10/30/2011
Today after church we made Kraft Dinner with hot dog slices, and chocolate milk (not your healthiest meal but still an occasional favorite). Then the children and I left for the great outdoors. Lola was all dressed up in a cute fall outfit including a pink hat, dress tights and adorable coat and shoes. We went to Beaver Lake for the first time, and boy was it gorgeous with the fall colors, ivy and huge yellow and orange maple leafs scattered eveywhere. Some remote controlled sailboat hobbyists were racing their boats on the lake. I found this fascinating to watch, as I always wanted a remote controlled boat as a kid, but it was always an impractical thing to give a boy in December. Lola really wanted to just run to the beach and get dirty. I held her off and we set off for a walk around the lake, where she proceeded to trip and really get dirty. I found this to be completely adorable.
I’m trying to start some weekly Sabbath routines like a little outdoor walk, scripture time and a family games night or family movie. Also eliminating some of the video games from the kids on this day. Can I also just say how much I love 10 a.m. church? Today was a great sacrament meeting focusing on the young women and I was so impressed by the young 15-17 year old speakers who were just so valiant and wonderful. One of them mentioned Daria as an answer to her prayers about self-worth—a lesson Daria taught on this subject spoke to her heart and answered her prayers. Awesome.
10/30/2011
I feel like I’m expending a fair amount of mental energy these days, and really just loving a day to decompress with my wife and children without interruption or concern. Today was one of those days. I woke up and read some of Steve Jobs biography and then did some pumpkin carving research. I read up on techniques and downloaded some templates I knew the kids would love—Angry Birds, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario, Yugi Oh. Daria bought pumpkins and carving instruments earlier in the week so we set up and carved away. Dylan carved a Legend of Zelda Triforce pumpkin design and Daria and I helped Brigs and Noah. It was funny coaxing them into pulling the seeds and goo out as they really don’t get their hands dirty all too often. But they dug right in and did a great job. The designs the kids wanted were fairly demanding so we did most of the carving. I’ve decided that pumpkin carving is a total blast and I’m going to do this every year now. Later on I played some basketball and raked some leaves and just enjoyed the sunny day looking out at all the sailboats. Daria and I went into the office to cement an onlay, and then she came home and cooked a fabulous meal of wings, scalloped potatoes and garden salad. It was delicious. We read from Moroni 7:43-49 and had a good family discussion about charity, what it really is, characteristics of a charitable person and applied it. It’s really the ultimate goal, requirement, happiness and meaning. I love those last few verses. I’m excited that we have almost read the entire Book of Mormon as a family and now trying to think of a way to mark the occasion. It was a good day.
11/29/2008
Nephi said:
Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
His words are words to live by, and landed among my favorites some 14 years ago. They serve me in every season of life, in the ups and downs, and most importantly dampen the downs and magnify the highs. Recently we experienced a miscarriage, the loss of a little dream we thought we were building; and yet there is still a brightness of hope. There is much to love, look forward to and feast upon. We have felt the love of God and of all men in this time, and we thank you all for your many kindnesses expressed and felt in our hearts. We have come to appreciate our little (and not so little) boys even more this past week. We continue to press forward with the adoption of our new little girl. There is sadness for certain, but we have found that it has bound us closer together. Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts, gifts and meals, it has been an angelic time that has matched the sorrow.
2/5/2008
The first chapters of the Book of Mormon are truly a treasure, even despite having read them dozens of times in the past. What is so refreshing is how stimulating the Book of Nephi really is. I find as I read the verses they are so rich. It is interesting to me how in summarizing the Book of Nephi we tend to focus on the migration of Lehi’s family rather then on the intensely spiritual and family-centric nature of the book. In fact, the whole Book of Mormon gives a far more relationship oriented approach to scripture then the majority of all other canons of scripture. And yet the doctrine is all there to be had wide out in the open. As to it’s authenticity, I think the first four chapters of Nephi are among the most compelling. Certainly I would also include King Benjamin’s words in the early chapters of the Book of Mosiah, and selected chapters of the Books of Alma and Third Nephi, as well as the gripping sadness found in Mormon and Moroni. I also find this genuine sense strikes harder any time Mormon chimes in with his summary narrative commentary. Some of these chapters are also doctrinally rich but I’m speaking more to the sense of wonderment I feel that these are real chapters of history, and even an analytical like me cannot escape that sense of real authorship that comes through. As I move through the text over the next 97 days I will be highlighting my favourite portions of this book that changed(s) my life.
10/21/2007
Sage advice on choosing between good, better and best in your life.
We should begin by recognizing the reality that just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them. Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives.
As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all.
Consider how we use our time in the choices we make in viewing television, playing video games, surfing the Internet, or reading books or magazines. Of course it is good to view wholesome entertainment or to obtain interesting information. But not everything of that sort is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and others are best. When the Lord told us to seek learning, He said, “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom”
I highlyrecommend reading and watching the entire talk.
