A few weeks ago a member of our ward who has a PhD in statistics gave a very interesting talk about how very very very very very… did I mention VERY blessed we all are. He continued to pummel how our privileged lives are the exception not the normal to how the rest of the world lives. The enjoyment of electricity, access to food and clean water, air conditioning, television, and refrigerators. Our world boasts standards of comparative luxury surrounded in freedom and wrapped in safety. He referred to us as the exceptionally blessed 1%. He said, the world population today is over 7 billion. Image a single filed line of 7 billion people. How big is that line? If this line was at the equator and everyone stood shoulder to shoulder that line would wrap around the earth 106 times! If you stacked each other on top of each other's shoulders their would be enough people to reach and touch the moon 26 times! That's a long line. Well when you look back at this enormous line, you should realize that 99% of that line, at least 6,300,000,000 people, are standing behind you in that line. In other words you are very blessed.
Now expand that further. How many have freedom of religion? How many have heard of Jesus Christ? How many have heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints? How many are members? Approximately 14 million or .002% of the world. How many are active LDS (world-wide)? Realistically the estimates are only around 35% or 4.9 million or .0007% of the world! When it comes to the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ at least 6,995,100,000 people are standing behind you in line.
Why do I make this point? To boast our great fortune for being LDS? Our clearly obvious magnificent pre-earthly performances? Hardly. No, but rather how we waste the opportunities and possibilities of these blessings. How we live beneath our potentials and God's expectations of us. One of my greatest pet-peeves are LDS members who pontificate how chosen and clearly spiritually superior we are over the rest of the world solely on the fact that we are members of the church. They speak as if salvation comes from membership alone. That exaltation arrives if we just wait long enough as members. If you were to describe the type of being that God is (or that Jesus is to make it more comprehensible), what type of being would you describe? Would you be describing the members of your ward? If so how many really would you be describing? Would you be describing yourself? To be fair--no one is already like God, or they wouldn't be here. What I am trying to say is how many of us are truly trying to be like God? The fact remains, to be with God, one must become like God.
How then are we doing here in Utah? The statistics range from 60-70% of the state are members of the church, if 50% of those members are active that would be approximately 1 million of the nearly 3 million people who live in Utah are considered active LDS. With this comparatively extraordinary saturation of active LDS members scattered throughout the state (1 in 3 people) we should be living in a utopian society, enjoying the law of consecration, bathing is the waterfalls of modern revelation and playing dodgeball with arc angels! Yet in stead we find that Utah boasts the award for the highest number of subscriptions to pornography websites, one of the highest occurrence of underage drinking, gambling and prescription pill addictions and abuse. Continually, year after year, Utah also reports some of the nations highest bankruptcy rates, as well as the percentage of population suffering from depression and anxiety. Utah was also recently touted as one of the highest per capita use of plastic surgery in the nation. Basically, what Utah is telling the world is not that were Mormons, but that we are stressed out, insecure, envious, stiflingly horny, and a rebellious people!
The world is a messed up place. Why isn't it better here than it is? I think it is because somewhere along the way we lost perspective of how truly blessed we really are. Not just as LDS members, but as humans on this planet. We got spoiled. We grew spiritually weak, and pleasure fat. We live unrealistic lives and care too deeply how others perceive us. Our lives are too full of stuff and things that we do not need, yet we work tirelessly to obtain. We lost sight of what really is important and replaced it with things that don't last--things that are not even real: Cars, homes, beauty, pleasure, trips, comparisons, achievements, degrees, financial statements, etc. What we've lost along the way real family relationships, true friends, integrity, honesty, patience, enjoyment of small & simple things, time, opportunities, conversations, innocence, love, real priesthood authority, and unshakable testimonies.
We need to slow down. Get back in tune with God. Learn to feel the Holy Ghost again. Listen to what he is saying and then have the courage to do what he says. We need to cast off the artificial burdens we've placed on ourselves and stop worrying what everyone else thinks (remember they are just as messed up, insecure, and lonely as we are). We need to get back to the basics. I do not believe that this life is a 'test', I believe that we are here to learn, not be graded (yes in the end, but not along the way). We are blessed beyond belief -- why? who knows? But we have been nonetheless. It is then left for us to act proportionally to the blessings we've received. We need to act well our part.
Ask yourself are all your daily frantic doings and priorities making you more like God or more like Utahns?
November 11, 2011
September 11, 2011
The Three Travelers
During scout camp the camp director had shared a brief folk tale that I really liked. So I decided to expand the simple story into a more developed and meaningful story, to which I entitled,
"The Three Travelers"
The next morning the three men eagerly awoke and prepared their horses. The first, in his zeal to gain his reward disregarded the angel's requirement to gather pebbles and stones along the way, but left his campsite uncleaned and sped away without stopping toward the promised location. Nearing the end of his journey the first traveler began to remember the admonitions of the angel and fearing he might not get his reward stopped just before arriving stopped and gathered a small handful of pebbles and one rock and placed them in his satchel. A few moments later in a feeling of triumph for being the first to arrive, supposing he had gained an advantage, began searching for his reward.
The second, also awoke in haste and made ready his horse and saddle and galloped west towards his anticipated reward. Unlike the first rider, he did remember and took heed of the Angel's request, and occasionally stopped along the way to gather pebbles and stones, but not wanting to part with the majority of his valuable earthly belongings was only able to fit a few handfuls of pebbles and three or four stones into his satchel.
The third, arose early with the rest, but unlike the other two took time to savor the morning, cleaned up the campsite, readied his horse, and watched the sunrise. As he travelled slowly, but steadily towards the horizon he gave full heed to the Angel request. Knowing he had more than required sunlight to arrive at his destination, he spent his time looking and picking up unique rocks and interesting pebbles of all sizes and shapes until he had eventually removed all of his personal belongings and replaced them with stones and pebbles. Burdened under the weight of these rocks the third rider finally arrived at the promised location just as the sun was beginning to set.
Upon arriving he saw the first two riders in a panicked state, all covered in dirt and sweat as they were frantically still searching for the treasure before the sun set. We have looked everywhere they exclaimed, turned over every rock, searched in every hole and cave, but nothing--no treasure! With that the sun had set.
Disappointed, the three travelers made a fire and sat in silence reflecting on the day's events. While gazing into the flickering flames suddenly again the angel appeared in the smoke of the fire. The angel spoke, "congratulations, your journey is through, now take joy in the rewards of your journey". The first man replied, "what rewards? I was the first to arrive and have spent the majority of the day searching this area and have found no treasures!" The second then exclaimed, "I was the second to arrive and having looked to the point of exhaustion and madness have not found the riches you promised--the likes of which we have never seen!". The third traveler humbly, replied, "I didn't have time to search for treasures, I had spent my time gathering pebbles and stones along the way that upon my arrival the sun had set and my journey was over". To this the Angel, replied, "Treasures are enjoyed, not found, at a journey's end, but collected along the way. Did I not instruct you to gather pebbles and stones along the way? Go and take joy in the treasures you've gathered". The angel then disappeared.
The three travelers then went to their satchels to find the pebbles and stones they had gathered and to their astonishment the pebbles had turned into precious gems--diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies and the rocks had turned into pure gold.
The first rider pulled out his one rock of gold and small handful of precious gems was now more wealthy than anyone in the town in which he lived. While overjoyed with his new found riches, he knew that in his haste to finish the journey, he had missed priceless opportunities along the way.
The second rider pulled out four large gold rocks and a few handfuls of precious gems and was immediately the wealthiest person in the region in which he lived. While overwhelmed with his new found fortune, he knew that if he would have been willing to have parted with his now comparably worthless earthly belongings he could have had unfathomable wealth.
The third rider discovered his satchels were filled to overflowing with gold and gems, he was now the richest person in the whole world. Free of regret his joy was full.
Let the lesson of the three travelers be a warning in our lives that we need to slow down and enjoy our journey, seeking out new and old friends in which to share experiences and our abundance. In so doing we will find rest and joy at the end of our lives savoring the priceless memories and relationships we have gathered along the way.
-- Robert M. Flynn
August 28, 2011
Microsoft Blows!
My son Hunter, who is obsessed with playing Halo on the xbox, wanted to be able to play Halo online through a feature in the xbox called xbox live. I was dubious at first letting my ten year old into the online world, but I soon found out that most of our neighbors had xbox live and felt it was safe, so we said yes to the free trial to check it out.
I have to admit the technology was really cool. Hunter could enter this vast connected world of friends and kids playing halo. Instead of playing against predictable computer generated opponents by yourself, you could play against really thinking similarly obsessed kids. This is definately a step up from Pacman and Asteroids that I played when I was ten.
When the free month was up for all practical purposes so was Hunter's 'purpose' in life. It was the begining of summer time and he did a lot of moping and complaining--"there's nothing to do, it's to hot to play outside, none of my friends can play, no I don't want to read a book or play with my sister, and you won't let me watch any more TV, please, please, please, let me get xbox live again"!!!! After enough tears and promises Sandra and I agreed to sign Hunter up. [And before you think that we are terrible parents who let our kids waste away their lives playing computer games--He only is allowed to play for an hour or two every other day and only after his chores and summer homework are done].
In typical Microsoft form, you had to give them a credit card number with the only option of automatic renewal. It was my responsibility to remember the renewal date and proactively cancel it before that date if I didn't want it to renew for another year. If I forget I will automatically renew even if I didn't want to. Frustrating, but I had no choice. It took forever to register because I had to enter everything on a game controller through the xbox. Scrolling through the entire alphabet, number pad and symbol pages picking one character at a time like old school texting. Eventually he was in and life was great again. His summer finally had meaning!
Two months had gone by and all was well. Hunter could play but only for short spells and after his daily chores and study time. Then, yesterday morning I received an email stating that $19.95 was charged to my credit card for purchases made on xbox live. "This must be an error", I thought, "there is no way that Hunter could know my password to have purchased anything". At the time I received this he was away at a friend's birthday party so I couldn't ask him about it. So I contacted xbox live support.
I was greeted by Josh who was ever so friendly and empathetic. "I can certainly understand your frustration" he said, and "I've helped a lot of people with similar complaints, let's see what I can do to help resolve your concerns". After about going through 7 layers of security including identifying my name, address, phone number, xbox serial number, last 4 digits of my credit card on file, my User name, and answers to my secret questions that I filled out when registering, Josh was finally able to get access into my account.
We discovered the purchase was for Microsoft Points. These points were like tokens used at Chucky Cheese that could be spent at will at the various money traps in xbox live. Apparently, Hunter was able to purchase these Microsoft points and then spent all of them on different outfits and accessories for his avatar figure on xbox. So he spent $20 on digital clothes to dress a cartoon!!! Josh just oozing with empathy apologized, but regrettably he was helpless in refunding the money because it was already spent.
I then said, how is it possible that xbox allows 10 yr old boys to have access to spend money on their parent's credit card? Is there no security, no pop up for a password or way to validate that the owner of the credit card is authorizing the purchase? It took me twenty minutes of security validation to talk to a representative at xbox live, yet my son and apparently anyone who has access to our xbox can freely spend all the money on my credit card!? Again, he excreted his obviously well trained, "I can certainly see how that would be frustrating, let me transfer you to a technical support specialist to adjust your settings on your xbox and see if they can help you prevent this from happening again".
I was put on hold for nearly ten minutes and was transferred to Tristian who quickly apologized, but he specialized in another area of security and could not help me, but that he would transfer me to another specialist who would be able to help me. Another five of six minutes later Joan connected and apologized for the wait. She explained that parental controls are not set as a default and needed to be set by the user. She then walked me through the labyrinth of screens to where the settings were supposed to be. "Huh", she exclaimed, when the setting option was not there. Not only was it not set as a default to protect my credit card from frivolous non-authorized purchases, apparently my xbox was missing the setting all together!
She then exclaimed--"there is no way to block access to purchases on your xbox. The only way to prevent future unwanted purchases is to remove the credit card, which would subsequently cancel Hunter's xbox live account". Fortunately for Hunter there was a way around that, by way of gift cards. Apparently you can buy short term 1-3 month xbox live membership time. All you have to do is redeem the code 16 digit number on the gift card to extend your membership. Joan sent me 4 sixteen digit codes that I had to go into the xbox and once again with a control pad old school painstakingly text them in. Eventually, after over an hour trying to figure out and correct this mess the xbox was finally safe and Hunter could keep his precious xbox live, however, he will be doing so major chores to pay us back!
I just can't believe how purposefully dishonest and predatory Microsoft is! How many millions they must earn everyday by enticing and allowing children to purchase electronic content at their whim on their parent credit cards with no security or restrictions of any kind. How is that even legal? Shame on Microsoft.
I have to admit the technology was really cool. Hunter could enter this vast connected world of friends and kids playing halo. Instead of playing against predictable computer generated opponents by yourself, you could play against really thinking similarly obsessed kids. This is definately a step up from Pacman and Asteroids that I played when I was ten.
When the free month was up for all practical purposes so was Hunter's 'purpose' in life. It was the begining of summer time and he did a lot of moping and complaining--"there's nothing to do, it's to hot to play outside, none of my friends can play, no I don't want to read a book or play with my sister, and you won't let me watch any more TV, please, please, please, let me get xbox live again"!!!! After enough tears and promises Sandra and I agreed to sign Hunter up. [And before you think that we are terrible parents who let our kids waste away their lives playing computer games--He only is allowed to play for an hour or two every other day and only after his chores and summer homework are done].
In typical Microsoft form, you had to give them a credit card number with the only option of automatic renewal. It was my responsibility to remember the renewal date and proactively cancel it before that date if I didn't want it to renew for another year. If I forget I will automatically renew even if I didn't want to. Frustrating, but I had no choice. It took forever to register because I had to enter everything on a game controller through the xbox. Scrolling through the entire alphabet, number pad and symbol pages picking one character at a time like old school texting. Eventually he was in and life was great again. His summer finally had meaning!
Two months had gone by and all was well. Hunter could play but only for short spells and after his daily chores and study time. Then, yesterday morning I received an email stating that $19.95 was charged to my credit card for purchases made on xbox live. "This must be an error", I thought, "there is no way that Hunter could know my password to have purchased anything". At the time I received this he was away at a friend's birthday party so I couldn't ask him about it. So I contacted xbox live support.
I was greeted by Josh who was ever so friendly and empathetic. "I can certainly understand your frustration" he said, and "I've helped a lot of people with similar complaints, let's see what I can do to help resolve your concerns". After about going through 7 layers of security including identifying my name, address, phone number, xbox serial number, last 4 digits of my credit card on file, my User name, and answers to my secret questions that I filled out when registering, Josh was finally able to get access into my account.
We discovered the purchase was for Microsoft Points. These points were like tokens used at Chucky Cheese that could be spent at will at the various money traps in xbox live. Apparently, Hunter was able to purchase these Microsoft points and then spent all of them on different outfits and accessories for his avatar figure on xbox. So he spent $20 on digital clothes to dress a cartoon!!! Josh just oozing with empathy apologized, but regrettably he was helpless in refunding the money because it was already spent.
I then said, how is it possible that xbox allows 10 yr old boys to have access to spend money on their parent's credit card? Is there no security, no pop up for a password or way to validate that the owner of the credit card is authorizing the purchase? It took me twenty minutes of security validation to talk to a representative at xbox live, yet my son and apparently anyone who has access to our xbox can freely spend all the money on my credit card!? Again, he excreted his obviously well trained, "I can certainly see how that would be frustrating, let me transfer you to a technical support specialist to adjust your settings on your xbox and see if they can help you prevent this from happening again".
I was put on hold for nearly ten minutes and was transferred to Tristian who quickly apologized, but he specialized in another area of security and could not help me, but that he would transfer me to another specialist who would be able to help me. Another five of six minutes later Joan connected and apologized for the wait. She explained that parental controls are not set as a default and needed to be set by the user. She then walked me through the labyrinth of screens to where the settings were supposed to be. "Huh", she exclaimed, when the setting option was not there. Not only was it not set as a default to protect my credit card from frivolous non-authorized purchases, apparently my xbox was missing the setting all together!
She then exclaimed--"there is no way to block access to purchases on your xbox. The only way to prevent future unwanted purchases is to remove the credit card, which would subsequently cancel Hunter's xbox live account". Fortunately for Hunter there was a way around that, by way of gift cards. Apparently you can buy short term 1-3 month xbox live membership time. All you have to do is redeem the code 16 digit number on the gift card to extend your membership. Joan sent me 4 sixteen digit codes that I had to go into the xbox and once again with a control pad old school painstakingly text them in. Eventually, after over an hour trying to figure out and correct this mess the xbox was finally safe and Hunter could keep his precious xbox live, however, he will be doing so major chores to pay us back!
I just can't believe how purposefully dishonest and predatory Microsoft is! How many millions they must earn everyday by enticing and allowing children to purchase electronic content at their whim on their parent credit cards with no security or restrictions of any kind. How is that even legal? Shame on Microsoft.
July 31, 2011
Kick the Can
Walls up on every side--such is the case with Washington yet once again. As a country we have moved decisively into political party division. It no longer is about the issues or the people or the inevitability that we are about to fall off a cliff, it's about which party wins.
I heard a recent interview on Fox News where a prominent Republican boldly stated that he hoped things would not go smoothly in the debt crisis debates so as to assure that Obama would not be able to be elected to a second term. He then went further to say he is and will do everything in his power to see that that happens! How absurd! How myopic and partisan, that he would risk plunging our economy into further travail and free fall just so he could point blame and destroy the other party. "Yeah, you messed up and now the world is broken, ha ha we were right". Only to then realize, "oh the world is broken and now it's too late to fix the damage!"
I believe Washington is corrupt on both sides of the aisles. Both hold much blame. Both are to blame for where we stand as a nation today. The debt crisis of today was not created by only one party. Yes we can blame Obama for the latest hemorrhaging of new debt, but every president before him spent and spent. Each acted like a teenager with a credit card, some more responsibly that the others, but ultimately, everyone spent more than they had to pay it back. Each raised the debt ceiling multiple times, each expanded programs and agencies and made promises that can't be paid for. I get sick and tired of the one-sided bantering and attacks. Each party talks as if they were innocent and all the ills of society are the other parties fault. Yet when the Republicans had full control of Washington they didn't use their power and influence to fix the problems, they too kicked the can down the road just as the democrats are trying to do on their watch. The difference is we are getting near the end of the road where an enormous economic cliff is looming.
How much longer can we keep kicking the can?
This is the problem: When news reports, emails or blogs voice extreme opinions and are clearly filled with biased partisanship comments immediately all credibility and debate is lost as rational discussion is inherently impossible. Throwing out vicious accusation and narrow minded comments will automatically cause a reactionary wall blocking communication and progress. This happens on both sides. No one is listening to each other, no one is willing to truly see the other's opinion and compromising is futile. Whatever the debate, it is not about the issue, it is about what party side your fighting for. You want your side to win, regardless.
The path we are on as a country looks grim and I am pointing to both sides. I feel that Obama has made a bigger mess of our country, although it wasn't in very good shape when he inherited it. I believe that Washington needs to come together and invoke real change. But I don't expect to see any. While I think the tea party folks are a bit extremist, they are the only ones really serious about change. Everyone else is just trying to come up with new ways to kick the can down the road a little farther but make it look like the didn't.
Please click on the link below -- it's a visual representation of our nation's debt and worse what is coming. It is mind blowing!
http://usdebt.kleptocracy.us/
Please leave a comment--Thanks for listening
I heard a recent interview on Fox News where a prominent Republican boldly stated that he hoped things would not go smoothly in the debt crisis debates so as to assure that Obama would not be able to be elected to a second term. He then went further to say he is and will do everything in his power to see that that happens! How absurd! How myopic and partisan, that he would risk plunging our economy into further travail and free fall just so he could point blame and destroy the other party. "Yeah, you messed up and now the world is broken, ha ha we were right". Only to then realize, "oh the world is broken and now it's too late to fix the damage!"
I believe Washington is corrupt on both sides of the aisles. Both hold much blame. Both are to blame for where we stand as a nation today. The debt crisis of today was not created by only one party. Yes we can blame Obama for the latest hemorrhaging of new debt, but every president before him spent and spent. Each acted like a teenager with a credit card, some more responsibly that the others, but ultimately, everyone spent more than they had to pay it back. Each raised the debt ceiling multiple times, each expanded programs and agencies and made promises that can't be paid for. I get sick and tired of the one-sided bantering and attacks. Each party talks as if they were innocent and all the ills of society are the other parties fault. Yet when the Republicans had full control of Washington they didn't use their power and influence to fix the problems, they too kicked the can down the road just as the democrats are trying to do on their watch. The difference is we are getting near the end of the road where an enormous economic cliff is looming.
How much longer can we keep kicking the can?
This is the problem: When news reports, emails or blogs voice extreme opinions and are clearly filled with biased partisanship comments immediately all credibility and debate is lost as rational discussion is inherently impossible. Throwing out vicious accusation and narrow minded comments will automatically cause a reactionary wall blocking communication and progress. This happens on both sides. No one is listening to each other, no one is willing to truly see the other's opinion and compromising is futile. Whatever the debate, it is not about the issue, it is about what party side your fighting for. You want your side to win, regardless.
The path we are on as a country looks grim and I am pointing to both sides. I feel that Obama has made a bigger mess of our country, although it wasn't in very good shape when he inherited it. I believe that Washington needs to come together and invoke real change. But I don't expect to see any. While I think the tea party folks are a bit extremist, they are the only ones really serious about change. Everyone else is just trying to come up with new ways to kick the can down the road a little farther but make it look like the didn't.
Please click on the link below -- it's a visual representation of our nation's debt and worse what is coming. It is mind blowing!
http://usdebt.kleptocracy.us/
Please leave a comment--Thanks for listening
July 14, 2011
Our future with an extra side of bacon
Last night on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart they ran a bit on the rampant pandemic of obesity in America. With every state in the country reporting that a minimum of 20% of their residents were obese, except Colorado who reported 19.8%, thats 1 out of every 5 people. Worse in some southern states they averaged over 30%, thats 1 out of every 3 people who are not just overweight but medically lopping over into the aisle OBESITY!!!.
They then panned to a recent advertisement from Wendy's introducing "The Baconator":
It's a real mystery that we are all fat. Garbage, sugar and lard stuffed in a ridiculous excuse for a meal. I found the following (edited) review on this nutritional insult:
Review: Wendy's Baconator by Jeff Kay
It was like I was 18 again, and buying birth control at the hometown Rite-Aid. I felt the same mixture of exhilaration, panic, and shame as I walked to the counter. I was terrified somebody might see me, a neighbor or a family friend, and adrenaline was pumping… wherever adrenaline pumps.
”Um, I’ll take a Baconator,” I mumbled down the front of my shirt collar.
”WHAT?!” the snaggle-toothed cashier bellowed.
”Baconator,” I repeated, already a little rattled and losing my nerve. I knew if all this shouting continued I’d probably just make a run for it, and leave my car in the parking lot until after closing time.
But she processed my order without further incident, and in a couple of minutes I was handed a white sack with a shockingly heavy weight to it. And I walked out the door feeling naughty.
The Baconator, in case you’re not aware, is Wendy’s new Screw You hamburger, aimed directly at a demographic that wants to get all defiant with its fast food.
Tired of the suffocating healthy-living propaganda, and light choices and whatnot, there’s a considerable number of people who respond to items which blatantly stick a thumb in the collective eye of hand-wringers and crybabies everywhere. And if it halts your heart, well mister, that’s just the way it goes… You’ve got to stand up for what you believe in.
I’m not really one of the Screw You guys. Not yet, anyway. I still feel slightly guilty when I order something I know is loaded with fat. And contrary to popular belief, I give such things at least a passing consideration.
But when I saw the advance advertising for the Baconator, I knew I had to have one. At least one.
This baby features two quarter-pound beef patties, each breaded in salt, two thick slabs of American cheese, six(!) slices of hickory-smoked bacon, mayonnaise and ketchup… and not a single thing that’s healthy.
Heck, there’s not even a single thin slice of tomato on there, because, I suspect, the Baconator framers felt it might whimpified the situation, and maybe alienate the Screw You crowd.
So I took the disgraceful thing home and unwrapped it. And it was a little smaller than anticipated; it was no larger than a regular Wendy’s Double, or something like that. But boy, was it dense. It’s like some kind of optical illusion. You see it and subconsciously calculate its weight. But when you pick it up you find that it’s impossibly heavy.
And here’s the insidious part: it's good. Real good. Oh man, I enjoyed every last bite of that bunker-busting, colon-choking hamburger. I have no doubt half of it’s still clinging to the walls of my beleaguered bowels, likely furry and fluttering by now, and that my heart is probably starting to resemble a stuffed pepper at this point. But I wasn’t caring about any of that as I lifted that beautiful, delicious burger to my quivering lips. It’s all about the rush, man.
But since then I’ve been doing a bit of research, and have uncovered some amazing information. For instance, did you know that the Wendy’s Baconator has roughly the same amount of fat grams as 10 Dolly Madison Zingers, 3 orders of cheese fries, 22 Oreo Cookies, 51 cups of Froot Loops, or 1 entire Sara Lee Frozen Cheescake [51 g Fat]? Apparently it’s true.
And were you aware it serves up about the same number of calories as 4 Krispy Cream doughnuts [930 calories]? Or that it contains approximately the same amount of sodium as 180 Pringles potato chips or 132 Doritos [1920 mg Sodium]? 180!!
In addition to the information above, it appears a person would have to do 78 minutes of non-stop vigorous jumping jacks, or walk at 3.5 mph for 2 hours and 45 minutes, to work off the number of calories in that outrageous burger.
But, of course, I didn't do any of that nonsense. I just ate the thing (along with a Coke and a full order of fries), wiped the grease off my face, my hands, the table, the chair, the credenza, and all the windows on the first floor, then got on the internet for the rest of the day.
And I give the Wendy's Baconator a solid B+."
Wow and this is just one sandwich at one fast food restaurant. Literally everywhere you go there are companies ready to sell you unhealthy garbage that is bad for you because there is a growing class of lethargic, overstimulated, underworked and exercised, entitled society burdening blight of humanity that will buy it. These irresponsible adults are propagating their carelessness and unreserved sloth onto their children:
Some are actually proud of it!
This brings to mind images from the computer animated movie Wall-E where human society has become so inactive and addicted to superficial entertainment that they have lost the use of their legs and travel everywhere on robotic loungers with in-built entertainment systems and all grew immensely obese.
Welcome to the future…!
July 7, 2011
Backwards Clarity
Recently Sandra posed the question, "Do you have a testimony of wearing garments?" It took me a bit off guard. I hesitantly replied, "Truthfully, I don't ever really think about them. I wear them because we are supposed to wear them, but I don't really have a testimony about garments. I promised I would wear them and I do". She then asked, "Do you think it's bad if someone who has gone through the temple decides to stop wearing their garments?" My knee-jerk response was, "Yes, I think it's wrong to stop wearing them". I know they are unbelievably unattractive, ill-fitting, and often disgustingly stained and frayed beyond words. That being said, besides the bold personal statement of recanting a sacred promise and turning contrary to church policy and standards, I had to ask myself "what really is the purpose of wearing them"?
Today, Sandra and I were invited to attend the temple with her family. They wanted to do initiatories and it was a wonderful experience. At the end of each rotation we received the authorization to wear garments for the person we were going through for. After describing the promised blessings for faithfully wearing them, they warned that these blessings were only available so long as we did not defile our garments AND that we kept the other covenants we made in the temple.
After our sessions were over, me, Steve (my Father-in-law) and Zack (my Brother-in-law) sat in the temple waiting room and began to talk about our experiences and I brought up the question, "What do you think it means that our garments will be a protection against the destroyer"? We discussed variously debated replies, such as a literal shield protecting you from harm (ie. fire, danger…) to a continual reminder of the covenants you have made and person you ought to be.
Then my father-in-law brought up a really profound thought. He said, the first conversation from heaven after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden was from an angel who asked, "Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me" (Moses 5:6). You see, even Adam and Eve didn't know the 'why's' about everything they were asked to do. Steve then said, I have found throughout my life that you just do what God asks you to do, even if you don't understand why right now. Eventually the day will come when you look back on your life and exclaim, "I am so glad I was obedient, because God blessed me in so many ways that at the time I never could have fathomed the blessings I would have gained and while I did not understand then, I understand now and the reasons are as clear as day."
He then used the example of tithing. The promise is if you pay your tithing, God will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessings so grand that we wouldn't have enough room to receive it (Malachi 3:10). For those of us who begin paying our tithing for the first time, it was scary and the blessings uncertain. What are the blessings going to be? I could really use the extra money, but paying tithing doesn't guarantee money, or health, or prosperity? However, in time, you see God's hand in your life. You look back clearly on your life and see how often He has intervened in your behalf. Then, you couldn't fathom not paying your tithing, for the blessings far outweigh the sacrifice.
Upon leaving the temple I discussed our conversation with Sandra. She too was impressed and found answers while serving in the temple and shared her inspiration with me. She felt that for her, wearing the garments is an outward manifestation of an inward commitment and that wearing garments gives us protection against the world and evil because we have already inwardly committed to not be a part of the world and evil. Deciding not to wear the garment is more than the mere decision of fashion or comfort; it is the outward manifestation of a collapsing inward commitment and testimony.
I am grateful for Sandra challenging me to deeply consider a part of my testimony that I hadn't developed or even considered for that matter. I am also grateful for the temple, scriptures, prayer and family where we can go to find answers and nurture our testimonies. For the first time in my life I can say I wear garments not just because I am supposed to, but because I want to declare (even if it's just to myself) my inward testimony that I will not be of this world and that I will be obedient and faithful even when I do not fully understand. I acknowledge that I do not understand all of God's ways (maybe not even most!), but I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I know the day will come when I will be able to look back at my well-worn life and see God's hand clearly. At that day I will be so grateful that I chose to be obedient even when I didn't understand.
Today, Sandra and I were invited to attend the temple with her family. They wanted to do initiatories and it was a wonderful experience. At the end of each rotation we received the authorization to wear garments for the person we were going through for. After describing the promised blessings for faithfully wearing them, they warned that these blessings were only available so long as we did not defile our garments AND that we kept the other covenants we made in the temple.
After our sessions were over, me, Steve (my Father-in-law) and Zack (my Brother-in-law) sat in the temple waiting room and began to talk about our experiences and I brought up the question, "What do you think it means that our garments will be a protection against the destroyer"? We discussed variously debated replies, such as a literal shield protecting you from harm (ie. fire, danger…) to a continual reminder of the covenants you have made and person you ought to be.
Then my father-in-law brought up a really profound thought. He said, the first conversation from heaven after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden was from an angel who asked, "Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me" (Moses 5:6). You see, even Adam and Eve didn't know the 'why's' about everything they were asked to do. Steve then said, I have found throughout my life that you just do what God asks you to do, even if you don't understand why right now. Eventually the day will come when you look back on your life and exclaim, "I am so glad I was obedient, because God blessed me in so many ways that at the time I never could have fathomed the blessings I would have gained and while I did not understand then, I understand now and the reasons are as clear as day."
He then used the example of tithing. The promise is if you pay your tithing, God will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessings so grand that we wouldn't have enough room to receive it (Malachi 3:10). For those of us who begin paying our tithing for the first time, it was scary and the blessings uncertain. What are the blessings going to be? I could really use the extra money, but paying tithing doesn't guarantee money, or health, or prosperity? However, in time, you see God's hand in your life. You look back clearly on your life and see how often He has intervened in your behalf. Then, you couldn't fathom not paying your tithing, for the blessings far outweigh the sacrifice.
Upon leaving the temple I discussed our conversation with Sandra. She too was impressed and found answers while serving in the temple and shared her inspiration with me. She felt that for her, wearing the garments is an outward manifestation of an inward commitment and that wearing garments gives us protection against the world and evil because we have already inwardly committed to not be a part of the world and evil. Deciding not to wear the garment is more than the mere decision of fashion or comfort; it is the outward manifestation of a collapsing inward commitment and testimony.
I am grateful for Sandra challenging me to deeply consider a part of my testimony that I hadn't developed or even considered for that matter. I am also grateful for the temple, scriptures, prayer and family where we can go to find answers and nurture our testimonies. For the first time in my life I can say I wear garments not just because I am supposed to, but because I want to declare (even if it's just to myself) my inward testimony that I will not be of this world and that I will be obedient and faithful even when I do not fully understand. I acknowledge that I do not understand all of God's ways (maybe not even most!), but I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I know the day will come when I will be able to look back at my well-worn life and see God's hand clearly. At that day I will be so grateful that I chose to be obedient even when I didn't understand.
May 8, 2011
Mother Conundrum
A fictitious argument at the beginning of time:
Adam and Eve are placed on the Earth. Adam is given dominion over the Earth and given Eve as his help meet--meaning his EQUAL companion and partner. Then one day, Adam is given the patriarchal priesthood and it is revealed that to maintain wisdom and order, Eve should harken him as he harkens to God. Adam blissfully and obliviously relays the message to Eve. To which she replies, "Say what? What did you just say to me? I harken to you?! Why can't you harken to me and i'll harken to God? What happened to 'equal partners'? You know Adam, you are my help meet too, not just me yours?" To which Adam then tries to back peddle and explain to Eve, "No, no you are taking this all wrong, we ARE equals, BUT…" Which of course, sets Eve off further, exclaiming, "Great logic Adam! We are 'equals' as long as I'm just a little bit less important than you? We are equal because I can have babies while you hold the priesthood? Yet when you use your priesthood, it's all about you--'Look at me! The righteous valiant husband'! And when I have a baby, suddenly, it's no longer MY thing, it's OUR baby or even it's YOUR baby), as if I am just an oven for you to bake your world-famous baby-loafs in! Yes, Adam I said that, 'baby-loafs'! We are equals as long as you get all the credit for our successes and I get the credit when we fail? Yeah, you know what i'm talking about…you know I figured it out first and was the only one brave enough to eat the fruit. Yet, as you wrote it, I was deceived. But you FELL? It's not called the Fall of Eve, is it? Nooooooooo, it's the Fall of 'Adam'--it was Adam's big day-- like you would have ever figured it out on your own! If it wasn't for me, you would still be wandering around aimlessly in the garden. Not to mention, I do a heck of a lot more for this family then simply 'begatting'. Seriously Adam, all you ever write about me in that journal of yours is Eve begat Able and Eve begat Cain, begat, begat, begat…. I am more than just your begatting machine! Speaking of which, 'this begatting machine has a 'headache' for the next foreseeable future--now harken that!" And thus began earth's first marital argument which continues even today from one couple to another as it has throughout history.
Mother Eve discovered what every other women has felt since: under-appreciated, under-recognized, under-utilized, under-rewarded, over-worked and completely misunderstood by the men in her life.
Today is Mother's Day. A day reserved to honor the women in our lives. If there is one thing I have learned from Sandra it's that nobody has the ability to make a woman feel more inconsequential than an ignorant man's attempt to celebrate womanhood and motherhood. Since the creation of Eve, men have tried to honor the women in their lives, but most ultimately fail. It is not that they do not love their wives or mothers, but it's their utter lack of understanding of who these women really are. They fail to define them for who they are on the inside as individuals, but rather by the things they do in their role as a mother or wife. It's these simplistic preconceived notions mixed with naive belittling or derogatory comments that garnish society's opinions about women, making women's stomachs turn when their celebrational honors comes up short.
After 6,000 years here are a few things men still don't understand:
1. Women resent being told they are equal or just as important while the world vastly treats them as inferior or less important. This is true wether they are being paid less, being charged more, assuming their passive consent or even receiving smaller portions at a restaurant. The truth is seen in the actions. It's like the person in authority in church that says all callings are equally important--that it doesn't matter if you are called to be a nursery leader or a stake president. Yet, when was the last time you had a sacrament meeting devoted to those forgotten souls trapped in the nursery or library? Equal? I think the preponderance of praise heaped upon those leaders at the podium and the near complete obscurity of those locked in the nursery with screaming two year olds tells the real truth. Yet, I believe those stalwart men and women who endure spiritual-less Sunday after Sunday, serving in the trenches are perhaps actually giving a more noble sacrifice. Like nursery leaders & library workers, Mother's in general are under-appreciated, under-estimated, and underpriced. Offering them one day a year to contemplate all they do and sacrifice is a pittance of what they deserve. Oh, wait. They get a piece of fudge or petunia flower--so I guess that makes us all even!
2. Women detest hearing the accolades of other amazing mothers and women as this only reinforces their own feelings of inadequacy and failure. Regardless of the absurdity of this and how inaccurate their conclusions may be, men must realize that nobody puts more pressure on themselves to succeed than Mother's already do and the last thing they need to hear is how some other Mother (no matter how noble) did something better than they have done.
3. Women do not want to hear your expectations. Unlike men, most women are valiant. They overwhelmingly seem to choose the better good. They frequently sacrifice their wants for the needs of others. They already have high expectations for themselves and so what they really need is our support and appreciation, not your wish lists!
4. Women do not want to be recognized as having their only purpose being their ability to have babies and their willingness to clean or cook. Sandra dreads attending Sacrament meetings on Mother's Day. It is probably the saddest and most pathetic church day of the year. Invariably, there is always one or more youth speaker, or worse, a husband whose talk begins with, "Well I kind of forgot about having to give a talk, until my mom/wife reminded me this morning, so here I go. . . First I want my mom/wife to know how much I appreciate her, because she, like, cleans my room and makes me breakfast and things like that, yeah she's pretty cool I guess." Wow. Really?! That is why you love them? That is just "deep". Attention men! Women are more than a uterus with a broom! How pathetic. Open your eyes and see them for who they are. Define them not by how they grovel to serve you, but why they are willing to serve you. It starts by realizing that MOMS ARE PEOPLE TOO! Just because they often sacrifice everything in their lives to make everyone else happy, there is a real individual inside. A wonderful unique person who has more to offer this world than making peanut butter sandwiches and changing diapers--if they are only allowed to fly. I say, help the women in your life achieve their dreams. Support them, listen to them, and get out of their ways and let them soar!
Seldom in this world do we find successful men who are not surrounded by wonderful women. Why is this? I think it is the fact that they have found as did Adam of old: Harkening to our wives and mothers can make all the difference in the world!
Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful women in my life. I love you all.
Adam and Eve are placed on the Earth. Adam is given dominion over the Earth and given Eve as his help meet--meaning his EQUAL companion and partner. Then one day, Adam is given the patriarchal priesthood and it is revealed that to maintain wisdom and order, Eve should harken him as he harkens to God. Adam blissfully and obliviously relays the message to Eve. To which she replies, "Say what? What did you just say to me? I harken to you?! Why can't you harken to me and i'll harken to God? What happened to 'equal partners'? You know Adam, you are my help meet too, not just me yours?" To which Adam then tries to back peddle and explain to Eve, "No, no you are taking this all wrong, we ARE equals, BUT…" Which of course, sets Eve off further, exclaiming, "Great logic Adam! We are 'equals' as long as I'm just a little bit less important than you? We are equal because I can have babies while you hold the priesthood? Yet when you use your priesthood, it's all about you--'Look at me! The righteous valiant husband'! And when I have a baby, suddenly, it's no longer MY thing, it's OUR baby or even it's YOUR baby), as if I am just an oven for you to bake your world-famous baby-loafs in! Yes, Adam I said that, 'baby-loafs'! We are equals as long as you get all the credit for our successes and I get the credit when we fail? Yeah, you know what i'm talking about…you know I figured it out first and was the only one brave enough to eat the fruit. Yet, as you wrote it, I was deceived. But you FELL? It's not called the Fall of Eve, is it? Nooooooooo, it's the Fall of 'Adam'--it was Adam's big day-- like you would have ever figured it out on your own! If it wasn't for me, you would still be wandering around aimlessly in the garden. Not to mention, I do a heck of a lot more for this family then simply 'begatting'. Seriously Adam, all you ever write about me in that journal of yours is Eve begat Able and Eve begat Cain, begat, begat, begat…. I am more than just your begatting machine! Speaking of which, 'this begatting machine has a 'headache' for the next foreseeable future--now harken that!" And thus began earth's first marital argument which continues even today from one couple to another as it has throughout history.
Mother Eve discovered what every other women has felt since: under-appreciated, under-recognized, under-utilized, under-rewarded, over-worked and completely misunderstood by the men in her life.
Today is Mother's Day. A day reserved to honor the women in our lives. If there is one thing I have learned from Sandra it's that nobody has the ability to make a woman feel more inconsequential than an ignorant man's attempt to celebrate womanhood and motherhood. Since the creation of Eve, men have tried to honor the women in their lives, but most ultimately fail. It is not that they do not love their wives or mothers, but it's their utter lack of understanding of who these women really are. They fail to define them for who they are on the inside as individuals, but rather by the things they do in their role as a mother or wife. It's these simplistic preconceived notions mixed with naive belittling or derogatory comments that garnish society's opinions about women, making women's stomachs turn when their celebrational honors comes up short.
After 6,000 years here are a few things men still don't understand:
1. Women resent being told they are equal or just as important while the world vastly treats them as inferior or less important. This is true wether they are being paid less, being charged more, assuming their passive consent or even receiving smaller portions at a restaurant. The truth is seen in the actions. It's like the person in authority in church that says all callings are equally important--that it doesn't matter if you are called to be a nursery leader or a stake president. Yet, when was the last time you had a sacrament meeting devoted to those forgotten souls trapped in the nursery or library? Equal? I think the preponderance of praise heaped upon those leaders at the podium and the near complete obscurity of those locked in the nursery with screaming two year olds tells the real truth. Yet, I believe those stalwart men and women who endure spiritual-less Sunday after Sunday, serving in the trenches are perhaps actually giving a more noble sacrifice. Like nursery leaders & library workers, Mother's in general are under-appreciated, under-estimated, and underpriced. Offering them one day a year to contemplate all they do and sacrifice is a pittance of what they deserve. Oh, wait. They get a piece of fudge or petunia flower--so I guess that makes us all even!
2. Women detest hearing the accolades of other amazing mothers and women as this only reinforces their own feelings of inadequacy and failure. Regardless of the absurdity of this and how inaccurate their conclusions may be, men must realize that nobody puts more pressure on themselves to succeed than Mother's already do and the last thing they need to hear is how some other Mother (no matter how noble) did something better than they have done.
3. Women do not want to hear your expectations. Unlike men, most women are valiant. They overwhelmingly seem to choose the better good. They frequently sacrifice their wants for the needs of others. They already have high expectations for themselves and so what they really need is our support and appreciation, not your wish lists!
4. Women do not want to be recognized as having their only purpose being their ability to have babies and their willingness to clean or cook. Sandra dreads attending Sacrament meetings on Mother's Day. It is probably the saddest and most pathetic church day of the year. Invariably, there is always one or more youth speaker, or worse, a husband whose talk begins with, "Well I kind of forgot about having to give a talk, until my mom/wife reminded me this morning, so here I go. . . First I want my mom/wife to know how much I appreciate her, because she, like, cleans my room and makes me breakfast and things like that, yeah she's pretty cool I guess." Wow. Really?! That is why you love them? That is just "deep". Attention men! Women are more than a uterus with a broom! How pathetic. Open your eyes and see them for who they are. Define them not by how they grovel to serve you, but why they are willing to serve you. It starts by realizing that MOMS ARE PEOPLE TOO! Just because they often sacrifice everything in their lives to make everyone else happy, there is a real individual inside. A wonderful unique person who has more to offer this world than making peanut butter sandwiches and changing diapers--if they are only allowed to fly. I say, help the women in your life achieve their dreams. Support them, listen to them, and get out of their ways and let them soar!
Seldom in this world do we find successful men who are not surrounded by wonderful women. Why is this? I think it is the fact that they have found as did Adam of old: Harkening to our wives and mothers can make all the difference in the world!
Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful women in my life. I love you all.
April 24, 2011
Wisdom in a word
I recently attended a free lecture by a certified personal trainer on 'How to get a flatter stomach and why we can not ever seem to loose weight in our trouble spots'. He introduced a lot of 'science' that I have never heard before, but it seemed to ring true and has inspired me to make a few changes in my nutritional life. The following is a summary of what was said (some of what is common knowledge, but I will include it all to be complete). Then, I will share what I am going to do about what I learned.
First, Never ever DIET. That is to say, starve yourself on a pittance of calories in order to lose weight. Yes you will initially and invariably lose weight, but most of it will be muscle mass, not fat. You will inevitably gain weight back again (and maybe more than before) and this will be fat. Therefore, all your starvation diet will do for you is replace useful muscle for more unwanted jiggle!
Second, Eat healthier. No rocket science here. Eat more whole grains, organic is better, avoid highly processed foods, two legged or less meats are healthier than four legged meats-more lean, easier for your body to process (ie. chicken, turkey, fish vs. pork, beef), avoid fast foods [Side note: did you know nutritionally speaking a McDonald's Big Mac is classified as a dessert?! There is sugar in every aspect of the sandwich, in the meat, in the bun, in the cheese, even a sugar spray over the lettuce, no wonder a small hamburger can be 1,000 calories!!! He then went on to list several other often enjoyed foods that do the same = pump their product with sugar, to make them tastier and more addictive].
Third, Exercise. Interestingly, we only need 3 or 4 times a week of good sweat producing exercise for 20-30 minutes to stay healthy and get fit (focused on Cardio vs. weights based on fitness goals). More is better, but 3 or 4 is sufficient.
Fourth, and here is the new stuff (at least for me)--Maintain a good internal ph balance. When we were born internally we had a ph of 7.3 (on a scale of 0 = Most acidic and 14 most basic or alkaline). Our body and blood wants to be around ph of 7.35, however most of what we put into our bodies tips the scale to acidity. Our poor liver has to process everything we eat and drink including detoxifying all the acids we ingest.
In relation to area specific weight loss, this is why acidity is bad: The liver can only process so much. If there is more need than capacity, the extra acidity remains in the blood stream, in attempts to keep the blood at ph 7.35 the body then diffuses it into the lymph. When the lymph nodes get too saturated it then leaks out into the surrounding tissues. These acids then bathe around the local fat cells and start etching their surfaces. In a protective response the body creates a watery slim layer to prevent harm to our fat cells.
Our body uses fat cells as a storage facility for future energy. Thus if you work out enough all your fat cells should melt away and become energy. So why can't we lose weight in certain areas, no matter how much we exercise? Answer: the body can not recognize the fat cells as energy sources that are covered with that protective watery slim coat. Thus they are never touched and we remain fat! [Interesting side note: Men have a greater collection of lymph nodes under their chin and in their abdomen, women have a larger collection in their thighs, butt and under arms, thus we see a preponderance of sex-specific 'trouble areas'].
In general most grains, dairy products, meats, seeds, legumes and nuts tend to have an acid ash. Most fruits and vegetables tend to have an alkaline ash. Note: some fruits such as orange juice and lemon juice are acidic in their natural state but turn alkaline after they have been metabolized in the body, where as cranberries, plums and prunes are classified as acidic because they contain acids the body can't metabolize.
The instructor laid his strongest case against Soda Pop (ph 1.5), Coffee (ph 0.8), Alcohol (ph 0.5) and everything that contained a lot of highly processed sugars.
What is the solution: To lower our general blood acidity level, so the watery-slim layer can go away and our exercising can uniformly remove our fat--including our trouble areas.
Pure water has a ph of 7.0. As a college professor once told me, "the solution to pollution is dilution". Lots of water will bring everything toward neutral ph.
Eat more fruits and vegetables, especially Bananas, Figs, Orange Juice, Potatoes, Spinach and Watermelon. Also note: Chocolate is very Alkaline!!!
So what am I doing: I will continue to exercise 3 times a week + I am giving up soda pop, desserts (sugar), four legged meat (beef, pork), I avoid most fast food, and I eat much more fruits and vegetables. Now that is not to say I have given up on the good things completely. If I go to cafe rio, i'm getting the pork. If I go to five guys or Crown burger I'm getting a cheeseburger. If it's a special occasion i'll have a dessert. I might even steal a sip of my wife's diet coke at a restaurant. Also, I will never give up chocolate. I just want to be an overall healthier person and who knows this might even lead me to get a six pack someday.
I do not know how much of this is really true science, but it sounds true and even if it turns out not to be I think I will be healthier by living it. It is interesting how much overlap this lecture had on the word of wisdom: Avoid Coffee, tea, tobacco, eat whole grains, eat meat sparingly…Very interesting. Maybe the 'word' in the word of wisdom is ph?
First, Never ever DIET. That is to say, starve yourself on a pittance of calories in order to lose weight. Yes you will initially and invariably lose weight, but most of it will be muscle mass, not fat. You will inevitably gain weight back again (and maybe more than before) and this will be fat. Therefore, all your starvation diet will do for you is replace useful muscle for more unwanted jiggle!
Second, Eat healthier. No rocket science here. Eat more whole grains, organic is better, avoid highly processed foods, two legged or less meats are healthier than four legged meats-more lean, easier for your body to process (ie. chicken, turkey, fish vs. pork, beef), avoid fast foods [Side note: did you know nutritionally speaking a McDonald's Big Mac is classified as a dessert?! There is sugar in every aspect of the sandwich, in the meat, in the bun, in the cheese, even a sugar spray over the lettuce, no wonder a small hamburger can be 1,000 calories!!! He then went on to list several other often enjoyed foods that do the same = pump their product with sugar, to make them tastier and more addictive].
Third, Exercise. Interestingly, we only need 3 or 4 times a week of good sweat producing exercise for 20-30 minutes to stay healthy and get fit (focused on Cardio vs. weights based on fitness goals). More is better, but 3 or 4 is sufficient.
Fourth, and here is the new stuff (at least for me)--Maintain a good internal ph balance. When we were born internally we had a ph of 7.3 (on a scale of 0 = Most acidic and 14 most basic or alkaline). Our body and blood wants to be around ph of 7.35, however most of what we put into our bodies tips the scale to acidity. Our poor liver has to process everything we eat and drink including detoxifying all the acids we ingest.
In relation to area specific weight loss, this is why acidity is bad: The liver can only process so much. If there is more need than capacity, the extra acidity remains in the blood stream, in attempts to keep the blood at ph 7.35 the body then diffuses it into the lymph. When the lymph nodes get too saturated it then leaks out into the surrounding tissues. These acids then bathe around the local fat cells and start etching their surfaces. In a protective response the body creates a watery slim layer to prevent harm to our fat cells.
Our body uses fat cells as a storage facility for future energy. Thus if you work out enough all your fat cells should melt away and become energy. So why can't we lose weight in certain areas, no matter how much we exercise? Answer: the body can not recognize the fat cells as energy sources that are covered with that protective watery slim coat. Thus they are never touched and we remain fat! [Interesting side note: Men have a greater collection of lymph nodes under their chin and in their abdomen, women have a larger collection in their thighs, butt and under arms, thus we see a preponderance of sex-specific 'trouble areas'].
In general most grains, dairy products, meats, seeds, legumes and nuts tend to have an acid ash. Most fruits and vegetables tend to have an alkaline ash. Note: some fruits such as orange juice and lemon juice are acidic in their natural state but turn alkaline after they have been metabolized in the body, where as cranberries, plums and prunes are classified as acidic because they contain acids the body can't metabolize.
The instructor laid his strongest case against Soda Pop (ph 1.5), Coffee (ph 0.8), Alcohol (ph 0.5) and everything that contained a lot of highly processed sugars.
What is the solution: To lower our general blood acidity level, so the watery-slim layer can go away and our exercising can uniformly remove our fat--including our trouble areas.
Pure water has a ph of 7.0. As a college professor once told me, "the solution to pollution is dilution". Lots of water will bring everything toward neutral ph.
Eat more fruits and vegetables, especially Bananas, Figs, Orange Juice, Potatoes, Spinach and Watermelon. Also note: Chocolate is very Alkaline!!!
So what am I doing: I will continue to exercise 3 times a week + I am giving up soda pop, desserts (sugar), four legged meat (beef, pork), I avoid most fast food, and I eat much more fruits and vegetables. Now that is not to say I have given up on the good things completely. If I go to cafe rio, i'm getting the pork. If I go to five guys or Crown burger I'm getting a cheeseburger. If it's a special occasion i'll have a dessert. I might even steal a sip of my wife's diet coke at a restaurant. Also, I will never give up chocolate. I just want to be an overall healthier person and who knows this might even lead me to get a six pack someday.
I do not know how much of this is really true science, but it sounds true and even if it turns out not to be I think I will be healthier by living it. It is interesting how much overlap this lecture had on the word of wisdom: Avoid Coffee, tea, tobacco, eat whole grains, eat meat sparingly…Very interesting. Maybe the 'word' in the word of wisdom is ph?
March 13, 2011
Life Uncertain
Sandra and I just watched a movie called, “The next three days” with Russell Crowe which is about a family torn apart when his wife is falsely accused of murder and imprisoned for life. The next morning we see on the television about the fifth largest earthquake in recorded history which hit Japan and devastate their country. Then, you think about the events over the last several years of economic collapse and corruption. Suddenly after a lifetime of working and saving people’s hard-earned savings vanish overnight. In a split second our ‘world’ can be ripped out from under us: A drunk driver slams into oncoming traffic killing a father of four. An all-star athlete plays the game of their life only to get sucker hit in the fourth quarter leaving him paralyzed for life. A wife finds out her husband is unfaithful and abandons their family. A child disappears without a trace. A random act of violence destroys ones inner confidence and leads to a life time of depression and failure. A flash flood destroys a home whose insurance policy doesn’t cover ‘acts of God’. A doctor informs another that their child has an incurable and debilitating medical condition. The list could go on forever.
We spend our entire lives trying to organize ourselves and the world around us. We try to create a life that is predictable and safe. But what real control do we have? We each have free agency to make our own decisions, but so does everyone else and their choices ultimately DO affect us. We each rely on the basic laws of nature to get through our daily routine, but sometimes those same impersonal laws destroy the very safety we counted on them to protect. In the end, we really have very little control of this life. So what can we do?
First, We can choose to be prepared. Nobody knows what is coming. Nobody can have planned for every possible contingency. But there are a lot of ‘probables’ in life--common occurrences that may cross our path. It is the wise man/women who conscientiously and in proper moderation is prepared: Savings, Insurances, Education, Friends/Family (good relationships to lean on), Testimony and Temple ordinances, Low debt, Skills, etc… Often if prepared, disaster can strike and devastating consequences can be avoided or greatly minimized.
Second, We can choose how we react. We might not be able to prevent the actions of others (or nature) from affecting us, but we do have the ability to decide how we will react to such unfortunate circumstances. We can choose to stay in control of ourselves. We can choose to be the ‘Masters of our fate and the captain of our souls’.
Third, We can choose what we believe. Faith in God can comfort us when we find ourselves in ‘wild tempests’. The classic line spoken by Christ after the panicked Apostles feared for their lives taught us that storms come and go, but to those who believe they may have peace.
Fourth, We can choose to positively influence others. There are three types of people. Those who lift, those who serve only themselves and those who pull down. We can be the light, the beacon of light on top the hill to others who are struggling. Wouldn’t we all want someone to be there to life us up or to provide us succor in our times of need. We can and should prepare ourselves to be available and willing to help others in need.
In the end, this life is but a fleeting moment of our eternity. Most things in life won’t be missed after we are gone. Only those things that really matter, namely family, relationships, and our testimony, but these things can be eternal. No man-made or natural disaster can break our temple sealings or our testimonies unless WE choose them to be destroyed by OUR actions or inactions. This life is precious and precarious all in one. I am grateful, to know in whom I have trusted, in whose arm never faileth, and who will someday call me home to dwell with Him and all that I love in safety and peace and unfathomable joy.
We spend our entire lives trying to organize ourselves and the world around us. We try to create a life that is predictable and safe. But what real control do we have? We each have free agency to make our own decisions, but so does everyone else and their choices ultimately DO affect us. We each rely on the basic laws of nature to get through our daily routine, but sometimes those same impersonal laws destroy the very safety we counted on them to protect. In the end, we really have very little control of this life. So what can we do?
First, We can choose to be prepared. Nobody knows what is coming. Nobody can have planned for every possible contingency. But there are a lot of ‘probables’ in life--common occurrences that may cross our path. It is the wise man/women who conscientiously and in proper moderation is prepared: Savings, Insurances, Education, Friends/Family (good relationships to lean on), Testimony and Temple ordinances, Low debt, Skills, etc… Often if prepared, disaster can strike and devastating consequences can be avoided or greatly minimized.
Second, We can choose how we react. We might not be able to prevent the actions of others (or nature) from affecting us, but we do have the ability to decide how we will react to such unfortunate circumstances. We can choose to stay in control of ourselves. We can choose to be the ‘Masters of our fate and the captain of our souls’.
A great example of this is President Nelson Mandela (Madiba) who was falsely branded as a terrorist and spent 27 years of his life as a political prisoner breaking stones in a limestone quarry. He survived his ordeal in part because of adhering to the convictions of his favorite poem that he had written on a scrap of paper in his prison cell. It reads:
Invictus
(Unconquered)
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
William Ernest Henley (1875)
Third, We can choose what we believe. Faith in God can comfort us when we find ourselves in ‘wild tempests’. The classic line spoken by Christ after the panicked Apostles feared for their lives taught us that storms come and go, but to those who believe they may have peace.
Mark 4:37-39 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he (Jesus) was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Not all storms pass instantly. We may be asked to carry several crosses throughout our lives, so of which will be burdens throughout our life. But we are not alone, we can have peace in our hearts and God’s assistance to press forward with faith.Fourth, We can choose to positively influence others. There are three types of people. Those who lift, those who serve only themselves and those who pull down. We can be the light, the beacon of light on top the hill to others who are struggling. Wouldn’t we all want someone to be there to life us up or to provide us succor in our times of need. We can and should prepare ourselves to be available and willing to help others in need.
In the end, this life is but a fleeting moment of our eternity. Most things in life won’t be missed after we are gone. Only those things that really matter, namely family, relationships, and our testimony, but these things can be eternal. No man-made or natural disaster can break our temple sealings or our testimonies unless WE choose them to be destroyed by OUR actions or inactions. This life is precious and precarious all in one. I am grateful, to know in whom I have trusted, in whose arm never faileth, and who will someday call me home to dwell with Him and all that I love in safety and peace and unfathomable joy.
February 27, 2011
God's Kaleidoscope of Children
This weekend I was invited to two different and completely contrasting events, the first was a hard rock concert--Linkin Park, and the other was to a hunting dog field trial competition. I attended these two events within 12 hours of each other and I could not help but notice the extreme dissimilarities of personalities that attended one event versus the other event. I then introduced my family to yet another segment of society when we chose to have dinner at a family diner--Sills Cafe. To say the least, all of these parties were at the far extremes of society, albeit at opposite poles. The following are a few examples of the flora variety at these gatherings:
The Linkin Park crowd:
First, I must admit, I love going to concerts because I love to see the plethora of freaks who come out of the woodwork. The aberrations of society spontaneously throng together like an orgy of rats on a piece of discarded velveta cheese.
There was the guy with a 6 inch mohawk and scottish kilt, various stages of past-their-prime girls in tube tops with more rolls & curves (back flaps) hanging out the back of their tops than they have to show off out their fronts! Then there was the myriad of awkward-anti-social-acne covered (or pocked) teenagers who were proudly sporting their latest hard rock shirt acquisition, or the massive 'Bad A--' wearing a stocking cap which read "Parental Advisory is Advised" who was just looking for a fight.
Next we have the guy who shows up wearing only a tee shirt in the middle of winter with bed-head hair already looking wasted, but yet gets up six or seven times throughout the show, each time returning with yet another gigantic plastic cup of beer (yeah, the streets will be safe with this guy driving home). There were the head bangers or stoners, or wannabes, or my favorite-- the huge lady with supreme inner confidence wearing an all white, body hugging tank top who jostled her enormous hips while doing the leg slap with her left hand and with her right hand raised over her bobbing head, she does the hand flap to the beat. But even after all the variety of these we were left to find (and who happened to be sitting next to me) the oddity in the rough, the most out of place personality of them all-- the 'stoic oriental couple' sitting quietly with their hands folded in their laps showing no expression or emotion throughout the entire concert. All in all, I have to say, I far more enjoyed observing the people at the concert than the concert itself!
Hunting Dog Field Trials crowd:
Unlike at the Linkin Park concert, nobody there wore black. In fact, I gathered that there was an unwritten dress code that to participate in this event, you must wear some form of 'mud-marsh' or 'tree-swamp' print camouflage with or without the optional glowing orange hat. I even saw a man wearing camouflaged chaps--I thought to myself, really?! Has dressing to blend into a muddy quagmire while riding your motorcycle or galloping on a horse helped in any way to save your life or kill that elusive mallard?
Nobody present was clean shaven and the vast majority wore straggly unkempt beards or mustaches. All sported all-weather boots, some lined with fleece, others made of rubber anticipating the potential need to track through mud or shallow waters. Those who didn't wear orange hats, wore ball caps or those hats which had ear flaps that drop down to keep your ears warm. Of those who wore glasses, invariably they had transition lens that were always at a not clear, but not sunglass translucency. There was one though who I stayed clear of, who kept trying to talk to my nine year old son about getting a gun to shoot birds. He was the type of guy who puts your inner alarms at high alert. While a different breed of people, for the most part they were all very friendly and happy to be free in the outdoors with their dogs passing their time killing defenseless ducks at close range with a shotgun for sport.
The Sills Regulars:
Later this same day, I took my family out for breakfast-dinner at Sills Cafe in Layton and once again found myself amongst yet another totally different breed of people. First off, what is it about diners that says, "No teeth required"?! Next to us we had a table of veterans who still proudly wore a ball cap which posts their unit number and the navel ship they sailed decades ago. Unfortunately there wasn't a clean mouth among them. At another table, we saw a man whose white spindly beard was so long that he literally tucked it into his pants! We also saw an enormous bowl of a man sporting blue polyester pants with his belt hiked up just below the nipple line (A unique customer who actually could eat an entire 3 stack of Sills gargantuan pancakes--each a foot and a half wide and combined thickness of over two inches!).
Up at the counter there was the loner/drifter 'truck-driver' type eating probably his millionth steak and eggs dinner. We were served of course by the diet coke addicted waitress who we couldn't decide, "Is she pregnant or does she just not carry her weight well"?--either way we probably should give her a good tip! Then there was the cashier, who was beyond obviously pregnant because she looked as if she could blow at any moment. Finally, we had the cooks in the back covered with tattoos, who appeared to not care less about grooming standards or verbal constraints, as they openly spewed the details of their latest conquests for all to hear.
I am left to wonder, is this vast array of personalities an indication of God's creativity or of His sense of humor?
The Linkin Park crowd:
First, I must admit, I love going to concerts because I love to see the plethora of freaks who come out of the woodwork. The aberrations of society spontaneously throng together like an orgy of rats on a piece of discarded velveta cheese.
There was the guy with a 6 inch mohawk and scottish kilt, various stages of past-their-prime girls in tube tops with more rolls & curves (back flaps) hanging out the back of their tops than they have to show off out their fronts! Then there was the myriad of awkward-anti-social-acne covered (or pocked) teenagers who were proudly sporting their latest hard rock shirt acquisition, or the massive 'Bad A--' wearing a stocking cap which read "Parental Advisory is Advised" who was just looking for a fight.
Next we have the guy who shows up wearing only a tee shirt in the middle of winter with bed-head hair already looking wasted, but yet gets up six or seven times throughout the show, each time returning with yet another gigantic plastic cup of beer (yeah, the streets will be safe with this guy driving home). There were the head bangers or stoners, or wannabes, or my favorite-- the huge lady with supreme inner confidence wearing an all white, body hugging tank top who jostled her enormous hips while doing the leg slap with her left hand and with her right hand raised over her bobbing head, she does the hand flap to the beat. But even after all the variety of these we were left to find (and who happened to be sitting next to me) the oddity in the rough, the most out of place personality of them all-- the 'stoic oriental couple' sitting quietly with their hands folded in their laps showing no expression or emotion throughout the entire concert. All in all, I have to say, I far more enjoyed observing the people at the concert than the concert itself!
Hunting Dog Field Trials crowd:
Unlike at the Linkin Park concert, nobody there wore black. In fact, I gathered that there was an unwritten dress code that to participate in this event, you must wear some form of 'mud-marsh' or 'tree-swamp' print camouflage with or without the optional glowing orange hat. I even saw a man wearing camouflaged chaps--I thought to myself, really?! Has dressing to blend into a muddy quagmire while riding your motorcycle or galloping on a horse helped in any way to save your life or kill that elusive mallard?
Nobody present was clean shaven and the vast majority wore straggly unkempt beards or mustaches. All sported all-weather boots, some lined with fleece, others made of rubber anticipating the potential need to track through mud or shallow waters. Those who didn't wear orange hats, wore ball caps or those hats which had ear flaps that drop down to keep your ears warm. Of those who wore glasses, invariably they had transition lens that were always at a not clear, but not sunglass translucency. There was one though who I stayed clear of, who kept trying to talk to my nine year old son about getting a gun to shoot birds. He was the type of guy who puts your inner alarms at high alert. While a different breed of people, for the most part they were all very friendly and happy to be free in the outdoors with their dogs passing their time killing defenseless ducks at close range with a shotgun for sport.
The Sills Regulars:
Later this same day, I took my family out for breakfast-dinner at Sills Cafe in Layton and once again found myself amongst yet another totally different breed of people. First off, what is it about diners that says, "No teeth required"?! Next to us we had a table of veterans who still proudly wore a ball cap which posts their unit number and the navel ship they sailed decades ago. Unfortunately there wasn't a clean mouth among them. At another table, we saw a man whose white spindly beard was so long that he literally tucked it into his pants! We also saw an enormous bowl of a man sporting blue polyester pants with his belt hiked up just below the nipple line (A unique customer who actually could eat an entire 3 stack of Sills gargantuan pancakes--each a foot and a half wide and combined thickness of over two inches!).
Up at the counter there was the loner/drifter 'truck-driver' type eating probably his millionth steak and eggs dinner. We were served of course by the diet coke addicted waitress who we couldn't decide, "Is she pregnant or does she just not carry her weight well"?--either way we probably should give her a good tip! Then there was the cashier, who was beyond obviously pregnant because she looked as if she could blow at any moment. Finally, we had the cooks in the back covered with tattoos, who appeared to not care less about grooming standards or verbal constraints, as they openly spewed the details of their latest conquests for all to hear.
I am left to wonder, is this vast array of personalities an indication of God's creativity or of His sense of humor?
February 20, 2011
Trapped Within
One of the greatest failures in life is missing the here and now. It is far too easy to get caught up and distracted by one of a million other things that daily draws away our attention rather than living in the actual moment we are in. How many lost potential memories and opportunities for relationships do we daily miss because we are preoccupied and consumed with ourselves? As I enter this new year I have determined to slow down and develop the moments I'm in. This is especially so with my kids. I want them to know and feel that we are on equal grounds. That their opinions and feelings are just as valid as mine. I want them to feel that their dad really loves them and enjoys their company. I want to get to know them for who they are and not just based on a few extrinsic facts about their lives.
Sandra and I have five children. Each one is creative and intelligent. Each one is talented and beautiful and each of them have given us a run for our money! Each of our children have gone through a phase in their early years where they would completely lose their minds with internal frustrations resulting in terrible temper tantrums--and I mean terrible. These were no ordinary hissy-fits, but down right psychotic breaks! A complete but temporary disconnect with reason and control. Ashton is now in this phase. Everything is his, everything is his way, everything is at his timing and will. The smallest thing will spin his world out of control and all 'hell' will break loose. A few nights ago was one of those times.
Some minor thing happened (I don't even remember what) that upset Ashton and he went ballistic. He was beyond reason. He was spitting and screaming and spouting mean things all while flashing us all with his infamous evil glare. In an attempt to discipline I sent him to the corner for not behaving. There I told him that when he could choose to be nice he could sit at the table with the rest of the family and have a sweet roll. He wanted nothing of it, he screamed and wailed. He kicked and spit again. We all ignored him, waiting for him to calm down; letting the storm pass. But it didn't. He grew steadily worse. It was at this time that I stopped enjoying the pleasures of my selfish cinnamon roll and started becoming aware of the here and now of my son.
I noticed that Ashton had began screaming in the third person and pleading as if he was being physically abused while we all stood there in indifference to his suffering. Suddenly I didn't see him as a screaming child, but as the sweet tender boy that is trapped in a physical body that was literally 'torturing' his spirit. I was reminded of the time when Jesus came across a man who pleaded for him to spare his son from possession of evil spirits and when Jesus rebuked the spirits the lad fell limp to the ground and at long last found peace. What if, I thought, he was being possessed by an evil spirit? What if I was sitting there eating dessert while my son was being tortured by demons? The spirit came over me strongly as I watched Ashton's body flail about, 'possessed' as it were, in the corner. While I don't think he was necessarily possessed, I did fell like his spirit had gotten lost inside his physical body. I immediately went over to him and picked him up, cradling him in my arms and carried him up to his bedroom. While he resisted at first, the influence of the spirit that was with me had calmed him to mere tears by the time we got to his bedroom. There we talked for a few minutes and I asked him if I could give him a father's priesthood blessing. He said, "ok". I sat him on a small child's chair that was in his room and while sitting on the edge of his bed thus coming down to his level, I placed my hands on his head and under the authority of the priesthood and as his father and patriarch I rebuked his tangible body from it's dominating control over his sweet spirit and asked for the powers of heaven to keep and protect him and I did this in the name of Jesus Christ. I assured him that he is loved by both earthly and heavenly parents who want him to be happy. I asked for a blessing of peace to reside upon him and that he will be able to calmly work through his frustrations as he continues to grow and develop. When I was done it was an entirely different Ashton than the one I brought upstairs. He was calm and at peace with himself and the world. He looked up at me with his large puppy dog eyes and said he was ready to go back downstairs. He joined the others at the table and enjoyed a giant cinnamon roll.
I am not saying he was possessed by the devil or that my blessing cured him from all future temper tantrums or from being a child. What I am saying is that, I stopped serving myself and noticed that my son needed me here and now and when I gave him my full attention we had a sweet experience. Together we felt the spirit, calmed a storm and formed a lasting memory. Cinnamon rolls come and go, but a childhood only happens once, I'm glad a didn't miss this night of his.
Sandra and I have five children. Each one is creative and intelligent. Each one is talented and beautiful and each of them have given us a run for our money! Each of our children have gone through a phase in their early years where they would completely lose their minds with internal frustrations resulting in terrible temper tantrums--and I mean terrible. These were no ordinary hissy-fits, but down right psychotic breaks! A complete but temporary disconnect with reason and control. Ashton is now in this phase. Everything is his, everything is his way, everything is at his timing and will. The smallest thing will spin his world out of control and all 'hell' will break loose. A few nights ago was one of those times.
Some minor thing happened (I don't even remember what) that upset Ashton and he went ballistic. He was beyond reason. He was spitting and screaming and spouting mean things all while flashing us all with his infamous evil glare. In an attempt to discipline I sent him to the corner for not behaving. There I told him that when he could choose to be nice he could sit at the table with the rest of the family and have a sweet roll. He wanted nothing of it, he screamed and wailed. He kicked and spit again. We all ignored him, waiting for him to calm down; letting the storm pass. But it didn't. He grew steadily worse. It was at this time that I stopped enjoying the pleasures of my selfish cinnamon roll and started becoming aware of the here and now of my son.
I noticed that Ashton had began screaming in the third person and pleading as if he was being physically abused while we all stood there in indifference to his suffering. Suddenly I didn't see him as a screaming child, but as the sweet tender boy that is trapped in a physical body that was literally 'torturing' his spirit. I was reminded of the time when Jesus came across a man who pleaded for him to spare his son from possession of evil spirits and when Jesus rebuked the spirits the lad fell limp to the ground and at long last found peace. What if, I thought, he was being possessed by an evil spirit? What if I was sitting there eating dessert while my son was being tortured by demons? The spirit came over me strongly as I watched Ashton's body flail about, 'possessed' as it were, in the corner. While I don't think he was necessarily possessed, I did fell like his spirit had gotten lost inside his physical body. I immediately went over to him and picked him up, cradling him in my arms and carried him up to his bedroom. While he resisted at first, the influence of the spirit that was with me had calmed him to mere tears by the time we got to his bedroom. There we talked for a few minutes and I asked him if I could give him a father's priesthood blessing. He said, "ok". I sat him on a small child's chair that was in his room and while sitting on the edge of his bed thus coming down to his level, I placed my hands on his head and under the authority of the priesthood and as his father and patriarch I rebuked his tangible body from it's dominating control over his sweet spirit and asked for the powers of heaven to keep and protect him and I did this in the name of Jesus Christ. I assured him that he is loved by both earthly and heavenly parents who want him to be happy. I asked for a blessing of peace to reside upon him and that he will be able to calmly work through his frustrations as he continues to grow and develop. When I was done it was an entirely different Ashton than the one I brought upstairs. He was calm and at peace with himself and the world. He looked up at me with his large puppy dog eyes and said he was ready to go back downstairs. He joined the others at the table and enjoyed a giant cinnamon roll.
I am not saying he was possessed by the devil or that my blessing cured him from all future temper tantrums or from being a child. What I am saying is that, I stopped serving myself and noticed that my son needed me here and now and when I gave him my full attention we had a sweet experience. Together we felt the spirit, calmed a storm and formed a lasting memory. Cinnamon rolls come and go, but a childhood only happens once, I'm glad a didn't miss this night of his.
February 5, 2011
Political Vomit
Sandra and I were discussing the messed up world we live in. This planet is turning to crap in a hand basket! Everything is in turmoil. Virtually every government is corrupt (our being one of them), with leaders who are out of touch with it's citizens and who act out of their own short sighted self-interests, regardless of their long term consequences. Gone are the blissful days of our childhood where we thought all adults were right and our leaders were fighting for democracy and freedom. Gone is the cherished facade that our trusted officials had our best interests at heart. Now all I want to do is vomit when I see and hear the despicable self-serving actions and hidden partisan agendas that are destroying this nation.
President Hinckley's famous prophetic address, "To the Boys and to the Men" said, there is a 'Portent of stormy weather' coming and we need to get our homes in order. All of our homes are under the roof of an American home. A home whose foundation is cracking, the walls are failing apart and the roof is collapsing. Instead of repairing our American home these last many years, our leaders have gone out of their way to cause more damage. Each year they introduce new failed policies, unwarranted subsidies and handouts, and of course the latest in undeserving bailouts are making our American home more and more unrepairable.
The problems are obvious and they ARE repairable. The real problem is that no one wants to fix them. Why not? Because that would take lots of hard work, effort, and of course--sacrifice. This also is political suicide. No one wants to vote in somebody that will cut entitlements and eliminate bloated and unsustainable benefits. Today's culture of instant gratification demands the nicest accommodations with no work to show for it. They want someone else to sacrifice, someone else to magically correct decades of mismanagement--somebody as long as that somebody is not themselves. I am truly sickened by the utter lack of unity, commitment and resolve to fix anything. America IS fixable. America IS still great, but are leaders are NOT.
Countless times, our leaders have had the opportunity to correct our course and time and time again, they have chosen poorly, selfishly, and immorally. They have driven our country off a cliff seeking their own political aspirations regardless of the future ramifications. Each of the President's of my life (especially the last four) have buried this great nation in corruption, polluted or buried the name and purpose of one nation under God, they have encouraged spending and punished thriftiness, they have rewarded thieves and ruined the middle class, they blame the ills of society on corporate greed, while spending money that isn't theirs for things America doesn't need or want, they greedily seek for their own personal political power which once they achieve it they immediately abuse it. In a sentence they have lost the trust of the American people.
While on the books I am officially a Republican, I am so only because I believe in smaller government and taxes. But, that really is a joke as seen by (our worst president ever) George W. Bush who expanded government more than almost any other president in history and while he gave us temporary lowered taxes he also spent more than almost any president ever (only our current president may ultimately top him--if allowed). I am so sick of politics. So tired of the back and forth banter across the aisle. The saddest thing is no matter who is in power or control--NOTHING of worth ever gets done! The point is I often feel like declaring as Joseph Smith did, "which of all the political parties are correct'? The answer I am sure are 'None of them', they all draw nigh unto freedom with their lips, but their hearts are far from me'!!!
This is not a question of us verses them, this is not a question of being a Democrat or Republican. This is a question of morals, of doing the right and fair thing. This is a question of taking responsibility of our country and then being honest with the American people. It doesn't matter what government party is in place if they are dishonest, corrupt and immoral they will fail America. Any government system that is run by honest men and women whose allegiance is freedom, equality of opportunity, and integrity is a nation that will be blessed and prospered by God. That would be a nation whose members will unite behind it, that would be a nation built on the stability of trust. That trust IS the solid foundation that a stable economy is built upon. That trust is no longer found in America.
So how do we fix America? We return to God. We return to morality. We return to integrity. We fix America by electing leaders who are moral and honest. Leaders who are willing to make sacrifices. Leaders who we can trust. Leaders who can make us believe again. Until then we will continue to drift aimlessly, falsely hoping for some great political savior only to be continually disappointed and disenfranchised as they fail over and over to fix the outer vessel while ignoring the decaying inner vessel of our country. Such will continue to be the case as this Nation is guided further into the 'portent of stormy weather' ahead of us by our dearly elected 'Blind Guides'.
President Hinckley's famous prophetic address, "To the Boys and to the Men" said, there is a 'Portent of stormy weather' coming and we need to get our homes in order. All of our homes are under the roof of an American home. A home whose foundation is cracking, the walls are failing apart and the roof is collapsing. Instead of repairing our American home these last many years, our leaders have gone out of their way to cause more damage. Each year they introduce new failed policies, unwarranted subsidies and handouts, and of course the latest in undeserving bailouts are making our American home more and more unrepairable.
The problems are obvious and they ARE repairable. The real problem is that no one wants to fix them. Why not? Because that would take lots of hard work, effort, and of course--sacrifice. This also is political suicide. No one wants to vote in somebody that will cut entitlements and eliminate bloated and unsustainable benefits. Today's culture of instant gratification demands the nicest accommodations with no work to show for it. They want someone else to sacrifice, someone else to magically correct decades of mismanagement--somebody as long as that somebody is not themselves. I am truly sickened by the utter lack of unity, commitment and resolve to fix anything. America IS fixable. America IS still great, but are leaders are NOT.
Countless times, our leaders have had the opportunity to correct our course and time and time again, they have chosen poorly, selfishly, and immorally. They have driven our country off a cliff seeking their own political aspirations regardless of the future ramifications. Each of the President's of my life (especially the last four) have buried this great nation in corruption, polluted or buried the name and purpose of one nation under God, they have encouraged spending and punished thriftiness, they have rewarded thieves and ruined the middle class, they blame the ills of society on corporate greed, while spending money that isn't theirs for things America doesn't need or want, they greedily seek for their own personal political power which once they achieve it they immediately abuse it. In a sentence they have lost the trust of the American people.
While on the books I am officially a Republican, I am so only because I believe in smaller government and taxes. But, that really is a joke as seen by (our worst president ever) George W. Bush who expanded government more than almost any other president in history and while he gave us temporary lowered taxes he also spent more than almost any president ever (only our current president may ultimately top him--if allowed). I am so sick of politics. So tired of the back and forth banter across the aisle. The saddest thing is no matter who is in power or control--NOTHING of worth ever gets done! The point is I often feel like declaring as Joseph Smith did, "which of all the political parties are correct'? The answer I am sure are 'None of them', they all draw nigh unto freedom with their lips, but their hearts are far from me'!!!
This is not a question of us verses them, this is not a question of being a Democrat or Republican. This is a question of morals, of doing the right and fair thing. This is a question of taking responsibility of our country and then being honest with the American people. It doesn't matter what government party is in place if they are dishonest, corrupt and immoral they will fail America. Any government system that is run by honest men and women whose allegiance is freedom, equality of opportunity, and integrity is a nation that will be blessed and prospered by God. That would be a nation whose members will unite behind it, that would be a nation built on the stability of trust. That trust IS the solid foundation that a stable economy is built upon. That trust is no longer found in America.
So how do we fix America? We return to God. We return to morality. We return to integrity. We fix America by electing leaders who are moral and honest. Leaders who are willing to make sacrifices. Leaders who we can trust. Leaders who can make us believe again. Until then we will continue to drift aimlessly, falsely hoping for some great political savior only to be continually disappointed and disenfranchised as they fail over and over to fix the outer vessel while ignoring the decaying inner vessel of our country. Such will continue to be the case as this Nation is guided further into the 'portent of stormy weather' ahead of us by our dearly elected 'Blind Guides'.
January 29, 2011
Fangtard
I have already changed my new blog's title three times and it will probably change again. To come up with ideas I went to a website called slangsite.com which lists a dictionary of sorts of strange and slang terms. Trying to find words that start with the letter 'F' (besides the obviously offensive ones) I came across of several hilarious new and useful words like:
F.I.N.E.: F-ed up, insecure, neurotic, and emotional. Use it when your feeling that way.
fab-flippin-tastic: Something that is incredibly good, so saying it's fantastic isn't enough, you have to combine three words to express your joy! (where I got my current blog name)
fabulicious: Fabulous-delicious. Great, fantastic, wonderful, yummy.
fader: (n) A fader is someone who does not seem to exist--though the fader is still there, no one in the world wants to recognize that fact. Faders are the forgotten souls, the forgotten dreams that slipped away. Faders are everywhere.
fangtard: (My personal favorite new word) A specific type of loser in the gothic poseur category, the fangtard is a cultural stereotype that began to invade the gothic night clubs in the later 90s. Some typical traits include fake fangs, Victorian attire, black trench coats, poet or pirate shirts, dyed black hair, white makeup, top hats, Anne Rice novels, and _Vampire: the Masquerade_ game books. Some actually try to convince others that they are vampires, when in fact they are merely losers who live with their parents.
fantabulanistical: Used to describe something that's fantastic, wonderful, amazing, bringing about many happy warm fuzzy feelings.
fantra: So embarrassed for someone else that your butt cheeks involuntarily clench in sympathy.
farble: To work aimlessly, amiably, without focus.
farge: The dried stuff that you find on the ketchup bottle cap.
farnarkle: The stuff that appears next to your fingernails if you don't push the cuticles back.
fashimite: Someone who is a slave to fashion.
fattycapped: A person who has reduced mobility due to the presence of extra weight--Terminally obese.
festouche: The hairs growing on the upper lip of some women, especially rednecks, often evolving into full festouches if not waxed.
fillerneumic peckerloomer: Someone who annoys you inordinately.
Fincher Syndrome: When someone looks good in the dim light of a nightclub or a concert, but makes you want to puke when seen in the light of day. Named for filmmaker David Fincher, who often uses underexposure.
Flabam: The taking down of someone's pants with a quick swipe of the hand in an s like motion.
flabbergammered: To be so astonished that you stammer.
flodge: The frayed or torn part on the bottom of trouser legs of the young, caused by the fabric dragging along the ground.
floochie: A floochie is the act of placing one's mouth on someone else's stomach, arm, etc. and blowing out, for the purpose of making a phthhhh sound.
flosstitute: Professional Dental Hygienist.
flubnub: The act of bumping into an obese person for the sick pleasure of watching her jiggle.
flurple: The little flap of skin in between each finger.
fnarkenessing: An extreme case of frustration, restlessness, boredom, and depression--due to the inability to rectify the situation without requiring the individual to expend an hugenormous amount of effort.
fontrum: The embarrassment one feels on behalf of people who do not know they should be
embarrassed for themselves.
We all know the fontrum we feel for the plethora of fillerneumic peckerloomers who strut their stuff like they were part of some kind of cool gansta posse. Wearing their oversized jeans half way down their thighs exposing their latest boxers prints and butt cheeks all while tripping all over the place due to the excessive flodge hanging three inches below their heals. This ridiculous (and soon to be extinct) trend is now being replaced by the modern Utah Mom fashimites who must have the latest trendy designer knock-off jeans, you know the ones with the hugely oversized stitched designs on their back pockets and low cut riding waist line. We have all been there, flabbergammered as they expose 6 inches of silky garments up their back every time they bend over for any reason! Seriously, just wear clothes that fit your body and religious choices (or at least just don't ever bend over--I can't take the fantra)!
However fantabulanistical it may be to poke fun at the seemingly emotionally stable segment of society whose only deficit is a small lack of fashion sense, it is completely inappropriate to make fun of the socially awkward and often outcasts like the faders and fangtards. We must realize that being socially retarded is not necessarily a conscious choice, but a resulting consequence of complex social & genetic environments. None of which, however, could ever really justify oneself in thinking they have become a vampire, which delusions begs serious mental health considerations (although they probably all suffer from Fincher's syndrome). Speaking of mental health, those other social freaks known as flubnubbers, whose fabulicious delight is to bump into fat people to see them 'jiggle' is just plain wrong! After all it may not be their fault their fattycapped--it could be glandular!
All though there are a lot of weirdos in this world, we all have our hang ups and fnarkenessing, but cheer-up at least you don't have a festouche--now that would be embarrassing! Unless you do? In that case stop farbling around and go out and pamper that furry little body of yours. Get yourself a good waxing and well deserved pedicure. Make sure they clean your flurples and farnarkles. After they are done shaving your knuckles make your way to your favorite flosstitute (I can recommend a few) to get that farge off your beautiful smile. I promise you you'll feel like a hundred bucks (if not fifty).
Just realize that sometimes in life, not only are we are own best friend and fan, we may very well be our only friend and fan. So go out there and be your best self!
F.I.N.E.: F-ed up, insecure, neurotic, and emotional. Use it when your feeling that way.
fab-flippin-tastic: Something that is incredibly good, so saying it's fantastic isn't enough, you have to combine three words to express your joy! (where I got my current blog name)
fabulicious: Fabulous-delicious. Great, fantastic, wonderful, yummy.
fader: (n) A fader is someone who does not seem to exist--though the fader is still there, no one in the world wants to recognize that fact. Faders are the forgotten souls, the forgotten dreams that slipped away. Faders are everywhere.
fangtard: (My personal favorite new word) A specific type of loser in the gothic poseur category, the fangtard is a cultural stereotype that began to invade the gothic night clubs in the later 90s. Some typical traits include fake fangs, Victorian attire, black trench coats, poet or pirate shirts, dyed black hair, white makeup, top hats, Anne Rice novels, and _Vampire: the Masquerade_ game books. Some actually try to convince others that they are vampires, when in fact they are merely losers who live with their parents.
fantabulanistical: Used to describe something that's fantastic, wonderful, amazing, bringing about many happy warm fuzzy feelings.
fantra: So embarrassed for someone else that your butt cheeks involuntarily clench in sympathy.
farble: To work aimlessly, amiably, without focus.
farge: The dried stuff that you find on the ketchup bottle cap.
farnarkle: The stuff that appears next to your fingernails if you don't push the cuticles back.
fashimite: Someone who is a slave to fashion.
fattycapped: A person who has reduced mobility due to the presence of extra weight--Terminally obese.
festouche: The hairs growing on the upper lip of some women, especially rednecks, often evolving into full festouches if not waxed.
fillerneumic peckerloomer: Someone who annoys you inordinately.
Fincher Syndrome: When someone looks good in the dim light of a nightclub or a concert, but makes you want to puke when seen in the light of day. Named for filmmaker David Fincher, who often uses underexposure.
Flabam: The taking down of someone's pants with a quick swipe of the hand in an s like motion.
flabbergammered: To be so astonished that you stammer.
flodge: The frayed or torn part on the bottom of trouser legs of the young, caused by the fabric dragging along the ground.
floochie: A floochie is the act of placing one's mouth on someone else's stomach, arm, etc. and blowing out, for the purpose of making a phthhhh sound.
flosstitute: Professional Dental Hygienist.
flubnub: The act of bumping into an obese person for the sick pleasure of watching her jiggle.
flurple: The little flap of skin in between each finger.
fnarkenessing: An extreme case of frustration, restlessness, boredom, and depression--due to the inability to rectify the situation without requiring the individual to expend an hugenormous amount of effort.
fontrum: The embarrassment one feels on behalf of people who do not know they should be
embarrassed for themselves.
We all know the fontrum we feel for the plethora of fillerneumic peckerloomers who strut their stuff like they were part of some kind of cool gansta posse. Wearing their oversized jeans half way down their thighs exposing their latest boxers prints and butt cheeks all while tripping all over the place due to the excessive flodge hanging three inches below their heals. This ridiculous (and soon to be extinct) trend is now being replaced by the modern Utah Mom fashimites who must have the latest trendy designer knock-off jeans, you know the ones with the hugely oversized stitched designs on their back pockets and low cut riding waist line. We have all been there, flabbergammered as they expose 6 inches of silky garments up their back every time they bend over for any reason! Seriously, just wear clothes that fit your body and religious choices (or at least just don't ever bend over--I can't take the fantra)!
However fantabulanistical it may be to poke fun at the seemingly emotionally stable segment of society whose only deficit is a small lack of fashion sense, it is completely inappropriate to make fun of the socially awkward and often outcasts like the faders and fangtards. We must realize that being socially retarded is not necessarily a conscious choice, but a resulting consequence of complex social & genetic environments. None of which, however, could ever really justify oneself in thinking they have become a vampire, which delusions begs serious mental health considerations (although they probably all suffer from Fincher's syndrome). Speaking of mental health, those other social freaks known as flubnubbers, whose fabulicious delight is to bump into fat people to see them 'jiggle' is just plain wrong! After all it may not be their fault their fattycapped--it could be glandular!
All though there are a lot of weirdos in this world, we all have our hang ups and fnarkenessing, but cheer-up at least you don't have a festouche--now that would be embarrassing! Unless you do? In that case stop farbling around and go out and pamper that furry little body of yours. Get yourself a good waxing and well deserved pedicure. Make sure they clean your flurples and farnarkles. After they are done shaving your knuckles make your way to your favorite flosstitute (I can recommend a few) to get that farge off your beautiful smile. I promise you you'll feel like a hundred bucks (if not fifty).
Just realize that sometimes in life, not only are we are own best friend and fan, we may very well be our only friend and fan. So go out there and be your best self!
I don't really have anything to say...
I know that this is not a good way to start off my new blog and it will most definitely curtail any future hopes of winning over the viral world of chronic bloggers to my doorstep. Nevertheless, here I am--in all my lack of glory! I feel a bit like Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite who really doesn't have anything to say, but is basically a nice guy, liked by most everyone who knows him, but remembered by few. Always welcome, but rarely invited or noticed. But, could easily be voted in as class president: yeah, "vote for Pedro"!
My wife's reading this over my shoulder as I am writing and telling me, "That's what your writing about? Nobody's ever going to read your blog!" Frankly, she's embarrassed of my awesome blogging skills, and she has good reason to feel so, seeing that everyone loves her blog. If you really want to read something that is deep, introspective or often hilarious, please stop reading here immediately (because you won't find any of that here) and read my wife's blog: www.4peanutsandacashew.blogspot.com where you will not be disappointed.
Actually, although I doubt I will write prolifically, I do plan on writing about the life I am living and adding in my own antidotal thoughts on the superfluousness of life, family and politics. Therefore, feel free to add me to the blogs you follow, after all, who knows but someday I will write something that may change your life forever and you'll be all the more blessed to have known me!
My wife's reading this over my shoulder as I am writing and telling me, "That's what your writing about? Nobody's ever going to read your blog!" Frankly, she's embarrassed of my awesome blogging skills, and she has good reason to feel so, seeing that everyone loves her blog. If you really want to read something that is deep, introspective or often hilarious, please stop reading here immediately (because you won't find any of that here) and read my wife's blog: www.4peanutsandacashew.blogspot.com where you will not be disappointed.
Actually, although I doubt I will write prolifically, I do plan on writing about the life I am living and adding in my own antidotal thoughts on the superfluousness of life, family and politics. Therefore, feel free to add me to the blogs you follow, after all, who knows but someday I will write something that may change your life forever and you'll be all the more blessed to have known me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)