Pick Yourself Up...Dust Yourself Off...

Yesterday I had yet another of my famous panic attacks. This is becoming quite ridiculous. I have a very difficult time controlling my negative thoughts about myself when these begin. I don't know what the cause is or why I have suddenly developed this habit, but I sure hope it is not permanent. Today, I was fine. The words to a song I used to sing in high school kept running through my mind: "Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again." I just had to wake up this morning and think those things. I reflected a lot on what Elder Eyring said too. When I am tired and don't feel like doing what I should need to remind myself to remember Him.

Elder Oaks said, "Some people live the gospel with “short, frenzied outbursts of emotion,” followed by long periods of lapse or by performance that is intermittent or sputtering. What we need in living the gospel is “the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.”

I hope I can come closer to this "tranquil and steady dedication." I feel like everything about me screams, "short frenzied outbursts of emotion." That description would definitely be fitting for my episode last night. Bless David. He didn't quite know what he was getting himself into! I sure love that man.

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You're Eyes Are Beautiful!

The other day, I was wandering around a health fair that David had a booth at for our business. (Music is good for your health, okay?!) Anyway, I was chattin' it up with people I knew and meeting some people who had recently joined our music studio. For awhile, I just walked aimlessly following my kids as they went from booth to booth collecting goodies. Out of nowhere, this lady walks right up to me, a little too in my bubble for comfort, but says, "You're eyes are beautiful!" And then walked away just as quickly as she came. I stood there for a second maybe wondering if I had just imagined it. It was so quick that I didn't even respond. I just stood there. In spite of the randomness of the moment and the briefly uncomfortable feeling of being confronted, it put a smile on my face and I am still thinking about it almost a week later. Be kind to other humans. Even if it makes you a little weird.

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Confessions of an Unlikely Teacher

Most of the choices I have had to make in my life have been between right and wrong, or a selection of one option among many. I haven't often been required to make choices of elimination where I have two great things, but must sacrifice one in order to keep the other. When I made the decision to apply to BYU, it was an easy choice. I could choose any university I wanted, but that was the only one I had interest in. I had always wanted to go there. My best friends all wanted to go there. I applied early. I was accepted. It was great. I was anxious of course to know whether I would get in or not, but I never had to act on my back-up plans. My choice to go on a mission was a little more tricky, but still obvious. I had wanted to serve a mission from the time I was 15, and although other opportunities presented themselves along the way, like school and boys, when the time came, there wasn't much to think about. ...

Pearls & Perfection Pending