To Who I Am Becoming...

There are a few moments (a very few) in life that God gives you, when everything in life is good. It is a rarity and we must always be on the lookout for these moments so that they do not pass us by. I was sitting on the train this morning reflecting on the Weekend of Miracles (as it will forever be referred). I was able to arrange a flight down south to visit my family. I had sworn off the sardine like metal coffin we car airplanes after travailing for 25 hours from Hong Kong (and not being able to sleep the whole way) but apparently I had not had enough. When I got out of customs I was greeted by six of my favorite people in the whole world. My cousin, her blessed angels for children, my aunt, and my mother. I was so excited when I saw the blond enthusiastic face of the oldest child that my heart nearly stopped when I saw her sister and brother next. I could have been happy then but there was more to come. After they left my mother let me drive us both home (it felt good to drive Ame...

So I just set my dad up on Facebook. He was the last of his family to get on but he finally did it because I showed him my pictures on my page and he asked "How do I see those when you are not here?" I t0ld him what he would need to do to see my stuff and so he had me set it up. I love my dad who will do something that seems stupid to him because I want him to and he loves me!

While reading for one of my classes ( I know, un usual isn't it. ) I read an article about working with primary age students. This lead my brain to think of friends ( in the most abstract for m ) at the daycare that I worked. Because my brain switches gears quickly it lead me to think about my friends that went through the Elementary Education Program with me ( most of us graduated with our dignity and sanity intact, the jury's still out on me ). This caused a flood of memories that wer e sparked by blogs and yearbooks of this amazing group. I know that I would not be the person you see today ( this is were you have a pleasing picture of me in your head, STOP LAUGHING! ). Here are some memories to remember.

FAITH: A PRINCIPLE OF ACTION “Now faith is the substance (assurance) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11, first verse. I thought about that last night at 11:30 when I decided that it would be a good time for me to write my talk. After searching for inspiration by studying dance moves in the movie hitch I decided to try another tactic so I went for a long walk and listened to Barbra Streisand and found inspiration. I came home and started to read the first article in The Lectures on Faith and found what I was looking for. In response to the quote I just gave it says, “From this we learn that faith is the assurance which men have of the existence of things which they have not seen, and the principle of action in all intelligent beings.” It was this second part that caught my attention. To think of faith not as something simply done or not done within the confines of our own minds, spirits, and bodies but as an action, a visible and physical act t...

Today I woke up and was able to get lots of work done. I was able to run and not get weary, walk and not get tired. I was not able to get everything done on my list but I was able to get more things done then I have been able to for a long time. At the end of the day I had a meeting for my church calling and instead of it being something to add on top of all of the stress it was something that calmed me and made all of the other work seem easy and worth it. These are the things I am thankful for.

This is so that I can remember and so that everyone can join in my fun. Who: Chris ( no last name for protection ) When: Wednesday October 13, 2010 - Friday October 15, 2010 Where: His house and Stake Center What: Bishop's Ball Dance Why: I have no idea... but no ones complaining. Story: I had just meet with the bishop who among other things asked me if I was going to go to the Bishop's Ball. I said "I wasn't planning on it. No one has asked me." To which he said "Well, expect one." I thought this was a long shot because I have never been asked out on a date and I was hopping that this bishop wasn't the kind to play matchmaker. (p.s. he didn't and isn't, thank goodness). Well later that night I was just getting ready for bed and my phone rang. I nearly jumped out of my skin because no one has called me in forever and I keep forgetting that people have my number up here. Chris had a hard time getting out the que...

The clock ticks closer to 2:30. I sit across the room enjoying the softness of the couch cousins before my work begins. I start working in my head all the things I know about the subject of fractions and making lists of the ways that I can convey the information in my head to another person. After a few minuets I decide that I can’t work out anything good so I give up and decide I will just try to flow with my student and react to what she needs both in the moment and long term. I hear a far away door swing, feet clomping, and strange silence. This is strange because usually the voice hits before the other sounds but today there is nothing. Solemnly my little friend walks into the room and lays down her backpack without taking out her customary fractions homework assignment. I frown thinking about how I will have to insist and convince my friend that she can do the work and have her reluctantly retrieve her work page. I don’t want to have this “fight”. She comes and sits down next t...