missed connections

Ever since i can remember, before each school year, my dad gives me a 'Back to School Blessing'. Since I've started college it's been every semester, because i've ended coming home in between each one.

***So when mormons use the word "blessing" in the context of one person giving another a blessing, what they mean is that someone prayed for them. 
so when i say "My dad gave me a school blessing"
what i mean is "My dad said a vocal prayer for me, with me, to give me comfort and guidance for the school year."

Blessings are prayers spoken by someone with authority, and are significant because they are specific to the receiver of blessing. Its like a set of instructions straight from God for the person being prayed for.***




I'm almost finished with my current journal *tearful sniff* so i was flipping through, and i found the pages where i took notes while my dad was giving me a blessing for school. and i was happy. i went back and looked at the past few blessings, and was surprised because looking back, i see connections that i'd missed in the moment.

Fall 2012:
among other things, my dad promised me that if i was not judgmental of my roommates when we first met, i would gain a life long friend.
the summer leading up to this, i'd been worried about one of the girls i'd been assigned to room with because she had several cats in her profile pictures; Jaylene. but when we met, the words from the blessing popped into my head and i pushed the cat-thoughts aside. I didn't think of the blessing after that, but looking back, if i had kept the pretense of Jaylene being a wierdo cat lady, i wouldn't have wanted to hang out with her and we wouldn't have roomed together again every semester following.
My dad also said that if i was kind to my teachers, i would love my classes. a general turth, but it applied heavily that semester, because there was one teacher who I got annoyed with in the beginning, but consciously chose to be nice to. and i ended up LOVING him and the class. (I'm looking at you, Christopher Williams.)

Spring 2013:
my favorite school blessing so far, probably. just very reassuring and comforting!
among other things, i was highly encouraged to pray before and after i studied. AMEN AMEN AMEN. i studied really hard that semester, and took several tough classes. prayer in study = effective study. best study habits i've ever had, most i've ever learned in that amount of time. my. goodness.
ALSO i was told to make friends with someone quieter than me. someone unexpected and very different from me, because it would prove to be one of the most enriching relationships.
rachel rachel rachel rachel rachel.
i love her.
ALSO i was told that if i was having trouble in a class, i should get to know the TA well so that i would feel comfortable asking questions.
well well well. my most stressful class was Teachings of the Living Prophets, so like the first week of school i emailed the TA and asked him a bunch of questions and warned him that this would be a common occurrence. the TA was none other than Christopher Michael Moen, and we became best friends that semester. and that became my favorite class.
"This semester will hold many epiphanies for you"
Mid. West. Trip.

Fall 2013:
"get to know your Relief Society President right away so that you can get the ward calling you need"
met Dawn first day of school, clicked instantly, served with her the rest of the semester.

I was uplifted by this blessing, because it basically just told me over and over to find joy in the little things. But that also kind of worried me, because if i'm finding joy in the little things, does that mean that the big things would be hard?
YES. haha.
but, i DID "find joy in classes and learning". i loved all of my classes except math. because it's math.
and i DID "build rapport with teachers" loved them all. even my math teacher.
i did "maintain old friendships & build new ones"
I did acclimate well (and quickly!) to the air, unlike other semesters
and (my favorite part of the blessing) i DID "find joy in the cold! See the Lord's hand in the weather."
Hoar frost and knee-deep snow *fond sigh*

I was also promised that as i read the scriptures, "ages [would] open up to [me]." truth. I have never loved the New Testament, but now it fills me with hope and love, and a peace that i can't begin to describe. Oh, to read the words spoken by Jesus Christ while he ministered on earth!

and finally, in the blessing, i was reminded that God knows my heart, an hears my prayers.
I needed that reminder when the blessing was given in September, i needed when i re-read it in October, and i needed it again tonight.

______________________________


God is in the details of our lives.
I've seen it, and felt it, in mine.
and these instances, though i'm sure they're insignificant to you, mean a great deal to me because they prove to me that He cares about my life.

and He knows my heart.