"This one makes a net, This one stands and wishes. Would you like to bet, which one get's the fishes?"

I'm thankful for a ton of things! Fuzzy socks, trampolines, snow, sunsets, chips and salsa, good music, good books, VeggieTales, the color orange, icecream, Apples to Apples, Christmas trees, my car, my own room, the gospel, of course my family and friends--and the the list goes on and on. But what I would like to write about is something you probably don't usually hear from someone my age:

Work.

Yes, you read right. I'm thankful for work. "Duty is Joy" as I once heard somone say. And that's so true! A whole afternoon of videogames just doesn't give you the same satisfaction that an afternoon of raking leaves does. Trust me, I would know.

All by myself folks! My mom is good at teaching us kids to step back and survey the job well done when we're done in order to get the full satisfaction of it. Well, at this point I wasn't even half way there, but it was still motivating enough to finish it up.

And my Mom isn't the only one. My dad is AMAZING at this! I once saw his schedule and...yeah, that's a whole different blog post.

It seems to run in the family. You see, I have one grandpa who works harder now that he's retired than he ever did when he was employed. (and that's saying something!) The other grandpa is probably going to ride his tractor right out of this life and into the next. Their wives are no different, tirelessly working alongside them.

Yes, I'm thankful for work. The grass stains, the callouses, the slivers, the sore muscles, the bleach stains, the button on the vaccum that self-coils the cord back, the flour-coated apron, the smell of 'clean', the good night's rest afterwards, the whole nine yards! I mean just think of the tough, enduring pilgrims--the founding father's of this holiday!

Once Upon a Time...

This week I have done TurboJam with my friends. This week I am sore. This week I couldn't think of squat (or I guess you could say anything but squatting).

That is, until I remembered an inspired poem my older cousin and role-model Alicia wrote. And since she's already bragged a little about me on her blog, I'm gonna return the favor! So here it goes: a great remedy for those days when you feel like Flint Lockwood from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and want to throw yourself in a trash can because, well, 'you can't run away from your own feet.'

Once Upon a Time...

Once upon a time,

So we've heard it told

Lived an ordinary woman

Who longed for jewels and gold.

She cried, "My face is plain!

And my person lacks finesse.

My shoes are old and worn,

To say nothing of my dress."

"I have not any friends

And who am I to blame?

I'd not cast my lot with me.

I'm simply...a cesspool of shame."

And so she carried on

Thinking no one could hear her.

She never could have known

There was a man standing near her.

"Rubbish!" He cried aloud.

Causing the maiden to start.

"Who say are you?" she asked

Placing a hand atop her heart.

"Who are YOU?" he echoed

Making the air around them shake.

"Are you a blessed Child of God

Or nature's finest mistake?"

He gave the maiden pause

She couldn't think to reply.

Instead she settled for a tear

And a desperately long sigh.

The man looked on in awe

Asking, "Woman, don't you know

You were masterfully created,

Built to learn and built to grow."

"So I've heard," was her reply,

"But I've yet to see the reason.

Nothing great will come of me

As I pass away the seasons."

"How can you know?" asked he

"If you've never kissed a frog?

Sometimes greatness lies beneath

A reptile perched on a log."

"A frog!" The woman cried

"Now that's an awful thought!

There's NO WAY it will help me,

Is that all you've got?"

"No it's not," the man replied

"But perhaps you don't want to hear.

I've got eight values I can share

I hold them sacred and dear."

"The first is a frog.

It's your faith he'll test.

Do you have the faith

To give up good for best?"

"Faith is the ability

To trust, believ, and know

that though they're very ugly

Certain frogs can make you glow."

"I like that," the woman said,

"Maybe you ARE right.

Maybe I should trsut in God.

And not just judge from first sight."

The man nodded his head saying

"You're starting to glow already!

I've got seven more to share,

Hold your bearings steady."

The man reached down into a bag,

And pulled out a crown.

The woman's eyes lit up,

Chasing away her pouty frown.

"Is that for me?" she gasped,

Her eyes upon the crown's jewels.

"It can be," replied the man,

"It's one of the eight tools."

"You've got one on you,

Or so it appears,

In fact you already had it

For many, many years."

This crown is a symbol

Of you nature divine.

For you are a crowned daughter

Of the highest King most fine.

Perhaps you can not see it.

But I promise if you try,

You'll find your divine nature

Is where your royalty lies."

He placed the crown upon her head

And handed her a mirror.

"Tell me," he spoke again,

"What do you see in here."

She said, "I see a woman, plain.

I see a crown, most fair
And I see a warty frog,

And unremarkable hair."

"Look a little longer," he said,

"See what you've had since birth.

Try to look past your skin

To find your individual worth.

"You're valued most highly

By your father, the King.

Your soul is worth far more

Than anything riches can bring."

"My soul?" she asked into the mirror

As if waiting for reply.

"I've never given it much thought,

But as you wish, I'll comply."

"It's not enough," he said,

"To simply sit and look."

With that he reached into his bag

Anbd from it, two gloves took.

"Your future lies in what you do

And in choices you shall make.

You must be held accountable

For every good and all mistakes.

Wear these gloves day in - day out.

They'll serve to remind you.

To make the best choices offered

And leave the bad behind you.

In leaving bad you shall find

A bright and happy tomorrow.

Your life will lose all lifelessness

And be spared great sorrow.

"And this," the man held up a wond.

"Can really bring you beauty.

Take it with you everywhere

To do good works beyond duty.

"Magically making good appear

In the lives of all around

Is why you have been sent to earth

And why you have been crowned.

"Love on another," said thy King.

Its written in His book.

It's here for you, young lady fair,

Come hither, take a look.

"there's much to read and learn

Inside these books and pages

The words are immortal

Standing the test of all the ages.

"But it's not enough," he said.

"To simply sit and read.

You've got to put on your shoes,

To see where the books lead.

"Knowledge is what the shoes will bring

A value much higher than gold.

Set your feet to learning

And watch a new world unfold."

The young woman admitted.

"A new world sounds just fine.

I think it's time to leave behind

This vain perspective of mine."

He said, "Now you've got it!

And perhaps now can see

Why these eight values

Mean so very much to me."

"We've covered six so far,

Integrity will make for seven.

She who holds integrity

Is a priceless pearl in Heaven."

As he spoke those words of truth,

He strung her neck with pearls.

She knew then her vaule lied

In her heart and not her curls.

"Your King does much," he continued

"With a woman pure in heart.

Who is as pure in the end

As she was at the very start

"I speak now of the last value,

A robe of virtue you must wear.

With it fastened 'round your being,

Your beauty is beyond compare.

"Your purity is evident

It shines out from within.

With these eight values by your side

Every battle you shall win."

Again the man turned to her

Moving the mirror to her face.

She said, "I see a woman,

A pure vessle of God-like Grace."

"But who are you?" the woman asked.

"I feel we know each other."
He rplied, "And so we do,

I'm Jesus Christ, your brother."

Mountains of Rock and Mountains of Jell-O

Our tiny business class of less than ten students went on a field trip Friday to a very official-sounding business conference. Funny thing is, what I took from it had nothing to do with incomes or partnerships, rather it was more of a perspective.

I'm a small town girl. I wore my t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers and even wore my hair in ponytails--no hairspray required. The conference was in a big city so from the get-go I felt like a sloppy raggamuffin and could've sworn someone pulled the 'elevator-eyes' on my outfit, but that wasn't really what bothered me.

No, what really hit me was as soon as we entered the enormous room the opening was to be held in, a heavy wave of obnoxious, over-bassed music hit us full in the face. Though it was all popular songs in my peer group, I already knew that they were far from complimenting. Most of them had sleazy themes and I began to feel really uncomfortable as 'the business leaders of the future' began dancing, yelling, singing at the top of their voices, and even standing on top of their chairs.

Of course, these were my fellow reckless teenagers so it didn't completely shock me. But when I turned my head and saw one of the leaders of the convention dancing--and later saw him go up to the front and encourage all the chaos--my eyes really widened.

Remember, I'm a small town girl. A 'little Mormon town' girl where you see your highschool teachers at church. Maybe for some of you things like this are in everyday life, but I believe it was my first lick at culture shock.

Maybe I'm a little too cushioned by the little 'bubble' I live in to really know what I'm talking about, but I'm at least going to try.

You see, I've been exposed to amazing leaders. Ones who know you by name and thank you personally for your efforts, are strong enough to admit their own shortcomings, pace the floor and pray late into the night for you, tell you the direction you should go and follow that direction themselves. They'll laugh with you just as soon as they'd cry with you. Somehow, they're always there because, to them, presiding over means watching over. They have already decided what they will and won't put up with and hold fast to it; like my Seminary teacher who kept us a few minutes after the school bell rang because what we were learning then, he told us, was more important.

That's my definition of leader.

What I saw at the conference were intelligent, good-intended men and women. They were trying to lead youth down a successful path in their future--something we probably need a lot of in this world. But it just seemed strange to me that they had to try and make it attractive to us teens.

Of course you want to personalize your message to your audience, but that doesn't mean you have to give into your audience's standards. I mean, just look at all those prophets. Had they given in to all the harsh treatment of their hard-hearted crowds, their message wouldn't have been near as effective.

Like I said, I have a bit of a limited perspective and I haven't been hired to critique the conference or anything, its just an interesting contrast I saw and it made me immensly grateful for the people in my life who, title or not, are my leaders.

Good Things of the Earth

I had a lousy dream last night. I really disslike when that happens because then you wake up with not only morning breath, but an attitude that reaks just as bad, if not worse.

So, after saying my slighty distracted morning prayer, I looked down and saw my scriptures sitting on the side of my bed.

You should read those.

...I'll do it later. I'm busy wallowing in self-pity right now.

Oh c'mon. It's fast sunday. What are you going to do until then, stare at your favorite cereal box?

True. No one was up yet so there really wasn't anything else of worth I could do. And besides, from experience, usually whenever I don't feel like doing something I should probably do, it means I really need to do it.

So, rembering I was going to try and fast for a little more self-mastery anyways, I reached down, grabbed my scriptures, snuggled up in my twisted mess of blankets, and turned to where I left on in my Seminary reading: Doctrine and Covenants, section 59.

And guess what? I needed it.

It really helped turn my frown upside down with verses like 15-17 and 19-20,

"Verily I say, that insasmuch as you do this (fasting and prayer with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance--isn't that a coinkadink.) the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth; Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment or orchards, or for gardens, or for vinyards... for taste and for smell, to strenghten the body and to enliven the soul. And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgement, not to excess, neither by extortion."

Its fall so all those beautiful yellow, orange, and pink leaves came to mind as well as good, wholesome music, family, friends, scriptures, homemade panakes, warm fireplaces, the smell of baking bread, feeling the breeze in ones hair, smiles, laughs, good books, inspiring artwork, getting a handwritten letter, icecream, service projects, hugs, fun pets, ingenious inventions, the smell of spring, clean jokes, wearing your favorite t-shirt, true love--just all those 'good things which come of the earth' chased that grumpy attitude up the street and around the corner, never to be seen again--at least that's the goal.

What really hit home, though, is that it 'pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man.' If 'men are that they might have joy', then it only stands to reason that he'd give us all these amaaazing blessings for our happiness. Of course, they can be used in excess or extortion--which eventually brings misery--but it's just satisfying to know that maybe it wasn't just a coincidence that someone smiled at you yesterday, or that butterfly fluttered past you as you angrily tramped through your yard, or the book you read just 'enlivened' your soul, or even the ambitious invention of the lightbulb that, if you think about it, has brought you a plethera of other blessings.

It ended with this, "But learn that he who doeth the works of rightesouness shall recieve his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come. I, the Lord, have spoken it, and the Spirit beareth record. Amen."

I once heard a quote, "We can't break the commandments, we can only break ourselves against them." Doing whats right, believe it or not, brings joy and peace both now and in the long run. Doing whats wrong doesn't.

Just some food for thought.