Fences and Walls

I've been thinking this week about opportunities. Every day is so full of them. Chances to learn, situations to show kindness in, instances to grow from. People to meet, fears to conquer, tasks to complete, reasons to show strength, pasts to confront, opportunities to stand up for something. There are dozens of ways to experience opportunity. Or reject it.

Thinking of opportunities got me to wondering how many of them I have passed by. Not ones that have passed me by, but ones I have let go.  Have you ever said about a situation, "Oh I didn't get the chance to...." or "Well, the opportunity didn't arrive for me to....." I wonder how many of those did not happen because of my fears. Or because of the fences and walls I put up to protect myself and my life. I wonder...

Granted, there are times we need to let those chances pass us by. Some are dangerous. Some are plainly unnecessary.  It's easy to become overwhelmed and inundated by life. All the things there are to do. Some opportunities I feel like I am just better off without; like, say...skydiving. I do not feel the need to do that. Ever. But I'm always grateful I took the glorious opportunity of rappelling down the walls of the Grand Canyon. It was exhilarating!  And as we're all individuals, those chances need to be weighed by each of us. I hope I can be wise. And inspired.

I know I won't take very opportunity that comes my way. I realize I will pass by some things that would have benefited me greatly. Some will just have wasted my time. Some will teach me lessons. Hopefully I will only have to learn them once. But I hope I learn enough to take the chances that really matter. The ones that are offered to me in love and sincerity. The ones from the people I love and trust, and the ones that God offers me in His grace. Maybe I'll be more aware of what I'm offered. And maybe that will give me insight into what is offered. Its definitely got me thinking!


Look what taking the good opportunities has brought me.....

Family, new friends, new places, memories galore

True love, adventure, great surroundings

                                                                    



                                                 

                          Safety in knowledge, a friend in Christ, a testimony, and a foundation to build upon

All Inspired and Revved up to Find Joy

(I started this at 11:50 pm on Sunday, July 14.)    Today was a great day. It was full of good people and great inspiration. It was filled with wonderful counsel and thought-provoking words. It was full of love. Love I felt towards ALL the amazing people in my life, love to me from my church leaders and coworkers in church, love from my family and from my Young Women. It was just good stuff all the way around.

I'm always amazed when a group of people though not together physically can become one in spirit and though not one person in the group has conversed with another about their thoughts, they still become one-and their thoughts take the same direction even though they were first thought independent of one another.  For example, a group of my friends were discussing health issues, and while being completely frustrated by them, we were also grateful for the blessings and joy we have encountered during them-even while suffering. We spoke about the lessons we've learned and how life is more important to LIVE because we do see joy in it-even through these ills.

Meanwhile for the last few months I have been searching for, finding, and blogging about finding joy-even the smallest bits, in the hardest of times- because it's there. And the bad times we have only enhance the goodness and joy because then we know how to grasp it and savor it, and it gets us through. I know so many good people who are facing tough things. I hurt for them and love them, and pray they get some joyful moments too.

Then today our wonderful Stake President Waddoups gave the most wonderful, meaningful talk  that included so many of the things that had already been on my mind. Oh, he said amazing things! I took notes. I was so inspired just listening to him today thinking, "These are all the things I've been talking about, writing about, and sharing. I'm so grateful I can gain a little more insight since it looks like this has all been on his mind too." He started with, "God EXPECTS us be joyful in this life."  And I'm thinking:I KNEW it!!!

President Waddoups' talk united me with those around me. It united me to him and his counsel. It made me understand life better, and why we go through the hardships we do. He said our hardships should not DEFINE us.... they should REFINE us. Make us better people, capable of more. Capable of empathy, and understanding,  and show us what has been done for us by God. We can get through if our foundation is firm in Him. What a great way to grow and help others grow with us. So I'm inspired in a BIG way. That's not to say that things won't get me down, because they will, but I hope I have the will to look for the good things that are everywhere despite my hardships.

PS-I found a great picture of Chad and me last night. He is one of my joys, so I'm sharing it!

Chad and I after Disney on Ice-another joyful event!