Me

Me
I am mountains.
I am big, leafy trees
and small ladybugs.
I am rushing river
and quiet snow.
I am scarlet leaves
and dark, starry nights.
I am majestic dragonflies
and simple flowers.
I am cloudless, hot days
and loud thunderstorms.
I am windy days
and grassy hills.

I am climbing trees.
I am snowball fights
and lightning bug hunts.
I am playing with dogs
and sleeping on trampolines.
I am running, jumping,
and dancing.
I am reading books
and building forts.
I am playing with friends
and solving puzzles.
I am playing games during thunderstorms
and singing babies to sleep.
I am watching movies
and being tucked into bed.
I am sleeping with stuffed animals
and jumping off the bridge.
I am family trips
and rafting down the river.
I am taking pictures
and skiing.
I am playing the piano
and rafting down rivers.
I am girl's camp
and hiking.
I am Personal Progress
and bicycling.

I am learning.
I am loving
and hurting.
I am laughing
and crying.
I am terrified
and safe.
I am awkward
and comfortable.
I am lost
and found.
I am courage
and sorrow.
I am kind
and rude.
I am gentle
and scared.
I am understanding
and confusion.
I am worry
and care-free.
I am patient
and angry.
I am insecurities
and joy.
I am happy
and devastated.
I am faith
and trust.

I am love.
I am the love of Christ
and the love of family.
I am motherly love
and brotherly love.
I am fatherly love
and sisterly love.
I am the love of brother-in-laws
and the love of sister-in-laws.
I am the love of nieces
and extended family.
I am the love of friends
and acquaintances.
I am the love of children
and neighbors.
I am the love of hot summer days
and cold winter nights.
I am the love of water
and fire.
I am the love of earth
and sky.
I am the love of plants
and animals.
I am the love of sunrises
and stormy days.
I am me.
I am a daughter of God
and of the House of Israel.
I am a Mia Maid
and a Zimbelman.
I will keep a smile on my face
and in my heart,
treat others the best I can,
and have a good day.

I will always remember,
keep it in mind,
and
NEVER
forget.

Thanksgiving Poetry

In honor of Thanksgiving, I decided to write these...

THANKFUL

The beauty of the earth, plants, water, skies...
Humbles me
As the bees buzz, flowers bloom, leaves change, I...
Never feel ungrateful
Kind words, deeds, and thoughts shine from family and friends...
Filling me with love
Under any stress, I know my family...
Loves me

FAMILY

GUARDIANS OF MY BODY AND SPIRIT
REACH FOR ME DURING RAIN, SNOW, OR SUNSHINE
ALWAYS MAKING SURE I AM SAFE, CALM, STRONG
THINKING OF MY NEEDS BEFORE THEIR OWN
INTERESTED IN MY SPIRIT'S WELLNESS
TRUSTING ME AND KEEPING ME CLOSE TO CHRIST
UNDERSTANDING WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH
DILLIGENTLY MOVING ME TOWARD MY GOAL
EXUDING ALL I WANT TO BE SOMEDAY

Thank you...

Some Thoughts for Sunday

After some debate, I've decided to finally post this.

(The debate was because these thoughts are pretty personal)

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound!
While babysitting Friday evening, the two oldest girls, Hannah and Ella, got in a fight. After multiple happenings, a distraught Hannah and I were talking. Hannah left me with some interesting thoughts.
Hannah: Why does she get to play when she didn't help build it (a fort out of blankets and chairs) at all?! It isn't fair! She shouldn't get to play! We set the timer for her to come downstairs, out of hiding, and she didn't come! We already added a few minutes! Why should we give her another chance? She doesn't deserve it!
Well, Hannah, we don't deserve it either. Another chance, I mean. Why should we get to repent and start over after making mistakes? We shouldn't deserve the Kingdom of God after making mistakes! But somehow, miraculously, we can return to His kingdom. For some reason-incomprehensible love, probably- a perfect being, Jesus Christ, willingly gave us a way to live as exalted beings when he suffered our pains, sicknesses, heartaches, EVERYTHING, in the Garden of Gethsemane.
That's another thing.
He didn't just say, follow these commandments and I'm sure you'll be able to make it back.
He bled for us.
He cried with us.
He eventually died.
For us.
Imperfect beings. Humans. Worldly, vain, prideful, undeserving, 'natural' men.
He felt our pain.
He bore our sins.
And He overcame death.
Even with the weight of the world on His shoulders, Jesus Christ "loosed the bands of death," providing a way for us to return to our Heavenly Father.
Miraculously,
through His grace
(the atonement)
we can be saved.
Amazing Grace.
*Pictures by Greg Olsen*