light your faith: week 4

i missed blogging last week,  but i don't think it was the end of the world.

right?

i have been working on being more patient with myself and that included not getting frustrated when i didn't get everything done i THOUGHT i needed to (more on this later).

it's the final week of the #LightTheWorld campaign and this week the focus is on you. 




in matthew 25: 1-13, christ explains how we are to light our hearts in preparation for his second coming.

we know the story of the virgins, some were wise, some were foolish. the wise ones brought what oil they needed to last through the night. nobody knew when the bridegroom would come. the foolish learned that preparation was needed.

how are we sometimes like the foolish virgins?

how are we sometimes like the wise virgins?

this week, we are to focus on our own faith and how we are going to prepare our hearts.

maybe for you it's go to church, maybe it's pray more. others might want to make a concerted effort to refrain from gossip or harsh words.

whatever it may be, please consider how you can strengthen yourself spiritually.

the world is growing ever more wicked. i do not need to go into an explanation on that. with all the confusion it can be hard to keep our focus on the prince of peace.

but i promise that as you keep your focus on christ, everything else will fall into place.

light the world week 2: light your community

how did your first week of "light the world" go? i helped my sister raise funds for her china trip, donated to efforts to feed kids in ghana, and shared my testimony of jesus christ with the world.

the second week of #lighttheworld is about lighting your community.

light the world: week 1

🎶 christmas, christmas time is here! 🎶

i can’t be the only one just thrilled to have this most wonderful time of the year here. 

in the church i am a member of, the church of jesus christ of latter day saints, we do an annual service program that helps us focus on the love of the savior. 

the first week is focusing on sharing and giving to those around the world. 

Jesus said:

"ye are the ​​​light​ of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

here are some easy ways you can light the world: 

• serve in a local refugee center
• share a happy quote on social media 
• ask an immigrant about their story 
• collect items for donation at a thrift store 
• donate money to a recent natural disaster cleanup 
• learn something new about a different culture 
• make hygiene kits to send to women in third world countries 

good luck & be sure to share your experiences on social media with #LightTheWorld! 

primary video

breakfast skillet

so hi, it's been a hot minute since i did a recipe. i wish i could blame summer and heat and no motivation to cook, but honestly i just haven't made this blog a priority. i want to do it more, i really do, but i forget.

we went camping a few weeks ago and it was so nice not to have cell service. i realized that i spend a lot of my spare momenets on my phone, rather than doing something more productive or useful. i love my cellphone, i love social media, but i can learn to have a healthy balance with it.

anyways....

this recipe is an original, meaning, i just kinda went for it. i'll probably come back and edit it later but here's what we've got so far...

ingredients (makes about 8 cups)
2-3 potatoes diced (i used red this time)
half an onion, diced
green & red bell pepper, diced
ground sausage tube (like the typical size or about 16 oz)
6 eggs
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese
s&p to taste

1. brown the sausage and remove from pan.
2. saute the onions in a little bit of butter or olive oil and then add potatoes and peppers. cook till soft  stirring occasionally.
3. make a little hole in the middle of the veggies for the eggs and just pour the eggs straight in. stir them in until cooked.
4. add the sausage back in and cover in cheeses
5. broil in the oven till the cheeses are nice and brown.

voila!

the simplicity of primary

happy mama's day to all the wonderful women in my life. 

you are all amazing and i love you dearly. 

i decided that i wanted to go to primary in their ward. right now, my testimony feels like that of a child and i honestly feel more comfortable in a small plastic chair than in a relief society lesson. 

so i went.

18 things i learned in college (not from a textbook)

guys. 

i finished college. 

ok, so i haven't officially graduated yet but my homework is turned in and i don't have classes so, i'm pretty much done.  

5 reasons why i got rid of my traditional paper planner

i have been a devoted planner user for over 12 years. 

there is something just so seductive about their cute patterns and spiral bound goodness that draws me in every time.
(i'm looking at you tj maxx....)

but lately i've realized that i have not one, not two, but SIX different calendars i have to update with any form of to-do item, calendar event, or random thought.

i cannot control anyone

what can we REALLY control? 

that's the question of the week for me. 

there are so many things i like to think i control in my life, but in reality, the scope of what i can manage or control is very limited.

 

gratitude is...

my last blog i wrote about forgiveness and how it helps your mental health, this one is all about gratitude. in health communication this week, i learned that the more you express your gratitude, the happier you are. positive psychology shows that grateful and happier people live longer. 

who doesn't want to live longer? 

forgiveness is...

we had a really interesting object lesson in a class today (kudos to Claire Canfield for this activity)

to start the activity, we partnered up, and each held the end of the most uncomfortable, scratchy rope i have ever held in my hand. then each person took a turn answering the following question about a grudge or other conflict they have not been able to get over:

my favorite board games

a snowy three day weekend calls for lots of time with family playing games.



i love getting together with friends to play games. this weekend was no different. i house sat for my parents and had my little sister and her husband over for a giant house party.
it was such a blast. 

while i know that there are so many other games that could be on this list (and please feel free to comment your favorites) here is a simple rundown of our top 4 board games.

"sound on" to the spirit

holy cow. i am probably the worst blogger in the history of amateur bloggers. but what can i say, school started...

that's what happened. 

so that's no fun.