You know what I'm craving?
A little perspective.
That's it.
I'd like some fresh, clear, well-seasoned perspective.
Who knew that mastering one word could be so hard.
Perspective.
It's all about how you look at it.
I'm on my way.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
"How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk"
Sorry guys, this post is not really about how to avoid marrying a meanie... it's a post about some valuable lessons I have learned from my two favorite Abigails. you'll see how the title fits in momentarily.
This is me, Abigail, and a llama.
One time Abigail checked out a book from the library titled, "How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk". This cracked me up because during our late-night, "I-hope-we-wake-up-in-the-morning-and-don't-freeze-to-death-or-get-kidnapped-or-eaten-alive-by-fleas," talks in Peru, we would often talk about Abigail's fear of marrying a less than nice man (growing up, my mom frowned on the word "jerk" and I just realized how much I dislike saying it... or even typing it for that matter!).
This always reminded me of another Abigail who, unfortunately, lived the fate that my Abigail feared so much. This Abigail married a not very nice man named Nabal. The Abigail in this story, very much so like the Abigail pictured above, was beautiful and intelligent, yet the man she married was evil and "churlish" (a super cool way of saying he was a big fat meanie), but he was rich!
So I highly recommend you read this story for yourself, because it's fantastic and you can find it here: 1 Samuel 25. Read it. The rest of this post will make more sense :)
Ok so the gist of the story is:
Nabal is rich and has lots of provisions. David and his people are in a rough spot. David heard about Nabal and sent 10 young men to very politely and kindly greet Nabal and ask him to share some of his goods with David and his people. Nabal had plenty to spare, however he was rude and sent them away empty handed and insulted. This upset David and he decided to seek revenge and prepared to attack and kill Nabal.
Abigail, Nabal's incredible wife, caught word of David's plans and that woman "made haste!". She didn't say a word to Nabal as she gathered tons and tons of food and hurried out of town to meet David and stop him.
Abigail intercedes just in time, in behalf of Nabal, saving his life, yet also in behalf of David, saving him from committing a terrible sin. She takes the blame upon herself, "taking the iniquity" upon her own shoulders so that forgiveness could take place between the foolish and the angry. I love, love, love the "type and shadow" in this story about forgiveness, however that's not the direction I want to go today. (P.S. Please read The Peacegiver by James Ferrel, it's incredible and also talks about Abigail's incredible story).
No this post came about because of something that Brother Rowe said at FHE last Monday that really hit me. It was a lesson on judging others and taking the beam out of our own eye rather than commenting on the mote in someone else's.
He said, "It's not about being right, it's about doing right."
This is a lesson I learned at a young age. Growing up in a family of 10 very strong personalities, I found that we cared a lot about having the last word, winning the argument, being "right". Yet, some of those were the most petty arguments, such silly things that had no value, yet we were determined to make sure that the other knew that we were right.
David and Nabal from the story above were both puffed up with their pride, Nabal's from riches and David's from anger, and they both were out to prove that they were right. Abigail didn't give two cents about who was right. All she cared about was doing right and that's exactly what she did. She didn't argue, point fingers, or even bow out innocently. She was close to the spirit, put her own personal interests aside and did exactly what the Lord wanted her to do.
Mull that one over for a bit. Let it sink in. Where can I apply that in my life? Do I believe it? Do I believe that it's more important to do right rather than be right?
So, dear Abigail, I know you won't marry a churlish man, like our other Abigail friend. But just in case you do... you'll know what to do when he angers some other man who comes ready to kill :)
But I sure hope you won't have to worry about that.
This is me, Abigail, and a llama.
One time Abigail checked out a book from the library titled, "How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk". This cracked me up because during our late-night, "I-hope-we-wake-up-in-the-morning-and-don't-freeze-to-death-or-get-kidnapped-or-eaten-alive-by-fleas," talks in Peru, we would often talk about Abigail's fear of marrying a less than nice man (growing up, my mom frowned on the word "jerk" and I just realized how much I dislike saying it... or even typing it for that matter!).
This always reminded me of another Abigail who, unfortunately, lived the fate that my Abigail feared so much. This Abigail married a not very nice man named Nabal. The Abigail in this story, very much so like the Abigail pictured above, was beautiful and intelligent, yet the man she married was evil and "churlish" (a super cool way of saying he was a big fat meanie), but he was rich!
So I highly recommend you read this story for yourself, because it's fantastic and you can find it here: 1 Samuel 25. Read it. The rest of this post will make more sense :)
Ok so the gist of the story is:
Nabal is rich and has lots of provisions. David and his people are in a rough spot. David heard about Nabal and sent 10 young men to very politely and kindly greet Nabal and ask him to share some of his goods with David and his people. Nabal had plenty to spare, however he was rude and sent them away empty handed and insulted. This upset David and he decided to seek revenge and prepared to attack and kill Nabal.
Abigail, Nabal's incredible wife, caught word of David's plans and that woman "made haste!". She didn't say a word to Nabal as she gathered tons and tons of food and hurried out of town to meet David and stop him.Abigail intercedes just in time, in behalf of Nabal, saving his life, yet also in behalf of David, saving him from committing a terrible sin. She takes the blame upon herself, "taking the iniquity" upon her own shoulders so that forgiveness could take place between the foolish and the angry. I love, love, love the "type and shadow" in this story about forgiveness, however that's not the direction I want to go today. (P.S. Please read The Peacegiver by James Ferrel, it's incredible and also talks about Abigail's incredible story).
No this post came about because of something that Brother Rowe said at FHE last Monday that really hit me. It was a lesson on judging others and taking the beam out of our own eye rather than commenting on the mote in someone else's.
He said, "It's not about being right, it's about doing right."
This is a lesson I learned at a young age. Growing up in a family of 10 very strong personalities, I found that we cared a lot about having the last word, winning the argument, being "right". Yet, some of those were the most petty arguments, such silly things that had no value, yet we were determined to make sure that the other knew that we were right.
David and Nabal from the story above were both puffed up with their pride, Nabal's from riches and David's from anger, and they both were out to prove that they were right. Abigail didn't give two cents about who was right. All she cared about was doing right and that's exactly what she did. She didn't argue, point fingers, or even bow out innocently. She was close to the spirit, put her own personal interests aside and did exactly what the Lord wanted her to do.
Mull that one over for a bit. Let it sink in. Where can I apply that in my life? Do I believe it? Do I believe that it's more important to do right rather than be right?
So, dear Abigail, I know you won't marry a churlish man, like our other Abigail friend. But just in case you do... you'll know what to do when he angers some other man who comes ready to kill :)
But I sure hope you won't have to worry about that.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Pituitary
Dear Natalie,
Your confidence astounds me. How do you do it? You know exactly who you are and more importantly, you love who you are. That is so impressive and I love that about you!
I've always envied your brilliance and I looove to tell people about your ACT score. Hope that's ok. I'm just so proud that you're my sister! I also always trust what you say 100% because I just always assume you know everything about everything.
Along those same lines... I always look to you for what movies, music, books etc to like. I just assume that if you like it, it must be good. You always have the best taste in things. It's a refined taste too. You don't like trash.
I am so happy that we are finally both up at school together again. It is such a blessing to have my sweet little sister so close to me. Our relationship is not your typical "sister-relationship" but I love it and I love that it gets stronger and stronger.
Thanks for everything love-button. I'm so glad that I get to be your sister. I love you!
Ask BYU-I
I love my job. I love my job so. so. so much.
Partly because I love what I do.
But mostly because I love who I do it with.
Check us out.
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| Aren't they the biggest goobs you have ever seen? |
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| We had an awesome chip and dip party this week. So. Much. Fun. |
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| We love each other and look dang good in uniform! |
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| Our event of the semester, the Lost and Found sale! |
I seriously couldn't ask for smarter, kinder, funnier coworkers. I work for three hours every morning, but come back and spend every other ounce of my free time at work just because I want to be with these people.
I love them!
More blog posts to come about work I'm sure!
Obsessing Over Favorites
Favorites are tough for me. Yet, despite my efforts to avoid them, they come each and every first day of classes, first date, any introduction etc.
Don't get me wrong, I'm an incredibly passionate person, very capable of liking something a great deal. But that's just the problem... I'm an incredibly passionate person, very capable of liking a great deal of somethings. How could I ever possible pick one "All-time FAVORITE"?
I can't.... but that never seems to be a suitable answer, and I am forced to pick one movie/song/book/season/color/animal over all the rest.
It's a cruel, cruel world.
To counter this, I will admit to something. I don't have favorites, I have bouts of Obsessions: Times when I find something, fall in love with something and obsess over said something for an unknown period of time.
My current obsession you ask?
Ok, you'll never guess. It's a super weird one.
For the time being, if someone were to ask me, "Who is your favorite apostle?"
I would, without a doubt, hands down, unhesitantly answer: Elder Richard G Scott!
I absolutely adore him!
Here's why.
I'm in a Teachings of the Living Prophets class. It's amazing. Brother Peck is amazing. Take this class.
At the beginning of the semester we were told to pick an apostle that we wanted to give a presentation on. At first I thought, "Meh, I don't care which one I get, they're all amazing!"
But as I read down the list and my eyes hit the name "Elder Scott", I knew he was the one for me!
I cannot get enough of when Elder Scott talks about his dear Jeanene. He talks about her with the most tender, sincere, loving words. There is not a doubt in my mind that they are completely, totally, irrevocably and eternally smitten with each other. I'm so glad that he mentions Jeanene so often because I love the example he gives of how we should treat those we love. His stories are so stinking cute... and we all know what a sucker I am for stuff like that.
But that's not what I've focused on with this presentation that I gave about Elder Scott, I wanted to know more about her, Jeanene. I wanted to know what kind of a woman she was and what kinds of things she did. Clearly she was loved for a reason, and I wanted to know what it was.
After some research, I've decided that Jeanene Scott is a saint! She was so in tune with the spirit and knew exactly what her family needed to make them happy and strong. She set strict guidelines and rules for herself so that she stayed worthy of that spirit and never got caught up in complaining, slacking or not fulfilling her duties as a wife and mother. She knew what mattered most and her priorities were in line. The more I read about her, the more I just loved her and wanted to be just like her.
She's amazing and it's easy to see why Elder Scott is crazy about her. To learn more about those two love birds, go here, here or here.
This is one of my "favorite" videos. "Not a spoonful, a whole ladle!"
Ahhhh I love this!!!
Love, Noelle
Don't get me wrong, I'm an incredibly passionate person, very capable of liking something a great deal. But that's just the problem... I'm an incredibly passionate person, very capable of liking a great deal of somethings. How could I ever possible pick one "All-time FAVORITE"?
I can't.... but that never seems to be a suitable answer, and I am forced to pick one movie/song/book/season/color/animal over all the rest.
It's a cruel, cruel world.
To counter this, I will admit to something. I don't have favorites, I have bouts of Obsessions: Times when I find something, fall in love with something and obsess over said something for an unknown period of time.
My current obsession you ask?
Guess!
Ok, you'll never guess. It's a super weird one.
For the time being, if someone were to ask me, "Who is your favorite apostle?"
I would, without a doubt, hands down, unhesitantly answer: Elder Richard G Scott!
I absolutely adore him!
Here's why.
I'm in a Teachings of the Living Prophets class. It's amazing. Brother Peck is amazing. Take this class.
At the beginning of the semester we were told to pick an apostle that we wanted to give a presentation on. At first I thought, "Meh, I don't care which one I get, they're all amazing!"
But as I read down the list and my eyes hit the name "Elder Scott", I knew he was the one for me!
I cannot get enough of when Elder Scott talks about his dear Jeanene. He talks about her with the most tender, sincere, loving words. There is not a doubt in my mind that they are completely, totally, irrevocably and eternally smitten with each other. I'm so glad that he mentions Jeanene so often because I love the example he gives of how we should treat those we love. His stories are so stinking cute... and we all know what a sucker I am for stuff like that.
But that's not what I've focused on with this presentation that I gave about Elder Scott, I wanted to know more about her, Jeanene. I wanted to know what kind of a woman she was and what kinds of things she did. Clearly she was loved for a reason, and I wanted to know what it was.
After some research, I've decided that Jeanene Scott is a saint! She was so in tune with the spirit and knew exactly what her family needed to make them happy and strong. She set strict guidelines and rules for herself so that she stayed worthy of that spirit and never got caught up in complaining, slacking or not fulfilling her duties as a wife and mother. She knew what mattered most and her priorities were in line. The more I read about her, the more I just loved her and wanted to be just like her.
She's amazing and it's easy to see why Elder Scott is crazy about her. To learn more about those two love birds, go here, here or here.
This is one of my "favorite" videos. "Not a spoonful, a whole ladle!"
Ahhhh I love this!!!
Love, Noelle
Friday, November 2, 2012
Happy Halloween??
I have mixed feelings about Halloween. There have been a few times in the past couple of weeks that I have just had huge bouts of love for this holiday. Most of this comes from memories of trick-or-treating, candy sorting/trading and saving up that candy for months and months. I sure did love that.
However, most of my feelings towards this Halloween, I regret to inform you... are negative. Let's just throw this one out there...
I cannot stand to watch "scary movies". I watched my first one a couple of weeks ago, "When a Stranger Calls" and have made a firm and fervent vow to never again give into watching anything of that sort again. I really, truly could not stand it and will have no problem excusing myself from any scary movie situation I am ever in. BLEH!
I guess I kind of like the rush that comes from being scared, when it comes to haunted mills/mazes/houses etc. I am glad that only happens once a year though.
Here are some scenes from my Halloween season this year:
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| Our Costumes for Janne's pre-halloween party |
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| I dressed up like Cameron for Halloween! |
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| Check out these sweet lego-costumes we found! |
On a brighter note, Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner :)
Love, Noelle
"Oh Be Wise, What Can I Say More"
The day has come, my wisdom teeth are no longer apart of me... and you know what? It's been a blast!
November 1st at 10:00am, I went in for surgery and came out feeling like a million bucks!
They put me under and my doctor told me that as soon as I started coming to, I broke into a medley of "There is Sunshine in my Soul Today", "More Holiness Give Me", "Lead Kindly Light" and "Have I Done Any Good in the World Today". I was then taken into a room where my dear roommate Kati was waiting for me. She got all sorts of good stuff videotaped in that waiting room. They're pretty funny, not going to lie.
Over all, I was well-tempered, happy, pretty gosh darn loopy, but feeling good! I also desperately wanted to go to work and have apartment prayer..?
I went home and went straight to bed where I took a nice two hour nap and woke up to Hannah and Claire by my bedside, with applesauce, pudding, creamies, cottage cheese and more. Right after that nap was the worst because I hadn't taken my meds beforehand and I was in pain! I was also still really groggy and starving. However, Hannah and Claire were seriously angels and got some food in my stomach, ice on my face, and medicine in my system. I seriously would have just laid in bed for the rest of the had had they not come.
Next came more visitors! My awesome neighbors from 214 and Eric came over to wish me well and bring me a delicious Jamba Juice!
Nap time... again. (P.S. I have awesome dreams when I'm on drugs)
I woke up again to Claire who had made me green mac and cheese (sentimental :) and then more visitors (Kylie, Kelsey, Eric, Dallin, Sierra).
So great! By then I was up and feeling good and wanted nothing more than to go to my brother's softball game in the freezing cold. So I did! I went, cheered my guts out, froze my tush off and had a good time! Mind you, this was literally just hours after surgery, but I had so much energy and was feeling so good.
I did bow-out of the after party at Clark, but that was only because I had a lot of homework to do. So I came home and was greeted to more visitors and stayed up til about 2 doing homework and eating the most fabulous butternut squash soup that Kim had made for me.
Not bad for day one of surgery huh?!
Day 2
I woke up the next day, got ready and headed on campus where I spent 6 hours in the library and in classes. I got so, so much done, but it was not my smartest idea. I didn't eat anything all day and didn't take any breaks. I came home so stinking tired, hungry, in pain and close to tears. I'll admit that there were a few times I almost lost it and just wanted my mom to come take care of me. But I've held myself together pretty ok :)
Lucky for me, my friends know that visitors and social interaction are the most effective medicine for me. I just want to know I'm loved! So I had some surprise visits from Danielle and Angel from work, all three of my siblings and more, all bringing gifts of soup, hummus, pudding, applesauce and other edibles that I was in dire need of!
And now I'm sitting here thinking, holy cow, getting my teeth out was no big deal and kind of fun! Minus the pain, emotional breakdown and loopiness.
Oh, I almost forgot about the swelling! Day one wasn't bad at all, but those cheeks sure blew up on day two!
Love, Noelle
November 1st at 10:00am, I went in for surgery and came out feeling like a million bucks!
 |
| Right after surgery |
They put me under and my doctor told me that as soon as I started coming to, I broke into a medley of "There is Sunshine in my Soul Today", "More Holiness Give Me", "Lead Kindly Light" and "Have I Done Any Good in the World Today". I was then taken into a room where my dear roommate Kati was waiting for me. She got all sorts of good stuff videotaped in that waiting room. They're pretty funny, not going to lie.
Over all, I was well-tempered, happy, pretty gosh darn loopy, but feeling good! I also desperately wanted to go to work and have apartment prayer..?
I went home and went straight to bed where I took a nice two hour nap and woke up to Hannah and Claire by my bedside, with applesauce, pudding, creamies, cottage cheese and more. Right after that nap was the worst because I hadn't taken my meds beforehand and I was in pain! I was also still really groggy and starving. However, Hannah and Claire were seriously angels and got some food in my stomach, ice on my face, and medicine in my system. I seriously would have just laid in bed for the rest of the had had they not come.
Next came more visitors! My awesome neighbors from 214 and Eric came over to wish me well and bring me a delicious Jamba Juice!
Nap time... again. (P.S. I have awesome dreams when I'm on drugs)
I woke up again to Claire who had made me green mac and cheese (sentimental :) and then more visitors (Kylie, Kelsey, Eric, Dallin, Sierra).
So great! By then I was up and feeling good and wanted nothing more than to go to my brother's softball game in the freezing cold. So I did! I went, cheered my guts out, froze my tush off and had a good time! Mind you, this was literally just hours after surgery, but I had so much energy and was feeling so good.
I did bow-out of the after party at Clark, but that was only because I had a lot of homework to do. So I came home and was greeted to more visitors and stayed up til about 2 doing homework and eating the most fabulous butternut squash soup that Kim had made for me.
Not bad for day one of surgery huh?!
Day 2
I woke up the next day, got ready and headed on campus where I spent 6 hours in the library and in classes. I got so, so much done, but it was not my smartest idea. I didn't eat anything all day and didn't take any breaks. I came home so stinking tired, hungry, in pain and close to tears. I'll admit that there were a few times I almost lost it and just wanted my mom to come take care of me. But I've held myself together pretty ok :)
Lucky for me, my friends know that visitors and social interaction are the most effective medicine for me. I just want to know I'm loved! So I had some surprise visits from Danielle and Angel from work, all three of my siblings and more, all bringing gifts of soup, hummus, pudding, applesauce and other edibles that I was in dire need of!
And now I'm sitting here thinking, holy cow, getting my teeth out was no big deal and kind of fun! Minus the pain, emotional breakdown and loopiness.
Oh, I almost forgot about the swelling! Day one wasn't bad at all, but those cheeks sure blew up on day two!
Love, Noelle
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