"I like to look for Rainbows"

I am just going to start this off by saying, no my life isn't bad right now. But on Sunday we had a lot of talks that were focused on staying positives throughout the trials in our life and I think that is something that has stayed with me. I really think it makes a huge difference on where our life ends up by how we react through out the different bumps on the way.

It really can be so easy to get so caught up on the bad. It is all around us and when you are having a bad day, do you really want to be all positive? Probably not. But I have realized in my life how much better things get when I am not so focused on the bad. I have to work hard to point out the good but then once I start, I usually can't stop. There will always be more good than bad, we just need to open our eyes to it. Even if we have to search, we will find it.

One of my favorite talks from General Conference many years ago was given by Elder Wirthlin, Come what may and Love it. I love how he talks about how we need to learn to laugh. "The first thing we can do is to learn to laugh. Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog and his ancestors all the way bad to Adam?" Yes, I am guilty of this, just this last week you could have seen me screaming at a bus driver that almost hit me and then honked at me. I was livid and this was one of those times that I really should have learned to laugh. But then I had some of my favorite songs come on the radio that I just blasted and I slowly let the anger leave me. I am glad that I did this because I easily could have been angry for the rest of the night but instead I decided to see those songs on the radio as a little blessing to help me let go of the anger that I had built up. Next time a bus driver breaks the laws and almost hits me but then acts like its my fault, I hope that I can just laugh....

I have made it a goal to always search for the good among the bad and I am so happy I have done that. Because I would have missed so many great moments in my life if I had just stayed so focused on the bad. I wouldn't have smiled as much and I definitely wouldn't be the same person I am today. So, I challenge you all to find the good. Don't let the bad take over. Yeah, we all are going to have a bad day, week or even month. And yes, I am not saying that we should always have a smile and pretend like everything is great. But I just feel that as you try to count those blessings in your life, it will help you to get through those trials. And through that you can grow from the trials instead of just survive them. 

Here are my blessings I have seen in my life:

My man

 Thomas is a huge blessing in my life and every day I am grateful I have him in my life. He is always encouraging me to be better and to reach my dreams. He is always telling me that I can do whatever I want to do. I love that and I love knowing that he will always be there for me!

Smoky Sunset

 I found this picture to be pretty magical to me. The sky was covered with smoke from the Saratoga Springs fire and things were seeming pretty gloomy all day. But then at the end of the day, there was this amazing sunset and to me seeing that sun through smoke felt like the little bit of hope in the midst of all the bad.

Arrowhead Water

 Thomas and I joked that we should send  in pictures to Arrowhead of us and the water bottle and say that their water saved us while we were hiking. But I am grateful that I have clean water. That is something I take for granted but then I hear stories of people who live in other countries and I realize what a blessing the things I use every single day are.

"I like to look for rainbows"

 This just sums up the fact that we do have good within the bad. Right in the middle of the rain at the soccer game, a double rainbow showed up. I love that a rainbow comes because of the rain. Just like we need to have the trials to really see all the good in our life. It is key that we allow ourselves to see the rainbows.

Portland Temple

 Temples are a huge blessing in my life and everything else with the gospel. I am so glad that I have it in my life. I really don't think I would be able to handle anything hard that comes into my life with out it.

Before my second Half Marathon

Shane decided that he could wear the wetsuit to swim in the colder water
of our swimming pool

Family

Google Chatting it up with the Family

Jessica's wedding

Yes, we are goofy and crazy but I love my family. They are a big blessing in my life.  l love every moment that I get to be with them. Its those moments where we are together and we are all just being goofy and having fun with each other that I really cherish. 

So don't forget those blessings that you have during those rough times. Because it is those blessings that will help you get through those trials!