Parable of Pinocchio

I know my mind can sometimes be really strange. I find connections to things that don't always work out. But here is a thought I've had this past week...

While in AZ for 3 weeks, my nephew Mason was in love with Pinocchio. We read the book every day (sometimes several times) and even went to see it performed at a Children's Theater. With that on my mind, I was reading in the Doctrine and Covenants this week and came across a scripture about hearkening to the voice of the Spirit (D&C 84:46). Out of these things, I created the "Parable of Pinocchio."

Gepetto was the master creator. He created this beautiful wooden puppet, Pinocchio. He saw the potential of this little puppet and wanted it to become real. He wanted Pinocchio to be his son.
Heavenly Father is the master creator. He created each of us. He saw the potential in each of us and wanted us to be His children. He wants us to return home.

In order for Pinocchio to become a real boy, he had to lose his strings. He had to do good things and be a good boy in order to become a real boy.
In order for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father, we need to be good people. We need to serve and love and obey. We aren't puppets being told what to do and where to go. We lost our "strings." We have agency and can do as we choose.

Jiminy Cricket was given to Pinocchio to act as his conscience. He would help Pinocchio know right from wrong. When Pinocchio did not listen to Jiminy Cricket, he got into trouble.
We are given the Holy Ghost to help us know right from wrong. When we do not listen to the Holy Ghost, we get into trouble.

At times, Pinocchio got stuck. He was in a cage in Stromboli's puppet theater. He went to "Pleasure Island" and almost turned into a donkey. He got very close to not becoming a real boy. However, each time, he was able to fix his problems. With the help of the Blue Fairy and Jiminy Cricket, he could be made whole again.
We sometimes get ourselves stuck with decisions we make. We entangle ourselves in Satan's chains. We try to have fun with the world when we are actually turning ourselves into things we don't want to be. However, it is possible to repent and be made whole again. Through Jesus Christ and His atonement, we can be made clean.

In the end, Pinocchio helped save Gepetto. He was made a real boy. He lived with Gepetto happily ever after.
While we are not here to save Heavenly Father, we are here to serve those around us. As we do good deeds and draw closer to Heavenly Father, we will be able to return to live with Him. We will be made "real." And we will live with our Heavenly Father happily ever after.

I know, kind of a stretch, but I'm grateful for Walt Disney for coming up with such wholesome stories to share. :)

Mason and Jade

I have been lucky enough to spend lots of time with Mason and Jade this summer! I am so grateful to live close enough to be able to do that. (I wish Adeline and Xander were closer!!!) Here are some pictures to document a few of our activities:

Jade and I at a family party in June:
Mason and I at the same family party:
Mason and I at the Lehi Rodeo:
The kiddos and I at Mason's last soccer game:
Jade and I visiting Grandma and Grandpa's house:

Being and aunt is by far my favorite "title." I love being a teacher, daughter, sister, friend, etc. But being an aunt is the most fun. I love my 2 nephews and 2 nieces to pieces and am so grateful to be their aunt!

ZZZZumba!

I made a discovery in March. It's called Zumba. Maybe I joined the bandwagon a bit late, but I'm sure glad I did!
I'm not a dancer by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I hate dancing. I do anything to avoid it. But going to Zumba, I have the time of my life! Plus, it's a great work out! I am moving and grooving for an hour straight and just loving it. So there you go. I'm grateful for Zumba. :)

Summertime...and the living's...

Not quite easy, but it's sure great!

I've had quite a bit of time to sit and reflect over the past year. Anyone who talked to me in the past 9 months knows that I was not having the greatest school year. I will admit I struggled more than I ever have with my morale in general. This summer so far has given me time to relax and think about it all.

In one of my classes for my masters program, we watched a movie called "The Emperor's Club." I watched it after having a particularly rough day. I was talking to a friend about how I felt like I failed the entire school year. I never felt good enough or had all the solutions. I felt like a failure. Then we watched this movie the next day in class. It goes through a teacher's school year with a particularly rough student. The teacher at the end of the movie joins the class for their 25th reunion. This student never quite straightened out. The teacher felt like he failed him all those years. However, he comes to learn this:

"The worth of a life is not determined by a single failure or a solitary success. My other students taught me that. However much we stumble it is a teacher's burden always to hope that, with learning, a boys character might be changed and so the destiny of a man."

I heard that and felt so much peace. Overall, I came to love my students this year just as much as any other year. Especially the little one I struggled with. While I never quite found the answers he needed for his life, I tried. And I will continue trying next year.

In the movie, the students at their 25th reunion give the teacher a plaque that reads:

"A great teacher has little external history to record. His life goes over into other lives. These men are pillars in the intimate structure of our schools. They are more essential than its stones or beams. They will continue to be a kindling force and a revealing power in our lives."

I hope that as I continue on in my teaching career that I can be that pillar, that kindling force.

Hiding Place

This song came up on my Pandora today. I had to stop what I was reading and listen. I feel like this song explains me the past little while. I tend to stop blogging when I'm in my hiding place. Hence the few and far between blogs the past while. I hope to change that soon. :) However, no matter whether I'm in my hiding place or not, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ still heal my broken heart and deliver me. They save me from my darkest moments. I will forever be grateful for this knowledge!

If you're looking for a movie that will tear out your heart, rip it to pieces, and put it back in making you want to be a better person, watch this one:

Happy Sunday! :)

Grajeeyashun

That's right, peeps, I got the hood. Technically, I won't be done until the end of the summer, but they hooded me early. :) This weekend I went down to Cedar City and stepped foot for the first time (well, in the past 10 years anyway) on Southern Utah University's campus to graduate! They have been nice enough to have all classes up north in my school district so I haven't had to travel south!
My parents were able to come up and my Sucher grandparents came down for the weekend to celebrate with me. I graduated Saturday and then we went to dinner and played games that night. It was a quick weekend trip, but fun to be with family. How grateful I am for all of the support they have given me in getting my education. It has been so important to me. I love learning! My parents and grandparents definitely taught me to love learning so I credit them. :)

Sephora

A few weeks ago my roommates and I had a girls night out. Deb took Ash and I to Sephora to introduce us to their Bare Minerals make up. Well, after an insane amount of money was spent (it's a good thing I have a job...) we left! I had a new make over on my face, plus Bare Minerals, eye shadow, and eye liner in my bag. :) I was a happy girl.

We did some more girls night out things at the mall and then grabbed dinner at Red Robin! It was a successful evening. I am so grateful for 2 amazing roommates. We are all so different and unique yet get along so well. I couldn't ask for better roommates! I am also grateful to be able to have girls nights out with them (we had another one tonight and who would have guessed...we ended up back at Sephora! But this time I kept my wallet in my purse...).