Attitude of Gratitude: 11

Today was an incredible day at church. Lately, it has been hard for me to be in tune with some of the stuff that is going on around me. Church has been no exception. Some of the past Sundays, I have felt bored and detached. Today, though, I finally got back into the spiritual groove.

The talks that people gave were amazing. People spoke today on so many different topics, yet all seemed to resonate within me. It was as though they were speaking just to me. One of the things that most stood out to me was a talk given about Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk last General Conference entitled,"Of Regrets and Resolutions".

In this talk, President Uchtdorf speaks of how fast time seems to fly. The older we get, the shorter we realize life actually is. He urges everyone to spend more time with those they love, and to let themselves be happy. Many times, we get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of every day life that we tend to forget the things that matter most: spending time with our family, friends, and loved ones. I have a tendency to fall in the trap that he describes. It is the trap where we "wear our business as a badge of honor." The talks given today let me know that it is okay to not be perfect all the time. It's okay to fall a little behind and barely squeak by every once in a while. It's okay to not be a straight 'A' student if I'm still doing my best. All things fall into place.

I am so grateful for the gospel and the happiness that it brings me. I have never had a stronger testimony of my faith than I have developed while at college. To know that you are not alone is an incredible feeling. Most of the things I have in my life I can attribute somehow back to my faith:




a tight-knit family who is ALWAYS there for me. I can't imagine being able to be surrounded by better people.



         




and some pretty amazing friends. I have come to realize that I have been so blessed in this life to be surrounded by people who are always lifting me higher, and they make me want to be a better person.

Attitude of Gratitude (Part...?)

November 7. I know that sometimes I complain about college, but I really am grateful for it. A lot of people don't actually get the opportunity to continue their education. I can't imagine my life without it now! I have learned so much about myself, and have made friendships that I know will last my lifetime.

And that was only the first year and a half.. I am so excited to see what adventures college brings me in the future!

Attitude of Gratitude

November 6.
Today, I can probably guess what's on your mind: elections. Maybe you're pro-Obama. Maybe you are all  for Romney taking charge. Or maybe, you don't really care who wins, you just want the whole thing to be over so people will stop talking about it! I dunno, but I'd guess it's one of those three :)

These elections were interesting for me. Being from Utah, a very conservative place, and now living at one of the most liberal colleges in the U.S., a lot of moments bring me pretty big shockers. It was really fascinating to see the difference between the Obama-crazed students here and the strong Romney-opinions of my friends back at home. As for me, I don't have particularly strong political opinions. I did discover, though, that I do have some strong opinions when it comes to certain details in politics.

I can't stand when people start to talk dirty when it comes to politics. You know the people I mean. They are the ones who claim to absolutely despise a candidate. They are the haters. The ones who make negative or derogatory comments about political contenders. They associate every negative thing in life to their least favorite candidate.  There were a few times during the debates when I had to speak up. You can't hate a Presidential candidate. You don't even know them. You've never met them, or their family, or their affiliates. How would you feel if people were talking that way about your dad, or your brother? Exactly. 

Perhaps the man who becomes President for the next four years is not the man you were rooting for. Okay. You have five minutes to feel bad about it. And then, you have to understand the he is the President of the United States. Regardless of whether he makes a few decisions that you disapprove of, he still deserves the respect of every U.S. citizen. I, personally, give props to both Romney and Obama for taking on the daunting task that is Presidential candidacy. The effort and knowledge that it takes to reach their position is incredible, and each of them deserve to be treated as the gentlemen that they are. They are taking it upon themselves to try and better our country, even if it's not the way YOU want to see it happen. 

I am grateful to live in the United States of America. I am thankful that of all the things we have to worry about, it is who will become President for the next four years. And we can do so from our warm, safe homes. Our lives and our leaders could be better, it's true. But they could also be a MILLION times worse. Let's take a step back and be thankful for all that we have and the benefits of living where we do. 

Attitude of Gratitude

November 5.
Here I am, sitting in Minnesota, writing this post for all 3 people that will eventually see it. And I am a little bit stumped. Not because I can't think of things I am grateful for, but because I don't know which to choose and how to put it into words. I think it's time for story time with Miranda.

The past few months have been pretty hard for me. Not because my life isn't wonderful, but because some things are not at all what I expected them to be. Some trials hit me pretty hard, and I struggled to withstand them. But as I finally found some deep strength from within, I was able to see that the life I am in the midst of may be hard and feel terrible at times, but those are only moments. The real life that I live is a beautiful one. Its's a miracle, really. I have been learning this year that change is okay. In fact, change is a good thing. To live every day the same as the one before would get old fast. 

Today, I am thankful for change. Sometimes it comes slowly and sometimes it comes all at once. It may feel like it is too much to bear, but I know that it also brings the greatest blessings to our lives. Nothing great was ever achieved by staying in the same place. Just in the past few years, change has brought me a second home, irreplaceable new friends, and an amazing other half to my life that I never knew existed. And I am so grateful! 

Attitude of Gratitude: Traditions

Halloween is over. And that means that the holidays are fast approaching. I LOVE the holidays. There is something about the next few months that tend to bring families and friends closer together. It's a combination of love and a little holiday magic. One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving and Christmas time is the traditions that surround it. I know a lot of people who have a tradition of naming something that they are grateful for every day of November, leading up to the Thanksgiving dinner when we gather together with the people we love the most to celebrate everything that we have been given. So, my goal is to post once a day every day of November something that I am grateful for. Today, I will write about 4 things to catch up.






 November 1. My Family. I had to make them number one because they are the thing that I am most grateful for in the entire world. I can't even believe I was lucky enough to have such amazing parents who always know what to say, and have inspired me in every way to try to be my best and to follow my dreams. My siblings are my best friends, and I can't imagine life without them. I 'm so grateful we get to be goofballs together and sing songs at the top of our lungs. I am grateful for my family, my best friends in the entire world :)

November 2. Modern-day technology. It absolutely amazes me when I stop and consider all the technology we have at our fingertips. If it were up to me, we'd still be living in caves and trying to make fires. It is incredible that I can talk to my family halfway across the country at the press of a button. I know that it would be much harder to get through the tough days if I didn't know I could go back to my room later that night and talk to my family. So here's to phones, texts, and Skype!

November 3. Music. There are few things in the world which can offer such a range of emotional support for me than music. I've discovered a site called Songza which basically has a playlist for every situation/mood that you are experiencing. I love to listen to sunshiney music while I'm getting ready for the day, or soft classics to help me get to sleep. When the world is a little too loud for me to bear, I can plug in my iPod and tune out the world. When days get rough, I can put on my snowman PJ's and listen to some Christmas music (Yeah, I know what the date is). This is why I am thankful for music.

November 4. I have had a pretty hard time this semester with a heavy course load and keeping up with my classes. I haven't been on the same level with a lot of my professors this year, and my grades have somewhat been feeling the effect of that. The other day, my statistics professor asked me how I was doing, and I explained to him why I have been struggling lately in his class. He immediately offered to help tutor me on the side so I understood what was going on. "I want you to actually enjoy this class" he said, "I don't want it to stress you out." I was so relieved, I almost cried. So today, I am incredibly thankful for teachers and professors who actual care about you individually. It's them that make learning worth it.