Capital "Q" In Quality Family Time

Last night we sat around the kitchen table to frost and decorate Halloween sugar cookies that Becky had baked.  I looked around the table and thought about the time we spend together and what great memories it solidifies in our lives.  There are some that wouldn't find this kind of activity enjoyable but it felt like a small piece of heaven to me.
There are conversations that don't happen anywhere else in our lives than those than occur around the kitchen table.  I love to hear what is going on in the minds of our kids, their interests, and their desires.  I love that there is a comfortable atmosphere where they can be open without fear of anything negative happening to them.  I love that we have a safe home where we can enjoy one another.  I love that we can be frank with one another and live in peace and harmony.
Our daughter, Laurel expressed her love for her family.  It made me happy that our kids want to succeed together.  I am grateful for the joy and happiness that they all bring to mine and Becky's life.  It is a rich blessing to be a husband and father and to thoroughly enjoy myself.  My life is a dream come true and I have my family to thank for that.  I love you all!

The Joy of Song

I am richly blessed to live in a household where every member of the family enjoys music. Becky and each of the kids is blessed with the talent to play multiple instruments and to want to share their abilities. The accoustic guitar is one of my favorite sounding instruments. I love the sounds that the various strings make and when a melody is played it's sound is hard to beat.
The other night Laurel played a piece that she had newly learned and Becky and I listened as she played and sang along. It was a quiet moment that fed my heart a remarkable peace that left me overjoyed. How thankful I am for those 'snapshots' of life that remain memorable for a very long time after they happen. I am grateful for the sharing of talents that uplifts and edifies my heart and soul. There's nothing quite like music.

Need Your Help

May I tell you about a recent experience that happened and brought my heart a lot of joy? Becky sees the needs of others very well and then she is quick to act. I have watched over the nearly eighteen years of marriage as she jumps in and helps out. We have talked about this before but service to another rarely comes at a convenient time. It has never mattered to Becky. I am grateful for her wisdom and the love she has for other people.
A person called to get some help and Becky was not home. This person tried to contact some other people but was dismissed because of other distractions in their lives. Finally the person was able to contact Becky and help was on it's way. I admire her willingness to share of the gifts and talents she possesses. It is her compassion that blesses these people.
I am thankful to have her as my best friend and my sweetheart. Thanks love, for all that you do! I am the beneficiary of daily acts of service from you.
I want to be the type of person that will act when someone is in need.

Knowing

Knowledge is an amazing thing. There are very few things in my life that I really care to know about. One of the greatest blessings of my life is the knowledge that there is a purpose to this life. We are not just here for fun--although it is very enjoyable. I know that there is a God who we call our Father and He is perfectly aware of me and you. Since we left His presence we have gained a lot of knowledge that is important for not only now but for eternity, yet to come. He sent His Son, who willingly obeyed His Father, to help us overcome the imperfections that we have and to be able to be clean from those mistakes that we make and one day return to live with our Father who loves us eternally. Jesus Christ is His Son and I love Him with all of my heart. I am thankful for the love He has for me and I hope to live my life in a way that demonstrates that love. I know that the family unit is a creation of our Father and that the families we are a part can help us and teach us some principles that can help us to grow. I am grateful for Becky and each of the four children that have been 'entrusted to our care'. We are trying to teach them correct principles and to be actively engaged in their lives. That parenting never ends, no matter how old they are. I know that through the covenants (promises) Becky and I have made with God and with each other in the temple that we can be together forever. That is comforting!
All other things are great but these few truths bring me comfort and happiness.
Knowledge is a beautiful thing!

Familiar Smells

Becky and I were talking to our daughters just the other night. The conversation turned to when they were babies and I remembered bathing them each day and then lathering their entire bodies and relishing in the wonderful smell that the experience offered. I can smell that even as I write and it brings back such fond memories.
When Natalie was born I was at the end of my job training to get hired on as a full-time employee for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. The training was stressful for me for many different reasons. It was October 2, 1995. I was in class when all of the sudden my name was called out by Becky's dad that we needed to go to the hospital because Becky was going to have a baby. At last the much anticipated moment was finally here! After she was born, I gave her first bath and the smell of that experience is very clear in my mind.
I love the smell of fresh flowers. The smell of a lilac bush reminds me of playing in my grandparents' yard. I can feel a football in my hand as I scrambled to get away from my older brother before he could tackle me. Those lilac bushes ran the perimeter of their yard.
The smell of goodness and cleanliness reminds me of the comfort I feel in the arms of my sweet wife. Becky always smells good.
The impact of a smell is powerful. We all have those smells just like I illustrated. Give it some thought and you'll find that some of your feelings are similar to mine.

Never Enough Smiles

I was with our boys and I watched as the many people walked past us with frowns on their faces.  I wondered to myself the cause of such looks. 
I can hear my mom's quiet words in my mind.  I'm forty years old and her advice seems more and more profound at the present time.
There are so many reasons to wear a smile on our faces.
I had a recent conversation with a man that I would consider a pessimist.  I made the comment that there is a lot to smile about and he rebutted with negativity.
I would suggest that a smile should be an automatic.  It sure helps turn most situations into a positive experience.
I love the words of a song that goes something like this:

"A smile is like the sunshine; It brightens up the day. It gives the eye a twinkle And chases frowns away." (Anna Johnson~LDS Children's Songbook)

Give the world a smile and show them that you are really happy.  Your actions will positively affect somebody else and brighten up their day.

A Little Clearer

I recently picked up one of those glass domes that you shake and the snow flakes engulf the entire dome. A scene is built inside the dome and the snowy effect of the tiny flakes creates a wintry atmosphere. I played with one of these from the time I was a small child but my focus is different now than it was then. As a boy I was mesmerized by all of the snow, giving little or no thought to the scene that was the essence of the dome. The snow flakes were the only thing I cared about. I shook the dome hard and tried to focus my attention on a small grouping of snowflakes. I look at the miniature figures that became covered with the flakes as they dropped ever so gently. Once I could see that all of the flakes had rested in their various places I shook the dome again, this time with a shifting focus. I tried to envision what the actual scene was about. I paid little attention to the movement of the snowflakes. I repeated this exercise one last time with my attention being placed on the entire scene as a whole. This experience taught me a couple of simple truths and reminded me of a lesson I have known all of my life.
Lesson #1--Don't become so involved with a singular act that you miss out on all of the other things that are happening all around.
Lesson #2--The small things of life are just as important as the big ones.
Lesson #3--Life is about the whole experience, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Who would have ever thought that a tiny glass dome would be impactful to me? It was. It's reminder was clear and concise. Our lives are filled with so many great things and to notice what we really have is a very integral part.
Just like it was for me the next time you shake one of those domes focus on the whole experience and not just the tiny flakes that flutter all about.