There Are Times

When I awakened this morning I was grateful that the night was over and a new day was about to begin.  My night was filled with strange dreams and my body really didn't seem to be able to rest.  Just like my dreams of the night, life seems to parallel that.  Have you ever felt like the happenings of life are going to smother you?
A elderly man and woman were strolling along the parking lot of a local grocery store.  They caught my attention immediately and I watched them for several minutes.  Theirs was a life restricted by a wheelchair--for both of them.  They rolled along side by side in their motorized wheelchairs, one hand on the joystick control the other hand holding each other.  I couldn't help but smile at their outlook on life.
I visited with a man at work that is on another team than I.  I hardly know him but we were in a meeting together.  He spoke of the difficulties of life that he is currently faced with and the struggle that it is to muddle through.  I agreed with him but my first thought was that before our conversation concluded, I would offer him a thread of hope that would help him get over the undulation of his own life.  He talked about our spouses and then naturally that led to our children.  We spoke of the things there are to learn and what the best ways are to go about different situations.  None of us have all the answers but we have lived through many experiences and through those we have gained some valuable insight.
I am constantly amazed at all of the various struggles that weigh people down.  Many of those are just life.  I can't stress enough the importance of holding our heads up high and striving daily to see the good in every situation--because it is there!  It may be hard to see but we need to make a special effort to look closely and find the very best.
It's all worth it.  The whole journey is extremely important.

The Key

I often wonder what it would be like to not have a family.  I watch people who struggle but hang on to the hope that even without their family they believe that things will work themselves out and someone will emerge as their support.
Life is so busy and there are so many distractions.  Some of the distractions are good and others feel like meaningless distractions.
There is an analogy that illustrates life's various activities.  Visualize in your mind a large delicate spider web.  The ornate nature of such a creation is mind-boggling yet extremely fascinating.  Most times our lives become filled with so many different activities that we become 'stuck' in the web of life and it's hard to maintain balance.  What began as just one or two things multiplies into too many to possibly handle.  We become overwhelmed and life begins to 'cave-in' on itself--or that's what it feels like.  Once stuck in the web it requires a lot of energy to break free from it's bond.
The feeling of hopelessness sets into people's lives because there is no balance to sustain them when the times get rough.
Maybe you feel like this and there doesn't seem to be a solution to the problem.  There is always a solution!
I watched a fly get stuck in a web but his overpowering will to survive was too much for the prison device of the hungry spider.  His desperate flailing motions worked just enough to loosen the death grip that bound him down.  The fly flew away and the disappointment was apparent on the spider's countenance.
Life's death grip seems to smother as the pressure is intensified but the will to survive is completely in our court.  With every passing day muster up the energy to stand up and fight.  Just like the flailing fly we too will break free from the bondage that we often experience.  Simplifying our lives will also contribute to the freedom that feels so much better.
Life is great and we can all win the battles that we face.  Stand up and fight until the very end.  Endurance is the key and the fight is always worth it.

My Thoughts

There are weeks in my life that are more memorable than others and this past week has been one of those. My grandpa passed away and our family has helped to make preparations for his funeral in many different ways. I can honestly say that this has been a time of personal reflection and an inventory of my own day-to-day actions.
Let me say it this way: I need to live today to it's fullest and don't worry about tomorrow--just yet.
I firmly believe that each one of us has the God-given ability to do good work each and every day. We were all given that ability and my challenge is that every one of us need to give our 'all' so that at the end of each day we will feel satisfied with our contribution to society and a clean conscience for ourselves.
I am thankful for reflection and the opportunity it gives me time to tweak where I need to and adjust for a better tomorrow. Every day brings about goodness and our lives are richly blessed.
Make today the best that it can be and tomorrow will patiently wait for you. I love life! It's a time to practice getting better at the things that I struggle with and it allows me experience to progress and move forward with hope.

Proud To Be An American

I love music, especially when the lyrics actually tell a meaningful message.  Lee Greenword did just that for me when he wrote the song "Proud to be an American".  Remember the lyrics.

If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘ Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.

That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.  (Lee Greenwood)


I am so grateful on this Veteran's Day to express my love and appreciation for all who are currently serving our country and all who have done so in the past.  Our freedom comes with a great price and I thank all who have served. 

I'm Glad To Hear Your Voice

The tone of a person's voice becomes familar very quickly. The personalized working of that tone is comforting in various ways.
I watched a young child listen intently to their mother and their eyes peered up and down toward the mother's mouth and eyes. I wondered silently what the tone from the mother's mouth really meant to the child. Inside my mind I rehearsed the many times that I have heard my parents speak, my wife speak, and even the sounds of our children's voices. I imagine that I would easily recognize these voices even if I couldn't see them. Because they are important people in my life I know how important the tone of their voices is to me.
That comfort translates to the comfort we can feel even when these people are no longer around us. It is that comfort that helps us deal with their absence.
Every day I think about Becky and our kids. I wonder how their day is going and what they are learning. I think about the latest conversation I have had with them. I think about my intense love for each individual. I even anticipate when I will see them in the afternoon. I love my family!
All of us have people that are dear to our hearts and we long to talk to them or be in the same room. I find great comfort and satisfaction in the kind tone of the voices of the people I love the very most.

I Will See

Here in Utah we experienced a complete 'white-out' with the mass amounts of snow that fell on the weekend. It is winter time here in this state and I am extremely grateful.
I questioned my like while driving in it. The snow fell so densely but it beautified everything around. The trees were snow-capped and picturesque.
While driving our car the large over-sized flakes fell gently on the car windshield. The wipers moved quickly from one side of the windshield to the next clearing off the moist flakes. I drove cautiously but wondered about our safety the whole drive. At one point I wondered if I would be able to see. The snow fall fluctuated at first falling heavily and then lightening up a bit.
'Snow' falls in our lives and we wonder just as I did if we are really going to be capable of seeing all of the necessary things we need to. It is a challenge but we some how seem to find the end of the road and the success that we feel brightens our day and enriches our life. Such was the case with the snow fall. We eventually got to our destination with safety and were able to accomplish all that we needed to do.

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.