A quiet moment

I am pausing for a moment to write my thoughts. Today is technically Thanksgiving although I celebrated with my parents and relatives last night. I am writing this note while sitting in blow up chair next to the window (yes my blow up chair I've had since I was a teenager). I have been studying and writing a paper that I have spent countless hours on, but still am pushing to finish it for the Monday deadline. I glanced out the window as the sun broke through the clouds and shown through the window on me. I feel a warmth and love and gratitude for my God. I saw small chickadees playing in the bare branched trees. I typically, don't find a lot of beauty in bare tree branches, but somehow it was a very beautiful moment. Perhaps it was a reminder. A reminder of the sweetness amidst whatever bareness we may have in life. I realized last night as I spent time with my parents how much I miss them. Not only that, but my whole family. I am surrounded by wonderful family relatives, but I miss my siblings. School has limited my opportunities to see them as much as I normally would. But more than anything on this Thanksgiving or last night I felt a gratitude for them. As I laid down to sleep I found myself saying things to my Heavenly Father such as this, I love thee for my wonderful family I love thee for the opportunities I have to see them I love thee when I see the beautiful mountains I love thee on beautiful sunny morning I love thee at night when city light decorate my window. I love thee for the stars that wink from afar I love thee even for the darkest and hardest nights or the warmest happiest days My thoughts are on Thanks to God. However, my thoughts look much better in my head than I ever find they look written down. A few of my favorite moments this week are individual times with people. I love people. One of my all time favorite was last night when after telling my dad that I learned how to do stitches, but that I need to practice them... He responded, "Well lets practice." I grabbed some string and my granmother's candy dish to tie the string to. My dad then taught and reminded me over and over again how to correctly do different stitches. I learned the one handed version, which I hadn't learned in class. It was fun to spend time with my dad. I loved time with cousins laughing, which reminded me of so many memories we had together. I my cousin teaching me about the guitar and seeing his excitement for it. I loved hearing the excitement of a new friend earlier this week as told of his traveling adventures. I loved brief time with an old friend reporting back on his Florida trip. I am grateful for the many great people in my life and for wonderful blessing I have to learn.

It's been an eventful week. Therefore, it's time for another post. The quick summary is this:

1-Our new NICU unit opened up this week. 

       I enjoyed the reunion and openhouse. The reunion was for families and babies that had been in the NICU. It was fun to see them again and how much they had changed. I also enjoyed explaining the NICU to friends. Its so much easier to explain what I do when they can actually see it in front of them. I also worked my last shift in the special care and moved into our new NICU unit at the end of the shift. What a momentous occasion, it was neat to be a part of it. The new unit is so nice. I am really excited for it.  

2- My program director announced she is moving. She will finish out the semester, but then will be gone. We were all rather shocked. 

3- I received a calling in church. I included my journal with some of my thoughts on the new responsibility below. 

That made for a lot of changes in one week. 

Here's my journal:

November 6, 2011- Sunday

I received a calling today. I hadn't had a calling in my ward, but with 550 people in my ward I wasn't surprised that they hadn't made it around to me.  My Bishop text me on Friday. I had never had a text from a bishop before. He told me he had a calling for me and asked if he could meet with me that afternoon. I was on my lunch break, but didn't get out of work until 6 pm. So he asked to meet with me before church on Sunday. I didn't think much of it at first. After all, it had been 3 months that I had been in the ward and most callings were filled with the exception of committees. However, on Friday night a boy from my ward informed me that they were splitting the relief society and elder's quorum this Sunday. I didn't sleep well that night and woke early feeling uneasy about the calling I was about to receive. The more I sought  comfort the more worried I became about how timing would work out. I started receiving ideas of what to focus on in relief society and how to help our relief society. I can't say that was very comforting either.

 So I met with Bishop Boren who extended the calling of first counselor in the relief society presidency. It wasn't exactly a surprise at that point, but I still felt nervous. Nervous because I know very few people in our ward, especially girls. There are 143 sisters in our relief society. I enjoyed playing some hymn arrangements until church started. My mind still had trouble focusing on the lesson in Relief Society. Bishop spoke after and shared the story of the twins that thrived once together. I appreciated the lesson and it was much of what I felt on Saturday: I can't do this on my own. I need the sisters to reach out to each other and help me. Bishop reminded us how much we need each other and then announced our new presidency.

Once the meeting was closed we met as a relief society presidency. I met Natalie Richards the relief society president and Madison Black the 2nd counselor for the first time. I already knew Michele Harvey. Natalie is in her last year of an English/French major and has been in multiple relief society presidencies. I am impressed with her already. Madison is a new freshman and a pre-med student. Michele is an attorney and has been in 1 relief society presidency before. It seemed strange to be a presidency, yet to be introducing ourselves for the first time. We were sustained in sacrament meeting and afterwards set apart. I was set apart along with Natalie Richards and her mom was there. Before hand the Bishop reminded us once again to delegate and call as many people as we need to get the job done. I am looking forward to the calling.

I feel the Lord has been preparing me for this calling: About 2-3 weeks ago I went to the temple with the question, "How can I be more efficient with my timer." The answer surprised me. I felt prompted that rather than doing less things I should do more and that by doing so I would be efficient in my studying. That seems hard to believe.

As the prompting came a newspaper article grandma had shared with me came to mind about BYU-Idaho. The article was about the innovative way the school is approaching education, but it also shared the history of the school. President Hinckley turned to Hal (Elder Eyring) and said something like, "Isn't there a way we can allow more students, make the school a 4-year university and decrease costs?" Hal's response was no. However, they seemed to have found a way. Typically the conversion of a 2-year college to a 4-year university increases costs and requires the school to become specialized in areas. However, the school is now a 4-year school and can accept more students and even with the economy has had very little increased cost.

This story came to mind because unlike what I would think increasing the variety of activities I do would actually increase the effectiveness of my study time. I thought this was referring to improving upon my talents such as piano or violin, service given and social activities and it does. However, I feel that instruction was to help prepare me to accept the calling and have faith that I can complete my graduate school requirements, work 36 hours in a 2-week pay period and still magnify my calling in the relief society presidency. The Lord sees not as man sees.That's for sure.