Let the Temple Touch You

Lakayde Photography

Lakayde Photography

Lakayde Photography

Lakayde Photography

Lakayde Photography

Lakayde Photography

Not Why but What.

I have an app called TimeHop that shows me what I posted on Facebook on the same day in the past years. It sends me a notification almost every day. Sometimes I look at it, sometimes I don't. Yesterday I looked at it. 

Four years  ago yesterday, I wrote "Surgery today... :/" It is now the four year anniversary of the knee surgery that was to repair my ACL and both the menisci in my right knee. I remember shortly after hurting it getting really sad and going outside one night, sitting under a tree and crying.

In the only thing I could think of to bring me comfort in that moment, I tearfully looked to the sky and prayed to Heavenly Father: "why did this happen to me?" As soon as I spoke the words, I felt silly. I didn't really want to know why it happened. I mean, I did...but I already knew the answer:

We are here to learn.

I've always known that and I'll continue believing that forever. Knowing what I do about this life and why we're here and the plan of salvation means that I already know why I have to go through hard things. 

Asking "why did this happen to me" turns yourself into a victim. It turns what starts as heart ache into selfishness. We start thinking that we are above having challenges or that we should somehow be exempt from the problems that plague every human being to grace the earth. This mindset only brings bitterness and anger and lessening faith.

A better question to start asking is "what?" As in, what can I learn from this? or what can I do to help others who are also struggling?

Since that night, in the midst of the many trials I have been through, I have quit asking why--no matter how much I want to--and I ask what.

Fireplace Mantel on a Budget

So I'm in college, which means there is a budget for everything. My room really isn't decorated much at all because I don't wanna spend the money on it, but a fireplace mantel simply cannot be left bare:

Doesn't that look so sad? (Those little lamps in the alcoves are permanent and have a little fake flickering candle... how charming, haha.)

Anyway, I've been buying old/cool looking books at DI (Utah's version of a Goodwill) for a while now and I knew that I wanted some of them on there, but I also knew that I needed a few bigger pieces to tie in and really fill the space.

A day off of volleyball plus a recent paycheck equals me going to DI and oh.my.word. the thrifting angels were seriously with me.

This is what the mantel looks like now:

The basket that the picture is in was $2 as and is really sturdy and has those two handle things on it that I think look really cool. The picture was also $2 and I feel a little bad like I stole it or something because I think it is seriously so cool.

See what I mean about the books? I love to read, but these were definitely purchased for showcasing.They ranged from 50 cents to $2.

The silver screw-looking thing was in a basket over by industrial tools and nails and screws and such and I have absolutely no idea what it is. A couple guys over there gave me funny looks when I grabbed it looking so excited. It was $1. The basket on the right just looked cool and had the same metal color as the screw-thing.

Now for the best part...I first spotted the two tallest of the jars on a shelf and got so excited. Then walking through a totally different section of the store, I saw the smallest one and ran over and grabbed it with a face of total surprise and satisfaction. And the best thing about DI? They were each a whopping $2. I know. I KNOW. Aren't they so perfect?

Before and after:

Overall I'm pretty proud of it, although visually I still think it's a tad bit heavy on the left so when I go back sometime, we'll see if I can't find something to put in the basket to give the right side a little more visual weight.

Modesty, Among Other Things...

I've seen quite a lot of somethings lately in the blogging world that has caught my eye...

One is modesty. 

The other is a little harder to define because it seems to just be the idea that either girls/women need to pick up their game to help guys be better.

I believe that each post is written with complete sincerity and an intention only to display their opinion with words. I'm always interested to see what other people will say about posts like this, so I scroll through the comments section and skim the many different opinions displayed there.

Inevitably, people get uptight and assume that the writer thinks that men are incompetent beasts of nature who cannot control themselves so women must step in and dress modestly and be more conservative so as to "help" the men. If this was honestly the intent and opinion of the writer, the commentators would have true cause for concern, but I don't think that that is the case.

Either way, the argument wages on about whether it is a girls job to dress modestly to help the boys keep their minds clean, or whether it is a boys job to learn to control his thoughts and actions. There are good points on both sides.

I have always been a strong believer in modesty, and these debates intrigue me. But it's like people imagine that dressing modestly is solely for the purpose of keeping a moral thought process. However, I'd like to suggest that this argument should not be about who's responsibility it is but WHY it is everybody's responsibility: girls and boys, men and women.

Women may say that they dress immodestly because that's what gets them attention from men. That may be true, but does a girl really want the kind of attention that comes from a "man" like that? They are personally responsible for acting and dressing in a way that will attract the kind of man they want to, whether that means modest or otherwise.

Men may say that it's hard for them to pay attention to modestly dressed women when their more "scantily clad" counterparts are around. That may also be true, but a man should learn to have control over his thoughts and actions and seek after the kind of woman they want to, whether they are modest or otherwise.

Now that I've put my two cents in, I must admit that I believe there is more to this debate than even this. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm more interested in WHY than WHO or HOW. You see, as I've thought more and more about this, I've come to a single conclusion:

We are not SUPPOSED to dress modestly to help keep anyone's mind clean. We are COMMANDED to dress modestly because we are created in God's image: 

Genesis 1:27

 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

and because he has said that our bodies are holy and we are to treat them like temples:

1 Corinthians 6:19

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

Heavenly Father has given us everything we have, including our bodies, and modesty in dress, attitude, and company is not truly for anyone but Him. Our bodies are incredible, beautiful, and sacred creations that we have been commanded to take care of.

So although people somehow always find something to argue with, in my eyes at least, there really isn't a debate to be had at all. The word and commandments of God are not open for debate or vote or subjective to majority rulings. Heavenly Father has asked us to dress modestly, so that is what we're supposed to do AND why we do it.

xoxo CPTVPT

2013

Exactly a year ago, when the clock turned from 11:59 PM to 12:00 AM and the New Year began, I had absolutely NO idea what 2013 would bring. I look back and can hardly believe that it has only been a year.

A year of endings:

Gradutation

Last club tournament. (Florida)

End-of-year Party (MVP)

Last social of Seminary Council

and beginnings:

Signing on to Utah State volleyball!

Signing on to Utah State volleyball!

College bed

A year of creations:

This:

became this:

and this:

became this: 

This:

 became this:

A year of some scary days:

and some sad days:

 and LOTS of happy days:

Camping

Missy and I on the last day of school.

Two "selfies" 

A year of beautiful sunsets and scenery:

A year comprised of:

12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8760 hours, 525600 minutes, 31536000 seconds of my life spent sleeping, eating, playing volleyball, graduating, moving out, starting college, learning, loving, crying, laughing, praying, sewing, baking, camping, daydreaming, planning, a million other things plus two, and I'm grateful for every minute of it.

Here's to the 365 days of 2014 and many years to come!

xoxo CPTVPT

Events of The Year 2013

I try to pay attention to things that are going on in the world, and I just thought I would share some of the things that I remember from 2013 and my thoughts about them.

In the world:

A huge meteor crashes in Russia and was caught on hundreds of dash cams

*In my US Gov class, we talked about why so many people had the dash cams that captured the meteor and how law enforcement is so corrupt in some places that many people have dash cams to have proof of crime*

Catholic Pope Francis was elected after Pope Benedict XVI resigned

*Completely opposite of the leadership structure of the church I belong to, I found this entire process extremely interesting. First, the fact that a pope resigned--the first one in 600 years to do so--was shocking in and of itself, but then to vote the first pope from somewhere other than Europe added to the drama of the case. Following how this situation developed through the year was very interesting.*

Bombs go off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon

*I was in Kansas City for a volleyball tournament when we turned on the TV and saw the news coverage. As sad and horrible as this was, stories like this always seem to restore my faith in mankind. It seems that every time tragedy strikes, there are those ready to answer the call and step into the role of hero whether they wanted to or not. Boston as a city and Americans in general came together in an incredible way. *

Fertilizer plant in Texas explodes just a few days after the Boston bombings

*I remember hearing about this and thinking what a tragedy it was, but even more, I knew it would be overshadowed by the few-days-prior, extremely public tragedy in Boston.*

A clothing factory collapses in Bangladesh killing more than 1,000 people

*Not everything that comes from disaster is bad. As horrible and tragic as this was, it shed light on the bad working conditions that still exist in the world today. It sparked worldwide discussions about the fact that this clothing factory is not unique in it's dangerous and low-paying working conditions.*

A tornado destroyed hundreds of homes and families in Oklahoma

*I have always wondered what compelled people in the first place to settle down somewhere where there is a "tornado season." I feel so bad and cannot possibly imagine what it would be like to live in fear that a massive wind tunnel could tear apart your home and everything in it. Once again, it was amazing to see the outpouring of support and help sent to the victims of mother nature's awe-inspiring destruction.

The Egyptian military ousted President Morsi after just a year in office. 

*This story just reminds me about how lucky I truly am to be born and living in the United States of America. There are a lot of problems here, and issues that will take a long time to resolve, but I believe we are truly a blessed nation. I believe the early leaders of our country were led by God when they wrote the Declaration of Independence and eventually the Constitution. The government that was established in those early days of our nation was the first and only one of it's kind to ever be successful for so long, and I'm grateful for it.*

Prince George was born to Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William

*I am absolutely NOT one to obsess over "famous people." I honestly feel like they are just human beings like the rest of us and there's no reason to idolize them. I am, however, very slightly obsessed with Kate Middleton and Prince William (waking up at 3:30 AM to watch the royal wedding isn't that weird, right?) I was excited about their newest addition and wish them the best with their royal life.*

The Government shut down for sixteen days in October

*I'll remember this for awhile because Air Force was supposed to come and play us but because the government shut down, they couldn't leave the campus. We ended up rescheduling, but that was a pretty interesting situation.*

Typhoon hit the Philippines

*When I see stories like this, I really just want to take food and able people and just feed and rebuild lives, clear away all the rubble and build new places and just give hugs. It makes me so sad to see so much destruction caused by natural disasters.*

Nelson Mandela died on December 5th

*As much as he was celebrated, and from everything he stood for, I have a hard time saying anything against him, but I think that maybe his legacy is maybe a little misunderstood. I believe that Nelson Mandela was the best kind of man with ideals and the motivation to see those ideals become a reality. However, there is still an incredible amount of corruption in South African leadership, and I think that is legacy is a little bit misrepresented. It is too bad that there aren't more people like him, though.*

xoxo CPTVPT