I Really Lived!

The Healer - Broken Things to Mend

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 00:28:00 +0000

I've been thinking a lot recently about Jesus and His ability to heal. When He was on earth He invited people to come to Him and He healed them. He healed them from sickness, pain, blindness, disease and other physical ailments. But He also healed so many broken hearts and minds that were sick and souls that were lost. Those days that He spent healing others must have been exhausting. He didn't just snap His fingers and heal the entire crowd all at once, but instead, He took them one by one, and ministered to each person and took the time to let them know the He saw them and He knew them and He loved them.

In my own life I've turned to Christ at times when I needed healing. I remember in some of my saddest, and most painful, moments I've dropped to my knees and asked Christ for help. I've come to know that He is the source of healing, especially when it comes to heartbreak, sadness, despair and other things that are taking place within ourselves, where no one else can see. The healing doesn't always come quickly, but I've learned time and time again, that the healing does come. And He sits with me through it all and I find comfort in knowing that He is there.

I've become a huge fan of the new series called The Chosen. It's all about Christ and His ministry here on earth and it's so good. It's helped me to grow so much closer to Jesus and to learn more about Him and His teachings. One of my favorite parts so far is when He heals Mary Magdalen. She had pretty much given up all hope and her mind was troubled and her heart was broken. Her life was sad and dark and lonely. And in an instant Christ came to her and healed her and completely changed her life. Her past didn't matter. She had been made whole and her life had meaning. It's so amazing to think that Christ has that power and that ability to heal and make us whole.

Here is the scene from The Chosen where Mary is healed:

Here is a blog post I wrote in 2009 all about this topic. It's one that is on my mind a lot and I am so thankful for the times in my life when Jesus has mended my broken heart.

BROKEN THINGS TO MEND

"So last night I was hanging out with some friends and I went to my room to grab my phone. I happened to drop my phone (which isn't an unusual occurrence) and when I picked it up I looked at the screen and I thought, "Oops! I did it again!" I was so mad! Another phone broken!!! I think in the past year I've been through 4 or 5 different phones. My wonderful friends tried to console me and I put up my best front as I mourned the loss of yet another beloved cell phone. We had a good laugh as we spoke of my other cell phones, like the flip phone that was held together only by a wire, and another phone that had a screen that turned black. Then a friend mentioned my camera with the broken screen and I thought about how so many things in my life have broken. So what do I do when things in my life break? Well, when my cell phones break I either buy a new one or inherit an old one from a friend. When my camera broke I learned to keep using it despite the broken screen. I just can't see the display of the pictures I am taking. So, whenever I use my camera, I am reminded of its brokenness. Whenever my car broke down I took it into a mechanic to get it fixed and then when it could not longer benefit from fixing, I got rid of it.

When I went to bed last night, I kept thinking of these broken things. Then I thought about broken hearts and hopes and dreams. Where do we go to "fix" those broken things? My thoughts turned to a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland called, "Broken Things To Mend." I pulled it up online and read it, searching for an answer. When we suffer from a broken heart where do we go to get it fixed? Do we take it in to be fixed and pick it up a few days later? Do we buy a new one? Or do we just let it stay broken and have a constant reminder of the pain that caused it? The answer, of course, is quite simple. Who mends our broken hearts? The answer is:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

When we have a broken heart that needs fixing, we take it to the Savior and He can fix it and heal the pain. He is the only One that knows how to heal us and make us whole again. Elder Holland said that during His mortal ministry the Savior was saying to us, “Trust me, learn of me, do what I do. Then, when you walk where I am going,” He says, “we can talk about where you are going, and the problems you face and the troubles you have. If you will follow me, I will lead you out of darkness,” He promises. “I will give you answers to your prayers. I will give you rest to your souls.”

We do not have to pay money for the healing and we do not have to live with the pain. All we have to do is come unto Christ. He has felt ALL of our broken hearts. Can you imagine? What a painful and horrifying experience, but He did it for a purpose. He suffered so that we don't have to. What an amazing blessing to know that when we are broken, we can be mended! All we need to do is take our broken hearts to Christ and He will mend them and make them whole once again.

In Nazareth, the narrow road,
That tires the feet and steals the breath,
Passes the place where once abode
The Carpenter of Nazareth.

And up and down the dusty way
The village folk would often wend;
And on the bench, beside Him, lay
Their broken things for Him to mend.

The maiden with the doll she broke,
The woman with the broken chair,
The man with broken plough, or yoke,
Said, “Can you mend it, Carpenter?”

And each received the thing he sought,
In yoke, or plough, or chair, or doll;
The broken thing which each had brought
Returned again a perfect whole.

So, up the hill the long years through,
With heavy step and wistful eye,
The burdened souls their way pursue,
Uttering each the plaintive cry:

“O Carpenter of Nazareth,
This heart, that’s broken past repair,
This life, that’s shattered nigh to death,
Oh, can You mend them, Carpenter?”

And by His kind and ready hand,
His own sweet life is woven through
Our broken lives, until they stand
A New Creation—“all things new.”

“The shattered [substance] of [the] heart,
Desire, ambition, hope, and faith,
Mould Thou into the perfect part,
O, Carpenter of Nazareth!”
-George Blair

I am grateful for my broken phones and broken cameras and broken cars. They remind me that I am truly blessed. I am grateful for the broken hearts and hopes and dreams. They remind me that I have a Savior who heals me and makes me whole."

Jesus Christ: Creator

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 00:52:00 +0000

I'm not sure about you, but I'm a sucker for an amazing sunset. The other night I was walking past the front door and caught a glimpse of the sunset outside and had to do a double take. The sky was on fire and it was beautiful! The same thing just happened tonight. I glanced out the window and saw some pink and purple painted across the sky. I like to think of sunsets as God taking His paintbrush and giving us something beautiful to remind us that He's here and that He loves us.

As I looked at the sunset tonight one of my favorite name's for Jesus came to mind: Creator. I can only imagine how sacred, and also how fun, it was for Christ during the creation, to watch as the earth was formed and to find joy in adding a beautiful mountain range here and an incredible waterfall there and wide open spaces with green rolling hills and the sandy beaches full of sea shells and crashing waves. Sometime I even imagine that He asked us to help Him and maybe we each got to add a couple of brushstrokes to this planet we call home.

I love this scripture: Colossians 1:16: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Jesus is a creator and He created us in His image. So if we were created to be like Him, then we are also here to create. What a huge blessing it is to create. To make something that has never existed before. And I also love that there are so many different ways to be creative. Some people are amazing at creating beautiful pieces of art, others create music that touches the soul, some create beautiful homes that are sanctuaries to those that enter, some create beautiful babies and beautiful families and beautiful traditions that go on for generations. Some create delicious meals for those that are hungry and some create long-lasting friendships that last forever.

There are times in my life when I get a little stir crazy or feel a little disconnected and it usually comes down to realizing that I haven't been doing anything creative. I do believe that we also have an innate desire to create, just like our Savior did. We get to create beautiful, messy, exciting, chaotic and happy lives. Our lives are a canvas and Jesus has taught us to create of our lives a masterpiece. It won't be perfect, but it is our own work, created through our own blood, sweat and tears. And when we die we get to present that masterpiece to our Father in Heaven, and Jesus will be there, adding His grace and His mercy and filling in the cracks and sewing up the tears and turning each mistake into a beautiful stroke of paint that completes our masterpiece and He helps us see the beauty in the life we lived on earth and the life we get to continue to create after we go home to heaven.

The sun has now set, there is a bird sharing his beautiful song outside my window and the Creator of all things, both in heaven and on earth, is anxiously awaiting to see what I create next. I better get to work.

PS: this video below is one that I've loved for many years. Enjoy!

Christlike Attribute: Patience

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 20:05:00 +0000

As I've been thinking about different names of Christ, and different Christlike attributes, that I want to study this year, the one word the keeps coming to mind is patience. I probably keep thinking about it because it's a Christlike attribute that I would really like to improve in myself. Patience is hard. I'm the type of person that wants things done and I want them done NOW. I have a hard time setting long-term goals because I want to see the results right away. When a trial comes my way I just want to get through is as quickly as possible, with the least amount of pain or struggle as possible, and sometimes focus so hard on getting through it that I don't take time to consider what it is the Lord is trying to teach me.

Today my mind has been thinking a lot about my Savior Jesus Christ. Usually the word patience doesn't come to mind when I think of Christ. So I asked myself, "Did Jesus practice patience? If so, how did He practice patience?" I just went back to the dictionary and the word patience is defined as: the quality of being patient, as bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.

Did people try to provoke Christ? YES. During His earthly life I'm sure getting provoked by others was nearly a daily occurrence, especially once He started his ministry.

Did people annoy Christ? YES. I am sure He experienced so many things that annoyed Him. Not just with those who didn't want to hear what He had to say, but even I'm sure His own disciples were annoying at times.

Did Christ experience misfortune? YES. He was born in a stable. He was ridiculed and surrounded by people that hated Him and wanted Him dead. He was beaten and crucified.

Did He suffer pain? YES. He suffered more pain than I can ever imagine. I burnt a small part of my hand this morning when I was curling my hair and it hurt. The burn has been stinging all day. Christ suffered such pain that blood seeped out of every pore of His body. My brain doesn't even know how to comprehend that amount of pain.

Did He do it without complaint? YES. He loved those that provoked Him and annoyed Him. To those that were willing, He sat down with them, met them where they were, and ministered to them and loved them. He didn't pray and say, "Heavenly Father these people are too mean and too annoying and I just don't think I can deal with them anymore." Instead He said, "Come unto me and I will give you rest. I will help you carry your burdens and make your life more peaceful." And He continues to invite and to include everyone that will listen to Him.

Did He do it without losing His temper? YES. There were so many times when it would have been so easy to lose His temper, but instead, He pressed forward with love and with patience. During His trial and His crucifixion it could have been so easy to lose His temper and to scream and yell and get angry at those that were hurting Him. But instead, He bore it all with patience and in the end He even prayed that God would forgive those that were killing Him.

Did He get irritated with people? NO. I'll be the first to admit that I get irritated with people. Don't get me wrong. I love people! But sometimes I just get irritated. Someone doesn't do what they told me they would do. Someone isn't really listening to me when I'm talking to them. There are so many things. I grew up with five brothers, I know how it feels to be irritated. But Jesus looked past the small and petty things and saw the worth of each soul. He knew the desires of their hearts and the hurts and pains that they carried. He loved them too much to get irritated with them.

So what does all of this mean for me? How does it teach me to have more patience in my life? It means that Christ knew that Heavenly Father had a plan for His life and He trusted that plan, even when it was really hard to do so. He knew that after the struggle would come so much joy. He knew the only way to help each one of us, including me, was so suffer what He had to suffer through.

I know that God has a plan for my life too. And I know the finish line will be glorious, better than any of the best days I've ever lived here on earth. It's all of this in between stuff that takes patience. I wish I could skip the in between and find eternal joy and happiness without having to go through any of the struggle, without having disappointments, heartache and failures.

Jesus taught us that it's the in between that matters most. What He endured from the time He was born, until the day that He died, is what prepared Him and made it possible for Him to rise from the dead on that third day and make it possible for me, and for you, to live again with our Father in Heaven, with our Savior Jesus Christ, and with the people in our lives that we love so much. He patiently endured that "in between" and I know that I can too.

This morning during my own personal scripture study I came across this verse in James 5:11, "Behold, we count them happy which endure." I want to be counted as one of the happy ones. That happiness comes from Jesus Christ. From learning from His example the worth of every soul I meet. And along the way learning the worth of my own soul. He knows my heart, He loves my spirit and He is so incredibly patient with me. Count me happy.

*painting by Greg Olsen

He is my Redeemer

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 22:08:00 +0000

Every Sunday for the next year I will be studying a name, or attribute, of Jesus Christ and writing my thoughts here. I have really been wanting to get to know Jesus better and I am looking forward to finding Him as I study these things and seek after Him.

A name of Jesus Christ that I have always loved is Redeemer. He is my Redeemer.

In the dictionary it says that the definition of redeemer is a person who redeems. So what does it mean to redeem? To redeem means to free from what distresses or harms. When I think about that I think about how Jesus can, and will, save me from all those things that can harm me. He makes good all that is wrong. He releases from debt and blame. He helps to overcome. He frees from captivity. He frees from the consequence of sin. He changes us for the better. He makes us worthwhile.

Jesus Christ makes me worthwhile. He saves me, and will always save me, from distress, harm, sin, sadness, captivity, loneliness and heartache. I am worthwhile because of Jesus Christ and no one has the power to take my worth away. It is already there, and always will be. Because of Him.

"His act of redemption was accomplished out of His love for us and in large measure out of His understanding of what we are and what we face. Though He was always God, mortality fully touched Him. Therefore, He understood our strivings and failures; He knew us, because He became one with us. But in condescending to be like us, He is now able to lift us to become like Him (see 3 Ne. 27:14–22)." -Richard D. Draper

He loves me because He knows me. He knows my heart and the desires I hold so deep within it. I think it's because He knows my heart so well that He is so willing to redeem me. He knows I am worth saving. He knows we are all worth saving. I think if we all saw the deep desires of each other's hearts, and the hopes and fears and tender feelings we hold deep inside, we'd all do anything we could to help each other, love each other and treat each other with such gentle kindness, just like our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

My List of 40 Things To Do Before I Turn 40

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 12:48:00 +0000

Ten years ago I set a goal of 30 things I wanted to do before I turned 30. It was a fun list, and a busy year, and I was able to do most of the things on my list. As I've been thinking about my birthday coming up in tomorrow, I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do this year. I'm turning 39 years old tomorrow, which means I am one year away from the big 40! So I've decided to make a list of 40 things I want to accomplish before I turn 40. It's a big list, and it's going to take a lot of work, but I'm really excited to work on these goals and see what this next year brings. I'll journal my experiences here. If you want to join me on any of these goals, please let me know!

1. Break a Bad Habit

2. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon

3. Go on a 40 Day Spending Freeze

4. Read 40 Books

5. Hike 40 miles on the Appalachian Trail

6. Go 40 days straight without watching television

7. Visit any states that I haven't been to: North Dakota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Connecticut

8. Complete the following workout series from Beachbody: Barre Blend, P90X and #mbf

9. Write a personal statement and display it where I can see it each day

10. Run/walk/hike 40 miles in one day

11. Bake an amazing cheesecake

12. Watch 40 movies that I haven't seen

13. Build a shelter/cabin using trees in my backyard

14. Buy a piece of art that I'm proud to display

15. Plan and follow through on 40 secret acts of service

16. Do something scary in my work life - something that stretches me.

17, Reach my goal of donating $1 Million to Charity

18. Fit into my Gold Pleather Wranglers

19. Lose 40 pounds and be in the best shape of my life

20. Go on a 40 day social media fast

21. Try 40 new recipes

22. Hike 40 different hikes

23. Learn to build a fire from scratch

24. Learn to juggle

25. Go on a 40 day fast from sugar, bread and meat

26. Plan my 40th Birthday TRIP!

27. Put 40% of each paycheck towards savings/retirement

28. Ride in a helicopter

29. Complete a triathlon or marathon

30. Study and share a thought each Sunday about an attribute of Jesus Christ

31. Go 40 days straight of spending 40 minutes a day studying the Gospel of Jesus Christ

32. Try paddle boarding

33. Write a handwritten note to 40 people that have made a difference in my life.

34. Have my WILL written

35. Take classes to learn about becoming a foster parent/adoption

36. Put together a Webb Family History book

37. Learn to get Rip properly trained and perhaps get another dog

38. Build a piece of furniture out of wood

39. See the Northern Lights

40. Try mountain biking for the first time

I'm Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 00:54:00 +0000

Hey world! It's been way too long since I've written on my blog. I've missed it. It always seem the case that when you get out of the habit, it's always so hard to get back into it. Now and then I think about jumping back on here and writing a new post, but then I let the thought leave my brain as quickly as it arrived.

Next week I turn 39 years old. How in the heck did I get so old? I still feel like I'm in my twenties and I still feel like I have so much to learn about life. But I also feel like so much life has happened in the nearly seven years since I last posted on this blog. My brain, and my heart, are full of words to share and thoughts that need to be sent out here to cyber space where maybe they will find the one or two humans that are needing to hear them.

I'm taking this new commitment to keeping up my blog in baby steps. Sometime soon I'll jump right in and get writing again. But for now, I just want to say hi. I'm here. I've missed you.

Day 21: Giant Chicken Car!

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 02:13:00 +0000

Day 18: Getting Caught Up On an Early Morning Drive

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 21:16:00 +0000

So I filmed this while I was driving around 4:45am this morning! The battery on my video camera runs out before I'm able to finish! I've got to remember to charge it tonight! Life is good on the road!

Days 11 thru 13: Time and miles are flying by!

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 13:54:00 +0000

Day Ten: Old Bridges in Ohio

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 00:47:00 +0000

Day 9: Working out in front of a bar

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 07:47:00 +0000

Days 6 & 7: Reflecting on Flight 93 and 9/11

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 07 Sep 2014 19:25:00 +0000

We ended day six and began day seven near the site where Flight 93 crashed on September 11. It's a very special place and I feel really blessed to have had the chance to visit and honor those that lost their lives that day.

Day Five: Heat & Hills Makes One Tired

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 01:28:00 +0000

Good night peeps! I'm off to bed! Here's a small recap of today!

Day Four: The beautiful countryside of Pennsylvania

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 02:43:00 +0000

Our route this morning was beautiful! The rolling hills of Pennsylvania with the rising sun is breathtaking. Another great day for Perry and another 57 miles in the books!

Here is a link to a news piece on Perry that is amazing! Check out Perry's Story!

Day Three: ROAD TRIP AMERICA

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 13:53:00 +0000

Okay! So day three was awesome! Perry ran about 55 miles and it was very hilly country. While I was filming this I was parked next to a farm in the middle of nowhere. I think it belonged to some Mennonites(?) and they kept coming out and looking at me. Anyway, I had nowhere else to pull off the road to wait for Perry at that point. Their farm was gorgeous and Perry said hello to them as he ran in but they just went into their house. They must not get very many people around those parts. Along our journey yesterday I took a little detour to a magical place and you all need to go visit it! It's called ROADSIDE AMERICA, I talk about it in my video below.

Here's a couple of photos I snagged while I was in there:

Day 2: Why I Am Driving Across the USA

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 02:44:00 +0000

Day two is in the books! Don't mind that I am not wearing makeup and I look a bit tired, but oh well. A little sleep deprivation is worth it for 46 days!

Angie's Ramblings Across America

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 02:52:00 +0000

So today I spent 13 hours in the car. Tomorrow I will be doing the same. And for the next 44 days after that! For those of you that don't know, I am the driver and support crew for Perry Newburn as he attempts to break the world record for running across the USA in the shortest amount of time. We started today in New York City and plan to be in Los Angeles in 46 days!

I've decided that to help pass the time, I'm going to keep a sort of video journal of my journey. Perry's journey is also being documented and it's downright INCREDIBLE, but here on my own little blog I'm going to post what this journey means to me: what I learn, what I experience and perhaps a bit of what I feel along the way, or it might just be a bunch of nonsense ramblings. We'll see how it goes. This morning at woke up at 3:45am and now its almost 11:00pm and we've got an early start again tomorrow morning. So I'm going to bed! Enjoy today's video!

My Trip to Ireland, England and Scotland. AMAZING!

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 02:47:00 +0000

I put this video together when I got back from my trip to Ireland and the UK in May and June. It was such an incredible experience and I was so grateful I got to visit with dear friends (and even some new friends) and explore such beautiful places. Honestly, the whole entire trip was great and each day I walked around feeling like the luckiest girl on earth! Here's a small part of my journey. Enjoy!

Shining the Light in Dark Places

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 02:59:00 +0000

Today is a day I never want to experience again. I realized something today that has completely upset me. I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life. The last few months have been terrible and I keep on packing on the pounds. The crappy thing is that those pounds are sneaky little buggers and I didn't realize how many had began to invade this body of mine.

Yesterday I got back from a twelve day road trip with my sister and her family. It was a great trip and we visited so many amazing places. I was on vacation. I ate like I was on vacation. I sat a lot in the car. I didn't work out as much as I could of. We did do a lot of walking through New York City and Washington D.C., but that was about the extent of my exercise.

This afternoon I went out for a run. My back and my neck have really been bothering me lately and I finally figured it out. I'm out of shape, I'm carrying a lot of extra weight and my body is starting to pay the price. My run today was AWFUL! I warmed up by walking a mile and then I told myself that I had to run one full mile before I could walk again. It should be easy for me, but it wasn't. Its never been so hard and I wanted to quit. My whole body was in pain and my left leg was killing me. I forced myself to finish that mile and then I started walking again. My legs continued to throb and all I wanted to do was cry.

A few hours later my nephew asked me to go outside and play some basketball. At first I wanted to say no and to continue working on a few things on my computer. But then I realized two things: First, this was a great opportunity to do some bonding with my twelve year old nephew and two, its extra exercise that I know I could use. We started playing and once again I wanted to cry. My back hurt, I was huffing and puffing, and I was so weak. Basketball is a game that I love with all my heart and I haven't played in months and as I played tonight I realized how much I miss it. I also realized that if I were to go out and play in a real game of basketball right now I honestly wouldn't last more than two minutes. So frustrating!

If you read my previous posts you see that I've been fighting demons lately. At the back of my mind I know what I want to do and what I need to do. But I keep letting it fester at the back of my mind rather than letting it come forward, rather than letting the demons out and replacing their dark caves with light.

I had no idea the effect that food can have on a person, especially on me. Bad food totally affects my mood and zaps away all of my energy. I love to workout and I love to run and when I combine those with healthy eating I feel like I'm at the top of my game and that nothing can stop me. But even if I'm working out and I'm eating the bad stuff (sugar, processed foods, fast food) I start to lose the energy and my desire to work out goes away.

My body hurts. My heart hurts. And I'm tired of feeling like crap. My belly is getting huge. My clothes are getting tighter and tighter. I'm getting very uncomfortable in my own skin and I HATE IT!

Because I do tend to be an optimistic person, I will point out the positive in my day. I started using My Fitness Pal again and I stayed within my calorie limit. I did run one mile today (and walked three)! I played basketball with my nephew and even beat him in a game of one on one (I do have a one foot height advantage). I found my will power again (I hadn't realized it was lost until today). I've decided that I am in control. My body is a gift from God and it is the house of my spirit. I want to give my spirit a better home.

I was reminded of something incredibly important when it comes to fighting off our demons: LIGHT will ALWAYS get rid of the dark. Our demons hide out in the dark places of our minds and our hearts and when we find those places and shine the LIGHT on them, the demons will vanish away. They do not have a choice. LIGHT will ALWAYS win. I have the LIGHT within me and now is the time to SHINE THE LIGHT.

2014 New Year's Resolutions...here we go

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 05:50:00 +0000

I really did put a lot of thought into what I want to focus on this year. I must say that 2013 was a good year, but it was also really tough. I'm kind of glad to see it go. I'll take what I've learned, cherish the memories I've made with people I love and move forward into 2014. I feel like 2014 is going to be my year! Good things are coming and I'm ready. I'll be writing a bit about these resolutions I've listed above. I've missed writing and I'm glad to be back.

Happy 2014 Everyone!

The Ultimate Connector

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:38:00 +0000

I love to connect with people. In fact, I had an old boss that told me that I should be called "the Connector" because I was so good at connecting with people and helping them to connect with other people or with resources that they needed. It wasn't until she said that that I realized that this is perhaps a gift I've been given. I'm not sure where it comes from, or even how I developed it, but it's a huge part of who I am.

Whenever I first meet someone new I find myself trying to figure out, "Who is this person? How can I best help them with what they are wanting to accomplish? Who would be a good person to set them up with on a date? Who do I know that would be a great friend for this person? Who do I know that could help this person find a good job?" I pay attention to what people say, what they need, what they want and what they hope to do. My brain turns into overdrive and suddenly a networking of people from throughout my life filter through my mind.

This deep desire in my heart to connect with people has been a driving force in my life. When I'm on top of my game, and focused on what's most important in life, I find myself looking at the people around me and thinking, "This person is a child of God. He has been placed in my life for a reason, and because we are both children of God, that connects us together. What can I learn from this person? How can I help them? For what purpose has God placed them in my life?"

I feel like my "CONNECTING POWERS" have been turned off, or at least turned down, for the past few months. I've had terrible writer's block. I love to write and to blog and to connect with people through writing, but I have been unable to write. Each time I've sat down to write my mind, and my heart, go blank and there is nothing. Even when I sit down to write in my own personal journal, I have found myself unable to connect my thoughts to paper. In my own conversations with people, whether in person, through text, or even through Facebook, I have also felt the absence of connection. I have even found it difficult to connect with my heart, my spirit.

I'll be honest. This lack of connection has been driving me crazy! Seriously.

The past few days I've done some soul searching. I've been searching to know what it is that locks up or holds back my desire to connect or my ability to connect. An answer has come in several forms. One is this quote from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: "If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.” I've been so caught up in the business of life and the stresses the accompany it, that my focus has been lost on what matters most.

The question is, what does matter most? For me, the answer is simple. My relationship with God matters most to me. And as I sit and write this, a connection has been made in my mind. When I am connected to God, and I mean truly connected, then my ability to connect with others is greatly enhanced. God is the ultimate connector. The source of my ability to connect comes from the incredible amount of love and compassion I feel when my heart is truly connected with God. Being connected with the Ultimate Connector opens my eyes and my mind and my heart; and my desire, my gift, to connect with those around me is brought back at full force and I can move forward, being the person I am truly meant to be.

A verse from one of my favorite hymns says:

"Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above. "

Now it's time to 'refocus on what matters most' and re-connect with the Ultimate Connector. I am prone to wander, but my heart belongs to God.

The next time I find myself unable to connect, hopefully I'll realize a little bit quicker that all I have to do is re-focus, re-commit, and re-connect with my Father in Heaven. Then I can move on doing what I love most: CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE....including YOU!

I Saw a Kindness Angel

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 04:15:00 +0000

Yesterday I witnessed something extraordinary. It was one of those simple, unplanned moments that touched my heart. Let me tell you what happened. I was at work. Currently I help manage a small distribution center at the Dallas LDS Temple. It was an incredibly busy day and it seemed that we had an endless flow of customers coming in and there were only two of us working. So needless to say I was helping one customer after the next, doing my best to give good customer service, but also to do it quickly so that we could get everyone served in a timely fashion.

Anyway, I was helping one woman and I had just swiped her credit card and handed it back to her. I couldn't really tell you much about this woman. She was very kind and quiet and honestly, if I had to pick her out of a crowd I don't think I could. She was just another person I was able to help that day. As I handed her receipt to her she reached out and handed me $40 cash.

For a moment I was totally confused, until she leaned in close, and quietly, so no one else could hear, said to me "Please make sure this money pays for whatever that family purchases." Before I knew what else to do I said, "Sure thing." And she said, "Thank you," and took her bags and quietly walked out of the store.

I looked over to see a family that was being helped at the other register. It was a mom with a few of her kids and it was obvious that they didn't have a lot of money. The woman working with me, Stacy, walked over to my side to grab something and I handed her the money and told her what the woman had told me. She took the money and I went on serving the next customer.

Out of the corner of my eye I watched as Stacy told the mom that someone had left $40 for them to pay for their stuff. The mom looked around, wondering who in the world would do something like that for her. No one else in the store even knew what was going on and the woman that had left the money was long gone. That mom would never know who it was that left that money for her. I got a little choked up as I witnessed such an incredible act of kindness.

I'm pretty sure the woman that left the money had no idea who that family was. All she knew was that they didn't have a lot and she could do something to help relieve some sort of burden. The woman had handed me that money and did it so naturally that I really think that this isn't the first time she did something like that. I began to wonder if she goes around doing kind things like that and not asking for any sort of pat on the back or recognition for what she does. Perhaps she just finds simple joy in knowing that she did something kind for someone else. She saw someone that was struggling and helped to at least ease their burden, if only for a moment.

Ever since that incident I've been thinking a lot about kindness. I've been thinking about that woman and I wish I could find her and thank her for allowing me to witness something so special. I'm thankful I got to see it because it softened my heart and got me thinking a lot about what sorts of things I could do to show kindness for my fellow human beings.

I think that all over the world there are many kind acts that are acted out every minute, even every second. The world is full of angels, like the woman I met yesterday, that only seek to make the world a better place. You won't witness their kind acts on the news and they won't be recognized and given awards for what they do.

In fact, many of them will live out their lives, having done something kind for hundreds, even thousands of people, and not one of those people will have had the chance to say thank you to the kind angel that walked into their lives and quietly did something so extraordinary for them. But that's not why the angel did it. Not to be thanked. Only to be kind. Because this life is about love and about being kind. I want to be a kindness angel. Anyone want to join me?

2013 = I Will!

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 19:27:00 +0000

I know that New Year's was nearly three weeks ago and I'm a little late in posting my goals for this year. I started writing down my goals right before the New Year, but then I got really busy with a few different things and sort of decided to put them on hold. So I am not starting my goals right on January 1 and I am totally okay with that. I feel like right now is the perfect time for me to write down my goals, make the commitment and start moving forward.

Last year I worked on my goals with the thought of "I CAN" to this. This year, my focus is "I WILL" do this! These are goals that are important to me (a few of them have been on my goal list for three years!) and this is the year that I will get them done! I know I can do it and I am committing now by saying I WILL DO IT!

Here are my goals for 2013:
1. Walk/Run 2,013 miles in 2013. As many of you know my sister and I started a program called MOON JOGGERS and at first I was committed to doing 1,000 miles in 2013, but was inspired by so many of the people that have joined our group and have decided to do 2,013 miles! It's completely out of my comfort zone, but I WILL do it!

2. I WILL eliminate sugar and high fructose corn syrup from my diet. This will be a process, but I've come to see how these two things effect both my physical and mental health and I want to eliminate them this year.

3. Complete 12 weeks of P90X! I have started this program many times, but have never completed a full twelve weeks. This year I WILL do it!

4. Write in my journal every day! I always feel so more focused and at peace when I take the time to write in my journal and reflect on my day. This is a commitment I really want to stick to and I WILL!

5. Study a different gospel topic each week and focus on that topic all during the week. I started this at the beginning of the year. The first week I studied about Faith in Jesus Christ, last week I studied about Charity, the Pure Love of Christ and this week I am studying about Virtue. I definitely want to focus on being more spiritual this year and I know this will help.

6. Pay off my car and credit cards. I am going to make this happen! My car is almost paid off and then the focus will turn to the credit cards and I WILL pay them off!

7. Fit into my Gold Pleather Wrangler Jeans. This has been on my list for a couple of years now and this year I WILL fit into them and wear them with pride!

8. Finish my t-shirt quilt. This is another project that was started more than a year ago and I am going to finish this year and it's going to look so great!!

9. Ride in a hot air balloon. This is the third year in a row I've listed this goal. This year I am riding in a hot air balloon!!! It WILL happen!

10. Have a meaningful conversation on the phone with at least two family members each month. I want to keep my relationships with my family members strong and always growing, no matter what the distance is between us.

So there you have it! Those are my goals and I look forward to what WILL be accomplished in 2013! It's going to be an AMAZING year!!!

My Thoughts This Christmas Eve --- It's All About Family

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 04:09:00 +0000

This is my first time in eleven years not being home for Christmas. I'm sad I am missing our annual pizza making contest, going out to the movies on Christmas Day and playing games until late every night. I love our Christmas traditions and hopefully will be home next year.

I am grateful that I do get to spend Christmas with my family here in Texas and I love being around my niece and nephews. There is always a little extra magic on Christmas when there are kids there. Tonight we drank hot chocolate and ate cinnamon muffins with yummy icing. We watched a few shows on t.v. The kids are off to bed and I am sitting here reflecting on what Christmas means to me.

This year I have felt such peace in my heart and my thoughts continually turning towards heaven. I think about that little baby that was born thousands of years ago on a quiet night, in a little stable. I would have loved to witness the young mother, Mary, holding her precious new baby in her arms and Joseph watching over them, knowing that he had the responsibility to love them and protect them and provide baby Jesus with a safe and loving home. They had no idea that for thousands of years afterwards people throughout the world would look to them, that new little family, in the most humble of circumstances, yet in the presence of the Son of God, the Savior of the World.

The other day I was Skyping with my friend in India and she was showing me her brand new baby boy. My heart melted as I saw that beautiful baby and I wanted so badly to reach through that computer screen and hold him close to me. He has been blessed with a mother and father that love him so much. I thought about the baby Jesus and His sweet mother Mary and loving father Joseph and what an amazing family they were.

Their family began so long ago and because of that baby Jesus I get to be with my family forever. As I replay memories in my mind of family traditions and Christmases of the past, one thing is for certain - Christmas is a time to celebrate family and to cherish the loved ones in our lives. It is about hugging our children so close to us and focusing on the people in our lives rather than the things we have (or don't have).

I feel so incredibly blessed this Christmas Eve night. I have everything I need and there is nothing I really want, except perhaps to be surrounded by all of my family members. That is not going to happen this year, but we did figure out how we could all come together over the holidays. We put together a music video, our entire family is in it: my mom, my dad, my five brothers, my two sisters, my brother-in-law, my four sisters-in-law, my seven nephews and my four nieces. They are all I want for Christmas...and for the rest of my life! Merry Christmas!

Setting out to do something EXTRAORDINARY

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:52:00 +0000

I love to organize things and get people together. I think it's because I love to see people connect with each other and begin new friendships or strengthen old bonds. Connecting others with others is something I find great joy in, as well as connecting with others myself. I love being around people!

My little sister and I were talking on the phone the other day. She lives in Utah, I'm down here in Texas. She and my mom ran a half marathon in each month of 2012...so they ran 12 half marathons this year. I've ran two half marathons in my life, but I really loved running them and have been wanting to make running a larger part of my life. It makes me feel good and I love those moments when I get that 'runner's high' and feel as though I could run forever!

Anyway, the little sis and I were chatting and I suggested that we both commit to running 1,000 miles in 2013 and keep each other accountable. As the conversation continued, we both discussed how great it would be to expand this goal to our friends and family that also enjoy running. Then we decided that we also wanted to include those who maybe do not run very much, or that have been wanting to get fit, but just haven't found the motivation.

The more we talked, the more this simple idea began to turn into something EXTRAORDINARY. What if we could find people all over the world that would commit to walking, jogging and running 1,000 miles each in 2013 and what if we could get enough people to run the equivalent of running to the moon? I've always wanted to go to the MOON and suddenly we realized that we could make it happen.

We started spreading the word and inviting individuals to participate, as well as families. How awesome is it for a family to commit to work towards a goal together and to spend that time together to reach it? A family could commit to walking and running 1,000 miles in a year and everyone would do their best to pitch in and start crossing off those miles until they reached 1,000.

Suddenly, we have people from all over the world joining our Moon Joggers crew. We have advanced runners that run more than 2,000 miles a year and we have people that have committed to get into shape and do their best to walk 1,000 miles...or even just 200 miles in a year. It is something to help them get out and get moving. We have allowed people to team up with their friends (up to five people on a team) and split the 1,000 miles between them. So a team of five people can be split up so that each person is committed to running 200 miles each in one year...that's 1/2 a mile a day.

As we sit here watching this unfold, I am amazed at the people we have connected with. Runners from New Zealand that can't wait to get to the moon, families that are excited to get their kids involved in something that will help them to be more active and even a woman that wants to lose 100 pounds and has committed to walk 500 miles this year to help make that goal a reality.

Each person is at a different fitness level, but we are all determined to do one thing: to get to the moon! When you are part of something bigger than yourself and you know that you are responsible for helping your team to succeed, you are more likely to do your part and accomplish your goal. I have already made some amazing new friends and I look forward to this incredible journey -- mostly because it's an opportunity to connect with new people and to rejoice together as we accomplish something HUGE!

I am going to the moon and when I get there I'll be surrounded by friends. How awesome is that?

If you want to join us, we are still looking for a few more crew members and we'd love to have you. It doesn't matter if you can barely walk down the stairs without running out of breath, or if you ran a 50 mile race last weekend, we want ALL of you. We're here to help each other and help this dream of going to the moon a reality! Check it out here: .http://www.moonjoggers.blogspot.com. Become a MOON JOGGER today!!!