j . a . m . k . m . b: "Holidays Don't Count..."

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."

Friday, December 19, 2008

"Holidays Don't Count..."

Does anyone else live by the creed, "Holidays don't count", when it comes to watching what you eat? I mean, I won't say I become a world-class glutton or anything, but as has been proven over the last week or two, this is the WORST time of year for someone trying to control sugar intake, in addition to any

number of comfort foods. We have been the grateful recipients of an amazing quantity of cookies, toffees, chocolates, candy, and other holiday treats, not to mention about four gingerbread houses we've had on the counter calling me subliminally every time I walk by. So yeah, in my little world, the holidays really don't count, and they officially started about a week and a half ago. I did my best this morning to live up to this way of living by consuming two donuts, eggs and bacon for breakfast - heavenly, but not listed anywhere on the Jenny Craig ok-to-eat list. Oh well, Mormon guys are supposed to get fat, right?

But not all is lost, I have been on a bit of an exercise kick, so I think I'm at least maintaining a weight that I'm not proud of, but it's not clinically obese either. I've been doing quite a bit of swimming and biking (trainer, garage) and it has been very enjoyable (moreso once I'm done). Some basketball scattered in is great too. In fact last night I played, and I was more tired than I've been in a looong time after that run. I swam at lunch too, so that was a heavy sweat day for me.

Looks like tomorrow's the travel day as the weather looks pretty bad all along I-80 starting Sunday and pretty much lasting into the foreseeable future. Tomorrow looks reasonably good for travel, so we're scrambling to get everything ready to get out the door pretty early tomorrow morning. I'm actually looking forward to the drive in that unexplainably, weird sort of way in which there's no logical explanation why I'm excited, but I just am.

And finally, I just want to tell you how great Angela is. You may already know this, but she's the best! She does so much for the kids, for me, for our home, for the school, for her friends, for others in need... I'm not sure how she does it, I'm just grateful for her in every way. I'm not sure how I got so lucky as to end up with her, but I'm holding tight. She's awesome!

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Friday, December 19, 2008

"Holidays Don't Count..."

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