You Are Enough!

I don't think there is anything left to say except that title right there! ;) For me, sometimes it's hard to grasp that I am enough. In the world around me, most things are screaming at me, "You are not enough, Delaney! You need to change all these things about yourself!" In my opinion, it's really annoying. I have always felt like I have to act a certain way or be anything but myself around certain individuals. I don't appreciate feeling like I have to change everything about me to make others happy. It's too much to take in.

If you aren't yourself, who else is going to be yourself for you? No one can take your place. You are unique. You are special. You are a son or daughter of Heavenly Father.

I was fooling around on YouTube one day and I came across this speech by Lizzie Velasquez. In her speech, she talks about her condition. She says that she has a syndrome that is so rare, it doesn't even have a name for it. Basically, what it does to Lizzie is that she can't gain weight.

In an interview with Fox News Latino last year, Lizzie stated, "I hated my condition because it caused so much pain in my life. Not physical pain, but emotional pain. I mean, being a teenager is hard enough, but being a 13-year-old girl with this syndrome, who is blind in one eye, who weighs 58 pounds, and who is constantly picked on by people is almost unbearable. Now I actually look at my condition as a gift, I honestly think of it as waking up every morning and it's Christmas day and it's something that I'm blessed to have and I want to share this gift with anyone who will have it." 

That is why I admire her so much. She calls her condition a "gift." For as long as I can remember, I have always called my short-term memory loss a gift. I call it this because I personally believe that nothing Heavenly Father gives you is bad. He is either going to praise you or teach you a lesson.

My short-term memory loss has caused me some pain. It is so frustrating to not remember even the most simple things. I can't remember what I did yesterday. I can't remember how tot do certain tasks. I have to write everything down. If I write it all down, I will remember.

School was really hard for me as well. When I was in elementary school, my mom would always ask me what I had for lunch that day and I could never tell her because in my mind, that was so long ago. As I attended middle school and high school, I would have a checklist every single day. My mom made it for me. It would have my schedule with directions how to get to my locker and to the class that I needed to be at, my locker number and combination, and my mom would write down if I had to turn in any assignments that day or talk to a teacher before class, etc. It was a life savor. It was how I survived school throughout my life, literally.

Driving around has also been difficult for me. I'm not good with directions. I know my lefts and my rights. I don't know north, south, east, and west. So, I have to have a GPS with me everywhere I drive unless I've been there many times and finally get it locked inside my brain, which is rare, but it happens every once in a while.

I took P.E. in eighth grade. One day during class, we were playing baseball or dodgeball (I can't remember what sport it was) and I threw the ball to the wrong team. I was so embarrassed and I ran into the girl's locker room sobbing my eyes out. One of my classmates followed me into the locker room. We talked for a little bit and I told her that I just wanted to know why I received this gift (I call it a gift because nothing from Heavenly Father is bad. It is simply a gift in disguise.) and she said something that I have never forgotten and will never forget. She said, "Because you have this gift, you were one of the highest followers in the war in heaven." That day, I realized how important I was to my Heavenly Father. I realized how much He loves me and is mindful of me. I realized that I am His daughter and I am precious in His eyes. I realized that I am enough for Him.

It may not seem that you are enough right now, but let me assure you, you ARE!

I saw this video a few months ago and I encourage every woman to see it.

I saw this video, made by the same man as well and I encourage every man to see it.

All these things have helped me remember how blessed I am to know that God lives. I am His daughter and He will always love me no matter what. I am enough in His eyes. As long as I am faithful, He will guide me in the path that He wants me to take. I am grateful for all Heavenly Father does for me and I hope to become more like Him every single day for the rest of my life.

If I feel that I am enough in God's eyes, I know He believes that you are enough in His eyes too. If you are struggling with your faith or feel like you aren't good enough for anyone, trust me. You are good enough for me. :)

Lights, Camera, and... PERFORM!

I have good news. I can cross off one other item from my bucket list! Chris, Beth, Cyrus, and I had the chance to go see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert yesterday evening. Chris and I wanted to do something special and fun with Cyrus before he gets deployed to Afghanistan. He's going pretty soon, but I can't remember when he is leaving or where he is being deployed to. Chris and I are really going to miss him. We thought this concert would be a fun way to spend time with him before he has to leave.

The concert was held at the AT&T Center (that is the place where most of the major events are held). There was a long line and a lot of security. I was a little surprised at how much security there was (I guess that means the Trans-Siberian Orchestra is a bigger deal than I thought they were. They are celebrities!), but it was pretty cool to watch them do their jobs. We also had assigned seats. We sat in the balcony. It was cool because you had a really good view of the whole stage. It was awesome! Oh, and forgive me for the picture overload (I had to capture every moment while I was there. This felt like one of those "once in a lifetime" opportunities). Also, please forgive the picture quality. There was a lot going on at once while they were performing so my pictures didn't turn out very well. I'm not the best picture taker anyways, but I still think they turned out okay. :) Plus, the lights make it look pretty cool, don't ya think? ;)

The orchestra played a number of familiar Christmas songs. It really put me in the Christmas mood. The few songs that I have heard before were "Wizards in Wniter" and "Christmas Canon Rock". It was awesome. True, there were only those two songs that were familiar to me, but that makes it so much more exciting to watch! :)

Waiting for the show to start!

I thought these two pictures above were my favorite. The lights were shining throughout the entire room as they were playing. It was the ultimate rock concert! ;)

I really liked this picture too! The falling snowflakes reminded me of home in Shelley, Idaho. I miss the snow during the holiday season. Here in Texas, it just gets cold.

This guy introduced the members of the band to the audience! I thought that was pretty cool. :)

They came out on these mobile stages (I'm not sure if that's the real name for them, but that's what I'm going to call them). That was pretty wicked.

After the concert, we went to Olive Garden for dinner. I shared a plate of food with Chris. It was really good.

We came home roughly around midnight which meant that I didn't get to bed until about 3:00 in the morning, but the evening was still so worth it. It was so good to see both Beth and Cyrus. I'm glad they were able to come with us to such a fantastickilicious event. Although, the most meaningful part of it all was getting to hang out with Cyrus one last time before he leaves. I am so thankful to call Cyrus my friend (and Chris's friend) and I hope that our friendship lasts for a very long time! :)

Oh Remember, Remember

Since Christmas is right around the corner, this particular season always makes me stop and think about what is really important in my life like spending time with family, giving service to others, giving gifts to those in need, etc. I firmly believe that giving is so much better than receiving. It is also the most rewarding.

I remember one Christmas I spent with my family. We all drew names for Christmas like we do every year. I can't recall who everyone had, but I do remember that I had my sis, McKayla. A few days before Christmas Day, I recall telling Kay, "I am really excited for you to open your gift!" That feeling stuck with all of my sisters because we were all more ecstatic to see our sisters' faces light up when they open the gifts we gave them. My parents were shocked and very pleased with us that we were selfless and didn't even think about what we wanted for Christmas because we were too busy being happy for one another. I wished I could say that the feeling we had during that specific Christmas stuck with us during every Christmas after that, but it didn't.

Since I am on the topic of service, one major thing comes to mind and that is those serving in the military. I have become a lot more grateful for the military and all those men and women do for our country. I believe it's because I have a number of family members who have served in the military and that I have a wonderful husband who is serving in the Air Force right now. Every time this season comes around, it reminds me of when Chris was in Basic Training. He left a month after we got married, but he did come home for a week for Christmas. It was so nice to have him home for the holidays and I was sure grateful that we could spend our first Christmas together as a married couple.

Becoming a military wife has given me a whole new perspective on how much those men and women serving in the military sacrifice to go out there and serve. They sacrifice being away from their homes, their husbands and wives, their children, their friends, their extended family, etc. They sacrifice to be away from the ones they love for a period of time (and let me tell you, 6 months does NOT fly by. It went so slow for me. But, that's just me. I can't speak for everybody else who has gone through it). They make all these sacrifices for our freedom and I can't begin to describe the gratitude I have for those serving in the military.

Chris found this touching poem about the military and how important they are to each and every one of us. Take a moment and read this, please.

A Soldier’s Christmas

By: Michael Marks

December 7^th, 2000

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight;

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

Transforming the yard to a winter delight;

The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,

Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep

In perfect contentment or so it would seem,

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn’t loud, and it wasn’t too near,

But I opened my eye when it tickled my ear;

Perhaps just a cough, I didn’t quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

And I crept to the door just to see who was near;

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,

A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,

Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold;

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,

Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

“What are you doing?” I asked without fear,

“Come in this moment, it’s freezing out here!

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!”

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift

Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts

To the window that danced with a war fire’s light,

Then he sighed and he said “It’s really all right,

I’m out here by choice. I’m here every night.

It’s my duty to stand at the front of the line

That separates you from the darkest of times;

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I’m proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at ‘Pearl’ on a day in December,”

Then he sighed, “That’s a Christmas ‘Gram’ always remembers;

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ‘Nam,

And now it’s my turn and so, here I am.

I’ve not seen my own son in more than a while,

But my wife sends me pictures, he’s sure got her smile;

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,

The red white and blue … an American flag.

I can live through the cold and the being alone

Away from my family, my house and my home;

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another

Or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers

Who stand at the front against any and all,

To insure for all time that this flag will not fall.

So go back inside, he said, harbor no fright,

Your family is waiting and I’ll be all right.

But isn’t there something I can do, at the least

Give you money,” I asked, “or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you’ve done,

For being away from your wife and your son.

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret.

Just tell us you love us, and never forget

To fight for our rights back at home while we’re gone,

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,

To know you remember we fought and we bled

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.

I hope that we remember what is really important this Christmas season. I hope that we become a little better as the new year creeps around the corner. I pray that we can have a little more gratitude for those who have served and are serving our country. I hope that we can all give a little more this Christmas. We can all share our love and joy with those around us.

Being the Fruit Loop in a World of Cheerios

I've learned lately that it's okay to be different from everybody else. We were all created to be our own "one-of-a-kind." We have different interests, hobbies, talents, families, backgrounds and that's okay.

I met a girl when I was in second grade and we became fast friends. We were best friends up until our sophomore year of high school. We only had one thing in common: we love listening to country music. She loves to dance and is really really smart. She is attending Brigham Young University-Idaho and wants to major in elementary education (or she was last I heard). She's married now and has a little girl. I love to play the piano and the flute, read novels, write, and sing. I am going to BYU-Idaho and I want to major in marriage and family studies.

I'm even very different from my family members. My three sisters love to play volleyball and basketball. I hate sports with a passion because I'm no good at them. The only thing all four of us have in common is that we play the piano (and we didn't even have a choice in that matter).

It's so strange how being different can be one of the greatest things in our lives. Heavenly Father created us differently. He created us to look different, to have different interests, and to believe different things. I am so glad that I'm not like everybody else. For a long time, I wanted to be like everybody else. When I got a little older, I realized that I love being different. I love having my own interests and ideas. I love myself the way I am.

On one hand, though, I think sometimes people are trying a little too hard to be different and to stand out from the crowd. In my opinion, that just turns people off. I think if we don't try too hard, then we can be different without being eager about it.

One of the General Authorities told us that we are a "peculiar people". When I was in Seminary, we had a lesson about this. My teacher, Brother Saunders, told the class that the word "peculiar" could also be interpreted as "worth Christ's life." I thought that was interesting.

In the world today, most people believe we are peculiar because we believe in Christ, we believe that He lives, we believe in revelation, we believe in eternal families, the list goes on and on. 

It's okay to be different from other people. It's okay to express yourself differently. Being different means that you are putting your mark on this world in your own way. It's okay to be yourself. If others don't like you for who you are, that is completely their loss.