Years Rush By

It was nineteen years ago that I arrived home to Sacramento, California, from a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Netherlands. It was a life-altering experience, for me personally. I was prepared and excited to come home and see my family but as that big Boeing 747 airliner took off from the Schipol Airport, in Amsterdam, the feeling became final and the greenery that I had grown accustomed to and the people I had learned to love were going to become a memory. There were people that I had said my last goodbye to, in this life. As I sat in my seat and watched the country disappear into the distance, my heart ached. I had learned the culture, language, and various customs of another people. I loved so much about these people and I didn't know when or if I would ever return. I still long for the day that I return. Although I came home, physically, a piece of my heart resides in Holland and that piece will always remain.
I am so grateful for the opportunity that was given to me to learn and grow there. It was in Holland that I went from a young man to a man. It was a time when I relied, solely, on my Heavenly Father.
I am amazed at the way that time races by. It doesn't seem like very long ago that I was there. The smells are familiar to me. I can taste the food. The sights were breath-taking. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. I am a better person because I answered the call of a living prophet of God to go and share the message of hope to the Dutch people.
My mission was just the setting of a strong foundation that has and will continue to sustain me throughout my life.

A Small Window In Time

Over the past few weeks, I have spent a lot of time 'shooting hoop' with our kids. Our oldest daughter, Natalie and our oldest boy, Brady are particularly fond of the game of basketball. We play a game that is known by many different names, depending on when you grew up--two ball poison, knock-out, and tornado--just to name a few. This game requires two basketballs and it is quite a fast-paced. I have always loved the game. The other night, all four of our kids and I were playing this game. The kids are at the age where I have to really play or I will get eliminated. For a small window of time, I found myself surrounded by our four children playing this game. In a few short minutes, our youngest son, Danny eliminated me from the game. I stood and watched the remainder of the game until a winner prevailed. It seemed to me that our children were very young, just the other day. I spent my time lifting them up to the basketball hoop, hoping that they would be able to make a shot.
I don't think that a person can spend too much time with their children. The time is gone before you can blink. Once the time is gone, the lingering memories, whether positive or negative, are what remain. I try hard to spend quality time with my family so that a 'constant' of positive memories will fill my heart and mind when they are off creating and raising their own families.
I work with a guy who has never had children of his own. He recently asked me if I had any children. I told him that we have four--two girls and two boys. His mouth fell wide open when I told him that. "How do you guys do that?" I told him that I was so grateful to be a father.
Following our conversation, I stopped and thought about what my life would be without a loving wife and children that enrich my life. The reality is, this is exactly the way my life was designed to be.
In the next day, or two, when I am releasing the basketball from my hands, I will be thinking about the privilege I have to experience the array of blessings that shower me on a daily basis. Even though I am eliminated from the game, I will spend my time rebounding the basketball for the others who remain in the game, and smiling because of the enjoyment I feel when we are together.

Happy Easter

It's a beautiful morning in the Salt Lake valley. Happy Easter morning to all! I awakened, this morning, with a feeling of renewal. I am grateful for sleep and the opportunity to rest. Last evening, Becky and I got to go to the Hale Centre Theater, in West Valley City, Utah. We watched their production of Zorro. The music was good and the cast was high energy. We had a lot of fun. I thought about the importance of dating even though we've been married for over seventeen years. I looked at her, many times throughout the evening and realized that her beauty has only increased, not only in my eyes, but also in my heart. We are no longer young kids. I looked at her and felt thankful for all that she has done, and all that she continues to do to richly bless my life and the lives of our four children. I wondered, silently, how some people go through life without someone to share it with, and that they can adore. I am so thankful for this wonderful gift in my life. I have a prayer in my heart that this Easter day will be one of rich blessing to all. I give thanks for everything that I have. It is His life that we are trying to emulate. Jesus Christ came to the earth to do what nobody else could do. He did it because He loves us.

Accept Me

Everybody wants others to accept them for who they are. So often, that isn't the case. The 'world' wants to dictate how people, that live in it, should look and act. I am reminded of a young woman I met in Holland. Her appearance was much different than other people her same age. It appeared as if she intended to be different. The more that I got to know this woman, the truth was made apparent to me. Her style was hers and she wasn't about to let everyone else tell her how she was going to be. I admired her strength to be a good person and to have her own sense of style without worrying about what others thought of her. I like to go the through the hallways of the High schools and Junior High schools and look at the varieties of styles amongst the young people. There will always be those kids that think they know what the latest and greatest styles are and that the kids who don't conform a certain way are not cool. I say to all kids, be who and how you want to be! Especially, if it is good and decent. The majority of the kids want to feel like their styles are validated. We live in a time when 'self-expression' is huge in the sight of the young people. I like that, in most instances. When I was in Junior High, there was a particular brand of shoes that were worn by the 'popular' kids. I knew that the shoes were expensive so I never did make mention of them to my parents. It didn't seem to matter that much to me, but I wanted to be accepted for who I was and not for the brand of shoes that I wore. I have a firm belief that people need to be treated for who and how they are. The 'childish' acts to not be accepting to everyone need to be a thing of the past. There should be no place for these acts. We have discussed, many times over, that our children should be loving and accepting to all people. When they grow up and leave our home, they should know how to properly treat, and accept, everyone. All people should be able to be themselves. We ought to have the desire to treat others exactly how we would want them to treat us.

My Sincere Thanks

I am off of work, today, and I wish to spend the time to express my deepest thanks during this blog post. 
It would take a complete lifetime to adequately express my gratitude. 
Today, is an important day for several reasons.  On this day, Jesus Christ was born.  The world has never been the same since His coming.  I can't help but feel thankful for His life, mission, and Atonement for me, and you, of course.  Also, this day marks the day when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized.  Brady (our oldest son) and I discussed this a little bit and when I told him of the significance of this day, he said to me, that is not coincidental that the church would be organized on the same day as the Savior's birth.  I agreed with him.  Today, also marks the day that the Savior began His Atonement, that has eternal importance for us all.
I take each day with an attitude of trying to do my very best.  I awakened, this morning, with these things on my mind and felt very grateful for all that they mean.
There is much to learn as we work, and sometimes struggle through this life.  I watched a video clip on lds.org, that the LDS  church has produced just for Easter--entitled, "He Is Risen."  It is worth watching.  Ultimately, it is only through Him, that the errors of our ways are forgiven.  When He went into the Garden of Gethsemane, He took upon Himself all that I would do wrong, (including everyone else that would live and error) and made it right, if I would repent.  I can't even fathom all that was required of Him, but He did it lovingly and willingly, because of His love for and obedience to His Father, for which I am most grateful! 
I understand how little I know about the Plan of my Heavenly Father.  I am trying to learn and understand all that is expected of me.  The most important part is the application in my own life.  That takes a lifetime of patience and a consistent pace.  Line upon line, precept upon precept. 
I don't want this to seem like a Sunday school lesson, rather a writing filled with gratitude for the things that are of most import. 
It's a wonderful life!

Lead With Love

I watch people closely. I believe that there is a lot to be learned by careful observation. I'm not looking for, nor do I expect perfection, I just want to see how people do certain things.
One of those careful observations is how people talk to their children. Their interactions with their children, both while the kids are behaving and not, are important.
Many years ago, I was told of an experience in the check-out line of a local grocery store. The man who shared the experience was the third person in the line. A large, husky man was standing second in line. The person who was being 'checked out' was having a rough time with a younger child. The person kept hollering at the unhappy child, thinking that it would help. The kid was sitting in the grocery cart. After a couple of attempts at hollering at the kid, the person lost their cool and went to slap the young child. Before contact could be made, the large man caught the individuals hand in mid-air. Looking directly at the person, the large man firmly stated, "Don't even think about it."
Our actions toward our children ought to be those of control. I do know how it feels to lose control of my temper. There are a couple of different instances that I clearly remember from when our kids were much younger. I don't think that anybody is exempt from 'losing their cool.' The older I get, the clearer it becomes to me that the responsibility is mine to lead with love. The 'iron fist' approach is not only wrong but ineffective.
Our children ought to have loving structure in their lives. It can be done without slapping or hitting.
The eternal truth still stands strong. The children that are entrusted to your care, are just that--they're on loan for a short season. They don't belong directly to you. They are children of a loving Father. He has placed their safety and well-being on your shoulders. Our intention ought to be, and is expected, to send them back to Him better than how we received them. That is a long discussion for another time and has moral agency intertwined throughout it.
I have control over the things that I do. I am trying to do the best that I can each and every day.

Competition

I have a friend and its name is competitive. I guess I see this as a friend, most of the time, and an enemy at other times.
Competition is my friend because I don't like to be the person who holds others back, in life. I enjoy being somebody who others can count on to do exactly what I said I was going to do. I like to accomplish things, whatever they may be, in a timely fashion. When a project begins to drag on, it becomes less enjoyable.
Now, I stated that there are times when competition can be my enemy. When I become over-zealous, I feel like I neglect to see some of the positive parts of the 'journey.' We hear the phrase, "stop to smell the roses." I believe that wholeheartedly. When competition plays a role in the different facets of life, it’s easy to trample over the top of the roses that are there to smell, and enjoy.
Like everything else in life, the ability to balance is a key factor. I believe that being competitive is not necessarily a bad thing, especially when it’s against your own abilities and skills. I also believe that balancing one's efforts, in accomplishing those things that must be completed, is vitally essential.
I am going to make a concerted effort to slow down and look to see the scenery around. The joy is in the journey. Of that truth I am certain.
The proper use of competition helps to drive and motivate. I want to be a positive contributor.