Make the call

Tonight I was standing in the kitchen and thought about giving a friend of mine a call. Just to catch up, see how she was doing. I walked into my room to find my phone and saw that she had texted me. I immediately picked up the phone and called.

I am so grateful for promptings. In sharing with her some insights I had recently gained, I felt what I was thinking confirmed, feeling more confidence in trusting that God can do ANYTHING. Even help you find a job in a bad economy.

And it turned out it was something she needed to hear. It's amazing how it all works. So many times she has said stuff to me that I needed and found strength in, so many times she has listened when I needed it. I am grateful that I had the chance to be her listening ear today.

Looking good

Last week I received one of the most entertaining and appreciated compliments ever. I ran into an old coworker outside the library, and the first thing he said to me was, "Wow! You look so much less stressed."

Even when life is stressful, be grateful for what you have been delivered from.

Absence

Does absence make the heart grow fonder, or grow cold? I don't know much, but I do know I definitely miss the people I care about back in Austin, some more than I thought I would. And my little joyful moment is not just in realizing how much they mean to me, but that in a few days I will get to see them again face to face.

So...

...good talk.

A life lived in fear is a life half-lived

Often, we find ourselves making sacrifices and doing hard things because we believe something good will come out of it. We decide the rewards are worth the risk. We trust we will be blessed. I was sitting in Sunday School last week when the teacher introduced the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. They made a decision knowing that the outcome might result in death. It brings to mind Joseph Smith going to Carthage jail, knowing that his life would be taken from him.

Okay, so nothing to that extreme is happening in my life. Thankfully. But it did cause reflection on small ways in which I've tried to apply the same principle. Recently I was afraid to do something. I was 90% sure that it would not turn out the way I thought I wanted it too...but I did it anyway. Better to try to do the right thing and face my fears than miss out on a chance to grow.

Sometimes it's hard to find

Wow. So it's been forever since I've been on here. So much changes. I thought I had things pretty planned out. Now I am moving on and leaving a city I love and people I love even more. On the other hand, I am excited about new adventures and opportunities to grow.

And yet in the back of my mind comes the thought, "Have you done what you came here to do?"

So. I need some sunshine. We all need some sunshine. Everyone goes through things that are hard for them. (I must sound a little whiny today). So let's infuse a little more sunshine into this post. I absolutely love the family I spent Thanksgiving with this year. They have been like my adopted family and I can't express enough how grateful I am for them. They have opened their home to me, and they have been a sounding board for difficult decisions. Kindness is ALWAYS a good thing and always appreciated. They have shown so much to me and to others.

When you care enough to send the very best...

The past few weeks have definitely been a roller coaster. I realized that there have been times that I have not reacted the way I should when others have tried to serve me.

I have days where I feel like people do nice things so that they either look good to others, or to get people to like them, or to feel better about themselves. Ultimately, we want to do nice things out of love. But I'm beginning to see that all the other reasons are good reasons. At the end of the day, those reasons motivated us to show someone kindness. In the meantime, as we learn to become better and kinder, and we ask ourselves why we do what we do, our hearts change. And the more we show kindness, and the more we receive kindness, the more it will inspire us to love.

This morning, a friend did something as simple as send me an e-card. I love me some Hoops and Yoyo. It took a moment, it gave me a good laugh, and it was personal. No one else was going to see it. No one else was going to know what she had done. But they will now! lol. I am so grateful for all my good friends who reach out, who remember, and who inspire me to be a little better and love a little more.

And she is just one of many.