Forgiveness

It's the hardest thing to give away

And the last thing on your mind today

It always goes to those that don't deserve.

It's the opposite of how you feel

When the pain they caused is just to real

It takes everything you have just to say the word...

Forgiveness

This is the opening verse to one of my favorite songs by Matthew West called, simply, Forgiveness. Please click on the link below to listen to it, then pop back to this page to finish reading today's message (trust me, the message will be more powerful if you do!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Lu5udXEZI

Powerful song, huh?!? I love this song so much each and every time I listen to it. Matthew wrote this song after hearing the story of a woman who forgave the drunk driver who killed her son. WOW. How strong do you have to be to do that? Mahatma Gandhi said, "The weak can never forgive.  Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." 

I've had forgiveness on the brain since we had our lesson on it in Relief Society yesterday. The greatest thing that was impressed upon me was how holding grudges doesn't hold others back, it holds us back.  When we choose not to forgive others, no matter how bad their actions against us may have been, we allow ourselves to be taken down, lower, lower and lower.  Consider these thoughts from me and some of my friends:

"Holding onto anger against someone is like drinking poison yourself and expecting the other person to die."

"Things we get mad about here, in the eternal perspective, are ridiculous."

"The attitude of bitterness and holding grudges offends God."

"By choosing not to take offense, we can purge from our hearts all feelings of unkindness.  We are then becoming like Jesus Christ, who showed unconditional kindness."

"When you hold negative feelings against other people, you allow Satan to own you."

Are there those in your life that you are holding grudges against, that you are shutting out? Are you allowing Satan to own you by harboring negative feelings for others? If so, please ask the Lord to help you let go of those feelings, and let Him take them from you.  

The same goes for if you are holding grudges against yourself. Those of us who easily forgive others have the hardest time forgiving ourselves.  Let go of the past and move forward, because you are amazing, you are good, and you are worth it. Let His amazing grace wash over you and take all that negativity with it. In it's place He will give you peace, love and incredibly amazing joy.

Land of the Free because of the Brave

Happy Veterans Day to all! Today we honor all those, past and present, who have served our country in the armed forces, although we should recognize them every day of the year.  My heart is full of humility, gratitude, and respect to God and our service men and women.  Our country is amazing and we are so blessed to have it!

Our Heavenly Father guided our founding fathers to create this great nation, and as the most prominent, powerful and free nation in the world, we do (no matter what all those liberals say) have a responsibility to help serve and protect the rest of the world from dictatorship, oppression and other forms of evil.  Those who serve in our military take that to the front lines, and many sacrifice dearly for it.

Men and women who are in the military are expected to conform to a higher standard than the rest of us "civies", and with good reason. I have a friend in the military and have learned a lot from him about how and why they do what they do. It's sure been an interesting education! If they were not pushed to the brink and broken down, they would not be mentally equipped to deal with the circumstances of combat.  And they do push them far. Reallllly far.  I don't agree with all the training tactics they use, but for the others I understand why they are necessary to prepare troops for whatever may come in the field. 

My respect for our service men and women has increased ten-fold and I feel eternally grateful for their service and their sacrifice. And their sacrifices are great; physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, vocationally, and in their family life. General Douglas MacArthur said, "The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." They develop struggles from the things they see and experience, and some may lose part of themselves.  They come home to a world that is much different than it was to them before, and living in that world is very challenging.  These are some of the sacrifices they make, and they make them for the intent to serve, defend and protect the citizens of not just the United States, but the world.  They are not "war junkies".  They do it for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all.

President Deiter F., Uchtdorf of the LDS Church explained the purpose of the Military this way: 

"I served six years in the military. I was trained well in forms of combat, survival and leadership. But only after having actually served as a soldier during the Cold War in Europe did I realize that our role as a well-trained and highly motivated military force was to keep and bring peace to a troubled world. Bringing and keeping peace is a significant part of the healers art."

The Healers art, I like that. Though the military uses weapons and force when needed to complete their missions and protect others, they are just another army of God, trying to keep and bring peace to the world He created. 

So please, thank all service men and women, past and present, for their service and sacrifice for you, for me, for every one of God's children. And please remember that,

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."  

~Elmer Davis

God bless America, and God bless our troops!

You Can Make Your Dreams Come True

This Halloween was one for the history books.  I know it's kinda cliche to say, "Dreams come true", but it is true!!! Life is tough and sometimes when it gets us down, we let it take us down farther and think we'll never accomplish anything.  I've been having a harder time health-wise as of late and sometimes when that happens I just sink down and think there's no way I can enjoy life or reach my aspirations, so I don't try. But the truth is that when that happens, we need to act upon and follow our dreams and also create moments of joy that will just help us have fun!
At times we also may be so busy in life that we think we can't devote time to recreation because our focus should be elsewhere on matters more important. But I recall a statement from President Thomas S. Monson when he said of spending our time in worthy causes that part of that must be recreation and having fun. The prophet told us that we must have some play time! (Remember that Y'all.) Well, in this year of transitions, troubles and changes, I decided to let that all go and pull out all the stops for Halloween. I hadn't done something like this in years and, darn it all, I needed to do something fun for me!! I realized that I had power to make one of my dreams come true.
Now I've never been the biggest Halloween fan. As a child I didn't care much about candy and disliked Trick-or-treating in the chilled October night. Dressing up was fun but lost it's appeal as I got older.  My sister and I have talked since high school about dressing up as Glinda and Elphaba from the musical "Wicked" and after seeing it for the first time this year decided we were finally going to do it. Unfortunately Alisha couldn't do her costume this year-which was so sad!-but she gave me her blessing and told me to do it anyway.
I decided money was no object, because if I was going to do this, I was going to do it right. I wanted  let worries and cares go and just have fun. I looked and looked for dresses at discount and thrift store but couldn't find a thing. But finally on the eve of Halloween I saw the ABSOLUTE PERFECT dress at a store and within minutes was skipping out the sliding glass doors to my car. Seriously. This dress could not be more perfect. It was blue and somewhat puffy, which is what Glinda's dress is all about! Overall it took me 3 stores and 50 bucks, but I put together a costume I'll remember the rest of my life.

But it's not the costume that matters most here; it's the memories I had while in it that I will treasure.  Hangin with two of my best gal pals, Rose and Kira, and enjoying an evening of fun and friends was just what I needed, and the memories will bring joy to me not just now, but the rest of my days.  I fulfilled a long lost dream and gained a boatload of goodness at the same time.

Kira (an 80's aerobics girl), Rose (a glow-in-the-dark stickwoman) and  me (Ms. Glinda, of course!)

So no matter how hard life gets, never let go of your dreams. Dream big and follow them with all of your heart!

Cheers,
Robyn

So Close to the Veil...

Children are often referred to as little angels, so sweet, so innocent, so adorable. While that is true, I believe children are closer to angels and the other side of the veil as well.  I've seen it in the eyes and heard it in the sweet words of children since I started working with them as a teen and it never fails to amaze me. Children have a much stronger connection to the other side than we adults do, no matter how much knowledge or experience we have gained.

Case in point: my little niece, Lexi. Lexi has always been a quiet kiddo, and compared to her sister, I mean reallllly quiet! She's very studious, just looking at you with a neutral, simple face that seems as though she's looking into your very soul.  Her little personality is coming out a little more each week as she develops and grows farther away from the infant years. But more than any child I have ever known, I can see that Lexi has a very strong connection with the other side of the veil.

Our sweet little Lexi Ann

Several months ago, my sister told us that Lexi loved to look at the pictures of Jesus they had around their house and at church, which has grown as she's gotten older. But Lexi doesn't just look at the pictures. When Lexi sees a picture of Jesus, she automatically moves towards it, reaching for it with all her baby strength. She cries, "Ses-ses-ses!" for "Jesus". She is very adamant about reaching that picture and will break down if it isn't brought down to her level. 

I wanted to see this for myself last week, so I grabbed the Gospel Art Book and opened to a picture of the Savior.  I held it up and called to her, "Lexi, who's this?"  She looked for only a moment and with a knowing expression on her face started crawling towards me. Now, she isn't able to stand up all the way on her own yet, but tries to do what she can. When she realized I wasn't going to bend over and give it to her, she tried harder than I've ever seen her to stand on her own two miniature feet as if doing so would accomplish her goal. I finally handed the book to her and she held onto it, just stroking and staring at it with a big smile on her face.  Take into account that Lexi is only 13 months old! Kiddos this young don't usually have this type of recognition quite yet, trust me, I'm a specialist in child development.

It was one of the most tender, touching moments I have ever seen in my life after witnessing my grandfather pass to the other side. This beautiful little angel who's been on this earth for only a little over a year has a recognition of the Savior that is far beyond her age, and the only reason why is because she's closer to the veil than the rest of us.

Allow me to share one more story with you. My second cousin Marci passed away some years ago from cancer. One day her sister Annie was visiting her grave with her family.  She left the kids in the car as she and her husband went to place some flowers on Marci's grave.  When she and her husband returned, her 4-year-old son called out, "Mom, where did Aunt Marci go? Where did Marci go? She was right there." W.O.W.  I was in awe when I heard this encounter and it has stayed in the front of my mind ever since.

If we ever think we need to feel closer to our Heavenly Father and our true home, sometimes all we need to do is talk with or observe of a child. Think like a child.  Allow the worries and cares of the world to fall away and go back to how you thought and felt as a child without any doubt that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are here, that they love us, and that they-and all those other angels-are right there, watching over us, walking with us.

We know who they are, we know them better than we think we do.  We just don't remember. Children remember more as they come into this world.  They gravitate towards the Savior. And I think in this case, we can take a lesson from them and do the same.

Cheers,

Robyn

The Paradox of Life: Joy and Pain

"That's the paradox of this living on this earth, that in the midst of great pain,
you can have great joy as well."
-Kathy Mattea

No matter how much we want to deny it when the going gets tough, we can have joy in the midst of pain. The key to having joy is to choose it.

Two months ago, I made a choice that marked a turning point in my young adult life.  A HUGE choice. THE huge choice.  For years I felt I wanted to let be or postpone the "good" things in life (e.i. relationships, recreational activities, marriage, etc.) until I felt good again, because I couldn't really enjoy them now (half the time I could hardly get out of the house for heavens sake!).  But I came to the realization that I was allowing the pain to have a death-grip on my life, and why in the world was I letting it do that in the first place?!?  I was not going to let this pain control me any longer. No siree!!  I decided I was not going to let my pain stand in my way and prevent me from moving forward.

I recall a gal in church recently commenting that when we make good choices, "There is power that comes with that choice." After I made my choice, I had to put forth a LOT more physical, social and emotional effort than usual to push past the pain and push outside myself into uncomfortable territory. But with those things came power and help from the Lord and immediately blessings began to pour down on me. Those blessings have brought great joy into my life. That joy has sustained me the past couple of months. It's interesting how a good period of your life can be followed up by, or simultaneous to a rough one. I have found that these past two months have been wonderful and amazing, so full of blessings and answered prayers. They have been so joyful.  At the same time, I've had a few new problems pop up and they've been extremely taxing, both physically and emotionally and have left me, many days, completely drained from sun-up to sun-down. I haven't been able to get on top of them, no matter how hard I try. It seems I'm hitting a brick wall with every attempt to understand and resolve the situations. I may not have the answers yet, but they are out there somewhere!

The message today is one of gratitude, happiness and joy!!! You can have great joy in the midst of great pain. It is possible! Maybe not everyday. Maybe not every week; for there is pain that is so deep that it has to be worked through. I've worked through part of mine, and I'll continue to work through it each and every day. When I wake up each morning, I have to recommit myself to "Look Up!" as Pres. Monson would say.

When you wake up tomorrow morning, what will you choose?

A moment of joy with Maeg's on a particularly painful day!

Humbly Proud to be an American

Independence Day has come and gone, and with it the patriotic flame that resides within me has been restoked to it's highest degree, as it usually does at this time of year. For those that know me, you know how  big a supporter and fan of our armed forces I am and how much I enjoy US History. But even they do not know deep my patriotism goes. Patriotism isn't something that can be measured by how many flags you fly in your yard or how red white and blue you dress on national holidays. No, patriotism is something far greater than that.
I have always loved my country and felt grateful that God sent me to this blessed nation.  But there were two events in my life that instilled in my a humble pride for our nation, it's citizens and those in our armed forces who've lived and died to serve and protect it.

Turning Point  #1: I was 8 years old in a performing group called Young Harmony when our director, Shelly, pulled out a brand new piece of music, a song called, God Bless The USA.  I had never heard this song before in my life, but when Shelly pushed the 'Play' button and the opening chords of Lee Greenwood's beloved classic began to fill my ears, chills ran up and down my arms and an overwhelming warm feeling overtook my heart. I instantly loved this song. At the end of each and every performance we had that summer, the three separate groups that made up Young Harmony filled the stage and with religious fervor usually unaccustomed to youth our age, belted out the message that we were
                                                "Proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me
And I'll gladly stand up next to you
And defend Her still today
Cause there ain't no doubt, I love this land
God bless the USA."

To this day, God Bless The USA remains one of my favorite songs. Almost every time I hear it, it brings tears to my eyes. And one of the reasons for that it because of the increased meaning the song has for me because of Turning Point #2!

Turning Point #2 came with my 7th grade trip to Washington DC. What a trip! It started out as a mess because it was hot, humid and, to tell you the truth, our nation's capitol is very, verrrrrry dirty. No joke. Dirtiest city I have ever been to in my life. Yuck. But when we tweens started getting over that, the magic happened.

I had read and learned about the sacrifices made in American history, but never before had it been right before my very eyes.  There was such REMEMBRANCE in this place. President Spencer W. Kimball said "The most important word in the dictionary is remember," and everywhere you go in D.C. that's what you get. Places like The Washington, Lincoln, FDR and Vietnam and World War's I and II Memorials, and my personal favorite, Arlington National Cemetery.  It is those things that instilled in me a love and respect for my country and for those who've served it, some to the point of giving their own lives.  

I bowed my head at the tomb of the unknown soldier where my best friend presented a wreath at the Changing of the Guard Ceremony.

I touched the names of those who lost their lives or went missing in action at the Vietnam Memorial. 

I saw the crosses that sat row upon row in Arlington, each graced with a small American flag.

 I stared in awe at the statue of the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, portraying 6 soldiers raising Old Glory over Iwo Jima.

I tried as hard as I could to hold in the tears at Vietnam War Nurses Memorial, but I just lost it. I could feel that the ground on which I was walking was sacred; none more than in Arlington. And the blood that had been spilt and the hearts that had been broken deserved our reverence and deepest respect.

I spent 7 days in D.C. and there were so many more things I was able to see, visit and do. But aside from all the fun experiences was a most precious gift-the gift of humble pride and gratitude for my amazing country and the amazing individuals who live in, serve and protect it. A truly amazing gift indeed. God Bless America!

Pic taken from our Hawaii trip, U.S.S. Bowfin, Pearl Harbor, October 2011

What experiences shaped the way you feel about America? Please share your stories here! :)

All Creatures Great and Small

Today I took a trip to Hogle Zoo with my best friend, Sarah, and what a great time we had! From the giraffes, to the birds, to the elephants and the new polar bear (who was LOVING all the attention), it was fun all around.

We watched the Wild Bird show, which was awesome, especially when the birds-hawks, owls, doves, eagles, you name it- were released from cages and swooped down low over the audience. In the middle of trying to take pictures, we were startled by two parrots that swooped over our heads, lightly touching the tops of them.  See what I mean? Awesome! We kept asking each other, "How do they train them to do that?!?"

Such cute giraffes-one of my personal favorites!

Momma and Baby Elephant

As we walked through the zoo, we commented to each other how amazing these animals are, and how they were each given specific traits by The Master to fulfill even the most basic activities, like eating or swimming. For example, there is a vulture that doesn't have any feathers on it's head. Why? The bird trainer said that, like other vultures, it eats anything dead, and that can get pretty messy. The lack of feathers keeps them from getting in the way while they gorge down on their lovely road kill.

And otters, they have an oily underfur and flat head that help them glide smoothly and quickly through the water. This comes in handy when chasing food and when being chased themselves.

We can see the glory and beauty of God's creations, all great and small, in places like zoos, aviary's, the mountains or just in your own backyard. I love to wake up in the morning to the sound of birds chirping out my window or go to the mountains and catch a glimpse of a doe and her fawn. Even the insects are fascinating-yes, even the creepy, freaky ones.

Heavenly Father's hand is in everything and everyone. Just as with our warm and cold-blooded friends, He made each and every one of us and gave us traits, strengths and qualities He knew we would need to survive and grow in this life and the life to come. The works of His hands are everywhere, and sometimes we just need to look out our window and see them.

Sarah and I after our fantastic adventure!