Rainy Days

The past few weeks have been some tough ones for me. Between sick baby, car troubles, car accident, and other  such stresses (that seemed to keep piling on, a kick me while I'm down kinda stress) things have finally started looking up (knock on wood). I can't help but feel grateful for times like these past few weeks because they tend to teach me more then any other time of life. 
It seems as though it hasn't stopped raining for a good month. And as everyone sits here and complains, I'll be honest I have loved the rain. Yes I wish it were warmer, and yes the days sometimes seem a little dreary but there is something about rain that just makes me happy. My sister Sara wrote a blog post about the such dreary weather and I really liked it.  
Lessons Learned:
"Sometimes our lives are rainy, when we want and even expect them to be sunny.  There will even be times when it is rainy for days on end and it seems like the world will not stop dumping on us. If we let them, those times might stop us from remembering and appreciating the sunny days we do have. (And we have had some beautiful, sunny days this month) But, if we remember to count our blessings, I believe we can find a measure of gratitude for the rainy times, and enjoy the sunny times that much more. I also believe that we can have moments of peace and calm, even when the storm is raging around us.Finally, I believe that sometimes we need the rain, even if we think we don't want it or need it. Flowers need both the sun and the rain to help them grow and flourish, just as we need both blessings and trials to help us grow spiritually. Sometimes we need the rain.

I still wish we could see a little more of the sun right now, but I know it will come.
It always does."
-Sara Carruth


I'm grateful for the rainy days because sometimes I think it's Heavenly Father giving me a little reminder of all the good things in my life. Another tender mercy found for me. 

A great work

I am so very blessed to have the mom I have. She will always be apart of who I am. Certain things I do are because of her. Parts of my testimony have been established because of her. She is the most loving and generous woman out there. She has taught me more then I deserve. I am grateful for her and for her service to me in raising me. I am grateful for her testimony and the strength she shows through tough times. I am a better person because of her. She will always be my mom and for that I am eternally blessed.
I am also very blessed to have the mother-in-law that I have. She loves me unconditionally. She is always caring for me as if I am her own child. She would do anything for me.  She hasn't been in my life that long but the time she has she has taught me a great deal. I am grateful for her example and for raising such a valiant, hardworking, loving boy. I am eternally in debt to her for giving me such an honorable man. I know he is the man he is today because of her.
I am also very blessed today because I am a mom. It has been a day of full emotions for me. As I sit and think back on the past year watching my little boy grow it amazes me. I sit here today in awe. In awe that Heavenly Father would send such a sweet perfect little boy to not perfect little me. The trust He has. I am grateful for the great honor of being a mother, I am truly blessed. It is a great joy.
I couldn't help but feel not worthy of such a day as this, as I see several people around me struggling with the loss of a child, or not being able to bare a child. I do not fully understand the pain they must be feeling on this day. But to them I am grateful for the strength they carry. I am grateful for the examples of these women. For their courage to keep facing each day.
Thank you to all the great women in my life who have strengthened, lifted, taught, and raised me! I only hope I can pass on to my children and people in my life the great lessons I have learned from you.

Lesson Learned:
"The greatest work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home."
-Unknown

Happy

Lesson Learned:
"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections."
-Unknown

Learning

Please read this post, and then please read this post. I promise you will benefit from it. And then watch this video!

Lesson Learned:
I feel as though this is so so true. As a parent teaching my child and watching how he can't fully understand the benefit of the things I teach him he can and can't do and then when he gets frustrated because he doesn't understand I think to myself I wish you could just understand it is better in the long run. Just trust me. And then I look back on my past. The trials, struggles, pain, hardships, feeling defeated. How at the time of those specific experiences I could not understand. All I could see was what was right in front of me.  And the Lord was simply saying I wish you could understand it is better in the long run. Just trust me. I may not fully understand even to this day why I have experienced some of the things I have but I know for now that I have learned. I have learned at least a little. A little bit why the Lord gave me those experiences. Some more then others. Some experiences I know happened because they have been key points in my life to building a foundation for my testimony. Others have helped me help others as they experience similar things now. Others I have yet to understand the Lord's purposes for those times. But, when all is said and done I will learn. The more I learn, the more I can comprehend, and one day as I am on this path of learning and comprehending I can become perfected in Him and finally fully understand the Lord's will. For now I will be grateful for what I have learned now.

Hope

Lesson Learned:
"Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us."
-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

My Redeemer

Lesson Learned:

I have a testimony of Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. He atoned for our sins and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could one day be like Him. I know He loves me. He suffered so that I might find comfort in hard times, knowing that I am not alone. He payed the price for my sins so that I might be able to become perfect one day as Him. He is my Savior. My Redeemer. My strength. I owe Him more then I can pay. I will always be in debt to His astounding love. I am blessed. I am not worthy of such a Man but to Him I was worth it and I will always be grateful for His mercy. I say these things in His sacred name Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Happy Easter! May we always remember Him and live to honor Him. For He is our life. 

Tender Mercies

Yesterday for our mutual activity our Stake Young Women's president so graciously stepped in and planned the activity this week. It was fantastic. She had the Stake Patriarch come and talk to us a little bit more about patriarchal blessings. He started talking about tender mercies and how our lives are filled daily with them.  We watched some of Elder Bednar's talk on Tender Mercies he gave a few years back and it was such a great reminder. A reminder that the Lord is always giving us tender mercies.  He said as along as we are doing what is right to the best of our abilities and striving to do what we need to, to keep the spirit in our lives we receive those tender mercies. Tender mercies do not come randomly and they are not coincidental. They are of God. And happen for a reason.   

BUT as I was driving home today from hanging out at my mom's house I was listening to music on the radio and a song I like came on. Before I knew it I was deep in thought, completely calmed by the music, and entranced on the road (safely of course). It hit me, as we study, ponder, pray, and strive to more fully live the gospel we are inviting the spirit to stay. And as the spirit stays with us or as we are more in tune with the spirit, it is then we are able to more clearly see the tender mercies in our lives. They happen all around us. All the time. On purpose. It is up to us to be in tune with the spirit and recognize them when they come. 

I had a tender mercy (one that I noticed) today. It was as simple as driving home and listening to music. The Lord knows I love music and knows it is a thinking time for me when I listen to it. He then took that moment and turned it into a teaching moment (a tender mercy). Not only was it a teaching moment but it was a reminder that I have a good life. A great life. I have a sweet baby boy, a wonderful husband, and all the love and support I can get. I am truly blessed. And I'm grateful that for today, I realized that. I'm grateful to know that whatever my future holds I will always have that. I have the love of my sweet husband, my gracious little boy, my family, my friends, and most importantly the love of my Savior and Heavenly Father. What more could someone ask for.

Lessons Learned:

Be sure to push pause on my music below!