Our anniversary has been celebrated differently this year than any other year. I have loved being with Becky and to enjoy our 18th anniversary caring for somebody else...together! I love you sweetheart and I have learned a greater lesson from you through your incredible ability to show compassion for your fellowmen.
Becky has loved my grandparents and has treated them as her very own. I watched Becky as she gently rubbed the tiny feeble legs of our dying grandpa. I watched the outpouring of her love through her word and deed.
This anniversary will go down as a very special one for me because I learned some greater lessons when I watched my sweet wife be who she always is. I love you and I appreciate your love for me. Happy Anniversary and hoping for many more to come.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Things Spiritual
Yesterday, our family decided to go to Orem with the feeling that it would be the last time that we would see grandpa alive here in this mortal life.
I'm so glad that our family took the opportunity to go and to show our love and support for grandma in this difficult time.
Before we left I went into the bedroom where grandpa lay and stood next to his bed and listened to his breathing. It was a spiritual experience for me personally to be with him before he leaves this wonderful existence and moves on to his eternal reward.
I love any opportunity to enjoy the feelings during the experiences that are beyond what this mortal life normally has to offer. It is through these experiences that our hearts are filled with wonder of the things that are eternal.
Although the days are numbered for my sweet grandpa I am grateful for the knowledge of forever and the peace that this knowledge offers. I know that an eternal existence is ahead for every one of us as children of our loving Father. It is through Jesus Christ that the opportunity to live in the presence of our Father again can come to pass. It is the desire to be better that motivates me for the future possibilities that can be mine.
Families can be together forever as long as we do our part and live up to the expectations that our Father has. Our Father has promised to us all that He has. It is my greatest desire to be more like Him.
I'm so glad that our family took the opportunity to go and to show our love and support for grandma in this difficult time.
Before we left I went into the bedroom where grandpa lay and stood next to his bed and listened to his breathing. It was a spiritual experience for me personally to be with him before he leaves this wonderful existence and moves on to his eternal reward.
I love any opportunity to enjoy the feelings during the experiences that are beyond what this mortal life normally has to offer. It is through these experiences that our hearts are filled with wonder of the things that are eternal.
Although the days are numbered for my sweet grandpa I am grateful for the knowledge of forever and the peace that this knowledge offers. I know that an eternal existence is ahead for every one of us as children of our loving Father. It is through Jesus Christ that the opportunity to live in the presence of our Father again can come to pass. It is the desire to be better that motivates me for the future possibilities that can be mine.
Families can be together forever as long as we do our part and live up to the expectations that our Father has. Our Father has promised to us all that He has. It is my greatest desire to be more like Him.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Don't Let It Be Traveled Alone
I watched a man walk down old Magna main street. He was alone and each step that he took jotted a chapter of what his life was all about. I knew this man and my heart ached for him. He is a good man but has been sidetracked from the principles that he knows will bless his life. His clothing was different and it showed to me that his once financial stability was no longer. He carried a brown paper sack in his hand that illustrated his slavery to a bottle of sadness. I couldn't help but think of the goodness that he had displayed in his life while helping another in a time of struggle.
It was a reminder that life is at times a 'school of hard knocks'. How important it is to be prepared to withstand the trials that come our way.
When I was a young boy I never had to worry about the lack of stability in our home. I never wondered if my parents were nice to one another. I didn't even think about that kind of thing because I just knew that they loved each other. I heard them tell each other that they loved each other but more important I watched them love each other.
I want our children to know that Becky and I love each other--through word and deed. I want them to build in their hearts a desire to one day find someone who wants to share this same kind of life with them that we so richly enjoy.
I'm hopeful that this man that wanders Magna main street will one day awaken to the things that are important and foster a desire to return to the good life that he once possessed.
It's a great life that is filled with endless possibilities to find and experience goodness to enrich our souls. Go after it and find all of the joy that you so richly deserve. It is the designed destiny of all mankind!
It was a reminder that life is at times a 'school of hard knocks'. How important it is to be prepared to withstand the trials that come our way.
When I was a young boy I never had to worry about the lack of stability in our home. I never wondered if my parents were nice to one another. I didn't even think about that kind of thing because I just knew that they loved each other. I heard them tell each other that they loved each other but more important I watched them love each other.
I want our children to know that Becky and I love each other--through word and deed. I want them to build in their hearts a desire to one day find someone who wants to share this same kind of life with them that we so richly enjoy.
I'm hopeful that this man that wanders Magna main street will one day awaken to the things that are important and foster a desire to return to the good life that he once possessed.
It's a great life that is filled with endless possibilities to find and experience goodness to enrich our souls. Go after it and find all of the joy that you so richly deserve. It is the designed destiny of all mankind!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Tone
The word 'tone' has a few different meanings. I wish to talk about it in the context of how we speak to others.
A person in the grocery store stands behind me in the checkstand line. Words roll out of her mouth rapidly and I realize that nothing that has streamed from her mouth is kind. I looke over at her and I realize that she is speaking to her aged mother who is seated in a motorized cart. Her speech comtinued for a few moments and again I look in her direction. This time her eyes met mine and I wanted so badly to remind her of her responsibility to respect her mother. She got the hint and I didn't hear another cross word spoken.
As I exited the store I couldn't help but think of the many unkind words that had and would probably continue to harm and damage the poor aged woman. I'm sure that volumes of other things would tell the entire story but I vowed at that moment to always try to keep a kind tone in my voice.
Even in frustration, the tone we keep will dictate the outcome of the situation in so many ways.
A person in the grocery store stands behind me in the checkstand line. Words roll out of her mouth rapidly and I realize that nothing that has streamed from her mouth is kind. I looke over at her and I realize that she is speaking to her aged mother who is seated in a motorized cart. Her speech comtinued for a few moments and again I look in her direction. This time her eyes met mine and I wanted so badly to remind her of her responsibility to respect her mother. She got the hint and I didn't hear another cross word spoken.
As I exited the store I couldn't help but think of the many unkind words that had and would probably continue to harm and damage the poor aged woman. I'm sure that volumes of other things would tell the entire story but I vowed at that moment to always try to keep a kind tone in my voice.
Even in frustration, the tone we keep will dictate the outcome of the situation in so many ways.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
A Sincere Desire
I have felt a subtle change in my life that hasn't always been there. I can honestly say that throughout my life I have wanted to be a good person who wants to choose the right in everything that I do. Lately I have felt an urging and a desire to take it one step further and always try to do the very best thing that I can.
We are children of a Heavenly Father and we carry within us characteristic traits of Him. He wants us to be happy and to experience the joys that come from doing what is right.
I listened to a General Conference talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He spoke of being a good and honest man.
I believe that the best effort we can give is sufficient.
I have always believed that to do my best is ultimately easier on my life than to settle for mediocrity.
Let me share a tiny example that can apply to life. I once worked with a man who was a goodly man but his work ethic wasn't the greatest. Building aircraft parts seems like a pretty important job and building them correctly seems absolutely necessary. I watched as this man did average work and didn't seem to care about good workmanship. One day I approached him about his work. I asked him if he wanted to board the airplane that had been poorly constructed but was still going to fly at thirty-five thousand feet. He told me that he didn't like to fly. I asked if he had family members that did fly. His answer was 'yes'. He thought about that for a few moments and then promised that from that day on he would make the necessary changes to do better. He did. I was grateful for his willingness to change and a desire to do better.
We have an obligation to do better.
Life is so wonderful and doing the right thing contributes to a better way of living.
We are children of a Heavenly Father and we carry within us characteristic traits of Him. He wants us to be happy and to experience the joys that come from doing what is right.
I listened to a General Conference talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He spoke of being a good and honest man.
I believe that the best effort we can give is sufficient.
I have always believed that to do my best is ultimately easier on my life than to settle for mediocrity.
Let me share a tiny example that can apply to life. I once worked with a man who was a goodly man but his work ethic wasn't the greatest. Building aircraft parts seems like a pretty important job and building them correctly seems absolutely necessary. I watched as this man did average work and didn't seem to care about good workmanship. One day I approached him about his work. I asked him if he wanted to board the airplane that had been poorly constructed but was still going to fly at thirty-five thousand feet. He told me that he didn't like to fly. I asked if he had family members that did fly. His answer was 'yes'. He thought about that for a few moments and then promised that from that day on he would make the necessary changes to do better. He did. I was grateful for his willingness to change and a desire to do better.
We have an obligation to do better.
Life is so wonderful and doing the right thing contributes to a better way of living.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Doing Good Pays Off
I attended a training course where I was able to meet many wonderful people. I met one particular woman who was very bright and extremely capable in her specific field of work.
I noticed in our company's news, today, that she had been honored for her help in an orphanage based in India. I felt happy for this woman and I tip my hat to her for her contributions. It was neat that I had met and interacted with this woman and that she was being rewarded for her hard work and dedication for something very worth while.
There is so much to learn from other people. I am grateful to be alive and to be the beneficiary of the kind acts of many others.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Moving Forward--Together
Becky and I went to Orem to visit our grandparents. My mom is in town to be with them for the next week. Grandpa's health continues to worsen but he keeps 'hanging on' through these last days.
I thought about how good life is when we go through it together. I watch my grandma as she shows her true love and devotion for my grandpa and reflect on the promises that Becky and I made the day we got married.
I want to emphasize how important it is to move forward in life, even after the stumbles that take place, and be united in all that you do.
Marriage is ordained of God and the marriages between a man and a woman are supposed to be enjoyable. Working through the struggles builds strong character and the love that can be enjoyed is endless.
I held Becky's hand yesterday and felt grateful for all that she does to make life wonderful for me and our children.
Difficult times will come to all of us and some of you might be right in the middle of one of the 'storms' of life but there is hope that eventually the sun will shine through the clouds of mortality and the refreshment of a new beginning is shortly on the horizon. That new beginning will be worth the endurance that you pursued.
Move forward with faith and with a sense of unity that will prove the worth of the one that you so desperately love. Be in it together, no matter what!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)