That Ye May Not Be Weary

Ever since I got to Utah Ive been wanting to be more productive. You know when we were in school and we got out for summer and the

first couple of weeks it was so nice to sit around and not have anything to do?

Well, it's been nice to sleep in, really nice, but at the same time

I really want to start using my mornings to become more productive. I want to get up earlier so that there is more to my day. I love getting up early

in the morning, it is so peaceful and quiet, the sun is just rising, and

there is so much of the day ahead of you! So my friend 

Stacey gave me the idea

to start running in the mornings! It's a great 

way to get buff (haha) and also I'll have time to just think. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't run. I mean, ever. I'm super out of 

shape. And it's prolly funny for witnesses to 

observe me trying to run. I almost wish I could watch my poor

self run. ;) 

Anyway, my 'run' turned out to be more of a walk. I did 

run for some of the way, but it was mostly just a walk up the hill, which is a workout of its own. But the morning 'run' I had really was great.

I got to enjoy the beautiful morning, and exercise, and we all know

"exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't" haha! 

So, yeah it was a great day, AND i'm sore so that's a good

sign. I'm makin' it a goal to get fit

because I virtually have no muscle. HA! Plus I have

to keep up with Raegan who is always running around. So I'm going to try and exercise at least every other day and get used to it enough to maybe

try every day. I really like the scripture that says, "cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies

and your minds may be invigorated". 

I want to make the most out of my time wherever I may be in my life. If I'm weary

I'm not able to be my best self. Life is such a blessing that I think we can all take for granted sometimes. I know I do at times.

SO I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you can make the most out 

of who you are and what you do with your life, and you know that what you are doing is right, then you can run and not be weary. 

Life is just too good to

be wasting it, I hope that I won't waste my time so much 

anymore. :)

To Him That Believeth

So I'm reading this book and it's called To Him That Believeth and it's all about building faith claiming divine promises and blessings. It is changing my life. Truly. It talks about 5 things that we need to do in order to develop powerful faith. 

1. Be persistent

2. Act "as if"

3. Work for it

4. Doubt nothing

5. Faith is a gift of God

I put these 5 things on a sticky note and I have it in my room so that whenever I see it I'm reminded of the book and about how I'm am going to be actively engaged in building my faith. The author of the book gives various examples of people who have this kind of faith and how they develop it. For example, his daughter is a really good pianist, and when she was at BYU she was the accompanist in a singing group that she organized. They were asked to go on a TV show to perform, but the night before the performance she chipped her thumb and developed paralysis in her arm. Of course she could not play and the doctors said it would be weeks until the she would be healed IF the paralysis even went away. She had made the arrangements to the songs herself and had them all memorized, so getting another pianist was out of the question. Her father told her to take some pain killers,and to visualize herself at the concert, playing piano, what she'd be wearing, healed, etc. Then to look at her hands and say, "It worked, I can play!" He told her, "You must see yourself this way over and over again, if you wake up during the night, put that 'movie' back into your head again". She did exactly what he had told her, and she put all of her faith in her Father in Heaven. In the morning she was completely healed. 

I know we hear these stories of faith all the time and we think 'that can never happen to me' or 'no way' but that is what this book is all about. The author gives a lot of examples of powerful faith in Father in Heaven and it just makes ya realize that if your work for it (number 3)and don't doubt (4) then anything is possible. This book has been such a blessing to me already and I'm only on chapter 2. I want to have powerful faith so that I can claim Heaven's blessings. I've already started using the steps 1-5 in my everyday life. No matter what it is, if I'm feeling sick, or if I'm doing a really challenging activity (like climbing a steep hill, haha that's challenging for me) it doesn't matter. If you start with the simple things first, and put forth your faith, it just keeps getting more and more powerful. I challenge each of you to use these steps and to go out and buy the book! It really is life changing and I'm so grateful for it!

I wasn't planning on writing this much, or even writing this post  completely about the book, but it's just great! So yeah, anyway, I guess I'll just give you an example of how I'm using what I've learned from the book :) Today I had to babysit my niece all day so I decided, "Hey! Why don't we go on a little walk to the neighborhood park?!" So I set off with Raegan in the stroller. A few things you need to know: 1) It's like 900 degrees here in Utah and your skin melts off right as you step outside. It's disgusting. 2) Our whole neighborhood is like one gigantic hill, and the playground is where? right at the bottom. 3) Our house is at the very TOP of the hill. So I knew it would be really hot and I'd prolly get sore, hahha! Going down the hill was a little awkward just because I was pushing a stroller, and let me tell ya, if you've never pushed a stroller down a hill, don't! ;) 

What I thought I looked like!

What I really looked like.

So the park was way fun! But then Raegan had to go potty so I was like, "Oh no we're never gonna make it, I've got this huge mountain to climb (we all know how weak Krista is right?), there's no way". I thought I was going to pass out half way through, but then I was like this is negative thinking. So I said a prayer and then I started visualizing myself walking into the house after the 'hike' with a smile on face, feeling great! It worked! I made, I started feeling better, and hey, I'm still alive! haha. Anyway it was kinda fun and I did get some exercise so I guess it all worked out ;) Raegan got to sit in a stroller the whole time, in shade while I huffed it. But hey, what are Aunties for?! 

On our way...TWINERS!

Sorry this was so long.