Because I Choose To

So Joey and I watched Matrix Revolutions the other night. I had heard so much about the Matrix movies but hadn't seen one til the other night because they are rated R. Since it was the last of the Matrix movies, Joey and I were both lost but there was a war, a bad guy, good guy, humans and a computer world from what I gathered. Despite losing the story line the movie was incredibly well done and the graphics and film work were amazing. What really struck me though was the last battle scene between the good guy and bad guy. Before this it looks like the bad guy is winning and Neo (good guy) is getting his tush kicked. You can see in the video that Agent Smith just cannot figure out why Neo will not give up. He gets angrier and angrier that he doesn't know why Neo keeps fighting even though Agent Smith believes that it is already a fact that he has won with his army of clones. It is such an epic moment when Neo gets up and says, "Because I choose to."

What a powerful statement, Because I choose to. Our lives center around choices. Big or small our choices have consequences and take us down different paths. Some choices affect others but all of our choices affect ourselves, how we view the world and the progress we are making in life. Neo chose to fight, to try to defeat evil. It didn't matter what reasons he had to do so all that mattered was that choice to do something difficult. Evil was confident it would win but with Leo's choice it was defeated.

Two popular movies are out now at the top of the box office. Magic Mike and Ted. Joey and I jokingly said that I could go see Magic Mike and he can go see Ted. We've bantered back and forth about it but we both know we were not going to see either of them. I began to think about why this movie was so tempting to me and I realized that I was beginning to rationalize why I could go see it. I am a married adult and can handle adult themes right? I'm so mature and it can't be that bad could it? It wasn't until I was called out by this article (50 Shades of Magic Mike (In Which I Am VERY UNCOOL). 

Melissa Jenna says, "Christian women need to reject both of these works, and instead, use our voices in support of what is good, right and true. It is our responsibility, as daughters of the Heavenly King, to remain set-apart from the poisons of our culture, to rebuke temptation, and to celebrate and honor righteousness." Right after I read that I knew that there was no way I could still consider to see that movie. Melissa also supports her point with scriptural references but I already felt her statement to be true. In a follow up post, So This is Love?, she says, "If your faith is tied up in people-pleasing, and following rules in order to be accepted by people, your faith is in trouble. I used to resent Christians, because I didn't feel like I needed to live a certain way in order for God to love me. And that's the truth. God loves you, no matter what. But here's the thing: if you believe that God, your Father, loves you and only wants the best for you, it follows that you would, out of respect and love for Him, do your best to live in a way that honors Him, and brings glory to his name. It is IMPOSSIBLE to be happy living that life if you are looking to others for validations. So many of us have tried doing just that, and failed miserably."

 

What a powerful reminder these two articles were to me. A reminder that I do have a choice. That by seeing one movie may not be a big deal to some but to me it was moment to reevaluate which path I wanted to be on. I will "support ...what is good, right and true," I will remember that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father and I will do what I know is right. Because I Choose To.

Movin' Right Along!

Well this week we are moving! We picked up the keys yesterday and it's hard to believe that this day is here! I am so very excited about moving to the new place. To me it signifies a new beginning and fresh start. For a while I've been feeling like we were in the wrong place and moving in the wrong direction but with this move everything feels so much better. I've also been better about praying and reading my scriptures so that has to help too!

Another reason I'm glad we are moving is that my family will be coming up to help us! Mom and Benjamin get here tomorrow then my Dad, Aunt Glenda and Uncle Brian will be here on Saturday! I haven't seen most of them since Mother's day. We were able to spend some time with Uncle Brian's family 2 weeks ago (If I'm calculating correctly). There were able to swing into town on their way home from Ida's college orientation and some KC fun. We went out to lunch and had a good ol' time!

So here's to new beginnings, happiness and stress for this week. Hopefully we can fit a little joy in there as well :)

~Brianna

Choosing Joy

I've been wanting to blog for a while. I've started, stopped and have wished for more courage and self-esteem to forge ahead in blogging. So here goes!


I want to choose JOY! And I do believe it is a choice. The choices we make have consequences that will lead us to happiness or sorrow. I was looking at my Pinterest quotes for inspiration and I found two pins that really inspire me for beginning this blog as well as a direction for my life.


The first pin and inspiration for the title: 

The second is a picture of Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley and this quote:

“I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.” -Marjorie Pay Hinckley

I confess I cannot find the origin of the quote so if anyone knows where/when she said it I would love to know! The part of the quote that I love is "I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." I don't think she's talking about living in the alive and breathing sense. She was talking about living life to it's fullest. Doing the important things, serving others,  being faithful, taking time with the "small things" that end up being the big things, what is most important. 

That is what I want my life to be, full of the "small things." I want to focus on being a good friend, a good wife, and eventually a good mother. When I leave this life I won't be remembered for how well I tried to dress or how nice my house was. I want to be remembered as a treasured friend and as someone who "really lived" life by choosing joy.  

~Brianna