via youtube.com
Love this! Great energy, clean lyrics and a little nostalgia.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Growing together
I have been reading my wife's blog and thinking her thoughts and feeling her feelings. And it occurred to me that my creativity is woefully under-expressed, in fact that most of who I am and what I am is under-expressed and that that is not a good thing. So I am making an effort to express more of my thoughts and feelings in the moment before I lose them in the malaise of my work day.
My thought is that our life is like a tree. The branches are our progeny and the roots our ancestry, but the trunk of the tree is us. What is beautiful and significant to me it that we started out as separate people, but the longer we are married, in love, friends, parents, and so many other things, the more we are growing together. An excellent blending of two into a unique and wonderful one. Our true identity, more and more, is not you and me but us.
My thought is that our life is like a tree. The branches are our progeny and the roots our ancestry, but the trunk of the tree is us. What is beautiful and significant to me it that we started out as separate people, but the longer we are married, in love, friends, parents, and so many other things, the more we are growing together. An excellent blending of two into a unique and wonderful one. Our true identity, more and more, is not you and me but us.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Best vs. Potential
We (speaking on the large collective scale) often denigrate ourselves in the moment because we do not accomplish everything we hope to do, in the way we planned, to the standard we desired. We wonder "Did I do my best?" "What is my best?" I realized the other day that what we are holding ourselves up against is not truly our best in that moment but rather we are comparing our efforts in the moment to our eternal potential, and inevitably as we do this we are discouraged.
The solution is simple: keep things in perspective. As we all know simple does not equal easy but this really is the answer. When we ask ourselves "Did I live up to my full potential today?" the answer will most likely and persistently be no. But if we ask "Did I do my best to live up to my potential today?" hopefully the answer is yes more often than not. The key is the focus of the question. The first question has a very board focus and the second a very narrow focus. If we follow the principle of line upon line learning and growing we will not ask ourselves (in essence) 'did I reach perfection today?' we will focus on today's line, on today's actions, words and thoughts and ask 'did I do my best to reach toward perfection today?'
We are here to reach for perfection, but we cannot be discouraged when we do not arrive before the end of a day. The Savior hasn't asked for perfection in a day, He's asked for our best efforts, and then He makes up the difference. When we judge ourselves sub-par because we didn't perform to our full potential on a given day, we judge ourselves unrighteously, and we do not allow the Savior to help us grow and fulfill His commandment in Matt 11:28-30 28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
I trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6) that my best is good enough for one day and that I will best myself (my natural man) with the Saviors help, into the celestial kingdom...one best day at a time.
The solution is simple: keep things in perspective. As we all know simple does not equal easy but this really is the answer. When we ask ourselves "Did I live up to my full potential today?" the answer will most likely and persistently be no. But if we ask "Did I do my best to live up to my potential today?" hopefully the answer is yes more often than not. The key is the focus of the question. The first question has a very board focus and the second a very narrow focus. If we follow the principle of line upon line learning and growing we will not ask ourselves (in essence) 'did I reach perfection today?' we will focus on today's line, on today's actions, words and thoughts and ask 'did I do my best to reach toward perfection today?'
We are here to reach for perfection, but we cannot be discouraged when we do not arrive before the end of a day. The Savior hasn't asked for perfection in a day, He's asked for our best efforts, and then He makes up the difference. When we judge ourselves sub-par because we didn't perform to our full potential on a given day, we judge ourselves unrighteously, and we do not allow the Savior to help us grow and fulfill His commandment in Matt 11:28-30 28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
I trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6) that my best is good enough for one day and that I will best myself (my natural man) with the Saviors help, into the celestial kingdom...one best day at a time.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
The Art of the Mini-Date
I just went on a mini-date with my wife. I came home for lunch, ate quickly, and we took George outside to play because he is so very much in need of being outside right now. Then we sat on the front stairs in close proximity and talked while George cavorted under our somewhat watchful eyes. The sun was pleasant and warm and we were out of the wind. I enjoyed taking 30 minutes to just sit and talk and relax together. It made me realize the value of taking time in the moment. It also pointed out to me that I need to take my wife on dates during the day more often too, just for variety, and because the sun shine is so pleasant.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The Happiest Day of the Year
Friday the 11th of February we went and met with our accountant Jim McKinley at Cameron Financial Services. We do this every year. We show him our latest addition (odd years only) and he tells us how great it is that we have another deduction and only X more till we are exempt. Then we give him a bunch of numbers and he tells us how much money we will get to catch up on our wants and needs.
We were driving along after the appointment and I was whistling and Amber laughed and asked did you know you were whistling 'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year'? I had to laugh because I hadn't noticed, it was completely subconscious on my part, and completely appropriate.
I can't think of any other day that is more exciting, more enabling, more liberating; truly 'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year'!
We were driving along after the appointment and I was whistling and Amber laughed and asked did you know you were whistling 'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year'? I had to laugh because I hadn't noticed, it was completely subconscious on my part, and completely appropriate.
I can't think of any other day that is more exciting, more enabling, more liberating; truly 'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year'!
Monday, September 20, 2010
My Review of Milwaukee 48-76-5010 10 ft. Quik-Lok Cord, 2-Wire
Originally submitted at PlumberSurplus.com
Milwaukee 48-76-5010 10 ft. Quik-Lok® Cord, 2-Wire Since its founding in 1924, Milwaukee has focused on a single vision: to produce the best heavy-duty electric power tools and accessories available to professional user. Today, the Milwaukee name stands for the highest quality, durable and reliabl...
Quik-Lok Heaven
By Renaissance Man from Maryville, Missouri on 9/20/2010
Pros: Well Designed, Durable, Easy to Install
Best Uses: Small Jobs, Outside, Big Jobs, Inside
Describe Yourself: Professional
Quik-Lok is dependable for performance and convenience. Solid construction and compatibility with multiple tools make this cord system a must for anyone who is serious about their tools!
(legalese)
Friday, July 30, 2010
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