Broken Crayons Still Color

I'm going to share something a little bit personal with you today.

Are you ready?

Here it is:

Broken crayons still color.

Novel, right?

Just kidding, I'm sure you've heard that phrase, or read it somewhere multiple times. In fact, if you're like me, you've probably been exposed to it so many times, it lost its punch a while ago. My goal today is to revive it, because it is so unbelievably valuable to anyone who has been, or currently is, broken.

Broken. Maybe you are literally physically broken, in which case, I am sorry, and I hope you have a speedy recovery. Maybe, though, you are mentally, or emotionally, or spiritually broken, and this is who I feel this will apply to more.

I have felt broken a few times in my life. I can tell you from experience, it is not a pleasant journey, but it can be one filled with joy. There are times you feel there is no way you could ever be whole again, there is no one who still loves you, and I testify to you that is false. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE, GOD STILL LOVES YOU. HE STILL KNOWS YOU, HE STILL CARES ABOUT YOU, AND HE WILL NOT FORSAKE YOU!

(No, my caps lock did not get stuck, I needed to use my online outdoor voice to make my message clear!)

While Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ do not approve of sins, they do allow us opportunities to repent, and not only do we have that chance given to us, they will also take our broken hearts, and broken minds, and broken souls, and heal them. I do not mean that any mental disorders will immediately be resolved because we ask them to do that, but They will give us the strength to handle them. You see, we do not need to pay for our own sins, because Christ already did. That's why He suffered and died for us! As we turn to the Lord with our entire heart to help us overcome our adversities, and to allow Him to heal us, we will be filled with peace, and understanding. I promise.

As I was sitting in church today, I felt my ankle throbbing from an injury two years ago. I sprained it in basketball, and although I can still do everything I want to, it does bother me occasionally, and I have to wear braces for both basketball, and rodeo. If you ask my family, they say I need them to walk across the field too, or else I will roll it again. Even though it is healed, my ankle is still weak and it hurts and I have to make sure I take care of it. This is not true with the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It heals us completely. There will be times when we cannot understand the process, and it will be painful, but the pain of it can be swallowed up by the joy found in Christ, and in His Atonement.

Just because you break does not mean you are worthless. You are loved, you are known, and you are worth it. Christ suffered on the cross for you, He already paid the price for you to return to Him.

President Thomas S. Monson said, "Our task is to become our best selves. One of God's greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final." How awesome and empowering is that! No failure ever need be final, because a failure is a chance to start again, to become who we are destined to be. I personally do not believe in rock bottom. I feel that if we turn to Christ, He will not let us ever hit such a low point, He will carry our burdens, that they may be lighter, and bearable for us as children of God.

Broken crayons still color. If you feel broken, please don't stop living. Don't stop coloring, even if the broken crayon makes your artwork seem blurry, or dull, or you color outside the lines a little bit. As you push forward, you will see that the crayons don't become how they once were, but they change, and perhaps they become how they were destined to be all along. Before long, you'll look at the big picture and come to love those broken crayons, and the enthralling masterpiece they helped create!

Slumps, Bumps, and Grit.

There is a thing in rodeo you see,
and at the moment, it's well-known to me;
hopefully you are having better luck,
trying your hardest not to suck.
But alas, I'm sinking in the standings,
and nothing is holding me up except my fan-lings.
Unbeknownst to me and maybe you,
this poem somehow became a little askew,
and I find it fitting,
life seems to head like that since the Beginning.
Don't sit in despair!
No, don't be scared!
How? Why?
Life can be a tad bit dry,
But, nonetheless, life of your hearts
and be of good cheer;
don't believe all your eggs are in one cart,
and it's about to smash and smear,
because that's simply not the case!
Your mind is set on a good base,
so the bumps won't hold you down,
or leave you flat on your back with a frown.
I've seen it deep within you,
that mentality where you refuse to lose,
NO MATTER WHAT!
It's that grit,
that ability to dig down and never quit
that sets us apart from the rest,
and someday, we will be at our best!
All these slumps, and bumps bring out our grit,
it's just the way it goes - no need to throw a fit!

I don't know if you've ever been in a slump, but they aren't fun. They are a great chance to learn and grow and become something more, but they aren't fun. Sure, the practice pen is fine, it just happens to be a bit rougher when you actually get into a competition. I had a conversation with a girl who is one of the handiest girls in rodeo I've ever met, and we were saying everyone goes through them, some last longer than others, but sooner or later they end. It doesn't mean you never struggle again, but you find a rhythm again. There are only a few ways to get out of a slump (that I know of, if you have more suggestions, by all means, share them) and they aren't easy.

The first one is you have to change your mindset. Somehow you have to trick your subconscious self into believing this time it's different. Whether you change the way you warm up, or what you picture in the box, you have to find a way to understand this time it will be different. This applies to anything. If it's not working, change your mindset, and convince yourself this time it's different.

The second suggestion is to rope out of it. If you can't put a run together, rope. If you can't figure out your mindset, rope. You have to keep going; you can't get out of a pit if you sit and wait for a miracle. Miracles happen as a result of hard work. Keep going. Keep swinging. Keep your head up. It's gotta click eventually.

Bumps go along with slumps; they are upsets or disappointments in life that come up, sometimes out of nowhere, and slow down our progress on the Road of Life. They require patience and hope. I refuse to give up hope that maybe tomorrow, the challenge I'm facing will be manageable. There are two options for bumps: hide and wither away, or stand up to it, look it square in the eyes, and don't let it stop you. Seriously, look at it and tell it you won't let it control you, not today, not tomorrow, not ever.

Grit is a dirty word and I love it. It doesn't come to those who give up, or those who want to just go with the flow. Grit is the determination that no matter what, you won't back off, you'll keep fighting, and you aren't afraid to get your hands dirty. It's the raw endurance required in life. Grit is sticking to your goals and dreams day in and day out, not just for today, or tomorrow, or the rest of the week, or even the rest of the year, but until your dreams are your reality and your goals are accomplished. No grit, no pearls. Refuse to give in, stay with it! The challenges you are facing today are in your life for a purpose, it's most beneficial if you find out why, but that will require grit.

Here's to a fantastic week, full of ended slumps, overcoming bumps, and acquiring grit! God has your back, just let Him show you. 

Flying

Please don't be afraid to fall.

Wow, that was surprisingly easy to say. If only it was that easy to do...

Falling. The word is not very extravagant or fancy, its rather simple, but it has power. It has the power to keep people in their comfort zones, away from heights, edges, and mountainous cliffs. The fear of falling is intense, and can hold people back from chasing their dreams. Falling in front of peers, in our own minds, in front of our family, and in front of everyone watching and counting on us are all terrifying (to me anyways) and sometimes the tasks we have at hand can seem totally overwhelming. In fact, sometimes it can be crippling.

So, what keeps us going? Why do we still take risks? Why shouldn't we all just sit on Netflix ALL THE TIME? Isn't it safer?

Yes, it's safer. Yes, watching Netflix all the time can seem tempting, and it won't hurt in the end. The issue with this is we don't gain anything. We don't grow, we don't change, we don't learn.

Life is full of opportunities to grow and learn and develop ourselves. We need to make an effort to take advantage of these things. Don't wait for tomorrow, don't wait until someone else does it, too. Decide today, no, not just today, decide right now that you want to achieve your goals, that you want to fly. Don't be afraid to fall in love. Don't be afraid to fall in love with a person, or with life, even at the risk of falling. 

"There is freedom waiting for you, on the breezes of the sky, and you ask, "What if I fall? Oh but my darling. what if you fly?" Erin Hanson nailed it on the head. Flying is exactly what follows when we overcome the fear of falling. The feeling of liberation lets minds and hearts become peaceful, and content. 

God is good. In fact, He is really, really good. When you decide you want to fly, He will help you as your wings grow. Be patient, be humble. He will make you more than you ever imagined.

I hope someday I can look at myself in the mirror with laugh lines deeply engrained on my face, satisfied with the life I lived, and full of fantastic memories: some extravagant, some simple. I hope I will have surpassed my own expectations and helped people and never turned away a questioning soul. I hope my eyes still look for the good in people and I hope my heart overflows with gratitude for the wonderful life I have been given the chance to live, because it is fantastically beautiful, in every sense of the word.