Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.

In 2015 Hunter and I binge watched the show Friday Night Lights faster than we had ever watched a show before. Actually, it's probably the only series Hunter has ever actually finished. We were obsessed. If you haven't seen the show, it's on Hulu and is a must! It's about a high school football team in Texas with an incredible coach. It follows the life of the players and the coach and whether or not you like football, I promise you'll like this show. And if you don't... then I have no words! Ha! In the show, the team chants "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't lose" before every game. Hunter and I became obsessed with this saying, along with half of America. We ended up adding it to our family motto because the saying holds so much meaning that we want our girls to embrace. Here's what the saying means to me...

Clear Eyes: Living life with a clear focus. I know that life gets hard. I know that things will always get thrown our way that may distract and deter us from becoming who we were meant to be. However, I think that living your life with clear eyes means having the ability to see clearly during the hard times rather than letting the end goal become blurry.

Full Hearts: I think that going through life with a full heart means living each day with gratitude. It means not taking what you have for granted and appreciating even the smallest things. When you have a heart full of gratitude, you're sure to see the good in each situation. I also think it means keeping your heart full of love, passion, confidence, honesty, humility, and dedication. It means working on yourself to become your best self and the best way to do that is to keep your heart full and your path (eyes) clear. 

Can't Lose: At the end of the day, if you've given it all you've got, you cannot lose. This slogan means so much more than simply winning the game, but also imparts the importance of being the best version of yourself. Because if you win with a hard heart and blurry vision, did you really win at all? By approaching life with honesty, heart, and accountability, the "loss" is not really a loss. Instead, this saying imparts the value of doing one's best and accepting that it doesn't always mean "winning" in the world's eyes. The important element here, is that it does not mean the non-winner is a loser, but rather that by upholding values of perseverance, humility, and dedication, the individual is a winner regardless of what the "scoreboard" says.

As the girls get older and life gets tougher, I hope they always remember to keep their eyes clear, their hearts full, and remember that winning isn't all about a number or a "prize" but rather what's on the inside. 

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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The Best of Me

"Being together isn't about a honeymoon. It's about the real you and me. I want to wake up with you beside me in the mornings, I want to spend my evenings looking at you across the dinner table. I want to share every mundane detail of my day with you and hear every detail of yours. I want to laugh with you and fall asleep with you in my arms. Because you aren't just someone I loved back then. You were my best friend, my best self, and I can't imagine giving that up again... You might not understand but I gave you the best of me, and after you left nothing was ever the same.. I know you're afraid, and I'm afraid too. But if we let this go, if we pretend none of this ever happened, then I'm not sure we'll ever get another chance. We're still young. We still have time to make this right...We still have the rest of our lives."

-Nicholas Sparks

The Best of Me

So I read a book...

I know, gasp.

I really enjoyed it.

I'm a sucker for a good love story, especially if it involves high school sweethearts ;)

However, the ending was ridiculous and predictable. 

My mom said it best:

"Yeah I kinda knew that was coming. Kind of weird and awkward and creepy. Oh well, Nicholas Sparks is always an easy read."

I just decided I'm gonna write my own ending.

I did that with Dear John too. 

Anyhow, how lovely is that quote?

I love every word of it.

I also find it quite fitting for the current circumstances. 

So thanks Nicholas Sparks for making my heart feel a little extra full...

Then writing a stupid ending.

Peace out.

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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Daily Bread

"I bear you my witness of the living reality of the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, and of the infinite power and reach of His Atonement. Ultimately, it is His Atonement, His grace, that is our daily bread. We should seek Him daily, to do His will each day, to become one with Him as He is one with the Father. I bless you that as you seek it from Him, your Heavenly Father will grant you your daily bread, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

-Elder D. Todd Christofferson

More from this wonderful CES Fireside can be found here.

And let me just say, no matter where you are in life, you need these words.

"The Lord’s invitation to seek our daily bread at our Heavenly Father’s hand speaks of a loving God, aware of even the small, daily needs of His children and anxious to assist them, one by one. He is saying that we can ask in faith of that Being “that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given” (James 1:5). That is, of course, tremendously reassuring, but there is something at work here that is more significant than just help in getting by day to day. As we seek and receive divine bread daily, our faith and trust in God and His Son grow."

I told you... what are you waiting for? ;)

Happy Sunday friends! :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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Finding Happiness

Have I mentioned how much I REALLY love my institute class?

Well its true, I do.

What we learned the other day, has really stuck with me.

I keep referring back to the notes I took and thinking deeper into what we talked about.

I think that means something. I think it means I needed that lesson.

Yep, I sure did.

Here goes the summary because I think everyone could learn a thing or two from a really lovely lesson.

(Keep in mind my thoughts don't work like a normal persons. They are everywhere all at once, but if I can connect the dots, I believe you can too.)

Take a second and think...

What Equals Eternal Happiness??

Do you have an answer? Kay good, write it down so you remember it.

Have you ever heard of Maslow's Hierarchy of needs?

If you haven't I suggest reading up on it, It really is quite interesting.

Anyhow, here they are...

Study that as much as you want and argue with it all you will, but shoot, its the dang truth. 

In that order precisely. 

Where are you?

Why are you not at the point you want to be?

Aha! We shall see...

"If you deliberately plan on being less than you are capable of being then I warn you that you will be unhappy for the rest of your life."

- Maslow

Alright so now think about this:

The 5 needs that should really be fulfilled are 1) physical 2) social 3) emotional 4) mental (intellectual) and 5) spiritual.

Kay easy enough right?

Yes, it should be. If you can find a balance among all of them.

That right there though, is the hardest for everyone. 

Here's what it should look like to find a balance:

Soo I'm not the best "bubble" maker, I get it... But there's a bigger point!

Notice how the biggest bubble is the spiritual one. Notice how everything around that is the same size (or at least supposed to be haha).

The point is that if you make your spirituality the biggest part of who you are, every other thing will be balanced in your life.

Therefore, no stress.

Woah, THAT is a magical formula to happiness.

Catching on? Kay cool.

3 Nephi 13:24-34 talks about how Heavenly Father WILL provide every little thing we will ever need for us. If he doesn't provide Steve Madden Combat boots for you or a shiny new iphone, chances are you REALLY don't need it to make you happy. 

Matthew 6:24-34  talks about focusing on the Kingdom of Heaven. Somehow, the scriptures talk a whole lot about that. I think He is trying to get the point across. 

The plea is to have us focus less on the pride of the world and more on eternal consequences. 

Having that Aha moment yet?

Me too.

One last scripture. Alma 32:27-43. 

Ohhhh the parable of the seed/tree.

Let that seep in a little bit deeper for ya.

PLANT YOUR SEED IN HIM!

Did I get the point across?

Cultivate your seed. How many times does it mention the words "seek" and "knock?" 

A whole bunch. That's how many times. 

Water your seed and make conscious decisions.

Fertilize your seed by kneeling and asking in prayer. 

Ready for this?

Eternal Happiness = NO Separation From God!

Ahhhh feels good to know the magical formula to eternal happiness huh? :)

I sure think so.

"Men are that they might have joy"

2 Nephi 2:25

If you made it this far, thanks haha :)

I just felt the need to remember this, and to share it with everyone else!

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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On Repeat

Most of the time, music gets me through my days.

It keeps me calm, it makes me happy, it pumps me up, it comforts me, it helps me feel close to my love, it sparks creative thoughts, it gives me a moment to reminisce, it keeps me hopeful, it makes life a little more entertaining, it gives me something to relate to, It helps me organize my thoughts, and it gives me a chance to sing my heart out. 

Music is good for the soul, so turn it up.

I listen to just about every genre there ever was... and here are the top ten as of this week.

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."

Enjoy! :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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Make it Last.

After much debate and review, I have finally made a decision.

The winner of 2013's quote is:

drum roll please...

I'm so very pleased with this one!

It's actually song lyrics, but oh how perfect!

There were some pretty close runners up, and every single one of them were along the lines of living each day to the fullest.

Hmm I was definitely on to something...

One day as I was driving and finally got my temperamental ipod cord to work this song came on and I was reminded of how much  I love the tune and her voice.

Then the chorus came and I actually got a tear in my eye.

It was like a slap in the face. 

I am beyond guilty of "just getting through" every single day.

Now, there's no fun in that!

Every single day has something to look forward to, something to smile about.

I'm learning how to take my life day by day instead of week by week or month by month. 

It's time to live for today.  

As of right now, I can't wait until sweet hunter comes home.

But I will, I have to. 

So I might as well find joy within this journey apart. 

I have about 4 different countdowns leading up until he comes back. 

I don't want to count down the days anymore. I want to live each day as if tomorrow the world really was going to end. 

(disclaimer: I'm still putting a sticker on the chart every day. It makes me so giddy. I just won't let it take over my life.)

I get so sick of my boss and my job frequently.

I get impatient with customers far too easily.

I spill smoothies, I mess up, and I get cranky without fail.

I continue to wonder what the next job is in store for me, but the time will come.

As for now, this is a time to create memories. 

I will always remember this as my first job. 

Today I did everything I could to look for the beauty around and find reasons to smile.

I went for a run and was thankful for a body that allows me to exercise.

I took note of the scenery that surrounded me and felt thankful for the country I live in.

I ate a delicious lunch and remembered how often I take that for granted.

I went to work and spent a bunch of time deeply discussing life with my manager. I'm thankful for others insight and how many people out there care about me.

I went through a box of Hunter and I's old letters. I smiled reading each one and died looking at the dates. I'm so thankful I had so much time with him before he left. 

I just have to keep remembering that one day the future will come, and when it comes, I will be so happy because I made it there whole-heartily not half. 

Sure there will still be rough days and I am aloud to stay in bed all day pinning my heart out on my wedding board via pinterest while the notebook plays in the background, but there will be less of those if I take each day and make it last :)

I'm going to start a new journal with this quote on the front.

I'll record all the reasons I felt especially happy and why I'm thankful I got to live another day :)

I'm feeling inspired.

I'm loving a new beginning, a new year :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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I've seen better days.

It's only 11:30 and I already want this day to be over...

Never a good sign.

I woke up at 6:45 in the am to make sure brother was awake for school.

It was raining on the way there.

The traffic was terrible.

I was sleepy, mornings are so not my thing.

Then I hit a car.

Dang.

I think I told her I was sorry 50 times.

I even hugged her.

She seemed nice.

She was in a hurry to get her boys to school so she got my info and left.

I've never gotten in a crash, or pulled over for that matter, so I didn't know what to do.

When I called my mom she told me I should have gotten her info and looked at her car...

Oh. Duh. 

I looked at my car.

It really isn't thattttt bad. 

I just wish I would have seen hers.

Well, we'll see what happens.

I sure hope she's honest.

Oh, and I'm sick.

I feel achey.

I get hot flashes and then freeze every minute or so. 

Its just great.

The best part is the wet cough I have.

Ew. 

I needed a little pick me up and this gave me a good laugh.

I also took a bath.

And Hunter sent a lovely email.

Alright, time to endure the rest of this day.

Here's my motto for the remainder...

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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