Sunday, August 6, 2017

One Inch Short

     This weekend I got to go to Aspen Lakes for a stake campout. At the site there was a team building area where there were different obstacles to get through. There was no direction for the actual obstacles so we made up our own rules and had fun playing around.

   
     One of the obstacles had some logs that were spaced out and some boards that would go in between them. The goal was to move from the log at the start to the log at the end without touching the ground (at least I made that my goal). There were five logs and four boards. As I was trying to get from one end to the other I noticed that one of the boards didn't fit. It was the last board that needed to be placed before I could get to the end. It was maybe an inch too short to fit in the distance so I wasted no time and decided to try something else. I picked up the next closest board and tried to fit it in the space but it was too long. I ended up measuring the boards with my feet to find one that would be smaller but not too small. I found it and moved it to the end and crossed to my finish line.


     As I was thinking about the experience my roommates were helping each other walk across the boards. Balancing was hard so they were lending each other shoulder support. As they were talking Janessa mentioned how it was like the Savior. He is always there to guide us and to help us keep our balance even when things are a little offsetting. I loved this thought and decided to continue my own analogy. Yes the Lord is always there but sometimes we need to shift the pieces to make things work. There was no way the short log was going to help me across. It was there as a distraction and focusing on making it work would have been pointless. Instead, I needed to recognize there was another way and adapt my plan.

     This is similar to our lives and our circumstances. Sometimes we focus on an idea that sounds good at the time and try to manipulate things until we find something that works when really we need to take a step back and look around at other options. I know this is not always the case but this is the beauty of prayer and revelation. We are ALWAYS able to turn to the Lord and we will always find guidance through Him. We may need to readjust but if we are focused we will make it to the end!





My 27 by 27

People have been asking about #my27by27 and the answer is quite simple. Before my birthday I came up with a list of 27 things I want to do by the time I turn 27. It started because one of my friends has done it a couple of times and I have liked what I've seen. It seems like an opportunity to have an adventure and improve myself and I hope to do just that!

Some of the items on my list are a little sillier and some of the items are going to take a lot of work but I have a year and I figure if I am working on them diligently I should be fine! In case you were wondering, here's my list...


  1. Picture a day (I stole this one from Jessica, it always looks so fun!)
  2. Find at least three family history names to take to the temple
  3. Attend the temple three times each month (Rotating through the ordinances) 
  4. Keep a scripture study log (My roommate is helping me out with this one)
  5. Learn 10 hymns on the piano AND be ready to play them
  6. Go to two plays
  7. Audition for something (Hopefully when I finish my masters and have more time)
  8. Five runs (I have one 5K done already)
  9. Travel somewhere I've never been (I'll take ideas...)
  10. Memorize "The Living Christ"
  11. Get a Passport (Mine is long expired)
  12. Drive the Nebo loop in the fall
  13. Try something new twice a month
  14. Go to two new temples
  15. Finish a journal (Writing is a weakness of mine)
  16. Blog once a month (Not that I have much to say but I want to work on my writing)
  17. Make a memory quilt (I've had fabric ready for years I just lack motivation)
  18. Fly Somewhere
  19. Attempt a dating app for one month (You have no idea how much this one worries me!)
  20. Dress as Belle for Halloween (Blue dress of course)
  21. Go Zip-lining (The real deal)
  22. Finish the seminary readings for the standard works 
  23. Make a crayon picture (Yay for back to school sales!)
  24. Read 5 classics (I'll take ideas)
  25. Learn my back handspring (or try...)
  26. Learn to do pull-ups (I'll aim for 2)
  27. One act of service each week
I feel like I have a pretty good mixture of ideas involved and I am really excited to see how this goes!