The Little Things

My journal is MIA. Go figure. Welp, good day, blog. Today you are my replacement journal.

So, I'm still doing the hand of the lord journal. It's amazing how much you notice the Lord touches your life, even in the smallest ways. And sometimes it's those little things that make everything so much more bareable. 

Today I said a prayer as I sat down in the testing center. It's funny how in high school I never really exercised the use of prayer when it came to educational things, but now I can hardly study without asking for the Spirit's guidance. The difference in my studying and testing is amazing to me. I walked out of the testing center with a 96% under my belt. I was so grateful that I had the spirit on my side. I am constantly being taught. 

The Lord has blessed me today with helping me with patience, a virtue I wish I was stronger in. He helped me have a positive attitude when I could have found a million reasons to be upset, one reason being I have a total of 5 exams to take this week, but rather than have a negative attitude I did my best to have a smile on my face and told myself that I could handle it. I also talked to my dad today. I'm always happy to talk to him. The best feeling to me is looking at my caller ID and seeing the name "Daddy" pop up and hear his excited greeting "Hey, Car!" It honestly brightens my day. I'm so blessed to have parents who care. My dad reassured me that I would do well on my exams, as did my mother. They are both very supportive when it comes to my schooling. Sometimes I stop and wonder how it is that I was lucky enough to be blessed with the family I am in. They're all great. We have had some of the hardest trials, but the end has always been better than the beginning, and it will always continue to be.

Hand of the Lord Journal Day 5

So yesterday was Sunday. I had my journal with me and wrote in it during church, I'd say that counts for Day 4. I love Sundays though. Yesterday was especially great. I feel like I really got a feel for how I need to change, and some things I can do to change it. I love that there is always room for improvement. Sometimes I have to remind myself though, that even though there is always room for improvement, it does not mean I am failing.. That's where the atonement steps in. As long as we are doing the best we can, really trying to progress and do the Lords will... he will step in and take care of where we fall short--because we will always fall short. But that is what makes the plan so perfect. God loved us so much that he WANTED us to succeed, so He sent His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON... That is a perfect love. I am forever going to work on having a perfect love towards people. This weekend I was working very hard on exercising patience, and I realized how much better my day was just because of having patience rather than letting a little annoyance get to me.
I'm rambling...
Today the Lord has blessed me.
I cannot believe how much studying I got done. I was able to take a nap and let my head rest from a headache and wake up feeling completely better. I had friends bring me subway. I talked to my mom. I got access to add a class ahead of time, so I do not need to stress about it... I am so lucky. He is always here. Always watching me and knowing the path I'll take, and placing things in front of me to help...  always giving me aid. He knows our needs, and when to meet them. I am forever grateful for the sacrifices He made to make my salvation a possibility. I do not want to fail Him. There is nothing more important than pleasing our Father in Heaven, and partaking of the most precious gift He has given us... We will live again. Every one of us. And when we do, I want to be on the Lord's side. I want Him to greet me by name, and want to be numbered as one of His own. I will do whatever it takes.

Hand of the Lord Day 3

Now, I know what you might be thinking... "But Carlie.... there is no Day 2!" False. I also have a journal, folks. So here and there when I leave my laptop in my car and am too lazy to go get it, I will indeed be writing in my journal. My journal which, by the way, I completely filled up and had to buy a new one yesterday. FIRST ONE EVER COMPLETELY FILLED! Great success. So first HOL, then the real blog.

Today I was blessed.
I cut my finger while volunteering at a Dam Marathon. (Name of the marathon, I swear...) and there were medics on site so it was splendid.
The fact that Heavenly Father made our bodies fast recoverers what with platelets. (sp)... I feel so much better.
I took a nap and was able to get enough rest that helped build my energy for the studying I had ahead of me.
I was able to learn by the spirit as I studied anatomy and have retained much more than I usually can.
I was able to spend time with friends.
I was able to be relieved of stress
I was able to take a look at what really matters....


It's funny how little things remind you of people from your past. I could literally look at an object or hear a song and have someone pop in to my mind. It sucks some times because maybe it's hard to have those memories. Remember when you were happy and think of where things went wrong. But I think that the big picture is that things never go wrong. They may seem like it in the moment, but it all leads you to where you are supposed to end up, so long as you are putting everything you have in to this thing called "life."
I've been let down a lot in my life. By family, by friends, by significant others... it's hard to put myself out there knowing that the same things could happen. Knowing that I may be going out on a limb only to fall off again. But I always have the strength to do it anyways. Always get the thought "maybe this time it will be different." And many times, with family and friends, it has been. Others it hasn't. And as far as significant others, it never will be different until it's the person I marry. I've learned it's not smart to say "this always happens to me..." because of COURSE it does. It's supposed to until it's RIGHT. That's the constant reminder I have to give myself. The thing is, I'm young. I'm not worried about any of that stuff. It's in my head, but tucked away until I have a reason to bring it out. Life is good right now. I'm going to do the things that make me happy. I'm going to follow the dreams that I have.
Today I saw Nik Day play live... It made me yearn to be on stage. To sing to people. To move people. It has always been my dream, but there have always been the "what if's"... What if it doesn't work out. What if something happens and I do all of this work only to have plans change. Someone once told me there will always be what if's. It's true. I just have to tune them out. Everything is going to happen the way it is supposed to. I know that as long as I live right and do my part in this world, it will all work out for my own good. I have faith in that.

Hand of the Lord Day 1

So, in a religion class I am taking at my college, we have been challenged to keep a "Hand of the Lord" Journal, where we write down the events of the day that we see His hand in; the blessings we have received in the day. This is day one, and I will continue it for 30 days, after which I will proceed to write it in my journal instead. During school technology just seems to be the way to go to make sure I keep up with things.

Today I smiled at an old friend, someone who I had not been speaking to for awhile. It had been troubling me that I had lost complete contact and I was trying to figure out what to do about it. They smiled at me, and I returned the smile, and had a brief conversation after via skype. It brought more peace to me.
I was able to read a talk given by a church leader that helped me see that we are given the GIFT to save lives. It is all through Him that we are able to do so. That brought me such humility, of which I was grateful for.
I was able to focus and find a quiet place to study for an exam that has been stressing me. It helped take the stress away and helped me see that so long as I put forth my best efforts, I will do fine.
I smiled at so many people. They smiled back. It boosted my attitude. I recognized the spirit.
I was in the right places at the right time. Made it to all of my classes. Was able to focus in my religion class because I had no other homework or quizzes that needed to be studied for, and learned more about my Savior. I learned things about Jesus' time spent in the America's that I had not previously picked up on, and it was through the spirit that I did so.
His hand is in everything that is good. We need not fear if we are doing good, and have the Lord on our side.