Simple Sunday Thoughts - The Atonement and Sacrament

First things first. I hope the fact that I am studying Business Marketing doesn't decrease the value of this statement in any way: If you haven't read this book, you should read it. It has changed my life. There is nothing I find more joy in than reading this book, and that is a fact. I yearn to study it every day.

This Sunday was beautiful, with clear blue skies, and little snowflakes floating down to us. As I sat in the chapel this afternoon, a few thoughts came to my mind that haven't occurred to me before. As the sacrament was being passed, I strove to direct my thoughts toward my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the wonderful sacrifice he made for me. The sacrament hymn sung was hymn 194, There is A Green Hill Far Away. One line in the second verse caught my eye. "We shall not know, we cannot tell, the pains he had to bear". This line reminded me of something I had read earlier this morning in Mosiah chapter 2, King Benjamin's sermon to his people. Verse 21 says:

I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another - I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

And verse 24:

And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

New favorite scripture, right there. I cannot even begin to imagine the pains that our Savior bore for me alone, let alone all of us. As the hymn I Stand All Amazed says, "Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me. Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me." His hand is outstretched to us still, after all the sins and wrongdoing we indulge in. I know that we do depend on the Lord every minute of every day. He just asks us to serve others. He does not need our help. 

This gospel is centered all around service. Serving others, and in turn, serving our God. As I partook of the Sacrament, I proceeded to pass the tray to the person sitting next to me. And then a strange thought occurred to me. I had never before realized that the first act we perform after partaking of the sacrament is an act of service to our fellowmen - passing the tray and holding it as they partake. It is so simple. But service really is what this gospel is about. About loving our God, and serving him by serving others. 

As the Sacrament continued, I found myself thinking about a topic I have wondered about before - my baptism. I was baptized when I was 8 years old with two of my other cousins. I was dressed in a beautiful, lacy baptismal jumper, and I had a little red bob. But how on Earth did that little tiny Alissa know what she was doing? I didn't understand one eighth of the things I understand about baptism now. Was I even ready to get baptized? 

As I partook of the water, I realized that as I partake of the Sacrament each Sunday, I am striving to become as I was that day I was baptized 11 years ago - that is, clean, and pure. But also some other traits I never thought about before - innocent, meek and submissive, as a child. As the child I was when I was baptized, submissively following my Savior. 

When I partake of the Sacrament, I feel a power. It is an amazing thing. It is the power of the spirit, and the power of the Light of Christ that is inside all of us.

I cannot be more grateful for the day when I was privileged enough to be able to take the name of my wonderful Redeemer upon me, as small and insignificant as I am. King Benjamin put it best: "Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth, yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you." 

Draw near unto God, and he will draw near unto you. Seek him, and ye shall find him. His hand is forever stretched forth to us. He lends us our breath. Don't take a single one of those breaths for granted.

PS. Mosiah 2 is a rad Chapter. You should read it.

The Fall - On a More Personal Level

Because of my Transgression my Eyes are Opened

Just chillin in my room, eating Mike and Ikes and listening to my girl, Enya...I feel like this is rap material...anyways...

I am a gospel doctrine teacher in my ward, and this week's lesson is on the Fall of Adam, a topic I absolutely LOVE. There is so much thoughtful insight about the Fall out there, and it all comes together in a way you never thought of before until you study it in depth.

I love the title of this lesson - Because of my Transgression my Eyes are Opened. To have our eyes opened, I think, is to gain understanding, knowledge, truth, progress, and understand what is right. Through Adam's transgression, he was able to realize good and evil, and the joyous and miserable things of the world. Likewise, when we sin, if we repent, our sins can become a blessing as they open our eyes to truths we never realized, and allows us to progress and become better than we were before we sinned.

This lesson focuses a lot on the consequences of the fall, and how we can personally relate. I think we can definitely all relate on two different levels. First, the Fall directly affects us, as it is because of Adam's transgression that we are here, so it is important that we understand what happened in the Fall, and how that led to our mortal bodies and allowed us to obtain salvation. Second, we can learn for the mistakes made in the Fall and apply what we learn to our own lives and become better.

The Fall is defined as: The process by which mankind became mortal on this Earth, and a necessary step in the progress of man (Bible Dictionary, 670). The Fall prepared the way for Christ, and is taught in both Genesis 2-4, and Moses 3-4. For the purposes of this lesson, I am going to be referencing the chapters in Moses.

Why are we here and what is our purpose? We were sent to Earth to become like God and to have eternal families. We all know the scripture in Moses 1:39 "For this is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man". (and woman). There is a quote by Elder Nielson I believe, that reads "The Earth was created that families might be".

I once had a seminary teacher that told us "As man is now, God once was, and as God is now, man may become". That always stuck with me. This is our purpose. This is demonstrated in Moses 1:34, when God says to Moses, "And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many." A great cross reference to this is Revelations 1:5-6. "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the Earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. And hath made us kings, and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." This makes me think to myself, when was there a father who wasn't first a son? This is an eternal and everlasting work. It never ends. This wonderful Plan of Salvation is for us. And it all began with the Creation...

In Moses 2:27 God creates man and woman. After creating them, he proceeds to give them the first commandments ever given in verse 28. The first of these commandments was to multiply and replenish the Earth. This is very important. The second commandment was to have dominion on the Earth. The third commandment was given in chapter 3 verse 17, instructing Adam and Eve not to partake of the forbidden fruit. But wait....

HOLLLDDD IT. Something isn't right...isn't there a contradiction here? Adam and Eve can't multiply without becoming mortal, but they can't become mortal without eating the fruit. How can this be right? Either way they will clearly be breaking a commandment. Why would God give them commandments they couldn't keep?

In 3:17, after giving them the commandments, God tells Adam and Eve, "Thou mayest choose for thyself". What does this mean? Does God want them to sin? How can this be possible?

The way I see it, when God told Adam and Eve this, he was essentially saying, "If you want to stay here and never change, don't eat the fruit. BUT, if you want to go forward with my work and progress, the tree is right over THERE. You choose."

This is the point where it is important to distinguish between a Transgression and a Sin. A transgression is defined as something that is wrong because it was formally prohibited. A sin is to know the will of God and not to do it - it is inherently wrong.

Adam and Eve could not sin because they did not know right from wrong at this point in time. God wanted the plan to start, but as He is perfect, He cannot bring on transgression. So, Adam and Eve had to choose to partake of the fruit themselves. After all, agency was a pivotal point of the plan.

God gave his fourth commandment in Moses 3:24. Cleave unto your wife and be one flesh. In verse 21, it says God took one of Adam's ribs and in verse 22 He made a woman and brought her unto the man. Was this the creation of Eve? No. This represents the marriage of Adam and Eve. What does a rib have to do with any of this? I believe that God took a rib from Adam to represent that Eve is as Adam's side, under his arm, and protected. In a sense, Adam fell for Eve. Because of his fall, they were able to have an eternal family. This is true love.

In Chapter 4 of Moses we learn about how Satan became the Devil. Man, I love this part haha! It's just awesome. Let's first look at verses 1-2. 

1) And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou has commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying - Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.

2) But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me - Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.

Wow. See the difference? Is it just me or does Satan sound completely self interested? Christ is so humble and gave all glory to the Father from the beginning. Who would you rather follow and strive to become like? 

In verses 3-4, Satan becomes the Devil.

3)Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of my Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

4)And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. 

This concept is best represented in a chart.

	END	MEANS	MOTIVE
CHRIST	Save all	Agency	Glory of God/Love
SATAN	Save all	No agency	Self glory

Moses 4:5-6 discusses Satan as a serpent, attempting to "beguile" Eve, "for he knew not the mind of God, wherefore, he sought to destroy the world." Satan clearly hoped that by getting Adam and Eve to partake of the forbidden fruit he would frustrate God's plan. However, what does the account of the Fall teach us about Satan's ability to frustrate the purposes of God? We just read it - he does not know the mind of God. He cannot frustrate his purposes, he will never win. 

"The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught. For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand not to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round. Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men." (DC 3:1-3)

I love that scripture. 

Moses 4:7-14 is a wonderful part of the book in terms of applying scripture directly to our daily lives. These verses show exactly how Satan works. In fact, he has a pattern. Look at verse 12:

12)And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it became pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make her wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and she did eat, and also gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat.

First, Eve saw the fruit. Next she desired it. Then she took. Then she ate. And last, she  gave. Do we see this in our lives when we sin? Certainly. Let's take pornography for example. First you may see it. You have the choice to either look away, or keep looking. If it becomes pleasant to the eyes, you will desire it. You will take it. Then indulge in it, looking at it more and more as it damages your spirit. And then you may share it with others. This is very real. In fact, there is a very real example of this in the scriptures, with King David in Samuel 11. This patterns is repeated, step by step. He saw Bathsheba. He then had a choice. This is where "cross-switches" come in. A cross-switch is a part of a railway, when the train can remain on its present path, or the conductor can switch, turning the wheels in a different direction, and going on a different track at the cross switch. We all reach cross-switches in our lives. We have the power of choice in our hands. You either choose one way, or the other. In verse 2, David could have chosen to look away when he saw Bathsheba. But he chose to look upon her. In verse 3, he could have chosen to forget about her, but he chose to inquire after her. In verse 4 he still could have chosen to forget about her, but he chose to send for her. At all these points, he could have chosen to stop, repent of lust and become righteous again. But he crossed the line, and chose to commit adultery, and continued to take cross-switches to hell, eventually committing murder. How did this happen?? David was such a wholesome, righteous king. This tells us that no one is immune to the Devil. But you have the choice. Even if you have made wrong choices so far, you can always choose to repent and go back before it is too late. He has no power over you until you give it to him.

Consequences of the Fall

It is very important to recognize the consequences of the Fall.

• Adam and Eve could have children. We could come to Earth and receive mortal bodies.
• Experience physical death
• Experience spiritual death
• Partake of misery and woe
• Capable of sinning
• Ground is cursed - we need to work.
• Can learn to recognize good and evil
• Can have joy in mortality
• Know the joy of our redemption
• Obtain eternal life
• Obtain the power to heal

Remember, consequences aren't just bad things. In fact, in this case, I can see how ALL the consequences of the Fall are good things. An important distinction to make at this point, is all of Adam and Eve's posterity (us too) inherited the consequences of the Fall, including physical and spiritual death, but not the responsibility for the Fall. Remember the Second Article of Faith, "men will be punished for their owns sins, and not for Adam's transgression."

How can a correct understanding of the Fall help us during mortality? It helps us recognize why we are here, why need to experience misery, to realize our purpose, and to give us the greatest blessings we have - our eternal families. Why is it also important to understand that God foresaw the Fall and that it was a necessary part of his plan? Because we need to realize that Satan did not and cannot frustrate God's plan. It was meant to happen that way. The fall is beneficial to us. This is a time for testing to prove we can become more like God. This requires that we are mortals, able to learn and choose between good and evil, which was made possible through the Fall.

"The Fall was not a disaster. It wasn't a mistake or an accident. It was a deliberate part of the Plan of Salvation. We are God's spirit 'offspring' sent to Earth 'innocent' of Adam's transgression. Yet our Father's plan subjects us to temptation and misery in this fallen world as the price to comprehend authentic joy. Without tasting the bitter, we cannot actually understand the sweet. We require mortality's discipline and refinement as the 'next step in our development' toward becoming like our Father. But growth means growing pains. It also means learning from our mistakes in a continual process made possible by the Savior's grace, which He extends during and after 'all we can do'".

- Bruce C. Hafen

Symbolism of the Fall

One of my favorite parts about the Fall is the amazing symbolism associated with it. In Moses 4, a lot of symbolism is seen.

Verse 13: Fig Leaves to clothe themselves - When a fig tree has leaves, this means it will soon be fruitful, as Adam and Eve were soon to have children. Fig leaves also give humans a rash on their skin, showing that when we try to cover our sins ourselves, as Adam and Eve did, we get a rash - it doesn't work.

Verse 19: God gives Adam and Eve a chance to confess. Of course He already knew what they had done. Why did he ask? To give them the chance to confess themselves.

Verse 28: See 1 Nephi 11. Adam and Eve are told to partake of the tree of life. Here, the tree of life symbolizes Christ, and partaking of the fruit symbolizes worshiping Christ. So, God was really instructing Adam and Eve to worship and partake of Christ.

Verse 27: God kills a lamb to cover Adam and Eve with skin. This is directly symbolic of Christ and his Atonement. He too was a lamb, killed to cover us. To cover our sins.

The Fall prepared the way for the Atonement, which saves us from physical and spiritual death. One of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon is 2 Nephi 9. This chapter is awesome, because it does something most scripture doesn't - it studies the "What Ifs" in depth, particularly the what-ifs of the Atonement. What if the Atonement hadn't happened? Then what? 

There is a blog I LOVE that talks about this chapter a lot, called The Redheaded Hostess. The author, Shannon, shows what would happen to us, the fallen man (or woman) if the Atonement hadn't happened, and what will happen because it did, in great pictorial form. This is my own representation of it:

Write one of these for yourself - draw a picture of yourself falling, so it can remind you what the Savior did for you, and what will happen if you do not take advantage of the price he paid for you. 

We all sin. We know right from wrong. We must escape this fallen state and fulfill God's plan. This is all so personal - we sin, but "no matter how bleak the chapter of our lives may look today, because of the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we can be assured that the ending of the book of our lives will exceed our grandest expectations." (Dieder F Uchdorf).

Which brings me back to the topic of the title of this lesson - Because of my SINS I can understand more and be closer to my Savior. I can repent of my wrongs, and turn them into blessings. in Moses 5:11 Eve bears her testimony of the blessings of the Fall: "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient." Because of this, we call all become better than we were yesterday, we can grow and progress.

Elder Nielson said, "The Creation required the Fall. The Fall required the Atonement. The Atonement enabled the purpose of the Creation to be accomplished. Eternal Life, made possible by the Atonement, is the supreme purpose of the Creation. If families were not sealed in holy temples, the whole Earth would be utterly wasted." It amazes me how much the gospel is all interrelated. There are absolutely no gaps or shortcomings, and I am so grateful for the wonderful purposes God has for us. I have my family now, and I can have a wonderful family in the future, and it is because of this that I am SO grateful for the Fall of Adam.

Selling my pride and joy - SIOPA RINCE RAINBOW IRISH DANCE DRESS

Being a very serious competitive Irish dancer, it was required of me to search out the perfect dress. After searching and searching, I finally found one that I HAD TO HAVE. You know, that moment when you see something, and it speaks to you so strongly you just have to buy it? Yes.

This dress is a show stopper. Every time I wore this dress I received so many compliments it was unbelievable, and most times judges would leave a comment about how beautiful it is. It got to the point that judges would remember me because of this dress. It is so unique and fun, I never saw anyone with a dress anything like it, and to this day it is stylish and eye catching. The colors look good on nearly any skin and hair type. 

The dress is in very, VERY good condition, aside from a couple of spots of embroidery coming loose, which is easily fixed. There is also a little bit of make-up on the inside neck of the dress, however this is unavoidable, and compared to other dresses I've had is very minimal. I replaced all of the jewels that have fallen off, and the dress is covered in sparkling crystals. I took very good care of this dress, it was my pride and joy. There is no sweat marks in this dress, I was careful to put protective covers in the armpits and air the dress out. The quality of the sewing and embroidery is unmatched. 

The front displays a rainbow of soft panels in vibrant colors, and I have extra fabric in each of the colors. The sleeves and bodice are black velvet. The back panel of the dress is a giant red and white bow that snaps on, and is so unique. Matching bumpkins, hair bow and headband adorned with jewels included. There is also a dress bag that was made specifically for this dress, and is super small, and so easy to carry, even on airlines! Everyone is always asking where I got it from, it is adorable and fits the dress perfectly, with extra pockets inside. If you want to dress bag too, let me know and I will give you the price. 

This dress was made for someone age 15. I wore it when I was 17. I let it out all the way and added ruffles on the sleeves an underneath the skirt. These ruffles can be easily removed. The measurements below include the ruffles, and the ruffles add about 1 1/4 inch length to the sleeves and bottom of skirt. There is about 1 inch of room, maybe a little bit more, to take in the dress.

Measurements (in inches):

Chest: 32

Waist: 28

Sleeve: 23

Skirt: 12 1/2

Bodice - should to waist: 18

Neck to Waist: 14 3/4

Full Length from neck: 27 1/2

Should to Should across back: 11 1/2

This is the extra fabric.

Make up on the inside neck.

Art pit covers.

Take in room on the sides of the bodice.

Take in room for the skirt.

Under skirt of the dress.

Matching bloomers.

DIY Sharpie MUGS! Adweebable.

Check this out. Do It Yourself customized sharpie mugs. 

Are they not so cute?

And, let me tell you, sooooo easy. 

The perfect little gift for literally anyone - you can put anything you want on these!
And, let's be honest, everyone drinks something. 

Allow me to show you how to make them :)

Since my boyfriend DJ was leaving for 2 years to serve an LDS mission in Bangkok, Thailand, I decided it would be a cute idea to make him a little mug to take with him. It took me about 45 minutes total, including baking time. The hardest part is getting the design to look just right.

What you need:
Sharpies
A plain mug
Rubbing Alcohol
Cotton Ball
 Oven
Creativity

The mug I have here was just from Target for about $3. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find one at Wal-Mart or Dollar Tree for close to the same amount. Just make sure the surface is flat enough to draw on.

The first thing I did was sketch out what I wanted on my mug so I already knew where to begin. You can put anything you want on the mug: designs, quotes, sayings, a picture, doodles...anything!

#1

First you're going to want to take your cotton ball, pour a decent amount of rubbing alcohol on it, and wipe off all surfaces of your mug that you will be drawing on.

This removes any oils from your hands and will ensure the design will go on smoothly and stay on!

If you make any mistakes while drawing, if you quickly wipe the marker off with this cotton ball you can start over! Nifty! Just make sure you act fast to remove the mistake, let it dry, and begin again. (one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs)

#2

Next. Draw, honey. Draw. Let your creativity loose and be free.

#3

Once you've gotten your design just how you want it, it's time to bake the mug.

Baking the mug will seal your drawing so that even if the mug is washed it will remain intact.

Heat your even to 425 degree and cook the mug for 30 minutes.

I just set mine on a cookie tray.

After the 30 minutes is up, you take it out annddd...it looks exactly the same as when you put it in. At least it should, or else you should be worried something went wrong. ;)

Let it cool for a while and then..

#4

Fill it with goodies and give it away! Or, hey, keep it for yourself!

I filled my mug with cookies and creme kisses, then tied a sparkly red bow around the top.

He absolutely loved it, and said he'd drink out of it everyday ;) Awww.

Hope you have fun trying this fun little crafty activity. I felt very accomplished afterword.

Virtual hugs from me to you.

Peace.

Noteworthy November Favorites

Yes, I have been having a little bit of favoriting going on over here in Alissa World. You know, a few little odds and ends that I find myself using daily and absolutely CANNOT live without. Mmmhmm. Allow me to introduce them.

Say hello to these two sisters of the Great Lash family. Two Mascaras, one is the Clear Transparent, and the other is in the color Royal Blue. Mamma Mia. If you know me, I am a girl for the out-of-the-ordinary, and believe you me, with some blue eyelashes, you catch some second glances. I love the pop of color the blue adds, without it being toooo crazy weird. The Clear Transparent is my new baby for taming my crazy eyebrows. After filling in my eyebrows I just brush a little bit of this over them, and they stay in place all day long. I believe they were around $4-5 dollars at Wal-Mart. Get yourself one of these.

This stuff. Yes to Carrots Super Rich Body Butter. I don't know about you, but in the winter my hands become crusty crusty. At first I thought the natural smell of this butter was weird, but after I while I became addicted to it. I love the smell, and the way this creme just glides onto your skin and keeps you hydrated. I will buy more when I run out.

Look at that. I am a sucker for nail polishes. Its like therapy to me. If I need to feel at the top of my game...new nail color. This color is called Endless Blue from Sinful Colors. I got this baby at Wal-Mart for around $2. It is so vibrant, and the polish goes on so well. Love.

Why am I always eating these now? Wintergreen Altoids...enough said. I just love the flavor, and the minty freshness.

This Chai Tea roll on perfume is pure heavenly. I found this at my favorite little vintage shop where I live, and although it was $20, it was worth it. The spicy sweet smell of Chai is just like a bottle of happiness to me. I seriously open this just to smell it before bed sometimes. The perfume is by Royal Apothic, and I'm telling you...it's one of a kind.

Mike and Ikes. Yes. They got back together. This Tropical Typhoon flavor is like a blast of tropical party in your mouth. I eat these when I'm hungry. I eat these when I'm not hungry. I eat these while doing homework and driving and watching movies. Try them. ;)

And there you have it. Just a few random little things I've been loving. Try them out, post your own, and let me know other great items out there. 

Remember: Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.

Virtual hugs from me to you.

Peace.

I am a redhead with a fiery personality...

Home for the holidays!!! Hallelujah.

But before I begin ranting and blabbing about the many strange happenings in mah crazy beautiful... Sometimes dull, frustrating and laughable... life, allow me to introduce myself. I am 18 years old, going on 19 in January. I am a redhead with a fiery personality. I am currently studying business marketing and statistics, and plan on going into the beauty industry one day, because, let me tell ya, I'm one of those divas - can't get enough of the make-up. I believe that the human face is like a perfect, blank canvas. Cosmetology is an art. Not only that, it can be used to make women feel beautiful and confident, and I know it definetely brings me a lot of joy. Everyone has their one weird talent, and for me...I live for another makeover, or the opportunity to make someone feel beautiful and enhance their natural elegance. I am proud to call three sisters and one brother my own - Shealeen, my older sister and kindred spirited best friend, Sarina, the barking middle child trouble maker, Adalyn, the sassy little diva, and David, the poor, bossed around little punk of the family. I am thrilled to announce we have 2 cats - Shadow and Sushi. Can I just add...I love cats. Yes. I openly admit to it.

 I enjoy fashion, have an obsession with Ireland, and am a competitive Irish dancer. I have a vintage greeting card collection, love to create things and read my scriptures, spend weekends with Grandma, and enjoy writing and receiving letters. Pen pals, baby. Pen pals is where it's at. I make up my own words. I tend to be OCD. I have dance parties...in my room...alone...daily. I obsess over eyebrows, squishy babies, and buttered wheat toast. Tea is my therapy. Sunflowers, antique shops and seeing my sister bring me unspeakable joy. Swinging in the park, singing in the dark, and causing an uproar.
I believe in down to earthness. We're all on this earth together, all have our different challenges, and can come together to help one another make it through. Enjoy each part of life. Why spend a moment unhappy? Find a reason to love today. I'm sure you will discover more about me as I write, and reach out. There are so many great things I am looking forward to in my future, and am just excited to live. We're all in this together.

Virtual hugs from me to you.
Peace.