Another Day...

Well, this morning started out awesome. I mean, I only got 3 1/2 hours of sleep last night because I was doing homework... so it was hard to get out of bed,  but today was awesome. I drove to seminary was good, and then afterward a friend of mine called me over to his car. He then proceeded to ask me to prom. I said yes of course. I am rather excited. Though I am not sure whether it is school prom, or mormon prom. I don't know, I'll find out soon enough! :)

This afternoon wasn't so great. I mean, classes were fine, and then Ammon and I were going to lunch... and there were a lot of cars. So I decided to take the back roads to beat all the cars. Well, in that process I proceeded to roll right through a stop sign. Little did I know, there was a cop at that particular intersection. It began to follow me and the lights were on and the siren blare. I pulled over. In short, I got a citation and the cop was an a**! (Excuse the implied language). I was crying and Ammon just looked at me.
I don't have the money to pay for a ticket. I don't have the money to pay for the rise in insurance. I am busy trying to save up to be able to go to college. But, I do stupid things. Oh well, I just want today to be over!

Maybe tomorrow will be better.....

So I ran...

Well, today I ran. I mean, I have been running consistently but today, I really tested myself. I came home from school and decided that I really needed to get my butt out there and push it. Especially if I am going to run a half-marathon in May. I only have so little time. I decided to do a loop that would've have been a bit more sketchy if it had not been so sunny today.

Several times as I ran, I had to literally talk myself into keep going. I had to talk out loud to make myself continue. The more that I get into this game called life, the more that I realize that it is mental and spiritual. Once spiritual things are in check- typically the rest comes. If I can get my spiritual life under control, that means that the mental, physical and emotional will follow.

Yeah, much easier said than done.

But, keep going. It is SOOO worth it in the end. I promise!


8 Miles:)

Scuba Diving

About a year ago my older brother and I were enrolled in a scuba diving class. We went every week as we had lessons and practiced in the pool. The time finally came to finish our certification in Washington with an open water dive in the Puget Sound. I got to miss a day of school as we made the five hour drive up north. When we arrived we immediately got dressed into our wet suits and suited up to enter into the ocean. The first couple dives we would descend and demonstrate our skills that we had been practicing in the pool. After the first couple certifications, it was time for our first real dive. My brother and I prepared for our dive- he grabbed his spear (to be able to get us some dinner!) and we made our way across the busy highway to the ocean. We had looked at a map, and my older brother had a route picked out for us. He decided to take point on this dive. We had planned to visit several sunken boats and an old pipe structure. There were rope lead lines that would lead to most of these destinations. We descended into the water and as we swam I would periodically touch my brothers leg, or his fin to make sure that he was still around me. There were millions of small little jelly fish, and occasionally there would be very large scary orange jellyfish that would heart like **** when stung. (Not that I would know, that was just what I was told.).

We made our way through the ocean wondering at the beauty of the underwater world. The deeper we went, the worse that the visibility got. (Meaning the water was very murky). I could hardly see my hand. What was worse, is that I could hardly see my brother. I just kept periodically grabbing and touching his leg or fin. I had one hand on the rope that guided us, and one hand on my brother. As we were nearing one of our first destinations, I could barely see anything. We finally arrived at the boat. I looked down as the rope stopped with the boat. We were destined to continue with a rope that was on the other side of the small fishing boat. Though, the next time I looked up, I couldn't see my brother. I reached my hand out and I couldn't feel him anywhere. I began to panic.

My training kicked in. I would count to thirty seconds and then surface, hoping that he would do the same. My blood pressure rose and I couldn't bear the thought of leaving my brother under the water by himself because I had lost track of him. What would happen if he died? What would happen if I were that reason. Regardless, I started to count. I also started to pray. I counted 15... 16.... 17... 18.... 19....... and then he came back around. He was there. My brother had not disappeared. I hadn't felt the need to surface and leave him alone in the water. The person who was guiding this dive had come back for me when I lost track of him. He found me. 

So why am I telling you this? Again, my crazy analytical mind set out to find meaning from this experience. I mean, granted we finished the dive and he speared a couple of fish, but what is the "real" meaning here?

Our life has a plan. Before we are born God has set out a design that our life is designed to follow. Just as our dive had a plan. We had mapped out what we had planned to do. And just as my older brother took point, Jesus Christ is the one who should be guiding ours. Just as in the dive, we have ropes guiding us. Like the iron rod. Those guides in my opinion are the word of God, (Book of Mormon, Bible, Modern day teachings, etc.). When we use those guides we will arrive at our destination. Though we have those ropes we still need Jesus Christ- otherwise we would be wandering blindly. The point is the one who guides us, the same as is Jesus Christ. He knows where He is leading us, and we need him to be that guide. 

Sometimes as we are going, it gets murky. Sometimes so murky that we can hardly find our guide. At these times are the most important times to stick to what we believe. At these times it the MOST important to stick to the plan and to hold onto the rope. IF we do not, it could be fatal. Maybe not literally, but a spiritual death can happen if we lose track of our guide. The longer that we go without our guide the more difficult and panicky it will be to find him again. What is so nice about losing Jesus, is that if we want to find Him, He will come to us. He will always be there when we lose him. It is then up to us to find him. 

God loves us. He wants us to return to Him and to be in his Glory. Just as he has shown me these principles through a simple experience as a scuba diving trip, He will take the time to teach us. 

Keep the Commandments and live His word and he will ALWAYS be there to catch us when we fall. 

This Dog...

So today I took my dogs down to the football field in Falls City to let them run around while I ran the track. As I neared the field, I let them both off of their leashes. They began to run with abandon as dog friends do. They would sprint from one end of the field to the other. They would occasionally spring alongside me to remind me that I am not alone in this workout. As I came around one corner I realized I couldn't see them anymore. The river runs beside the football field. I started that way because I could see Jam over there. As I got down there Anna (3 1/2 months old) was standing "knee deep" in the fast flowing river. I called her to me. As I did she turned and her hind legs were swept into the deeper water. She was then sucked under into the water that was moving rapidly. Her head was swept under and she came up. I could see she wasn't going to make it back to shore. I only had one choice. I had to get after her. i stepped into the fast moving water moving as fast as I could down the stream. I was in water up to my thighs. I grabbed what I could of the puppy. It happened to be the skin near her rib cage. I grabbed her and brought her to my chest as I made my way out of the water. She continued to run about with abandon almost as if nothing had happened-besides the fact that she was soaked. Needless to say I was shaking. Both from the cold and the adrenaline. So, why am I telling you this? Well, for some reason my overactive mind seems to analyze things too deeply, so on my walk home this is what I came up with. In our pre-earth life... we are on a "leash". God is there leading us through until we are born where we are set free. Just as the dogs were let off the leash.We begin to experience life and make friends along the way. We run around and enjoy the things that life has to offer. Though, our master is still there. Always willing to reach out and help. Though the further that we get away from our master, the more dangerous a situation can be. That water can be very alluring. We want to see what it feels like. That could be fatal. Sometimes our savior calls to us, but it is too late for us to turn to him. We then have to reach our outstretched arms to him as he saves us. We cannot make our way out of the swift currents of the devil without Him. We will fall deeper and deeper until we are consumed with sin and evil. The Lord will save us. He has already paid the price- even if it meant he had to get a little cold or wet. We simply have to turn to him to have his embrace warm us as he pulls us into is arms and comforts us as we struggle from the icy grasp of the devil. God loves us and so he sent his son to save us. Don't get too close to the water, it is much easier to stay close to our master than be swept away by the currents of sin. Stay righteous and lean on the atonement, and everything will turn out as it should.