Quilts & My Community

Last fall, we had a community fair. It had hot dogs, ice cream, games, music, and lots of visiting. Every year, one of my neighbors makes a quilt and donates it, and then there is a raffle for it to help pay for the fantastic event. At the last one, I fell absolutely in love with the chevron pattern and the colors she had picked. I didn't win it, dang it! 

My mom had mentioned to her how much I loved it, and she said I could make her one, I have enough left over. They agreed it would be a perfect Christmas present. So Char Olsen, my neighbor, went to work on it. 

My mom ended up buying the fabric for the back of it and the yarn to tie it while I was there. Apparently, I was totally oblivious to the project. 

There are a few ladies in my community who get together every fall and tie quilts. So Luana Payne and Bethany Olsen tied what was becoming the community Christmas gift for me. Char then took it back, and sewed the edges of the quilt. 

Shayna Olsen told my mom she measured every single knot to make sure they were the same length. 

Although I may not have shown how much I love it when I opened it on Christmas morning because I was still half asleep, my emotions were very near the surface as my mom relayed to me all the people who had helped make the perfect present for me. This is just one example of the people in my community pulling together to make things like this happen. 

Last time I saw Char, she said, "I know something you don't know." This drive me crazy, but I still didn't know what she was talking about. 

This beautiful place we live is more beautiful because of the people that live here. The selfless acts of service from everyone remind me to be better myself. I've been in accidents, and there have been people there within minutes to help, dropping whatever they were doing to make sure I was okay. This doesn't just happen for me. If an ambulance drives by, everyone checks with eachother to see who it was for, and to check to seeif there is anything they can do to help. These Christlike acts are lessons to be learned for each of us; they push me to be better every day, and for that I am grateful. 

My quilt is perfect, and my community is perfectly imperfect; I love them both!

Christmas 2015

Since it's the Christmas season, I've been reflecting on it and what it means to me. 

To me, Christmas is about serving. It's about paying good deeds forward. Yesterday, as I walked out of a store on Main Street in Cardston (not always the most friendly place) someone held the door open for me. As I stepped into the cold, snowy outdoors, I saw my next door neighbor attaching his jumper cables to a very frazzled mother's mini van to start it for her. Christmas is about going out of your way to help other people, and to make their day better. 

Christmas is about family gatherings. It's about everyone coming home for the holiday. My Granparents have been working all month to finish their basement living room so we can all gather together in their home on Christmas Day. It's not perfect, but there isn't a more welcoming place to me than that cozy room. 

Christmas is about giving: time, talents, and gifts that might brighten someone else's day. It's about finding the perfect present for someone, and waiting with hopeful anticipation to see their face when they open the heartfelt gift. Maybe it's not something extravagant, but giving always makes Christmas more meaningful. 

Most importantly, Christmas is about Christ and His birth. The birth of my Savior is one of the most significant events to ever have occurred. Because of Him, all mankind may be saved if we follow His example. His humble birth allowed Him to be able to relate to all of us when we are in our lowest of lows in life. I feel the lyrics to a song pinpoint my feelings about the Savior in words I struggle saying by myself: 

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see... The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures, He will my Sheild and Portion be, as long as life endures...

And another song: 

And in despair, I bowed my head. "There is no peace on earth," I said, "For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will toward men." Then pealed the bells more loud and deep, "God is not dead, nor doth he sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will towards men." 

Because of Him, because a Savior was born, I can be saved. At Christmas, we celebrate His birth. A perfect being born into an unclean world to allow all of us to become clean again, and provide us a way to return to live with God again...it's the greatest gift of all time. 

That's what Christmas means to me! 

Waterton & Winter

Waterton Lakes National Park. Has a nice ring to it, wouldn't you say? It's one of my happy places! Everywhere you look, there are stunning views; it makes my heart happy!

Since it was Christmas break, we decided it would be fun to go, even though it was frrreeeeaaaazzzziiiinnnnggg. I have the chills just thinking about it! 

We only got stuck once, and only for a moment;) 

If you haven't been in a while or ever, it's high time! 

Hi, it's me!

Hello, there!

I'm Jill. Not Jillian. Just Jill. Welcome to my blog!

I think you should meet me. I live in Southern Alberta, Canada. I currently am attending high school. I have a love (more like an obsession) for rodeo, basketball, and photography. I love finding the perfect angle, or the best light. I love chocolate. Simple, still moments constantly capture my attention. I love to write. I am currently working on my first book. Yay! I am the oldest of four girls, and my sisters are my best friends. I don't have a favorite season or a favorite color, they all have a spot in my heart for different reasons. Books are my weakness, I stay up until the wee morning hours to finish a good one, against my better judgement. I have the best parents ever. The place I live in is gorgeous! Oh, and I'm a Mormon. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I also have a small photography business.

I'm going to use this blog as my journal, where I record my life, and all the adventures in it! Some of them might be monumental, while others will be much smaller. I'm super excited for this; I hope you enjoy it, too.

Have a fantastic day!

I am the far left:)