Focus

Tonight my head is spinning because I’m thinking about everything I want to do tomorrow…and as usual, there are only so many hours in the day. And it’s 1 am and I’m getting up in five hours…(Can you believe I'm writing a blog?! For reals! It helps me to get it out so I can sleep.)

I want to do and be so many things so I try to schmoosh it into the time I have, and guess what….I’m limited. Hate to admit it, but I sure am.

I want to practice the piano a lot and learn more music theory.

I want to read tons of books.

I want to be healthy.

I want to help my friends and be there for them.

I want to write new songs.

I want to meet new people.

I want to go to concerts and learn from other musicians.

I want to respond to people’s emails in a timely manner.

I want to…I want to…you get the point.

But I don’t want to run around like a monkey with her head cut off (I’d rather be a monkey than a chicken right now…). I want to live each day in a way that’s truly meaningful. I don’t want to just fill up my time, but I want the things I do with my time to fill others and myself up.

It’s not a bad thing to want to be/do a lot of things, but I’m reminded of what one of my heroes, Dieter Uchtdorf, said:

"Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives. It is said that any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vice. Overscheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks."

So tonight, I’m re-focusing. And that’s personal for me and for each of us on what God needs us to focus our time on. We can’t be/do EVERYTHING…unless we want to be headless monkeys (or, if you prefer, chickens). But we can live each day for God and listen to Him. He will definitely help us know where our focus should be, because He loves us and wants us to be happy.

And that is where I find true meaning.

He wants it all...

I was in a Zumba class the other week (I LOVE Zumba). The teacher turned on this song, "He Wants It All," as we were stretching. I immediately went home and bought it off of iTunes...and pretty much had it on repeat in my car for the next week.

I love it because I need that reminder to give my ALL at work, home, church, with friends or strangers. God does need hearts who are desperate to be close to Him, but so often our hearts are divided or distracted.

I think it's something we must choose to do every day - to wake up and say, "Heavenly Father, I'm going to give You my heart today, I'm going to serve You with my whole heart."

Our all is not going to be perfect - that's why we need our Savior. So we must rely on Him as we seek to give our all. To me, "all" means all the strength, sincerity, and energy you can give right now, and then our all is supplemented by His grace.

My all always falls short. But that's ok. I'll keep trying to give my Heavenly Father my all, and He mercifully fills in the cracks.

Outside my own little world

Trying to get outside my own little world...

In my own little world it hardly ever rains
I've never gone hungry, always felt safe
I got some money in my pocket, shoes on my feet
In my own little world, population: me

I try to stay awake during Sunday morning church
I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give 'til it hurts
And I turn off the news when I don't like what I see
Yeah, it's easy to do when it's population: me

What if there's a bigger picture?
What if I'm missing out?
What if there's a greater purpose?
I could be living right now
Outside my own little world

Stopped at a red light looked out my window
I saw a cardboard sign said, "help this homeless widow"
And just above that sign was the face of a human
I thought to myself, God, what have I been doing?
So I rolled down the window and I looked her in the eye
Oh, how many times have I just passed her by?
I gave her some money than I drove on through
And my own little world reached population: two

What if there's a bigger picture?
What if I'm missing out?
What if there's a greater purpose?
I could be living right now
Outside my own little world
My own little world

Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours
Give me open hands and open doors
Put Your light in my eyes and let me see
That my own little world is not about me

What if there's a bigger picture?
What if I'm missing out?
What if there's a greater purpose?
That I could be living right now
I don't want to miss what matters
I wanna be reaching out
Show me the greater purpose
So I can start living right now
Outside my own little world

(Matthew West)

A Baby Changes Everything

I was thinking about these words this morning from Faith Hill's song, "A Baby Changes Everything."

My whole life has turned around
I was lost, but now I'm found
A baby changes everything

As Christmas gets closer, I'm just grateful to look at my life and how a baby has changed everything. Jesus lived his life for me and you. Because of Him, my entire life has been turned around. I keep going because no matter what happens, His hope, His atonement, and His resurrection are real.

Why I Believe

My talented friend, Seth Adam Smith, just finished this video for my song, "Why I Believe." This is the message I want to share with the whole world.

I know that Christ lives. I know that He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. I know that because He died for all of us, I can repent of my sins and become more like Him. He is why there is always hope. No matter how we've grown up, no matter what we’ve done in the past, and no matter where we are right now, through Christ, we can change and become new - not just once or twice, but every single day. I have seen and felt that in my life, and it is real. And can I just tell you, it’s worth everything! I know that following our Savior brings true peace and lasting happiness.

Many thanks to Liz Lemon Swindle for letting us use her beautiful artwork in this video, to Seth for sharing his incredible talents, and to Phil Goodwin for the original cinematography. And thank you for letting me share this with you. Please share it with your friends and family.

Meeting two of my musical heroes

My dear friend, Kimberly, and I went to JFEST in Chattanooga, TN.

We got to meet two of my FAVORITE singer/songwriters ever...it was one of my dreams to meet these two women and I'm SO grateful I got to.

We met Britt Nicole - this girl has a heart of gold and one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.

Also met Natalie Grant. I love how her music is to glorify God and help others remember His love.

Britt and Natalie aren't just musical heroes but they're heroes to me because they use their talents to share God's love and to lift other people. That's what I want to do, what I'm trying to do with the music I write and share.

Here's my favorite Britt Nicole song that has really strengthened me, "Walk On The Water." It's one of my top five songs ever ever. Take a listen.

Roadtrippin' to Nashville

Au revoir Montana! I'll miss you!

2,000 miles from Hamilton, MT to Nashville, TN. Who better to drive it with than my Momma?!

Hot dawg! We're going to Nashville!

First gotta make a couple stops along the way to see....

.....this beautiful cloud.

Ta da! The cloud decided to move. It's actually Mt. Rushmore! Thank you clouds for moving. (What are those little men doing up there? I wanna stand on Thomas Jefferson's head!) The carving started in 1927 and they finished in 1941.

Yay Momma for driving across the country with me. What a Mom I have. :) Love you Momma.

So important to remember.

We visited Liberty Jail in Independence, Missouri.

Liberty Jail is where the Prophet Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Alexander McCrae, Lyman Wight and Caleb Baldwin were imprisoned for four months - from Dec. 1, 1838 to April 16, 1839. They were unjustly charged with treason to the state of Missouri.

It's crazy the conditions they were in - it was an extremely cold winter, their food was often poisoned, they had a bucket to go to the bathroom, hard floor to sleep on, and they couldn't even stand up straight - the ceiling wasn't high enough. But I love this quote that was on a pamphlet I got there.

"We remember Liberty Jail not as a place of suffering, but as a sacred spot where faith was tested and found sufficient. A place where the voice of God was heard again as He spoke to a living prophet. A place where revelation was given for all mankind."

I love that. Faith in God is sufficient for anything.

It makes me think of Hebrews 6:12: "Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."