You are not forgotten.

Sisters, wherever you are, whatever your circumstances may be, you are not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. 

In fact, He loves you with an infinite love.

Just think of it: You are known and remembered by the most majestic, powerful, and glorious Being in the universe! You are loved by the King of infinite space and everlasting time!

He who created and knows the stars knows you and your name—you are the daughters of His kingdom.

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf



Love that man.

burning huts

i've been thinking about this a lot lately.  how life never really is how we imagine it will be.  it's never how we plan it out to be.   it especially hit me yesterday in sunday school.  we were talking about joseph and the coat of many colors. on the stink-o-meter his life just got progressively worse... let me explain.  

he starts out being the favorite child, and being adored by everyone in israel.  his brothers despised him for that, especially after the dreams joseph had about him eventually ruling over his brothers.  so his brothers hate him.  bad, right?  well then his brothers decide they want to kill him.  that's never fun... but instead of killing him, the bros decide to sell him as a slave!  okay.  his life is like a 6 on the stink-o-meter at this point(10 being the worst).  and then the whole thing with potipher's wife, and then he's put in prison for something he didn't do.  oh man.  yeah. i would say that would be really crappy. despite all the crap happening, he keeps doing what's right even though he doesn't know why he's having all these trials(ever heard the saying why do bad things happen to good people? yeah).  

but.

because he was eventually thrown into prison, he meets the baker and the butler. remember them?  he interprets their dreams, and eventually the butler tells pharoh about joseph when the pharoh starts having crazy dreams.  joseph interprets pharoh's dream and basically saves not only egypt but all of the countries surrounding egypt. naturally, joseph is made second in command of egypt and eventually saves his family from starvation.  amazing, amazing blessings.  none of which could have happened had the bad stuff not happened first, along with his faithfulness and diligence.

i'm sure you've also heard the story of the man who was shipwrecked. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stung with grief and anger.

"God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied. 

...

i also just finished watching the diane sawyer special on gabby giffords and her amazing recovery story thus far.  (seriously, i cried... i cry a lot lately.)

at the very end of the program, diane says this:

{you need to have} courage ... when the life you live isn't the life you planned.  and you learn there have to be many definitions of a beautiful day. 

i need to remember this the next time i'm having a bad day. i need to remember to be happy now, and that my Heavenly Father is in control and knows what's best for me. and for you.  And sometimes what i think is the burning hut is actually an answer to my prayers.

My thoughts exactly

No matter where you are in your life, just go with your gut. Don’t think too hard about things; instead, embrace the flow of life! Jump on a path you think suits you, and go with it. If it isn’t quite working, find ways to alter and grow it into something that does work for you


Find your path, give it all you’ve got, and sculpt it to your unique self. A path to success is different for each and every one of us. Be creative and always go your own way.

Via paperfashion

God is good

"Men, take care not to make women weep; for God counts their tears."

— Thomas S. Monson

 

 

and also

 

 

 

"Faith precedes the miracle. It has ever been so and shall ever be. It was not raining when Noah was commanded to build an ark. There was no visible ram in the thicket when Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Two heavenly personages were not yet seen when Joseph knelt and prayed. First came the test of faith–and then the miracle. Remember that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other. Cast out doubt. Cultivate faith."

— Thomas S. Monson



food for thought: sunday edition

God bless you to realize where you came from and the great privileges that are yours. If the veil were rolled back and you could just see one glimpse of God’s great eternal plan concerning you and who you are, it would not be hard for you to love Him, keep His commandments, and live to be worthy of every blessing that He has had for you since before the foundations of the world were laid

–Elder LeGrande Richards

prayers for the browns

my dear friends

even if i don't know you i am asking a simple favor


please pray for the brown family

you can read more about what's going on with them here


they are such a sweet family. 

their cute little boy Quinn has been suffering from seizures for over 5 months.


they have been trying everything and trying every kind of doctor they can think of to help their precious little 3 year old son.

doing research

trying diets

new medication

you name it they've probably researched it or tried it.


please pray for them.

natalie put it perfectly:

because i believe that our loving Heavenly Father hears our prayers.



because i believe in miracles.


because i believe in faith to be healed.


because i believe that heartfelt prayers make a difference.


and


because i believe the prayers of many will move mountains.

God's hand is in all things.

there was a terrible car accident last night in which people were killed.
my prayers go to the families of those two husbands and fathers.  i am heartbroken about what happened.

read about it here

the accident happened around 8pm.

my sister, our good friend and i were in the exact spot where it happened only minutes prior.

i've been really shaken up about it.


i am here for a reason. i need to make each day count.

life is so fragile. i am so thankful for mine.

a really scary word

something that has really been bothering me lately:

divorce.

it's a legit fear i have.  but at the same time i'm not even dating anyone right now and am not even close to thinking about getting married any time soon. 

i've got way too many friends my age or younger who have gone through a divorce. 

my age or younger.

i'm not old, people.


it freaks me out.
i hear horror stories almost daily. daily! i declare at least once a week that i am never getting married. 

for other reasons than just divorce, too.



people tell me,

just don't think about it
cross that bridge when you come to it


but i do think about it.  probably too much. 


hopefully that fear will go away soon. 
i keep praying that it does.
i have faith in my heavenly father's plan. 

and i understand that stuff happens.  that things dont always work out the way you think/hope they will.

all i can do is be my best self, take it one day at a time, and work really really hard.  That's the point of this life, right?

pray for shea

I've known Shea since we moved to Utah over 16 years ago.  Her father and mine were college roommates and my mother and hers were instant friends and have stayed so all these years later.  Shea's my age, 23.  She is awesome.  My dear friend  Shea has been going through a really hard time lately.  I can't even imagine what she's feeling right now. 


you can read her story/updates here

please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers.  Never underestimate the power of prayer!

Love you, Shea! 

today

i created an artist profile on lds.org

i'm planning on entering this contest.


i'm really nervous.  the last time i entered any sort of art contest it was in elementary school.


but this will be really good for me.  even if it doesn't go anywhere, i'm excited to be creating something that reflects my beliefs.

the theme is

make known His wonderful works

beautiful.

can't wait to get started. i've already started brainstorming.

you should do the contest too!  Seriously.  pros and amateurs alike are welcome to join.  which is why i'm even doing it.

good luck!  and if you decide to do it--i'm interested in what you do!  i'll be keeping you all posted.

who, me?

be yourself! {everyone else is already taken.}-not sure who made this statement. but i love it.


yes, that's caution tape in the background. and yes, i have squinty eyes and a scrunchy nose when i smile.

photo taken by jalene. she's incredible.







seriously though. 




sometimes i find myself

a. comparing myself to other girls. (photoshopped or not)
b. saying {thinking} ridiculous statements about myself (see a.)
c. wishing i was more like insert friend's name here. (I have some incredible, beautiful, thoughtful, crafty, creative, awesome friends.) 

catch my drift?


but i have to remember that i'm me and i'm not going to be anyone else any time soon
(or ever)

i can, however, try to be the best me.

and i do try.  every day.

Nelson Mandela is one smart guy.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?Actually who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightening about shrinking so other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to manifest the Glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some; it’s in all, everyone.

And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

so.

there you have it.

i guess i'm stuck being me.

and i like it.

read my other reminders on this subject here and here.

you are special, okay?

everybody is a genius.  but, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it's stupid. -einstein

heavenly father gave all of his children gifts. {D&C 46: 9-11}

we aren't all supposed to be good at the same things.

so embrace what you are good at.  and love who you are.  and believe that you are wonderful. because you are.

The same God that placed that star in a precise orbit millennia before it appeared over Bethlehem in celebration of the birth of the Babe has given at least equal attention to placement of each of us in precise human orbits so that we may, if we will, illuminate the landscape of our individual lives, so that our light may not only lead others but warm them as well.
-Bruce R. McConkie

What I know for sure.

As I was twiddling my thumbs in the Long Beach airport awaiting the flight back from sunny California, I decided a good way to kill some more time would be to pick up a go-to magazine.  Naturally I tried to find Real Simple and Martha Stewart Weddings, but since I subscribe to RS and MSW was nowhere to be found, I picked up the O magazine.  That's right, kids. Oprah.

I used to tease my mom about watching Oprah every day, then highschool rolled around and I started to join her.  I've truly grown to love the show, and the magazine isn't bad either.  It's kind of Real Simple meets Martha Stewart---just without all the darling layouts and paper art that is the appeal of Real Simple.

Anyhow, as I'm reading through it, I guess Oprah writes a one page article every month.  And titles it What I Know For Sure.  

Here's what Ellen DeGeneres knows for sure if you're curious 

Anyhow, it got me thinking.  What does Erin know for sure?

I think I do know a lot of things for sure.

But lately {lately this thought tends to be all the time more recently} I've been thinking about reaching my full potential.  I want nothing more than to be successful and to be completely happy doing what I know and love. 

How funny that Oprah's article this month was about reaching our full potential. 

Reaching your potential as a human being is more than an ideal. It's the ultimate goal

She talks about discovering who we are, dealing with problems as they arise and living each day to be better than you were the day before.

Doesn't it ring a bell? 

It just clicked again; 

What I know for sure.

I've been progressing toward reaching my full potential every day.  One day at a time.  I know for sure that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be made perfect and reach our full potential.  Because, my friends, through Him, everything is acheivable.  If you can dream it, you can do it.  I'm serious.  I know that for sure.  

 He is our Savior, and He is the author of your great expectations.

-Thomas S. Monson

.fearless.

I was the girl who for three years went to college to do generals trying to "figure out" what she wanted to be because she was too scared to go for what she really wanted. The girl who never took risks. Never stayed out late. Never got up to express her testimony to the world in a church setting. Never chopped off her hair {even though she badly wanted to} in fear of how others would like it.

Why is it that I was so afraid to be myself?

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory ... that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson


It finally dawned on me that I should stop caring what others thought, because how was I to be truly happy if I didn't pursue my dreams? I was so scared of even trying to go for what I wanted, I was so unhappy trying to pursue other careers.

I'm finding now that I'm so much happier, that opportunities are opening up around every corner. People are happy for me because I'm happy. I have a new confidence that is helping me see the world in a different light. I have new goals, and I'm reaching for the stars.

Who am I not to be fabulous?

If there's any advice I can give you, it would be to go for what you want. Do what you love. Love life and love learning and everything just falls into place.
Funny how that works out, isn't it?

Always aim your goals and aspiration for the moon, because even if you don't make it, you'll always end up reaching the stars

***

All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.

Be Creative

I enjoy anything crafty

I love to create things

Watch This.

A message from The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7k