Wednesday, February 27, 2013

words of peace


 






























you guys! i read this book recently & just had to share! 
it was truly a blessing/miracle in my life to read it when i did.
it brought comfort & encouragement & strength.
it certainly helped me in my efforts to achieve more peace in my life this year. ♥

the author, jeffery r. holland, is an apostle/leader of my church.
i'm not sure if it's appropriate or allowed to have a favorite apostle,
haha/jk, but he might be it for me!
his words, ideas, spirit & counsel truly resonate with me.

sidenote: my missionary sister holly, wrote in her family email today & said she got to meet elder holland in england & participate in lesson[s] given by him! so amazing! i respect this man so much & honor his divine authority.  ♥

in this book, he shares insights & truths about the savior.
he specifically goes through psalms in the bible & relates them to our earthly journey
& how they can give us the perspective we need to face any adversity.

i love how the underlying message was the atonement.
that by+through grace we can accomplish our INDIVIDUAL missions on this earth.

it's message was so uplifting.
there is also a 2 hour long DVD that came with it,
that i will treasure & presumably watch over & over.

my testimony of christ has truly been stregthened by this book+DVD.
i fall short & make mistakes, have flaws & insecurities - we all do -
this book validated a need i had in my heart to remember:
that even though we make mistakes, we always have the compensating power of the atonement,
that our lives & circumstances are unique and indiviual, 
& that "nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of god, which is in christ jesus our lord"

in short:
great read/highly recommend! ♥

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

me lately

comemoriating this fine tuesday with an awkward selfie of yours truly. :) i have approximately 16 minutes until my companion arrives to take me visiting teaching... and to quickly update the very [few] remaining readers of this blog, what i've been up to lately. ♥

 1) i'm growing out my hair until my anniversary. i don't know why. but i am.

2) i love my job at church & though it is busy, it is rewarding & wonderful. we just had our new beginnings night & it's time to start planning camp! already!

3) i am fixin' to start teaching a layout class again at ETC in the summer....last tuesdays of june & august...mark your calendars scrap-peeps!

4) myron & i are having a weight loss competition in which the winner gets some money to spend on whatever they wish. he is threatening to buy rabbits for his farm in the backyard. rabbits = the ultimate motivation to out-lose him. i need to get serious. haha

5) i don't want to get serious. i hate being serious. waa-waa.

6) my girls are truly precious lately & it's hard for me to imagine that they are turning 4 & 7 in the next few weeks. livy wants a monkey party & chloe wants a wizard of oz party. even though i'm 99.9% positive that she's never seen the wizard of oz, and 100% positive she'd be terrified of it. :)

7) i just read a GREAT book by jeffery r. holland. seriously life changing. i'll blog about that later.

8) i've decided i like cooking. as long as my kitchen is clean.

9) myron has the week off due to use-it, or lose-it vacation. i am seriously so excited about that fact. he's a gem.

10) i should have spent the last 16 minutes weeding my yard. the rain did a number on the amazon-like conditions out there. maybe later? maybe not. we'll see. ♥









 



Monday, February 18, 2013

hilarious






tonight as i was lying in bed, sorting my email...i came across an old, un-opened gem from my sister holly....who took off to england on her mission last week. she had attached this series of pics from her iphone that she took her last night in mesa. made me miss her. we've heard from her via email & she reports that things are going well. proud of you, holly! ♥

Sunday, February 10, 2013

edified
























Today was one of those peaceful, soul-filling, enriching, beautiful days.
I see clearer & my heart is full of gratitude & hope.
I have been taught & edified.

I'm feelin' an awesome Ammon-vibe...
when He said here....

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever...........

Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."

It's no mystery to any reader of this blog,
that I kinda eb & flow emotionally.

I know that tendency {in part} is rooted in the natural biochemistry-of-Angie,
but I also know that my thoughts & level of my active faith are what make or break me.

I strive to remember, the promising words found in Timothy 2:
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Today I was personally counseled through the divine power of the Holy Ghost
to strive ever-harder to diligently remember that.


When fearful thoughts come to me,
as they often do,
I hope to have the feelings of this day &
the words of this scripture handy.

Fear is distorted information. 
But God gave us each power, and love, and a sound mind. 
What a blessing.

My heart is full of gratitude to Him.

In His strength I can do all things.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

pick-me-ups

























it's nice for me to have a list of things that are quick pick-me-ups
when i'm feeling off.
simple things i can do to distract negative thinking & create good vibes.
here's my list of my "happy tools"/natural antidepressants!

-yard work for ten minutes//leave a spot looking better than i found it
-blast a favorite tune//loving blake shelton station on pandora right now
-go on a walk outside//been walking with friends & my mom a lot lately
-work on my current creative project i have going//i usually have a few
-make my bed//i should try this one more often
-text a friend//i have good and very funny friends
-play with my babies//makes them happy too!
-serve someone//reminds me of my blessings
-journal//get my feelings out on paper
-watch this video of my sister after getting her wisdom teeth pulled//my favorite
-clean a surface//cleanliness always makes me happier
-pour myself a nice tall water....with ice & a pink straw....//i'm off pepsi again
-doterra peppermint oil massaged onto my forehead//so relaxing
-open all the windows & turn on all the lights//i'm a light freak
-apply smelly hand lotion//bath & body pink chiffon is my current fave
-shower & get ready//cause sometimes i don't until 3pm
-read my scrips//always a good choice
-pray//best solution of all for me :)

what do you do to pick yourself up when you're feeling debbie downer?
do tell. :)

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

no comment

























when i created my new blog, i was feeling bored.
i was ready to break out of the mold of angieinpinkness.
i was feeling embarrassed for all of the information i had released into the world for anyone to read and see.
i was wanting to not be so open-book.
i wasn't ashamed of anything at all :: just kinda learning that i can CHOOSE what i keep sacred.
i can choose who i am vulnerable with.
i wanted my new blog to be more lighthearted.

i planned to make my old blog private. 
i closed my comments for several reasons,
the greatest being - i was worried that i was putting too much emphasis on other peoples reactions/opinions of my life....good or bad.
{and of course, at the same time, worried that people would think i was a brat for closing my comments.} 
but, i wanted to share without having to feel validated.
i have a tendency to read into things & put thoughts in others' minds.
***this is why i struggle with social media.
i found myself needing to be alone with my ideas, if that even makes sense.
 
and now, a few months later...i read back to old posts, and realize:
i'm still angieinpink, {even though i think my favorite color is aqua now}
i'm the same girl i was when i started blogging 6 years ago
& a completely different girl than i was 6 years ago...
all wrapped up in a complicated, loving, sarcastic, creative, imperfect shell.

i've learned a lot. i've come a long way.
i also still deal with some of the same demons i did back then,
and a few new ones. 
i feel so much stronger, and less fragile than i was...
and yet some days i feel like my intense sensitivity is a piece of my soul that will forever be a part of me.

writing out my stories has always been cathartic for me
& i'm not going to let fear of vulnerability burst that bubble.

so, i invite you to comment, or not. :)
thanks for listening or just dropping in.

i'm so grateful for the support system i have in my life that has been there for me during all these different seasons of self-discovery. mostly i am grateful to a kind, loving heavenly father, who's hand i acknowledge in all my greatest blessings and learning experiences. ♥