j . a . m . k . m . b: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORGAN!!!!

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."

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORGAN!!!!

Or as she is still sometimes affectionately known: "Mowgan". It's our little precious girl's birthday today - 6 years old! Wow, that just doesn't seem right somehow. Each year I exhort her to stop growing and stop getting smarter so that she'll be my little girl forever, and each year she assures me with a mischievous smile that she'll stop after her next birthday.

Morgan came up to Google and had a birthday breakfast with Ang, Brig, and me this morning. Her day is going to be one fun thing after another as Angela and I have planned out some really fun activities for her day, wrapped around school this afternoon.

I wrote this tribute for Morgan on the Richards family website and want to share it here:

Morgan, our sweet, happy, fun, loving girl turns six today. Morgan was our only child whose sex was a complete surprise to us at birth, and just like it felt so right to have a third girl, each of her additional new surprises just adds more and more to our family. She has always stood out as a special girl, whether it was her beautiful big brown eyes, her infectious smile, or the way she leads her friends now. I particularly love this note her kindergarten teacher sent us unsolicited: "What a blissful sense of joy she brings into our classroom. Her enthusiasm for learning and participating is contagious to her friends. Morgan has developed such a teachable heart. She listens actively and is a risk taker! Way to go Morgan!" That sums up nicely the Morgan that her teacher and classmates know, but it leaves out the parts that the kids at school don't see. Morgan is a wonderful big sister to Brig; she adores her older sisters and wants to be like them; she is a songbird who lights up our home with melodies; she is Mommy's little buddy; she loves primary and Jesus; and she loves her family. We love Morgan so much, and are grateful to have her in our family.

We love our Morgan very much!

If any of you are thinking of offering birthday wishes, can I ask a favor and have you take a minute to make a quick phone call or leave a voicemail? The kids love so much to hear your voices and hear from you that you love them and are thinking of them. It's not quite the same to refer them to a comment on the blog or to an email we received on their behalf. Thanks so much!

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORGAN!!!!

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