This Easter Season

Happy Easter! 

This Easter has been more special to me than ever before. I am so grateful for this time to reflect on the wonderful message of Easter. 

We celebrate Easter because Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead and he lives for us! He is truly the Son of God and rose from the tomb that first Easter morning. We can receive peace from the simple pronouncement in Matthew 28:6, “He is not here, but is risen.” It was the first confirmation of the Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Through His Atoning sacrifice and Resurrection, we will all live again.

John 11:25-26

"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."

I have been able to find great assurance and encouragement in the knowledge we have of the Resurrection. The assurance of the Resurrection gives us the strength and perspective to endure the mortal challenges faced by each of us. It can also be a powerful influence to keep the commandments of God during our mortal lives. The assurance that the resurrection will include an opportunity to be with our family members. My testimony has been strengthened by knowing this truth. The truth of the Resurrection can take the hurt and loss of a loved one and be replaced by the anticipation of joyful reunions with loved ones.The knowledge of the Resurrection gives me the strength to carry on. Our mortal separations are only temporary. If we do our very best to obey and do better in this life, we will see our loved ones again.

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He is Risen!

Resurrection

A Night at the Symphony

Things I learned at the Symphony:

1. 160+ trombones is EXTREMELY loud.

2. It is possible to have a very LARGE hammer in a piece of music. (Of course in a John Mackey piece)

3. It's fun to watch a conductor.

4. John Mackey is in the top 5 coolest people I've met. He's awesome.

5. I really miss playing the French Horn and performing.

6. Everyone should experience the DWS, at least once.

7. The organ is a pretty awesome instrument.

8. Backstage of the Meyerson is pretty sweeeeet!

I had the awesome opportunity to go see the Dallas Wind Symphony this week. I played the French Horn for 7 years and my private lesson teachers play in the Symphony. They pulled these awesome tickets for me and my two friends I played French Horn with in high school! It was so fun to get all dressed up and head to the Symphony! The performance was amazing! A piece was played composed by John Mackey. When I was a Junior in high school, we premiered his piece "Xerxes" and he visited us during that time. It was so fun to remind him of that and to get another picture with him! Our night was filled with lots of trombones and a piece of music highlighting the organ. The word awesome sums it all up! I know not everyone enjoys some classical pieces of music. But I have grown to really appreciate it! And I have the countless number of rehearsals, lessons, and performances to thank for that!

Ahhhhh!

John Mackey!

Master of the Sea

My Dad loved to fish. I have some awesome memories of fishing with him and some of him begging us to go out fishing with him when we were older. This is one of our favorite pictures of my Dad, Sister and me. I really remember this camping trip because my Dad caught a Lilly-pad for me! He always sat on his tackle box too while fishing. A couple of years later we got him a pretty sweet fishing hat. I know he's still fishing!

I've finished life's chores assigned to me

So put me on a boat headed out to sea

Please send along my fishing pole

For I've been invited to the fishin' hole 

Where every day is a day to fish

To fill your heart with every wish

Don't  worry or feel sad for me 

I'm fishin' with the Master of the Sea

We will miss each other for awhile

But you will come and bring your smile

That won't be long you will see

Till we're together you and me 

To all of those that think of me

Be happy as I go out to sea

If others wonder why I'm missin'

Just tell em' I've gone fishin'

Love you Dad.

(Thank you to my cousin Christi and her family for the poem.) 

Tender Mercies

God is truly in the detail of our lives. I’m so grateful for his tender mercies.  I was blessed with guidance to come home for a break from college. 

Toward the end of the Fall 2012 semester I was faced with the decision to continue living in Rexburg, Idaho where I had been for the past 9 months, or to come home to good ol' Texas. I looked at the pros and cons of both my choices. I had a great job in Rexburg (medical receptionist) and I felt like a good chunk of my life was there. I considered taking a few online classes if I stayed... but I literally had no more classes to take because I'd finished up my associates degree. So the idea of just working and having fun with friends the entire semester sounded amazinggggg. 

As for moving home, I could live and eat for free and save some money! (huge +) 

It seemed like it was supposed to be an easy choice and I was supposed to do what I wanted. I wanted to stay. WHAT would I even do in Texas? The possibilities of things in Rexburg were endless. But this seemed like a bigger and more important decision than the way I was treating it. It was something that required prayer. I knew that I had to pray about it. Soon after that I found out that I had a secure job waiting for me in Texas when I was home. I would be making a good amount of money working at a day-care and running a book club with first and second graders. I received my answer very clear that my right decision was to take that job and go home. 

I still fought it though. Even though I was going home, I was super sad to leave. I could change my mind at the last minute, get an apartment contract and take my stuff out of storage just like that! I struggled to understand the reason I was supposed to come home. I knew it was where I was meant to be. But why?

I realized it’s not always what we want, but what the Lord wants us to do because it’s what is best at the time and he knows this. I've learned that sometimes we must learn to put our desires on hold and be submitting to the timing of the Lord. We have to accept changes in our plans. AND be patient with this. It is all a part of His great plan. 

I am so very grateful that I listened to that prompting and decided to come home. I had no way of knowing that I NEEDED to be home. That I would have to be here with my family or only have 5 more weeks to enjoy with my Dad.