It's the little things

Stuart has got this husband thing down. 

Last night we were at "Science unwrapped" and I saw a haircut that I really liked. I leaned over and told Stuart, "When I cut my hair (one day in the far future) I would love to pull something like that off, but I don't think it would look very good." He reaches over and pulls my hair away from my face, studies me, and says, "I think it would look great". 

It's those little things that I am so grateful for. Living in Utah, while my whole family is in Georgia, is hard. But I know Stuart loves me when he begins to list possible graduate schools and most of them are in the South. 

I know he loves me when he, knowing how much I enjoyed the licorice he bought at Winco over Spring Break, pokes his head around the corner and sticks the last one in my mouth while I'm finishing my hair. 

I know he loves me when, while we're on a run, he switches sides so he'll be closer to the road. 

And even the song from Frozen can remind us that "Love is an open door". I know, I know. Ana meant that love means freedom, but also think that love is an open door. It makes me feel so special when Stuart opens my car door. 

Elder Jeffery R. Holland reminded us, all of us, when he spoke in a BYU devotional, that love is about doing. 

"I have taken for a title to my remarks Mrs. Browning’s wonderful line “How do I love thee?” I am not going to “count the ways” this morning, but I am impressed with her choice of adverb—not when do I love thee nor where do I love thee nor why do I love thee norwhy don’t you love me, but, rather, how. How do I demonstrate it, how do I reveal my true love for you? Mrs. Browning was correct. Real love is best shown in the “how,” and it is with the how that Mormon and Paul help us the most."

Just another reminder of how blessed we are when we have love in our life, and because of Him, we have eternal love. How have you seen love, from anyone, in your life today? 

Does everything happen for a reason?

With St. Patrick's day approaching I was thinking about luck, especially after seeing this post on Facebook. Does luck just happen because or does it happen for a reason?

After some contemplation and reading I think that everything does happen for a reason, but only if we allow ourselves to see the reason. In 1st Nephi, it reads, "But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." Sometimes those tender mercies come in the form of cookies, a hug, or a phone call. They are simple ways to remind you that Heavenly Father is listening. Other times though, these "tender mercies" come in the form of trials. 

I often think of my parents as a good example. They pushed me through piano lessons when things were hard. Sometimes, my hands hurt, my arms ached, and my arpeggios didn't seem any better. But they say something I couldn't see- the piano was not about learning a musical instrument, it was about discipline. Granted, those years of study has paid off for them when they get beautiful music in their home, but that is beside the point.

Our Heavenly Father is bound by His own laws. When we pray and ask for help or guidance He can come to our aid, or allow us to wait for necessary relief, or allow us to find the answer. I'm sure there are other answers, but those are the big ones that I have seen in my life. When we are in deep, deep despair he will come to our aid. I have felt this in the middle of the night, as I lay awake panicking about nothing. When he sees better blessings ahead, he allows us to wait. And, when we need to learn how to help His children, He allows us to find the answers. I am so grateful for a loving Father who gives me exactly what I need, even if it is not what I necessarily want.