An off day/week/month...

Today was an off day for me. This is never good on a Sunday because I teach Sunday School and am expected to have the Spirit with me. Unfortunately, all I felt today were my nerves and the tears that constantly threatened to escape my stubborn eyes. Fortunately, Heavenly Father hears our prayers, even when we're not in the best of moods. It always amazes me how patient He is with me, despite my ever-expanding imperfections. He really helped me out today, and I'm so grateful for that.

Thanks for all your advice regarding the last blog I wrote. I finally realized that you (and the article) were right, so I ended my friendship with the boy. It was extremely difficult to do, and the wounds are still pretty fresh, but I know it was the right thing. I'm hoping down the road (once my feelings for him go away) we can be friends again, but I know we'll never be as close as we were. It hurts, but I suppose that's the reality of it all. These past few months have been wretched, so I hope this actually helps in the long run.

Random thoughts to lighten

the "mood" of this post...

Does it make me a total nerd to admit that I'm really excited about this? Oh, the memories! I never knew the DVD version was available, and I cannot wait to order it. Yippee!

Funny sight on the drive home from church today: A young man riding a unicycle while balancing a football in one arm and a 12-pack of beer in the other. Now that's talent!

After searching for several weeks, I finally found my favorite brand and flavor of toothpaste this weekend. I wanted to buy the entire stock, but I limited myself to four tubes. Who would have thought a find like that could bring such joy? I'm taking it as a sign that things are gonna start looking up. :)

Yesterday I went to Chrissy & Zach's reception. Everything was absolutely beautiful, especially Chrissy. I immediately started blubbering when I saw her, which is something I didn't expect. After all, she and I aren't that close and have only hung out a handful of times. There's something about her, though, that has always held a special place in my heart. I was so happy to be there to share that special day with her and Zach. You are both wonderful, and I'm so happy you found each other. Congratulations, again. I wish you all the best. I hope you both keep on blogging!

I saw God today

I love music. It clears my mind of clutter and provides an escape whenever I need it. I rarely pay attention to song lyrics; the music is simply there to overpower my racing thoughts. However, I recently discovered two songs that I absolutely LOVE: (1) You're Gonna Miss This by Trace Adkins and (2) I Saw God Today by George Strait. If you haven’t heard these yet, take a minute to go listen.

These songs remind me to take a step back and recognize the blessings I’ve been given in life. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine and forget to give thanks for everything around us. How often do you hear people say things like, “I’ll be so much happier once I…” or “I can’t wait until…” The chorus to Trace Adkins’ song responds to this mentality:

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

It’s so true! I’m often guilty of thinking, “tomorrow will be so much better,” and I forget to just pause and enjoy today. Do we ever really appreciate life while we live it? Or are we constantly wishing for more, ignoring the small miracles that occur every day? In George Strait’s song, he talks about how God’s fingerprints are everywhere; we just need to slow down and look for them. He sings about seeing a flower growing in the middle of the sidewalk, seemingly planted there just for him to see. The noises of the world around him are suddenly silenced by this small miracle, and he realizes he has seen the hand of God. I love the simplicity of this song and the writer’s recognition of God’s hand in all things. Those four words are so profound to me: I saw God today.

We have so many reasons to rejoice each day. I hope we’ll all learn to slow down and appreciate life in the moment. Look for “God’s fingerprints” in your daily life; I know you will find them.

In what ways did you see God today?