Returning

I went to a play on Temple Square last week entitled Savior of The World. I saw it a few years ago, and it was nice but I was mostly just there to support a friend and didn't leave any different than I was before. This time it was different. I left there changed for good. 

I learned so much that night, some of which I can share and some which I would prefer to keep to myself. I was shown how much the Lord loves and honors women. I felt a shaking need inside me witness that the Lord has great blessings in store for me-and those blessings are only accessible to me if I am living in a way that I can receive them. 

As I was considering this need to be better, I felt a need to be more... actually just more. A few posts (and a lot of months) ago, I mentioned wanting to return to femininity. I want to focus on becoming a better woman-a better daughter of God. So I am inviting you on my journey. I want to use this blog to share some of the things I am learning. 

President James E. Faust once quoted President Heber J. Grant, saying, “The true spirit of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gives to woman the highest place of honor in human life. To maintain and to merit this high dignity she must possess those virtues which have always, and which will ever, demand the respect and love of mankind … [because] ‘a beautiful and chaste woman is the perfect workmanship of God.” President Faust continues, saying, "It finds expression in your qualities of your capacity to love, your spirituality, delicacy, radiance, sensitivity, creativity, charm, graciousness, gentleness, dignity, and quiet strength. It is manifest differently in each girl or woman, but each of you possesses it. Femininity is part of your inner beauty."

I am thinking about President Faust's question of if we fully understand the greatness of our gifts. I don't know that I have developed some of these gifts as well as I would like. I am wondering about how femininity is manifested in me-but also how I would LIKE it to be manifested. I want to characterized as kind, resourceful and good (among other things.)

Maybe this is where I start. What does femininity look like for me? I guess when I know where I want to go, I can figure out how to get there.

Havasupai

So I got to go to Havasupai a few weeks ago. I have wanted to do that for years, so I was really excited when the opportunity came up. So excited that I went with about 20 people I don't really know. I slept in a hammock and had to protect my food from fearless squirrels-it was incredible (Havasupi, not those other things ;0) 

The hike in is 10 miles. Should I pretend I am tough and backpacked in? Nahhh... cause you all know I would way rather pay $25 for a donkey to pack my stuff. So I did. *For the record I still hiked, just not carrying all of my stuff. 

My first glimpse of the Grand Canyon 

Havasu Falls

This was in the middle of our campground.

Navajo Falls (before it started raining)

Proof that I was actually there and that these images didn't come from Google.

I scrambled down this a few times on the way to Beaver and Mooney Falls.

I added eating cactus to my bucket list. So if anyone knows how to prepare cactus... lemme know.

Navajo Falls

Okay, so I didn't actually take the following photo. This one did come from Google. But I hiked 16 extra miles to see it. So I am showing you. 

I did this hike by myself. (No one else wanted to come.) It was seriously so cool to just sit here and watch these two rivers come together. Thanks Lisa for the tip. 

Can I chime in here?

Well of course I can. It's my blog. 

Here's what I want say: I dress modestly for me. But guess what else? I dress modestly for the men too. Somewhere as a society we have gotten confused again. What I hear most loudly are those who reject modesty and call it body shaming. Did we forget the point of covering our body parts?

I remember a guy telling me once that he had seen  quite a bit of cleavage and had seen "pretty plainly down [my] shirt." And you know what? I was HUMILIATED! Not because I am ashamed of my body, but because I was trying to be *careful to be more than "the girl with the large chest." For the record, I really hope men are attracted to my body. I just don't want that to be the only thing they are attracted to. I don't want that to be the focus. 

I agree 100% that men are responsible for where they let their minds graze. You know what else I believe? That guard rails are a good idea for both of us. 

When I read the **articles where women are outraged by this idea that a desire and a plea to dress modestly is somehow limiting the power or the responsibility of men I am baffled. 

Can I quote Mufasa? "Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble." I think men can exercise all of their self control and learn to use their brain instead of their hormones in all of the situations I don't have control of. (ie Media, his imagination, every female who is showing more than I am...) 

No one seems to think it is a bad idea to dress attractively for the men. It's okay to admit that we got a new outfit for a date, because we wanted to impress him. But if we want to show too much of our body, then it is his responsibility to pretend he can't see that and we get to claim zero responsibility? That hardly seems fair either. 

Sometimes I mess up, but I am going to continue to try to keep my body parts covered because I know I am a daughter of God and because I am confident enough in that knowledge to think it is probably a good idea to help out the sons of God too. 

*and you know what? I was even wearing one of those blasted shade shirts. Sometimes modesty is hard. 

**one article mentioned hating "Modest is Hottest." Well I just want to testify that it is. Like usually 10 degrees warmer. 

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I have been thinking about a lot of things lately.

ONE
One of those things is gender roles. I have read more than one post lately about women and their desire to do all of the same things, and be just like men.

I don't want to.

I want every man and every woman between here and the Mississippi to know that if my car gets a flat tire I can change it.

I don't want to.

I am good at my job. I have had a few job opportunities presented from other rival companies. I am pretty loyal, so for now I sticking around. I have been told that I need to forgo that loyalty and develop my own career.

I don't want to.

Satan has a way of using good things and pushing us to see beyond the mark. It seems that he is using human rights as a clever disguise for woman to forget the things that God intended for us. He intended for us to be kind, nurturing and gentle. He wants us to focus more on changing the world from inside our own homes and communities than on conquering the world with guns-a-blazin. He hopes we will see the beauty in ourselves, in our neighbors and our surroundings, and he hopes we will share that beauty with those who cant see it. He wants us to be good, righteous, virtuous, honorable, friendly, loving, soft, pliable, teachable and humble.

I don't know how this all happens for me, but over the past few weeks I have determined that I am beginning within myself a return to femininity.

TWO:
I really want to date a cellist (preferably one that rides a motorcycle.)

Hey... while we are at it, lets dream big: here's to hoping that he has a job, a personality and a temple recommend.

THREE:
Remember when you were in college and how you stayed up into weird hours of the night regularly? Well I don't. I tried not to do that much. (Okay we know about the semester I worked at WeedMan, but that wasn't a good time for any of us, so I try to suppress that...) BUT I have started doing that a lot lately. It is kicking my trash. And yet... here I am writing a blog post at midnight.*

FOUR:
I moved again. I would say I am going to post photos, but we all know that isn't likely to happen. So know this: it has a living room and kitchen, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a few closets. That's enough.

FIVE:
I was at a friend's house last night. He said and I quote, "you're surprising me with how much you know." Uhhhhh....thanks...? I think?

SIX:
I am thinking of starting a collection of #AwkwardLoriStories so stay tuned for those. They could be good ones.


*Leslie... I blame you.

Three things

Independence Day-The Bees Game on the Fourth of July. With bases loaded, bottom of the ninth, he hits a home run. Totally cliche. Totally awesome. Whitney and I pretty much spent the entire day together. It was legit. Ice cream cones, snow cones, BBQ and fireworks. Yeah... The 4th is totally my favorite holiday. 

Culver City- or in these photos Santa Monica. I had to go there for work again. I made the most of it ;)

Babies- Babies. Babies. Babies. They are everywhere, and I am pretty happy about it. Especially in the case of Sara and Kyles little lady. I already adore her.  

This month in pictures.

Country concert:  Chris Cagle in Eagle Mountain. Complete with some of my favorite people.

Fireworks. Need I say more?

I went to LA last week for work. I hit up this place while I was there. It was gorgeous! I loved it there.

This is certainly the shortest palm tree I have ever seen.

I was in St George for work yesterday. I also elected to go to the temple there. I hadn't been to this one before. It was beautiful.

This is Scipio. Yep- this motel/gas station is the embodiment of years of family jokes, and the most talked about family vacation. 

FYI