What Matters

Politics As Usual? Quotes Put Into Context

2009-03-30T11:06:00.006-05:00

First, an apology for taking a brief vacation from blogging. I needed a bit of a rest! Now, onto the blog!

In the Old Testament book of the prophet Isaiah, fifth chapter verse 20 we read the following line: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" This was written some time in the latter half of the 8th century B.C. according to good old wikipedia. Isaiah spent the first two-thirds of his book prophesying the doom and destruction of the tribe of Judah. Many people think this has already come to pass and others argue that it has not. My rambling writing today is not about those arguments. I am hoping to tie this quote to the current political climate; not as some prediction of doom, but to show that, perhaps, this is politics as usual and maybe to provide a smidgen of real hope for change.

So, we have the Isaiah quote, now let me throw another one at you:

"The third group [of society] are those irresponsible and reckless ones having little regard for the consequences of their acts, or whose religious scruples prevent their exercising control over their numbers. Many of this group are diseased, feeble-minded, and are of the pauper element dependent upon the normal and fit members of society for their support. There is no doubt in the minds of all thinking people that the procreation of this group should be stopped." Margaret Sanger. Speech quoted in Birth Control: What It Is, How It Works, What It Will Do. The Proceedings of the First American Birth Control Conference. Held at the Hotel Plaza, New York City, November 11-12, 1921. Published by the Birth Control Review, Gothic Press, pages 172 and 174.

Ah, the dulcet tones of Eugenics as espoused by Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger. She also believed in segregation of people of color, and forced sterilization of "undesirables" such as the poor, blacks, and, as she so quaintly put it, "morons." Charming lady, right? You can see her handiwork still in Planned Parenthood clinics across the country as they "help fund" abortions for people who might otherwise be too poor to murder their own offspring. It's not help at all when you view it from Ms. Sanger's perspective, is it? Isn't it really making sure people too poor, too "feeble-minded", or too pigmented don't pollute her master race? Here's another one by her:

"The most merciful thing that a family does to one of its infant members is to kill it." Margaret Sanger (editor). The Woman Rebel, Volume I, Number 1. Reprinted in Woman and the New Race. New York: Brentanos Publishers, 1922.

Who wouldn't be absolutely honored to be graced with an award named after such a progressive and forward thinking philanthropist? Well, Friday March 27, 2009 our very own Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, was graced with Planned Parenthood's highest award; the Margaret Sanger Award, which she accepted in Houston, Texas. I am sure we are all so glad that the "Audactity of Hope" our chief of foreign policy represents for us to the rest of the world is so rich in the traditions of narrow-mindedness, hate, propaganda, racism and ignorance!

Yes, the above paragraph was absolute sarcasm. Sorry for being snarky, but I am truly blown away by how blatant a representation we have in current events of calling evil good; bitter for sweet, and darkness for light. Margaret Sanger was an evil person and anyone who would accept an award carrying her name and that has promoted and supported the sick and twisted agency she set up to prop up her own irrational hatred of anyone she deemed of less value than herself is evil as well. Way to go, Secretary Clinton and the Obama administration! So much for rebuilding our foreign relations and getting America its good name back amongst the foreign community... Hey, let's see another quote!

"I wouldn't want it [the right for homosexuals to be married] to go to the United States Supreme Court now because that homophobe Antonin Scalia has too many votes on this current court." Representative Barney Frank (D. Massachusetts) March 23, 2009 interview given on 365gay.com.

Yes, Rep. Barney Frank; Congressman, Lawmaker and Legislator. Read that last word again. Heck, I'll re-write it in great big capital letters: LEGISLATOR. As you can see, he is a bit miffed at Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia; Judge of Constitutionality and Legal Interpreter. Read those last two words again. Heck, I'll re-write it in great big capital letters: LEGAL INTERPRETER. It turns out that Rep. Frank was really mad at Justice Scalia for interpreting the law correctly as it is currently written. Is it a dumb law? Maybe it is. The thing is, Rep. Frank is the LEGISLATOR who makes the laws while it is Justice Scalia's job to INTERPRET the laws that Rep. Frank and his esteemed colleagues make.

So, for doing his job the right way, Justice Scalia was called a bigot. I have a high esteem for our Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the entire United States system of government with its branches and checks and balances. I honestly feel that the founding fathers and framers of the Constitution were divinely inspired by almighty God. It is actually part of my religion. So here we have an example in current events of someone calling good evil, light for darkness and sweet for bitter. Worse still, it would seem that Rep. Frank needs to bone up on his Government studies as well, as he seems to have confused his and Justice Scalia's job. Judges who legislate from the bench are not doing their job, they're usurping power from Congress. That's something one might think Rep. Frank would want to avoid.

One more quote, this time from the Book of Mormon in the book of Helaman in the third chapter we read in verse five, "Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills." This was spoken by the prophet Nephi in 23 B.C.

Sounds rather familiar, does it not? Can we think of any cases recently where a guilty party might have gone unpunished because of their money? O.J. and Michael Jackson, I am looking at you. Have we ever seen a politician in recent years who might fall into the category of seeking office in order to get gain? I mean, we don't need any lobby reform, right? Does anyone remember a case of a Congressperson or even President committing adultery?

One does not have to look far to see that things have not changed much in the 2022 years since Nephi spoke those words. I promised some real hope for change in my opening paragraph and I hope I can provide it now. Heavenly Father has blessed America. This is a land of freedom. This is a land of opportunity. It is a land of happiness and harmony. We have to maintain that freedom. As the old saw goes, "Freedom isn't free." We have to work for it. We have, I think, a divine mandate to do so! God set this country up to be a beacon of hope to the rest of the world. We must exercise our freedom, our rights, and we must make sure our ideals and best interests are not only known by our representatives in government, but that they are cherished as we cherish them. We must vote. We must pray. We must unite. We must never back down when the righteous is called unrighteous. The people who would see our freedoms stripped from us are a small minority who hide behind words that make us question our own righteous beliefs. Wanting freedom and majority rule is not bigotry. May God bless America!

The New Puritans by Orson Scott Card

2009-03-21T12:19:00.004-05:00

This appeared Thursday in the Deseret News while I was camping. Even non-Mormons will find this interesting and I think -any- religious person at all will certainly relate.

It was interesting to see how many American religions had lost ground in the past two decades, according to the American Religious Identification Survey.

With all our missionary work, we Latter-day Saints merely managed to keep pace with population growth in America, remaining at a steady 1.4 percent of the population. In fact, Mormons were the only group to show no change at all, relative to the America as a whole. We're swimming as fast as we can -- just to stay in place.

The two groups that showed the largest growth in numbers -- by far -- were "no religion" and "don't know/refused."

The report in USA Today on March 9 thought this meant that America is becoming "less religious."

I don't think so. I think that hiding within those "no religion" and "don't know/refused" categories we can see the growth of a powerful new religion.

A fanatical religion -- one that does not proselytize so much as insist that it is already the established church, to which all others must bow and make way.

It is a religion at war with all others, confident of victory, contemptuous of any church that does not fight them, savage against any that shows a sign of resistance.

Its adherents feel themselves to have risen so far above all other faiths that they claim they are not a religion at all -- they are post-religious. Therefore the rules that govern the behavior of other religions in a multifaith society do not apply to them.

They refuse to admit that they even exist. Instead, they claim to believe in "science," though they have no idea what the methodology of good science is, and reject the findings of science when they contradict treasured dogmas.

Having no authoritative group to define their ideology, they embrace opposite and contradictory dogmas and simultaneously believe in all.

Their doctrines spread like dandelion seeds on the wind, taking root wherever there is empty ground.

Has there ever been such a religious movement as this before?

A very good example is Puritanism in the 16th and 17th centuries.

There was no "church" of Puritanism. They were led by orators and pamphleteers, poets (John Milton was one) and politicians (most notably the dictator Oliver Cromwell).

In Shakespeare's day they were a constant annoyance to those committed to putting on his wicked, worldly plays, for the Puritans always had the aim of using the power of the state to enforce their ideas of strict Christianity.

And when they finally seized power after the execution of King Charles I, they set about remaking society as they believed it ought to be. Gone were frivolous holidays like Christmas; gone any decorations in the churches; gone, too, the plays that had once distracted idle people from their labor and worship.

Having once been themselves dissenters, they allowed no right of dissent to others. They had power, and knew that they deserved it.

In America, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded by Puritans, and they were determined to hold sway in New England -- and everywhere else, if they could manage it.

Puritanism insisted on its exclusive right to prescribe the behavior and thoughts of all, until, after the death of Oliver Cromwell, the groaning people embraced the return of the monarchy.

Throughout the history of the movement, it had no hierarchy, no organization, and in some senses could be said never to have existed at all. When it fell from power, Puritanism quickly evaporated -- as if it had never existed at all.

No one wanted to claim responsibility for the excesses of Puritanism. It had functioned like bees, swarming and stinging in relentless pursuit of their enemies, but when finally defeated, dispersing and going about their innocent business, flower by flower.

The astonishing thing was that active Puritans were never very numerous. But few dared to argue against them, so they carried the day as if their numbers were far greater than they really were.

Today, the New Puritans embrace a hodgepodge of dogmas drawn from feminism, environmentalism, gay activism and militant atheism.

They bristle at the slightest sign of Christians laying hold on the machinery of the state -- while having no compunction about using the power of the state to establish their own dogmas in the schools and in the courts.

Believing in no god, they have no law to check them; whatever they think to do, they will try to do, and their fury when they are resisted knows no restraint.

Yet when you ask them why their vision of the public good is better than any other, they have no reasons. They can produce no viable evidence of superiority.

They gesture toward "science" as their authority, but refuse to allow anyone to conduct or report research that might contradict their absurdest claims.

They strike down old laws and institutions without regard for the cost. Where they have prevailed, only misery follows; but they are sure that the misery they caused can only be treated by enacting even more extreme measures along the same failed lines.

The New Puritans are the fastest growing sect in America, but they are still a minority. This does not bother them; they care nothing for democracy or majority rule.

The New Puritans insist that their opponents' very status as believers in God disqualifies them from the right to advance their ideas by democratic means.

They largely control the bar associations, the faculties of universities, the national media, the entertainment industry, and judges routinely strike down laws that offend the dogmas of the New Puritans.

And yet they are the majority almost nowhere. They prevail because they have no restraints -- their attack on their enemies is instant and savage, and ordinary people, wishing only to be left alone, keep their heads down and try to stay out of the way.Except a few. We hold up our hands and speak of democracy, of tradition, of the need to know where we're going before we race there. We speak of evidence and logic, and we are answered, not with argument, but with screaming; for asking questions or contributing money to a cause, we are threatened with boycott, fired from jobs, denied tenure.

Here is the great advantage of the New Puritans. Because they have no organization, their numbers can never be measured. They claim to speak for "all intelligent people," and the very claim pressures anyone who wishes to be thought "intelligent" into silence.

With all the mercy and reason of the Taliban whenever they get any kind of authority, their revolution is already almost complete; their hands control most of the switches of the machinery of the state.

Meanwhile, they excoriate all religions as responsible for every crime in history, never noticing that the worst moral excesses of all time -- the mass-murdering rulers of Nazi, Fascist, and Communist states -- were all converts to and adherents of "post-religious" ideologies.

Their only authority is their own will to rule over the minds and acts of others. It will never be satisfied; every victory only makes them hungry to rule more closely and punish more savagely those who are not sufficiently pure.

If sometimes our 1.4 percent seems to be very, very small, an archipelago of tiny islands, let us remember that most people subject to the rule of the New Puritans hate it, and only go along when no one else is willing to stand against it.

We, however, stand even when we stand alone, because God has said, "You shall ever open your mouth in my cause, not fearing what man can do, for I am with you. Amen" (Doctrine and Covenants 30:11).

(http://www.mormontimes.com/mormon_voices/orson_scott_card/?id=6793)
Copyright © 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company

Spring Break and a Dose of Humility

2009-03-16T11:56:00.004-05:00

It is Spring Break time here in San Angelo, TX. Heather-Dawn is off and both kids are at home. Spring cleaning is on my mind and a camping trip to Mom's ranch in Mertzon, TX is in the works. In fact, things could not be much better for me right now. I am happy, relatively healthy and in a good frame of mind psychologically and spiritually. I do want to let folks know that my Monday through Friday updates will not happen this week. I will update as I can, when I can. Obviously when I am out camping I am not going to be dragging my computer with me because the entire point of camping is getting away from it all, right?

So, on to today's post. It will be a short one, but it expresses something profound, at least to me. There is a young lady with whom I used to go to church. She was bubbly, bright, energetic and dynamic. She moved away and we lost touch except through mutual acquaintances. Now, however, through the marvel of Facebook, I am back in touch with her. She is terminally ill with colon cancer. She is not even yet thirty years of age.

She could be bitter and I think anyone would forgive her. Let's face it, she is dying from a disease that is rarely even tested for in people of her age. Instead, she is just as bright, bubbly and dynamic as before and though the chemotherapy and the cancer itself have sapped some of her energy, her mental energy and acuity are as sharp as ever. She is showing an indomitable willpower that not only impresses me, it literally inspires me. I want to share with whomever reads this blog just one status update she shared with her network of friends on Facebook.

"[I] was suffering the last two days, oye so sick. Shouldn't complain there is someone who is probably in a worse off situation than [me]."

I believe that saying when I read this, I was humbled, is to be understating it rather dramatically. Thanks, Angelina. I don't think anymore needs to be said.

Faith Friday - Why Do We Have to be Baptized?

2009-03-13T10:55:00.007-05:00

Here is another Faith Friday in which I tackle different tenets of my faith; which is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or LDS for short. Sometimes we are referred to as Mormons. I want to preface my remarks, as always, by stating that I do not speak for the entire LDS Church. I am just your average believer.

I do this every Friday because I find that there are so many people out there, who upon discovering that one is LDS, have so many questions regarding our religion. It seems many people are curious, confused, and simply have misunderstandings about what we LDS actually believe. My hope is that by writing about my faith I can encourage a healthy dialogue, so questions and comments are welcomed but please, keep them civil, keep them clean and try and keep an open mind. This week's question is -

Why do we have to be baptized?

The short answer is that it is a commandment and a saving ordinance.

The longer and to me more fun answer is multi-faceted and actually exciting to talk about. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe that Jesus was the ultimate example of how to live one's life. We believe that He was perfect and lived a life completely free of sin. We view baptism as a remission of sins, so why was the Savior, who we believe to be totally free of sin, baptized? Well, Jesus Himself answered that question when at first his cousin John refused to baptize Him, "thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness," (emphasis my own).

After He was baptized, Jesus came up out of the water and God Himself spoke testifying that Jesus was indeed His Son and that He was pleased with what Jesus had done. The Holy Spirit also made an appearance descending like a dove from Heaven. I love how evocative Matthew is in painting this picture with his wonderful words. If you wish to read it in its entirety, flip to Matthew chapter 3. It's not at all a long chapter.

So, if the Master, free of the stains of sin, having no need to be baptized, sought out to be baptized by someone, how much more is our need? And, if the Lord did it to "fulfill all righteousness" could there be more to it than just something we should do because Jesus did it?

It is obvious to me and to many other Christians that the need for baptism is a given. We in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe it must be a baptism by immersion, as this is how the Savior was baptized and again, we feel He is our example in all things. We also believe that a person must be baptized by someone who has the authority to do so. Jesus sought out his cousin John who was a descendant of Aaron and therefore a holder of the Priesthood that the brother of Moses himself held. Jesus even testified of John's authority in Matthew 11:11 saying, "Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist."

We of the LDS church also believe that Baptism is a sacred Ordinance. In it we make a covenant with our Father in Heaven. We agree to take upon us the name of Christ. How marvelous a covenant! We are blessed to be able to be wear this sacred and holy name. Obviously, His sandals are too big to fill. We are, all of us, sinners. But, in striving to be more like Him, to wear that glorious name in righteousness, we are fulfilling our end of the covenant; knowing that He will lift us up where we fall short.

Latter-Day Saints also agree when we make the covenant of baptism that we agree to keep His commandments. This obviously ties into the above part of the covenant as well. By living a Christlike life, we are keeping His commandments: Love the Lord thy God, love one another, forgive, teach the Gospel. These are not all of the commandments of our Savior, but some of my own favorites.

This is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to baptism. There is so much symbolism in the ordinance itself; death and burial, resurrection, washing away of sins, being born again, taking upon us His name.... I am a simple man and I am sure there are layers of this that I will not even discover until the next life. People have written whole volumes about baptism.

I do want to share with you my testimony. I know that baptism is ordained of God. I know my Savior lives and was baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness. I know that by being baptized and making covenants with our Heavenly Father we draw closer to Him and enter into the strait and narrow path. I am so deeply humbled that baptism is available to even one such as I. It shows me how much my Father loves me and testifies to my spirit that He wants me to return to live with Him someday. I love my Savior for showing me the Way. It is in His name I leave this testimony, even the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Changing Ways

2009-03-12T13:05:00.003-05:00

I don't know about any of you, but my organizational skills are, well - to be honest I barely have any at all. I have been better of late about doing the majority of the housework but my closets, bookshelves and desk drawer all look like a Wal-Mart vomited in them. I have never been good about being organized. In fact, I have been downright disorganized even referring to my lifestyle as organized chaos.

My poor wife of nearly 11 years deserves much better than this, so I intend to deliver. So far so good on keeping the house cleaner and my wife has been very pleased and I have felt blessed because of her happiness. But that was general housework. I still have my side of the closet that she has to look at every day. And since my desk is in the dining room, she always has to look at this festering heap. I also have my own set of bookshelves in here and they need some love and attention.

I'll start with this very desk. It is fortunate that Spring Break is this week for us. I wont have any Joy School to teach or drop kids off at. I can literally spend a few days picking up, throwing out trash and perhaps talking myself into actually parting with junk that I have been hanging onto just in case. I mean, who knows when that sweat-stained, filthy, two-sizes-too-small Boston Bruins cap I bought when I was 17 might be fashionable and actually fit again, right? And before you ask, the answer is yes, I do have that hat in my closet; along with clothes, Rollerblades, a skateboard, some hockey sticks, college textbooks and heaven only knows what else I will never, ever use again but haven't had the heart to toss out in a dozen or more years of not using them.

I am stating this here first of all because, well, as I have stated before, this blog is self-serving. Plus, I know my wife and some family read this blog and now I have made a public statement and know I will be called out if I don't keep this goal. In my case, extra motivation can never hurt. Secondly, this might be an interesting experiment. The housecleaning thing went so well and I have felt so much better about myself and my wife has felt so much better because of it that maybe getting organized and making a commitment to stay that way could further improve our lives.

So there you have it. Brian is turning over a new leaf by turning out his junk piles. I'll keep you posted as time goes by. And, if any of you who read this want to make an effort to try something to improve your life, comment about it and we can try it together. A little moral support couldn't hurt, right?

Err on the Side of Caution

2009-03-11T10:15:00.005-05:00

I believe nearly everyone in the world has heard the adage that advises us to "err on the side of caution". We are taught from a very early age to do things that are in accordance with this simple rule. Everything from carrying scissors and pencils point down, to going 30 in a residential when no speed limit is posted, to treating every gun as if it were loaded; all point to this very rational rule of thumb.

We are seeing this adage in action very dramatically during this time of economic crisis. Many people are pulling their investment dollars out of risky stocks, real estate, etc. and hedging their bets with safer but likely less profitable investments like CDs, and gold. In a different sort of example; this week the Dallas Cowboys released Terrell Owens, who's stats show that he is one of the greatest receivers in the NFL of all time, because he's just too risky and volatile when it comes to team chemistry.

I think parents like this rule quite a bit. Who of us that are parents would not insist that our child wear a helmet when they go bicycling? Do we not teach our children to look both ways before crossing the street? Don't we make sure our children are safely buckled up in the car before we make our trips? Even the law governs such commonplace practices amongst minors. As a (hopefully) responsible parent, I am glad I live in a society where such value is placed on the lives of my children and yours.

In fact, as a society, we are pretty intolerable of acts of depredation or violence against children in general. Who of us is not moved by a story about victimization of anyone, but even more when we find out the victim was a child? We generally tend to automatically attribute innocence, defenselessness and an almost angelic purity to little children, and rightfully so as far as I am concerned. Who among us can look at a newborn babe and see anything but the hope, beauty and limitless potential such a being contains and evokes?

And so I come to the crux of my blog today; why does our President, who claims he is not sure if life begins at conception or not, not err on the side of caution? Given his willingness to help fund abortion and stem cell research, the statement he made saying "This is something that I have not come to a firm resolution on. I think it’s very hard to know what that means, when life begins," seems rather disingenuous. It is hard for me to reconcile this statement with his actions.

To me it seems as if President Obama is one of three things. One, at best, he is a bald-faced liar. I say at best because I come to expect this from people seeking election. In this scenario he only said he was undecided as to when life begins as to play that middle of the road politician game but he really feels that life begins when a child takes their first, miraculous breath. The second choice is that he really is undecided and just doesn't give a care for the most innocent yet needy citizens of our nation. I do not believe this of President Obama. He has those two beautiful daughters after all and I really believe he loves them. The third option, and the one that makes me most sick to my stomach to think about, is that President Obama really does know and believe that life begins at conception but that he is compromising his Christian beliefs by catering to a political ethos to maintain support and loyalty from his supporters and the Democratic Party.

I am unsure exactly which of those three scenarios is true. I do not understand why he would not want to err on the side of caution if he truly believed what he said. It just seems incongruous that this President wants to reinstate an assault weapons ban, presumably because he thinks it will help save innocent American lives, but that he will use taxpayer money to help aid in the murder of the most defenseless American of all; the unborn child.

You Never Know Until You Try

2009-03-10T12:41:00.004-05:00

I taught Joy School today for my first time ever. For those of you not in the know, I'll give a brief explanation. Joy School is a teach-at-home curriculum for preschool age children. Parents take turns teaching a group of kids twice a week for two and a half hours. The lessons are very well planned out and focus on values and having fun while learning. It's really a cool way to help socialize your children before Kindergarten without having to enroll them in expensive daycares.

We had nine children this morning. They were not all little robots who listened well and did everything they were told. Instead, they were kids! They were as individual as their fingerprints. One was not ready for her mom to leave. Another just had trouble sitting still. Many of them wanted to chat and talk at length when asked the simplest yes or no question.

And I had a blast! I had never taught so many children at once, nor so young a group of children. Fortunately we go to church with every family with whom we have Joy School, so we know one another somewhat. I have to admit that yesterday as I prepared the lesson and last night as I went to bed I was scared to death. I am much more at home teaching adults than I am small children. But as it turns out, nine rambunctious preschoolers are actually a lot of fun.

The lesson went well. It was about trying. We opened with a puppet show with a brother and sister learning and trying new things their parents were teaching them. We skipped singing "Where is Thumbkin" in Spanish and went right into learning to sing "I Can't Spell Hippopotamus." After trying to tumble we had free play which was followed with a rousing rendition of Green Eggs and Ham after which the kids were able to try and eat green eggs and ham for a snack. After we cleaned up the kids were able to make little kites to try and fly.

Never in my life had I ever even dreamed of teaching such small children. In fact, when my niece was born and I was 17 years old, I was afraid to even hold her because she was so small and drool-laden. Being the youngest child, I never really grew up with anyone smaller than me. I got better when I had my own kids, thank goodness, but still would leave the majority of group child care to my wife, who is a teacher by profession and has even been teaching ballet to little ones since she was a teenager.

All in all, if I may be somewhat less than humble, I think I did all right. Everyone went home with all of their limbs intact. No one left crying. The couple I was able to ask if they would come back and see me Thursday, when I teach again, said yes. That included the one that was crying for mommy when she was first dropped off. I certainly feel like I accomplished something today, and perhaps even crossed a personal milestone. That Sam-I-Am was right; once I tried it, I liked it.

A 30-Something's Views on Aging

2009-03-09T12:51:00.003-05:00

Oh, the vanity! Here I am at the tender and youthful age of 35 and I am giving my views on aging? Well, yes. I am. Fortunately for me, it's not advice. Fortunately for you, it still might be worthwhile. If I am lucky. At any rate, age is on my mind this morning. It could be this stupid time change making me feel way more tired than I ought to. It might be the fact that my surgically reconstructed shoulder has such an arthiritic ache with occasional pangs when I move that I am sure we must be getting rain any minute. Whatever it is, as the saying goes, I'm not as young as I used to be.

Not that at 35 I am an old man. I suffer no delusions, however, that people under the age of 30 probably view me as, if not old, at least "mature". It is odd but the older I get, the younger everyone else becomes. My parents no longer seem old to me though they are 60. I think this is a process of realizing that when I was a kid and my parents were in their 30s I thought they were so grown up but now, as I am at an age when I thought people were so grown up, I don't feel it. Now I am old enough to realize that my parents certainly don't think of themselves as old, thought they may feel it physically, their minds are as young as they ever were. And now people that are younger than me seem much younger than they used to. 19 is now just a kid to me though at 12 I certainly thought of them as adults.

I also find that the definition of what I would consider "my age" has broadened a great deal. When I was in elementary school anyone one grade's variance above or below me certainly seemed enough of a distinction to consider them older or younger. As an early teenager I would have considered someone 13 - 15 years of age to be "around my age". Now I view anyone from 29 - 40 to be about my age. Gone are the distinctions of school age, high school age, and college age for me. Now it is kids, newlyweds, my age (married with children usually fills the majority of this bracket in my social circles), grandparents and elderly.

I am not trying to be snarky here or insulting. We must realize that our mind categorizes things rather subconsciously and I am merely expressing these normally subconscious and unstated things. Sorry if I offend any grandparents, kids, newlyweds or elderly folks. That is not my intention. I am merely attempting to sort of rationalize these changes I am discovering in myself.

So anyway, back to my nagging shoulder telling me to expect rain. It's not only that making me feel older. There is a noticeable difference in how I wake up in the morning compared to how I used to just jump out of bed and head to the shower. Now, I wake up in stages. I roll over, look at the clock and decide if it is time to get up, or just to use the bathroom (again!). If it is time to get up, I lay there a while blinking and rubbing my eyes. Then, I sit up and let the blood flow back into my legs as I shake the cobwebs out of my head. Then, I stand up as I silently bemoan the numerous cracks, creaks, pops and tingles I feel and hear as I do so. As I stand up, stretch and yawn I usually hear and feel and few more pops and creaks. Then, I am okay to take some steps.

I now also have figured out why adults always ask kids what they plan to do when they grow up. We're really looking for ideas. As adults, many of us have gotten into a rut and since kids can imagine anything with relative ease, picking their brains for new employment opportunities is a much better bet than searching the classifieds.

Of course, aging isn't all bad. I have a wonderful family now. My children help keep my mind young, even if my body has slowed down a touch. Plus, all of those silly rules I used to hate no longer apply to me as a grown-up.

I no longer have have a curfew. Unfortunately, I don't really need one as I enjoy going to sleep earlier.

No one expects me to take a nap everyday. I just surprise them by doing it voluntarily.

No one makes me take a bath. I just prefer not to stink.

No one forces me to go to church on Sunday. I just enjoy it.

No one can tell me not to watch R-rated films. I just find them too vulgar to enjoy them.

I don't have any parents nagging me not to spend my allowance in one place. I just no longer have any money to spend as it goes to pay bills, groceries, pay for car repairs, cover the kids activities...

Don't get me wrong. I honestly love being an adult, if adult is truly what I am even though I still feel 16 in my mind. I have more freedom than ever, and the responsibility not to abuse it. I just wish my body kept up with my mental age. I won't say youth is wasted on the young. Young people are endlessly entertaining as they discover the things I already know. I just might say that maturity is wasted on those too old to really appreciate it.

Faith Friday - What is the Book of Mormon?

2009-03-06T12:50:00.004-06:00

What is the Book of Mormon?

This is a semi-continuation of last week's Faith Friday, Do Mormons Believe in the Bible?

Normally, I do these in my own words, but when someone presents an answer in a better, more enjoyable format, I have to give them credit and link to it. Here is an adorably animated featurette from the folks at MormonsMadeSimple.com about the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I invite you to watch it, as it is short, accurate and well, just cute.

I read the Book of Mormon everyday. I can state unequivocally that it is inspired writing. If you have read the Bible, you are familiar with many of the tenants that the Book of Mormon teaches. It isn't some mysterious secret code or worship of some guy named Mormon. It is simply scripture that uplifts, edifies, teaches and inspires. I would invite anyone to read it for themselves to see what the big deal is.

As I end every Faith Friday, I end this one with my testimony: I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It talks of Christ, it contains the words of Christ, and it can bring a person closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is precious in its plainness. It has improved my life. I am a better person, a better husband, a better son, a better father and a better brother because of the simple teachings in the Book of Mormon and the Bible. I know that the Book of Mormon is truly another testament of Jesus Christ and is a companion volume to the Bible, kept by Christ's "other sheep" that he speaks of in the New Testament. I am so grateful to know these things and I write this in the name of our beloved Savior, even Jesus Christ. Amen.

It's a Legal Kill

2009-03-05T09:57:00.008-06:00

Only one out of every ten of these people are allowed to even exist. As soon as they are discovered, doctors, rights groups and politicians say the only hope is to eradicate them. They must be destroyed as all they will ever be is a burden on the system. Allowing a person like this to develop is a danger to our society at large. What is this modern plague of which so many Americans must protect against? Who are these people of whom only ten percent are even allowed to survive?

If you guessed serial killers, child molesters, cannibals, sociopaths or even maniacal dictators, you guessed incorrectly. The answer is innocent Down's Syndrome babies. Nine out of every ten of these beautiful people are killed in the womb; aborted before they can even see the light of day. As many as 95% of Down's Syndrome pregnancies are terminated in other parts of the world.

To me, this is an epidemic and one that not nearly enough people are aware of. My life has been affected by a person with Down's Syndrome directly. My and my wife's Aunt is Down's Syndrome. She is a wonderful person. She loves to laugh. She likes watching movies and remembers the actors in most films better than anyone else in the family. She enjoys watching fireworks, going swimming and loves to go on vacations for sightseeing. She can read and write. She has even performed various jobs throughout her life. She excels at the sort of redundant but necessary work many people would find too tedious and boring to do.

No one can tell me that she is not a beautiful child of God. No one better tell me she deserves to live less than anyone else on this earth. Our Aunt isn't what many people would even consider in the realm of "higher functioning" people with Down's Syndrome. She grew up in an age when there were lower expectations for children with Down's. As it turns out, as people have stood up for the rights of these wonderful people and demanded they have better education and training, the bar has been raised. Now people with Down's can live long, happy, full and yes, productive lives.

My second mom tells me that women who are found to be carrying a Down's Syndrome child face massive pressure from doctors to abort their child. They are told the child will never be anything but a burden to its parents and society. That as a person it will never be able to have anything resembling a normal life. I have to take my mom's word for this, as she has been to the ob-gyn more often than have I, and also has probably had a few more talks about it with women who have found themselves in this situation than I have.

Now, a company has found a less invasive way to verify a Down's Syndrome child in utero than the current amniocentesis. I fear that this will lead to even more than 90% of these amazing people never seeing the light of day. What makes me most sad is something my other mother touched on. She said that these children bless the lives of those around them. They show us compasssion and humanity. So, I wonder, why do we need better methods to be inhuman to them?

Happy Happy Joy Joy

2009-03-04T12:04:00.006-06:00

Maybe it is Spring Fever. Maybe it is because I have been really good about reading my scriptures and praying daily. Maybe it is because I have been trying to do more around the house to help my wife out. Maybe it is because I have been successful in not only blogging every weekday for a good stretch now, but also in journaling every single day since mid-February. Of course, it could be a combination of all of these things. The point is that I am just very happy of late.

Now, as a person who suffers from bipolar disorder this is sort of weird and maybe alarming. I mean, I am used to prolonged periods of depression where even the little things don't bring me much happiness. I am also aware that manic periods can crop up. The thing is, I am sleeping fine. Usually with manic phases I am abnormally happy. I would speak faster than normal. I would have grandiose delusions like being the world's greatest writer or have an increased libido.

I'm not.

I am just being blessed. Or, if you are not a religious sort then I am being lucky. If you are neither superstitious nor religious then I am... well, I guess things are just going well. The point I am trying to make is that right now in my life, I am seeking and doing things that are bringing me more than just some pleasing feelings.

In my prayers I am diligently seeking more humility. I know God hears my prayers. I know He cares. I know that if I ask in faith, He'll grant me what I ask for if I need it. In helping out more around the house I am doing several things at once. We all know the adage that begins "when momma ain't happy...". Well, momma is happy. On top of that, I am getting increased feelings of accomplishment. I am helping someone I really love and care about have a little easier time. Plus, hey, the house is a little cleaner more often than when I was being a slug. Did you know making your bed alone improves the whole look of a bedroom? Yeah, I just figured this out in my mid-thirties. My mom would be proud, but sad it took so long.

Another huge improvement for me has been because of writing. Being a stay-at-home dad, the majority of my daily conversations tended to be lacking somewhat in what I would consider real engaging content. Not that my four-year-old is not brilliant. She has an amazing vocabulary and a fun and vivid imagination. I'm not biased. Anyway, with my writing I am able to challenge myself and tackle various topics that interest me with my wild ramblings.

I am not going to sit back and say that my activities are a panacea for all forms of depression. I will suggest that right now, they are helping me. I am really enjoying my life right now. That is not something I could have said except for certain spots here and there over the past few years. This sort of sustained happiness is a huge blessing. And yes, blessing I think it is. I am so grateful to Heavenly Father, my family (in-laws included here in case you're reading, mom!), my friends and my faith. This life is too short not to take some joy in it. I wish the sort of sustained joy I have had in my life on everyone. God bless and keep you.

Count Your Blessings - You Might Need Them Later

2009-03-03T18:23:00.004-06:00

Yes. I know I am late in posting this. Things got rather busy around here before I even walked out the door and remained busy all day. Oh well, such is life. Anyway, I had wanted to sit down and remember what was going well in my life right now; what I am thankful for. You see, I am happier now than I have been in some time. So I sort of look at this as an opportunity to deposit my good feelings and save them for a rainy day. This way, some time in the future, when I am down or sad, I can come back and read this post.

Consider it a "good vibes bank and trust." And hey, try it out for yourself. When I find myself in need, I'll use this pick me up and I'll blog about the results when I do, to let you know if it is worth trying.

Things I am thankful for: God, Jesus Christ, Church, my beautiful and loving wife, my two smart and talented children, Scriptures, being able to read and write, cloudy gray days, shorts, hiking boots, wonderful friends, family, green grass beneath my feet, the smell of freshly laundered clothes, cookies, music, air conditioning, Kleenex, graph paper, thin-diameter pens and pencils, journals, caffeine-free diet soda, fans, flowers (especially daffodils), computer accessories that light up, pink dresses on my daughter, technology, power tools, blogs, the internet, web forums about nearly anything, comic books, J.R.R. Tolkien, the little things my wife buys to make the house smell better, puppy breath, cat tongues when they lick you, cats in general, snakes, crisp mornings and mild afternoons, candy, mini-vans, British comedies, Japanese anime, breath mints, bubble gum, colorful inks and paints, plush alligators, steak, beautiful artwork, sandals, swimming pools, imagination, applause, laughter, standing ovations, winking, hand sanitizer, online banking, greeting cards, photographs, bacon, hardwood floors, hockey, my parents, my grandparents, skateboards, reclining rocking chairs, water bottles, the smell of a new book, modern appliances, indoor plumbing, candles, Christmas lights, rainbows, stars, the moon, mockingbirds that chirp all night, MP3 players, cell phones, roleplaying games, watching movies with friends or family, toothpicks, paintbrushes, Scotch tape, children's laughter, cough drops, big plastic cups, email, fountain pens, breakfast for dinner, cactus, mesquite trees, ice cream, squirrels, sunsets, sunrises, oceans, waterfalls, hiking alone, camping with family, fireplaces, target practice, silly dancing, brain teasers, fishing, fleece blankets and jackets, a blank journal, a filled journal, snuggling, hugging, kissing, good jokes, medicine, talk radio, sharks, clear blue skies, underwater plants, rain, and soap.

I think that will do for now. I may add to this as time permits. I think that it might be fun to see how big I can get this list without repeating or splitting hairs. I wish everyone the joy I feel right now, and thanks for reading.

10 Things I Miss About Being a Kid

2009-03-02T12:53:00.002-06:00

I have been having Spring Fever lately and inevitably that brings me back to my childhood. I had a good childhood. I was fortunate enough to have two loving parents and an over-protective older brother. Now that I am grown and raising two kids of my own, I see through their young eyes again and I am taken back to those happy, carefree days of my youth. So, without further ado, 10 things I miss about being a kid.

1. Running around in nothing but a diaper was cute.

I no longer have the body for this, nor a need to wear a diaper. I guess that will be on the list in another 40 or so years...

2. Using every color marker, crayon and paint on a project guaranteed it would be displayed proudly on the fridge.

Can you imagine turning a major report into your boss written in 15 neon fluorescent colors with large stick figure illustrations? OK, so you can imagine it, but how would the boss react? In too many cases, bosses seem to have become bosses for their singular lack of imagination and a sense of humor.

3. Going to the doctor meant you got a prize from the prize box, or a lollipop, or something.

Now, going to the doctor only has two guarantees, a co-pay and a lecture about how I should lose weight.

4. Doing a good job or the right thing would earn us high praise from adults.

As an adult, I hardly ever get told "good job!" for using good manners. And no woman ever told me that she didn't need a man to open doors for her when I was little.

5. A nap was a required part of any afternoon.

Who couldn't use a nice lie down after a stressful morning of crunching numbers or dealing with customers followed by a hurried lunch?

6. A road trip meant extra sleep or some great play time with toys or a nice read.

Now a road trip means arguing with my wife about how to read a map, telling the kids to stay on their own side of the vehicle and fighting crazy drivers who seem to be drawn to our car like it has a target on the back.

7. Saturday cleaning meant I picked up, dusted and vacuumed my bedroom.

Saturday cleaning has evolved into nearly every day cleaning; doing laundry, doing dishes, vacuuming, cooking with even bigger projects saved for the weekends or holidays.

8. I was able to learn more and more and more.

I can still learn, but it seems like everything new I put into my brain forces something else out. As a kid I never seemed to forget a whole lot except maybe minor things. Now I forget why I got up and went into the kitchen!

9. Asking for help from someone else was easy, expected and oftentimes led to more fun.

Pride has sapped that ability away from me. I have even turned down help when I really needed it just so I wouldn't have to admit I did need help.

10. Resolving a dispute meant saying I was sorry and involved a handshake or a hug and then it was resolved.

Wouldn't it be marvelous if world leaders just had to shake hands, say they were sorry and then send the young men and women who were bleeding and dying and crying for a cause back home? If we could just say to the crazy dictator of the moment "Hey, that country doesn't belong to you! Now, give it back, hug their president and never do it again." Small children of any religion, race or creed, when put together, will usually become fast friends and play well together. They can still hold their own ideologies, but generally no violence erupts over those beliefs.

There you have it. Ten things I miss about being a kid. It's funny, but looking over my list it seems to me that perhaps kids have a better perspective than we do. I wonder when we learn pride and at what point it dictates that reason and fairness are thrown out? Oh well, I think I could ponder that a lifetime. Maybe the best thing to do is realize that kids have it right many times and encourage our own children to be more loving, more kind and less prideful. Who knows, if enough of us do it, maybe the next revolution will be led by people with sound reason, compassion and a serious deficit of selfishness.

Faith Friday - Do Mormons Believe in the Bible?

2009-02-27T09:29:00.006-06:00

Here is another Faith Friday in which I tackle different tenants of my faith; which is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or LDS for short. Sometimes we are referred to as Mormons. I want to preface my remarks, as always, by stating that I do not speak for the entire LDS Church. I am just your average believer.

I do this every Friday because I find that there are so many people out there, who upon discovering that one is LDS, have so many questions regarding our religion. It seems many people are curious, confused, and simply have misunderstandings about what we LDS actually believe. My hope is that by writing about my faith I can encourage a healthy dialogue, so questions and comments are welcomed but please, keep them civil, keep them clean and try and keep an open mind. This week's question is -

Do Mormons Believe in the Bible?

The short answer to this one is a qualified yes. The caveat being as long as it is translated correctly. The long answer will clarify that caveat further as well try and clear up some of the more prolific rumors one hears about their own faith when they are LDS.

In 1842, Joseph Smith, sent a letter to the Chicago Democrat that contained 13 "Articles of Faith" that were supposed to provide a concise, if brief, encapsulation of LDS beliefs. The eighth Article reads, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." Every complete set of LDS scriptures contains this statement. In fact, every complete set of LDS scriptures contains a King James version of the Holy Bible, both Old and New Testaments.

Unlike some other faiths that might be confused with ours, we Mormons do not leave out any passages of the Bible. Our KJV Holy Bibles will read like any protestant KJV Holy Bible. Now, the Church does put out their own version and it's main differences are the footnotes with references to the LDS Topical Guide in the back of the Bible as well as the Bible Dictionary, also found at the back.

Since Latter-Day Saints are asked to teach at times, these cross-references help us a great deal. In fact, I would suggest an LDS Bible to anyone who wanted to study more in-depth and found their own concordance or cross-references lacking. I have other Bibles that I had before I joined the LDS Church in 1997 and so can assure you the Scriptural narrative is the same.

Also, since nearly all LDS people are asked to teach at one time or another, it helps that we have the same version and translation of the Bible. I am sure many people who have attended churches where there is no standard for Scriptures have had trouble trying to rectify their own translation to the one being read in Sunday School. I know when I have attended other churches that some people get confused and a discussion then gets sidetracked by trying to find out which translation says it best or which one is "more right."

Since we do have a standard and every member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints uses the same Bible, we can focus more on what is being said rather than how it is said. Add to that the handy footnotes, topical guide and Bible dictionary I mentioned earlier and Mormons can generally end up on the same page even when the Scritural text may be confusing in its own right. It is really a very pleasant way of handling what amounts to our instruction manual for living.

I will tackle the Book of Mormon next week, as it really is sort of the second half of this discussion and it is indeed mentioned in the eighth Article of Faith I quoted above. I want to end this writing by sharing with you, the reader, my testimony. I know the Bible is the word of God. It teaches us not just how to worship our Father in Heaven, but how to live our lives in a loving and meaningful way. I know the Bible contains words of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. It teaches not only that he died for our transgerssions, but that he overcame death, arose on the third day, and lives still. I am grateful for the Bible and the prophets. I know I am a better man when I live the teachings of Christ than when I do not live them. I leave this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

My Wife Thinks I am Picky?

2009-02-26T13:26:00.005-06:00

Not only do I blog every weekday, but I also happen to keep a private journal of my day-to-day spiritual experiences each day of the week. The hope is that future generations of mine will be able to get to know me from my innermost feelings of faith woven through the tapestry of my daily life. Journal writing has been a big facet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints since its beginning.

In the course of my journalling I realized that while I had a very nice, bound, acid-free, heavy duty paper journal that I was writing with my standard Zebra F-301 ballpoint pen. I love these pens. They have decent looks, a nice weight, a great balance for me, are refillable and yet inexpensive enough that if I lose one, I am not too fussed about it. The rub is that the ink is not waterproof nor is it acid-free. At least, that's what I can gather researching on the internet.

So last night I began doing the obligatory Googling for waterproof, acid-free pens. I ended up looking at a lot of scrapbooking pages and got some ideas from pen messageboards (yes, there are forums just about pens!) and so today set off in search of the perfect pen for journalling.

When I began my search I went straight to Hobby Lobby. Three Mormon moms assured me that store had the best scrapbooking selection in town and knowing Mormon moms and scrapbooking, I knew I'd be in good shape. I did find one pen there that I had read about. It was encased in plastic with a card backer so I could only look at it. I understand the society in which we live today pretty much requires you do not keep small merchandise loose on a store floor but come on, it's a pen! I need to feel it. I need to try it out on something to see if the .45 mm tip is narrow enough for me.

Unable to try them out, I picked the .45mm Zig Millenium. And since I do not carry cash, I felt a little foolish buying a $1.99 pen with an additional 30% off with my Amex. So, I stopped by the candle aisle and found a nice one for my wife who was home sick anyway. I get home, eager to try out my new pen. Feverishly, I rip the card backer off then poke the pen through what is invariably left of the backer as they never come off totally. I take the cap off, position the pen, poised perfectly, hovering over a bit of lined paper. I write and to my horror it is wide. It is writing wider than my .7mm Zebra F-301!

I am crushed. Two bucks down the tubes. Now I'll have to give it away to a scrapbooker who can maybe get some use out of it. Not to be deterred, after I picked my daughter up from Joy School, I went back to Hobby Lobby. The Mellinium pen wasn't awful. I mean, it was a needlepoint pen, which I am not overly fond of, and it isn't refillable, but it has all of the ink qualities for which I am looking: acid free, archival quality, pigment ink, fade and water proof. In other words, perfect to create a semi-permanent record for my progeny. If only I could get that kind of ink into a Zebra F-301 ballpoint pen.

I grab the .25mm Zig Mellinium and some acid-free glue to stick a picture in the front of my journal so my thankful progenitors can not only read my words, but look at the ugly mug behind them. I also didn't want to just spend less than $2.00 on my Amex. Again. As I shuffle my now bored to tears four-year-old into her car seat I decide I may as well hit Office Max as they are not too far out of my way. Maybe I could find something more like a real pen with decent ink instead of a plastic stick with great ink.

I spend fifteen minutes in Office Max just looking at pens. My daughter tries every trick in the book to get me to go home including running around, saying she is bored and claiming to have to use the potty. Undeterred, I search pen package after pen package. I finally find a couple of Uni-Ball pens that might work; acid-free, water resistant and somewhat narrow tips. They aren't refillable, but they look like a real pen; like they'd feel good in my fingers compared to the Zig's plain plastic shaft. They only have multi-packs, so I get seven new pens.

I get home, fistful of pens in hand and try them all. None of them feel like my Zebra F-301. None of them are refillable. But, I decide one might work. I'll practice with it and try out the two I like best on successive nights of journal writing. If all else fails, I still have lots of Zebra F-301s and refills laying about. The kicker about this whole thing is that my wife observed all of this with a knowing smirk. I am not entirely sure, but I think that she might just think that I am picky!

Why All the Hate?

2009-02-25T09:41:00.002-06:00

It seems like people are becoming more intolerable of people whose opinions, idealogies, etc. differ from their own. I know I wrote about love recently, but hate is really unrelated to love. The opposite of love is indifference. Hate is a different animal altogether. Maybe it is because of the internet allowing virtually everyone a forum to vent their spleen anonymously, but the media would have us believe it is human nature to want to see extremes. After all, when was the last time you saw the news reporting that members of differeing political parties were just hanging out and discussing what they had in common over a friendly game of golf?

No, nowadays we have Reverend Al Sharpton trying to get government support to censor a cartoon he dislikes. If the New York Post had tried to censor Sharpton I don't think he would like it. If the New York Post tried to get the FCC to censor Sharpton he would like it even less. Some guy made an insensitive cartoon. I don't think he meant it to offend anyone. He claims he didn't know about the topic of monkies and racial epithets. We have to take him at face value. We can't prove he was intentionally trying to be racist. So rather than attacking him over and over, putting this cartoonist and The Post on the defensive, why not calmly sit down and explain why this was insensitive. Help him to understand. Help him to maybe empathize. Hate will do nothing but get people to put up walls between their understanding.

Republicans and Democrats are always at each others' throats. We elected a President who promised bipartisanship yet we haven't really seen any out of Washington. People are still voting along party lines. One party is calling the other uncooperative, biased, and sometimes going so far as to accuse them of statism, fascism, etc. It seems like all we hear out of Washington is attack, attack, attack. These people are supposed to represent us. I know of very few people who are really all-the-way right-wing or all-the-way left-wing. Most Americans fall somewhere in the middle. The politics of divisiveness and hate is marginalizing those folks. I do not think that most Americans trust their government, and that saddens me a great deal.

Extremism leads to hatred too many times. Islamic extremists hijacked four planes and killed thousands of innocent people. Pro-life extremists murdered doctors who provided abortions. Racial extremists murder human beings simply because of their skin pigmentation. Religious extemists get into conflicts all over the world from just about every religion. Political extremists clash even in America, land of the free. We have to be better than that. We have to engage in civilized debate, not the politics of villainizing, name calling and devisiveness. We have to demand better from ourselves, our politicians, our races, and our religions.

The fact of the matter is most people just want to be left alone to live their lives the way they see fit. Extremists go poking their noses in trying to stir up hate. I am not saying we all have to love one another, although that would be so nice. I am simply saying if we don't start learning to seek some common ground and practice a tolerance for letting people believe what they want to believe without hate, things could get much worse before they get any better. We have to learn as a people to seek commonality in our humanity before we start attaching labels like black, white, republican, democrat, Jew, Christian or antidisestablishmentarian on one another. We're all human. We all share the same earth and in the end, we all share the same fate. Let's live like it.

The Mother of Invention

2009-02-24T10:36:00.004-06:00

I was doing housework today and began thinking of the quote "necessity is the mother of invention." As I thought about it I decided laziness is the mother of invention. I mean, the washing machine is a great invention but it isn't absolutely necessary. After all, I have an old-fashioned washboard that used to belong to my grandmother hanging in my laundry room. It seems we were able to do everything in the past we can do today, just a lot slower with a lot more sweat and elbow grease. As I pondered my own laziness I came up with a few more inventions we need...

Self-laundering, self-folding and self-ironing laundry - This one is pretty self explanatory. Wear it one day, hang it back up in your closet and presto! You have clean clothes again, perfectly presentable for a new day. The problem comes when guys like me and Simon Cowell , who are perfectly happy wearing one style of clothing all the time, end up with one shirt, one set of pants, one pair underwear, and one pair of socks in our closet and nothing else. The opposite extreme might be someone like my wife, who is woefully indecisive, has to pick between all of her clothes and not from just what is clean.

Self-cleaning... well, everything - How great would that be? No more doing dishes, freedom from cluttered desks, and a car that sparkles even after a rain shower. Parents of little children, I have five words for you; never change another dirty diaper. I know. Brilliant, isn't it? It gets better! Self-cleaning children. Bath time can be a lot of fun. But face it, at the end of a long day after the boss has yelled at you, your clients have called to yell at you, your spouse has yelled at you, and the cat gave you a pretty disturbing squinty-eyed stare; you just want the child to be clean without any hassle.

Self-making beds - I am one of those people that used to be fundamentally opposed to bed making in general. You're just going to climb back into it 16 hours later and mess it all up again! You're at work at least half of that time and the dog, who isn't allowed on the bed anyway so waits until you leave to climb up and shed all over it, is comfortable in it made or unmade. Now however, since I am home during the day, I have to admit a bed that is made does look much nicer than one that is unmade. Plus I figure hotel maids deserve a break too.

Overall, I'd say those of us living in the early 21st century have it pretty good. We still don't have flying cars or robots that can massage us and give us pedicures and manicures, but life is considerably easier than it was at the turn of the last century. No telling how easy life will be for our great grandchildren. One thing I do know is that no matter how easy it becomes there will still be something extemely satisfying about completing by hand a slow labor with our own sweat and elbow grease.

Dude, I'm Not That Old... Am I?

2009-02-23T13:02:00.004-06:00

So there I am in HEB this morning, shopping for some groceries with my four-year-old in the cart. While I am cruising the produce aisle, what should come over the store's PA system but "I Wanna be Sedated" by none other than the Ramones. That's right, the classic 1978 punk rock anthem was pumping out of the overhead speakers while oblivious morning shoppers compared the prices of gala apples to fuji apples.

Granted, I was five when the song originally came out. And, I didn't get into punk rock until I was in the 6th grade. Still, it is one of those classic songs of the genre that transcended its niche and became part of pop culture at large. So I identify with it. I identify with the whole punk rock rebirth that took place in the mid-1980s. I was skateboarding then. I was a teenager. I felt rebellious. Punk rock was a huge outward expression of that rebellion. I idolized bands whose names alone my parents would hate; the Sex Pistols, The Misfits, The Cramps, Agent Orange, Circle Jerks, and Black Flag. And yes, I loved the Ramones for what they were. While not stylistically my thing (I favored the whole Bromley Contingent style of fashion and its outgrowths), their music was the epitome of pop-punk; my favorite genre of music.

It really got me to thinking; what if my 14 year old self could meet the me of today? At first, I am sure there would be considerable shock on both sides.

"Wow, look how fat I got," the young me would think.

"Wow, look how stupid I looked with those skater bangs, pinch-rolled baggies with stipple patterned Vision Street Wear shoes and my Powell Peralta t-shirt," older me would think.

Then we might try to find common ground. Music would certainly be something we could use. I still wax nostalgic for my classic punk songs, even if I do not listen to them anymore and seldom think about them. Young me would certainly not understand that I was in a pop-punk band that was signed, got kicked out and then gave up that dream. He would certainly be shocked to hear I was married with two kids, drove a Ford Taurus, and actually wanted to buy a mini van. He would shudder to think at the variety of boring and pointless work positions I had held. He would be appalled that I had a mortgage on a plain little ranch style and still lived in San Angelo, Texas.

"Dude, you suck!" the youthful me would say, "No, wait... crap. I suck. You make me suck!"

The me of today would envy young me's naivete, admire his spirit of ideals conquering anything, and likely laugh at the idea of changing the world through music and lyrics.

"It's not so bad," the thirty-seomthing me would say, "Our wife is beautiful. Our kids are great and bring joy into our lives no song could put into words. We have friends who love us. We're far from rich, but we have enough. We find joy in many of the same things you do now, but now we're brave enough to express it. We can talk about the vastness of the stars and how it makes us feel. We can sit and watch a few clouds roll across a deep blue sky and no one accuses us of daydreaming, they just nod and realize we're just soaking in the beauty of God's canvas. We no longer need to rebel. We are an individual who is unique and yet part of something bigger than we are.

"No, growing up isn't so bad," I'd tell little punk-skater-tragically misunderstood-me, "but realizing the soundtrack of your rebellious youth is now ambient Muzak? Dude, that's gonna suck. Hard."

Faith Friday - Why Do Mormons Send Out Missionaries?

2009-02-20T11:03:00.008-06:00

Here is another Faith Friday in which I tackle different tenants of my faith; which is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or LDS for short. Sometimes we are referred to as Mormons. I want to preface my remarks, as always, by stating that I do not speak for the entire LDS Church. I am just your average believer.

I do this every Friday because I find that there are so many people out there, who upon discovering that one is LDS, have so many questions regarding our religion. It seems many people are curious, confused, and simply have misunderstandings about what we LDS actually believe. My hope is that by writing about my faith I can encourage a healthy dialogue, so questions and comments are welcomed but please, keep them civil, keep them clean and try and keep an open mind. This week's question is -

Why Do Mormons Send Out Missionaries?

LDS people believe that Heavenly Father loves everyone on Earth as his own child. We believe that the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of love and that faith in Jesus Christ and belief in his Gospel is a road to Eternal Life. When I say Eternal Life, I am referring to the state after our death and resurrection (made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who took upon himself our sins [more on that some Friday to come!]) in which if we have lived the Gospel we can live again with our Heavenly Father. Some people refer to this state as heaven. We of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints feel that this is a perfect state of being. It will be pleasure, joy and happiness beyond anything we have ever experienced in mortal life.

This belief alone would be a good enough reason in the minds of many to justify going out and sharing our message with as many people as we possibly could. We not only believe that to receive the Gospel brings Eternal Life, but we believe it also brings the greatest joys and happiness in this life as well. We believe that by living in faith the principles the Savior taught, we grow spiritually in this mortal existence and that such faith brings us the best spiritual and temporal blessings this world has to offer.

If you felt peace, harmony with God and people alike, love for yourself and fellow human, joy that is sometimes hard to express, a feeling of well being and a feeling that you were working to be the best person you could possibly be; why would you not share that message with not only family and friends, but anyone? Jesus taught that we should love our neighbor as we love ourselves. LDS people believe there is no greater love than that offered through faith in Jesus Christ and the worship of God the Father. To truly love our neighbor, we need to share our message.

On top of that, if the promise of happiness in this life and the life to come is not reason enough to proselytize, we are commanded to. Just one example is Jesus speaking in Mark 16:15 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature" (KJV). If we truly believe that Jesus Christ was the example of how to live our lives, then we must share his Gospel. Every member is supposed to do this, but there are people who do it full-time.

Most of them are young men and women with whom you may be slightly familiar. These are the guys on bikes, in the suits, who knock on your door while you pretend you are not home or try to get rid of as quickly as possible. OK, that is the stereotype anyway. Many young men choose to serve a two-year mission to preach the gospel. They serve all over the world. They give up television, radio, movies, newspapers, most books (obviously Scripture and some other religious material is allowed), leave home, perhaps a job or college and dating as well, and are encouraged to develop Christ-like attributes by serving others (not just Church members but anyone in need) and preaching His gospel.

I have personally been inspired by every missionary I have ever met. If you are interested in speaking to a missionary you can request a visit here. At that site you may also speak to a missionary online, request free material that further explains our beliefs or even see what we believe by browsing the site at your leisure. One could also go to a phone book or look online for their nearest Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints chapel. We allow anyone to come to our church services. We, generally, are not too shy around new folks either. Expect to shake a lot of hands and see a lot of smiles. Do not expect a paid minister to stand up and preach. We members teach. Do not come with a pocket full of singles to drop in a collection plate. We don't have collection plates. Tithing is voluntary and private. We sing hymns. We hear Scripture. We hear testimony from those who do speak. To me it is always a very Spiritual and uplifting experience.

Finally, I wish to end this ramble with my testimony of missionary work. I am a convert to the LDS church. If it were not for a faithful Mormon who shared with me their testimony of the work, I would never have contacted the full-time missionaries to learn more. I know that sharing the gospel is a commandment of the Lord. I know that the gospel brings me joy and peace in this life and that, Lord willing, I can have Eternal Life. I know that Heavenly Father loves each and every person that has lived, is living and will live on this Earth and that he wants us to live with Him in the life to come. This is my testimony which I leave in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Imagine If You Will...

2009-02-19T09:29:00.003-06:00

I am musing today on imagination. I look at my kids and they are always imagining, playing, writing, reading and it amazes me. Not because it is foreign to me but rather because I remember having a great imagination and wonder where it went. I can remember playing Star Wars as a kid, or imagining I was a valiant knight fighting orcs and goblins and trolls like in a Tolkien book. Now, however, my imagination doesn't work as well.

It's not that I cannot imagine things. I suppose it is more like I am so firmly rooted in the here-and-now of reality it always intrudes on my imagination. I can be writing fiction and then start worrying about bills, or if I told my wife I love her before she left the house. It used to be that my daydreams interfered with my reality, but now, it's the opposite. What is it about being an adult that changes one of the most fun aspects of life as I remember it?

I am sure there has been some research into this. It may have to do with how the brain develops. I don't know and I am not really interested in cold, hard fact on this one. After all, what good is reality when one is trying to recapture their youth in some way? I wonder why this phenomenon seems to affect some people more than others. Look at J.K. Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter series of novels. Many people comment on how fully imagined that world is. Then there is Ms. Rowling's polar opposite; the DMV worker. Trust me, those people not only lost their imagination, they lost their sense of humor as well. (Just a little joke, please renew my license.)

I wonder if it somehow ties to responsibility? Is there a correlation between worrying over responsibilities rising and imagination dwindling? It's a decent theory, but I have known too many authors who have had other jobs, worries about finance as well as other obligations. No, it has to be something different. What is our imagination is like other things in the brain in that it needs to be practiced or exercised for it to stay put?

This theory has promise in my mind. I have forgotten nearly all two semesters of college French I took so I could converse with my wife. Since I don't use math every day I pretty much stink at it as well. So how does one exercise their imagination? I think I am doing it right now, maybe. I am sitting here without any outline just sort of stream of conscious typing whatever pops into my wee brain. It is at least an exercise in thinking and writing. And, I feel that thinking is a close cousin to imagining. Whatever it may be, I am going to make a conscious effort to be more imaginative. Imagination solves problems in new and exciting ways. It tackles the deadliest diseases. And, just maybe it can make cold, hard reality a little more bearable.

The Power of Belief

2009-02-18T09:56:00.005-06:00

We've all heard the platitudes thousands of times. "Whether you think you can or you think you can't; you're right." Or how about this classic from Star Wars when Yoda pulls Luke's X-Wing fighter from the swap and Luke says he doesn't believe it and Yoda replies, "That is why you fail". Or the classic, "If you don't believe in something, you'll believe anything."

So how powerful is belief? There is all kinds of anecdotal evidence out there that supports the power of prayer, the power of positive thinking, miraculous remissions of deadly diseases, etc. The internet is full of such stories both authentic and faked. As a person who suffers from bipolar disorder, I know full well how thinking happy thoughts just does not work sometimes. But, believers everywhere swear by their belief and often react in disbelief when their believing is not believed. Wow, I believe I'll never write another sentence like that again.

What about big examples of belief? Can belief change the world? Ask an historian and they will undoubtedly tell you, yes. In fact, belief can and does change the world. It is shaping our world right now. From the Crusades to the Mongol Conquest to Joan of Arc to the rise and fall of the Roman Empire to the Holocaust to 9-11 to the election of our first President of color, belief and believers shape the world. This can obviously be good or bad, especially depending upon your beliefs. I bet if we could ask the English and Burgundian folks of Joan of Arc's day if she were good or bad they would have some very strong opinions.

And there's the rub. When people or nations or cultures or races or religions who believe differently come into conflict, no one wins. Oh, sure, it is easy to say we won WWII and we did at least protect many nations and stop madmen bent on world domination and Imperialism by forced occupation. But we lost so much too. So many young lives on all sides. Innocence was taken from many people in so many ways. Millions of Jewish people were killed and who knows what we lost when so many young people with whole lives ahead of them were needlessly murdered? The cure for cancer could have been in the future of one of those people.

No wonder atheists used to sit back and shake their heads at us believers. Now, even the atheists are actively proselyting and sometimes getting into conflicts. Even though I disagree with them, I will defend their right to their belief and their right to express it freely. The problem as I see it, is that we, as human beings, seem so incapable of tolerance. Now, I can understand people wanting to share their beliefs. After all, if we find our center, our happiness, why would we not want to share it with family, friends and even strangers who we think could benefit from our beliefs? What many believers lack is respect for dissenting opinion.

Somehow, when someone shoots down our beliefs we feel personally affronted. Instead of recognizing their right to think for themselves we resort to childhood tendencies to get our feelings hurt. Why? Just because someone is an atheist and I am a Mormon does not make us enemies. They are still a human being and worthy of respect and love and so am I, I hope. If we could simply all learn to love a little more and stop dehumanizing those that believe differently than we do, this world would be a much happier and safer place. At least, that's what I believe.

Family Matters

2009-02-17T09:43:00.006-06:00

With all of the bad news that is out there today; flagging economy, more spending, more bailouts, wars, arson, theft, the whole shebang, I decided to write something positive today. I mean, we could all use some happiness, right? So I decided to write about how my family brings me joy.

My family is a vast source of joy in my life. My wife is beautiful, smart, helpful, caring, funny and loves to laugh. She likes my sense of humor, defective as it may be. My children think I am funny too. My daughter thinks I can just be funny on demand. The thing is, she is so funny herself. She likes to practice her jokes out on us, even when she cannot remember the punch line. My son is more quiet, but he too likes a good practical joke and often tries to trick his little sister. We laugh a lot at my house.

Aside from laughing together, we also get a lot of mileage out of watching movies together, playing together, reading together and praying together. We've grown closer just by developing a genuine interest in each other and our various hobbies as well. I cannot tell you how cool my kids think it is that I play Pokemon on my own DS and can trade with my son on his game. It's so fun being a cool dad. We also talk about Harry Potter books, as my son is a big fan. It's great being able to bond with a child without a ball of some sort being involved. Not that sports are bad, I just feel I get to know the intellectual psyche of my kids better when we aren't concentrating on form, watching the ball, foot placement, etc. Also, I come off sounding a lot less critical when I can just ask questions and answer them and not have to say, "Now this time, follow through."

Another thing that has brought us a lot of joy is reading scriptures together every night. One might think young kids cannot get into such deep and sometimes tedious text, but they truly enjoy it, and I wager they understand it better than I do. We have interesting discussions about what we read. Judging by some of the questions we have gotten from the kids, I'd say their inquisitive yet open minds are on the ball. Just the other day, my four-year-old asked me, "Daddy? When does the Holy Ghost get His body?" I was really glad I knew the answer to that one, but even if I didn't, it is so intriguing a question, I simply would have had to find out myself. In the end, I am certain I will learn more from my children about the Gospel through the Scriptures than I will teach them.

We spend a lot of time together as a family. Sometimes it is all of us together, sometimes it is one-on-one time or three of us together. It helps that my wife and I agreed before we married that we would only have one television in our home, ever. Not only do we have to learn to cooperate, but we learn what one another's interests are. In watching some entertainment together, we always have things to discuss aside from, "How was school today?" We get to know each other as people: not just in our roles as Mommy, Daddy, Son and Daughter.

I want to state unequivocally that I am not saying our method of child-rearing is better than anyone else's. I am simply stating what I see as the upsides of my family, and expressing my joy in that. Heck, I am quite sure there are families out there closer, happier and better adjusted than ours. Sometimes "What Matters" is just about what matters to me. That the family unit is the building block of our society is no doubt. And, In times when we have a flagging economy, more spending, more bailouts, wars, arson, theft, the whole shebang, let me tell you, brother, Family Matters.

When an Older Loved One Goes Home

2009-02-16T09:41:00.006-06:00

I am writing about something very much on the forefront of my mind today: losing a loved one. My Grandmother is 90 years old and moving into hospice care. Her cells are just not regenerating like they used to. Her body is old and wearing out. Her kidneys are failing. She is down to 70 pounds now, which is very thin, even though she is barely five feet tall. In spite of all of this, I am taking things well, I think.

I am not losing my Grandmother. No, I am not in denial. I know she will, in fact, pass on. And as cliche as it might sound, I know she will simply be ending one stage of her life and moving on to the next. I have absolute faith in that. She will get to see my Granddaddy again. He passed away in 1987. I think 22 years apart is simply too long for any married couple.

I will be sad when she does go. I will remember how she always watched Days of our Lives, chased me around with a broom when I did something bad, and her love and affection. I will look back at the many years she spent in the nursery of her Church, taking care of the little ones. I will shed tears. I will, in fact, miss her. After the initial sadness wears away with time, I will be happy for her.

I hope I do not sound heartless. That is not my intention. I simply know an exit from this stage is not the end of God's play. In fact, like a play, there is a whole lot more going on backstage, in the wings and a whole other reality once the final curtain falls and all of the players go back to their real lives. They go home to their families and friends; those most important and lasting parts of their lives. If The Bard was right and "All the world's a stage", my Grandmother's part in the play may be over, but she is going home.

Faith Friday - Are Mormons Christians?

2009-02-13T07:42:00.000-06:00

I decided that every Friday I would tackle different tenants of my faith; which is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or LDS for short. Sometimes we are referred to as Mormons. I want to preface my remarks by stating that I do not speak for the entire LDS Church. I am just your average guy.

The reason I am doing this is in the hope that someone actually will read this and maybe come away understanding the LDS faith better, as there is so much about our faith that is misunderstood, misconstrued, or outright fallacy. I want to encourage a healthy dialogue, so comments and questions are welcome but please, be civil, be open-minded and keep it clean. This week's question is -

Are Mormons Christians?

The short answer is: Yes, Mormons are Christians.

The long answer probably depends on how each individual defines the term Christian. First of all, the Church is named after the Savior. It is the Church of Jesus Christ. It is not the Universal Church, not the Church of Baptism (though we are baptised, I'll cover that in a second), not the Church of Systematic Procedures, nor even the Church of Ted. The LDS Church bears the Savior's name because it is His Church. All we do is in His name.

To become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, one must be baptized. When we are baptized it is done "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." We take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ when we are baptized which, in point of fact, would make one a Christian by many peoples' definition.

LDS members read and believe in the King James version of the Holy Bible. We believe that the Old and New Testaments are Scripture. They are sacred. They are Holy. And, they are the word of our Heavenly Father. This should go without saying, but when I say Heavenly Father, I mean God. That very Jesus of whom we read in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John who was born of the Virgin Mary in a manger in Bethlehem, healed the sick, raised the dead, taught Love, bore witness of His Father in Heaven, was crucified, died, was buried and rose again on the third day; that is the very Jesus in whom all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe.

When members of the LDS Church pray, we always pray to Heavenly Father in the name of the Son, Jesus Christ, as Christ Himself taught in the Scriptures. We don't pray to Joseph Smith, to golden calves, or to dead relatives. In the Church we are taught to pray often; Mornings, Evenings and at mealtimes. We are also taught to pray together as a family. Does everyone do it? Of course not. Do we excommunicate people who forget to pray as often as others? Of course not.

In 1842, Joseph Smith, sent a letter to the Chicago Democrat that contained 13 "Articles of Faith" that were supposed to provide a concise, if brief, encapsulation of LDS beliefs. The very first Article reads "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." This statement is even found in every complete set of LDS Scriptures. I don't know how much more precise I can be than that.

I would invite anyone that is curious about Mormons to go to a phone book or look online for their nearest Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints chapel. We allow anyone to come to our church services. We, generally, are not too shy around new folks either. Expect to shake a lot of hands and see a lot of smiles. Do not expect a paid minister to stand up and preach. We members teach. Do not come with a pocket full of singles to drop in a collection plate. We don't have collection plates. Tithing is voluntary and private. We sing hymns. We hear Scripture. We hear testimony from those who do speak. To me it is always a very Spiritual and uplifting experience.

Finally, I want to leave you with my testimony. I know my Savior lives. I know He loves me. I am grateful and humbled for His sacrificing Himself for my sins. I know, as He said he would, that he will return again someday. I love Him. This I say in His name, even Jesus Christ. Amen.

"And, in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

2009-02-12T10:02:00.000-06:00

Some of you (and I selfishly hope many of you, since I am a huge fan) may recognize the words of Sir Paul McCartney as the title of this ramble. It was a little couplet he placed near the last notes of the song "The End" from the Abbey Road album. I think it is a simple yet far-reaching statement to consider. And hey, Valentine's Day is just a couple of days away so love seems a fun topic to ramble about!

Firstly, I think it important to note that the second line is not referring to physical intimacy alone. However, I do feel that physical intimacy between a husband and wife is a truly profound expression of love, joy, and commitment to one another. At any rate, I do think it important to make the distinction, since popular usage has turned any combination of "love" and "make" into a synonym for sexual congress. Now that that is out of the way...

"The love you take."

How can anyone take love? I think that expression might confuse some people. I also consider it doubtful that any of us will see completely eye to eye in what it means. I am of the opinion that taking love can mean many things. We all like to feel loved. A hug from a dear friend, a playful pinch from our beloved, the joy of receiving a truly heartfelt gift, or even a simple note to say "hi" on Facebook; all are ways we might feel loved. To me, feeling loved and being loved is what "the love you take" is all about.

The "love you take" can come from a higher plane as well. I feel the love of Heavenly Father in the simplest of things every day. A beautiful sunrise or sunset, the first blooms of Spring, an overcast, gray day (one of my favorites!), a perfectly clear night sky filled with stars and a big, fat moon; all of these things are love I take from the Father. I take love also from some of the not so simple things our Father in Heaven gives to us.

These gifts of "love you take" are things we take on faith, such as the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the joy of Repentance, a chance to return home to God, and even the joy of reading the Scriptures. I don't understand how all of God's Plan of Happiness works, but I do know He has a Divine plan for us and take on faith his promise of Life Eternal if we but follow Him. There is a lot of love to take from that promise.

"The love you make"

I imagine that many of us have similar ideas about how we make love. A hug, a kiss, a gift given from the heart, helping someone through service, being polite, sticking up for someone... this list could go on and on. It is important to me to make mention of the fact that "the love you make" does not have to be some grand gesture or expensive and timely undertaking. Sometimes all we need to do to make a little love in this world is as simple as saying "Hi" to someone or sending a quick email to say we were just thinking of a friend. It can even be a smile we give to a stranger. To me, these simplest ways of giving joy, or love, are some of the most profound. I know I have had times in my life when the simplest gesture of kindness has had an impact that was immeasurable.

How about the "love you make" in a loftier sphere? Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). To some, that may sound sort of forceful or even manipulative on a surface examination. I mean, imagine a husband telling a wife "If you love me you'll do exactly as I say!" But, what did Jesus command us to do? It doesn't take a whole lot of digging to see. Jesus was plain in what he wanted us to do in just the next chapter.

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). Simple, plainly spoken and to the point was Jesus on this matter. What a beautiful concept. Jesus' message was love, love in its purest form. In fact, in The New Testament (KJV) alone there are fifteen verses that contain the words "love one another". Jesus also taught us to love our neighbor, love our enemy, etc. So now the question becomes if the commandment is so simply stated, why is it that it is often so difficult to live?

You know what I mean. As a for instance, I get behind the wheel of a vehicle and I become the most uncharitable fiend around. "Come on, the speed limit is thirty-five! Oh, please! Do you have to stop to turn a corner? Yeah, nice signal buddy, cut me off then turn your blinker on! You call that a stop? The sign only has four letters on it, surely it isn't too hard to read!" And yes, to the great horror of my mother and wife, I really am that bad. But, I am working on it.

Another difficulty in "the love you make" is that we so often are kinder to strangers than those closest to us. This could be chalked up to the "no-one-is-perfect" category and also a factor of the ones that are closest to us are around us so much more often than strangers who we encounter usually only briefly and by chance. However, I do not feel that excuses the uncharitable attitude we often display toward our loved ones.

What I mean here is, many of us might stop and give a lift to someone on the side of the road if their car ran out of gas. But, if our wife asked us to fill up the car for them when our posteriors were comfortably planted in our recliner, we'd bemoan this wonderful opportunity for service. I am just as guilty of this as anyone so am in no way trying to point fingers.

"And, in the end..."

I really do have a summary point to make here, despite my rambling nature of writing. No one is perfect. It's not a cop out if you won't let it be. I mean, Jesus was the only perfect person to ever walk this earth in all its history. So if we're not perfect, we have opportunities to strive to be better; more charitable, more kind, and more loving. In striving to be so, we are both making love for those around us, and taking love from our Father in Heaven. To love is to be loved or if you prefer, "in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

MPAA - Do we need more ratings categories?

2009-02-11T12:09:00.000-06:00

Have you heard of "ratings creep"? It is the supposed tendency of movie ratings to get looser over time. For instance, ratings creep implies that the PG-13 of decades past is the new PG and the R of decades past is the new PG-13. There is evidence on both sides of this argument. Some that support a ratings creep and some that seem to say there really hasn't been much creep, just subjective standards.

Whatever you think, surely there has been a time when you were watching a movie and thought to yourself, "Wow, is this really appropriate for a(n) 'insert letter(s) here' rating?"

I remember as a young child in the late '70s there were quite a few G-rated movies. Disney put out a lot of them. The Apple Dumpling Gang, Pete's Dragon, The Rescuers, and others. My mom took me to see quite a few of these. I also remember some films I was toted along to that she was seeing with friends that would likely be PG-13 today but were only PG then. One that pops instantly to mind is Airplane! from 1980. This movie had drug references, female nudity, and some raunchy humor.

Now that we have PG-13 some of the problems are solved. We even have the newer NC-17 that bridges the gap between R and X ratings. The PG-13 rating came about almost solely because of Steven Spielberg. Of course, there was Oscar winner Jaws in 1975 which was PG but most certainly would be PG-13 now. Mostly it was two movies he released in 1984: Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. For those unfamiliar with these two movies, please allow me the use of the slight euphemistic statement that they contained graphic and realistic violence and some scary and intense scenes.

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which is the organization responsible for rating movies, didn't know how to tackle those two movies. So, at Spielberg's suggestion, they invented the category of PG-13 in 1984. Some of the unintended consequences of this change are that PG-13 movies literally make nearly twice as much money every year as do the more numerous R-rated movies.

That's right. Despite there being more rated R films put out every year for the past few years, PG-13 movies rake in more dough. Some people attribute this to teens with more dispoable income seeing more movies. Hollywood noticed. Now, if you think about it yourself for a second or two, you'll likely recall that most of this past Summer's blockbusters were PG-13. Indeed, the majority of your more popular romantic comedies are rated PG-13. And, for the most part these days, a PG rating is generally considered a family film. Shrek, Madagascar, The Incredibles; all are PG.

That's not to say that the G-rating is a kiss of death as far as commercial success goes. Many of Pixar's films do well and are rated G, including Wall-E, Cars, and Finding Nemo.

The problem, as I see it, is something akin to what we faced in 1984. There is a vast difference in some movies carrying the same rating. Mostly, it is because PG-13 movies are pushing the envelope of what they can do. There are some PG-13 films that are fairly mild. Disney's Pirates of the Carribean comes to mind as an example of that. It was rated PG-13 mostly for the mild violence (much of which is bloodless), a few mild swears, some alcohol usage and scary images of the undead. Pretty much anything with a zombie or corpse in it these days will get you a PG-13, which I think is a great thing.

The other extreme in the PG-13 genre might be something like (I'll stick to films I have seen) 50 First Dates. This film has plenty of profanity, lots of blatant sexual remarks and certainly a large share of innuendo. I honestly would not want any 13-year-old of mine to watch this. I think this would be much more appropriate for an older teenager. And, to be frankly candid, I don't really want to watch this film again myself, even as an adult. Yes, I am a prude by today's standards and that certainly colors my world view but hey, this is my blog and it's as self-serving as you can get.

So, is it fair to suggest that we have more ratings in place? Perhaps G, PG, PG-10, PG-13, PG-15, R, NC-17 and X would be fair. I can certainly see letting my 10-year-old watch something more intense than my 8-year-old.

This problem isn't just the MPAA's fault. To put it bluntly, we as a society and as parents might be failing our children. I mean, seriously, look at the ratings. "PG - Parental Guidance Suggested" it says in big letters, "Some material may not be suitable for children". The MPAA's own guildines state "A PG-rated motion picture should be investigated by parents before they let their younger children attend." (emphasis added by Brian Scott)

How many of us that complain about this problem actually do what the MPAA plainly suggests? I don't know of anyone in my circle of friends that checked out Shrek, or The Incredibles before we went and saw it with our families or let our kids go with a group of friends. And judging by what else the MPAA has to say about PG movies, I am thinking I darn well better. Check this out: (emphasis added by Brian Scott)

"The PG rating indicates, in the view of the Rating Board, that parents may consider some material unsuitable for their children, and parents should make that decision."

Wow! They warn us parents right there that we just might want to take an active role in deciding if a PG movie is right for our kids. What else does the MPAA tell us about PG movies?

"The more mature themes in some PG-rated motion pictures may call for parental guidance. There may be some profanity and some depictions of violence or brief nudity." (emphasis added by Brian Scott)

There they go again. Parental guidance - which is to say we may want to take an active role in parenting regarding these particular movies. And why not? Look at the bolded words up there. I have a 4-year-old that has watched PG movies. Granted, one can usually feel pretty safe with the type of movies I have mentioned. Animated films do not usually try and slip in brief nudity and a lot of profanity. But we as parents have to beware. The potential is there for a rude awakening.

So, all in all, maybe the MPAA is doing a fair job. After all, we were warned even if we didn't pay that much attention to it. Still, I think some new ratings might be helpful in the MPAA's stated goal "to help parents make informed decisions about what their kids watch." Don't you?

What Matters to You?

2009-02-10T16:07:00.000-06:00

What matters to you? After all, that sort of defines who we are. We place labels on things, people, and even ourselves. What we do helps define us as well. I mean, what are some of the first things you ask someone you've just met, after their name?

"What do you do for a living?"

"Are you married?"

"Have any kids yet?"

"Where do you go to Church?"

"Are you from here in town?"

Sounds familiar, right? So that's why I am writing this blog. I want to talk about things that crop up in my wee little brain. Maybe I can define who I am and what I believe? Or, just maybe, I can find out more about myself in this process.

So, the basics. My name is Brian Scott. No, my last name isn't Scott. My first name is Brian Scott. No hyphen. Why? My mom liked the name. I was going to be called Robert but my Uncle Bob threatened to call me little Bobby and my mom didn't like the sound of that. If I was a girl I would've been an Amy. Thank goodness I was a boy. I had three girls named Amy in my class from First through Sixth grades. And frankly, I was confused enough growing up without the added mess of sharing my name with three other people.

I live in the same town in which I was born. I did spend a couple of years in another town and even went to Kindergarten there, but we moved back here just before I turned six years old. So, I usually just say I was born and raised here and lived here all my life. It cuts down on the confusion.

My childhood was typical of smaller city or suburban middle class kids all over America. I didn't want for much, got more than I needed and never realized other people made due with half as much as we had quite well. I was spoiled. I was a mama's boy, too. I still love my mom and talk to her several times a week. She lives in town too, with my dear old dad. They "retired" here, though they both have part-time jobs and do a lot of work for their church.

I grew up without any major childhood traumas... that I want to talk about on the internet anyway. I enjoyed music, skateboarding, girls and horror movies in my early to late teens. I later went to college, was in a band that was signed to an indy label; that I was later kicked out of, got married, found my faith, worked several jobs, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, had a son, lost a couple of jobs, had a daughter, became a stay-at-home-dad, lost my faith, wallowed in self pity, found a great psychiatrist that finally found the three key medications that work best for me, rediscovered my faith and well, that's where I am right at this moment.

Just about all of my family lives here in big old San Angelo, Texas; my mom and dad as I mentioned, my brother and his family, my wife's parents, my wife's sister and her husband, my wife's remaining grandmother, and one of my grandmothers. Two of my best friends and their families moved up north. I miss them.

The nice news is that I am making new friends. I guess our friends help define who we are too, right? At least, I look at my friends and that may help me to sort of define myself. If they're good people, maybe I am too. Does that make any sense? Anyway, once your best friends move, you really should find someone in town to hang with. I could hang out with my family, and I do, but let's face it, we all need a break sometimes.

My wife really is my best friend. Call it a trite cliche if you want. Or, don't believe me. I don't care and it won't prevent it from being true. She is always there for me, even when I don't really deserve her. There's a definition for you. Friends are the people that like us even when we're not really likable. Good friends even listen to us in such a state. Best friends help us realize we're better than that and show us how to be better. My wife is such a person for me. I love her more than any person I have ever known.

Oh well, we're having the missionaries from our ward over for dinner tonight and I need to make dinner. That's as good excuse as any to avoid becoming maudlin, right? Here's to a new beginning... and that matters a great deal to me.