Significance

I understand a little bit better today how fragile life is and the reality that the partition (the veil) between this life and the next is very thin.  The older I get the clearer that knowledge becomes.  These thoughts seem to occupy more of my thoughts than they did when I was younger.  It's not all about this life but it is about doing today for what will come tomorrow and the effects that has on the future.  Don't misunderstand this as me saying that today isn't important because it is but, in fact, it is much deeper than that.
When I was a young boy my thoughts were occupied with what I was going to do for fun and at what time of the day that was going to happen.  Rarely did I think about the consequences of decisions made today on tomorrow.
I don't worry about a lot in my life I feel like the focus of life gets more finely tuned with each passing day.
I look at Becky and our children with a different set of 'glasses' than I ever have before.  I want so bad for their lives to be the best that they can be.  I want to be a good person--someone who wants to make good choices that profoundly bless the lives of others.  My desire is to leave this world a better place than what I found it.  Be someone who makes a positive contribution to the best of my own abilities.
I watched a man who seemed to struggle in his life at every bend in the road of life.  As he and I spoke with each other the verbalization of his current decisions of life didn't make much sense to me.  I listened carefully as he spoke and wanted so badly to correct him in his decision-making process but I didn't want to hamper his learning experience in any way.  That's a very hard thing to do but it's part of the learning process that each of us has to go through.  We visited for quite some time and I offered a quiet prayer in my heart for this man.  He will have some additional struggles before his mortal journey ends but so will I.
I am grateful for the experiences of life that add value and allow a clearer perspective.
Life is what we make of it, laced within it some struggles that strengthen us and make us who we are--and ultimately who we are to become.  Keep smiling and keep working hard.

It Is You

 

Our family was talking about the many beauties of the earth and the opportunity we have to enjoy the various creations that surround us.  I fear that you will think that I'm some kind of wierdo but I hang in there and bear with me as I relate my feelings to you.
I watched an interesting looking bug crawl swiftly across the ground.  It's legs moved quickly and it made me tired just watching.  I watched it for several minutes as it covered a large area of ground heading toward it's destination.  I finally gave up on the bug and focused my attention elsewhere.  I have thought about that single creation and have tried to apply that small life with my own.
We are all created by a loving God.  He gave us life and the blessings that we see are a credit to Him.  I am grateful for the knowledge that He loves me.
There are many people who, for one reason or another, don't feel of that same love of which I speak.  Theirs is a life overwhelmed with discontent and despair.  I wish to share with everyone the import of seeing and recognizing all of the blessings that are given to us all.  There is great hope in this world because we are children of a God who loves us more than we can comprehend.  If life is currently weighing you down I strongly encourage you to inventory your life and find and recognize all of the blessings that you have receieved and then watch and number all of the other continuous blessings that will come.  You will see that they are there.
Like the little bug that often seems insignificant you are anything but that.  You are a child of God and your existence is extremely important in His eternal Plan.
Look in the mirror and recognize your significant role in the eternal scheme of things.  Show the beautiful smile that He has given you.  It will make all the difference!

One of My Favorite Days

Every year I love this day.  This year is no different.  Today we celebrate the birthday of my wife Becky.  It is because of this day many years ago that I find great joy and immense happiness.

I wanted to use today’s post to name several reasons why Becky blesses my life and then I hope that each of you will implement these things into your own marriages and relationships to bless and make better.

One:

Becky is the definition of unselfish.  She thinks of herself and what she wants or needs behind that of someone else.  Some might think this a personal fault.  Wrong!  Her life is blessed because she has ‘figured’ this principle out in her own life.  Our family is blessed for her kindness.  Some time ago, Becky went grocery shopping and bought the fixings for a delicious meal—one of our family’s favorites.  She got home and found out that there was a family who needed a meal brought into their home.  Becky fixed the meal she had planned for us and promptly took it to this family and opted to fix us something else.  I watched her make that decision and I felt grateful for her love and generosity for another.  We had other food and it was no problem for us. 

Two:

Becky loves to be at home.  She loves the comfort that she feels when she is at home with her family.  I am so grateful for this.  We live in a society where everyone is dashing about in all directions with chaos trailing closely behind at every turn.  The things at home are the victim of this chaos.  I am so thankful to Becky for making the things at home a top priority.

Three:

Becky loves God and His Son.  They are at the top of her list as the most important people in her life.  Because that is her priority, everyone else around her is richly blessed.  She follows their example and acts as they would want her to.  I have always loved that.

Four:

Becky is an outstanding wife!  She loves me and treats me with great respect as her husband and as a human being.  She is the easiest person to get along with and I feel honored to have her in my life.

Five:

All Becky wants to be is the best mom she can be.  She loves our children and she is concerned with their well-being.  She works tirelessly to help them reach their divine potential.  She teaches by word and example. 

Becky, I want to wish you the happiest birthday and I pray every day that I will be able to spend many years of happiness to come with you.  But no matter what, if we do our best we will have the blessing of living through the eternities with one another.  I love you! Have a great day!

I Love Life

This is a day that I will remember for a very long time.  My grandpa passed away earlier this morning after a long life well lived.  I have learned some valuable lessons from this man I call grandpa.
It is always a difficult thing when death arrives but more than that a very spiritual time of reflection for me.  Let me share a little personal insight with you today with the hope that you can understand my feelings.
Death is just another step in eternal progression.  It happens exactly how it was designed.  In this Plan we all agreed with it and gladly followed our Father and His Son.  This part of the Plan becomes clearer to me with every passing day.  I am grateful that my grandpa can more forward in this very important part of his eternal destiny.  A great reunion awaited him for which I am most grateful.
One of the greatest lessons (and a nice reminder) is that I try to live my life to the best of my ability.  This does not mean that a fanatical approach should ensue, rather a consistent and positive approach to how and why I do the things I do.
I love my Heavenly Father and His Son, my Savior.  I am thankful for all that they do for me.  I give thanks to them for the knowledge that I receive.  I am thankful for the people around me who are examples of goodness.  My grandpa was an example to me of hard work and dedication in all that he did.
I have watched my grandma do exactly what she committed to do the day that her and grandpa wed.  She has stood by his side through the hard and the easy of life.  She has weathered the storms of life with him side by side.  She has taken care of him right until the end and I applaud her for her sweet efforts.  I love my grandpa and grandma!
I am thankful to have been born of goodly parents who love each other.  I thank my mom for her kindness with both of her parents this past week--actually for an entire lifetime.  She has been the rock that they have always been able to count on.  It is through her wonderful acts of love that I have learned some of life's greatest lessons.  I love you mom and I know that heaven continues to shine on our family every single day.

Our Special Day

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.

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. 

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!