"Oh, there's sunshine, blessed sunshine"

   6:40 a.m. I hear the recorder be played. In my little condo you would be surprised to know how good the acoustics are! I had just knelt down for a morning prayer and I thought how I needed to go quite Ireland so he didn't wake up his folks or his three sleeping siblings. As I tried to concentrate through my prayer, half-hearted--music does this to me--all of a sudden I notice the song he was trying to figure out... it was "I am a Child of God". I smiled as I prayed and no longer wanted to keep him from waking up his family. After this aunt was very impressed with the whole song of I am a Child of God, he played hot cross buns. :) As I left my room to head for work, I was impressed that he was in the living room and when he spoke to me he was whispering...(that is another miracle as he doesn't whisper in the morning very much, but I could tell he was "trying" to be quite and not wake up his siblings, which just might have been a first-EVER!!) :D
   Thanks Iron Man for adding happiness to my morning!
   As I drove into work, I started to sing There is Sunshine in my Soul. I chuckled a bit as I entered the freeway noticing the pretty drab morning. Cold, no visible sign of mountains let alone any sunlight.

 As I sang:

There is sunshine in my soul today,
More glorious and bright
Than glows in any earthly sky,
For Jesus is my light.
Oh, there's sunshine, blessed sunshine
When the peaceful happy moments roll.
When Jesus shows his smiling face,
There is sunshine in the soul.

   I smiled at the application of being surrounded by NO light, literally, yet I know who IS my light. And His light is peaceful and happy.... There is sunshine in my soul. And whenever I choose to focus on Him--there always is sunshine.
   I re-arranged Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam "adult" version and added a verse:

"Dark clouds may threaten--
to destroy my peace,
But if you will look inside,
you will find in me..."

A sunbeam, a sunbeam, Jesus wants me to be.
A sunbeam, a sunbeam, I will be a sunbeam for Him.

   So my morning goes! It has been a challenging month with a big, new project at work. I am constantly overwhelmed with gratitude and God's goodness in the choice revelation He offers me and my co-workers. Most of my projects I cannot do on my own and it takes coordinating many efforts and hands. I am literally dependent on the work/ideas/inspiration of others to get most, of all my projects done/accomplished...that is very humbling needing to be dependent and trusting of so many others skills, time and efforts... but oh how I see God's hands!
   A few weeks back I was pondering and praying about how to make a display work. And in the early morning to my mind came an idea and how the project could work. It was not like Russel M. Nelsons heart stint inspiration--but in my job, it felt like the answer was a "parting of the veil" idea. I discussed this idea with Jeff, and he ran with it. **Which I was so grateful he was open to listening too and trying the idea. IT WORKED! And of course it did, if God inspired it, why wouldn't it ?? but I am still in aw with God's brilliance, even to my little projects. Not in aw that He knows what to do--that is a given, but that He is so willing to help and inspire, guide and lead processes (not world changing, just job sustaining) if asked.
   As I started this project and moved the ball forward, I was wishy washy and knowing that we were taking the project like it has never been done before (just going against a lot of different grains) Patti (inspired) made the comment that she trusted me for she was sure I had prayed over it. WELL- the fact is I hadn't even thought to pray about whether we were going the right direction! I was humbled by her comment and stepped into the bathroom to pray. Felt peace, move forward. That was the first bit of peace I had had with the whole project. Needed that reminder.
   And then yesterday as all the pieces were to come together for the project ships out tomorrow, Marin made the statement of where was my confidence? I was being wishy washy again of how it was all going to come together. She was inspired to question me, but what she was really doing, was reminding me.
   Christ said, "Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?"- D&C 6:23
   I was humbled by Marin's statement. Why was I wavering, when I already had had a confirmation from God a few weeks ago?!
   Yesterday as I needed to have some "unknowns" come together, Anna, (one of our awesome Designers at work) with inspiration, made a huge part easily come together. It was a bit of a problem and with in moments she had a brilliant fix. And it was an easy one too when we were set out to do this BIG fix, Anna and Cynthia were inspired with a simple fix! And Cynthia, was the answer to prayer as well as she put all the pieces together on the tables (I have no "girl" in me for arranging things on tables) but Cynthia, the master, patient organizer/arranger made it look stunning.... it was just a humbling day to see the hand of the Lord--for this project. I told Anna as soon as we pack up tonight I will be hitting the 7 am session tomorrow at the temple and will just be crying a lot. She told me not to cry--but it is a good cry. Every time God helps me through/gets me through a big project, AND HE ALWAYS DOES, I seem to have a let down of tears and gratitude afterwards in the temple.
   My heart is full.
There is Sunshine in THIS soul!

Happiness is I am a Child of God--played by a 7 year old on a recorder.

I am grateful for Mission Presidents who come and speak at Sat night Stake Conferences.

I am grateful for the reminder of REMEMBERING the Lord's peace that came-- and in that peace is where my confidence must/needs/should/will/wants/can abide.

Happiness is choice co-workers, who God uses to answer many, many personal prayers!

I SEE GOD'S HAND

My heart is full for a lot of reasons...! I received this picture and the following text from a dear friend tonight:

"Just got out of the temple for the first time in probably close to ten years it felt so good to finally be able to go back."

This friend has done a 180 with his life. Completely has changed and given his life over to God. When he told me he was getting his recommend for baptisms this past Sunday, I wanted to cry. He knows and values the power of the temple. He has tasted what it is like to live life for self instead of God. And has/continues now to live his life for God. His is an example/story of salvation and redemption!! Oh how I love the guy! What a tool for God he will continue to be... and all because he has decided to put the gospel of Jesus Christ in his center. He is a life hero! HE makes me want to be/live life better.

So little blessings today: I stopped pretty fast at a red light and looked in my mirror only to have the realization that the car behind me was not noticing the red light and was not slowing down. I literally had enough time to think, "They are not slowing down, I am going to get hittt........" and hit I was. I think he must have been going 30 or 40 miles per hour, maybe faster.

Poor dude, his car is a 2012 only 2 months old, sweet fully loaded nice car. He only had a slight mark on the front and a broken (fix it with glue) vent panel. I pulled over and after the shock wore off of getting hit went outside to see his and my car. My whole bumper needs to be replaced and my trunk is smashed in/no longer can stay shut. He was going pretty fast, but you know, for how fast he was going, I should be way worst than I am. I took his info and let him scoot off to get to his work. Apparently you are suppose to call the cops after an accident. (Leave that to an almost 30 year old who has never really been in an accident like this before to not know that detail. And yes already knocking on wood!)

I see God's hand.

We met up around 3pm to have a cop come meet us to make a report. And in the 45 mins of waiting for the cop that never came we talked about his life. He is 27. His folks are converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. At first he made some comments about just not going to the singles ward but going to the family ward. But several mins into the conversation he made some conflicting statements. He said that he wanted to marry a mormon girl in the temple, but that while he was single the church life (living commandments) was just not his thing. He talked about judgments and if he wants to drink, it doesn't make him a bad person. I totally agree, he is not a bad person. In fact, the fact that he was willing to meet me with the cops for him running into my car said a lot about his heart.

I noticed quickly that the the cop wasn't going to get there so I started to pray more fervently to know what I was suppose to say or how I was to listen. Once he started about the gospel, he started getting defensive because he didn't (and none of us like to) live with guilt. His actions after all were his own and who was to say what was good or bad. He talked about little kids being brain washed into believing a religion and almost in the same breath he said that the principle of over eating and not exercising was a proven prescription for an unhappy life and he couldn't see why people wouldn't live that truth. He also said how he could see how he would want to teach his children to keep the commandments because it was a good way to live, while again in the same breath stating that he basically didn't want to "feel" accountable when he made wrong choices. He was living/talking with conflict. Like all of us when we don't want to keep a commandment/struggle we serve two masters. We put the light of Christ (which helps us know right from wrong) under a basket and then justify that it is our life to live and our choice--and because it is our life we can and should numb our self from feeling any remorse or regret for sin/not keeping a commandment of God. 

He talked about how he feels people at church live in a fantasy land. That they need to wake up and realize that life is hard and not be so "cheesy". But that is just it, God has a plan for happiness for us NOW and AFTER. Not just after! Joy IN the journey, not just at the END. We talked about our baptismal covenants and what we promised when we were baptized. This realization seemed to be a new thought for him. I could see his inner thoughts starting to turn in a way perhaps he has never allowed/never realized/never cared to let in before. But the thought of taking on Christ's name, keeping his commandments, serving/loving others, and always trying to remember Christ--seemed to hit a chord with the kid. We talked about that trials and the "hard times" in their very nature HELP us TO REMEMBER Christ and to turn to him. I told him that I could see God's hand in the accident. Not that God caused it, but through it/with it, God was reaching out. The look of realization of the truth of that thought seemed to strike another chord with him, and he softened.

Well tomorrow morning 7:30am brings trying to meet up with the cops again to see if we can get things fixed.... our conversation ended well. I see God's hand. It could have been so much worst. And don't get me wrong. I had all the emotions of frustration, wasted time, hassle, royal pain all cross my mind and heart today. ... but why not have an accident bring about someone who deep down wants to change, and wants God, but is fence sitting. I had/have to smile at the "tools" / situations God chooses to use. I see His hand.

Then tonight at the temple, Mom was a worker when I was going through the end of the session, and the kind veil coordinator waited and held mom's spot clear just so I could go with her to the veil. Sweet!

My ward was to do the 8pm session, but apparently it was completely full, so we had to wait until the 8:20 session.... which put me getting out of the temple RIGHT when mom and dad finished their shift. I had the impression to get a blessing from dad while in the session, but I didn't know when I would see him knowing their shifts are late and I was going to have an early morning... but there was mom and dad waiting in the foyer-and there was the way to get the prompted blessing. And to top off my eventful day, my handsome (better than any date) nephews (and yes I mean that. I would choose to hang out with them then go on a date! They are just that amazing of young men!) were waiting for me because Jen dropped them off to do baptism...! I LOVE family!

A day that pretty much could be labeled as quite horrible, became and ended so choice!

I see God's hand. I am so grateful for the protection and the accident that led to a conversion of a searching soul. OH and I saw Micarie on the freeway. Happy spot!!