Comfortable Complacency

07 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by in Pride

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Have you ever wondered what it might have been like to be a fly on the wall and hear Abinidi testify in front of King Noah and his court and verbally rub his nose in his own wickedness? or listen to one of Noah’s sermons predicting a rather large rainstorm?  Or listen to Samuel the Lamanite testify while dozens of angry listeners slotted arrows trying to kill him?

How on earth could any of those wicked heathens deny what the prophets were saying? If we were there, we would have totally defended them all day long, even unto death right?

Uhh…?

Here’s the thing, We have no idea what that world was even like. We have no idea, really, what its like to fear for your life because of what we believe or say. That world is a brutal, evil, vicious, unforgiving world.

Surely, in our enlightened, educated world today we have moved past, and now progressed away from such barbarism. Certainly, we, today, are a much more civil, organized, intelligent, tolerant, and understanding world. Without any doubt, we have moved past such killing based on mere beliefs today, right?

Uhh…..no.

Just ask the Christians in Syria right now.

Time to check ourselves.

We do know exactly what its like to hear Abinidi, Noah, Samuel, Alma, Nephi, Moroni, Peter, John, and all the others.

We hear them all the time. At least every six months.  Their names are Thomas, Deiter, Henry, Boyd, L. Tom, Russell, Dallin, M. Russell, Richard, Robert, Jeffrey, David, Quentin, D. Todd, and Neil. They speak all the time, But do we listen? Do we hear them in the same context as the other great prophets? Probably not. But, thats our problem, not theirs.

Today, I can drive to work, and no one tries to kill me. I can go to the store, and buy food, and no one tries to steal it, beat the crap out of me, and leave me for dead on the side of the road on the way home. I can leave my family when I go to work, and I can have confidence that they will be there, alive, when I get back.

I am comfortable.

But, am I complacent?

Do I need a dose of reality?

In 1973, Ezra Taft Benson gave a talk, that is as close to anything I have heard to those face melting verbal beatdowns of Abinidi, and Samuel.  It delivers a healthy dose of reality to a wicked world. It is sobering. I listened, and all I could think of was that this is our modern day Alma in Ammonihah. No one is openly threatening to kill him, but the audience is the same. A world that is completely apathetic to moral standards.

Sound familiar?

And because the world isn’t exactly more morally clean today than it was 42 years ago when he delivered it, we can only assume that this message is now tame compared to what it might have been today. Remember, he delivered this bad boy in 1973.

Want to hear some cool facts about how 1973 was a hot mess?

  • In 1973 the Supreme Court ruled on Roe vs. Wade, making abortion legal in the U.S.
  • In 1973 The Vietnam war was just ending for American ground troops in a cease fire, after years of questionable leadership and purpose.
  • In 1973 Richard Nixon, the President of the United States, was mired in an ongoing watergate scandal investigation and uttered the famous quote, “I am not a crook”.  Sure.
  • In 1973 Egyptians and Syrians attacked Israel to start the largest Arab-Israeli conflict to date on the holiest Jewish day on their calendar. Yom Kippur.

Not exactly sunshine and lollipops.

Ezra Taft, in his talk, then proceeds to school us with a little history lesson, comparing us to the Nephites who fell because of wickedness, then to the Romans, who fell because of wickedness, and then warns us again, not to be wicked. Then, in the end, tells us how not to be wicked.

It basically comes down to that simple promise made about 2400 years ago, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land.”

The ancient people in America seemed to go back and forth between righteousness, and wickedness, in about 200 year intervals. They would be righteous for a while, then they would get sidetracked, turn wicked, then get totally crushed, and destroyed, then try again.

Think of 4th Nephi, in the year 201 after Christ, they started to be divided again, after 200 years of pure awesomeness. The Romans enjoyed 200 years of powerful reign, but took a nosedive in their 3rd century.

We, are currently in the 228th year of our country. It was founded on moral, christian, principles.  The founding fathers constantly spoke of adherence to God’s laws, it was everywhere, the monuments, their writings, even the money!

So, the questions really is, are we as a country, and a people still keeping the commandments?

And now another question, are we really prospering in the land?

If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear

06 Saturday Jun 2015

Posted by in Preparation

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What was the last thing you really prepared for?  Maybe you prepared for a performance or a sporting event? Maybe you prepared for a hot date?  Maybe you prepared for a test?  Maybe you prepared for bed?  Maybe you prepared to provide anesthesia to a 330-pound special needs youth with situational combative disorder as he is screaming at you to leave the room?  Maybe?

We prepare for things all the time.  Sometimes it doesn’t take much.  Maybe you put on a helmet and funny pants before you ride your bike. Other times the preparation can be quite extensive…

One of the last things I really had to prepare for was the certification exam that followed my graduate school training.  I spent 24 months thinking about that stupid test.  Literally, every moment I wasn’t studying, I was thinking about how I should have been studying.  After I graduated and before I took the exam, I spend hours at the library reviewing notes and taking mock exams.  I eventually got so sick of preparing for the exam that I didn’t even care if I passed.  I just had to take it.  Fortunately, my preparation was sufficient and I benefited greatly.

Our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to be happy.  He wants us to get an ‘A’ in life.  He has done everything that he could have in order for us to accomplish this task.  He has provided a perfect example for us to follow, in addition to the Master, since birth He has surrounded us with teachers. He employs countless diverse and unique methods of teaching in order to reach us personally.  He has even provided a syllabus for us.  This syllabus clearly defines not only what is expected of us, but also what we can expect from Him.  This includes his continually outstretched arms, unconditional love, unending patience, a merciful policy on make-up or late work, and a 24/7 open door policy.  Best of all, He has offered us a tutor.  This tutor is amazing.  He too, is available 24/7.  He has many titles, as He does many things.  He teaches, warns, comforts, guides, and brings things to our remembrance.  He helps us during our preparation and performance.  This tutor, of course is the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit.

So how can we always have His Spirit to be with us?  By preparing for and participating in the ordinance of the sacrament.

We do it all the time.  In fact, we do it so often that we may occasionally forget its significance.  Sacrament meeting is the “most sacred, the most Holy of all the meetings of the Church1” because of the blessing, passing, and partaking of the sacrament.

When was the last time you really prepared for the sacrament?  I would argue that our preparation should include more than putting a tie on and singing.  Don’t get me wrong, appropriate dress and sacrament hymns are an essential part of preparing for the sacrament.  I think that we, or at least I, can do so much more as we prepare to make sacred covenants and ponder and appreciate the most important event in the history of history.

We should prepare for the sacrament with reverence and wonder.  How often do we?  Do we take time to ponder, reflect, and repent?  Do we approach our Sabbath day worship with as much excitement and anticipation as our baptism?  I know that I don’t.

I can become better though.  We all can.  Instructions are built into the syllabus. Section XIII, Article IV, Principle II.

Concerning reverence and solemnity during the sacrament… I have children.  To me, it is a major victory to simply get through sacrament meeting without any bloodshed.  The good news is that our preparation isn’t confined to a specific time or place.  We all prepare in different ways.  To me, any time we remember Christ (partially fulfilling our part of the covenant), we prepare for the sacrament.

We can remember his miraculous ministry and teachings.  We can remember times when we have felt His love.  We can remember Him as we decide what music we listen to or how we speak to others.  We can remember Him as we go throughout our day seeing only the good in others.

We can also remember His suffering, pain, and sorrow.  As we are struggling or frustrated, we can remember that He continues to work to bring about happiness and hope. We can remember Him and find strength beyond our own.  As we remember Him, we can be of good cheer.2  Always remembering our Savior will help us remain unspotted from the world, become closer to the spirit, and feel more peace.  As we do this, His Spirit will always be with us.  That’s a promise.

I can certainly do a better job at always remembering as I prepare for what should be the highlight of my week: partaking of the sacrament.

1 Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation

2 John 16:33

The Man and the Tree

04 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by in Fatherhood, Poems

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The Man

There are two ways to look at a marriage of a son or daughter from a parent’s perspective.

One, you will be giving up a son or daughter as they start a new phase in their life. This new phase suddenly changes the way this son or daughter needs you as a parent, or at least to the extent that they have up until that point. So, you feel as if you are losing a family member.

Or, two, you will be gaining a son, or a daughter, and your family now will be expanding, getting larger, more diverse, and getting bigger and better! Instead of the feeling of losing someone, you embrace the feeling of gaining someone else who loves your son or daughter just as much as you do.

Isn’t it funny that the two choices we as parents have with regard to this life changing event, are polar opposites? They couldn’t be more different, or have a bigger effect on the way the family dynamic changes when this marriage actually occurs.

My Father-in-law is a perfect example of how to pull off the second option. From the first time I met him, he has always welcomed me, shown me, and told me that he cares about me. I completely understand how difficult this would be for a lot of fathers. I appreciate that immensely. He has made me feel just like one of his own sons, and for that I give him huge props.

He is retiring now, after 42 years of working for the same company. Even though it took a lot of sacrifice on his part, through ups and downs he always wanted his family to stay rooted where they were.

He has created traditions that have continued through the years, and have expanded through all of his kids, and now into his grandkids lives. An annual Disneyland trip with the whole family is now on year 29. His home, to this day, fills with his kids and grandkids that want to come and be close to home.

That is the strength of this man. He’s quiet about it, but he is a leader. People follow him. Whether they know him from work, or from growing up with him, or from the community. Once you meet him, you love him, and want to be around him. He is a humble man, but great in the things that really matter.

I thank him for always making me feel welcome, and loved.

The Tree

On high secluded mountain side,
a mighty, stalwart tree resides.
Around him gather smaller shoots,
that long for his much stronger roots,

Entrenched so deeply in the ground.
Through winter storm and thunder’s sound,
he shelters those small trees below,
from heavy rains and falling snow.

And then, through wide expansive reach,
Those younger trees below, he’ll teach,
by showing them the way to be,
a strong, mature, and hearty tree.

He shaded me with outstretched limbs,
gave me the time to learn from him,
He showed me what it meant to be,
A wise, and caring Father tree.

A man, in truth, this stalwart tree,
not made of limbs, or roots, or leaves –
His steadfast strength, provides the shade-
protects the home his hands have made

And all who meet, and come to know,
His heart would follow where he goes,
A secret leader no one sees,
A living pillar – like the tree.

He honors pure integrity,
loves truth, hard work, and honesty,
Provides with generosity
for all within his family.

And now, surrounded by the ones,
who love him most, He’ll get his fun!
And with the trees that he helped raise,
Be free at last to spend his days.

 Happy Retirement Curtis!

A Profound Silence

03 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Faith, Preparation, Silence

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Several years ago when I worked for a local gas company as a meter reader, with the job of reading meters manually (that means I walked around and wrote numbers down).  One day, I had parked the truck on the curb but left my door open (probably so I could still listen to the radio as I walked to the meter and back) while I worked.  About the time I finished writing the numbers down I heard the all too familiar sound of a man-eating dog.  After being born into the world pre-programmed to be petrified of dogs (gift of the pre-existence), 4 years as a paperboy, 2 years as a missionary in Brazil, and 4 more as a meter reader, there was no chance for negotiations.  So, naturally I ran.  In that moment, I ran faster than Usain Bolt has ever run – guaranteed.  In the .3 seconds that it took me to travel the 100 feet from where I was to the vicinity of where the truck was parked I managed a glance at the beast that was seeking my life.  It was pretty much a werewolf with fangs and claws like a T-Rex.  I was doomed – or so he thought/hoped.  As he closed in on me something truly amazing happened; with about 10 feet to go I knew there was not time to stop, get in the seat, and shut the door – so I had to do it all in one fluid motion.   I leapt, flew 10 feet in the air, and during that graceful move I contorted my body into a sitting position, and at exactly the same time I twisted my body sideways so that I was literally flying through the air in a seated position – which allowed me to gracefully land perfectly into the seat of my truck.  This is amazing on its own, but I need to add one more detail.  During this acrobatic motion, I also was able to grab the door handle and swing it shut with me (as if it were part of my own body) and in the precise instant that I landed on the seat, the door shut with me leaving the werewolf hound on the outside looking in – amazed and angry at what had just happened.

The moment I was safe in the cab of my truck – I looked around in a desperate hope to see if anyone had witnessed that most graceful move in the history of graceful moves.  I searched the streets, neighboring windows for anyone, anywhere, anything that could have witnessed this event – and I was met with crickets.  Nothing.  Complete and utter silence.  Nobody saw it, nobody was cheering for me, nobody was shaking his or her head in amazement.  Just me and the carnivorous werewolf who was cheated out of his lunch – and even he didn’t linger in awe.  I was so disappointed that I didn’t have anyone to witness my feat.  In what may very well be the most athletic and awesome move that has ever been performed by anyone, anywhere (including the dunk contest, figure skating, and all those trampoline competitions or chess matches) I was left completely on my own, with not a single soul even knowing about what a great thing had just occurred. And to pour salt in my emotional wounds, the expectation that I would still read the rest of the meters on my route during my shift remained in full force.  Life is cruel.

Sometimes the most amazing things are accomplished without a single human eye to see it or a single ear to hear it.

We are all asked to do a lot of things.  Hundreds and hundreds of things that can and will help us become better.  In addition to all those things, we are required to do things every single day like go to work, sleep, shower, rest, use the bathroom, shop for groceries, mow the lawn, wash clothes, fold clothes, help the kids with homework, make dinner, clean dinner, wash the dishes, clean the house, teach our kids to be nice to other people, teach our kids the gospel, teach our kids what the world is really about just to keep from living in a garbage can down by the river.  In my house there are no bleachers, there are no film crews and cameras.  None of these amazing and important things are done in front of an audience.  In fact, all of these things, the very things we are asked to do, are done in obscurity, with absolutely nobody watching.  They are done in silence.  Don’t believe me?  Ask your wife.

I’d also like to make a connection that I think is rather amazing.   First, we need to understand or remember that these things – the every day things we do in complete obscurity when absolutely nobody is watching – are the very real ways and means for each of us to actually put on the armor of God, and to help prepare our children prepare themselves with that same armor.  Remember that the armor of God includes several defensive tools and a single offensive tool, and when united together this armor can be described as our “weapons of war”.

With that understanding, let’s read the following passage in Alma 55 (verses 16 and 17):

…and Moroni had prepared his men with weapons of war,… while the Lamanites were in a deep sleep and drunken, and cast in weapons of war unto the prisoners, insomuch that they were all armed; Yea, even to their women, and all those of their children, as many as were able to use a weapon of war, when Moroni had armed all those prisoners; and all those things were done in a profound silence.

This passage is so amazing when you consider yourself as Moroni and the prisoners as our children, or those whom we love and have responsibility for.  While the world is “in a deep sleep and drunken” it is our responsibility to “cast in weapons of war unto the prisoners” until they become “armed”.1  This includes the women, the children, and “as many as are able to use a weapon of war.  And maybe the best part of all – “those things were done in a profound silence”.

The word profound means “pervasive or intense, thorough, complete”.  Think of the intense meaning then, of a profound silence.  Not just a lack of noise, or even a quiet situation; but a deep and intense, pervasive silence.  This is the acclaim that we are slotted to receive for the hard work that the Lord has asked us to do.  This is the applause that we can expect from the world while we are trying against all rational thought to read (and understand) scriptures with our young children at 6:30 in the morning.  These are the sounds that we can expect to encounter while we are busy arming ourselves against the loud and boisterous world.  Profound silence.

For some context, let’s remember that some of the most amazing things in the entire history of the world have happened in a profound silence – and yet have the most deafening results.  The atoning prayer and resurrection of Jesus Christ were done in what may be considered the most profound yet reverberating silence of all.  Our small, simple, and weak efforts every single day to arm ourselves and our children with “weapons of war” that are often done in a profound silence, will be the very real means by which  “all the poor and meek of the earth… may become a great mountain and fill the whole earth.2 with power, light, love, joy, and peace.

So, 14 seconds from now, when you are wondering why the world doesn’t celebrate your every accomplishment to follow the savior, or you can’t figure out why the blessing dump truck hasn’t arrived at your door because you read your scriptures today, just remember that the quietest acts of goodness may end up being the loudest of all – and that Jesus Christ came to earth, lived as a man, suffered unspeakable things, and performed the most amazing and infinite act of pure love that will ever be known – “and those things were done in a profound silence”.

Notes

1 It is also interesting to consider that we cannot “cast in weapons of war unto the prisoners” if we don’t have any weapons for ourselves.  Consider the parable of the 10 virgins in this light.

2 D&C 109:72

My Little Brother

02 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Brothers, Faith, Poems

≈ 1 Comment

This photo captures the dynamic of our Brotherhood exactly
 Recently, I was asked to speak on the parable of the sower. So, after consulting my three brothers, proceeded to write the first 7 versions of this talk over the next few weeks. It was pretty awesome, if you like boring regurgitations of 2000 year old parables.

I tried a few versions on my wife for a test run, and although she was quite supportive, said, “Why don’t you just tell a story and make it relevant?” In 6 seconds, she rendered my several hours of study, preparation, writing and thought that I had done so far virtually useless. Of course, she was absolutely right, like always, and knowing that people tend to fall asleep everyday after hearing me talk for even just a few minutes (its kind of my job) it seemed like a much better option.

So, rather than run the risk of putting everyone into a coma in sacrament meeting, I had to go another route. It was just then that I realized that the true message of the parable had played out very distinctly in the life of someone close to me. After reading the parable over and over and thinking of what message would be really relevant to us today it was quite clear that I had to tell one of the best stories that I have ever heard. Its a story of my little brother. 

The basics of the parable are this: A sowers seeds land in three different types of ground or soil. The seeds represent the gospel, or the words of God. The soil types represent the receptivity of our hearts to the gospel. The three types of ground are stony, thorny, or finally fertile receptive soil.

The story Ill try to tell is how this soil can change, it changes over time, with effort, desire, a plow, and poop. because this is our blog, and not sacrament meeting, I will use the word poop, and not manure, although manure is probably more accurate. But the idea is that we are not cursed to keep the soil of our hearts permanently, we can change.

My brothers and I grew up beating each other up, fighting, competing, fighting, beating each other up, teasing each other, fighting, and then teasing each other. We were relentless.  Im the oldest brother, but I’m also the best looking, strongest, and smartest, but so were the other three.

There was always a lot of pressure to beat the other guy, or one up the other guy, or not let the other guy show you up. It wasn’t just in sports, but spilled over into all other aspects of life. The oldest three brothers eventually graduated high school, and went on missions, just like we had learned were supposed to do, the youngest, though, was always a little different. Being the youngest, and a little different than us, he, unfortunately, took the brunt of the teasing, razzing, and ridicule from the older brothers. We were horrible. I was horrible. I was an idiot, a jerk, and everything I wasn’t supposed to be as a big brother. In the context of the parable, I did nothing but sit there and throw rocks into my little brother’s soil. Im sure he just wanted to fit in, be a part of us, be like us, and all the things little brothers want to be. But, I didn’t help out. In fact, I did just the opposite.

Im sure that he felt tremendous pressure to graduate and do just like we did, and go on a mission, Im sure he felt that way from everyone around him, whether real or imagined. Whether purposefully or not. It was just the way it was. But, the fact is, he hadn’t developed a testimony of his own yet, and was honest enough with himself to realize it. He went into the MTC and came home after a couple weeks. I cant even imagine the way he must have felt. Even though he was an amazing kid, he felt alone. His soil was stony.  Mostly because of the rocks that yours truly had sent his way.

But, all of the stupid stuff I did, to make him feel the way he did, makes his story all the more amazing.

Fast forward several years, its 2011, and he’s now married, and has three amazing little girls. but his heart was still stony. He’s going to church, he doing the right things, he’s an amazing father, but his heart was still in the stony phase.

This is where it gets fun. As I hope you can see in the picture above, my little brother is the happy, goofy, life of the party, story-telling-est guy you will ever meet, so I will use the words he used to describe what happened next.

He said that he was tired of pretending, tired of going to church just because, and that if he was going to put in the effort, he needed to know for himself, really, that it was worth it. If it was true. And if so, he had to give it his all, not just show up.

He tells the story of him praying like he had never done before, he prayed with as much effort and heart as he could muster and said that he told God that he had an ultimatum for him, that He had one shot. One. One chance to give him and answer, and that it was going to be tonight. My little brother proceeded to tell our Father in Heaven what was going to happen. He made his demands. For his part,  he would go to the general priesthood session, alone, take notes, pay attention, give it his 100% effort. In turn, he demanded that Heavenly Father tell him, without a doubt, no room for error or question that is was true. He needed to be hit across the head with an answer though, no room for doubt. He said that because he had never really felt the spirit before, that it had to be obvious. (he has since said, that knowing what he does now of Heavenly Father, he would never talk to him like that)

So, he went to the priesthood session, and the first speaker? Elder Holland. Yep. the talk? “We are all Enlisted” Yep. If there were ever a talk designed to smack you across the face this was it. He said that the Spirit didn’t whisper anything to his heart, It yelled at him like a spitting red faced drill sergeant, then put him in a headlock, and then body slammed him.

He said he had learned that night the true meaning of “Ask and ye shall receive”.

So his heart was changed right? he lived happily ever after? not quite. He had just begun.

Stony ground is not made fertile overnight.

This is where the poop comes into the story. Lots and lots of poop. Knee deep poop, the really stinky kind.

In the context of the parable, we need to realize that the crap we wade through in our lives is not actual crap, but nutritious fertilizer that is changing our stony hardened ground, into the fertile receptive soil that the sower can use to grow his seeds. Sometimes the more manure, the better the plant that grows.

My little brother was just getting started. He now had 4 beautiful little girls who adore him. The last two had some health difficulties when they were just babies. Both little girls had mystery undiagnosable medical issues. The youngest little girl especially, Lexi. She would stop breathing for no apparent reason, and turn blue. She also had difficulty eating, she couldn’t hold food down, and she would aspirate and cough whenever she tried. She eventually needed a feeding tube to be placed so that she could get some sort of nutrition.

Because of her breathing problems, My brother and his wife would take turns staying up all night watching her every breath,watching her little chest rise and fall, just waiting for her to stop breathing. It was exhausting.

The doctors and nurses had no answers. They didn’t know what to tell them. The only thing they could come up with was to teach them CPR, can you imagine? “Sorry sir, we have no idea whats wrong with your daughter, but when she stops breathing and is dying, this is what you can do….But this ended up being a skill that they had to use multiple times after she would stop breathing.

One early morning my brother was on Lexi duty, and decided to take her out into the living room so his wife could sleep. He says that a lot of things were going through his mind at that point, and he was pleading with our Heavenly Father for help.  He then said he had his moment. His moment of complete clarity. His moment when he was able to see things as he was meant to see them. He said his mind opened up and he was able to perceive what the plan was for him and his family. He said in that moment of clarity, he saw that he had done everything to help Lexi, but the most important. He was to use the priesthood of God and to give her a blessing, not just any blessing, but a blessing to heal her. Now, this really shocked him, as she had received many blessings up to this point, from great men, but still had her medical problems. But, the feeling came again to him, that right there, right then, He, Lexi’s  father, needed to give her a blessing and heal her. So, he knelt down, put his hands on that little 3 month old girl’s head, and started to speak. When he described that blessing, he said his lips were moving, but the words weren’t his, his thoughts weren’t his, he just sat there in awe as a power came over him, and through him, and the words that did come out of his mouth commanded that little girl to be completely healed.

It took faith, but they pulled the tube out of her nose, cancelled all other doctor’s appointments, and Lexi has never had another problem again.

She is now a happy, healthy little 2 year old girl and you would never know that she had come so close to dying on so many occasions.

Since that night, and other experiences since, my brother, my little brother, has changed the soil in his heart completely. He is a real follower of Christ. The seeds the Savior sowed have now taken root, and through him, a lot of people in his family, and all around him, including me, the big brother, have benefitted immensely from his testimony. I look up to him, and love him. I see him a lot differently than I used to. I can see, in retrospect, that the Lord was preparing him all along to to great things, and, when the time was right, and when he turned his heart to the Lord, it changed.

Our stony soil does not turn into prepared, fertile soil overnight, it needs to be chopped up, churned, tilled, and sometimes, a lot of crap has to be heaped on it. If we do all this, we will be prepared for the Sower, our Savior.

Through all of this, I have learned from my little brother how to better follow, and love, my Big Brother.

Four Brothers’ Prayer

On bended knee, we turn to Thee,
and offer up our soil,
For His good seed, we’ll nourish, feed,
And labor, sweat and toil,

And from His living water’s well,
and light from Thine own Son,
Our plant gains root, and grows, and swells
Towards Him- the chosen One.

Pharisee Food

26 Tuesday May 2015

Posted by in Food

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A few weeks ago while I was chatting with someone who I had recently met, he asked what I like to do (for fun).  This is a standard question, and I thought for a few seconds about how I would reply – I thought to myself: “I could say golf, because I do enjoy it, but I don’t go nearly enough to justify that as a real answer.  I could say camping, but I won’t because we really don’t do that often enough either”.  I thought of a few more things that I could have justified or said to sound a bit more well-rounded, but then I decided on a simple and honest truth.  I replied; “I love to eat”. 1

I think we can all relate to this right?  But before we say yes, let’s understand that my saying “I love to eat” is much different than if I had said; “I love food”.  Much different.

To understand this difference, we first need to understand that “food” is defined as “any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.”. 2 Just in case we might misunderstand what food is, the keywords of that sentence are “nourishing”, “sustain life”, “provide energy” and “promote growth”.  If we eat, drink, or otherwise take into the body something that is not nourishing, or does not sustain life, does not provide energy, or does not promote growth, etc. it is not considered “food”.   It is fake food.  Fabricated food.  False food.  Phony food.   Counterfeit food.   Not even close to real, nourishing food.  It is Pharisee food.  So-called ‘food’ that claims to be super nutritious, jam-packed with essential vitamins and minerals and all sorts of healthy ingredients, yet inwardly full of sugar, harmful, and energy sucking garbage that will make me turn into a pile of goo.  ‘Food’ that screams to the consumers via marketing campaigns, commercials, or celebrity endorsements.   ‘Food’ that will cleverly and boldly list all of the wholesome and organic ingredients, with no thought to their changed or modified state which eliminate any nutritional value (if there was ever any in the first place).  ‘Food’ that is packaged to be seen of men, or to be tasted for their much artificial flavorings.

Thus my statement above makes sense now, because I love to eat all the things that are not ‘real’ food.  Things like M&Ms, ice cream, chips, skittles, cookies, and more ice cream.3   These items are the pretend food that sing sweetly to you while you roam the grocery store. The pretend food that is placed in all the right places to lure you into their trap.  The pretend food that is so beautifully packaged, and the pretend food that is less expensive than real food. And maybe worst of all – this fake food is also delicious – well, at least it seems to be delicious while you are eating it. It’s so good, so clever, and so deceptive, (and we are so eager to believe it) that we may actually think we are eating real food.  Somehow we think that this substance, or combination of substances will somehow nourish us, sustain life, provide energy, and promote growth.4    And yes, I tend to avoid food in an effort to eat.

The problem with this fake food is that it turns on you.  It betrays you very soon after you’ve eaten it.  Sometime between when it was softly singing you a lullaby in the grocery store and the 13 seconds following ingestion, it becomes poison and we can’t figure out how this seemingly delicious treat is causing our body to scream out in pain.   Instead of sustaining life, it feels like it’s taking your life.  Instead of providing energy, it provides illness.   It makes us feel so wrong, yet for some reason – after we feel so horrible – we think that the only thing that can make it better, is something worse.  So, we add to our woes by eating even more.  We avoid all the real food that will make the pain stop.  We are forced into the fetal position, and vow to never eat another particle of ‘food’ ever again.  Then, after a few hours of laying on the couch in a Pharisee food coma, we somehow forget the pain of the last few hours and we’re ready for shake from Dairy Queen and some M&Ms.  What, that’s just me?

So, we invite others to partake in our misery, because after all, misery loves company.  Some (reasonably) will respond in the negative to our clever invitation, but we don’t give up.  We say things like “it’s not fun to eat a shake by myself”, or “eating healthy is boring”, “real food tastes gross”, or worse, we have “the attitude of mocking and pointing our fingers at those who had come and were partaking of the fruit”. 5

Hopefully we can all see the connection here, because in the world today there are plenty of things out there that pretend to be food, but in reality are only Pharisee food.  Fake food that will claim to be fantastic, healthy, life changing, delicious, and full of life sustaining ingredients, but in reality are nothing but garbage that do us harm.  Food that (regardless of their Pharisee promises) will not provide us with nourishment, energy, growth, or sustenance.

Yet, there is something out there that will provide us with all of those things.  The true bread of life.  The gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let’s learn to love food instead of just eating, and then let’s ask ourselves, “where is the next food“?

Notes

1 – I added a few other things to the list after the fact, mostly to sound a little more normal.  After all, who answers that question with just ‘I love to eat’?  I also told him that I love to read and also ride my bike.  I am pretty sure he was really impressed with my sophistication and uniqueness.  He never could have imagined meeting someone so diverse and expansive in his or her worldly interests.   As a side note – I do love eating while I read and eating while I bike (obviously).  Reading while I bike is too hard.

2 Dictionary.reference.com/browse/food?s=t

3 Lest anyone think I discriminate; I include frozen custard, frozen yogurt, and all of their relatives in this general category.  I love them all.

4 Let’s be clear.  Eating this type of food will help us grow all right.  It will just help us ‘grow’ in all the wrong ways.  It will help us grow away from health.  It will help us grow fat.  It will help us grow tired.  It will help us grow weary.  The same could be said for sustaining life.  It will sustain us only in the sense that it will not immediately kill us.  It will lull us away carefully into unhealthy and and horrible habits, while promising that it’s packed with vitamins and minerals and whole grains.

5 1 Ne. 8:27

The Girl I See Today

22 Friday May 2015

Posted by in Baptism, Poems

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Sophie

My Sophie girl is turning eight!
Excitement’s in your eyes!
Your birthday’s come, you couldn’t wait,
To finally be baptized!

A constant smile across your face,
And plan for this whole day,
To be a special birthday race
For you, in just your way.

And even though the gifts you get,
Can bring some happiness,
They don’t compare, you won’t forget
Your heart swell in your chest!

As we descend in water clear,
in clothes so clean and white,
we’ll feel the Holy Spirit near,
And feel the Savior’s light.

You’ll promise with your little heart,
to His, so big and pure,
that you will follow, do your part,
And with His help, endure.

For even He, a perfect Man,
Lay down in water’s grave,
And thus fulfilling God’s command,
To willingly obey.

Then both together, we will stand,
in water clear and true,
And to the square I’ll raise my hand,
As Spirit fills the room.

And then I’ll hold you close to me,
Immersing down below,
And rise above, now pure and clean
And light as falling snow,

And then, the part I love the most,
my hands upon your head,
Confirming Gift of Holy Ghost,
God’s blessing will be said

And as you seek to use this gift,
Your heart will fill with love,
From Holy Ghost, our friend that lifts,
With strength sent from above.

And then you’ll grow up, time will fly!
but in my heart you’ll stay,
My little girl, in daddy’s eyes,
the one I see today.

I Love you Sophia!

-Daddy

The Sower

20 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by in Poems

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The Sower

The Sower’s hand will send forth seeds to plant within the soil
But only fertile ground achieved by faith, and sweat, and toil,
Is ready to accept at once, and cultivate this seed,
And give it root, to firmly stand in opposition’s breeze.

And stony ground some seeds will find, and shoot up right away,
but rootless lives will prove short-lived in scorching heat of day.
And thorns that choke, and steal the light creep softly to the soil,
With pleasures, cares and riches do attempt our ground to spoil.

But we must till and cultivate our hearts just as the land,
In preparation for the touch, and love from Sower’s hands.
And with His living water, and His light, will start to grow-
His words – in fertile soil, wherein the Master’s seeds are sowed.

See Mathew 13:3-9

If Dr. Seuss was a Mormon

19 Tuesday May 2015

Posted by in Poems

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If Forest Gump was an avid reader of our blog, I’m pretty sure his famous quote would have actually been “This blog is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get”. This post is no exception. As much as I’d like to say the following poem is a newly discovered, never before seen, unpublished work found in Dr. Seuss’s old sock drawer about his conversion to the LDS faith… it’s not. I will also admit that I’ve spent probably too much time thinking about what Dr. Seuss’s conversion story would look like if it actually existed. So, having explained all that, welcome to the artificial LDS conversion story of Dr. Seuss. (that he never wrote!) Yepper, expect the unexpected on this blog.

I hear a knock at my door, two young men there? Tell me more!

“I am Sam”, “and I am too, we’ve come to bring the Gospel to you”!

This Mormon church? I haven’t searched, I do not know this Mormon Church.

In my hands, by and by, a book or Mormon?  I don’t know why.

I will read it, I will spy, to see why, you brought it by.

As I read, I learned why! I know why, you two brought it by!

The truth is here, in this book! Just read its pages come and look!

I can read it here or there! I can read it anywhere!

I love to read it night and day, and read what all the prophets say.

I feel the spirit here and there! I can feel it anywhere!

As I read and do by part, grows 3 sizes does my heart!

I know it’s true, and so can you! I know I do, do you know too?

It makes me happy, it makes me smile, I want to go the extra mile!

It’s changed my life, and will change yours! It opens eyes, hearts and doors.

My testimony though still growing, is like a seed I’m now still sowing.

Can I share it with anyone! I can share it with everyone!

With the tall and with the small, I’ll share with them one and all!

I can share it here or there, I can share it anywhere!

I can share it with all I meet, the ones I see on Mulberry Street!

I can share it at my job, with my crazy boss named Bob.

I can share it with a Cat, a rhyming cat who wears a hat!

I can share it in a box, with a fox wearing socks,

I can share it on a plane, in the rain, or on a train!

I can share it at the game, during the stretch in the 7th frame,

I can be the Lord’s tool, If I live the golden rule!

I can be an example too, to be like Christ in all I do.

For we are all his “sneetches”, and to us he teaches,

Stars on thars, or stars on ours, walking slow or driving cars,

We need to love, one and all, for a person is a person, no matter how small!

This wacky Wednesday, the Gospel  seek, or seek it every day this week!

Today’s the day to fill your cup, today is a great day for up!

For that is where Christ will take you, he can change you to brand new!

Oh the places that you’ll go, you CAN come to know!

With the Gospel, come join me! You will love it! You will see!

That’s my mission and my goal, to live with God and be made whole!

Aside from trying to squeeze as many of Dr. Seuss’s books, phrases, or characters slyly in there, I really wanted you to notice above all else the attitude of the character once he’s converted. He can’t help but live it, spread it, share it, and love it. He understands that he can share it with anyone, anywhere, at any time, in fact, he doesn’t even limit his sharing the Gospel to humans. He fully plans on dropping it on a couple animals too. Dude is a missionary for sure! He doesn’t plan on reserving his testimony to those only in his ward, and only on fast Sunday. He understands his testimony and this gospel isn’t to be a light under a bushel… unless of course the intention is to light the entire bushel on fire to spread the light even more! Let’s do the best we can to follow his example.

I know it. I live it. I love it.

A Green Bag

19 Tuesday May 2015

Posted by in Fatherhood, Obedience, Types

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Yesterday morning I asked my 7-year-old daughter to go out to the car (located in the garage) and get something for me.  She hesitated, moaned, groaned and murmured about it.  Then, my 4-year-old (who happened to be within hearing distance) said, “Daddy, I will go and do the things which the daddy commands” (we’ve been studying 1 Ne. 3:7 and have been liberal on our ‘likening’ it to the small slaves that live in our home) and I said “great, please go out into the garage and get the green bag”.  She happily agreed and off she went.

About 4 seconds later I heard her yelling, “Daddy, I can’t open the door”.  So, I stopped what I was doing and walked to the garage door, unlocked it, and let her into the garage.  I then watched her run down the two stairs and arrive at the car door.  She tried to open it a couple of times and then looked back at me and said “Daddy, it’s locked.  I can’t open the door”.  It wasn’t locked (I knew this), but she just wasn’t quite strong enough to open the door.  So, I walked down the two steps into the garage and opened the car door for her.  She happily jumped into the car in an effort to do her duty.

About 2 seconds later she turned to me and asked “Daddy, what am I getting again”?  I told her she needed to get the green bag from the car – and she happened to be standing right next to it.  She grabbed the green bag, jumped out of the car and headed into the house happy as can be.   I shut the car door, walked up the steps, shut the garage door, and as a family we put the green bag to it’s intended use.

As I was standing on the garage steps watching her try her best to open the car door, and in the hours since I can’t help but feel just like our Father in heaven when he asks us to do something – even if and when we do it happily.  It turned out that I went all the way to the car to the very spot where the green bag was located anyway – so I could have just gotten it myself.  But, now there is a 4 year old who is pretty sure that she went all the way to the car and got the green bag for me because I asked her to – and she is right.

Heavenly Father asks us to do stuff, and sometimes we jump right up and do it cheerfully.  Then, we get 4 seconds into the task and we can’t open the garage door because it’s locked.  So we ask for help, and he comes and opens the door for us. Then he watches us as we bound down a couple of steps and come to the next obstacle (another door).  We ask for help again, and he comes to where we are and helps us again.  We might even need yet another reminder about what it is that we are looking for in the first place, and it happens to be really close to where we are – so we ask (again) and he answers (again).

As parents, we can all relate to the joy that we feel in helping a child succeed.  Let’s just remember that we are all the 4-year-old children who need help every step of the way.