Coloring Outside The Lines.

"What would your life be like if you were brave enough to color outside the lines?"  That is a question I asked a client today. She expressed her fears..."What would others think?", "What if I made a mistake?", "What would Heavenly Father think of me?".  After exploring these fears and a few others and also spending time imagining what life might hold for her without self-imposed lines. She started to see how she had really been holding herself back from sharing her spiritual gifts with the world.

Of course lines are in our life for a reason. We need guidance, structure and safety (iron rod, commandments, scriptures, etc.). I don't advocate that we should do what ever we want without any thought to right and wrong.   But what we were exploring was the self expression that can make life unique, personal, fulfilling and exciting, and still follow the  basic shape of rightness.   There are many different ways to do things in life and when we spend most of our time worrying if we are "doing it right" by someone else's standards, we miss the opportunity to find our own way, that in the long run, brings satisfaction and joy.

We ended our session with her agreeing to the homework of coloring outside the lines in as many different areas of her life as possible in the next 2 weeks.  She sounded excited and nervous all at the same time.  I can't wait for our next call to hear what she has done.  

I have been thinking all afternoon where in my own life I restrict myself by staying in the lines.  What would my life be like if I spend time adding color and texture to my chosen lines for family, gospel, love, adventure, mundane chores, and unique opportunities?

I want the masterpiece I am painting of my own life to be unique, filled with imagination, hopes, dreams, colors, textures, shapes, joy and light.  I know that there has to be contrast in art so darkness, fear and discouragement can also add an interesting and unique texture to our canvas.  We are the artist of our life and it would be very sad to find out that we spent our whole life drawing with a pencil when we could have chosen to use a very large box of colorful crayons!

Easter and Conference Weekend!

Easter from a few years ago!

What a great combination, Conference and Easter!  Now what would have been a really nice touch----warm spring like weather.  Oh well 2 out of 3 wasn’t too bad!   

Amanda has been after us to take her to conference for quite sometime.  We finally decided to try and make it happen for April.  After being blessed with tickets for both Saturday morning and afternoon sessions we made our way to Utah.  I always love to drive into the Salt Lake Valley and see those mountains.  Nothing is prettier--- I must admit I didn’t expect to seem them completely white!  We got in late and stayed at Drew’s brothers house and they left early Saturday morning to get to our seats.  Talk about a cold walk from the parking lot to the conference center...Arizona people are just not prepared for this kind of weather, and we never have warm enough coats IF we remember to bring them.  Even Amanda who has been living in Utah for the winter was complaining.  I must admit that even with the cold the city was beautiful and there was excitement in the air.  

I love being among 23,000 Latter-Day Saints excited and humbled to sit at the feet of the Prophet and Apostles. The conference center is always amazing and the spirit there is liquid.  My favorite part is sitting in the seats watching the place fill with people and then the hush take over and everyone stands and the Prophet walks in.  Its like The Spirit proceeds him into the room-and you are swimming in truth!  There is no words to describe hearing the Tab Choir sing and for that couple of hours the world is perfect!

Both sessions were amazing and we felt so blessed to have been able to be there in person. Not sure when I will be able to return to SLC but I love what is there.   We made our way back to St George on Saturday night to spend a little more time with the grandkids. We watched the Sunday morning session with Andrea and Jeremy and kids and then headed back to Az listening to the final session on the radio.

I am so grateful for a living prophet and to receive counsel from him and the Apostle every 6 months.  I can’t wait to get the Ensign in May so I can really study their words. What a blessing in this day and age to be guided by revelation.  I love the gospel and can’t imagine life without it. I am overwhelmed to think about the Savior this Easter Sunday and think of His gift of Resurrection and Atonement.  The magnitude of that gift is more that I can even wrap my head around.  I love Heavenly Father and trust in His plan.