Realizations

It is amazing when you come to realize that you love someone. When you truly have love in your heart your selfish desires seem to take a backseat along with jealousy. You realize that what you ultimately care about is their happiness. Your happiness doesn't take a back seat to theirs, it is only enhanced. Even if their happiness does not end up including you, when you truly love them and have an understanding of God's love you realize that "it is ok!" Your happiness can continue on realizing that you can love again with trust that some day that person you love will choose to love you back.

Crush Confessions

Yes again with the ruggedly handsome face. Really this is just happiness ;)

January 19, 2006

4 years ago I walked off the plane to be pleasantly surprised by my family who I had not seen in a year and a half happily waiting for me with an airport security guard. Two people looked somewhat unfamiliar to me, thinking they must be friends of the family, only to realize that they were my brother Seth and sister Laura who I thought for a second were missing. Hugs, tears of joy, a very happy reunion, exclamations of shock as to the weight I had lost :). Soon we were quickly on our way through this strange new city of Austin to meet my Stake President who would release me from my mission in his home. Sadness overwhelmed me as President Dixon talked about how I was stepping off the plane and into a new life. Why couldn't I have extended, why did the Elders seem to think that I needed to go home to continue my progression in life? Why when some of the greatest happiness I had ever felt had been in serving the Lord and his people. How could I take off the name tag of Sister Clements that I had come to love soo much? Funny when I first walked into the mission and everything was strange. Elders talked about how much they loved Oregon and its people, I thought I would never get used to being called Sister Clements, it made me feel old at first. And then over the next year and a half I came to love Sister Clements, I came to love Oregon and it's people. I witnessed the love that God has for his children and for me.
That year and a half has shaped the 4 years that I have lived since then. I learned patience, hope, faith, love... and many other attributes that have given me so much strength as I have come into different situations. I always remember the miracles witnessed and remember to have hope. I remember the love God has for me and know that he is still with me. I remember the spirit he blessed me with to bless others lives and know that I still have that spirit now to continue to be a blessing in others lives. I came to know my Savior and Heavenly Father in a way that I had never known them before. I came to trust in them like I had never needed to trust in them before. I came to understand how Heavenly Father works in our lives and answers our prayers. I have still grown much since then, and will continue to grow much, but such a wonderful foundation I was blessed to have in serving a mission. I see why I needed to come home and continue to progress in a different way. My purpose has not changed from my mission, it is just in a new area with new people and a different environment.

Happy 4 years Michelle!! Here is to another wonderful many years to come.

Choose to be Chosen

Welcome 2010!

2010 is going to be a grand year! That is what I told my friend from work. When he asked me why it would be grand I stated because I am going to make it grand. I am choosing to have a grand year. What am I going to do to make it so grand. I started it off with a bang going on a week long cruise with 4 other girls and let me tell you it was soooo relaxing. I really needed it after working and school allll year long last year and knowing I had another full year of the same thing coming up. It rejuvenated me and remotivated me!! Nothing like relaxing by a pool in a swim suit, waking up early to watch a sunrise, hiking around ancient Mayan ruins, racing around Cozumel, and enjoying a warm beach to prepare me for the stresses of the coming year. Oh yeah and lets not forget the yummy food!!


Going on a cruise with 4 other individuals could be complicated, but we went with one rule. We could choose to do whatever we wanted to do. We could do things collectively or individually. It was all about fun and not about drama. The biggest drama we experienced was the sad loss of UT in the National Championship game. You better believe Tamara, Larissa and I watched the football game in the society bar\lounge among many other Texas fans.
After getting home from the cruise I felt excited about the coming year. Excited to see where my life will take me for another year. Another triathlon event in April, camping and hiking in Big Bend, another year of school completed.
I have been reflecting a lot on choices recently and our power to choose. We may not always get to choose the situations that we are in, but we do get to choose how we react to those situations. This year I am choosing to be chosen!! What does that mean?

It means at work I will make an extra effort to stay motivated despite the hardships that come form working in a manufacturing industry, I will be a better employee so as to be chosen by my employer. It means at school I will choose to excel a little more and find ways to apply the things that I am learning in my life. I will seek opportunity to further my career in health and fitness so I will be chosen for the things that I want to do. It means that I will be the right kind of girl so that I may eventually be chosen by the right kind of guy. It means that I will choose to serve the Lord more fully so that he may choose me. 3 Nephi 19:20

It is such a huge blessing that we get to choose our lives, we made the choice to come to this earth and to prove ourselves. Now as we live and struggle and rejoice we are proving to ourselves our very character. We are gaining confidence in who we are as sons and daughters of God. Hard times come but it is in the midst of those hard times that we find the strength that is within and we learn how to trust in our Lord and His promises.

This is a great talk I came across as I was thinking about choices. I specifically liked when he talks about reclaiming our agency. Check it out on www.lds.org or click on the reference below.

Robert D. Hales, “To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency,” Ensign, May 2006, 4–8

Sweet Achievement!!!

1:48:28

Swimming in a warm lake on a cool morning.

One stroke after another,

Biking 11 miles.
One pedal after another,

Running 3 miles
One step after another,
I DID IT!!!
And before you know it you have completed your very first Tri!!!
All the people that helped and participated were absolutely amazing!! Shout Out to all those who were able to be there and support and to those who helped encourage me in my training along the way. I couldn't have accomplished it without your help in motivating me!

Training for a Tri!!

For the past month and a half, I have begun a strict triathlon training program. Why?

1.) I wanted to have a goal to work towards for my fitness. Something that would actually get me to the gym, instead of just the thought that I should really exercise. I am a huge goal maker and accomplisher.

1a.) This goal has led to other smaller goals such as working on my 6 pack, getting rid of the rest of the belly fat. Oh yeah. :) Saying no to the sugary and salty substances more often than I say yes. Going to the gym that I am paying money at, for membership, even if it is 9:00 at night when I finally have time to go, and I have to be at work the next morning at 6:30am.

2.) A Triathlon is something I really want to compete in. Take a marathon, never want to do it as long as I live. Running for 26 miles... why??? I have plenty of friends who have participated in marathons, even multiple times. They are amazing to me. But honestly I just don't want that kind of awesomeness in my life. :) Again with the running 26 miles...why??? But break up that workout through several different cardio activities, that is what I am talking about.

The distance I want to compete in is a Sprint. I am a beginner, not ready to kill myself trying to begin an Olympic distance. A Sprint normally is a 700m (~.43 mile) swim, 20k (~12.4 miles) bike ride, and 5k (~3.2 miles) run.

The training I am following is specifically for beginners who may not have spent much time doing any running, swimming, or biking previously. It helps to build up your cardio capacity in an 11 week time frame. I think it is amazing how quickly your body can adjust and be able to handle working harder. Your heart is AMAZING!!

#1 Dilemma I have come across is actually finding a Triathlon to compete in. Here in Austin the Triathlon's I have found to compete in are on Sundays other than on Labor day and Memorial day. I had barely done a week of training by Labor day this year, so I was not ready by any means for that. Some people could pull that off. Let me remind you that I am a beginner. Memorial Day is just so far away, and I wanted a closer date. Sundays I do not want to compete on for personal reasons. For me that is part of the way I keep the Sabbath Day holy.

So how do I get around this dilemma. I create my own event and invite my friends to come cheer and or participate however they would like. Perfect solution. It can be on the day I want it to be, and I get to do it with people I like. As opposed to those that I do not like. :P

Circle of Love*

I have been thinking a lot about service recently. Mostly in serving God, thinking of the scripture in Mosiah 2:17 from the Book of Mormon which states, "And behold I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

Most recently I became sick and began to receive much service which I have been so grateful for. As I was thinking of the many ways I was served I also realized that because of this service it gave me a greater love for all of these people and I in turn wanted to open my eyes a little more and find ways that I might be able to bless their lives as they had blessed mine. I am still working on that part, but there have been so many that I want to say thank you to. In no particular order because each did what they could to bless my life, and each thought meant so much to me.

My dad for allowing others to serve me, and for serving my brothers.
My mom for calling me and checking in on me.
My brother Nathan for giving me his suit jacket when I was shivering cold, and for driving us home from Dallas and enduring it so well despite his own sickness.
My brother Seth for inspiring me to ask for a Priesthood blessing
My brother Willie for visiting me in between his classes, despite my eyes having trouble staying open. :)
My sister-in-law Kami for checking on me, and calling me.
Desiree Heidi for taking me to the ER and sitting with me as I shivered in the cold Lobby, and re-explaining everything the doctor told me, and figuring out my pills till after 3 in the morning...
Christa Haring for breakfast, dinner, and being sick with me. ;)
Ali Hancock for the text message
Phillip Payne for the phone call
Arturo Vega for the blessing and follow-up
Vince Methot for the blessing
Flor Porras for dropping off food
Tamara Kelm for her prayers, thoughts, and chats
Elizabeth Jeffery for listening
Austin Swafford for making me laugh
Taryn Eastwood for facebook comments
Nathan Brown for well wishes
Hubert Laury for phone calls from work to check on me & making me laugh
Sid Hernandez for phone call from work and laughter
Jeddy Stailey for helping take care of my room mate and being willing to serve
David Pruitt for helping take care of my room mate and being willing to serve
Larissa Stalinsky for checking in on me

And to the many others who have had me in their prayers and thoughts. For those simple things that went unnoticed by me. Thank You!!

Mother Teresa said, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love."

Thank you for all of your great love!

Michelle



*Cheesy title, maybe, but from the heart yes.
**Picture depicts: The Martin Handcart Company heading west in 1856 was caught in Wyoming by the early arrival of winter weather. Many would die before they reached the Salt Lake Valley. A rescue party sent by Brigham Young met the company and helped get them through. One especially difficult part of the journey was the crossing of the Sweetwater River. Cold and hunger had left the pioneers weak, and the crossing seemed impossible. However, men from the rescue party, some only teenagers, bravely stepped forward and carried many members of the company across the icy water. This heroic act was an inspiring moment amid the tragic experiences of the Martin Handcart Company. - Clicking on the picture will take you to the website with more of the story.