It's fall now, and having lived in places where snow is just a part of life Arizona feels like I'm just behind the rest of the world. I'm okay with this. I've recently began writing a new chapter in my life, actually it is the Lord that is the "author"(Heb. 12:2 & Moroni 6:4), I'm just the actor that tries to follow His divine direction. The new chapter has been Tree Trimming. Palm Trees to be precise. What joy and hard work it is. I find tree trimming isn't that bad. It can even be fun!
I've partnered up with a good friend from our congregation, Kevin Rice. He's a hard worker and makes the day a blast!
Thinking about the Lord's promise in Malachi and 3 Nephi about tithing I am beginning to find that paying the Lord what I owe Him (10% of my gross income) falls in line with the old adage, "work smarter, not harder".
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Thinking
Thinking about what really makes me happy is a wonderful place to go. Things that come to the front of my mind most are the times I've laughed the most. Laughter is possibly my most favorite thing to do. Laughing tends to be infectious! An example of laughter was tonight, we went as a family to the movies and saw "Despicable Me". Our daughter was being soooo loud it was hilarious! I found my frustration turn to giddy joy as I ran with her from the middle row up the isle and right on out of the theater! She was yelling at the top of her tiny lungs. How awesome it is when you grow up. You tend to not care what other people think as much. You are able to laugh when before you thought you just couldn't handle it if such a thing were to happen to you! Ha! It was so cool. She fell asleep on my lap drooling on my right forearm around the middle of the movie, and slept soundly till the end. She rocks the house! I am so so grateful that Lindsy consented to marry me, and agreed to be the mother of my children (our children). Because of her and the aid of Heavenly Father our children are going to be unbelievable! Thank you Lindsy!
I've been thinking of this lately. It's really not about making stuff so I can be happy, or reaching my goals and dreams so I can finally be happy then. I think making stuff is cool and reaching goals and dreams can be fun. However, the real joy comes when you create a human being with your wife whom you love so deeply!
An occupation is here to provide the necessities of life so your family doesn't die from exposure and starvation. We really could live anywhere if we could obtain the necessities of life. To me this is liberating! True freedom is having a family of your own. They are the ones who will cheer you up and on, despite yourself. You may not measure up in your own eyes, but try your guts out to be a great father and husband. That is heavenly money in the bank! The only true treasure! If you're striving to be a good Father you will be following the Lord Jesus Christ whether you knew it or not. Everything good comes from God, and Jesus Christ.
All treasure on earth, in and of itself, is worthless. It is of no real value. Money is only a note to quicken the bartering of goods. It is good for nothing else except to start a fire (paper notes), or to melt into utensils (coins)...Laughable to think about money's true worth.
I've been thinking of this lately. It's really not about making stuff so I can be happy, or reaching my goals and dreams so I can finally be happy then. I think making stuff is cool and reaching goals and dreams can be fun. However, the real joy comes when you create a human being with your wife whom you love so deeply!
An occupation is here to provide the necessities of life so your family doesn't die from exposure and starvation. We really could live anywhere if we could obtain the necessities of life. To me this is liberating! True freedom is having a family of your own. They are the ones who will cheer you up and on, despite yourself. You may not measure up in your own eyes, but try your guts out to be a great father and husband. That is heavenly money in the bank! The only true treasure! If you're striving to be a good Father you will be following the Lord Jesus Christ whether you knew it or not. Everything good comes from God, and Jesus Christ.
All treasure on earth, in and of itself, is worthless. It is of no real value. Money is only a note to quicken the bartering of goods. It is good for nothing else except to start a fire (paper notes), or to melt into utensils (coins)...Laughable to think about money's true worth.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Vacation
A blessing of vacationing is the pulled back prospective on life and where you are heading. Friendships are strengthened with your family. They seem to be in a better mood because you're around for only a short time and you all want to be on better behavior to be clear that you love them and they love you before you leave. I'm so grateful for the fun that we've been able to have on our visit to Utah. I think fun needs to be earned to have deep abiding value. The fun that can be reminisced about for years. We may earn it through overcoming a bad mood, or after long hours of work, or taking care of children (which is work! The best work!). "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities" (The family: A Proclamation to the World). I think that many of could really benefit from more fun activities together, but they can be addicting! I know because I'm the king of overkill. Marriage and family is a faith-based relationship and can be greatly enhanced by having some wholesome fun together often. I know God lives. He wants to bless us if we only ask, seek, and knock.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Vacation of decision
My wife, baby, and I are on vacation up in Utah between my school quarters. It's a great feeling to reunite with family. I find it interesting that we seem to always appreciate things after we have gone with out them for some time. Tears just welled up in my eyes when I embraced my Mom and Dad, in the tiny front room filled with laughter and noise. I feel family is home. It really is where my heart is, no matter how much of a difficult time I've had with my family we have also had some really great times, and I love them!
Movie ideas seem to rush through my head daily and I can hardly think without plugging an experience I have or others have into a movie. The more I'm learning how to write stories, the more I see that stories can have a purpose far beyond merely to entertain or make money. They can potentially change the mind of a person. It may not seem like a big thing, but to me, changing someone's mind is a huge deal. Change of mind can be the start of a whole new adventure that leads us happiness, better relationships, better citizenship, or even just more respect for ourselves.
Movie ideas seem to rush through my head daily and I can hardly think without plugging an experience I have or others have into a movie. The more I'm learning how to write stories, the more I see that stories can have a purpose far beyond merely to entertain or make money. They can potentially change the mind of a person. It may not seem like a big thing, but to me, changing someone's mind is a huge deal. Change of mind can be the start of a whole new adventure that leads us happiness, better relationships, better citizenship, or even just more respect for ourselves.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The Hook
There have been so many things that have confirmed to me recently that God loves us. He knows when we are discouraged and He knows how to lift our spirits. There are a couple of scriptures that have really illuminated this truth for me.
The first comes from the Book of Mormon in Moroni 9:25. Mormon, a prophet historian & commander of an army writes to his son Moroni illustrating atrocities committed by his men and ends his letter with enthusiasm, "My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto adeath; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and blong-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your cmind forever." The world around us is sinking fast under peer pressure and the pressure of living a materialistic debt encumbered lifestyle, but we don't need to sink with it. According to this scripture it is Christ that will "lift thee up". And thinking about it, it's not necessarily hard times that have made my life unbearable, it has been when I forgot to put the Lord first in my life, and ambitions.
The second scripture is Philippians 4:4-7. It teaches me not to be excessively worried about anything. To "rejoice in the Lord [always]", and that if we put our trust and faith in Jesus Christ then "the peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keep [our] hearts and minds [forever]."
What ever line of work we choose, or degree path, friends, marriage companion, etc. we will need to place our trust in God if we are to complete our mortal journey with joy and minimal regrets.
My girls are sleeping while I type. Lindsy, my beloved is asleep on the couch with an open book in her hand, and Katie is sound asleep on the floor dreaming, probably about tearing paper I'll bet. Life is good. It is, in the words of Stephanie Nielson, "O so good."
The first comes from the Book of Mormon in Moroni 9:25. Mormon, a prophet historian & commander of an army writes to his son Moroni illustrating atrocities committed by his men and ends his letter with enthusiasm, "My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto adeath; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and blong-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your cmind forever." The world around us is sinking fast under peer pressure and the pressure of living a materialistic debt encumbered lifestyle, but we don't need to sink with it. According to this scripture it is Christ that will "lift thee up". And thinking about it, it's not necessarily hard times that have made my life unbearable, it has been when I forgot to put the Lord first in my life, and ambitions.
The second scripture is Philippians 4:4-7. It teaches me not to be excessively worried about anything. To "rejoice in the Lord [always]", and that if we put our trust and faith in Jesus Christ then "the peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keep [our] hearts and minds [forever]."
What ever line of work we choose, or degree path, friends, marriage companion, etc. we will need to place our trust in God if we are to complete our mortal journey with joy and minimal regrets.
My girls are sleeping while I type. Lindsy, my beloved is asleep on the couch with an open book in her hand, and Katie is sound asleep on the floor dreaming, probably about tearing paper I'll bet. Life is good. It is, in the words of Stephanie Nielson, "O so good."
Sunday, June 13, 2010
INT. DAY 1 Sunday June 13th
We just got home from church and I was watching the story of Stephanie Nielson, and it has moved me to start a blog of my own. I am so impressed at her and her husband's good attitudes and natures. My wife and I are praying for them. I believe the Lord God allows bad things to happen to good people sometimes to help the rest of us to get it together and live for Him.
Real life has been pounding at the door recently as we've made a leap of faith and moved to Arizona a few months ago. Good friends of ours, the Garretts, allowed us to bunk with them for 3 weeks until we found a place to live.We knew the Lord would help us figure everything out as we went along. I've started attending Film school on top of all of our unknowns. It has been interesting to learn just a small bit of how much one has to work to stay faithful in such a crooked industry. My occupational goal has been getting in the way of our eternal goals. I believe this can be said of so many of us. We can start feeling empowered and recognized for our good efforts and somehow replace our family with worldly success, and the venture after it.
Having my very own family is amazing! My very own wife who loves me! having an 8 month old daughter who loves us both (and loves to be held and so my one handed typing skills are being sharpened :) ) is truely the greatest story to be lived and told to those who are yet to come to earth. True we need jobs, but when this life ends God is going to be more intensely concerned about how I did as a father and a husband than how good my movies were made, or how good my acting was.
I know God loves all of us. I know we're all different, but I know He loves his little children.
Real life has been pounding at the door recently as we've made a leap of faith and moved to Arizona a few months ago. Good friends of ours, the Garretts, allowed us to bunk with them for 3 weeks until we found a place to live.We knew the Lord would help us figure everything out as we went along. I've started attending Film school on top of all of our unknowns. It has been interesting to learn just a small bit of how much one has to work to stay faithful in such a crooked industry. My occupational goal has been getting in the way of our eternal goals. I believe this can be said of so many of us. We can start feeling empowered and recognized for our good efforts and somehow replace our family with worldly success, and the venture after it.
Having my very own family is amazing! My very own wife who loves me! having an 8 month old daughter who loves us both (and loves to be held and so my one handed typing skills are being sharpened :) ) is truely the greatest story to be lived and told to those who are yet to come to earth. True we need jobs, but when this life ends God is going to be more intensely concerned about how I did as a father and a husband than how good my movies were made, or how good my acting was.
I know God loves all of us. I know we're all different, but I know He loves his little children.
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