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Foreign accent syndrome

It sounds funny at first, but I can't imagine how frustrating it must be. I also can't imagine not hearing the sound of my voice or missing the voices of my loved ones. God bless those who suffer from it.

I Am of Infinite Worth (by Janice Kapp Perry)

All I need do is remember

If ever I wonder if I am of worth

I remember my Saviour what he did for me

When he lived among men on this earth

Pain and unspeakable sorrow

He bore for my sins there in Gethsemane

And he gave up his life as he hung on the cross

And he did it all for me

For I am of worth

Of infinite worth

My Saviour, Redeemer, loves me

Yes, I am of worth

Of infinite worth

I'll be all he wants me to be

I will praise him

I will serve him

I will grow in his love

And fulfill my divine destiny

Lovingly Jesus is watching

He knows I am worth all he suffered for me

So I will fulfill my own mission in life

Ever following him, faithfully

Line upon line I am striving

Not seeking the honor or praise of mankind

I will seek for the joy of celestial reward

Till all that God offers is mine

For I am of worth

Of infinite worth

My Saviour, Redeemer, loves me

Yes, I am of worth

Of infinite worth

I'll be all he wants me to be

I will praise him

I will serve him

I will grow in his love

And fulfill my divine destiny

I didn't like this song when I was younger. Actually, it's safe to assume that I thought I hated it. If you ask any of my sisters, they'll agree that most of the songs my mum taught us for church musical numbers are painful memories of seemingly endless practices, lots of tears and corrections that we didn't understand. Pa'u lua? I never knew what that meant. If someone would've told me, you're singing a little under the pitch, half a step lower; then I would've been able to correct my singing with much less pain. 

Surprise, surprise...

During Sacrament on Sunday I glanced down at my phone and saw my reflection. In my mind I heard myself singing this song. I looked at myself and heard, "All I need do is remember, if ever I wonder if I am of worth, I remember my Savior, what he did for me, when he came among men on this earth...And he did it all for me. For I am worth, of infinite worth, my Savior Redeemer loves me."

For the first time in my life I understood these words. I am of worth. Everyone is of worth to our Heavenly Father and to our Savior Redeemer. A few years ago a friend recommended Aspire by Kevin Hall. I love the words he used and I recommend this book to everyone! The particular word (and definition) I'm failing to remember has to do with inspiring others, probably aspire. Hall contends that when we put others down we are causing them to expire. When I read that, I envisioned a balloon deflating. Often we tear each other down with no thought or consideration to how our words and actions deflate those around us, causing their dreams and aspirations to expire. I don't want to be that kind of person. 

I have a terrible habit of blowing people off. I  forget to return a calls, texts and emails. If I'm rushing off to my next responsibility I will often race past people who I can tell would like to talk to me, or at least could benefit from a little acknowledgement, but I'm too occupied to bother. This neglect of others has burned unnecessary bridges. Anyway, on Sunday I decided to go out of my way to say "Hi" to people. It didn't take long and I actually enjoyed talking to them. I know I sound like an idiot, but really, I did :) Everyone is worth it. I wanna be like Christ - no respecter of persons, but a kind person to all. Well, that's the ultimate goal. I wasn't perfect on Sunday.

Designing Women.

Paranoia

<p>I can see my neighbor's backyard from my kitchen window. They put CD's on a tree to keep the birds away. Sometimes when I'm in the kitchen I forget and think somebody's flashing, taking my picture, lol.

How do you pronounce Nguyen? I just spent the last couple minutes researching and practicing. Fun.

Random movie quote:

That's all right, that's okay. You're gonna pump our gas someday.

Is IT in you?

Do you remember that Gatorade ad campaign?

During my two-week vacation from working, which became three and by next Thursday will be four, I have had a difficult time finding the motivation to wake up early without having anything planned. The first two and a half weeks I didn't care, but as week three neared I realized it's not enough to get up whenever your body feels like it. Life is passing you by little girl. Put away childish things and get the heck up! 

Soooo with the gift of a 2013 calendar and a flaming finger [have you ever played that game? I loved it until I realized it was a cheat, lol.] + pen I have been making loose plans for the day. I have lost my pen so there isn't anything from the 10th on, but now I make a mental plan. Some days it was just one item, Clean. If you've ever been to my home, then you know what I mean, lol. Other days I have lunch dates and job searches or tennis matches to keep me occupied.

My motivation to wake up used to be WORK. Work for money to pay bills so that my family has a car to drive, food to eat, electricity, heated water, water in general, etc. Now I wake up because I have things to do, I'm living. Work used to be my daytime living and I think that's why I slept through those unemployed hours. Now I'm learning to live all through out the day. Yesterday I did my job search, fingers crossed; watched a movie and had lunch with a friend; put my time in at my part-time job and had dinner with my papa :) We visited Aunty Sizzla and it was fun to catch up with him. He totally understands the lack of motivation of the unemployed, lol. 

A good friend has been poling our little group for new year's resolutions. My January resolution is:  GET A JOB! I'm going to do the rest of those resolutions listed in a previous post, but this one seems more time sensitive.

"IT" is the desire to live and accomplish outside the bounds of what is necessary for life, but what is necessary for happiness and fulfillment.

It is in me.

Watch "Ria - Possibility [ Jam-Edit ]" on YouTube

...learn to ice skate

Watch "In 2013 I will... give more of myself" on YouTube

learn to drive manual
simplify my life by getting rid of people and things that don't matter and letting go of past hurts (bucket list:  whittle the number I'd your possessions down to 100 will probably have to wait til next year)
have at least one credit card with 0 balance
go back to the temple

On the prowl...

The huntress is job searching! I'm coming across all these jobs that I would love to be able to apply for, but I don't meet the requirements and definitely do not have the expertise. I'm still undecided as far as a career so it's nice to see the type of job openings out there.

I just read this awesome story on the Tyler Perry fb page. DIG! PEOPLE, DIG!

TRUE STORY!

A few years ago I was getting these really insane water bills. I mean HIGH! So I decided to dig some wells in my yard to have water for my landscape. I live alone, so I know it had to be from watering the grass. So I hired a company to come out and dig these wells. The foreman and I walked all around my yard and as we were walking he was putting down flags. I asked what the flags were for. He said, "The flags represent good places to dig for water." I asked, "Why do you have so many flags?" He said, "I'm not sure if any of these places will produce water." I said, "Hold up, you mean if you dig all these spots and don't hit water I still have to pay you?" He said, "Yes, that's how it goes." I said, "Ok, fine." Needless to say, he dug three wells and never hit water. I said, "Just stop."

I got a few more extreme water bills and called him back. He said, "Are you sure?" I said, "Yes, keep drilling until you hit water." The next well he dug he was down 500 feet and still didn't hit any water. He asked if I wanted him to stop. I said, "Go deeper." He dug down another 200 feet and still nothing. I said, "Go deeper." He drilled another 200 feet and he hit rock. I said, "Blast it, cut it, do whatever you have to do but keep digging." After fighting the rock and breaking his drill and getting a new one we got a little deeper. He said, "We are at 1,200 feet, why do you want me to keep going?" I said, "Cause I'm tired of these water bills and I'm going to do something about it." He said, "But this is really deep." I asked him if he had hit water yet. He said "no," so I told him to go deeper. "But you don't understand," he said. "We don't usually drill this deep, this is going to be expensive." I told him that, "Sometimes you have to go deeper to get what you are after, no matter what the cost." He started the machine and went down another four inches and hit a river of water. Just a few inches separated me from getting my breakthrough. That was five years ago and that well has never run dry.

In 2013 I want you to apply that to your life in all ways. Sometimes you will spend time on a thing and it will produce no water. Don't be afraid to move on to another spot. YOU CAN'T HAVE FEAR. I don't care how much time you put into it. If the well is dry MOVE ON! Nothing lives where there is no living water. Be it a relationship, a job, a business, don't be afraid to move to another spot.

Now, on the other hand, if you are digging your well and you are sure that it is not only where you want to be but where God wants you to be, then keep digging in that same spot. Don't stop digging until you hit a river of blessings. Don't stop praying until you live in the change you've been waiting for. Don't stop pushing until you deliver your breakthrough. Yes, it will get difficult. Yes, you may hit rock. Yes, there will be a cost. But when you get to what God is trying to get you to, YOU WILL RECOVER IT ALL! One of my favorite scriptures says that. "PURSUE AND YOU SHALL RECOVER IT ALL!"

Some people give up when they are only inches away!!

Happy New Year.

DDDDIIGGGGGG! People DIG!!!

February 8, 2012!

Just move on :)

Watch "New Year's: Look Not behind Thee" on YouTube

The proof is in the puddin', piepie

Does he love me?

I wanna know!

How can I tell if he loves me so?

(Is it in his eyes?)

Oh no! You need to see!

(Is it in his size?)

Oh no! You make believe!

If you wanna know 

If he loves you so

Its in his kiss!

(That's where it is!)

My love for oldies started at a young age jamming to K-Earth 101 in the car with my dad. I didn't know half of the words, but when the chorus came around I was ready to accompany my dad's beautiful bass/tenor voice with my enthusiastic soprano and consolation trophy quality alto. That love was forever cemented when Sister Act I came out in 1992. I can remember plopping myself in front of the TV, singing every word and occasionally mimicking those graceful arm movements. When Sister Mary Clarence says she loves the girl groups from the 50's and 60's I can shout, "Me too!" When she sings, "La la la la la la la la la", I send it right back to her. When she runs from the mob I...okay, I don't run very often. 

At the beginning of what will be my 30th year of old, I'm looking at my pudding:  the stuff of his kiss, and taking a good gander at the trail I leave behind me. The following meme seems appropriate.

I hope to learn from and leave behind the disappointing parts of previous years and figure out what to bring with me into the new year. I hope you do the same.

"Tired of all the sinning." Branch President in The Other Side of Heaven.

"Very few of us live up to the level of our knowledge." Lehi Peters

Go and do.