The Grass Is Green

In Primary, the song “Give Said The Little Stream” means a lot.  I have long been intrigued by it’s simple message.

“Give said the little stream.  Give oh give.  Give oh give.  Give said the little stream as it hurried down the hill.  I’m small I know but wherever I go, the grass grows greener still.”

We make a conscious decision to be happy and optimistic about life and all that it entails. The grass will be greener as we live with the glass half full and strive to put a smile on our face.  There is so much that we can be grateful for. 

Sometimes even the words from a simple song will brighten our day and remind us of how good life really is.  

Look for the sunshine and don't focus on the grey clouds of life.  

The Thing I Look Forward To

Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy being home with Becky and our kids?  I am grateful for good employment but at the end of the day, I like to go home.

I spoke with a man who found that a little boring and somewhat strange that I could be so ‘tied’ to home and family.  I expressed to him the feeling of complete satisfaction that I gain from the peace that is there.

I believe that you can feel that same way if you don’t already have that feeling in your life.

I recall as a young boy the feeling of safety that filled my heart because of the stability and the love that was shown by my parents. 

The happiness I feel comes from that same kind of stability and a love that is unmatched.  I’m grateful to have a sweet wife and a family I adore!

A Kind Reminder

Everyone has something in your life that means so much to you and because it’s something special, you want to share it with everybody. 

A talk was given at church, some months ago, about the responsibility to share the knowledge we have with our friends and neighbors.  I thought about what that means exactly.

There are people that I know who are really good at being good people no matter where they’re at or what they are doing. 

I like to believe that I give a good effort most every day as a person who is trying to do what is right.

I believe that the message I heard was just for me.  I love the knowledge that I have and I want to share it with those who are looking for the truth.

Fatherhood--And All Other Blessings

I am grateful for the priviledge of being a dad.  Today marks the 17th birthday of our oldest child (Natalie).  Happy Birthday!

I want to share a few feelings of my heart.  The first one is how quickly time has passed and the reality that it will be over before we can believe it.  I am so grateful for Nat and the kind of individual she is and the things that she 'stands for'.  I thank you for all that you do.

The second feeling is the gratitude I feel for Becky.  It is she who sacrificed and made the feelings I'm talking about possible.  She has always been a kind woman and she will do anything for anyone.  I am grateful for who she is and all that she does to enrich the lives of us all.

I love birthdays and want they represent.  This one has been a great one and I pray that life will be as rich as we want it to be.  Heaven shines it's love on us daily!

Music Teaches

A song came to my mind that caused me to reflect on my childhood days gone long ago.  They were such happy times for me and I feel exceptionally grateful for the way I was raised.  “When we’re helpful, we’re happy and we sing as we go.  For we like to help mother cuz we all love her so.  When we’re helpful, we’re happy and we sing as we go.  For we like to help father cuz we all love him so.”

I am grateful for my life and I appreciate the things I was taught and can now implement in my own child rearing opportunity.

Jump It

Did you know that the height of a hurdle ranges between 30 and 42 inches?  On a full sprint people jump those and make it look incredibly simple while doing it.

Let’s compare those same hurdles to the ones that confront us in our daily lives.  Some of those hurdles might look like this.  Having tolerance for all people.  Talking in a nice tone—especially to those who mean the most to us?  Rendering service to someone in need—even when it’s inconvenient?  How about the neighbor that drives you completely nuts? 

These are just a few.  There is an assortment of many others.

It just doesn’t matter the height that those hurdles are.  We have the power to control what we do and how we will react. 

Try a little harder tomorrow than you did today and soon you will see the difference by the effort that you give.

Somebody New

I love meeting new people.  There is a man that I just met who has three children and is recently divorced after twenty years of marriage.  During our conversation I learned that he currently works three jobs and his parents take care of his children, for the most part.  He has full custody of them.  He has a set of twins who are sixteen and a thirteen year old.  He spoke with a smile on his face and I wondered to myself how in the world he does it.  The answer he gave to me made perfect sense.  It is his faith that keeps him anchored to the things that are really important.

I would like to remind us all that there are misfortunes in life but there are plenty of examples of people who make the best out of those situations. 

Be thankful for what you have and strive to make the best out of every moment, even when it gets tough.