j . a . m . k . m . b: Um, forgot that...

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."

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Um, forgot that...

So in talking all about our busy weekend last week, I neglected to mention two of the most important things: Morgan's 9th birthday, and Mother's Day. That was not because of a lack of love for those two special people, it was simply because I'm an idiot, and my simple mind has a hard time thinking about more than one thing at once.

So we had a fun day for Morgan. I didn't participate in all the festivities, because that would've required me to get brightly colored toenail paint. But I did submit myself to the Justin Bieber movie as part of our family celebration for Morgan, and we had a fun dinner at Pizza Factory. It was so fun to see Morgan happy and loving the attention.

Mother's Day was a bit less celebratory for Angela, unfortunately. With my ox firmly entrenched in the mire (a biblical reference that helps me feel better about having had to paint the floor on Sunday due to a strict Monday deadline), I spent many hours, both before church and late into the evening, at the house finishing up the floor. Church was good, my long afternoon nap was great (nothing like telling the mother of your children you love and honor her by taking a two-hour nap... sheeesh), and it was really fun to go to dinner up at my parents where many of my siblings gathered for my Mom's final American Mother's Day for a while. (and I feel like I should explain the nap thing ... I had been working on the floor until 1am three nights straight, and then was up at 5:30 Sunday morning to try and get more done before church, so Angela was very understanding...) See below for my Mother's Day gift to my dear wife...

Also, here are a couple of links to YouTube videos of Micah's last two performances for Centennial Idol. I particularly love the first one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlkLQmxOTu4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwDlbx-amdE