Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Lost.

I was driving home by myself last night.
I love driving by myself.
It gives me time to turn on music that I want to listen to.
I put my phone on silent.
I usually ignore texts or phone calls.
It's Annie time.
Not anyone else's time.
I found myself lost in the lyrics of a song.
I found myself being the story of the song.
Being a musician and someone who has grown up loving music,
I find this to be a regular occurrence.
I love it.
I love taking the time to listen to the lyrics.
I love putting myself in the song writer's shoes.
I get lost in their story.
I don't even realize that I have now pulled into my apartment parking lot.
It's when the music shuts off that I come to reality and know that
there is a world out there.
That there is other noise out there besides the sound of a voice, piano and guitar.
It sometimes breaks my heart.
I wish my life was a constant song that never ended.
I love being lost in the lyrics.
I love not caring about the outside world.
I love music.
I love the power it has in my life.
The influence.
The emotion.
The passion.



Monday, November 5, 2012

Firm Believer.

I am a firm believer in many things.
One belief that I have that I will never question nor deny is the gospel.
I am also a firm believer in the saying, "things happen for a reason."
Today was a day where that belief will never be denied.
I had the day off from work to attend doctor's appointments.
I couldn't for today to happen.
Late last night, my friend Sarah asked if I would go to the temple with her this morning.
I realized it had been a while since I had been and I couldn't turn that opportunity down.
I woke up at my usual time.
As I was pouring my cereal, I noticed that my scriptures were right next to my bowl.
I read my scriptures as I ate my honey nut cheerios.
I wanted to be prepared for my visit to the temple.
I needed to be prepared.
Something amazing was going to happen.
I could just feel it.
Got to the temple around 9:45.
There was hardly anyone there.
I was in the font area waiting for my turn.
Waiting for a miracle maybe?
Just waiting.
This older man was in the font talking to the temple workers.
He had long grey hair pulled back into a pony tail with a scruffed up beard.
In walks an older looking lady.
She had long grey hair pulled back into a pony tail and braided.
She was his wife.
They had a big stack of family names.
I could wait.
I watched as this man baptized his wife in honor of their family members who had passed on.
He began to cry.
She began to cry.
I wanted to feel what they were feeling.
So badly.
I listened to his words.
I watched him.
I felt it.
I began to cry.
I had a prayer of mine answered right then and there.

After I did my work, Sarah and I were getting ready in the women's room.
The lady come out in dry baptismal clothes ready to be confirmed.
I asked her about her family names.
I asked her about her husband.
She goes on to tell me that he looks like a biker dude and not to worry because he is "very LDS".
"He's a high priest!" she said with enthusiasm.
I couldn't help but smile and admire her love for her husband and this gospel.
Another girl came out to get ready to leave and I had noticed that the temple workers knew her by name.
She comes every Monday and has been for the past year and a half.
She just put in her papers and will receive her mission call on Wednesday.
I smiled at the fact that for a year and a half, she has been doing what I should be doing every week.
That she has such love and excitement for the work.
Again, my prayers were answered right in that room.

Sarah and I proceeded to the waiting room.
I knew that the temple was closing soon but I wanted to read The Book of Mormon for a little bit.
We sat and read.
A sweet old man came up to us and thanked us for being worthy to enter into the Lord's house.
Again, I smiled.
I read and felt the spirit so strongly.

There was no mistake that I was there at that time.
There was no mistake that Sarah asked me to go on my only day off of work.
There was no mistake that the lovely couple was there doing work for their ancestors.
There. Was. No. Mistake.

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason.
That people come in and out of our lives at the most perfect times.
I didn't meet strangers today.
I met angels and friends.

Things happen for a reason.
I believe it.
Do you?