my heart. 

 

Our Emotions: Powerful right?
Emotions allow us to experience Life... it's how we connect.

Laughter, Love, empathy some of the best emotions/feelings we experience (such a blessing to feel such joy... really is)

Fear, anger, shame, sadness, loss are the difficult emotions we experience... But might these emotions be important as well?...
there's a balance...a discipline to it all.

God gave us emotions to experience life not to destroy us. 

This past year has made me realize this, and OH how grateful I am for the realization. Perspective has changed my life for the better. 

Our emotions I believe can work against us OR they can work for us.

 I am grateful for my L I F E. Ive experienced Love sadness and everything  in between.
I am grateful for the difficult times for they have shown me that I am strong they have shown me that I can do hard things  and to appreciate joy when I have it. I appreciate The happy emotions, they are the treasure's of this life, the moments and the memories that make life so sweet. I am grateful for each one.

Emotions.... Powerful & Beautiful.

The Will of God

I LOVE this message! 
when feeling cut down... I have to remember to have faith in my gardner.

 Why do we tend to over complicate things? We of course dont recongize when we do, cause  if we did wouldn't  we would most likely take the easier way? so what we "think" is complex probably isn't  as complicated as we identify it to be.
... I believe sometimes we need to stop looking at all the details and take a better look at the "BIG" picture. sometimes when we see it from a better/different  perspective we can realize there's a simple solution to our problems.

 "Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple." -Dr. Seuss.

Most the time we know the answers to our questions, its our emotions that make the question much harder than it should be. 

Funny how sometimes we get soooo caught up with looking for answers...

Reaching out to someone who you might 'think' is an expert in knowing where you need help the most...
you think it makes the most sense... its most logical... To you, you think they are an expert, therefore they have your answers right??? THEY can solve your problems....

But why put someone else's skill above your own???  sure they might have stories or more experience than you... BUT

....they dont have your drive, your ambition your intuition and you need all of those to find your hearts true desire... so just stop, breathe, have more faith in yourself, allow it to come to you... if it needs time, give it.  Putting limitations on how things you think are 'suppose' to work out is narrowing your ability to just let it come when its really 'suppose' to.  Everything that comes naturally seems to work out the best... ( at least so far for me.)

I believe every girl should own a red dress! :)

... Thinking of last week a certain someone was totally there for me... and I love him for it...

HAD about an hour or less  to rush to Nordstorms to pick out a formal gown to wear for this past weekend and he so willingly came to help me pick one out...

... He helped me a lot... mind you.. he was in the ladies waiting room... think he felt uneasy about that for hmmm 3 mins or so before I told him not to worry like 100 times... his advise was the same with every dress... "looks good"...

... Not every dress can look "good" come on:... too short? too tight? color? too much? too little? Be honest and I mean honest....  His response... "Jenna! I didnt grow up with sisters"... out of the two I liked best... he picked the black one "why would you buy a dress with one shoulder when you can buy one that has two"...
he's too much! ha!

(eeek bought both... no time to decide.. he thinks Im nuts!) 

he's prolly right 

I even dragged him down to the MAC counter to help me with some makeup I needed... (seriously he's the best)

He took one look at the lipsticks and asked...Are those real? Those are fake right?..

Could n o t stop laughing...

needless to say found myself a new shopping partner.

This past week.... 

N U T S!

Plans... do they ever work out?... most the time?.. Not really! 

but HEY thats ok too. Ill go with the flow.

Was planning on a 'date' to my best friends wedding this weekend... well didn't go according to 'plan' but everything worked out (normally does) 

He so politely 'dumped' me... ouch  :( dang it! 

sigh... single life again. grrr. 

soooo... few days before the wedding... was deciding: fly? drive? fly? drive?... couldn't make up my mind. 

Phone rings... friend from southern california... "Hey... can I ask you out for saturday night, fly you out" Me: funny you ask this weekend.. Im planning on being there friday for a friends wedding, trying to figure things out right now...

friend: 'K great....let me take care of you... your flight, hotel, anything you need...

Whatttttt?.. too nice?.. 

Yes think so! 

Answered prayer.... :)  

Thursday night flew in: took cab to the party... ( of course I missed my flight, had to take a later flight) will I ever learn?... eeek 

Made it for the second half... 

SUCH a fun night... didnt know most of the girls... but instantly connected and made for a fun night! 

lots of laughing ... 

licked the frosting off 3-4 cupcakes (my food for the day, if you call frosting food... have been forgetting to eat, as of late) 

almost drank acidetone (you know...taking good care of myself...) In other words I was SUPER tired... girls were a little worried... promise promise im ok! ( ha. ha.) 

Wedding Day

slept in... lovely 

Long drive to temple... fun conversation( silly talk)

 San Diego Temple... (first time)... BEAUTIFUL...

Watching babies... always! 

Before I knew it Heather and Bill walked out hand in hand MARRIED! 

they did it... :) 

(we manage to take a picture at one of the most breathtaking temples... with cars in the background... cause we are AWESOME! ) :)!!!

Love this girl so dang much! she was radiant, glowing and honestly the most beautiful bride ever. Heather is gorgeous inside out. 

I love you sister. B. Twin. 

Reception: totally chill...Backyard of a close friend of heather's

Cafe rio catered 

Im telling you Bill and Heather know how to get married... 

Stress free. Drama free... smiles and laughs at all times... 

perfect! honestly perfect! 

"Oh HEY" Cutting the cake. 

GROOM!

who would have known... Bill marrying our best. 

so happy for them. 

!!!!!

"Love; It will not betray you dismay or enslave you, it will set you free." 

(one of my favorites) :)!

        feelings...

        ...Why is it so hard to obey, obedience could very well be one of the hardest concepts/ principals in this life, sometimes I dont understand, I have to be just willing to "go and do" !
No doubt, no uncertainty, no expression of fear, no murmuring about the difficulty of the commandment . Whatever the lord asks, he expects me to be "up and doing"
When I reach out to the Lord and keep the lords commandments, I am rewarded beyond what I expect, doesn't mean necessarily with worldly possessions but with, peace, joy, comfort and direction. I think too much I associate the word obedience with the word restriction when really obedience allows greater freedom, I become more liberated.
Why do we fight it? Why do we think "we" have the better answer, a better way?... when really we just  end up chasing ourselves in circles filled with drama, pain, and difficulty to realize in the end, obedience to the lord and his commandment truly bring the lasting most real felt joy. Is this what we call lessons learned?.... truly "obedience" is so hard.  I believe that through our actions, through choosing to be obedient and doing so time and time again, is where we feel the raw/realist connection with our heavenly father.

 s o m e t i m e s:

You can be excellent in every way. You can be first class. There is no need for you to be a scrub. Respect yourself. Do not feel sorry for yourself. Do not dwell on unkind things others may say about you. Polish and refine whatever talents the Lord has given you. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life and look for its opportunities. ~ Gordon B. Hinckley

 

 “I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.” -Marjorie Pay Hinckley 

 

Could not look up to these two any more! 

Truly amazing

and truly missed! 

awesome. 

The Missing Piece

Puzzled? If you’re missing peace and seeking answers, prayer might be... ...and seeking answers, prayer might be the piece you’re missing. (See 3 Ne. 18:20.)...


Because the Lord doesn't infringe on our free agency, we are the ones who have to ask for his help. Prayer is one of the most precious gifts the lord gave to each one of us. 
It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our supplication can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love andgratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yet you and I can talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer.
Recently (well months ago) I went through a time of self doubt and kept asking myself "is this how life for me is going to feel and if not when will it end".. I mean I was doing what I knew I needed to do and working real hard to get there. I was so focused on the end goal of "okay I did my time" with hoping the end result of receiving pure happiness, joy, direction and a worry free life.... "ahhh at last"right?  ...but NO not the case. It takes a humble heart, a real connection with our heavenly father  and never "just going through the motions, what does that teach us?... 


 Even though I went through the motions and did everything I was asked to do ... I knew I still wasn't all the way there (lack of a full feeling), I was missing a piece and a big one. So I thought I would try something different. I threw all my emotions, deep thoughts and fears in my prayers, My prayers became longer with more feeling, I began to read the ensign and scriptures morning and night... Everyday was better and when feelings of sadness or worry wanted to creep into my day, I remembered the uplifting message I had read earlier, it would put things into perspective just like that. The Lord wants us to pray(communicate)  wants us to understand who we are and how important we are, He wants to lead and help us along our journey, for he knows its not easy. Life gets complicated, can get depressing if we are living a life of doubt, of fear and not reaching for our savior. I feel as though life has many missing pieces, its up to us to find our own, to recognize what we are missing and actively search until the piece is safely found never to be lost again. 


President David O. McKay testified, “It is true that the answers to our prayers may not always come as direct and at the time, nor in the manner, we anticipate; but they do come, and at a time and in a manner best for the interests of him who offers the supplication.” ³ Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer comes. Your character will grow; your faith will increase. There is a relationship between those two: the greater your faith, the stronger your character; and increased character enhances your ability to exercise even greater faith.

Its Better to Look up!

This story/ talk speaks to me.

October conference 2011 -Carl B Cook. 

At the end of a particularly tiring day toward the end of my first week as a General Authority, my briefcase was overloaded and my mind was preoccupied with the question “How can I possibly do this?” I left the office of the Seventy and entered the elevator of the Church Administration Building. As the elevator descended, my head was down and I stared blankly at the floor.

The door opened and someone entered, but I didn’t look up. As the door closed, I heard someone ask, “What are you looking at down there?” I recognized that voice—it was President Thomas S. Monson.

I quickly looked up and responded, “Oh, nothing.” (I’m sure that clever response inspired confidence in my abilities!)

But he had seen my subdued countenance and my heavy briefcase. He smiled and lovingly suggested, while pointing heavenward, “It is better to look up!” As we traveled down one more level, he cheerfully explained that he was on his way to the temple. When he bid me farewell, his parting glance spoke again to my heart, “Now, remember, it is better to look up.”

Experience has taught me that if we, like President Monson, exercise our faith and look to God for help, we will not be overwhelmed with the burdens of life. We will not feel incapable of doing what we are called to do or need to do. We will be strengthened, and our lives will be filled with peace and joy. We will come to realize that most of what we worry about is not of eternal significance—and if it is, the Lord will help us. But we must have the faith to look up and the courage to follow His direction.

President Monson’s encouragement to look up is a metaphor for remembering Christ. As we remember Him and trust in His power, we receive strength through His Atonement. It is the means whereby we can be relieved of our anxieties, our burdens, and our suffering. It is the means whereby we can be forgiven and healed from the pain of our sins. It is the means whereby we can receive the faith and strength to endure all things.

The Lord is my light; then why should I fear?

By day and by night his presence is near. …

He is my joy and my song.

By day and by night he leads … me along. ( one of my favorite songs!)

There is more to this talk...LDS.ORG. 

so much truth! felt so good to read through this talk! 

What did you learn?`

"Self-Forgiveness requires a mature understanding of the purpose of life, which is not to get back to God in the same state of innocence and purity we were in when we left him. Rather our charge here is to learn the compassion, Humility, discipline and understanding of good and evil that come only with experience and risk, failure and resilience. Our charge is to get back to god much, much wiser and better than when we left him, something we can accomplish only through traveling the bruising roads of triumph, satisfaction and ultimate joy."

We all have our stories we all have a past we all have trials we all have experiences we are ashamed of or things we wish to take back.

That’s what makes us human, we are not perfect and we never will be perfect. We shouldn’t have expectations that are never attainable; having such high expectations will leave us with feelings of failure over and over. All we can DO is learn to be better, from our own stories and others shared.  

Depression, anxiety, shame, or anger can distort one's understanding of gospel principles, even if the calm, rational self knows better. The fearful or shameful part of you may periodically hijack the mature; capable you that usually runs your life. This fearful part may have different ideas about god and his plan than the rest of you. 

We attain perfection through experience with imperfection! 

"God tells us plainly that it will be hard and lonely here: that we will not be protected from struggle, loss, the sins of others, or personal failure: and that Christ is the great redeemer--not the Great Preventer. Still God promises that the plan of agency, error and redemption is worth both pain and failure. 

“The path toward grace and self-forgiveness starts here-with understanding that god’s plan is based on the expectation that each of us will be mortal, fallible, fallen. While he offers us the privilege of living his laws and rejoices when we do, He understands that learning to cherish what He cherishes takes experience. While he is delighted when we avoid sin and saddened by the harm that sinful behavior causes, He judges us less by the number of our misdeeds than by the depth of our repentance. We can trust Him to always be close at hand, gently whispering, “What did you learn?”

I learn more with each and every experience both the good and the bad experiences. Each have a purpose and each have had a way of blessing my life for the better. 

Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.
Albert Einstein

Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them

This message means so much to me

"Be Patient with yourself, perfection comes, not in this life, but in the next life. Don't demand things that are unreasonable, but demand of yourself improvement." As you let the lord help you, through that, he will make the difference" 

“I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” —Psalm 34:4 

The lord is always there, always. We have to do such a simple and easy thing.... that is to always keep him close to us, always seek him and always have a strong and ongoing relationship with him. His love is true happiness its what can make us whole. 

“Thoughts of doubt and fear never accomplish anything, and never can. They always lead to failure. Purpose, energy, power to do, and all strong thoughts, cease when doubt and fear creep in. … He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure.” —James Allen, As a Man Thinketh,pp. 40–41

( this is so perfect)

“I know my Father lives and loves me too;

The Spirit whispers this to me and tells me it is true.

He sent me here to earth by faith to live his plan;

The Spirit whispers this to me and tells me that I can.”

—“I Know My Father Lives,”  

Fear not 

May be never forget our identity and our purpose

May we always be ready and calm to meet our maker.
( goodness I love this gospel)

2012.

Be 

Be real 

Be you

Be free 

Just Be 

                                   .......Be Happy

Excited for 2012