Saturday, September 26, 2015

Girl Power! Literally

If you have a moment to spare tonight, please check out the women's conference starting in just a few minutes. These women always have some wonderful things to say about life, friendship, family, and what it means to be daughters of a Heavenly Father.

If you can't watch it tonight, it is available to watch online after this evening as well.

Here is one of my favorite parts from the last conference:


-elin

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Listening to Lindsey Stirling

I wanted to post this video I watched today because this is my mom's favorite hymn: "I Know That My Redeemer Lives"- and because Lindsey Stirling is playing the violin part. I actually lived almost next door to Lindsey for a couple years when we were both going to BYU and she played the violin and danced at a talent show we had while we there. I think she plugged her violin into an amp, and then played that violin like I had never heard it played before while she danced around. It was crazy amazing and she, by far, stole the show.

And I love that despite the fame and attention she has earned, she is willing to be here, in places like these, playing songs like this. I am glad I knew her then and I am glad I get to continue to be blessed by who she is and what she believes through her music.


You can watch the whole interview with Lindsey here.

-elin
who is more than a little jealous that Lindsey got to meet Josh Groban....

Sunday, September 13, 2015

How To Save Your Life





My sister-in-law shared this video recently and it gnawed at my insides. Do you know what I mean? When you see or read or hear something that in your gut you know was meant for you--because you recognize something in yourself that shouldn't be there--something that needs to change. But it will require  work. And doing things that make you uncomfortable. And giving up your time, as busy as you already are.

Well, that was me while I watched this video. And I've noticed that when God is trying to send me a message, it is usually one that begins to reoccur often. I don't know if He has been sending those messages my way repeatedly for the past 30 years and I am just now seeing them, or if He is watching me and says to Himself "You're ready for this now Elin. Here it is."

So first it was this video. Then it was a conversation with a friend. Then a couple of opportunities to serve presented themselves--opportunities that were difficult and inconvenient. Then I got to know a woman who gives all of her time and life and self to take care of her handicapped daughter.

Then my mom shared this article with me.

It wasn't a wake-up call. It was an avalanche. But the message for me is crystal clear: Try to take every opportunity  to help and serve that is placed in your path. Stop rationalizing. Stop making excuses. Opportunities to serve are opportunities to grow and be lifted above and beyond your own capacities. God doesn't need us to serve each other. He is perfectly capable of taking care of every one of us. He is the one who knows of every sparrow that falls and "clothes the lilies of the field." He allows us to serve each other because of what it does for us. Letting us take care of each other is, I suppose, often how He takes care of us.

 "24 aThen said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him bdeny himself, and take up hisccross, and dfollow eme.
 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will alose his life for my sake shall bfind it." Matthew 16:24-25

I want to be like these people who so selflessly and wondrously give of themselves--and seem so much fuller and more whole because of it. Jesus Christ exemplified this perfectly. So I'm working on letting go of the things that don't really matter and trusting that His way is the only one that really does matter.

-elin
Who is feeling the Autumn in the air! And who has 2 more lengthy article for you to read on the above topic if you aren't all tuckered out yet: this and this