j . a . m . k . m . b: Littla Dis, Littla Dat

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.

... Professor Harold Hill, one of the principal characters in [The Music Man], voices a caution that I share with you. Says he, “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.”

f you have children who are grown and gone, in all likelihood you have occasionally felt pangs of loss and the recognition that you didn’t appreciate that time of life as much as you should have. Of course, there is no going back, but only forward. Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.

Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.”³ We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us.

Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of “what if” and “if only.” Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”

In the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, Church member Jay Hess, an airman, was shot down over North Vietnam. For two years his family had no idea whether he was dead or alive. His captors in Hanoi eventually allowed him to write home but limited his message to less than 25 words. What would you and I say to our families if we were in the same situation—not having seen them for over two years and not knowing if we would ever see them again? Wanting to provide something his family could recognize as having come from him and also wanting to give them valuable counsel, Brother Hess wrote—and I quote: “These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year.”

Said one well-known author: “Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend . . . when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”

Said the Lord in a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, “In nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.”¹⁰ May we be found among those who give our thanks to our Heavenly Father. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues.

Brothers and sisters, my sincere prayer is that we may adapt to the changes in our lives, that we may realize what is most important, that we may express our gratitude always and thus find joy in the journey."

Monday, October 15, 2007

Littla Dis, Littla Dat

Brig helping make rolls - he would NOT give up that rolling pin...

Brig wearing the Big Man's shoes

The family with the Disneyland countdown paper chain - before Brig destroyed it

Brig doing his "ooooooh, poopy" face

Post-marathon lounging in St. George

At the zoo

A rare tranquil moment...

We're slowly catching up with the general conference sessions we missed the weekend of the marathon. It's so great to be able to either watch them on our DVR whenever we want, or watch them online. We're still formulating our list of favorites, so we'll discuss more when we get through them all.

Our family had a really fun bike ride on Saturday. We borrowed a bike from a friend that had a baby seat attached to it, so we could all ride together. Brig loved riding behind me - he thought it was pretty cool. We're now thinking about getting our own baby bike seat, although I'm expecting Brig to start riding a two-wheeler any time now, so maybe not.

And speaking of bikes, I renewed a torrid affair with an old flame over the weekend. I rode 25 miles through the hills above our house, and it was a glorious experience. The weather was perfect, the bike worked great, and my legs didn't fall off, although they felt like they were going to. It's amazing how different it is on your legs riding a bike vs. running. But it was really great to get out again, and as soon as I can stand to sit in the saddle, I'll be back on the road.

A few friends and I watched the BYU game online until about 1am Sunday - a bit of an ugly game but a win's a win. You can imagine that my Sunday am meetings came pretty early that day...

Angela went to parent-teacher conferences for all the kids today and they all got high marks. They all have areas in which they can improve, but generally are doing well. We're proud of them and we love them.

1 comment:

Molly said...: Such great pics of the kiddos. And dang, when did Brig get so grown up!?! Seriously. He looks like a little boy. (okay, I know he IS a little boy but you know what I mean...no more "baby" look left!). So stinkin' cute.; October 15, 2007 at 8:34 PM

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Monday, October 15, 2007

Littla Dis, Littla Dat

1 comment:

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