Barking...

There is a place.

It is VERY SACRED to me.

It is quiet inside,
away from the noise of the World.

It is where I can learn the lessons of Heaven, if I'm willing to listen.

I learned one of those lessons this past Saturday.  As I sat in those quiet rooms, I had the following distinct, impression...

The LIGHT is different 

than the DARKNESS 

for a reason Krista!

STOP hanging out in the 

DARK!

By DARK, I don't mean depression, although the same lessons would apply. This time the DARK was very literally, THE DARK.

I've admitted I have a hard time getting up in the morning but I can stay up all night with no problem at all.  It's when my "super woman" powers kick in!

I love 

SUPER WOMAN!

Super woman running around in the DARK, has always been my pattern and it's worked okay for me but I've been learning in that Sacred Place that there is a better way.

So this morning when my pillow grabbed me and begged me to hold it tight, I thought of the DARK and made a conscious effort to focus on the LIGHT.  I was resistant at first but bravely sat my tired self up.  I put on my comfy but unflattering sweat pants and headed out for a walk in the 

LIGHT.

The sun was shining and Pandora was keeping me company.

I passed my neighbors who were on a walk as well. They smiled at me.

Smiles are powerful you know.

I passed by the Orgill's house.  I admired their green grass and thought how much I admire them.

Then I turned the corner to meet 

THE DOGS.

It was just one at first.

It BARKED at me as if to tell me to GO HOME!  Then another started barking ... and another ... and another!

I almost obeyed their barking commands, due the fact that they scare me a bit, but the LIGHT felt so good!  It encouraged me to continued on.

I was quickly distracted by Pandora and someone singing, "call me ... maybe". It caused me to think about baseball players and the fun they have.  It was AWESOME and I was quickly smiling again!

Maybe 200 steps later, the app on my phone made a loud announcement in my ear informing me that I had walked ONE mile in SEVENTEEN minutes.  

I shook my head and remembered Tami and Jay.  They are incredible and just ran the inspiring Boston Marathon. The thought BARKED in my head that they could easily LAP ME ... not once, not twice, but probably TEN or more times.

That internal BARKING seemed to shout, turn around, go home, give up!  But again, the LIGHT felt so good that I continued on.

Pandora stepped it up to help me and shot in my ears a sappy Prom Theme!!  I recognized it immediately.  It was my nephew, Ryan's prom theme.  The promenade had such a distinctive move in it that every time we heard it, Dillon and I would reenact the dance.  
Fun times here in the nest ... and a return to my smile!

I promenaded past the Jays, not the Boston Marathon Jay mind you. I was happy and smiled at my parents house which was along my path!  

I finally reached the shade of the Baird's house when Pandora treated me to a song from PITCH PERFECT. I laughed as I thought of Tyson coming home from his mission and everyone telling him he had to see the movie Pitch Perfect.   He was game!!

We quickly found a copy and plugged it in the DVD player.  When it ended we turned our attention to Ty to see what he thought.  Shaking his head he said, "Are you serious?  THAT was PITCH Perfect?!  I thought it was going to be a baseball movie!"
Well of course he did!

I loved reliving that memory as I walked along and turned the corner.  I began my uphill climb on that "Quirky" Street.  I was almost home now.  The sun LIGHT still felt good and I thought back to those ...
DOGS

They had BARKED at me!!  They had tried to DISCOURAGE me into turning around and going home. I thought of all the smiles I would have missed had I listened to them and let them SCARE me away.

It was then I realized... 

They didn't have the power to stop me unless I ALLOWED them to do so.

Then I thought back to the impression I had received in the temple...

The LIGHT is different 

than the DARKNESS
 and
after my walk today I realized

DARKNESS is in CHAINS and 

WE ARE NOT!  

Some of you maybe hanging out in a very different kind of DARKNESS than that of the night sky.  If you are there, don't let the barking of this world chase you away from the LIGHT.  

Don't give up my friends. Don't you quit. You KEEP WALKING. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead.

I PROMISE!