Today Is...

Today is an introspective day…

I have been thinking about how Heavenly Father watches over us! I know that this is true 100% and I have countless evidences in my life that I have seen him and heard him and witnessed his love in my life.

Yesterday I went on a bike ride with Antonio. I saw some of the beautiful countryside of Spain. We rode along a dried out river and passed by a heard of goats some of them had bells. I stopped to take some pictures and video of them passing by. It is the strangest thing, but could listen to that heard of goats pass by all day! With the chiming of the bells like a hundred wind chimes in a summers breeze, the “baaahhhing” of the goats, and the marching of the hooves - It was the most beautiful thing!

We rode past a little village and I saw a church steeple and wanted to see it up close. So we switched back and rode through this little town. There were old Abuelas (grandmothers) sitting in the church courtyard conversing and children playing futbol in the streets.

As I rode though this little town I thought of how big this world is, how I ended up in such a magnificent place and how I have the privilege of traveling and wandering into other worlds and foreign places.

As I passed by those little Spanish houses I thought of how absolutely amazing that even though I am from a different place, and speak a different language and was raised in a different religion and have a different culture, etc etc etc. Even with all of the differences I am still connected to these people – because we are all children of God. And He loves us! No matter where we are from or what language we speak or what religion we practice. He loves us! And I find myself in deep gratitude that he is willing to be a part of my life… and not only willing but also he rejoices in being in the intimate details of our lives!

Let me give you an example:

Today is a hard day…

It’s a hard day for my family, especially for my amazing sister. One year ago her baby girl Autumn came into this world for a brief moment and then went back to her Father in Heaven. She texted me today and said, “You sent me a card…did you plan for it to get here today? I honestly didn’t think anyone would remember, thank you.”

My response was, “I think that God planned for you to get it today!”

I have to amend what I said in my response…

I do not “think” I KNOW that it was Heavenly Fathers intention for Emily to receive that card and some extra love today!

Before I left on my travels I felt prompted to write a card to Emily. I felt the need to express to her my love and how amazing she is and that I look up to her so much!

I sent it the day I left, from NYC – That was May 7^th.

Emily received the card today – May 28^th.

It NEVER takes that long for a card to get from NYC to Provo! Normally she would have received it in the mail 2 weeks ago. But Like I said- this was Heavenly Fathers plan! Through His Holy Spirit He prompted me to write that card weeks ago – so that he could deliver it to her today, when she needed it.

This may seem small- but I think it is hugely important!

Heavenly Father knows us intimately and is TRULY involved in our daily lives!

We just need to look for Him and we WILL SEE HE IS THERE!

Today is a learning day…

I am still learning to not be so hard on myself. I am a perfectionist in some ways; this is a good and a bad thing. I am working on continuing to make it to be just good.

I was reading El Libro De Mormon (the Book of Mormon in Spanish) today. And I started to cry. Ugh! I felt so dumb! Antonio asked me why I was crying. Its cause I as frustrated! I feel like I am in first grade all over again! Having to sound out words letters at a time. Trying to remember that I is E and E is A and A is Ah… and re-learning how to say the alphabet…UGH!!!!

This is REALLY frustrating for me! I know that I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. I am working on it.

Antonio embraced me and said, “It is hard moving to a foreign country and learning a language!”  (He knows! He has done it 3 or 4 times now)

This experience of coming to Spain and working on learning a new language is a new challenge for me. Yes it is a vacation of sorts… but I am still working. (I am so blessed to have a job that I can take with me wherever I go. Anyway… not only is it a new challenge – it is a BIG challenge!

I love to travel, I love to pick up words here and there and learn about the culture and traditions etc. of new places. But I have always been dependent on my English and grateful for the fact that most places in the world that we can go – I can find someone who I can communicate with in my own tongue at least enough to get by.

Now as I am here and I sit at family dinners and go out to places – I want to be part of the conversation and not have to have everything translated for me!

If you had asked me a few days ago what I feared I don’t know if I could have given you a good answer. But today I feel afraid of looking dumb. I feel afraid of failure.

As I talked to my sweet and wise sister about this today she told me, “It is good to be scared.”  I asked her why? And she responded, “keeps you humble”

Today I am humbled!

Today is also a happy day…

My parents have been married for 32 years!

Wow! I am SO GREATFUL to them for their example of a real live, imperfect, honest, hard working, loving, and adventurous, eternal marriage!

I had a memory come to me today of a time when I was younger and my parents were fighting. My dad came into my room and told me that even though sometimes they fight that he loves my mom more than anything – no matter what.

I am so thankful for my parents and for their love first for each other and also for us kids!

Today is a day to be Thankful!

I am thankful for the range of emotions that I experienced today! For the thoughts it made me think- only some of which I shared in this blog. For the feeling it helped me feel. For the connections it provided me to people that I love and for the Grace and Love that I have and continue to receive from my Father in Heaven!