I Love Home

Have I ever mentioned that I love home?  I have always enjoyed being at home.  I love the spirit that we feel in our home.  It's the contentment that I love the very most.  Every member of our family, is trying to do their very best in life.  I feel extreme gratitude for the gifts and talents that each member of our family brings.  It is a wonderful life. 
Becky and I went out with her parents and enjoyed dinner together, then went to the tabernacle, at Temple Square, to listen to the Orchestra at Temple Square with soloist Josh Wright on the piano.  It was really wonderful to listen to the extreme talent of all who participated.  I was glad to spend time with mom and dad.
Our children were at home and it felt nice to know that they were okay.  It is so nice to have them be the ages that they are and know that while we were away, they were fine.
Once Becky and I got home, I felt grateful for the bounteous blessings we so enjoy!
Today, we have gotten some things done around the house to be able to start off our week nicely.
When Becky and I first got married, I dreamed of having a family that would bring me great joy.  Although I had no idea how many children we would have, I desired to have a family, nonetheless.  I have loved Becky so much for her willingness to be the one responsible to carry those babies and bring them safely to this world.  She always did everything she could to guarantee that they were healthy.  I have watched her be a mother who cares deeply for her children.  She amazes me every day.
I feel grateful, every day, for all that she does to make each of our lives better.  She is an amazing homemaker!
I thank heaven for a place that we can call home.  We are blessed immensely. 
I hope that each one of us can see, feel, and understand the love behind the blessings we are so freely given.

Dating Lasts Forever

Becky and I went and participated in a youth activity at the church. The sixteen and seventeen year old boys and girls (Priests and Laurels) had an activity on dating. Becky and I were asked if we could be part of the 'panel' that the youth could ask questions to about anything dealing with dating. It was a lot of fun to be a part of that and to have our oldest, Natalie, be there as part of the youth group. Good questions were asked and the two other married couples including Becky and I enjoyed the evening. The reaction from the kids seemed like they were genuinely pleased with how the evening went. I hope that they will take away something from that night and never forget it. If they will implement even one thing that they heard, I believe they will be better off.
I have thought about the constant dating scene that Becky and I have maintained in our marriage. That aspect keeps things very exciting and it gives us an opportunity to be together, with no other outside interruptions. We love our children so much but we need our date time, just with each other.
If you're not currently taking the time to date, do so now. The kids will always have lots of needs. There will always be housework to do and projects to complete but the strength of a couple's relationship is dependant upon the effective use of time, together, just the two of you.
I love Becky with all of my heart. I am grateful that she loves me. That knowledge, alone, makes every day worth it. It is easy to find the motivation to live life to its fullest and to do the things that make her proud of me. It is a joy to be with her and to feel of her love and complete devotion to me. Thanks for a great life! You are my best friend.

Show The Trust

I remember an experience at Camp Royaneh, outside of the Bay area, in California.  There was a physical obstacle course that challenged us boy scouts.  It was a favorite of ours because there were places that tested our fear of heights.  One particular part of the course had to do with trust.  One by one each scout climbed up on a high tree stump and with several boys with open arms the scout was expected to turn around with your back facing the scouts and then lean back and fall into the arms of the awaiting scouts.  The idea was to display trust in your fellow scouts and believe that they would catch you without letting you hit the ground.  That was a huge deal!
I have never had reason to lack trust in Becky throughout our marriage.  I have had friends, however, who betrayed the trust that I once had in them.  That just happens with most everybody.  I desire to be one who can be trusted implicitly. 
Several months ago, I was told something, by a friend, and asked to please not share it with anybody.  I told him that I would not speak another word about what we had talked about.  He hesitated slightly and seemed to rest assured when I promised that nobody would ever know a single thing about our conversation from me.
That is one of the greatest things I love about Becky.  I know that if I share something with her that I don't want anyone else to know about, that my heart is safe and she won't share anything about what we talk about.
The saying that it is better to be trusted than it is to be loved is very appropriate. 
Just as it was true at Camp Royaneh on the 'trust fall', so it is with each of us.  We display trust for those that we love and we do things that will, in turn, warrant somebody else's trust in us.
It's one more principle in my life that I am trying to get better at.  Little by little I will get better at it and my life will be better for it.  I hope the same will be true for you.

I'll Be Brave

I read an obituary of a young boy who passed away from the effects of Leukemia. I was deeply touched by one particular phrase that, I'm sure, was written by his mother. There were a few words that the young boy uttered while he was still alive and those stuck out to me the most. "I'll be brave." I am touched that through the five rounds of chemo that this young boy endured he would look into the eyes of his parents and tell them that he would be brave.
I have a renewed commitment to face life 'head on' and brave through all that is given to me to endure in this great life.

A story, of our time, reminds me of the bravery displayed for fellow human beings.

"During fighting in Somalia in October of 1993, two United States Army Rangers in a helicopter during the firefight learned that two other helicopters near them had fallen to the earth. The two rangers, in their relative safety aloft, learned by radio that no ground forces were available to rescue one of the downed aircrews. Growing numbers of the enemy were closing in on the crash site.

The two men watching from above volunteered to go down to the ground (the words they used on the radio were to “be inserted”) to protect their critically wounded comrades. Their request was denied because the situation was so dangerous. They asked a second time. Permission was again denied. Only after their third request were they put down on the ground.  Armed only with their personal weapons, they fought their way to the crashed helicopter and the injured fliers. They moved through intense small arms fire as enemies converged on the crash site. They pulled the wounded from the wreckage. They put themselves in a perimeter around the wounded, placing themselves in the most dangerous positions. They protected their comrades until their ammunition was depleted and they were fatally wounded. Their bravery and their sacrifice saved the life of a pilot who would have been lost.  They were each awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor, their nation’s highest recognition for bravery in the face of an armed enemy. The citation reads that what they did was “above and beyond the call of duty.”

I was taught truth from the time I was very young. My parents saw that it was important, and vital, that I be taught the difference between right and wrong. They allowed me to stumble and fall, in order that I might learn eternal principles that would eventually and absolutely bless my life. When I fell, they were there by my side, to help pick me up and direct me in the direction that would bring me the greatest amount of happiness.
I understand that life has its challenges. Those will make us better. My desire is to be all that I am destined to be. Bravery is one of those characteristics that I would love to master. It is God-like in the purest form.
That young boy taught me a valuable lesson that has deeply penetrated my heart, today.
When all is said and done, I want it to be said of me that I was brave!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

I love to hear the funny things that come out of kids' mouths.  Here are a couple of things that I read recently that put a smile on my face.

"At our annual family picnic, my nephew found a salamander in the creek and, quite proud of his catch, brought it over to the adults setting up lunch. After we all ooo'd and ah'd about his finding, my brother-in-law told him it was time to eat and to go put the salamander back where he had found it. My nephew said he wanted to keep it as a pet. They went back and forth about this for several minutes, when my brother-in-law said, "How would you feel if someone snatched you out of your home and took you away? This salamander needs to go back to his home." Dan looked at his dad, perplexed, then looked at that salamander down in the cup he was holding, then looked back at his dad. He then replied (in his you-can't-be-serious voice), "Dad, are you trying to tell me this little salamander could pick me up and carry me back to his home? I don't think so!" (Picnic in the Park~ Jenny Evans)

"My 4-year-old son was up in a tree in our backyard one summer afternoon. From his vantage point, he could see over the fence and onto the road that ran beside our home. After a few minutes, I heard the jingle of the ice cream truck making his rounds for the first time that summer. I braced myself for my son to come running in for some change, but what he came running in for sent me to the floor with laughter. "Mom, mom!" he screamed. "It's the sing-along mail guy!" It then occurred to me that he had no recollection of ever seeing an ice cream truck before, but he was very familiar with the comparable little white mail truck!" (The Sing-a-long Mail Guy~ Rebecca Cleary)


The things that we learn from our children are humbling.  Their insight is valuable.  I find myself wondering what in the world I would do if Becky and I would have never had any children.
I hope to remember, and enjoy, all that flows freely from the mouths of babes.

His Touch

One of my favorite verses is that of "The Touch of the Master's Hand."  I'm sure that you have all read it but read it again and feel of its influence.

'Twas battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
but he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"
But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its' bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone", said he.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don't understand."
"What changed its' worth?"
Swift came the reply.
"The Touch of the Masters Hand."
And many a man with life out of tune
All battered with bourbon and gin
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.
But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Masters' Hand.
(The Touch of the Master's Hand~Myra Brooks Welch)

It doesn't matter who you are or in what stage of life you are in, with His touch, we are all equally important.  It is through His touch that we are able to have more than we can even comprehend, in this life and into the next one, too. 
Each of us have talents and gifts that lift the spirit of someone who is troubled or has lost their way, just a little.
Remember who you are...You are important!

I Prayed

Today, we spent a day as a family.  It was a nice day.  We saw some scenery of the beautiful state of Utah.
As we began our day, our youngest, Danny, complained of his teeth aching.  Shortly thereafter, he complained that his eyes hurt.  Becky told him that he needed to just close his eyes and give them a rest. 
We went about our day and enjoyed it together.
Tonight, as we were traveling home, Danny said, "Mom, do you know why my teeth and eyes don't hurt anymore?"  Becky asked him why.  He adamantly responded with.  "I prayed."
Becky and I wonder all the time how two people can be as blessed as we are.  Heaven smiles on our lives with mass amounts of generosity.
I love life!  Heavenly Father loves us immensely!  We love Him, too.  It's been a wonderful day.