the world as i see it...

for one of my bajillion english classes this semester i was asked to prepare a presentation on my definition of beauty.  i've actually thought about this a lot, because when i am walking or hiking or cycling or doing something where i can just ponder and take in my surroundings, i often find myself overcome with wonder at how beautiful the earth and life and God's plan are.  we are all born to a mother and father.  we came into this life as canvases waiting to be made into something meaningful.  as our lives play out, the artist of our lives is our choices, our experiences, trials, and the lessons we learn.  each canvas is unique--there are no 2 identical paintings.  to illustrate this point, i asked some friends and family to tell me something real about themselves that makes them who they are, and made this video:

for me, this is what makes life and the earth so beautiful: the fact that we are all so different, yet we all have the same divine nature.  we are all children and spiritual creations of the same Heavenly Father.  for some of us, our lives experiences have been challenging, sad, or difficult to bear.  But no matter how tiresome our experiences, every single person who has lived, is living, or will ever live, is accounted for under the Atoning sacrifice of our Savior.  and that is beautiful...

...and in case you were wondering, i got an "a" on the project.
peace+love

NEVER leave your religion at the door

man, i'm sorry to anyone who missed the ces fireside tonight.  you can watch it here.
elder holland.  what a powerful speaker.

in sunday school we were studying about the gadianton robbers (Helaman 6). it refers to satan and how he came to posses the hearts of the nephites in very astute ways.  it started out with small things that lead to a downward spiral.  i began to think about the ways there are gadianton robbers among us today.  i began to think about pop culture, music, clothing, television, politics, leaders, current world issues. there are so many voices constantly telling us how to live.  just as God needs instruments to bring about His work here on earth, so does Satan.  he takes hold of our hearts through the small things.  his instruments are telling us how to dress, what to say, what to listen to, what to think.  most of them don't even realize they are instruments in Satan's hands.  the scariest part, though, is that most of us don't realize they are Satan's tools either.  i began to think how often i do something or listen to something or say something that drives away the Spirit.  how often i try to keep one foot in babylon and one in zion without even realizing it, simply because i want to fit in.

everyone is born with the light of Christ to illuminate their way in the darkness.  those who have been baptized have received the Spirit's constant companionship.  and we must stay worthy of it if we are to make our way back to our Heavenly Father, with all of the misty clouds of temptations swirling all around us. so i resolved to make a change.  to be more aware of the sensitivity of my Spirit.  to notice when i don't feel that sweet, sacred influence at any given moment. i invite you all to do the same.  and to NEVER leave your religion, your love for Jesus Christ, your desire to be like Him, at the door.
peace+love

do you realize that you have the most beautiful face?

yesterday i hiked up squaw peak.  it was so beautiful.  so green.  the view from the top was incredible.  then hiking down it was all the same surroundings but looked so different.  we could barely recognize the cliff we'd hiked up to from the bottom.  it made me think… we are all individuals who see things so differently.  "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".  one thing viewed from 50 different angles has 50 different perspectives.  

but peace comes from understanding.  it comes from communication.  when we speak our views, then LISTEN, that is when we will achieve peace.  we shouldn't have to try and be anyone else but ourselves, but we should try to put ourselves in others shoes.

it applies in all aspects of life, really.  school, work, relationships.  maybe everyone else had already thought about that so this is lame and nothing new, but it was the lesson i needed to learn yesterday.

p.s. subject reference here for those who don't know it.

peace+love

the fall

coming home from a mission and adjusting to the "real world" is an interesting experience...my life's circumstances make it even more interesting. 
today i was given about 5 minutes to make an important life decision. i really hope i made the right one.

then, i got to go be one with the earth.  okay, maybe it wasn't the most spiritual experience i've had in nature (impossible when you've got cousin sammie screaming about snakes every 5 minutes), but i've got to say, there is nothing that brings me more peace of mind and makes me feel more "at home" than getting away from civilization for a few minutes and pondering on the beauties of the earth.

hello, nature...it's good to be back.

peace+love

Fahrenheit 451

it's far too hot outside to sit, walk, stand, or do anything for that matter.

so, i'm sitting in my air-conditioned house in a rocking chair reminiscing about recent events of life and listening to a.a. bondy.

today was a good sunday. it didn't start that way. i talked to my stake president this morning and he informed me that the 12 apostles have not made a call for me to serve yet. he feels confident it will happen this week. which means i will receive it the next week. and won't leave for a few months after that. i won't lie, this mission prep thing is not all rainbows and butterflies. there are times i feel extremely discouraged, unknowledgeable (which, ironically, isn't even a word) and unworthy. i often wonder what i'm getting myself into. it doesn't help that i'm impatient and stubborn.

then i had a missionary farewell and homecoming to attend.

at the farewell i was gently reminded why i decided to go on a mission in the first place.

at the homecoming i was gently reminded i will not be the amazing teacher on my mission. but the holy ghost will be.

what i learned from all this? i've just been selfish. my focus has been on my anxiety and my problems. not on preparing to teach the people i will come in contact with and relying on the spirit.

now i am recommitting to continue to love life and live it up but focus on the well-being of others and seeking the holy ghost as a constant companion in everything i do.

on the lighter side of things, more pictures from skydiving. apparently my mom took pictures while i was in the air, so enjoy...

sky so blue

a perfect landing (on our feet!)

post-jump hair

{also, virtual hug to whoever gets the reference in the post title}

peace+love

i used to have dreams about oscar

when i was in jr. high/high school i wanted to be a film director. i dreamed of being the first American woman to be nominated and win an Academy Award for best director. true story. but that's not the point of this post.
i saw avatar last night.
it was really beautiful. if i could live in a fantasy world it would have to be Pandora. so green and colorful full of crazy bugs and plants, and really graceful people. plus i could ride a sweet dinosaur-like bird. and wear feathers in my hair. feathers were everywhere.

i understand why it is nominated. it has a pretty blatant political agenda (very anti-bush administration...there's even a line from the "bad guy": "preemptive strike is our only way to protect ourselves"...or something along those lines), and respecting mother earth (greenhouse gases and global warming anyone?). and let's face it, movies are like music- to say what you want to say without actually saying it.

but if it wins...well, that would be sad. within the first five minutes i thought i was watching Pocahontas. i even called that she'd be betrothed to some warrior already and her father was "chief". there's even a "grandmother willow". any second and i was sure Neytiri was going to bust out "Colors of the Wind". it was almost comical. then there was a Jurassic Park scene, a Braveheart speech, and a lot of Last of the Mohicans meets Saving Private Ryan. Really just unoriginal .

Hollywood, it's time to come up with something new.

i hope UP wins. or Blindside.

what movie do you want to/think will win Best Motion Picture?

peace+love

come on skinny love, just last the year

happy valentine's day!

things i love (in no particular order and not all things):

the moon
skinny jeans
ocean
TOMS shoes
skiing
fall
receiving letters in the mail
sending letters in the mail
kings of convenience
having my toes popped
npr
mountains
juno
warm rain
ukulele
climbing
zip-up hoodies
sunflowers
my iPod
dolphins
politics
summer
hiking
overcast weather
laughing
folk
family
winter
whales
pretty much all sea life
quarter sleeve shirts
walking in the snow all bundled up
quesadillas (i'd starve without them)
trees
spring
friends
life

What do you love? (name that movie)

also, happy birthday to this kid...
peace+love

the sky looks PISSED

just like the first chapter in a book, sometimes the first line of a song is what makes it what it is. and i'm big on lyrics. cheeky, thoughtful, ironic, or clever, here are a few of my favorite first lines:

"The sky looks pissed. The wind talks back. My bones are shifting in my skin, and you, my love, are gone." The Chain, Ingrid Michaelson

"I backed my car into a cop car the other day. Well, he just drove off. Sometimes life's okay." Float On, Modest Mouse

"Watchin' me like you never watched no one, don't tell me that you didn't try and check out my bum cause I know that you did cause your friend told me that you liked it." Merry Happy, Kate Nash

"I wanna be rich and I want lots of money. I don't care about clever, I don't care about funny." The Fear, Lily Allen

"I'd rather dance with you than talk with you, so why don't we just move into the other room?" I'd Rather Dance with You, Kings of Convenience

"Slow down, you crazy child, you're so ambitious for a juvenile but then if you're so smart then tell me why are you still so afraid?" Vienna, Billy Joel

"Have you ever thought about what protects our hearts? Just a cage of rib-bones and other various parts." Breakable, Ingrid Michaelson

"She's a good girl, loves her mamma. Loves Jesus, and america too." Free Fallin', Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

"Slow down, you move too fast. You've got to make the morning last. Just kickin' down the cobblestones, lookin' for fun and feeling groovy." 59th Street Bridge Song, Simon & Garfunkle

"Oh Jesus, I love you, and I love Buddha too. Ramakrishna, Guru Dev, Tao Te Ching and Mohammed." I love you and Buddha too, Mason Jennings (definitely had to look up spelling for this one)

what's your favorite first line?

peace+love

december baby

10 reasons i love december

1. alta
2. ski clothes
   
3. moguls
4. snow
5. skiing
6. park city
   
7. snow
8. skiing
9. powder
   
10. skiing
    

now, if only it really would snow...
i want your list.

peace+love

i ain't sayin' she's a gold digger

someone very seriously asked me, "when it really comes down to it, what are the three essential things you want in a husband?"...some would say spirituality, sense of humor, or wisdom
my thoughts:

-a hot body
-wealthy
-basically, paulie bleakershallow? maybe
honest? a little too...
practical? completely

what do you want?

peace+love

better than susan boyle

last night i was talking to a friend about the changing process of another friendship...in the conclusion of our conversation he said,

"kelli, i am just a phone call away. seriously, if you ever need anything. i would go through hell to make sure you're okay. i really care about you."

that is how friendship should be. we should all be willing to go through hell for the people we care about. and eventually we should be willing to go through hell for any human being. because that is what Christ did. that is Christ-like charity. and we're all trying to be like Jesus.
is there anything i can do for you?

also, a new friend introduced me to this...it's fantastic and moving

peace+love

keepin' it classy in cedar

"Obama's Secret Service"

my personal people of walmart experience:

last night, my friend and i had some extra time before our movie started, so we decided to go to wally's world to get cheap treats to sneak in with us...we came across a woman with bleached-blonde hair wearing a bright yellow, over-sized t-shirt tied up in the back revealing her tramp stamp...the back of her shirt read, "can you see me now dumb ass?"

your turn, share your favorite walmart experience...

peace+love

p.s. the movie we saw was "where the wild things are"...i'm still trying to decide how i feel about it, so if any of you have seen it and have some strong (or weak) opinion on it, please do share

an attempt at improvement

there are some things in life that are really easy...like brushing your teeth, tying your shoes, making your bed, or daydreaming.

there are some things in life that are really hard...like math, understanding shakespeare, getting out of bed early in the morning, or paying attention.

some of the hard things we bring upon ourselves.

like diets

diets are hard

they're especially made difficult when you have roommates that like to bake, are good at it, and like to share their creations

peace+love

"I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks."

last night i crawled through a cave in which the floor was covered with guano...unsanitary? yes. spooky? yes (there were lots of bats). fun? most definitely.

i am reading To Kill A Mockingbird for the fourth time--Atticus is the most fascinating character. amongst twenty other things i admire about him, one that sticks out this time around is his patience. when Bob Ewell spits in his face and threatens him with his life, all Atticus has to say about the matter is, "I wish Bob Ewell wouldn't chew tobacco".
in sunday school we read this scripture: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." - Proverbs 16:32
Atticus is able to take a case of a black man's word against a white man's in a time when victory for the black man was unheard of, and keep the jury out for hours. But more importantly, he made the town see that Scout is right, "there's just one kind of folks. Folks." Atticus is mighty.
and mighty handsome...
peace+love

back by popular demand...

September 14, 2000 

"My life has changed so much in the past 3 months.  I'm in 6th grade now.  I don't have a crush on Colton Smith anymore."

peace+love

...i've always been a deep thinker..

today i was reading my journal from 5th and 6th grade....

February 19, 2000:
"If you cant drink and drive then why are we aloud to drink? If you cant hunt out of season then why are you aloud to hunt? If we are a free countrey than why aren't we aloud to go to our friends house unless our rooms are clean?"

....this world doesn't get much deeper than that
peace+love