Thanksgiving can extend into the weekend right? Things I'm grateful for this year:
1. Family; near or far, extended or immediate, adopted or blood. Family is wonderful and I can't imagine life with out any of mine.
2. Life; no matter the challenges, the beautiful highs and the not so fun lows. I'm so grateful for all my experiences and the places life takes me.
3. Beauty in the world. I have gotten to see some very beautiful places this past year and I am so grateful for that experience and for who I got to experience them with.
4. The little things in life. Whether it's my new tires that make me feel safe or all of Heavenly Father's tender mercies, I'm so thankful for all of them.
5. Lastly but most importantly my Heavenly Father and the gospel. For his unending patience, love and guidance. I think I am either incredibly dense or stubborn, or both so it takes me a while to get it, but he keeps with me until I do. I can't imagine my life with out the combination of the two. No thanks.
November 29, 2008
November 24, 2008
Just a Thought
My friend sent me the entry below in an email. Rather than forward it on to the few people I have addresses for I decided to post it here.
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.
It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a crïeche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'
In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they
don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.
It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a crïeche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'
In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they
don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
November 17, 2008
Where I've Been
I've been here and there this past month I guess it's time to report my where abouts. My cousin Ryan got married last month, so my whole family went down to Utah to celebrate with him. I grew up with all my cousins on my mom's side. In many cases it was more like we were siblings than cousins. Ryan and his new bride, Sarah were married in the Manti temple, such a beautiful place. It was so fun seeing all my cousins and all the new little babies that have blessed our family in the past two years. The special treat was I got to spend some quality time with my cousin Amanda. Amanda and I were in the same grade and hung out a lot in high school. For the last few months of my senior year I actually lived with my aunt Carol (Amanda's mom) and fam. I had moved to Arizona but really wanted to go back to Montana to graduate with my cousin. Anyway, Amanda and I laughed and laughed for two and half hours reminiscing about all our crazy times together. It was exactly what I needed that weekend. Thanks Amanda, love you!
After Utah my travels took me to Florida. It was supposed to be all business, but for those of you who know my bosses, rarely is anything all business. So I did get to enjoy Universal Studios, Sea World and my second jump in an indoor skydiving facility all under sunny skys and warm weather. I'm almost ready for an airplane and parachute. I did manage to find some time to work and I think I have done enough shmoozing to last me a few years.
Last and possibly least (I really haven't decided yet) on our way back to Boise we took a detour to Las Vegas for the Madonna concert. My boss, John a couple months ago impulsively bought tickets for Madonna and when no one would buy them we made the sacrifice. I liked some of Madonna's music in the 80's but haven't paid much attention to her since then. But she is Madonna and has been doing this long enough I think she knows what she is doing. What amazed me the most was her energy, she was non stop for two hours and her voice sounded so young. Anyway, for better or worse I can now mark off Madonna on my things to do in my life list. Although I'm not really sure I ever had her on there.
So now I'm back in Boise, back to work and back from the nice little vacation from life that I have enjoyed.
After Utah my travels took me to Florida. It was supposed to be all business, but for those of you who know my bosses, rarely is anything all business. So I did get to enjoy Universal Studios, Sea World and my second jump in an indoor skydiving facility all under sunny skys and warm weather. I'm almost ready for an airplane and parachute. I did manage to find some time to work and I think I have done enough shmoozing to last me a few years.
Last and possibly least (I really haven't decided yet) on our way back to Boise we took a detour to Las Vegas for the Madonna concert. My boss, John a couple months ago impulsively bought tickets for Madonna and when no one would buy them we made the sacrifice. I liked some of Madonna's music in the 80's but haven't paid much attention to her since then. But she is Madonna and has been doing this long enough I think she knows what she is doing. What amazed me the most was her energy, she was non stop for two hours and her voice sounded so young. Anyway, for better or worse I can now mark off Madonna on my things to do in my life list. Although I'm not really sure I ever had her on there.
So now I'm back in Boise, back to work and back from the nice little vacation from life that I have enjoyed.
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