New Year

I looked at the date of the last blog and was astounded!! Could I really have delayed such an update until now!?! I must have but no fear readers! Hopefully this year I can find a pattern to keep the updates coming.

As this is the new year, I won't spend time dwelling on the past. I have another chance at life, another year to make my own, another blessing from Christ. I intended to use it just as I mentioned. This year is too important to waste. Big decisions are coming, big opportunities, big experiences. Time is flying by and I must savor each moment. As to what's to come....few things are certain ,most are unknown but that's the adventure in it. I hope as this new year begins to unfold you will join me in running into the unknown with a brave heart and a smile.

“Another fresh new year is here . . .

Another year to live!

To banish worry, doubt, and fear,

To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me

To live each day with zest . . .

To daily grow and try to be

My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity

Once more to right some wrongs,

To pray for peace, to plant a tree,

And sing more joyful songs!” ~ William Arthur Ward


“We will open the book.

Its pages are blank.

We are going to put words on them ourselves.

The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.” ~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce

-Taz

Summer

Ahh another summer come and gone. Filled with tears, facing fears, training, laughter, friends, summer school, camps, a crush, and new memories. It seems like it just wasn't long enough, yet most wonderful things give us that illusion. Yet I've been given the chance at making new memories, I've got another year in school. School brings the fall which means apple cider, hayrides, changing leaves, football, volleyball, and Superbowl parties. Just thinking about it makes me excited!! Anyway I'll leave you with these quotes that summarize my summer as it closes.....

Honesty is the only way with anyone, when you'll be so close as to be living inside each other's skins. ~ Lois McMaster Bujold,

To be brave is to love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. To just give. That takes courage, because we don't want to fall on our faces or leave ourselves open to hurt. ~ Madonna

-Taz

Why Must You Tease Me?

SUMMER!!! About a week away and time can't make up its mind. When teachers assign two dozen homework assignments time flits around me, testing my patience with the nonsense tasks I have to accomplish, then dashes away when important activities come up. But when I have days like today when the things I have to do are easy; time slowly slouches by making me want to do something, taunting me to do something. To act as though it's summer and go hang out with friends, to blow off studying and ride my bike to a park far away. To enjoy nature, go camping, or just relax with my friends are becoming ever so tempting. I can make it, I have the strength. I will force myself to go this next week. Hopefully time will flash by allowing me to keep my sanity through this next week of finals. Oh please time, race around me, drag me to the finish line, let summer greet me with sun showers and pool weather. I am ready to race to the next season.

"Don’t count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count.”

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.”~ Harvey MacKay

-Taz

Optimism

In Proverbs 17: 22 it states that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Right now in our life things may seem devastating, our economy failing, but a friend reminded me over texting that the only thing we can do is be optimistic. I have friends who are there to listen, a loving family, a home to shelter me from the ever varying weather we have, and the love of the Lord. The gospel in our lives is the blanket of comfort each of us must use. John 16: 33 declares, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Everything that goes on in our life will mold us to become what we need to become. Throughout this week I kept being reminded of this. Everything we go through is being capable of being conquered. Christ went through what we are going through and SOOOOOOOOOOO much more! He can comfort you. It is when I am on bended knees I feel his spirit comforting me. In Moroni 8: 26 it talks about our attitude. Moroni explains that “ because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.” To lift our hearts in heavy times you must notice all the Lord has given you, great and small. It is the only way is to keep that eternal perspective of optimism. I was challenged to do so and now I am passing the challenge on. Smile and look around with open eyes and truly see what our Father in Heaven gives us.

I have a couple quotes littering my room here are a couple:

You become the tallest when you are on bended knees.

“Excellence is Not a destination; it’s a continuous journey that never ends”~ Brain Tracy

“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end”~Ursula K. LeGuin

-Taz

Just Hangin'

As spring break draws nearer and taunts me with every way possible, I have to keep some form of fun in both school and real life. Thankfully fun doesn't have to be extravagant. I'm learning more and more that the most fun I have is doing simple things with people that I care about and care about me. We can be doing anything or nothing and it will become my favorite night of the week. I always come home with funny stories, new inside jokes, and a drive to become a better person. I haven't appreciated the simple things and feels as happy as I am since I was a child. Even though I have the most responsibilities I've ever had, busier than ever, and school is one of the biggest time-snatchers in years I am content. I am finding peace in all the simple steps in becoming closer to Christ. Studying my scriptures, praying with an open heart, and going to church are bringing me joy and peace. I am so thankful for all I have and all that was given to me. Thank you for those who have read my blog and kept with me during my pouting time. I am thankful for all who are there for me and are an example for me. I do notice, I promise. Thank you!!

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.”

-Taz

Party People Jump

When a depressing holiday comes your way what do you do? Party with party people!! Who are the best people to party with? Friends, Church Friends!! After finding year after year Valentine's Day stinks , this year I left the normal ways and joined friends to forget the day and have fun. Of course with my luck I learned how clumsy I really am. I epically failed a couple times that night and almost sent myself to the hospital. Luckily I still had quick reflexes that saved me. Apparently I am becoming the new version of Goofy. Let's just say it involved a trampoline and the ground. I sure hope that people think it's cute!! Otherwise it's just plain embarrassing. Well at least I make people laugh when it happens. I love seeing them laugh. It brightens my day just to see others around me, friends and family laugh. As the scriptures say in Proverbs 17 : 22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. " Laughter around me for the last couple days has made me almost clumsy with happiness. That might be a reason for the sudden clumsy-ness. Whatever the reason doing random things and hanging out with people who lift me up and want to become more like Christ more have made me more happy than I was in the last couple months. Maybe a depressing holiday turned around might be just what I needed. Laughter and a Mormon Party can make any girls' weekend!!

We cannot really love anybody with whom we never laugh. --Agnes Repplier

Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on. --Bob Newhart

-Taz

Smile

I dragged myself on my knees through this week. I was dragging my spirits through the mud of sickness and stones of everything that is happening this week. I piled on the events to test myself if I can do it all. I was a little kid at a buffet loading their plate with more food than they can handle. But as soon as I stepped away from loading the plate I was punched in my stomach. I got a cold Sunday night all the way to Tuesday, then Wednesday I was given the 24 hour flu so it wasn't until Thursday morning I could move more than a jog. So through everything I had going on, the illness pulled me to want to quit but I kept pushing, kept moving inch by inch. Then as a blessing I received letters that lifted me up and friends that let me forget everything that was around me.The busy-ness melted away and the excitement, joy, and friendship shined through. The whole way friends supported me and let me crash while hanging out with them. I was reminded that my struggles are nothing NOTHING compared to friends of mine and those around me. So right now I'm sucking it up. I did suck it up!! Life is moving forward and now that I am better let me try and race after it. I won't let it pass me by. There are too many things that are good to let the bad stare me in the face. As one of my friends said you have to have savor the sour to truly enjoy the sweet.

Always remember to be happy because you never know who's falling in love with your smile. ~Unknown

-Taz

P.S. Happy Valentine's Day/S.A.D (Single Awareness Day)