Stop Thief!

Time is a thief. It steals the things that are most close to you. One day you may find yourself praying for just a few quiet moments. The quiet that only a parent knows, it is the peace after your kids run off to school or the tranquil moments after the last child is tucked in for the night. Just prior to the sound of quiet the house was filled with the sounds of rushing, reminders, and sure to be miscommunications. Sounds of disappointment, sounds of victory, sounds of joy, and sounds of utter despair fill our homes as we raise these tiny people that come into to our lives and introduce all sorts of unexpected circumstances. The sounds of books being read and stories being told, instructions for the coming day and reminders for prayers to be said the sounds that have to stop before the beds are filled with his or her bodies. As silence encroaches you cannot help but check on them numerous times before you can sleep. Oh, that time is priceless. Now that the thief has been satisfied and the little one are growing and some gone the quite does not sound so good. The quiet times are now interrupted with brief moments of a child checking in or coming home for a few hours. We stay up late worried if they are doing OK. We would welcome the sounds of rushing that seemed so burdensome just a while ago. Where does the time go? Can I even remember the events that made my life what it is now? I miss the nonsense laughter the silly giggling and the requests for just one more story. Now, I pray for just one more story, but this too must pass. I love my older children that have taught me so much. I love my little ones that think that I am a good guy. I am that guy that they do not see when they wake up, nor do they see me when they come home for the day. They see me after I am used up for a day and preparing for another. I am the guy that gets lost in my thoughts and I forget to enjoy this moment. I wish I could press rewind and change that prayer. Please help me to cherish the loudness of my home and when the quiet moments come enjoy it. Please help me plan for the future but live in the moment. Please help me to remember this time and cherish the little ones, before you know it they are gone. I love all of you kids!

Covering the Stains

As I take on one more sleepless night, I ponder about the lives of our military men and women that have been cut short by enemies of our nation. Looking at the results of the conflicts that have been fought on our or foreign soil one has to ponder of the worth of souls. What is the value of life? To our politicians is IT just one more number? To his or her Mom, child, Dad, spouse, was IT just a number? I think not. Why, war? Why, bloodshed? Why not peace? Why not understanding? Why carnage? Why the loss of limbs? Why not love? Why not life? Wow, that would be great in a perfect world. Why or why not? Because there is always someone being unjust in the world, there will always be terrorist, there will always be the ACLU trying to protect them. Thank God for solders, Airmen, Seamen, and Marines that have been there to stand up for those of us that choose to live within the walls of freedom. Thank you for your life!! The worth of souls is great, thanks for the price you paid. No, the price we paid for your blood that was spilt, the cost to us is great. I hope our politicians will reflect on your life before making one more plea to change the course of our nation. The blood that once stained the ground to protect our values may be the blood that stains our nation’s soul as we turn our backs on the principles that guided this nation to its stature in the world. We stand for freedom, we stand for principles, we stand for what is right. You died as you voiced our standards.

Here's to Ya Kid

Nothing to really write about on a political subject tonight, with everything that is coming down around us I know I could, but tonight is a reflective night. My third daughter had her baccalaureate and Seminary Graduation tonight and it turned me inward. How can I be so old? There was a slide show of the kids showing pictures from early childhood until his or her senior picture. Well, I must say my eyes started sweating when I saw my little girl’s picture. Where does the time go? This is a hard night, I cannot sleep. Let me tell you about this kid, kid?, young lady. She was broken at age four and now she is a shining star. Was it me that made her change? No. It was people that came into her life. It was people that came and rescued her from a life of nothingness to a life of promise. It was my wife for taking time and talking to her and learning about her and making her feel like a person of worth. It was people making her reach within herself and learning to sing in front of people. It was my wife teaching her respect and teaching her to be her best self and not accepting her limitations. It was teachers taking the time with her to build her self confidence. It was the saving grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ that reached out to heal her. It was the Spirit that comforted her in the terrible times of her life. It was not me! I made some decision that helped her, but it was other people that were the biggest influences on her. No matter what, I thank my good wife for teaching this child the meaning of being a good woman that would stay with her through thick and thin. No, she did not give birth to her, but she is her Mom. She is a savior to me and to these kids. They may not want to read that but it is true. I cannot express my gratitude enough. Because of her, she has a roof over her head, because of her, she had doctor’s appointments, because of her she has straight beautiful teeth, because of her she had birthday cakes, because of her she has traditions, because of her she has someone to call Mom, because of her she has a place to call home, because of her, she has a little brother and sister that adore her, because of her she has a future. Here is to my daughter and to my wife. Through it all, through the pain and uncertainty, I love them both. I love all my kids, but tonight kid, it is your night.

Principles Revisited

What are our principles, as individuals or as a nation? I addressed this a few nights ago when waterboarding was in the news every minute of every hour. Some questioned the rationality of my thinking. Why would I be opposed to waterboarding when so much good came out of the practice? "We saved possibly thousands of lives." My mind goes back to the condemnation of Saul Alinsky when he wrote that the end justifies the means. Rules for Radicals, outlines that the means are disposable if the end goals are meet. This is the same type of thinking that justifies the torture of other humans. The practice of waterboarding uncovered information that saved the lives of Americans. Now are we of the opinion that the means were justified by the end result? If that did not work, would cutting off a finger knuckle by knuckle be acceptable, if it saved American lives? I guess the answer only comes through our principles. Please do not misunderstand, I do not feel these people deserve to be treated kindly nor do I think that President Obama is doing the right thing by exposing this issue. I am challenging you to look at your principles and identify what makes torture correct. If you can justify it in your mind, maybe you should reexamine the Rules for Radicals and see where you are at on the scale. I still think that the president is taking our country down the wrong path, but torture is against the principles of our nation.