I’m looking for your favourite quotes, with the following guidelines and topic headings, to eventually display on different themes on this site
Guidelines

• power in brevity-one sentence quotes are best
• I appreciate wit, humour, charm, everyday experience, and application
• I don’t appreciate innuendo or anything even close to being crass (did I need to write that?)

• Values & Principles
• Parenting, Marriage, and Family
• Vision, Integrity, Trial, Strength, Motivation
• Spiritual
• Generally thought provoking
• All-audience timeless humour
• Quips and Maxims

Submit as many as you’d like, and whenever you come across them to nathan.muirhead(insert the “AT” symbol)muirheadkingdom.com.

I’m attempting to avoid SPAM at that email address.

UPDATE: Thanks for the quotes submitted thus far-keep em’ coming.

We just had these 4 incredible prints of our boys printed at 10”x 10” in size. Believe it or not that is cropped from the original size even at 200+ resolution. We framed each boy in these delightfully square double matted frames which are hanging up in our room on our wall of fame. Daria has already alluded to how much we are enjoying our new sanctuary of a bedroom and these shots just add to our enjoyment. It’s nice to be in that room and review in my mind how important my kids are. Having such great photos of them is a great visual reminder to guide my thoughts about nurturing, teaching, loving and planning for them and our family.

I learned the children’s song Daddy’s Homecoming at a young age. Go ahead and have a listen. I loved the song while little because it was so true. I remember freaking out when my Dad would finally come home from work. How excited we were to see him. Now I am the subject of that song and I can hardly believe the homecoming I receive each day when I walk thru the door. “Daddy! It’s You!” is the call from two little boys, and “Hey, Dad let me show you something” from a bigger boy. Honestly, I’m shocked and overwhelmed as each day they excitedly greet me. In non-family life I usually just get the courtesy “How’s it going” or “How are you.” With my boys, and my wife, an awesome energy fills the room. What if we greeted and treated everyone like they were our family (Note: Of course, the reality is we ARE all family)? I’ve made it a habit to be kind and friendly with a smile, but sometimes I’m just too casual. It seems to me the difference is in how we view our associations, I admire people that seem to just connect with everyone in a real way that makes those around them feel special, valued and important—even when these people are often just being introduced. I’d like to develop that warmness and sincerity, I can be a little too cold for what seems no reason at all.

Family life really is the great refining perfecting fire we all need to experience.

I threw up a new home page today just to make it easier for anyone who refers people to Daria and I’s blog (is I’s a true word?) or can’t remember the URL /blogs/daria or /blogs/nathan.

We love new readers and new comments so by all means spread the word.

Remember that fun game from childhood called Memory? I’ve been concerned about my memory for years-I feel like it fails me in too many situations. I’m sure there are multiple reasons for this-not enough repetition, slash and burning by my brain to keep up with the constant flood it takes in each day, or worse some physiological/genetic problem.
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I’m a principle kind of guy. I love love love principles. I’ve learned that this is the type of information I retain the most. This is true of my scholastic learning, leisurely reading, and retention of the many lectures, presentations, and speakers I am exposed to each week.

To me an effective speaker is one who from the outset gives her audience a principle to interpret all other details of the presentation. The principle is the guide, the details are the enrichment of that theme. You know that energizing feeling when you feel your learning at a higher plane? When you have an “Aha” moment? Its thrilling.

I joined Audible.com so I could take advantage of their two free audiobooks with a trial membership that you can cancel at no financial penalty. My choices? The Unabridged 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and the 8th Habit by Stephen R. Covey.

Dr. Covey encourages his readers to align themselves with natural all-governing principles that are timeless. His writing is straightforward and understandable—empowering. There is no one that could not benefit from this book.

From Webster’s Dictionary a definition of principle:

1 the ultimate source, origin, or cause of something 2 a natural or original tendency, faculty, or endowment 3 a fundamental truth, law, doctrine, or motivating force upon which others are based 4 a) a rule of conduct, esp. of right conduct b) such rules collectively c) adherence to them; integrity; uprightness 5 an essential element, constituent or quality, esp. one that produces a specific effect 6 a) the scientific law that explains a natural action b) the method of a thing’s operation

As you can tell Daria and I are taking a firm grip on our lives and we are enjoying the outcomes. I’ve decided I can no longer be lax, or be happy with mediocrity. I’ve had a vision of who I can become presented to me and in taking stock have realized I need to sow more now to reap more later.

A principle to close on

The soul that has no established aim loses itself —Montaigne

As the Easter and Passover seasons approach, the world over remembers our Lord’s humbling crucifixion and celebrates his triumphant resurrection over death. I’ve been listening to the marvelous Jesus the Christ, by James E. Talmage, during my commuting time, and gaining greater appreciation and insight into the remarkable life of my Saviour.

I’m also recommending this excellent primer as a beautifully written summary to prepare and focus on. I felt a warm peace as I read what James E. Faust shared:

Each of us has to receive our own witness concerning Jesus as the Christ. We cannot get it secondhand from someone else. I believe that a testimony of our Redeemer comes from a divine source, as a spiritual gift. ... As one who has sought such a witness, I would like to set my seal upon the testimony that has come to me of the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I encourage, even implore, all to read his brief article

Tonight my wife got together with a bunch of her girlfriends in an organization she belongs to called Relief Society for a monthly evening called Home, Family and Personal Enrichment. From what I hear these monthly outings are an incredible source of fun, upliftment and sisterhood. Their theme for the evening was talents, and they kicked it off with a dinner and a hilarious comedy skit, that perhaps Daria will describe for you. The rest of the evening they all shared and showcased some of their talents. Daria showed off her awesome seamstress skills with a cute dress she made without a pattern (I hear that’s a big deal). Others showed off photography and other hobbies. It sounded like a total blast and I’m glad Daria belongs to such a noble organization. Some quick facts about the Relief Society:

• Organized on March 17 1842 (Hmm I guess that is 163 years ago today-spooky)
• Objectives Include:
  • Build faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and teach the doctrines of the kingdom
  • Emphasize the divine worth of each sister
  • Exercise charity and nurture those in need
  • Strengthen and protect families
  • Serve and support each sister
  • Help sisters become full participants in the blessings of the priesthood

• 5.2 million women members in over 170 countries

It sounds pretty official and awesome in scope, but I also know how much this organization means personally to each member and their families. The service efforts of these sisters, as they call each other, is enormous in magnitude and makes real differences in many lives each hour. The support network these sisters have and the ability to quickly come to the aid of those around them is admirable. Indeed who wouldn’t benefit from such a worthy and divine organization?