Christmas

Was absolutely fabulous! I got to spend it with my dad's family (who partied at my parent's house). And it was fantastic!! :) I'd show pictures...but they may be too much of an insight into the Jensen family than I should share ;)

We were so grateful to have Uncle Steve and Aunt Jinky and their family come stay with us all week.

It was so nice to see Uncle Paul & Aunt Jonia's family as well (including Trevor & Sherri)!

And of course, Grandma and Grandpa Jensen are always welcome! We love them!

Oh, and cousin Keri got married! Congrats girl!

So good to spend time with family over Christmas :)

I've Had a Thought!!

So I have this really good friend, who is absolutely wonderful! She sends me emails from time to time, and each email has her little quote on the bottom that says, "~ The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live. ~"

So I've been looking for an answer to a question for quite some time now.

And God decided to answer it through this lovely friend's email quotation that I've seen a hundred times.

It just has new, more eternal meaning to me now.

Let me break it down a bit so you may understand too. What is our purpose in this life? To receive a physical body and continue to learn to become like God (more info here); to become perfect as He is (Matthew 5:48) - so that we may live eternally with Him (here).

Ok, seems easy enough. How do we do this? We must learn to live His Celestial law while we live in this Terrestial state (D&C 88:25 or D&C 105:5).

That...not so easy. But if we want a Celestial life, the best way to prepare to live in the Celestial Kingdom (there), is to begin to live so here (on this earth).

Aha moment!
(at least for me...I may have slaughtered that for you, sorry! If any of it doesn't make sense, feel free to comment or ask me and I'll try to do better to explain it).

*The best way to prepare for [the] life [you want to live] is to begin to live [that life you want].*

Thank you friend!

New Challenge

So I had a wonderful birthday yesterday! Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes, hugs, loves, and smiley faces! You are all fabulous friends :)

Looking at the week ahead, I know I must do something.

I feel inadequate and week.

I'm a bit scared of what will happen.

But I know I have to do it. I must do it. No matter what.

Because of what God has asked me to do.

It doesn't make it any easier, but it strengthens my resolve.

I know what I need to do. I will do it.

Last of the Thanks Month

To wrap it up, I just have a quote my boss shared with me a week or so ago...

"Gratitude is a mark of a noble soul and a refined character. We like to be around those who are grateful. They tend to brighten all around them. They make others feel better about themselves. They tend to be more humble, more joyful, more likable... In the Book of Mormon we learn that we should "live in thanksgiving daily" (Alma 34:38)

... Can you imagine how your life would improve if you lived in thanksgiving daily?...

Gratitude turns a meal into a feast and drudgery into delight. It softens our grief and heightens our pleasure. It turns the simple and common into the memorable and transcendent. It forges bonds of love and fosters loyalty and admiration...Living in thanksgiving daily is a habit that will enrich our lives and the lives of those we love...Be grateful. Every day is a new canvas - a new opportunity." - Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Live in Thanksgiving Daily," Ensign, Sep 2001, 6.

If you lose yourself,

your courage soon will follow.

So be strong tonight,

remember who you are.

Week of Thanks!

I am so so so grateful for the eternal perspective God can give us. It's beautiful, it's lovely, and most of all, it's sweet. Every time I get down, focus on myself, or become a bit prideful, He somehow finds a way to smack me with a dose of eternal reality. Thank goodness He does too! I love it. Life is absolutely wonderful when we have an eternal perspective. We can use it to combat fear, doubt, or uncertainty - with faith. :) God is good!

I am also very grateful for agency. The power God has given me and each of us to be agents for ourselves; to act and not simply be acted upon. Yeah, I'll admit, sometimes I think it would be loads easier if God just told us where to go, when to go, and how to get there specifically. But then how would we ever grow? How would we learn to make decisions on our own and just come to Him for counsel? We wouldn't. He gives us the gift to choose how our lives will turn out, because He gives us the opportunity to choose how we will act and react in every situation. Praise be to God, the Almighty and Omnipotent!

Gratitude

Accentuate the positive;

Eliminate the negative.

Latch on to the affirmative;

Don’t mess with Mr. In-between

I am grateful for montras. A boy in my Missionary Prep

class told us about montras the other day, and I was so glad I found the official name for what I had been trying to do. According to google, a montra is, "the short version of the Pahli word "Mahantra" meaning protection, its origin from the Kurdish word "Pala" meaning to take refuge under." Montras are little sayings or quotes you repeat over and over in your mind when the going gets really tough and you just want to quit. At the moments when you start wanting to stop, or just want to give up, you focus your thoughts on this montra until you don't want to stop anymore. A few montras in my life have been:

The difference between a good person and a great one

is that the latter keeps going when he no longer wants to.

You can always take one more step!

"There isn't a person anywhere who isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can." - Henry Ford

Just hold on tight and never let go.

Greatness isn't found in never failing, but in getting up every time you fall.

Remember who you are, and know that you can.

I am also grateful for all the food I have. Sometimes I feel like I have nothing, but really, I have so much (just at that moment nothing I am particularly interested in eating) and I've never had to go hungry. It may not be much, but it is some. Honestly, more than a lot of people have. The Lord has been good to me and malnutrition or real hunger has never been a trial of mine. I am so grateful for that, and I hope that over the holiday season, I may help someone who does struggle with this trial through it.

If Someone Does Something Nice for You, and You Don't Say Thank-you, Did it Really Happen?

I am so grateful for my camera. It's totally a point-and-shoot, but it does everything I need it to; take beautiful pictures.

I'm also grateful for the sunsets I've seen the last few days walking home from work. I wish I was able to get a picture of them. They were so perfect! The sunshine only coming through a small opening in the clouds and casting a variety of changing colors as time went on. Yes, yes. So lovely :)

Daily Practice Makes a Grateful Person

I am so thankful for holiday breaks. As much as I would like to think that I would just like to push through the semester, get everything done, and then have one long Christmas break, I don't think I'd like it. I love being able to take a few days break near the end of the semester to be with my family, to have fun, to get some real sleep, and (did I mention?) to be with my family. So excited for this upcoming one!

This second picture pretty much sums up my other thankful item :)

Be Thou Thankful!

I am so thankful for the morning sun on Mt. Timpanogos. So beautiful. Honestly, it's serene, and pretty, the light after the darkness of night is so hopeful. It's just amazing! :)

I am also so grateful for sidewalks. We can walk, run, bike, jog, skate, board, or even drive (though not legally I'm sure) on them. It's nice not to have to worry too much about getting hit by someone else when you're on the sidewalk. No dirt trails or paths, separate from the road. Quite nice I'd say :) Even better when there's some cool art on it.

Thanks Giving

I am so incredibly grateful for our troops who sacrifice so much to fight for my freedoms, for your freedoms, for the freedoms of this country, and even for the freedoms of those people who are within this country and fight against them. Thank you dear soldiers! I pray for you and wish you the best in these upcoming holidays.

I am also grateful for grocery stores. Pretty much any food we want, all in one store right on the shelf.

We don't have to go hungry or starve. Our biggest complaint is usually that they ran out of our favorite brand of 1% milk by the time we got to the store in the evening. Big deal, we can always pick from any of the other 5 brands, or pick a different % milk and we'll be just fine. I feel so blessed today that I have grocery stores within walking distance and have so many options for food in one place. I don't have to labor all season in the fields for it, or worry about having a bad crop, or try to barter my food for someone else's so I can have some variety. In fact, in some cases, I don't even have to worry about taking the time to cook real food, if I choose, I can pick food that someone else has prepared and I just need to heat up in the microwave and enjoy (no, I don't choose this option, like, ever, but if I wanted to, the option is there). What a blessing!

Muchas Gracias

I am so incredibly grateful that BYU offers my major. Recreation Management and Youth Leadership is my love, my life, and my passion. It's hard, yes. And I'm worried that I'll be a sucky youth leader. But I love it. It's not something that can be easily memorized with one equation or predictable outcome. When dealing with people, there is no set equation or method, nor is there an exact predictable outcome. I am so glad BYU offers this major and that God helped me find it. :)

(maybe one day I can be like this lady --> maybe in the Caribbean, or Africa, or really anywhere I end up in life, even Boise, ID).

I am grateful for the mountains. I love to look up at them daily, anytime I am outdoors. They're massive, powerful, hard to overcome, serene, pristine, beautiful, and grand. I just love these mountains and I am so glad I live so close to them and can see them all the time.

My Thanky-Thanky Heart

I am so grateful for the sun which was able to poke through this morning and illuminate the clouds in the sky. It was so wonderful!

I am also incredibly grateful for learning. Each and every one of us can learn, and we can learn truth. Truth is enlightening, light, peace, and happiness. It requires a conscious effort (as do all good things in this world) and is so worth it. Thank goodness we have this opportunity to learn right?! :D

Extra Thanks

So I was so busy yesterday, I didn't get an opportunity to blog, but I was definitely still very grateful for somethings!

I am grateful for the opportunity I have to volunteer in the ER at the local hospital. It is a wonderful experience for me, and I get to meet so many amazing people. Yesterday, I met this wonderful, elderly couple who were in their ER room for about 2.5 hours and they were just wonderful to meet! They were so patient, happy, and caring of each other the whole time. The wife read Ensign articles to her husband as they waited, and would not accept any drink or blanket until her husband was cleared to have a drink as well. Every time I passed their room, they were chatting happily or caring lovingly for each other. It just warmed my heart to see that :) One day, I will be like that with the man I choose to marry.

I am also grateful for music. It has such a power in my life. Any song I have listened to, even if it's not recently, can pop into my head at almost any moment. I am so grateful for all the good, uplifting music out there that can bring hope and inspiration to my mind at almost any time.

I am also grateful for family dinners. It is always fun to get with family, immediate or extended, to have dinner and to chat with each other. I love my family (extended too of course) and love to get together with them. Thanks Uncle Jack and Aunt Cathy for a wonderful evening!

Finally, I am grateful for my wonderful friend Jen. She has been such a wonderful friend and strength to me since we met. Because I have known her, I have been changed for good. Thank you Jen, you are wonderful! So patient and kind to me, and always willing to help me out (even when I decide I want to learn Spanish) :)

Thank You Thank You

I am so incredibly grateful for chiropractors. All their study, hard work, and dedication to their education and practice has made my life so much more wonderful. Without them, life would not be so great. Thank you, thank you wonderful chiropractors out there!

I am also grateful for my wonderful sister Jennifer. She is a beautiful girl with many talents and a passion for so many things. She loves ballroom dancing and tennis, is doing a wonderful job in school, is lovely as ever, and is so fun to be around! Thank you love for taking me out to that concert with you tonight!

**I have a wonderful sister!**

The Thanks Giving Project

I am grateful for my health. I have been incredibly blessed to have a strong body which is in great health. Mostly thanks to my mother I suppose. She raised me very nutrition conscious, and while I hated it and complained about it when I was young, she held onto it because she knew it was healthy, and now I am very grateful for that. It is incredibly difficult to eat right and exercise properly all the time, to stay active and not take a lot of junk into your body, but my mother showed me how. I believe that is why I have my good health. It's a lifestyle, not a momentary diet or spurt of activity, but it takes constant effort in the little things to accomplish (remind you of anything else?).

On a similar note, I am also grateful for my two legs. I can walk anywhere I want, climb stairs, jump, hike, play, and run (oh yeah!) oh my two legs. With just my two legs, I can go anywhere at anytime I desire. They function well and do what they should, and I am so grateful that I have them to get on and around campus or anywhere else I need to go. :)

I'm going to throw in another one today, because I am incredibly grateful for books. I have had the opportunity to read a variety of books from my own choosing, or as required by a class, that have been very beneficial in my life. The ones I can think of off the top of my head are The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, My Left Foot by Christy Brown, and The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. These books have all got be thinking about life, and what it means to actually live a life. If you haven't read them, I highly suggest it.
And of course, the most important book out there: The Book of Mormon. This book has changed my life. Literally. I'm not going to lie, getting through it the first time is hard, but it is definitely worth it. It brings knowledge and understanding, and most importantly truth to a world that is filled with lies and deceit.

HOORAY! Time to Give Thanks!

So I opened up my email today, and saw this lovely little daily gem that LDS.org sends me.

Passing through Our Trials

"As we pass through the trials of life, let us keep an eternal perspective, let us not complain, let us become even more prayerful, let us serve others, and let us forgive one another.

As we do this, 'all things [will] work together for good to [us] that love God' (Romans 8:28)."

James B. Martino, "All Things Work Together for Good," Ensign, May 2010, 103

Dang, how did they know I needed this quote today? I definitely needed this advice, and low and behold, here it is! God must have had a hand in this one :)

Keep an eternal perspective,

let us not complain,

become even more prayerful,

serve others,

forgive one another.

I am very grateful for this advice. Just keep smiling, and even though it's not always perfect, it'll get you up and moving on.

I am also so very grateful that I can now see my breath in the mornings. Am I weird that I absolutely love that? Haha, I love to make puffs of air out my mouth and watch them as long as I can. I also like to see how far I can blow air out until I can no longer see it. Yup, that's how I entertain myself when I walk to campus in the morning. So easily entertained, but I love it. And I'm grateful for it :)

P.S. When I found this picture, I also found a child's explanation of why we see our breath when it's cold. Thought I'd share:

Kai (left) age 4: Because oxygen is in your mouth and you blow it out when it's cold. It's white and it comes out of your mouth and some people like to do that. In the summer, the oxygen is still in your mouth and it's sleeping, so you don't see it.

Gotta love kids right? I do!

"Keep asking the tough questions and don’t be satisfied with superficial answers" - Brother Bott (here).

Giving Thanks

I am grateful for my mother, who taught me many wonderful things, including how to cook. She has blessed me with the ability and knowledge I need about food and cooking, which have given me the ability to cook good, healthy foods (relatively) while I am on my own at college. It's amazing what I picked up from her, even if she thinks I wasn't listening or learning anything. I am so grateful for her patience and diligence in teaching me, for it has definitely made a difference in my life. Thank you mom! I love you!

(this is the only picture I could find of my beautiful mother...I promise, she's usually smiling :) -->)

I am also grateful for my bed. It's nice to have a soft mattress to sleep on at night, with a pillow under my head, blankets and sheets around me, and the wonderful quote quilt my grandmother made me (which I love, p.s.). I feel so blessed to have such a bed to sleep on! There are so many others who have to sleep on a dirt floor, or a thin mat, or on a park slide, or in an alley because they have no place to lay their heads. And yet I have so many places where I could comfortably sleep, and one I can even call my own, my bed. I am very grateful for this, and know that because I have been given much, I too must give (song here)!

Do You Believe In Giving Thanks?

(Just a side note: in case you are incredibly confused by some of my blog titles, they are basically changing the words to a song. The tune of which is running through my head currently).

Ok, so I found this awesome...poem(?) today which I am grateful for at this time in my life. Yes, I needed to hear this (I may have posted this at an earlier time, but I just found it again and am grateful for it):

For attractive lips:

speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes:

seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure:

share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair:

let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise:

walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be

restored,

renewed,

revived,

reclaimed,

and redeemed;

Never throw out anybody.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand,

you'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands,

one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,

the figure that she carries,

or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,

because that is the doorway to her heart,

the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,

but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

I am also grateful for my roommates. They each are my superior in many ways and I have learned so much from them already. They are all beautiful girls and I am grateful that I have this opportunity to live with, and get to know these lovely girls.They are truly amazing! I hope they know that (if not I will tell them today).

Thanksgiving to the Max

Since I was unable to get online yesterday, I'll have to do a double-whammy today. Bear with me :)

I am very grateful for piles of leaves on the ground. I cannot express to you how wonderful it is to see all the colors covering the ground and then being able to walk through them, kick them up, and throw them around. It's fabulous!

I am also grateful for my family. They are such a wonderful support on this earth and through out life. Sure it's hard to deal with them sometimes, and we probably treat each other worse than complete strangers sometimes, but we grow with each other

and learn together. If ever there's a big problem, I know I can turn to them and we'll help each other out. Do we have our problems? Of course, no one's perfect, but we love each other, and we try. And that's all that matters. The best part: we can be together forever. F-O-R-E-V-E-R. For eternity. :D (family minus parents -->)

Furthermore, I am grateful for the times in my life when I haven't understood. It was more than frustrating at the time, but in the end, it pushed me to search my soul, search for answers, and become a better person than I was before. Without the challenge, I would have not gotten up and gotten better. I will be forever grateful to God, who put these challenges and trials in my life to help refine me. I needed them. I do need them. I will need them.

Finally, I am grateful for my job. It keeps me busy, helps me prioritize my time, gives me experience, and leaves me with a steady income. I am so very very grateful for the opportunity I have to work with my boss, supervisor, and coworkers that I do. It is wonderful and they are all great to work with.

More Thanks Giving

So this will be brief, I'm about to head out for the weekend! :)

I am so very grateful for fall. It is one of my favorite seasons - the holidays, the people, the colors, the leaves, just fabulous! This morning I walked up to work and decided my shoes were a hinderance from feeling the leaves beneath my feet. So I took them off and walked barefoot the rest of the way (no worries, I didn't cross any streets). Felt SO good! Mmmmmm :)

I am also grateful for my material things. I have so much, really. I mean, I've got a nice apartment, with two couches, carpeted floor, a microwave, fridge, freezer, oven, stove, a bed with a mattress, pillows, electricity, internet, plenty of clothes, shoes, books, movies, pictures, accessories. Dang. Why have I ever complained? I have so much and it's all functional :)

Days of Giving Thanks

And so we go...

I am grateful for Divine Assistance. I've heard people make the case that if God is going to put us through this crazy life we might as well be able to take a few stiff drinks, or have some fun, or try a bunch of new things while we're at it. Funny thing though, God isn't making us do this, we are choosing to live. I'm just grateful He doesn't make us go through this life without His help and guidance. Elder Marion G. Romney stated, "Now, I tell you that you can make every decision in your life correctly if you can learn to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This you can do if you will discipline yourself to yield your own feelings to the promptings of the spirit.” (Improvement Era, Dec. 1961, p. 947.) Isn't that a great blessing to know that we can do everything right in life if we just learn?! I think so, and I am so grateful for that.

I am also grateful for early mornings. Getting up and getting outside early in the morning, when the sun is just barely starting to come up is awesome. The light comes slowly at first, barely outlining the mountains against the skyline. Then the colors on the horizon start to change, early morning clouds/fog linger on the mountains, and the snow capped tips begin to glimmer. The change comes relatively quickly, and one moment is quite different from the next. Finally, the light from the sun starts to shine through the canyons between mountains (one of which is Rock Canyon which brings light right onto the Provo Temple) and the sun begins its ascent for the day. It is really quite lovely.

Thanks Thanks Thanksgiving Days Days Days :)

You know what that means! Haha

I am so very grateful for smiles. They have a funny way of making life more pleasant.The smiler, and the person who saw the smile are never the same afterwords. Somehow, life just gets better after that. And no matter how hard life is, or what hard times we're going through, we can always smile.

Share one today, it feels great. Promise.


I think I am most grateful for a Loving Father in Heaven. He is so good to me. I can't tell you how many times I've slipped and fallen, or even crashed and burned, and He's been there to pick me back up again. He's omnipotent and omniscient and it's wonderful. I was reading in Luke this morning and found a scripture that had a whole new meaning to me. Luke 9:42 states,

"And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father."

In my mind, I saw Jesus taking the child in his arms and rebuking Satan and his angels from coming to the child, healing the child, and then delivering the child back to our Heavenly Father. And I saw that child as me. :)

Days of Thanksgiving

I am grateful for the feeling in my fingers and hands. I know this is kind of a weird one, but honestly, I am grateful for it. I just love being able to walk down the street, stick my hand out, and run my fingers across the tops of bushes, flowers, or leaves. Maybe I'm just telling how strange I am here, but I love how things feel when they are alive. Kinda abstract, but try it. Run your fingers across a bush or flower bed, then just run it across your desk or something. There's just a different feeling there (other than the fact that one may be pokey while the other is smooth).

Yes, I know I'm weird. Tell me something I don't know :)


I am also grateful for my fabulous friends. You have all been wonderful to me; so strong, loving, and just pure awesome! You're support has been much appreciated. I only hope that one day I can pay you back for being such the great friend you have been to me. You know who you are (if you're reading this, you are included). <3

Days of Thanksgiving!

So...Thanksgiving is now officially 24 days away! Weird!!!

I am grateful for chirping birds!
I get to listen to them almost everyday, and it's wonderful to hear the sounds of life :) Today as i was walking to school, I walked past a mass congregation of birds hanging out in the treetops and chirping madly to one another. I love it.

I am also grateful for my classes.
I know, who would have thought right? I actually love my classes this semester! I am learning lots and lots and I love almost every minute of it. It's hard, but I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to gain an education and major in recreation management which is definitely, without question, my passion.

Quote!

So as I read a friend's blog, I found this quote that I absolutely love and feel I need to apply in my life right now:

"If you believe in peace, act peacefully;

if you believe in love, act lovingly;

if you believe every which way, that's perfectly valid

- but don't go trying to sell your beliefs to the system.

You end up contradicting what you profess to believe in and you set a bum example. If you want to change the world,

change yourself."

More Catch-Up

So...yeah, I'm still behind. Clearly school has started.

Back near the first few weekends of school, I went on a few hikes with some wonderful friends of mine! Hooray for friends and the beautiful nature God gives us, right?!

This here picture ^ is from Stewart Falls up Provo Canyon. Mmmhhmmm :)

My lovely friend Jill, posing in all her fabulous beauty!

The falls - so much more water than I expected

Le tres amigas! Jill, my roommate Kira, and I :) We made it - honestly, it's not a bad hike at all

This was another hike (I believe the week after the previous one) up Y Mountain - the whole mountain, to the summit, not just to the Y. B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.

Pretty fall colors. We went on a perfect day with great weather and great scenery.

At the summit! Yeah baby!

Back side of Y Mountain, who knew right?

Lizzie and her slendid lines!

Tradition! :) Yay fall leaves!

It's a climbing tree!

My personal favorite picture! So pretty!

Labor Day!

So I know I'm a bit behind, but here are some pictures from one of my favorite activities in the whole world :)

Our wonderful horses, John and Tex.

Haha, this is the most typical view of a cattle drive :)

We were going for silhouette pictures

Takin a break on the ride to eat. Yes, you do still get hungry even though the horse is doing all the work.

Oh, we just ridin on a trail

My brother on his horse, pocky...well actually it's Tack, but that horse just won't go! He's got two speeds: slow and slower.

Ridin ridin! It's awesome!