j . a . m . k . m . b: A little move stuff, a little other stuff

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."

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

A little move stuff, a little other stuff

Last night we had a fun family home evening where we drove over to our old house, parked the car, all got on our bikes, and rode ceremoniously from our old house to the new place. It was really enjoyable for all because of the quiet roads we were able to ride on, and it represented a fun transition from the old to the new. The kids are handling the move really well - they're having fun setting up their rooms and the playroom.

We're really excited for Grandpa and Grandma to come visit us and Dan & Hailey for a few days starting tomorrow. It's always great to have visitors, and especially grandparents who the kids don't get to see enough.

Work's going pretty well for me right now with a few projects progressing nicely and hopefully moving towards completion soon. My intern is doing a good job and it's fun to oversee more projects than just my own. There may be some changes coming to my job scope within the near future so it will be interesting to see where it all goes.

I'm starting to get excited for the summer olympics in August. It is always great to watch the events and hope the US kicks everyone else's butts. I'm also starting to get excited for college football to start ... as usual it's far too early to think about these things, but it can't be helped.

It's amazing to me that we're now in July. Have a great day!

1 comment:

Matt and Becca said...: ditto on the Olympics...Matt and I stayed up a little too late watching the U.S. swim trials last night, and it got us pumped! So I've been thinking about that too today. See you next month! Glad the move went well.; July 1, 2008 at 1:22 PM

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

A little move stuff, a little other stuff

1 comment:

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