"Arise" and get this cd!...

Heartbound consists of some of the most incredible women I have ever had the chance to meet. True story. No doubt about it. Just being in their presence makes you want to do and be better, in hopes that you might become a bit more like them. Their music is...well there just aren't words to describe the way their powerful testimonies fill the lyrics and melodies. Their songs are full of faith and hope, and are sure to touch your soul.

So, they have a new cd! This thrills me beyond belief! And so I say to you, go out and get your copy TODAY. There is a special pre-sale offer good from now until July 15th. What does this mean for you, you might ask...well I will tell you...it means that you will get a cd that promises to be fabulous, autographed and delivered to your door, for only $11.95! That's right, $11.95! I will stop the typing now so you can go order your copy...

heartboundmusic.com

(I learned an awesome little trick called, 'hyperlinking.' That is what the little gem above this is. Just click on the heartboundmusic.com link above, and it will magically take you to the place where with one click you can get your cd ordered! Amazing I know...)

Oh Canada!

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, that is what today is in case you didn't know...

Anyway, I didn't know until I looked at the calendar that today and I also had no clue what it was. I Googled it, and to be honest I still don't know exactly what the holiday is. From what I think I gathered, Canada got jealous of Ireland having a day like St Patrick's Day and so they invented Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. So all I know is that it happens in Canada, and it is a paid holiday...Sounds good to me!

I love Canada. They are responsible for some of my favorite things. Like All-Dressed-Chips. Celine Dion (which reminds me, I am going to be throwing a baby shower for her and then all of the goods will be donated to the local women's shelter. It's gonna be good. Stay tuned for details.) They also have mounted police officers who ride their horses all across town,which I think is awesome!

So here is to you, our lovely neighbor to the North...I wish you the happiest of Saint-Jean-Baptiste Days!

Faith vs Fear

I have been thinking a lot about fear and faith...

Something I heard quite some time ago was this: "Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real".

Fear prevents us from doing a lot of things in life. It can be paralyzing. It can be so intense and so real, that it keeps us from progressing or succeeding or reaching for and obtaining our goals and dreams. Fear is like a rapid growing weed that can quickly put a choke-hold on our faith.

There are so many examples of people throughout time that acted first with faith. Sure there might have been some fear and apprehension in their soul, but their faith was stronger, and they acted first with that.

I think of Peter and Jesus...As Jesus walked across the storm tossed sea toward Peter in the boat, Peter wanted to do what his Master was doing. Jesus bid him come. And with that Peter steps off of the ship and onto the water. This right here shows that he acted first with faith. He had enough faith to take the leap off of the safety and surety of the buoyant boat. Then using more faith, he takes a few steps toward Jesus. Here I would like to insert the words of Howard W Hunter: "While [Peter's] eyes were fixed upon the Lord, the wind might toss his hair and the spray might drench his robes, but all was well. Only when with wavering faith he removed his glance from the Master to look at the furious waves and the black gulf beneath him, only then did he begin to sink." And I quickly add the verse found in the bible that accompanies this story; "And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

There are plenty of things in life that distract us and try to inflict doubt and fear. The adversary uses fear as one of his greatest tools to get us to take our eyes off of the Savior, our source of love and perfect peace. Because that love, casteth out fear (1 John 4:18). It is my own personal feeling that as Jesus reached out and caught Peter, it was with great compassion. He must have been pleased that Peter had enough faith to step off of the boat and take a few steps, but He must have also been a bit saddened that Peter doubted His ability to assist him in continuing to take those steps across the water.

A little bit after this story, we find an acknowledgment of our being mortal: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."(Hebrews 10:31) And then a gentle but necessary command: "Cast not away...your confidence."(Hebrews 10:35)

We know these things are true, and we know that we should trust our Father in Heaven and Savior, but we are mortal, and we doubt and at times are prideful and think we somehow know better. But He always knows better, because He knows all.

So I am making a commitment in my life. I am going to try and act first with faith. Though I might be afraid, I am going to try and do as Peter did...when He calls, when He beckons me come, though the way might be new and unknown and frightening at first, I am going to trust. I am going to take the leap of faith off of the boat and take as many steps as I can across the water. And if I stumble, if I fall, I know that He will be there to immediately catch me, and lovingly pull me up and teach me so that my faith may be strengthened for my next go on the stormy sea of life.

Condiment Criminal...

I read something the other day that struck me funny. Just like my story of the IdahoSmallFalls, this one also comes from the great state of Idaho...
There was a lady who was arrested after she was caught dumping a tub of mayonnaise in the book-drop at the local library. She was taken into custody and is believed to be behind 10 other 'condiment-related crimes.' 10...yes, you read that correctly. And all 10 crimes were committed with some sort of product that you'd find at a 4th of July barbecue, next to the hot dogs and hamburgers. Though once, she did use...(oh wait, innocent until proven guilty) whoever committed the crime, used corn syrup.


And so, I am not quite sure what would possess someone to do this...

Maybe she had a late fee for an over-due book, that she didn't agree with. Now I hate fines and fees as much as the next person, but I don't ever see the 5cent-a-day charge enough to send me over the edge to go dump an economy sized tub of relish that I bought at Costco, into the book-drop. Though she is older, and if she had checked out a book back in grade school, enough time would've passed to have racked up a pretty decent fine.

Then I thought to myself, "Self, maybe she put her name on the waiting list for the first Twilight book when it first came out, and it wasn't until just now that her name came to the top of that list, and was mad because her kids or grankids already ruined it all by telling her about Edward and Bella and the fact that they are vampires." I'm not sure. That was just a guess.

So next time you go to the aforementioned Costco, remember this little story if you have a hard time stocking up on the fixins' for a big bbq...Just like the limit they put on cold medication cause kids were making drugs out of it...now this might spark them to create a limit as to one 45 gallon drum of ketchup or mustard or mayo, per visit, as the local library is afraid you might come make a deposit...

Father's Day

As I have thought about Father's Day this year, the following quote I found the other day keeps coming to mind. It was published years ago in the Guidepost by a man named Jerry Richardson...

When a little girl was frightened in the night, her father consoled her and explained that God is always with us. "I know God is always here," she replied, squeezing his hand. "But sometimes I need his touch with some skin on it."

I can't tell you how many times in my life I could relate to this story, being that both my earthly father and my Heavenly Father, are in Heaven. I lost my dad when I was just eight years old. I can't count the times that I have longed to feel him near me. To talk to him. To hug him and to feel his touch 'with some skin on it.' By God's loving kindness, those longings have been met with people who have been instruments in the hands of God that have been 'that skin' that allows me to feel the love and influence of my dad. For this, and to them, I am eternally grateful.

And so I say to my dad...

Dad, I love and miss you more than than words can say. I hope I'm making you proud with the woman I am becoming. I'm working hard to do all I can to make it back and see you again and make our eternal family, a reality. Keep sending those bright shining stars and pink roses...
All My Love~Your ShayBay

Clay Walker

Last night I saw Clay Walker in concert. Two words...Yum Yum!

He is so very nice to look at, and he can sing too!

If you aren't familiar with him, and haven't ever heard his music, get familiar!

Yes, he does have a very country sound, but he sings about a little bit of everything...

There is a wonderful song he sings called "Chain Of Love" that shares the story of a man stopping to help an old lady with a flat tire and when she tries to pay him, he tells her he doesn't want any money and just asks her to not let the chain of love end with her. Well, she drives on and stops at a small cafe. Her waitress is about nine months pregnant and the old lady can see how tired she is, and she remembers being in this young lady's shoes. She ordered coffee and when the waitress went to get the old lady change for her $100 bill, she comes back to the table to find the old lady is gone and finds a note from her that says "You don't owe me a thing, I've been there too. Someone once helped me out, just the way I'm helpin' you. If you really want to pay me back, here's what you do...don't let the chain of love end with you." Well, it turns out that the waitress is the wife of the man who fixed the old lady's flat tire. Just goes to show how the 'chain of love' goes full circle.

For a good laugh, theres the song "Fore She Was Mama" about being ten year old boys playing hide and seek and stumbling across 'a box of old forget-me-nots' and finding pictures of their mom when she was young..."Her hair, her clothes, he drinkin' smokin', Had us boys confused. I'll never forget the day us nosey kids got introduced to Mama, 'fore she was Mama. In a string bikini, in Tijuana. Won't admit she smoked marijuana. But I saw Mama, 'fore she was Mama."

And for a melt your heart kind of love song, all I have to say is check out his song "Fall"...

I promise, you won't be sorry if you buy a cd of his.
In fact, I'm pretty sure you will thank me!...

Happy Birthday Ari and Maya!

Happy Birthday to two of the cutest nieces ever!
Love you both!

Idaho Falls, Idaho Smalls

I went to Idaho Falls yesterday. In my mind I had thought it would be something comparable to like lets say Niagra Falls. I've been to Niagara Falls before, and it is incomprehensibly huge and amazing. Idaho Falls...not so much.

Here it is...what do you think?...

But, I will say that I did have an incredibly good idea come to me as I stood there looking at this scene (it includes putting to use, and what I believe to be very good use, the blue plastic 50 gallon drum we have in the garage for food storage)...since it is now illegal to go down Niagara Falls in a barrel (a little something that I've always waned to do), I could go down this bad boy in a barrel (or my trusty 50 gallon drum) and I would have a much better chance of making it out alive! Not to mention, I have not heard nor were there any signs around the area stating that it would be illegal to ride in a barrel in this little body of water. Note to self: Add as #618 on your Bucket List.

Who wants to come with?!?...

The Space In Between Us...

"I find that when I get casual in my relationship with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns. I find myself loving more intensely, those whom I must love with all my heart and mind and strength, and loving them more, I find it easier to abide their counsel."
~Spencer W. Kimball~

This is something I think of often, and it gently reminds me that when there is that space that comes between me and His Spirit, it is because I have drifted. Not Him. He is the same today, tomorrow, and forever. He is constant. And for that, I am so very thankful. He is always there, loving us, waiting with open arms for our return...no matter how long or far the separation.

Believe In Yourself...

Lately I have been thinking a lot about believing in yourself...

Sadly, it seems that the critics in life are far more numerous than the cheerleaders. It really should be the other way around. Life is hard enough as it is, why do we feel like we need to drag others down in the already great struggle of everyday life.

We all have dreams and aspirations. We all have goals we desire more than anything to achieve. More times than not, the road to those dreams and goals and aspirations has it's share of roadblocks and challenges. There are setbacks. We get discouraged. But then when we hear a voice in the crowd say, "You can do it." "Get back up, I know you can do this." "I believe in you." It is in that moment that the flicker of hope returns, and we are better able to believe in ourselves.

I read this the other night and it really struck me as profound. It is true that some of the greatest people who have ever lived have faced great challenges and a great deal of criticism. The following is accredited to Ted Engstrom:

Cripple him, and you have a Sir Walter Scott. Lock him in a prison cell, and you have a John Bunyan. Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington. Land him in poverty, and you have an Abraham Lincoln. Subject him to bitter religious strife, and you have a Disraeli. Strike him with Infantile Paralysis, and you have a Franklin D Roosevelt, the only President of the United States to be elected to four terms of office. Burn him so severely in a schoolhouse fire that the doctors say he will never walk, and you have a Glenn Cunningham, who set a world record in 1934 for running the mile
in 4 minutes 6.7 seconds.

Deafen a genius composer who continues to compose some of the world's most beautiful music, and you have a Beethoven. Drag him more dead than alive out of a rice paddy in Vietnam, and you have a Rocky Bleier, that beautiful running-back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Have him or her born black in a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have a Booker T Washington, Harriet Tubman, or Martin Luther King Jr. Have him born of parents who survived a Nazi concentration camp, paralyze him from the waist down at the age of four, and you have and Itzhak Perlman, the incomparable violinist. Call him "retarded" and write him off as "uneducatable," and you have an Albert Einstein.

After losing both his legs in an airplane crash, let an RAF fighter pilot fly, and you have World War II ace Douglas Bader, who was captured by the Germans three times and escaped three times on two artificial limbs. Label him too stupid to learn, and you have a Thomas Edison. Label him a hopeless alcoholic, and you have a Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Tell her she is too old to start painting at 80, and you have a Grandma Moses. Blind him at age 44, and you have a John Milton, who 10 years later wrote Paradise Lost. Call him dull and hopeless and flunk him in the 6th grade, and you have a Winston Churchill. Tell a young boy who loved to draw and sketch that he had no talent, and you have a Walt Disney. Rate him mediocre in chemistry, and you have a Louis Pasteur. Take a crippled child whose only home was an orphanage, and you have a
James E West, who became the first chief executive of the Boy Scouts of America.

Spit on him, humiliate him, betray his trust, say on thing and do another. Mistrust those whom he loves. Mock him. Make him carry a heavy wooden cross, and then crucify him, and you have the Savior of the world.

Yes, the greatest souls to have walked this earth have faced great adversity. They were told they were wrong. They were told they didn't have a chance. They were called foolish for ever believing they could succeed. They didn't listen. They were victorious. They made a difference... So when you are reaching for you dreams, and you face opposition and hear the voices of the naysayers. Don't listen. Continue on. Believe in yourself and what you are doing. Pursue your ambitions and dreams. Listen carefully and you will hear the encouraging voices of those who love and believe in you, cheering you on, and it will make all the difference...

Flag Day

The flag represents so much...

It represents freedom. Freedom of speech, religion, press...

It represents Democracy. An opportunity for our voice to be heard...

It represents safety. There are countless men and women who serve this country and go off to war to ensure our safety and freedom.

It represents those who have gone before and paved the way. The George Washingtons, the Thomas Jeffersons, those great men who founded this great country.

It represents you, it represents me.

May God continue to bless this country, always and forever...

I pledge allegiance to
the flag of the
United States of America
And to the republic
for which it stands.
One nation
Under God
Indivisible
With liberty and justice
for all.

Life Lesson #612

Yesterday I learned a painful life lesson. I've numbered it Life Lesson#612

Mt. Dew + Ranch Corn Nuts = Abdominal Distress





I would compare this experience to the likes of mixing Mentos and Coke (come on, I know you've all seen the YouTube video and the volcano of foam eruption that occurs when you drop the Mentos into the 2-Liter of Coke). Or mixing PopRocks and any carbonation. Maybe I would even go so far as to compare it to mixing Water and Dry Cement. The moral of this story is unless you want to feel like you swallowed something getting ready to take off from NASA's launch pad, don't eat Corn Nuts and chase it with an ice cold Dew on the rocks...

"I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you."

It was a big story on the news the last two days: A 16 year old girl, captain of her own yacht, sailing solo across the world, lost at sea...

(This is an actual picture of her. Her name is Abby Sunderland.)

I can't imagine! First of all, I can't imagine being the captain of my own ship and then heading out all on my own to sail around the world. I think of when I was 16, and there is NO way I would have been capable of such a task. I mean come on now, the first day I had my license I almost plowed down our garbage cans as I backed out of the driveway. And then a few short years later, I took that very same garbage can and embedded it into the garage door. Ooops! All I have to say is that those puppies must be made out of RubberMaid, because once I backed the car out of the crater I just made it popped right back out like nothing had ever happened! Oh how I wish I could have said the same for the poor garage door...(let's just say it didn't pop back out and the only way you couldn't tell anything had happened was after we had the new one installed.)

Anyway, back to my thoughts and my point...

Here is this young girl alone at sea. She was being tossed violently among the waves, some of which they say were up to 25 feet tall. The water and waves were so bad, it took her VERY far off course, and damaged the mast of the ship which took away her ability to communicate. And so for 20 hours she was all alone out there. I'm sure she wondered if she was going to make it...If anyone would be able to find and rescue her...Maybe she even doubted if the yacht's ability to withstand the storm and stay afloat. Who knows what exactly went through her mind. All I know is that if it had been me, I would have been scared to death and I doubt I would've been able to remain calm with a clear head. Thankfully the story ends well...a search plane from Australia spotted her, and a ship will be there to rescue her within 24 hours.

But then I began to think, this is often how life feels to us. We are out on the sea of life. And there are times when a storm begins to rage. The waves begin to violently thrash. We are tossed about, and in the process get pretty banged up. Our lives get turned upside down and we wonder where we go from there. We feel lost and alone.

We pray. We plead for help. We plead for comfort. At times there is a lengthy silence...we aren't immediately answered or rescued from our situation. We wonder if we are being heard. Then a glorious sight appears, whether in the form of a best friend or a neighbor or maybe even a stranger. But they come to us in our hour of need, and we are made very aware that we are not alone. All of the prayers and pleas we offered up, were heard. And they were answered. That friend or neighbor or stranger is sent to us, and they bring us something that we momentarily lost and yearned for...hope and comfort. What a glorious gift!

Yes, we might be out on the sea of life. And yes, the waves and storms will rage. One thing is for certain...we are never, I repeat never alone. He hears every prayer. He will answer us. He will send help. He has promised us this, and His promises are sure. Let us remember the words of Spencer W Kimball:

"God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other."

Let's commit to being more aware. More aware of one each other and the struggles that they face. Let Him use you as an instrument in His hands. There is great need all around you. Be willing. Be ready. You very well could be the answer to someone's prayers...

Tammy Faye Bakker...

So I decided to try out some new mascara today. Bad idea. Though, it seemed like a good idea at the time (I know, I know, how many times have you heard me utter the words, 'It sounded like a good idea at the time!').

Some of what enticed me to this new product was the increased volume it would provide for my lashes. Little did I know, that it would clump them together and make it look like pencil leads poking out of my eye lids...

Another thing that drew me in was the collagen claim. I mean come on, collagen is what helps us stay looking young, right?! Well little did I know again, that by collagen they meant that it would cause the black to rub off your eyelashes and onto your lower lid creating black circles that look like you haven't slept in 6 months or that you went a couple rounds in the ring with Mike Tyson...oh wait, let's go with Muhammad Ali, being that I don't have a bite taken out of my ear.

Anyway, I don't recommend this product. It is a recipe for disaster and will leave you looking like Tammy Faye Bakker as she cried saying that she didn't know that her and the husband had embezzled all that money from their Joy For Jesus Network... As for me, I am going to stick with my ole' go-to 'Max Factor 2000-Calorie' mascara (I know, how fitting that a fat girl goes high calorie even with her makeup. But it is a gem. Don't judge.)...

Here is a picture
someone snapped
of me tonight.


Yeah, I was on
Larry King Live.
Please don't tell me
you missed it...

Braydo's B-Day

Happy Birthday Rupert!

Happy Birthday to one of my favorite cousins
born on one of my favorite days...

Everything Speaks His Name...

(This was the view from my back deck tonight...)

There was so much to take in. The fresh smell in the air, of rain. The booming and rolling of the thunder. Bolts of lighting. The glimpses of bright light breaking through the darkening sky and clouds. The wonder of the rainbow. The majesty of the mountains.

All of these things are His creations. Incomprehensible. And to think that we too, are His creations. The God of this vast and wide universe, is our Father. We are His. We are His children. Loved and cared about more than we could ever begin to understand or fully appreciate. He knows us, He loves us, and He hears us. There are many things that we don't understand, like how He created the world, or why we must struggle or suffer, or why things don't always go the way we planned. But the one thing we must have faith in and know for sure is that He loves us. We might not understand the hows or the whys and many things may remain unanswered...in those times, knowing that He loves us must be enough. It must be enough for us to press on and press forward and follow Him and serve Him, come what may, no matter what.

And so I am thankful for nights like this, where the wonder of His creations sinks into my heart, and I am reminded of His greatness. Of His majesty. Of His endless power. But most of all I am thankful for the reminder that He is my Father and He loves me, no matter what.

Free Donut Day

You gotta love Krispy Kreme. It is a must. I believe that it is a rule, maybe even a law, written in the FGOA (Fat Girls Of America) Handbook, that you must attend any event in which donuts are a part. Friday was 'Free Donut Day' at the local Krispy Kreme. I attended being that I am a proud card-holding member of the FGOA, and I wouldn't want to break the law! And to stay in even better standing, I came home with an extra dozen...that's right, a dozen that made it home safely and un-eaten...shocking, I know. Anyway...

All I will say is that it was well worth the drive to Layton (don't judge me because I drove that far) to participate in the festivities. The deep-fat-fried-glazed-goodness was worth every mile.

(Please note the black theme...it was the wake for Rue.
I believe Krispy Kremes were a favorite of her's...)

**And as a heads up for all of you who love the Krispy Kreme, they are having a promotion that goes til Father's Day I believe, that if you bring in an ugly tie (any tie for that matter) you will receive a dozen glazed donuts for free!**

Farewell Rue...

Today the world is a little less golden...oh how it saddens me to have to say that yet another Golden Girl has passed. So sad and very unfortunately, true.

And so in her honor you can bet your Rusty-Anchor-lovin'-bottom-dollar that tomorrow we will be holding a wake. So shroud yourself in your finest black wake goin' apparel or your nicest lady of the night outfit, and come join us...

So I say to you Blanche Deveraux,
Thank you for being a friend. The world will surely notice and miss and be a bit less, having lost one of it's finest faux-floozies. I hope that the reunion with Estelle and Bea was wonderful. But don't you girls count on Betty joining you anytime soon. She is going to live forever. Facebook will make sure of it.
Love, Your biggest fan.

Arlington Ladies...

I came across a story that really, I mean really impacted me. It was about a group of women called The Arlington Ladies.Their mission...ensure that no soldier is buried alone. There is a representative from the group that attends every funeral. They are quietly escorted to the graveside and stand silently until it is time to present the flag to the family, if there is any present. They step forward, present the flag and two cards; one from the head of the military, and the other is a personal note they have written. They offer a few heartfelt words and condolences and then step back into their place.

This really made me stop and think about the promise I made when I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints...there is a scripture in the Book of Mormon, and it is a promise which is made when you decide to be baptized. It is found in Mosiah 18:8-9. It says "...and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;
"Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort,..."











This story has changed the way I look at things. I am hereby committing to do more to offer support and love to those around me. It doesn't matter that I might not know just what to say, and more than likely there won't be anything I can do to miraculously change or fix their circumstance. But I can be there. I can stand by them, with them, and let them now that they are not alone. And that might be enough to make a difference.

Thank you Arlington Ladies, for your example...