Be happy cause Jesus loves you.

Oh, you know, just on my way to the Rite Aid down the street, just like any ol' day. It's pretty cold outside, so I'm all bundled up in my coat and have my hands stuffed in my pockets. I'm shivering, of course, because I'm pretty sure it's like a disorder I have or something, how much I shiver and all. I'm standing there waiting for a kagillion years for that orange hand to turn into a blue, florescent person in a walking stance. Quite frankly, I'm thinking about very little. I'm just being.

I see this man walking down the sidewalk out of the corner of my eye. He looks tired, and probably really hungry, and like he hadn't showered in a little too long, and maybe even a little unsure about where his bed was gonna be that night. I didn't think much of him, he was just goin on his way like I was goin on mine. When all the sudden, as he was passing me, he looked at me and he said,

him: "Now don't you go on lookin so depressed now!"
*I jumped SO HIGH when he started talking. Like I probably scared the livin daylights outta the poor guy.*
me: "Oh! Uh, sorry! Yeah, I'm happy!"
him: "Jesus loves you! Jesus loves you so much and you never forget that!! Okay? You never forget that!"
me: "Okay! Yeah, thanks! Yes, He does! Thank you!"
him: "He gave His soul for you on that cross, and you never forget that! You never forget how much He loves you! He loves you so much! Be happy cause Jesus loves you!"
me: "Yes, yes, He does! Thank you!"
him: "You know, I'm Baptist, but I know that Jesus loves you! And I love you!"
*he proceeds to shake my hand vigorously*
him: "I love you so much! And you have a good day!"
me: "Thank you! You have a good day, too!"

To be honest, it was one of the weirder experiences I've had upon coming to Nashville. But even this tired, probably really hungry, not terribly clean, and might be sleepin on a park bench tonight guy… yeah, even he knows what's most important. What's very most important is that "Jesus loves you and that I love you". In the end, it doesn't really matter how much money you got, or how big your wardrobe is, or how smart you seem to the world. All that really matters is that Jesus loves you and I love you. 

"I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was ^acrucified for the sins of the world, even as many as will ^bbelieve on my name, that they may become the ^csons of God, even ^done in ^eme as I am ^fone in the Father, as the Father is one in me, that we may be one."
-Doctrine and Covenants 35:2

Not your typical hiking experience...

Sometimes the mountains that we are given just seem way too big. And the fact of the matter is that they ARE too big, if we take them on alone. But if we allow God to help us out, any mountain in our path is a manageable climb. You just gotta make sure you're hikin with an expert.

Someday my stupid tendonitis-ed wrists will get better. Unfortunately, that day isn't day, and most likely won't be tomorrow, and probably won't even be any time this week, and it's a really big mountain for a little girl like me livin on the 7th floor of Hank Ingram House in Nashville, Tennessee to climb.

But God has a plan.
He knows better than me.
And I'm gonna be okay with that.
He'll help me climb up.

Actually, I think He'll have to drag me up because I'm not very strong and I run out of breath pretty easy. My "PUT A SMILE ON THAT FACE!" attitude doesn't last very long sometimes. But, I think He'll let me take water breaks where I'll call my mom and make the missionaries give me another priesthood blessing and eat yet another package of pretzel M&M's (It's a serious addiction. Like, SERIOUS.). Yeah, He'll let me take those breaks. But He'll also reach His arm out after a few minutes and say, "Alright, sista. Let's keep goin." And then someday, well, me and Him, we'll get to the top. And when when we do? I have a feeling there's gonna be one HECK of a view. And I'll be like a kagillion feet higher than I was before, which will be sweet.

So till then, I guess I'm just gonna keep holdin on to God's hand for dear life and do my best to climb up that mountain. Wish me luck?

Besides, I've always liked a good hike.