j . a . m . k . m . b: Bowling Champ

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, December 17, 2008

Bowling Champ

I took our work team bowling yesterday for a fun event before everyone disperses for the holidays. It was an absolute blast - very fun to get together outside of work. I mentioned on the blog that over Thanksgiving our family went bowling, but before that, I honestly have no idea when the last time I bowled was. I can

guarantee it's been more than 10 years, but I can't remember when I bowled last. So that will surely make my bowling exploits of yesterday seem all the more impressive. Sometimes you just "feel it", and I was in the zone, on fire, en fuego, unconscious... Who out there can beat a high score of 191? And if you can, do you have your own shoes and monogrammed ball? Oh yeah baby, I was king of Palo Alto Bowl for a day!

And speaking of Bowls, I'm looking forward to a few of the Bowl games this year. Of course I'll watch BYU v. Arizona in the Las Vegas Bowl, and then there's Texas v. Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. I believe both of my teams will come out bowl champs in their respective bowls. I'm also really looking forward to the Poinsettia bowl where TCU will take on Boise State. I've got a close friend (BYU alum and fan) who lives in Boise and is a season ticket holder for the Broncos - he's sick and tired of fellow BSU fans saying the WAC is better than the MWC, and he's hoping and praying TCU shuts them up...I'm definitely on board with that. There's also the Sugar Bowl, where Utah goes up against an Alabama team that will make it obvious to everyone why people say the SEC is the 2nd best conference in the country (like that Big 12 loyalty?). It may be a long day for the Utes, but I actually hope they can pull off the upset. Other than that, it's just a great time of year for football.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: Dito on all the bowl talk, except of the Utes. I don't care how good it can be for the conference or football in the State of Utah, or even that they will have the initials JBW on their helmets, I hope they get smashed.; December 19, 2008 at 11:01 PM

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Bowling Champ

1 comment:

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