have been having a big struggle finding joy in the everyday. I have decided to make this post about the things I love but not in that cheesy way that I say I love my family, it's true but I'm not going there today.

I love architecture. I guess that's why my post high school education was in Architectural design (after the political science). When I was in high school I used to drive around neighborhoods with my friend Greg. We'd look at the houses and what we liked. When I went on vacations I would visit old historical houses. I take pictures of houses on vacation, perhaps that is weird. Houses are like the people that inhabit them. They have their own unique personalities. Some have peeling paint revealing the years of wear, adding to their personality and charm. Some have a unique history. Some were built by someone amazing. It's sad that we have lost that workmanship and have started building cookie cutter houses. That is a metaphor I can explore more another day.

I like nature. I am not a big camper because I like amenities, but I always enjoy the peaceful quiet of the canyon. The roar of water crashing over rocks in a hurry to get down stream.

I love people. I have always enjoyed visiting with people. When I was a little girl I lived in an older neighborhood. All of my neighbors were as old as my grandparents. I also had a paper route. Every month I would go collect for the paper and visit the older folks in town. Usually I was accompanied by my grandma. I would have to wait while they found checkbooks and wrote out the check and while I was waiting we'd visit. I got to know a lot of the older generation in my town this way. I came to love many of them. Brother Edis Taggart was one of my favorites along with his wife. Some others were the Lane's next door, Buzz & Gwen, Alma & Dorthy, Mr. Rogers, George Williams, Luella & the Durrants. Most of them I could count on for a treat. The lane's lived next door and we all knew we could visit for awhile and be sent home with a bag of red vines and that mix that was like boston baked beans, I have never really liked either of those much so I am not sure why I thought that was the place to go for treats but I enjoyed visiting. Some of them had health problems and were hard of hearing but I enjoyed their company.

I love creating. I don't think I am that good at it but I like doing it. I make something and years later somebody always does a better job than I did. But I enjoy doing it most days. i like the feeling of accomplishment when I have made something. This is why I want to build things.

I have always wanted to try a bunch of different things. I took a stained glass class once. I have always wanted to try pottery, in depth photography, learn to play the guitar, become an electrician. I'll do another post about this one.

I like to travel and see other places. I sometimes pretend I live somewhere else.

This is the start. I hope if I focus on positive things I can find joy in the journey. But more than joy I hope life becomes a journey. I hope I take the time to make the most of it and truly learn from life rather than getting caught up in the mundane tasks here in this life that seem to never end and draw me in. A journey begins with a single step, or something like that.

Choices

I have been thinking today about choices. I recently read part of The Secret and it talks about kind of willing things to happen in your life. Today as I have pondered some thing a friend said to me about if I wanted it, I would make it happen, I began to think. I wonder how much of our lives are really all about choices. I have learned my whole life in church that we chose to come to Earth and have this life. I wonder how many things in our lives boil down to simply choosing it. I have often resented people saying "you just have to wake up and choose to be happy" I think this is maybe an oversimplification. Just choosing happiness isn't going to make it so, but what if that choosing to be happy has more of an impact. I firmly believe the only thing we can control about our circumstances is how we react to them, choosing what we'll do, think, or feel. Or rather how we will react to how we feel. So what if it's all about waking up and choosing happiness and then making an appointment to go get our hair cut the way we want it or setting a goal and working toward it. I have often wondered if little choices made along the way have changed the path I was supposed to be on drastically. Not to dwell on the what ifs, because really what good does that do, but rather to notice the long term effects of small things. What if I hadn't said yes to a job somewhere that led me somewhere else. That choice would have drastically altered my future and who I am. I hate when people say they didn't have a choice or they don't have a choice. There is always a choice sometimes we have to choose to do things we don't want to do, or sometimes the choices we make cause us to lose or miss out on something that is important to us. Choices are about prioritizing, is character more important than friendship, is keeping a promise more important than having fun. Is the happiness of someone else more important than our own? Someone put all of this into perspective for me. She told me that it is not uncommon for values to conflict at times. I often feel this. Sometimes doing what will make me happy will cause problems for others but I have to choose what is more important to me, which I value most at that time. We shouldn't always put others first but sometimes that's good to do. Sometimes we have to choose to do things we don't want to do because it's the right thing or we know we have to take that step. At times our choices aren't difficult or life altering. Some choices change who we are and others just help us get where we're going. Sometimes the choices and the actions that follow are simple and easy to do. Other times it's more difficult. Choosing happiness isn't going to be easy but I don't think I would ever look back after a long happy life and wish I would have made a better choice. Maybe fulfilling our destiny is just about making predictable choices, predicted by someone who knows us better than we know ourselves.