The Sacrifice Behind the 5000

Today I'm going to take a little more of a serious side with this post. I'm going to talk a little bit about what I've been learning in one of my classes here at BYU. Yeah.. I know.. totally exciting I bet you just can't wait. But I just want to take a second and share something I learned in New Testament that meant a lot to me this week.

I think most people know the story of the time Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fishes. Most of the time, when I was told the story, we focused on the miracle that reflects the physical limitations Jesus was able to break. It's incredibly miraculous to be able to feed 5000 people with an amount of food that wouldn't normally even feed ten, but I think there's something there that is often overlooked that we discussed in New Testament last week that was really touching to me.

Right before Jesus teaches the 5000, he receives the news that John the Baptist was beheaded. Now it's always going to be big news that someone you know has been beheaded, but if you really think of it in context... Jesus was related to John. Jesus' mother Mary and John's mother Elisabeth were cousins, so John and Jesus were probably around 2nd cousins. Not only that, but John was also the one who was sent before Jesus to open the door for Him. I've got to assume that Jesus knew that once John died, He was soon to be after. So can you imagine receiving that kind of news? Someone you love and have a spiritual connection with, the person that made it possible for you to do your work and atone for the sins of mankind, was captured in prison... and brutally beheaded. That's a big deal. After receiving the news, Jesus' first reaction was to be alone. In Matthew 14: 12-14 it says, "And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with great compassion toward them, and he healed their sick."

Isn't that amazing? He just found out that someone He loved was murdered and He is soon to be next and all He wants is to be alone, and then a huge multitude of 5000 people comes to Him, and He takes the time to heal them and teach them. That is incredible. That amount of compassion and service is something I will never be able to understand. I hardly ever take the time out of my day to call my parents because I have to study, and Jesus took the time to heal the sick of 5000 people and teach them.

Now I think there's something else that's interesting in here too. You don't get this insight in the gospel of Matthew, but you can find it in John. The loaves of bread and fishes that Jesus used to feed the 5000 didn't belong to Him or to His disciples. They weren't planning on teaching 5000 people when they arrived in the desert. They didn't even have food, so it can be assumed they weren't planning on staying in that place too long, but there was a boy there who had brought food enough for himself. John 6:9 "There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?" One BOY out of 5000 people came prepared with food, and was asked to give it up to feed everyone there. Honestly, I don't know how I would feel about this if I was asked to do the same. I brought enough food for myself.. why should I be asked to feed everyone who didn't prepare themselves. And not only that, but how would my 5 loaves of bread and two fish feed 5000 people! But he did it. With incredible faith, he did it, and because of this, 5000 people were able to witness an incredible miracle and be fed.

How awesome is that. That faith and compassion and service! I want to be more like that. More giving of my time and my life and the things I have to give. There are so many times when I feel like I'm having a rough time, so I shouldn't have to give to another person, or I'm prepared and someone else is not and I feel prideful and feel like I shouldn't have to help them. Why am I like that? Well, it's definitely a pride thing, but it's something I can work on and improve, and there are great examples that have been laid out before me. If you want to read the full story, it can be found in Matthew 14 and John 6 as well as Mark 6 and Luke 9!

Occupy 1217

So a couple of days ago, Kelsi went on a road-trip and left us with a set of rules we had to follow while she was away. Aw yes... remember this?

Well, our natural reaction as the extremely rebellious youth we are (ha!) was to become enraged by these ridiculous constraints put on us. The one was trying to rule the many. Therefore, the one must be overthrown. Occupy 1217 was born. Now.. if you're easily offended you may want to turn back and stop reading here.. because I know what we did was outrageous... maybe even extreme. We had to dig deep into the most defiant, hardcore parts of our souls to find a solution that would show the dictator exactly how we felt. So, we decided... we needed to break each and every single rule. And we did... and sent the photographic evidence to Kelsi herself. I now give you...

Rule 1: There is to be no laughter, tomfoolery or general jovial behavior at anytime.

If you're offended.. please... turn back now. It only gets worse.

Rule 2: All proceedings requiring a chief justice (including marriage ceremonies, court hearings, etc) are indefinitely postponed.

Rule 3: No playing with knives (that means you, Alex)

 Rule 4: Feed the Shalee at least once a day

Rule 5: Alex cannot watch Netflix past 2, Michaela must be woken up if her alarm goes longer than 20 minutes. Tanisha's hair must be brushed and/ or stroked twice daily. Chandler is not allowed around fire in Kelsi's absence

Rule 6: Derek is allowed 3 supervised visits with Bear. (SUPERVISED).

 Rule 7: Promote Peace and harmony...

And go easy on the toilet paper... Remember. Sparing is caring!

Rule 8: And last.. WRING OUT THE SPONGE!! like I've been TELLING you.

I'm not entirely sure if we had the desired effect. I think laughing hysterically with your aunt in the middle of a play doesn't really make you want to be less of a dictator... Oh well. It was worth a shot!

Love you Kels!!!

It's a BEAUTIFUL Thursday

GOOOOOOOD MORNING TANISHA!!

It's a beautiful Thursday morning in Provo, Utah. It's a brisk 34 degrees, the sun is shining, the leaves are changing, and.. oh yeah.. you're running late for your 9:30 class... because you passed out on the couch AGAIN last night without an alarm set. Oh and let's see... where else did you fall asleep last night? How about when you were supposed to be taking a quiz with Derek for physical science but you fell asleep, and probably drooled all over the table, instead. In fact, it's very possible you just sleep-walked the entire way home from work last night and didn't wake up until 9:10 this morning only to find that you have no clue where you've placed your homework because you weren't entirely conscious when you came home last night. 

Yep. That's how I spent my morning. I woke up to my lovely roommate Alex trying to shake me awake (which apparently she'd been doing forever because I sleep heavier than most people under amnesia) at 9:10 this morning. Then, upon discovering I had to leave for class in a mere ten minutes, I shoved on the first shoes I found, brushed my teeth and (hoping I didn't look nearly as horrible as I felt) began the search for my laptop that I'd half-asleep dropped in my laundry cart in the hall. Yes I still haven't put away my laundry... I should probably be doing that. Whatever. So after finally finding my laptop, I grabbed a granola bar and began walking to class.

As I was walking, I was just marveling at how awesome I was because I got ready in ten minutes and I was already awake enough to be speed-walking to class. Then, I noticed that people walking at a leisurely pace were passing me... awkward right? I guess I was a bit more tired than I'd thought. However, I still managed to get to class on time, but I spent the first hour of class staring in confusion at my teacher and then laughing at inappropriate moments (which incredibly seemed to sync up at all the times when people were very quiet around me). 

Overall, it was a pretty interesting morning. Sadly, I have way too many of these. However, there was one bright and happy moment when I got home from class and realized that we had a pan of brownies on the stove. Nothing says breakfast like three or four caramel brownies. Then, it was brought to my attention that before leaving on her road-trip this morning, Kelsi left us a note on the fridge.

To those of you who cannot read this microscopic print it says:

To my Lovelies:

RULES for when Kelsi's Gone:

1. There is to be no laughter, tomfoolery or general jovial behavior at anytime.

2. All proceedings requiring a chief justice (including marriage ceremonies, court hearings, etc) are indefinitely postponed.

3. No playing with knives (that means you, Alex)

4. Feed the Shalee at least once a day

5. Alex cannot watch Netflix past 2. Michaela must be woken up if her alarm goes longer than 20 minutes. Tanisha's hair must be brushed and/or stroked twice daily. Chandler is not allowed around fire in Kelsi's absence.

6. Derek is allowed 3 supervised visits with Bear. (SUPERVISED)

7. Promote peace + harmony and go easy on the toilet paper... remember. Sparing is caring!

and last.. 

8. WRING OUT THE SPONGE!!! like I've been TELLING you.

LOVE YOU!

I guess the morning wasn't all that bad after all

The Science of Magnetic Attractions in Roommates

Today is Wednesday.... which is basically the busiest day of my entire life each and every week. I wake up at 8:30 to get ready for New Testament at 9, then Book of Mormon at 10, then I come home for an hour and eat so I can leave for Physical Science at 12, then go to work from 1-3:45, then a Physical Science lab from 4-5, then I eat from 5-5:50 to head back to work from 6:00 until close... then I come home.. and do homework or ya know.. maybe put away my laundry that's been sitting in a cart in the hallway for like two days now... probably not... whatever. But seriously. Exhausting. Every Wednesday I come home dead and it makes me so envious of people who don't have to work while going to school. But hey I'm getting more life experience right? ... right? yeah? Someone please tell me that's a thing because I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this....

But anyways. I have these two roommates named Kelsi and Michaela. Here's all three of us looking out the window at random people who are unlucky enough to pass by. Totally normal.

This is Kelsi so kindly allowing me to sleep on her one Sunday before we went to dinner at some boys' apartment. (They made us spaghetti and one of them played the accordion. yeah be jealous)

And here's Michaela and I... and this kid named Hunter but ignore him he doesn't have to do with the story at all. 

So anyways... Michaela and I have been friends since our freshman year of high school and Kelsi is Michaela's roommate in our dorm. Michaela and I are really weird and fortunately so is Kelsi. We all get along very well and we've discovered that there's this magnetic attraction between the three of us. If any of us are in a room together there is a 99.9% there will be nothing done in that room. Well, nothing productive that is. We come up with a lot of weird songs and theories and things, but nothing like homework ever gets done. Like at all. 

So, this magnetic force I was talking about.. basically, if we're in a room together, I can't leave. It doesn't matter that I know that it's three in the morning and I have to wake up for a 9 a.m. tomorrow, or that they're trying to read scriptures or do something productive with their lives like, I don't know, sleep for once... I cannot leave. At all. We just sit there and talk about who knows what. Yesterday it got so bad that Michaela had to drag me out of Kelsi's bed kicking and screaming, and then I still didn't even leave the room. I just laid on the floor and kept talking. I'm surprised that they haven't murdered me in my sleep by now (because let's be honest I'd just sleep through it). I think they keep me around for my butt. That was actually the topic of last night's discussion. 

In fact I think the exact quote was, "Tanisha's butt looks ridiculous in those pants... and by ridiculous I mean ridiculously hott!" 

Well... who would've known!! I guess I'll never wear those pants again, and if I continue to stay in their room until 3 a.m. I guess I'll never get any homework done either. And then I won't have to worry about going to school and working and crazy Wednesdays because I'll have failed out of college. That escalated quickly.... Anyways... after serious research I've developed a formula that accounts for the magnetic attraction. The variable K being Kelsi, M being Michaela, T being Tanisha, and h being the number of hours spent together with variable N being productivity.

(KMT)h=-n

Yeah I don't get it either. No matter what numbers you use the productivity always turns out to be in the negative. Crazy science.

But here's my advice: if you ever have a roommate (or even worse 2) that you love with all your heart and you just can't leave the room when they're around... RUN. RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. LOCK YOURSELF IN THE CLOSET AND PUT IN HEADPHONES AND GET. YOUR. STUFF. DONE. Don't be me. Don't fail out of college. Listen to the equations. You're better than this and you can succeed! Who needs friends anyways?