Things I've Learned

Finally

2010-01-09T08:42:00.002-05:00

I have learned that if you actually put forth an effort to exercise and try to eat a little better, you can lose weight and feel better.

About 8 months ago, I started walking on the treadmill 3 or 4 times a week at night. I began to see some success and started feeling better about the way I looked and generally felt.

I added some weight lifting to my routine a few months after that. In July I decided that I was going to lose 50 pounds by the end of December 2009.

I did not quite make the 50 pounds by the end of December but when I got on the scale last night, it showed that I weighed 197.4. That is 22.6 pounds lower than I weighed in July. I feel much better and think I look a little better to.

I have not been under 200 pounds in probably 15 years. I was pretty happy.

I have learned that work and persistence pays off when it comes to losing weight.

Peace

2009-07-06T13:53:00.002-04:00

I have been thinking a lot about Peace lately. I had the chance to bear my testimony yesterday about the Peace that the gospel brings into my life. Even when things get crazy at home, work, church or at play, I can always think of the plan of salvation and that brings peace to my mind and heart.

I have also learned lately that being around family and friends brings me a great level of people. My day could have been filled with many things and getting the opportunity to sit and be with people that I care about brings me a lot of peace and joy. Sometimes not even a word needs to be said the feeling just comes over me.

It is a wonderful thing to feel and I hope that others are able to feel it also.

Something else that kind of goes hand in hand with peace is that I have learned that it is much healthier for me, physically, emotionally and spiritually to not get to upset by things and when I do to not hold onto them. I have had to work very hard at this. When I was younger I would get really upset and would hang onto things for a long time. Over the years I have been able to learn to not do that and I feel so much better.

The Power of Saying No

2009-06-02T15:24:00.002-04:00

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I am not very good at it but feel like I am better at it now that I was before.

On Sunday, I gave the 3rd hour lesson and began talking about the plain and simple things of the gospel. That conversation went on for longer than I had anticipated, which was OK with me so I did not get to talk about trying to simplify your personal life by learning to say NO more often.

I have done some study over the last few weeks and found some things that I thought were helpful. I though I would spend a few minutes and post some of my thoughts on what I have learned about saying NO.

Have you ever agreed to do something you really did not have time for, or that you really just did not want to do?

Why Say No?

Saying no can be good for you. Saying no is not a selfish act. When you say no, you will be able to spend quaility time on the things that you have already said yes to. There are countless worthy requests out there just waiting to eat up your free time but at the same time increase your stress. By saying not, you can concentrate on the activities or people that you have already agreed to help.

Saying no can allow you to try new things. Just because you have always helped plan the company softball tournament does not mean that you have to keep doing it forever. If you say no you will free up time to pursue something else (hobbies or interests).

Yes is not always the best answer. If you are overcommitted or under a lot of stress, you have a much better chance of becoming sick, tired or just plain crabby, which in the end does not benefit anyone. Saying yes is easier than saying no but in the end could cause you mental and physical anguish. Clearly, it is easier to say Yes to people, especially whent the people are those we care about. We do this because we don't want to let others down, disappoint them or be accused of not being there. We also do it because saying no has a negative connotation in our society. it sends the message taht somehow we can not do it all, we are cooperative or we are not a strong and willing.

It is important to recognize other people. Let those around you come through. Allow others to do things there way. Even though it may not be the same way you would do it, you may learn something from them. This will allow you to gain valuable personal time but not taking everything on yourself.

Sometimes it is tough to determine which activities deserve your time and attention. Saying No will not be easy if you are used to saying Yes all the time. But learning to say no is am important part of simplyfying your way to a better, less stressful life.

Of course, being there for people when they need us is a good thing. The problem is that many people say Yes at the expense of their personal mental and physical health.

Actions Speak Louder than Words

2009-06-02T14:45:00.005-04:00

Your actions (what you do) communicate more clearly than your words (what you say). It is as if they were louder than words. If you want people to believe your words, you should "speak" with your actions.

If you want to teach someone something or you expect them to learn something I believe you must show them how to do what you are asking them.

If you want your child to learn how to treat others the right way, you must first be willing to treat others right yourself. If you want your child to learn to clean a room, I believe you must show them how to clean the room. Children learn more from what we do than what we say.

I have interviewed for a lot of jobs and one of the basic questions that comes up in interviews is "What is your management style?" I always answer this question in the same way. I let the person know that I would never ask anyone to do anything that I am not willing to do myself. I think this fits in very well with the topic of this post. On the other hand I have worked with people that can not even send a fax or put a stamp on a letter.

I have been in a lot of meetings where a lot of talk (words) has taken place and really never any gets done (action). Usually what ends up happening is nothing. On the other hand I have been involved with groups where action is what takes place and in the end very few words have been exchanged but great things have taken place.

Example: "Don't tell me how to do this; show me! Actions speak louder than words."

Uncontrollable Events

2009-05-06T10:26:00.005-04:00

Hyrum W. Smith was quoted as saying "What is important is not that there are uncontrollable events in our lives, but how we respond to them"

This has been a favorite quote of mine for years. I have it on my wall at work and look at it quite frequently. I came across this quote just after September 11, 2001. I have an American Flag on the page along with the quote. I am not sure where I came across the quote but it seems to fit for me.

I do believe there are events in our lives that we can control but I also know there are things that happen to us that we can not control. Sometimes we look back on things that we did have control over and wonder why we went left instead of right. We may wonder what would have happened if I would have taken the different road. I think about that sometimes with some of my early choices I had for my career. I also think about that with some of the opportunities that I have had over the last couple of years and the decision I made to turn down the offers.

I do know that there are uncontrollable events that happen in every one's life. Some of those things are terrible and people do not deserve to be treated that way. There are some horrible things that happen to people everyday and I feel for those people. It is not fair, they did nothing to deserve those things. People that get abused, physically, mentally or emotionaly did not ask for that to happen to them. I do like to think as Hyrum Smith said that we have the ability to respond to them in any way we want. We can't control what others say to us or about us but we can control how we react to it. Do we fire back or do we let it go and consider the source? When someone hurts us, do we go out of our way to try and hurt them back? I would hope not.

By no means am I saying we just need to take everything that happens to us and internalize it but I do know for me, that; by taking a minute, hour, day or week to think and respond to events that happen in my life has helped me with my own temper and will most likely prolong my life here on earth.

I firmly believe that we have the ability to take the higher road when events happen to us because of the gift of free agency that we all have. Even though bad things happen to each of us, as we discipline ourselves to respond in ways that may change the event to a positive I believe we can be happier and healthier.

Our own worst critic (the internal voice)

2009-05-05T11:32:00.007-04:00

I have been thinking about something for the last 24 hours and thought I would write a little about what I think and feel.

In most cases we are our own worst critics. We know ourselves the best and beat ourselves up more than anyone else. Some would say that we have an internal voice. Mastering that internal voice can be difficult. Sometimes it is easier to say nice things to others than it is to feel nice things about ourselves (internal voice).

For the most part the people I know want to be good people, productive people, good to their families, good people in the communities in which they live, serve others and just basically live a good life.

That can be difficult when you are struggling internally and end up in places that are dark and you get depressed. I have been there and it is not all that fun. I don't think I have been there that often and for that I am grateful, it does not make me any better than anyone else. I have talked to people that struggle almost on a daily basis to stay out of that place, and I admire them each day for their strength to carry on.

It is hard to live up to the expectations you have for yourself, let alone the expectations that others may have for you. Some people think that they are not good enough at anything, that they do not look good physically, that they do not have any talents or skills. People look at others that they know or associate with and compare themselves all the time. I have heard such things as, "I will never be as good as..." or " She is so perfect" or "He has it all". I know I feel this way some times too. We are all human.

I do believe that the internal voice that some of us hear, can be a very positive thing, if we can learn to master it. If we take some of that self talk and turn it around to become better, than what we heard helped us out. When the voice gets us feeling down or discouraged, we have choices. Do we let it or do we try to overcome it? I think the majority of us would say that we try to overcome it. Which leads to the next question, How?

I am pretty sure I do not have the answer but I might make a few suggestions:

1. Find a friend or friends that you can turn to as soon as you feel that internal, negative, voice.
Talking to people can help bring you back. I would add that if you are that friend, you should do your best to lift or raise the person up out of that negative "self talk" by offering positive and uplifting things about them.

2. Listen to uplifting music. Find certain songs that you can listen to when you begin to feel down.

3. Read your scriptures and count your blessings. Great comfort can come from both.

4. If you have one, read your Patriarchal Blessing. Heavenly Father knows us better than we know ourselves and lets us know how special we are to him.

I have done a lot of reading over the last several years and I collect sayings or statements from different authors. As I typed this entry, I thought of a one of them and how it might apply to helping us overcome the negative self talk.

Here it is:

Be gentle with yourself, learn to love yourself, to forgive yourself, for only as we have the right attitude toward ourselves can we have the right attitude toward others.

Wilfred Peterson

Lightheaded and sick to my stomach

2009-05-01T16:07:00.003-04:00

I just learned that is how I feel right now. It is 4:07 on a Friday afternoon. I am still sitting at work wishing that I had been able to go leave hours ago.

Not much else to say other than that today.

Something Perfect for Someone so Imperfect

2009-04-24T11:58:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, April 18th at 11:49 pm, I (we) were blessed to have born the newest member of the Henrichsen family. Boston Forbes Henrichsen joined us and I could not be more grateful for him.

As I have thought about him the last few days, I have been counting my blessings. We waited a long time for him to join us and I am thankful to have been entrusted to care for and provide for him for a time here on this earth.

One thought I have had several times over the last 5 days is just how perfect he seems. He is beautiful. His head, his hands, his little legs, his lips, etc. He just seems so perfect to me (I may be a little biased). I wonder why, would I be so lucky to have something so perfect sent to me, when I am so imperfect. I make so many mistakes and have so many faults and can not seem to grasp why I would be given something that is so good and pure.

Carpe Diem

2009-04-15T12:44:00.002-04:00

Today the word that I learned while at work was carpe diem.

I had heard this word before but never really knew what it meant until it was explained to me.

Yes, my small brain again. Most of you that read this will wonder why I did not know this word an its meaning.

I am just thankful that I learned something new today.

Carpe Diem

Latin. seize the day; enjoy the present, as opposed to placing all hope in the future.

Gesticulate

2009-04-10T15:51:00.002-04:00

I learned something new today. A Word - Gesticulate or Gesticulating

Today at work, I was talking to someone and was using my hands during the conversation. As I was talking I was told that what I was doing is called gesticulating. I have a very small and simple brain and had never heard this word before. I looked it up and have added the definition below for those that care. I am happy to say that my day at work was not a total waste, I learned something new.

–verb (used without object)
1.
to make or use gestures, esp. in an animated or excited manner with or instead of speech.
–verb (used with object)
2.
to express by gesturing.

When it rains it pours

2009-03-24T10:39:00.003-04:00

This has been an interesting week so far and it is only Tuesday. Yesterday, our new car (6 months) got backed into in a parking lot. The commercial mower was out on a job site and had the tension spring broke. My son got in some trouble at school. My daughter's soccer team lost 3 to 0 and did not really look very good doing it. There was a situation that I had to deal with regarding church and I was unable to help resolve it last night. This morning on the way to work the Miata started acting up again. Just last week I had to have it towed to the shop because the clutch went out again, it just went out 30 days earlier. This morning the Miata just kept quiting on me as I was driving in to work. Fortunately, I was able to get it to an Auto Zone where I had the battery and alternator checked out. They seemed fine and so I drove it across the street to have it looked at by a mechanic. Hopefully, they will figure out what is wrong with it and be able to get it fixed today.

Last night I was feeling a little of the stress of the day and tried to keep it inside as best I could. I guess I did not do that so well because my wife felt like I was upset. I was not really upset but just felt like I had a lot on my shoulders at the time. When I get a little frustrated I usually find myself picking things up and putting them away around the house. I got a few things picked up and then was able to settle down and relax.

Even though this week has not started off to well, I am finding it hard to be upset or discouraged. I have to many blessings in my life. I have my family and my friends that I can rely on and get strength from and for that I am blessed. There are so many people that are much worse situations than what I have found myself in the last couple of days that I say to myself, how can I complain.

Things may be rough for me the last couple of days but I am Happy!

That is all....

Spring time

2009-03-23T12:02:00.002-04:00

I learned yesterday just how much I love Spring Time.

The weather yesterday was beautiful. I am not sure how it is today because the job I have puts me on the bottom floor of the Georgia Dome in a small office that has no windows and so I do not see the outside world until about 5:00 pm each night.

Yesterday, it was said that this is a Wonderful Time of Year because life is springing forth everywhere. I would have to agree. It is good to see the green grass begin to grow. I actually mowed my lawn for the first time this year on Saturday.

We took a drive yesterday to LaGrange, GA and drove by a lake on the way there. I am getting boating fever and look forward to next week when we hope to be able to put our boat in the lake and enjoy some time together as a family and hope to have some friends come join us.

Children Spell "Love" T-I-M-E

2009-03-23T11:15:00.002-04:00

I was cleaning out one of my three briefcases yesterday when I came across a note that I had written on February 15th. I learned this lesson on that day and then relearned it again yesterday.

The note said, "Children Spell Love T-I-M-E."

When I heard this it made an instant impression on me and so I wrote it down to remember. I am glad that I found the note and now am able to put it on this blog. As long as the World Wide Web does not crash, I will be able to reference this from time to time as it is a great reminder as to how children gauge the love you have for them.

This goes along with a line in a television show that I like to watch. Last night as I was watching the show Friday Night Lights with my wife I heard the line and thought it was good. I will paraphrase because I do not remember it word for word but it was something like this "Friday nights will be here forever but We only have these kids for a short amount of time". The coach said this to the booster president who was having a fight with his daughter. Anyway..., I thought it was a good reminder also of just how short of a time we have with our children before they grow up and move out.

I hope that I am a good father and that I am able to cherish the "short" time I have with my two children, soon to be three. I hope that I spend enough time with them and that the time that I do spend with them is quality time so that they know that I do love them.

Yesterday, I actually had a conversation with a friend of mine about starting a web site that would be specifically for Fathers (Men) that would help them become more dedicated fathers and husbands. There are sites out there for women and seem to be viewed quite a bit. I have seen some things on these sites regarding meals, schooling, questions about raising children, etc. I think it would be a big hit to start a site similar to that for Fathers. I would hope that sponsors would catch on and help promote the site. I hope I have not said to much and someone actually reads this blog and steals the idea.

You Raise Me Up

2009-03-20T09:32:00.003-04:00

As I get older I find that things change in my life. My taste of music has changed over the years. I think back to the type of music I listened to in high school and I really don't listen to most of that any more. Don't get me wrong I still love some of the music from the 70's and 80's but I do not listen to some of the "other" stuff that I used to listen to.

One song that I can not seem to get out of my mind lately is "You Raise Me Up". The music was written by Secret Garden's Rolf Lovland and the lyrics by Brendan Graham. I did not realize that this song was not an original of Josh Grobin's until this week. This song has actually been covered about 125 times by different artists.

I am most familiar with the version by Josh Grobin and that is the one that continues to play in my head. I first heard him perform it during the opening of Super Bowl XXXVIII. I was not there for it but watched it on TV. I have since heard it many times.

The reason I have been thinking about it lately is because I am going to be teaching a combined Relief Society and Priesthood meeting on March 29th and feel impressed to use some of the lyrics from this song. I don't know the why Mr. Graham wrote the words he did for the song but I have taken the liberty to apply them to my life and will try to portray that a little here as I prepare for teaching my lesson.

The first part of the song makes reference to being down and weary, having a troubled hear and waiting in the silence. I have come to learn that most people feel like this at different times in their lives. Some feel it more than others, some actually feel this way daily. I am saddened by this and wish I could help and make people feel better. When I hear or read the last line in this verse, it sense hope and anticipation. The line references to sitting a while and waiting for someone to come and help. This brings me hope that even though people are down and discouraged for the most part they still have hope. I am kind of going through the thought process of this as I type but the scriptures make a lot of reference to "hope". I think if D&C 4:5 where hope is mentioned in the qualifications for the work. In the scriptures we learn to hope for things that are not seen. I am glad that the lyrics reference to having up and waiting for someone to help.

The next verse, I think they call it the chorus, makes reference to someone coming to the rescue and raising the person up. The help raise someone up to stand on mountains, they are raised up to walk on stormy seas (whatever those stormy seas may be), helping someone be strong because they have strong shoulders (which can be related to a lot of things in my mind) and then raising that person up to more than he can be. I really like what I think the connotation is this chorus.

I guess I never really paid much attention to the next verse of the song. The second verse mentions about that special person coming to help and when they come the person who was feeling down is filled with wonder (awe maybe) and is gets a glimpse of eternity.

I believe that we, as a people, can be the type of person that raises others up. I have been thinking about this a lot lately,obviously, since I am blogging about it and have come to learn that we all need at least one person in our life that raises us up. There can be more than one person in our lives and that is probably a good thing.

It feels even better when you are that person for someone else. Some that can be counted on in troubled times. Someone that will go sit with a friend who is struggling. Being someone that has the strong shoulders for someone else to stand on or sometimes cry on is very rewarding. Maybe being there when troubled times hit to help others get that glimpse of eternity.

I don't think I have done as good of a job of explaining what the lyrics of this song have done for me over the last few weeks.

I have come to learn that I rely on others to help raise me up and I am so thankful for those that play that part in my life. I have done a lot of thinking about my family and friendships and thank God each day for the good people I have in my life. They truly think much more of me than I do and Raise Me Up to More than I can be (on my own). I am so blessed and what I don't understand is why.

Finally, what I have come to learn is that through Jesus Christ our Heavenly Father is there to Raise Me (everyone) Up. When I feel down, my soul gets weary, my heart is burdened, I know that if I will call upon him, he will lift me up to more than I can be.

True Believers of Chirst

2009-03-19T13:33:00.002-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I attended New Beginnings for our young women at our church. The theme for 2009 is found in 1 Timothy 4:12.

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

I was asked to say a few words at the event. I was told maybe 10 to 15 minutes would be sufficient.

The program started off good and the girls did a skit that was like the 60 minutes shows. When they were all done, I believe I looked at my watch and saw that I had more like 30 to 35 minutes. I am not that interesting and wondered if I would be able to keep the attention of those that were in attendance.

I did not stand at the table but rather took a seat and decided right then and there what I thought would be the best approach was to have a discussion rather than a lecture. I am not sure if that is what was expected by those that asked me to say a few words or by those that were in the meeting but that is what they got. I thought it was a better way to get people involved rather than listening to me ramble.

I had found an talk that was given by Neal A. Maxwell given in 1994 called True Believers. I used this talk as the basis for the discussion. As we discussed the different points, I learned a lot of things. One of the things I learned is just how smart some of our young women are when it comes to their gospel knowledge and understanding. They were able to give not only the correct answers but also very insightful answers to some of the doctrine we discussed. I also learned what it takes to be a true believer of Christ.

1. True believers are settled in their views of Christ.
2. True believers gladly perform their duties in the kingdom.
3. True believers are humble.
4. True believers are willing to do what Christ wants.
5. True believers have a balanced contentment.
6. True believers truly pray.
7. True believers have both right conduct and right reasons for that conduct.
8. True believers rejoice in the success of others.
9. True believers remember that forgetting is part of forgiving.
10. True believers are innocent as to sin, but not naive.
11. True believers are happy.

I can only hope that I can do these things and I will be looked upon as a true believer of Christ.

I was thankful for the opportunity to be part of this event and believe it or not, I was able to use the time we had left before the refreshments.

How Quickly Things Change

2009-03-19T12:09:00.002-04:00

One early Sunday morning, I woke up at about 3:00 pm because I did not feel well at all. I was not physically sick but emotionally sick, which actually caused me to feel physically sick. That may not make sense but needless to say my stomach hurt in a way that it had not hurt for a long time.

I tried to keep myself busy for an hour or so before I finally decided to get ready for my early morning church meetings. It is sad to say but I really did not have much of a desire to attend church that Sunday. I was not happy and did not really want to even pretend to be. I was not in a good mindset.

I got to the church very early and began setting up the chairs in the overflow of the chapel because they had not been set up the day before. After that I cleaned the office and tried to put away all the papers that were on the desk and floor. It looks pretty good now, so maybe it was all for the better.

During the first meeting of the day we are reading as a group from start to finish the "Preach My Gospel" manual that the missionaries study and teach from. We were ready about the Atonement and how we can go to the Lord with all of our pains, sins, struggles, etc. both spiritual, physical and emotional. The thought that immediately came to mind was "How Quickly Things Change". I highlighted a couple of sentences in the manual because I did not want to forget them and wanted to be able to find them quickly the next time I needed them.

I thought about that statement all during the next meeting and how things do change so quickly, sometimes because of things we do, sometimes because of things others do and sometimes we have no idea why or how things change so quickly. The days leading up to that Sunday were not the greatest for me as I had found out on Thursday or Friday that I was no longer going to be paid a commission on the sales that I made. I also felt like a really good family relationship was sort of falling apart. My pain was coming more from the family friendship that I felt was changing. I was not to worried about the decrease in my overall pay because I think that will all work out in the end, or at least I hope so.

That day I thought about a lot about how quickly things changed and ran some scenarios in my mind about how quickly things changed for Tracie and the kids as they were driving to church on a Sunday morning and then all of the sudden they were sliding off the road crashing into tension wires and barely escaping serious damage. I thought of how quickly relationships change because that is what I felt was happening. (I have friendship listed as a topic to blog on in the near future) And last of all I thought about how quickly things can change if we will really apply the Atonement to our lives. I need to learn to do this better.

Relating everyday objects to the Gospel of Jesus Christ

2009-03-19T10:51:00.002-04:00

The last Sunday in February I had the opportunity to have the majority of the youth in our ward over to our house. We had good Bishop's Youth Committee meeting for about 30 minutes and then at 7:00 pm it turned into a Bishop's Youth Discussion.

Let me start out by saying I was very anxious for this discussion. I love the youth so much and I am so thankful that I get the chance to work with them so closely. I have had the chance to work with great youth leaders (both current and past) in the ward and I am thankful for their good and dedicated service.

I was given the challenge by the Youth Leaders to relate every day objects to the gospel in some way. The youth were to bring an object from home and once they got to my house they placed the object in a pillow cover. I did not see any of the items prior to them being pulled out of the pillow case.

As each item was pulled out, I took a few seconds to a minute or so to consider the item and try to think of a way to relate the object to the gospel. My firm belief is that much of what we do and come in contact in life can be related to the gospel in some way. The first item that was pulled from the bag was a Jedi Fighter Plane from the Star Wars movies. For me that was a good one to start with and was actually pretty easy. I was able to talk to the youth about the Star Wars movie and how Master Luke Skywalker was in training to become a Jedi Knight. Luke was told something very specifically by his trainer. He was told to "Use the force". I was able to relate using the force to the Holy Ghost and how we should use the feelings and promptings of the Holy Ghost to help us make decisions.

There were many great items, some of which I think I had to stretch pretty far to relate. Some of the items were:

Rubix Cube - We are all different and imperfect just like the cube is when it is messed up, but with the help of our Heavenly Father, our earthly parents, our family, friends, and leaders we can become perfect just like the cube does when someone finally figures it out.

Po the teletubby - This one was a bit of a stretch but what I know of the show, the teletubbies come running down a grassy hill and the bright sun comes up behind the hills. I thought of a young Joseph Smith as he went to a grove of trees, I imagine filled with grass, and prayed to Heavenly Father to know which church to join. As he prayed he was a light that was brighter than the noon day sun.

There was a purple monkey, yoda, a button, a coin, a lay from Hawaii, among other things.

We spent an hour plus talking about the gospel in a relaxed informal way. I enjoyed myself and hoped we could go on but we got to the bottom of the pillow case, had desert and the youth went home.

I thought it was a very successful evening and look forward to the next discussion we will have on March 29th.

Just Breath

2009-03-17T15:01:00.002-04:00

Generally some good advice!

I had a friend tell a story of how he and a friend had decided to begin a swimming program as a way to work out. His friend was a pretty good swimmer and was able to swim quite a bit furhter than my friend. The two had a conversation about swimming and why my friend was struggling a little. The advice he was given was "Just Breath". Come to find out my friend was not breathing as he was swimming or at least not taking enough breaths in order to give his body what it needed to swim strong, hard and long.

As I listened to that story I wrote the words down on a sheet of paper, Just Breath!

I liked that advice and have used it and will use it in my own personal life and as I try to help others who might be in the middle of the pool trying to swim to the other side without drowning. As I think about it, the pool for one person might be financial, the pool for another might be emotional, and yet another might be spiritual. No matter what the pool is, I believe and have learned that if we will Just Breath, we can be in a better frame of mind to try and get out of the situation alive and well. I am not necessarily referring to life threatening situations but just about any situation.

The physiological benefits of breathing are quite obvious. If we do not breath, we will die, plan and simple. I am not a psychologist and don't really claim to know much about it but I do have my opinions as to the psychological benefits to breathing, especially calm, even breaths. In times of difficulty or stress, being able to control your breathing will help your body relax, your mind relax and give you the ability to make better mental decisions and use your physical body in a much smoother and quicker motion.

I coach little league baseball and have a young man that is so tense when he stands in the batters box that I can see the white in his knuckles as he squeezes the bat. Each time he stand in the batters box I have him take a big breath and then let it out. This seems to help him relax a little and take a much better swing at the ball than when he is so tight his muscles can't react to the ball.

I see the same principle of just breathing helping in all kinds of situations that we might find ourselves in during our daily lives.

Anyway, this may not make sense to anyone else but for me, I learned a valuable lesson to Just Breath!

Long Time Coming

2009-03-17T14:07:00.003-04:00

I know it has been a long time since I have written (blogged). I am not sure why I have not been writing as much because I have definitely been learning a lot of things. Part of why I may have stopped is because I was not sure if anyone read the blog. I then thought back to why I first started this blog and it was to capture things I learn for myself and if by chance it happens to be read by someone else, so be it. It was to be more of a journal experience for me. I have been thinking about my mission journals some today and it made me have the itch to blog for a few minutes.

Over the last several months I have learned a lot of things some of wich I know that I do not even remember.

One of the things I have learned is just how long 33 weeks is. My wife and I are expecting our 3rd child, yes we are a little crazy, since our youngest is currently 8 1/2. I am so ready for this child to be born so that we can enjoy "him" (at least that is what we are told). The last 4 weeks have really dragged for me and a portion of that has to do with my current employment situation. I was recently told that I no longer will make commission on my sales. What motivation do I have then you ask? I ask myself that same question every day. I hope the next 3 to 7 weeks (until the baby is born) goes by fast. I guess I will learn about that soon enough!

If I am feeling like 33 weeks has taken a long time, I can only imagine what my wife must be feeling. I have learned a new respect for her and what she has gone and going through. I have relearned that same respect for women in general.

There are a few other things I have learned over the last several months and I will do my best to remember them and document that soon.

5 in 1

2008-10-08T12:24:00.007-04:00

Last night it I attended my daughter's induction to Junior Beta. A club at school that she was selected to be a part of because she is a good student and an even better child.

I was there with my wife and my son to support her. One of my daughter's best friends at school as also inducted and her parents and sister were there also. One of the students helping in the induction is on my soccer team. I also saw some people from our church that were there to support their daughter.

After the induction I realized (learned) that in that instance I was 1 person but had 5 different roles (titles). I was a father to my daughter and son, I was a husband to my wife, I was a friend to the Young's, I was a soccer coach to a student and I was a Bishop to the Ghanhems. I am just one person but I realized last night that in that brief hour I represented 5 different things to the different groups of people I was with.

I have learned over the last year or so that I can not do this (life) alone. I was thankful for the talk given in Priesthood session by President Eyring (if memory serves me) regarding how it is OK to realize you can not do it alone becuase you can't. You need help from our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ. I find myself in my daily prayers telling my Father in Heaven that I do not and can not do it alone. When I say "it" I mean: be a great husband, be a great father, be an adequate Bishop, go to work and provide for my family, be my children's soccer coach, be a good friend, help my neighbors, do good in the community, etc..... I was grateful to hear President Eyring's words that it is OK to admit you can not do it alone.

Promises, Contracts, Oaths

2008-10-02T15:36:00.002-04:00

I work in sales. I have been doing it for over 6 1/2 years now and it can be frustrating for a lot of reasons. I have learned over the years that even if someone signs a contract and agrees to fulfill the commitments outlined in the contract it really does not mean very much to them. I have people take contracts and tell me they are going to return them at least one or two times a month. These are big contracts worth thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the deal. I do my best to follow up with the clients and try to get them to sign the contract and return it. Most tell me that they are going to send them back in. Some actually do but most do not. Even after they turn in a signed contract it still means nothing until they pay.

I am not sure if it is because I was raised different or my values but I believe that if you sign a document you should do all you can to fulfill that agreement. This concept has really bothered me the last several years and especially this year as I have 4 contracts that are still out standing the season has begun and the people still tell me they are going to sign and pay.

I compare and contrast my work life with my church life a lot and this scenario reminded me of the story in 1 Nephi when Nephi kills Laban, puts on his armour, retrieves the plates and then walks out with Zoram. It amazes me that all that took place between Nephi and Zoram was a verbal agreement (oath). Nephi says Zoram will be free if he comes and stays with Nephi and his family. Zoram agrees and it goes on to say that all their fears were gone.

I wish people's words meant more than the do and for that matter, I wish a signed contract meant something.

What I learned about miles per gallon

2008-06-24T11:13:00.002-04:00

With the massive increase in gas prices I have had to relearn how to drive. Over the last month I have tried to not speed up and break as much, not take off so fast and have tried really hard to keep my RPM's lower than I used to.

It has worked. I have been getting about 32 to 34 miles to a gallon and before I was getting only about 28 to 29. I have not taken the time to figure out how much or how little this is saving me but I feel good that I am trying to be better.

15 and 8 years ago respectively

2008-06-23T13:20:00.003-04:00

15 years ago about this time I was married to my wife for time and all eternity. We had the chance to go to the Temple last Friday night to help fulfill our ward assignment. It was a sealing assignment. It was nice to be able to sit across from my wife and listen to the words that are said in the session. I find it hard to believe that 15 years ago, two young kids were married. It seems like only yesterday. With so many couples ending their marriages in divorce these days, I am so glad to have found Tracie. She is a great wife and a great mother. I am glad that she accepted me for who I am (for the most part) and has put up with me for so many years.

8 years ago as Tracie got out of bed she began to have contractions. We had already been to the hospital the month prior because the baby had tried to come then. After taking a shower and getting herself ready we went to the hospital just in case. Within a couple hours we were the proud parents of a beautiful baby boy. Our son was born on our anniversary. I was so happy that day because I already had a beatiful daughter and now I had a son.

Girls Camp

2008-06-10T11:42:00.002-04:00

Last weekend (Thursday through Saturday) I had the chance to be at our church's girls camp. I learned how fun a group of 10 teenage girls can be. We had fun boating, swimming, and just hanging out around the camp ground. They put on some skits on Thursday night and I thought they were very funny. A lot of time was spent by the adult leaders to make sure the girls were safe and had a good time.

It was hot so it was really nice to be right on the lake so that we could jump in.

Our family is camping again over the July 4th week and we are expecting it to be just as hot or hotter.

My Wife

2008-05-21T14:31:00.004-04:00

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SnaC6cgUmXc

I blogged the last couple of days about my kids. Today I want to blog about my wife. If you click on the link above, the words to "our" song pretty much say it all. I love that song. I remember playing it for Tracie back in 1993 when we first met. It always makes me smile when I hear it because I think of her.

Tracie is my best friend, my confidant, my sounding board, my business partner, the mother of my children, and most of all my true eternal companion.

There are to many things that I have learned over the years that we have been married from her to list them all but suffice it to say I have learned a lot.

It seems like our lives are in constant fast forward mode with so many things to do and places to be. I appreciate that she enjoys being with and around me and will go to most all of the events and activities with me.

The one thing I can say that I learn each day is; just how much I Love Her!

My kids part 2

2008-05-20T10:09:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, I blogged about my little girl a little more than my boy. Last night Brayden had a baseball game. Brayden's attention span for the game is sometimes very short. The last few games he has been paying more attention and you can see it in the way he has been able to make plays. He plays 3rd base and bats 5th for a team that has the chance on Thursday to win the regular season championship.

I have learned that he really wants to make me and his mom are pround and tries so hard to please us and when he makes a little mistake he gets upset. I noticed last night as he came off the field one time, to the dugout he looked over at me to see if I was upset. He had made a play in the field but his throw was a little late. His arm is not quite strong enough yet to get it from third to first on a line, so he usually one hops it to the 1st baseman. I think he felt bad that he did not get the batter out. I was proud that he made the stop and the correct throw to first. As he headed into the dugout I gave him a thumbs up and I could see his countenace change as he realized that I was happy he made a good play.

He went 1 for 4 last night but had seveal RBI's and scored a late run that helped seal the win for his team. He ran all the way from first to home on a double and barely made it around the tag at the plate. He was excited. I was excited and happy that he was having fun.

My kids

2008-05-19T09:55:00.003-04:00

I relearned this weekend how much I love my kids. They are by no means perfect or do exactly what they should all of the time but I sure do love them. I get really sentimental when I think about them.

I was so happy with the way they played in the soccer tournament this last week. They both showed me that they understand the game, showed me hustle and the ability to hustle even when you might be tired. I was so happy that they were part of a team that won the championship.

My son scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the championship game and played strong on defense and goalie when called upon.

My daughter scored her first goal of the year in the game we won to seal our trip to the championship game. It was her second goal of her career and the first goal that I was able to see. I had to leave for work when she scored her first goal a couple of years ago. I will have to say that I almost cried when the ball actually rolled over the line and went in the back of the net. She is not the most gifted young lady when it comes to atheltic ability and does not run the fastest but I will say that there is very little quit inside of her. She wanted so badly to score a goal this year and had several chances throughout the season but just was a little late at taking the shot or could not quite make the move to get her in the clear. Because of her no quit attitude she was able to finally get behind the defender and have the one on one with the goalie and was able to put her foot on the ball just enough to get it passed him. It was great to see.

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for my little girl. Don't get me wrong I love our little man, buddy, man cub, or whatever we call him on that day but my daughter is my little girl that is turning into a young lady much to fast.

A week ago Saturday, Tracie and I went to chaperone a high school prom at Georgia Tech. One of the songs played was a song I have heard before and actually own the CD but to be dancing with Tracie and hear this song again made me really think about my little girl and how much I do love her.

Here is a link to her the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgZftrobqlg

Coaching Soccer

2008-05-19T09:44:00.003-04:00

This passed week the team I coached had 5 games, 3 of which they had to play on Saturday. What I learned is that kids are resilent. When they have confidence and are having fun doing what they are doing that can accomplish great things. I guess you can say I started the tournament last Monday night nervous. I want to say I was nervous for the kids but the reality is that I like to win also. I have been and always will be competitive. On Monday we did not have such a great first half against a team that was not really very good. I found myself having to stay on the kids by yelling instructions at them and in some instance just yelling at them to run and get in position. We had a couple of kids that just would not stay where they were suppossed to. In the end we won the game by a large margain and gained maximum points for that game. Our next game was on Wednesday night against a team that we had played twice during the season and tied 1 to 1 on a very late goal and then beat 1 to 0 the second time we played. We ended up winning that game also with maximum points but as I reflected back on the game I realized that I was taking it a little to serious. I realized that I yelled a little to much that night and told myself I was going to try and change for the remainder of the touranment. Due to a rainout on Thursday night we had to play two games on Saturday with the potential of a 3rd if we made the championship. On Saturday morning I tried to keep the kids focused on the game we had and at the same time tried to keep them relaxed. Before the game started I had them doing different rythmic clapping to keep them loose. They seemed to enjoy this a lot and I believe it helped them realize we were suppossed to be having fun. Needless to say we dominated that game. We did the same thing for our second game on Saturday and dominated that game also. All we needed in that game was to score 1 goal and we would have enough points to go to the Championship. We took care of that early on so I was able to play people in positions that they did not normally get the chance to play. My little girl even scored a goal. We won the championship game 7 to1. The kids were so excited. I was so happy for them.

Lesson learned is that kids are great. If they are focused on a goal but still able to have fun in the process, it makes it that much more fun for them.

Softball Game

2008-04-25T23:56:00.002-04:00

I had already blogged that I still was able to play the game of baseball/softball a little bit. Tracie took this video one of my hits during tonight's game. Unfortunately, the LDS Saints lost yet again. We are not very good but it is fun to go out and play.

Picking a spot for your camping tent

2008-04-11T12:33:00.003-04:00

The family and I had the chance to take our annual camping trip during the kids spring break from school. We have found a campground in Alabama that we really enjoy and have been going there for at least 4 years.
We tent camp so we try to find a nice level spot, free of roots, rocks, pine cones, etc. We thought we had a pretty good spot until the storm rolled in on Friday. We then realized that our tent site was basically the holding spot for water that ran from 3 campsites up from us. We basically chose a spot that was in the middle of a huge puddle.
Fortunately, we were able to move the tent during a break in the rain because it rained for 8 hours straight, Friday night into Saturday morning. I do not like packing up wet camping stuff but it seems that every time we go camping it rains and it usually rains on the last day or so when we have to pack up.
I will say that I have learned from this latest experience to take a look at the drainage of the camp sites before putting down your tarp and setting up your tent.
We have learned and were lucky we put up a blue tarp over the top of our tent. We saw a couple dumping buckets of water out fo their tent on Saturday morning. We stayed dry because of the blue tarp we put over the tent.

Hymn #85 and #116

2008-03-17T10:15:00.004-04:00

During church yesterday one of the speakers talked about singing hymns and how when we sing we are usually singing the words and singing to God. A way to praise him. I really like hymn #85 How Firm a Foundation and enjoy singing it. It was not until yesterday that I realized that this is a hymn that in a sense is being sung by God to us. In particular verse 3 of this hymn it says: Fear not, I am with thee, oh be not dismayed, For I am thy God and will still give thee aid. I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand. Uphead by my rightesous omnipotent hand."

For the closing hymn we sang #116 Come Follow Me and it was noted on the program we were going to sing all verses. I can say that I have never in my life sung or even read verse 5 or 6 before. I had an extremely hard time singing the last two lines of verse 6: "If we, throughout eterntiy, Obey his words, Come Follow me.

Some things I learned on Sunday

2008-03-17T10:07:00.003-04:00

For the last 8 1/2 months I have made it a normal thing to take notes during the talks given on Sunday. I do this for a few reasons. One reason is so that I pay more attention to the speakers and the other is so that if the speakers leave some time I have some notes as to what they talked about and can recap them while adding my comments at the end of the meeting.

Yesterday I relearned something that I wanted to write about. We had talks on Jesus Christ and one of the speakers mentioned Christ's sacrifice for us. I had heard this before regarding the meaning of Gethsemane, where Christ suffered for our sins, but releanred it again yesterday. The meaning of Gehtsemane is olive press, which is what squeezes the olives until they produce oil. As I thought about the suffering that Christ went through in that garden, and the sins I have committed, I really felt his love for me and for all mankind in particular those who take advantage of his suffering by repenting, changing their lives and moving forward.

I still have it.....?

2008-03-12T08:45:00.002-04:00

Since I started this blog to write about things that I have learned, I feel the need to write about a softball game I played in last night. I play with some members of the church from different wards in the area. We have played for about 3 years and we are really not very good. I was late for the game because I was coaching my kids soccer team and the practice did not end until the softball game began.

I hurried to the softball field and just as I ran up to the field it was my turn at bat. I did not do so well as I swung at the first pitch I saw and grounded into a fielder choice. I played well in the field at 3rd base and our team actually had a chance to win the game.

We went into the bottom of the last inning and I was leading off. We were down 6 to 7. I again went after the first pitch and hit a long fly ball that soared over the left center field fence. it was nice to have my wife and kids in the stands to see the home run and cheer for me. I had tied the game and we had no outs and the top of our line up coming up. Needless to say we did not score another run in that inning, gave one up in the top of the extra inning and then we did not score so we lost 7 to 8.

I guess what I learned is that I can still play a little.

Value

2008-03-07T08:58:00.002-05:00

I have been thinking about value the last couple of days because I am interested in purchasing something off craigslist.

Value can have many different meanings but in this instance I have learned that an item has different value to different people. In this case, the seller has set a price on the item that represents what he thinks is the value (in dollars) of the item.

I do a lot of thinking as I drive to and from work each day because the car that I am driving right now does not have a radio/cd player. It is kind of nice actually to have the time to think.

As I was driving in this morning, I was thinking about this item and an email that I sent to the buyer last night. I told him in the email that it was not worth my time to drive the hour plus to where he lives if his price does not come down. The item is not something we need. It is something that we want. When I thought about it that way, the value (in dollars) that I place on the item is much less than what the seller is asking. When I talk to him today, which I hope I do, I will use this logic to explain to him that I am willing to drive to look at the item and consider purchasing it if he can lower the value he has placed on the item in order to sell it to me.

I like this train of thinking and may have more to say on it at a later date. I will try to update how the negotiation of value goes for this item.

Baseball v. Life

2008-03-07T08:41:00.002-05:00

Every since I can remember I have loved baseball. I can remember every team I have played on, coaches I had, friends I played with, new friends I made while playing, etc. Writing this, I can see the infield, smell the dirt and grass, see the chalked lines, hear the sound of the ball hitting the bat or glove. How I miss playing! I also remember going to baseball games in Oakland. Mostly our family would go see the Red Sox when they came in town to watch the A's. It was great! Even though we were in Oakland, the stands wer full of Red Sox fans. It was tough being a Red Sox fan until a few years ago when they finally won the World Series and then they were fortunate enough to win gain this last year.

I got off track from what my entry was going to be about. I guess that shows how much I love baseball.

A few weeks ago my wife and I were having a discussion. At times we all feel like we may have failed and sometimes we feel like that quite a bit. I try not to view it like that but everyone looks at things differently. I tried to explain to my wife that even the best baseball players fail about 70% of the time. A good baseball player will hit for about a .300 average. By the way these guys make thousands if not millions of dollars to fail 70% of the time. If you think about it, a baseball player can go out one day and go 0 fr 4 and then the next day go 2 for 3 and then the next go 1 for 3 and for the 3 game series be 3 for 10 and have hit .300 which is good. The best thing about it is that he totally failed the first day getting no hits. The player had the chance to come out the next day and try again. We too in life have the chance to try again each day or multiple times during the day.

Baseball has taught me many things and this is just one of them.

A Will

2008-03-06T13:44:00.003-05:00

A couple of years ago my wife and I purchased some software to help us create a will. I mean a couple of years ago. I finally put in the software last night and it said that they were no longer make automatic updates to will maker 2006.
I have just started filling out the paperwork online and hope to have it created soon.
My last two posts have been doom and gloom, life insurance and will.
Nothing to worry about I hope or at least that we know of but just trying to get things in line, my family will be taken care of.

Life Insurance

2008-03-06T13:25:00.002-05:00

When I started this blog, I noted that I wanted to share with others things that I have learned, thus the title of my blog.
Over the almost 14 years of my marriage, my wife and I have talked many times about life insurance. We have never done anything more that have the policy that either she or I had through work. I am grateful to have that policy but if I were to pass away, it would not go very far to help my wife and/or my children.
Recently, we have decided to sign up for some additional life insurance. It has all been kind of crazy and I have learned a lot about the different types of policies, etc. I am not sure I know enough yet to even know if what we are doing is the right thing or not.
We have some friends that recently lost a baby during the birth process.
With the email I received this morning from my sister about her brother in law being found dead in his bed at 49, it made it even more clear that I need to go ahead and get this policy in place.

My Passion

2008-03-03T10:46:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned in my last entry I have been trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. A few months ago I wrote out My Passion and have had it on my calendar to review on the first of each month. For January and February I just forwarded that task without ever pulling out the paper and reading it. This weekend, I actually pulled it out and read it along with some other information I keep in that file.

I thought I would share my passion and the guidelines I used to write it. My Passion and yours may change over time. I actually just made a change to mine 30 seconds ago. Here it goes:

My Passion
Values (what really matters)
Time to spend with (Family, Personal, Friends, Helping Others)
Freedom
Be my own boss
Help other succeed
Make a difference
Teach, train and develop
Multi-Task (I like to be doing many things at one time)
Challenges (I do not like to do the same thing over and over, I want something new)
Completing Projects (I love to check things off my list)

I came up with this after some thought about the following areas:

1. Retrace your steps: Often, our passions are formed in childhood. What did you enjoy as a child? What were your hobbies and interests? What games did you play? What were your early career fantasise?

2. Identify what really matters: Your values are the map to your perfect career. Identify those that are most important to you. Make a list of everything you deeply value and want in your career (life).

3. Get deep: Are you seeking to make a difference or contribute to society? How do you see yourself effecting positive change?

4. Listen to your heart: What do you enjoy doing so much that you'd do it free? What activities give you the most joy?

Remember: Skills can be learned, but your passion is a part of who you are. The reality is you can do whatever you want to do and set your mind to do.

On a similiar parrell my wife and I have been having a discussion about a different type of passion and I thought I would include this link to what we have been talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otf7e5uNtw0

It is so nice to have a wife that after 14 years still has the desire for passionate kisses!

Introspection

2008-03-03T10:40:00.005-05:00

I have been doing a lot of thinking and trying to figure out who I really am and what I really want out of life. I have a pretty good idea about me and my life in most aspects. The one area that I really struggle in is my professional life. When I was growing up and even my first year in college, all I could think about was being a professional baseball player. That was my dream and that is what I expected to do. Unfortunately, my dream did not come true. I have been working in the sports and entertainment industry since I graduated from college in 1995. I love sports but have not ever really been happy with my work.

For several years I have been trying to figure out what I want to do with my life when I grow up. I am growing up to fast without actually making a decision and the older I get the harder it is going to seem to make a change.

I have been reading a lot of articles and studying my patriarchal blessing a lot trying to figure out what I like to do and what I am supposed to do.

More to come...

The weekend

2008-02-11T13:39:00.000-05:00

On Saturday I attended a world wide leadership broadcast for all adult members of our church. The topic was Building up a Righteous Posterity and the discussion was all about families, particulary the Proclamation to the World. I do not have my notes right here with me but I learned several things from the talk and discussion. I learned more about my role as a husband and father. I also gained some insights into marriage and family relationships that I can use in my current role as Bishop when couples and families come to me seeking counseling and guidance.

After the passing of President Hinckley last week, the church received a new President, Thomas S. Monson. The portion of the broadcast were he spoke was recorded after he became President. I sat there in our chapel and recieved my own personal revelation that he was called of God and was the next President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The spirit let me know that I should sustain him even though we were not asked to do so today.

On Sunday, I learned during our Sunday School Lesson, that If I have not leared from my children that I should " Watch Out". This is what the teacher said in reference to Nephi teaching and most likely saving his father (spiritually) while in the wilderness. If you read the part in 1 Nephi were the bow is broken, everyone begins to mumur and if you read it carefully it talks about how Nephi said many words to those who where with him, including his parents and in particular Lehi. We do not have those words as part of the record but it does say that Lehi listened. I can say that I have learned plenty from my two children and I am confident that I will continue to learn more.

I've learned

2008-02-07T12:55:00.000-05:00

I borrowed this from a story:

I've learned that, no matter what happens,
how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things:
a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
I've learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents,
you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.
I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life..'
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands.
You need to be able to throw something back
I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you
But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others,
your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you
I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.
People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

I really like this part: I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life..'
I have been thinking about about life in general but specifically about making a living and/or making a life. My children are almost 10 and 8 and I have spent some quality time with them but I wish I could do more. I watched something on youtube the other day that was put together by the parents of a graduating senior. It was put to the music "I wish" by Raschal Flatts. The tribute to their daughter was great in that it showed fun family times, camping, playing the snow, etc. not once did it show big expensive vacations or things like that. It has made me think and begin to reevaluate my priorities in life. More thoughts on this to come I am sure because I think about this a lot.

Tributes to Gordon B. Hinckley

2008-01-30T10:34:00.000-05:00

I thank my sisters for sending me the following links that are tributes to President Gordon B. Hinckley. This is an amazaing man whom I have learned many things from. Since I started this blog with the desire to share what I have learned, I will say that I learned from these tributes more about Gordon B. Hinckley's life. I also learned that Glenn Beck is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I did not realize that until today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z58eHBnEHhk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nRWzT9s4sg

Disappointing news

2008-01-29T09:03:00.000-05:00

My wife and I recieved some disappointing news yesterday. I am grateful for many things in my life but I extremely grateful for the knowledge I have that I can be sealed to my wife for eternity. She is a great person. She does not realize it or accept it but hopefully will come to that understanding. She is told by many people, what a good person she is and how they appreciate her friendship.
As she told me the news, my heart sunk, mostly for her. I want what she wants just as bad but try to be strong for us both. I try to remain positive about a lot of things and hope that soon, the disappointing news we received today, will turn to joy and happiness and the disappointment will be forgotten.

My Dad

2008-01-29T08:54:00.001-05:00

My father passed away almost 4 years ago. I miss him every day. He was a great man and I constantly think of him. I was reminded of him the other night as I listened to a man describe his father. The story reminded me of my dad and the support he always gave me, especially during the time I participated in sports. I can not remember a game go by where I looked up into the stands or on the sidelines and did not see my dad. Even though at times he worked 3 jobs (Delivered newspapers, General Electric and Mervyns), I do not think he ever missed one of my games. Now that I have my own children and only 2 of them currently, I find it even more amazing that both of my parents were able to attend all of my games. I participated in baseball, basketball, soccer, football and even for a time gymnastics. 100's of games or events and that does not even include the piano recitals, cub and boy scouts and other church activities. WOW!

My dad seemed to have his spot staked out, especially for my basketball games in high school. I always knew that I could find my dad with his camera around his neck on the upper row of the bleachers about mid court.

I can only hope to be as good to my kids as my dad was to me.

Life after Death

2008-01-29T08:47:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning I was sent an email from my oldest sister with her thoughts about the death of Gordon B. Hinckley, the latest President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was touched by some of her comments and learned through my own visulaization of what she described in her thoughts about the reunion of President Hinckely, our Saviour Jesus Christ, his wife, his friends and the Prophet Joseph Smith. I would like to copy her thoughts here:

"Later I was thinking again of what must have transpired in the previous hour and a half since the passing of our dear Prophet. I pictured him falling at the feet of the Savior. I pictured them embracing and him being told "Well done, my son". I pictured the gratitude expressed from the Savior to Pres Hinckley for his lifetime of dedicated and untiring service and all that he has done to build the Lord's kingdom here on earth. There have been 4 million people who have not known another President of the church. Wow. Then I pictured Gordon being welcomed by his dear wife, his parents and other close family members as well as his friend Pres Faust. Then it hit me in my heart a picture in my mind of his Marjorie taking him by the hand and turning with him as the Prophet Joseph and his wife, Emma, came towards them...I thought of the picture that mom has of the two prophets and the Nauvoo temple. I pictured the sweet, sweet meeting of these two prophets who loved so much the same things. I thought of the gratitude that each of them must have for the other. I remember when Pres Hinckley spoke so strongly at the dedication of the Nauvoo temple about the injustices done to the saints in the early days of the church. I know that he loved Joseph. He saw to it that Joseph's temple was rebuilt. My heart was full at the thought and the mental image I had of them greeting one another. I am sure that they will not waste any time in getting down to the work of bringing to pass the days and weeks and months before the second coming of the Savior."

I am thankful to have a family who shares their thoughts and feelings with each other. How great it is to be able to learn and grow from others, especially those you love and admire.

Reason for the blog

2008-01-28T09:56:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, while sitting in church, I had a "feeling" that I needed to create a blog of things that I have learned. I have recenctly read a book that I really enjoyed called The Secret. In the book it says that when you have ideas or "feelings" you need to act upon them. As I sat there yesterday I realized that I have not done a very good job over the last several years of keeping a journal or history of my life. I am hopeful that with yesterday's inspirtion I might do a better job. I make this public only because of something that Dalin H. Oaks said in his talk yesterday during Stake Conference. He said that we need not be afraid to speak the truth and specifically mentioned blogs. I write this mostly for myself to track things I have learned in different aspects of my life: Family, Church, Professional, Relationships, etc. If someone decides to read this blog and learns something from my experiences than I guess it is worth it. I am not sure how often I will write, I guess I will have to wait and see. I love to learn and grow and that is what I intend to share here. Things I have Learned!