If you're part of my family, or you attend seminary regularly, you know that Thursdays is probably the worst day of the week. You're busy focusing on the weekend plans and you can almost taste them, yet they are still too far away. You're exhausted from your day to day living, getting up everyday at 5:00 in the morning and being gone from the house every day for 11 hours and 45 minutes.
I'm losing my fuel, my energy, my motivation. Although my trip is exactly a month away from tomorrow, May 1st, I still feel as though there is a year in between there and now. School is coming to a close, which means working my tail off to be successful when taking my finals and oh the excessive amounts of stress that usually brings, along with getting the grades I want at the end of the semester.
Seminary is almost done, and I'll be getting my Stake President's Award this Sunday (which seminary students earn for reading the New Testament, reading 200 days, memorizing 25 scriptures and reciting them twice, less then 30 tardies, making up all the missed days, memorizing the order of the New Testament books, First Presidency and the 12 Apostles), and I'm grateful for that.
I'm also getting inducted into NHS, National Honor Society, and I'm going to a showing of my artwork that went to the state reflections a few months ago. I'm grateful for all these great experiences, but they aren't helping me stay energized...if anything, they're wearing me out even more!
I'm running out on empty....I feel as though I can almost see the light at the end of this dark, lengthy tunnel. I hope I can get to it before I run out completely...just a few more weeks.....
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy Easter
Easter isn't about finding elaborately decorated eggs, or eating candy. It isn't about waiting in a line to meet a man in a bunny suit. It isn't about the plastic fake grass that my mom hates. It isn't about getting gifts from the "Easter Bunny" either.
For some reason, our society has linked all of these things to what the real meaning of Easter was, and sometimes, I feel that we let the materialistic things get in the way of the real meaning. It seems that whenever there is a religious holiday, society finds a way to "make it better" by adding earthly desires, which, I find it sad that the real meaning generally gets overshadowed.
The First Presidency posted this:
"At this Easter season of hope and renewal we testify of the glorious reality of the atonement and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The empty tomb brought comforting assurance and provided the answer to the question of Job, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14).
Because of the Savior’s resurrection we will overcome death and become the beneficiaries of His mercy and grace. In a world of trouble and uncertainty, His peace fills our hearts and eases our minds. Jesus is in very deed “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
We give our sure witness that Jesus is the Christ. Though He was crucified, He rose triumphant from the tomb to our everlasting blessing and benefit. To each member of the human family He stands as our Advocate, our Savior, and our Friend."
I couldn't agree more. The real meaning behind Easter is to celebrate the fact that Christ offered up himself for our faults for everyone who has come, is here and yet to come, AND by the power of God was able to become resurrected and return with a perfect body. Because of this, we too are able to be resurrected and receive a perfect body once Christ returns to the Earth again.
It isn't "wrong" to participate in Easter activities, but we mustn't forget the REAL reason of Easter. We can't be wrapped up in the meaningless things that don't get us any farther in God's plan.
For some reason, our society has linked all of these things to what the real meaning of Easter was, and sometimes, I feel that we let the materialistic things get in the way of the real meaning. It seems that whenever there is a religious holiday, society finds a way to "make it better" by adding earthly desires, which, I find it sad that the real meaning generally gets overshadowed.
The First Presidency posted this:
"At this Easter season of hope and renewal we testify of the glorious reality of the atonement and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The empty tomb brought comforting assurance and provided the answer to the question of Job, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14).
Because of the Savior’s resurrection we will overcome death and become the beneficiaries of His mercy and grace. In a world of trouble and uncertainty, His peace fills our hearts and eases our minds. Jesus is in very deed “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
We give our sure witness that Jesus is the Christ. Though He was crucified, He rose triumphant from the tomb to our everlasting blessing and benefit. To each member of the human family He stands as our Advocate, our Savior, and our Friend."
I couldn't agree more. The real meaning behind Easter is to celebrate the fact that Christ offered up himself for our faults for everyone who has come, is here and yet to come, AND by the power of God was able to become resurrected and return with a perfect body. Because of this, we too are able to be resurrected and receive a perfect body once Christ returns to the Earth again.
It isn't "wrong" to participate in Easter activities, but we mustn't forget the REAL reason of Easter. We can't be wrapped up in the meaningless things that don't get us any farther in God's plan.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Lying
There's one thing I can't stand at all; liars. Why would you intentionally avoid telling the truth and being honest to avoid getting out of trouble? Sure, you may not get caught all the time, but you get the reputation of not being honest and people can't trust you...plus, if you get caught then everyone loses faith in you. This week, I have been dealing with liars and lying in general. If it isn't one thing, then it's another...I apparently get confronted with moral issues every week :)
A girl, who I thought I could trust generally, started to feed me lies about two very important people that go to church with me. I was miffed. How dare she lie to ME about people I see EVERY SINGLE DAY? Does she honestly believe I'm going to believe her, the girl who badmouths everyone and is a consistent liar? I think not. I told the two people what she said about them, and they laughed and said that this is who she really is. I couldn't believe she was trying to even trick ME into believing that I what I get at Starbucks, the double choc. chip frapp which has NO caffeine in it minus the chocolate, contained coffee. Nice try. I'm just glad that one of my friends in that class was saying that I don't lie...glad someone has me covered.
Another time I was during lunch on Friday. A friend of mine apparently got on the computer when he wasn't suppose to, then his parents found out, then he blamed his best friend--saying that it was really him who got onto Facebook. Then he faked changing his password and made it looked like his best friend changed it, and so he wasn't able to "get online." Anyway, at lunch he and his best friend were planning to have his best friend call his house and leave a message saying that it was really him who got on Facebook and that he was sorry. I was in shock--lying to get out of trouble for both lying AND breaking a rule. The best friend called the parents, lying to them, and he did it because "he was just helping out his friend." They asked me for advice, so I said that I thought it was ridiculous that they were A. Lying in the first place, B. Lying to cover up their lies, C. Blaming someone else and making them take the fall. I told them that I don't lie, and then I was accused of lying for saying that. I finally got so upset that I got up, left the lunch table and proceed to go to my class without saying goodbye. I knew it was time to leave once they were saying "that once you lie a lot the guilt just goes away" and talking about how good of liars they are.
I'm grateful that I was born with a personality that doesn't need to lie. It's a blessing.
A girl, who I thought I could trust generally, started to feed me lies about two very important people that go to church with me. I was miffed. How dare she lie to ME about people I see EVERY SINGLE DAY? Does she honestly believe I'm going to believe her, the girl who badmouths everyone and is a consistent liar? I think not. I told the two people what she said about them, and they laughed and said that this is who she really is. I couldn't believe she was trying to even trick ME into believing that I what I get at Starbucks, the double choc. chip frapp which has NO caffeine in it minus the chocolate, contained coffee. Nice try. I'm just glad that one of my friends in that class was saying that I don't lie...glad someone has me covered.
Another time I was during lunch on Friday. A friend of mine apparently got on the computer when he wasn't suppose to, then his parents found out, then he blamed his best friend--saying that it was really him who got onto Facebook. Then he faked changing his password and made it looked like his best friend changed it, and so he wasn't able to "get online." Anyway, at lunch he and his best friend were planning to have his best friend call his house and leave a message saying that it was really him who got on Facebook and that he was sorry. I was in shock--lying to get out of trouble for both lying AND breaking a rule. The best friend called the parents, lying to them, and he did it because "he was just helping out his friend." They asked me for advice, so I said that I thought it was ridiculous that they were A. Lying in the first place, B. Lying to cover up their lies, C. Blaming someone else and making them take the fall. I told them that I don't lie, and then I was accused of lying for saying that. I finally got so upset that I got up, left the lunch table and proceed to go to my class without saying goodbye. I knew it was time to leave once they were saying "that once you lie a lot the guilt just goes away" and talking about how good of liars they are.
I'm grateful that I was born with a personality that doesn't need to lie. It's a blessing.
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