Blessings of a Wonderful Week!

So many great things! School! I love to learn! My classes are incredible--just what I want to be studying. Applying myself isn't difficult--it is what I would be doing in my spare time anyway! Family! I got messages from Sydney, Stockton & Samantha today! Brad called! Got an e-mail from Laurel & got to enjoy a wonderful dinner with my mom! I came home from a very productive day, got a ride from a good friend--home in time to meet my mom in the parking lot :) Baby Mo's Onsie arrived from Disney World--Princess in training--if you will--and I will! Seeing Bronco Mendenhall at Magleby's--Magleby's is wonderful! Seeing my old boss Deena who is incredible! Good memories--good friends! Good food! An invitation to come back & work! Sweet and inspired conversation from my amazing cousin Brookie! A new dryer!!! The heating element has been out for over a month--yeah for soft dry clothes!!! The Sunshine! An awesome talk with an old friend yesterday in the library--and an email from her today! Texts & messages from so many people I love--feeling the prayers of those I love! Having weak things strengthened! Realizing as I am in many of the classes I was in when Scott died--that the time is right for me to be finishing up. Loving even my finance class! Greater faith! Feeling inspired when I studied! The nice girl I didn't know that smiled at me in the library! A library locker! Choir!!! And an invitation to the service choir--we sing at rest homes and detention centers and invite others to seek & experience the Love of God! The settlement check from Allstate! Good health! Good friends! The chance to go skiing again! A beautiful sunset! A great party with old friends--making new ones! Inside jokes! Snowball fights! Gold leather sandels in January! Good men holding the door all day! Incredible resources! Fantastic roommates! Cleanliness! New clients! Returning clients! Humor! When the corners of my lips turn toward Heaven in Joy! Confidence that the Lord knows & loves me & that He has a plan for me. That He knows my weaknesses & has provided the opportunity for them to become strong in & through the Atonement of Jesus Christ! The opportunity to bear testimony of Jesus Christ to a few dear loved ones this week! A knowledge that through opposition wonderful blessings & experiences have come into my life! The blessing of adversity! 'An actual knowledge that the course of life [I] am pursuing is acceptable to the Lord' & 'reception of the blessings of the Lord that are available to man [and woman] in this life!' Gratitude for personal growth & the things that I have learned. Love for my Heavenly Father! Gratitude for repentance--an actual change in the direction of life that is possible--today & everyday for each & every person. It isn't just for the people that have visible mistakes, or the ones that have huge trials or sins--but for every person--everyday--with a desire to become better--more like God. Perfect balance of all emotion, perfect knowledge, perfect employment of talents, gifts & laws, perfect obedience--to even the laws He created. Perfect understanding--perfect love. In thinking of this notion of 'perfect' I can either allow myself to be disabled, discouraged & disheartened--because I know I am not perfect--or--I can take the definition of perfect as 'whole' or 'complete' and I can couple that with the perfect example--even Jesus Christ--accept His truths--His love--His gifts--His power--and allow myself to be enabled in and through His infinite power.

I often contemplate just how the dark times fit into the 'plan of happiness' and then I think about how Christ is the Light and life of the world--coupled with my training in the visual arts--I look how the darkness enhances the capacity of the light to shine--how the shadow creates a frame of reference for the light & vibrance of the picture. How what was once flat & lacking depth--comes to life as shadows beset the canvas. I think of the darkest times in my life--that have set the stage for the light & life of the world to redeem me from my fallen state. I look to Jesus Christ as my Savior, Redeemer & Friend--truly I can say as it is sung--'The Lord is My Light'

'The Lord is my light; then why should I fear?
By day & by night his presence is near.
He is my salvation from sorrow & sin;
This blessed assurance the spirit doth bring.

Chorus:
The Lord is my light;
He is my joy & my song.
By day & by night
He leads me along.

The Lord is my light; tho clouds may arise,
faith stronger than sight,
looks up thru the skies where Jesus forever doth reign.
Then how can I ever in darkness remain?

The Lord is my light; The Lord is my strength.
I know in His might I'll conquer at length.
My weakness in mercy He covers with pow'r,
And, walking by faith, I am blest every hour.

The Lord is my light, my all and in all.
There is in His sight no darkness at all.
He is my Redeemer, my Savior & King.
With Saints & with angels his praises I'll sing.