Heartbroken...

After the utter thrashing we took on Saturday I would be lying if I said I still wasn't hurting. There was so much riding on that game (much more than a mere mythical BCS National Title); truly a chance at immortality. Not only did we lose but we never showed up, and more than anything that hurts the most. However, I have found comfort in the words of a past American legend, Theodore Roosevelt:

"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."

While Saturday's sadness is something I will never forget, the memory of this senior class (and most notably their leader Tim Tebow) will be a guiding example of how to live as a lion. Sure there were losses, but you can never know the true sweetness of victory without having tasted the bitterness of defeat.

Circles...

I tivoed (yes, Megan and I are now finally amongst the ranks of dvr users) President Obama's speech last night from West Point regarding the war in Afghanistan because I was more than a little curious about what he had to say. Must say that I was a little disappointed in the speech itself, though honestly the overall "idea" of what he was trying to say was encouraging. As I sat and listened to all the commentary afterwards my mind wandered once again to one of Thrice's new songs entitled Circles, and thought that it played rather well to what I had just heard and witnessed.

In describing what his thought process was on the lyrics for the song, Dustin has said that the ball started rolling with some of the writings by G.K. Chesterton. Apparently he focuses a lot on what he calls the "Cult of Progress", and the last line of the song is a paraphrase of a saying that he had, "Progress should mean that we are always changing the world to fit the vision, instead we are always changing the vision." Dustin uses different metaphors in the song to illustrate the point that to have real progress you have to be moving toward a specific ideal; that there has to be some relation to something, otherwise you're not making progress, you're just moving. Even though Mr. Chesterton's work was done in the early 20th century it's still applicable today since the world seems to be constantly changing what its vision is, to match where the world is going, and it's very arbitrary. This is why I made the connection to the song last night; once again we have a change in vision to fit our current circumstances rather than making modifications to align us with an ultimate goal. Constant motion without progress.

I won't share the entire song here, but there are a couple of metaphors that I feel are too powerful to not. The chorus reads: We set sail with no fixed star in sight. We drive by braille in candle light. I love the imagery Dustin uses here because it is so simple, and the message clear. Without a fixed goal at the onset, how will we ever arrive at our desired destination? And then he takes it further by using the line (which apparently is a favorite of his), "We drive by braille," which would indicate driving without sight but rather using the bumps in the road to navigate. My interpretation would be that rather than being in a proactive position and taking control, you are rather stuck in a reactive state, waiting for something to take place before being able to take action yourself. No fixed target, and operating with a reactive position; what a precarious set of circumstances in which to find one's self!

At the beginning of the song Dustin sings, "We talk too much, we talk in circles; 'til we're all spinning around. Reaching for rings on this merry-go-round." Again the image he paints is powerful, and useful in our everyday life. In his own words, Dustin explains,

"The image of the carousel was the first thing I started thinking about - this idea of movement, but it's very meaningless, and not actually going anywhere. You're riding this horse that's moving in a circle, and also just that image of the old carousels, where you can grab the brass rings. So the idea is moving nowhere, and reaching for something that in the end isn't ultra-significant."

Once again the call goes out to my fellow lions; be watchful that we don't spin our wheels idly, nor reach out or set our sights on that which truly holds no value. Further still the charge is to align our actions with an ultimate desire, and not allow anything or anyone to compromise our path to our final achievement. My prayer is not only that we be lions, but that our leaders back in Washington will be lions as well. Give us goals, solutions and leadership rather than endless debate and mindless rhetoric. We no longer wish to spin in circles for the sake of movement, but rather we want true progress!

Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men...

It's hard for me to believe that December has officially arrived, and the Christmas season is now upon us. My new son Riley was four weeks old yesterday, and it seems that each passing day, week, month, year, etc. I understand more and more what my father always told me in that time will continually fly by faster and faster; so as such, the key is to maximize what time we do have, and enjoy it to the fullest. Hence the beauty of December.

Everyone seems to slow down just a second or two this time of year, and the entire mood and feel of things appears to improve. A little more kindness one towards another, a little more cheer rather than gloom, it's all apart of this magical time of year. Cinnamon sticks are now cooking on our stove, and our fresh tree is now filling our home with the smells of the season (while I may complain about having to put it up every year, the truth is that I've grown to love a live tree as well Megan, thanks for sharing your tradition with me.)

Another favorite tradition of this time of year is of course the music, and I'd like to share with you one of my favorites: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. It's message is simple, and is a message I hope we can all carry with us throughout the season (and hopefully with us always). Peace on earth, good will to men my fellow lions!

I heard the bells on Christmas Day, their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how as the day had come, the belfries of all christendom,

Had rolled along the unbroken song of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head, "there is no peace on earth," I said,

For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep, God is not dead nor doth he sleep,

The wrong shall fail the right prevail with peace on earth, good will to men.

Till ringing singing on it's way, the world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime of peace on earth, good will to men.

(Shot of my kids last year by our tree. Hope to share some of this year soon!)

Gator for a Day...

The mantra states "Lion for a Day", but for the purposes of this post I ask that we change it to "Gator for a Day". I had hoped to do this on Saturday after one of the finest performances in recent memory capped one of the finest careers in college football history, but I didn't get around to it until today. If you haven't caught on just yet, I wish to pay special tribute to a man who's likes I'm never likely to see again in my lifetime. I speak of none other than Mr. Tim Tebow.

His story has been published far and wide at this point, and I certainly don't wish to further dilute the true potency of his legacy, but I would surely be remiss if I didn't take a moment to honor one of the greatest "Lions" of our time. Tebow has amassed numerous trophies and records during his 4 years in Gainesville, but he summed it up well when he was asked before his final game in the Swamp this past Saturday about how he might be remembered, and he said, "I hope they remember how much I cared." His passion, for all things good and righteous, is what truly makes him a lion like none other.

At this point there are but two battles left for this giant, and I wish to tip my hat to his greatness both on and off the field. He is truly an inspiration, and having him be Ethan's first "hero" has been a real joy as a father. Enjoy this highlight film from the 2008 Championship season with clips of both Tebow and his counterpart on the defensive side, Brandon Spikes. (Hard to deny watching the Gators with Rocky playing in the background!) Go Gators!!

We Are Beggars All...

Naturally with Thanksgiving coming tomorrow I have spent much of the past week thinking about just how much I have to be thankful for. I am a blessed man, and certainly have been given more than my share of goodness in life. First and foremost thanks be to wonderful family and friends who fill my life with so much joy.

Most who know me know that my love for Dustin Kensrue and his band Thrice runs fairly deep. Some may not understand this, but on this day of pensive gratitude let me shed some additional light on just what makes him someone worthy of my adoration. In an interview when asked what the inspiration was for his latest album "Beggars" he explains that it was taken from Martin Luther's last words..."We are beggars, this is true." Dustin goes on to say, "When looking at what you're given versus what you actually earn...I just hope it makes people think...leads to being more grateful and gratious to other people." He takes this further in the title track off the album when he ends the song with:

Tell me if you can recall just one thing, not a gift, in this life? If there's one thing I know in this life, we are beggars all!

I hope we can all take the time to consider what we've been "given" in this life, and find that place where our hearts fill with gratitude for all we truly have been given. As Dustin says, we are truly beggars all, and as such I'm thankful to each of you for your constant love and support. As a special thank you, please enjoy the following videos of our friends Thrice. The first is a video of the interview I referenced above, and the second is a 5 song live set recorded. And yes Benjamin, the final song is in fact "Beggars" the song you were disappointed not to hear at their concert in Salt Lake last week (I think you'll find it the emotional thunder you were hoping it would be.) Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

My Source of Peace

Haven't touched a computer in two days due to an unexpected and fun (sarcastic fun) illness that's snuck up on me over the last couple weeks. Not only am I attempting to fight off pneumonia, but also heal a torn diaphragm which is essentially the muscle underneath your lungs. How did this muscle tear you might ask? Well from coughing so much and so violently, and yes it is definitely as "fun" as it sounds. However, I wanted to jump on tonight for one reason only, and that is to express gratitude.

I felt it paramount that I write tonight quickly, and publicly thank my wife, Megan, for all she does. The silver lining to being sick is to have the quality care and devotion of a loving wife, and boy has my lining been phenomenal. Not only am I talking about just over the last couple of days while I've been whimping it up acting like I'm hurt, but more like the last 5 plus years we've been able to call each other husband and wife. She is truly my lioness, and I am nothing without her.

The last couple of posts have focused on The Last Samurai, and some truths that it teaches us. In addition to these truths already discussed, another applies here as well. Nathan Algren learns and truly finds himself while amongst the Samurai in the mountains of Japan. Once he learns that they are set to be destroyed he goes into battle side-by-side with them. Question is, where does he go afterwards? Directly back to that sanctuary in the mountains that brought him the true peace he had long sought in all the wrong places. Megan is that place of peace for me.

Often times we jokingly talk about how it isn't truly possible for me to actually "want" to come home some nights. Tough day at work, the kids are all wired up and everything appears on the outside as utter chaos, but I always remind her that there isn't anywhere else I'd rather be. And I say that with full honesty of heart. Why? Because she is my sanctuary, my source of strength, my source of peace, my source of inspiration and most importantly she is what makes me feel alive!

Just as Nathan went out to fight only to return quickly to the place he loved most, that is my daily strategy to fight the daily fight as quickly as possible to return to the one that truly makes me happy; my one and true love.

Thank you for being you Megan, and thank you for allowing me to be apart of your life. I am the luckiest guy in the world to call you mine, and I pray that I will earn that right each and every day of my life both in this and the next. Love you long-long time to my one and only Lioness!

P.S. Benjamin, you did request a picture, but I know she wouldn't be too appreciative to me if I posted one of her at this time. Hopefully sometime soon. :)

What Could Be More Necessary?

The following is a conversation between Captain Algren and Katsumoto after they are able to escape from Tokyo successfully. Katsumoto served as the Emperor's spiritual advisor, as all leaders of the Samurai had for centuries; however, with the Emperor intent on modernizing Japan, and numerous vultures now surrounding him in his council, Katsumoto was unable to reach the Emperor.

Katsumoto: "For nine-hundred years my ancestors protected this people. Now, I have failed them."

Algren: "So you will take your own life in shame? Shame for a life of service, discipline, compassion?"

Katsumoto: "The way of the Samurai is not necessary anymore."

Algren: "Necessary...what could be more necessary?"

Pondering on this scene got me to thinking about the specified qualities listed of Katsumoto's life (service, discipline, compassion), and just how absent they are from our modern day world.

Service

First example that came to mind here would be the so-called "public servants" our elected officials in Washington are supposed to be. This group on Capitol Hill are talking about how terrible the Social Security system is, yet they hold themselves out and have their own privately funded and managed pension fund. They debate health care reform, and pretend to have our interests at heart, yet they have their own private care and health system to take care of their needs. Worse still is the fact that publicly they criticize companies' use of taxpayer bailout funds, yet order themselves 3 new private jets earlier this summer when only one was necessary according to the Pentagon who services them, and decide that their budget still needs to be increased though the rest of the world is learning how to tighten their belts. Where is the service? How much better would the world be if everyone on earth made one decision (just one) per day with someone else's interest in mind rather than their own? I truly wonder what a difference that could make.

Discipline

The following three videos show the lack of discipline in our lives: Serena Williams going ballistic after a call at the end of her semi-final match in this year's US Open, New Mexico soccer player Elizabeth Lambert definitely losing it throughout their semi-final game in the Mountain West Conference Tournament and here South Carolina Senator Joe Wilson blurting out his now famous "You Lie" comment during President Obama's address on Capitol Hill. Funny thing to me is what they have to say afterwards in supposed apology. Here's Serena's initial statement after her incedent:

"Now that I have had time to gain my composure, I can see that while I don't agree with the unfair line call, in the heat of battle I let my passion and emotion get the better of me and as a result handled the situation poorly."

More and more it seems that life has become a "battle", and therefore it's acceptable for anyone, at any time to just lose it. Worse still is the fact that not only has it become acceptable, but almost held in high esteem because the person was so open and honest with their feelings and emotions while expressing themselves. Whatever happened to self-discipline?







Compassion

Today's world is certainly more focused on the "me, me, me" rather than our fellow neighbors, etc. It's even to the point where many times we find it hard to celebrate someone's success; we'd rather tear that person down than actually pat them on the back to say, "Congratulations." Case in point is the CMA Awards this past week. I'm certainly not a country music fan, but my wife is so I had the opportunity to watch some of them with her. An up and coming young singer named Taylor Swift, a mere 19 years old, took the awards show by storm winning 4 different awards including the highest honor of the night: Entertainer of the Year. Rather than celebrate the accomplishment and acknowledge what Taylor has been able to do for country music, Wynonna Judd chose to cut her down. Wynonna, a legend in her own right, was asked her thoughts on Taylor's win, and this is what she had to say: "You want my honest comment? It's too much too soon. She's no where near ready for so much success." Opportunity certainly missed, and yet another sad commentary on our current state of affairs.

Worse still in regards to compassion are all the e-mails that seem to endlessly float around everyone's inbox. You know the ones I'm talking about. How many times are you forwarded e-mails that attempt to demonize an opposition's leader or mindset? If you're conservative then you've received them about Obama, Pelosi and Reid. If you're liberal then you've received them about Rush, Beck, Hannity, etc. Why must we persist in attempting to show the "other guy" is wrong just so we appear to be right? What happened to actually caring for one another, and being a part of a neighborhood, community or even a nation? Where's the love?

Just as Captain Algren asked, "What could be more necessary?" I ask you the same question. What have you done today to serve someone other than yourself? Try and refrain from outburst or anger next time someone does something to provoke you, or better still be slow to be offended. And finally let's all show more compassion one towards another. Being a lion isn't about just being tougher than another, or being stronger and conquering an opponent; rather it's about taking the time to drag one's self out of the mire, and then have the strength (or compassion) to reach back and lift another as well.

The Power of Decision

Katsumoto asks, "You believe a man can change his destiny?" Algren replies, "I think a man does what he can until his destiny is revealed." What is it that a man can do until his destiny is revealed? Choose.

Nathan Algren's story in The Last Samurai is one of the greatest told on film. I took the opportunity to rewatch it this past Saturday, and I must say that without a doubt it is my favorite movie of all time. Algren's character is in the depths of depression because of acts performed during war, and he buries those emotions through drinking. In helping train the Japanese army to fight off the Samurai he is captured in battle, and forced to remain with them throughout the winter. During his time he has "conversations" with Katsumoto, the famed leader of the group who's ancestors have protected the Japanese people for over 900 years, and it is during this time that Algren learns the power of choice and discipline.

For so long Nathan has run from his past, and truly been ashamed of who he was. His exposure to the way of the Samurai, Bushido, shows him a path to peace. Courage, Loyalty and Honor are but three staples of Bushido philosophy, and while a captive to the culture he embraces it; even loves it. However, the time comes when he is released, and now he is faced with the cold reality of the real world once again. Does he succumb to the temptations immediately presented him? Does he yield to the pressures attempting to once again box him in? Yes, he does. He once again reaches for a bottle and begins to once again plan his escape; however, this is the turning point of his story, and truly the point of decision that we all face in our lives.

What he is doing stops him in his tracks, and you can see him pondering his actions. Does he go through with his plans to return to America and more than likely return to drinking his sorrows away? Or does he stand up for what he has come to love, and go to rescue Katsumoto who had been taken captive himself? The scene is brief, but it's power everlasting. He chooses to once and for all subplant his demons in the past, and fully embrace the power of his future. Though rescuing Katsumoto poses the risk of death, no consequence will keep him now from fulfilling his "destiny".

There are so many other moments of decision in this movie that only serve to amplify it's power, and maybe those will be the focus of a future post. Katsumoto's son being injured in the rescue attempt, and volunteering to stay behind (sacrificing his own life) to ensure the others are able to get away. Bob, Algren's watchman during his stay with the Samurai, jumping in front of Algren to save his life during the climatic battle near the end. Taka dressing Nathan in her late-husband's armor and caring for him throughout his stay though Nathan was the cause of her husband's death in an earlier battle. Even Algren himself mounting up to make the final charge though the battle was not his to die for. All shining examples of how the choices we make in life control our destinies.

I will post more on Algren's story in the future, but for today will leave well enough alone. I think the final dialogue spoken by a narrator as the film settles into it's finality suits the end of this post as well. The narrator speaks of what became of Captain Algren (he was the lone survivor of the final battle, and hence the "Last Samurai") and says, "...I like to think he may have at last found some small measure of peace that we all seek, but few of us ever find." That peace can only be found by those who make good choices, declare themselves more than just average and defend it through their actions. Captain Algren, and all the Samurai, were truly lions.

I can't help myself...

Hopefully you can see Greg Kinnear deliver that line in your mind after being asked by Meg Ryan's character if his newly found love was a Republican. It is one of numerous comical moments from the movie, You've Got Mail, and I'd wager that more lines are quoted during our family gatherings from that movie than any other. Benjamin, I'm volunteering you to do the leg work on this, and get us an actual statistic to work with. Thanks. :)

Now, all joking aside, there is a reason for my use of this humorous line. Though my blogging days are most certainly in their infancy, I have made a conserted effort to not post anything political in nature. As you're aware, the purpose of this blog is to help motivate us all to be better and do more, not necessarily discuss matters happening back in Washington. However, when I saw this clip, I just couldn't help myself.

What you're about to see (all 16 seconds of it) is Nancy Pelosi in an interview she gave last week. This is a prime example of the doublespeak that is going on in Washington, and just how stupid our elected officials must think we, the American people, are. Unless I'm mistaken, allowing a tax cut to expire would in fact be a tax increase. Wow! Thanks for allowing me my small rant, and I promise to refrain from political talk in the future. (Unless you're interested in more? Let me know.)

Jenny's Pearls...

Heard an awesome story yesterday, and thought it fit the feel of the blog. So, here's my quick thought and motivation for today.

Jenny was with her mother walking down the street, when a necklace of pearls caught her eye in the window of a dime store. She was mesmerized by the sight of such a thing, and begged her mother to buy them for her. Her mother flipped the packaging over to find a $1.99 price tag, and told her that if she were to work and save for a couple weeks that she would probably be able to buy them on her own. Jenny's birthday was coming up, and maybe her grandmother would give her another crisp dollar bill which would also help in her pursuit for the pearls.

Jenny was immediately excited by the idea, and went straight home to do more than her fair share of the chores that evening around the house. The next day she went next door to her neighbor's house offering to pick the dandelions in their yard for $.10. Her birthday came a few days later, and her grandmother in fact gave her a crisp dollar bill which gave her enough money to buy the prized necklace at last.

Jenny was so proud of the pearls she wore them everywhere, and only took them off to shower after her mother told her that her neck would turn green if she did not. Her father was a busy man, but he always took the time to come in when Jenny was ready for bed, and read her a story. After about a week of Jenny and her pearls, her dad came in one night and asked, "Jenny, do you love me?" She replied, "Of course I do daddy." Her father continued, "Then give me your pearls." "Oh no daddy, not my pearls. You can take my pony, the white one with the pink tail, she's my favorite one. Please take her daddy, and not my pearls." He read Jenny her story, and kissed her goodnight.

Another week passed, and Jenny's father repeated the same scene from the week prior asking, "If you love me, then give me your pearls." This time Jenny offered up her new baby doll she had just received for her birthday. She even wanted her father to take the crib and blankets that came along with it, but he kissed her goodnight once again letting her know that it was okay.

A few days later Jenny's father came into her room to read her a story before bed to find her sitting on the bed with her legs crossed Indian style. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, and in her hands she held her prized necklace of pearls. Though crying, she managed to get out, "Here daddy. Here are my pearls. I love you so much, and I want you to have them." Jenny's father, through tears of his own at this point, took the pearls from his little girl's hands, and reached into his own pocket pulling out a blue velvet box. He offered it to her, and upon opening the box she found a real pearl necklace inside! Jenny's father had the real pearls for her the entire time, but waited until Jenny was ready and willing to give up her dime store necklace before giving her the real thing.

The author of this story is unknown, but I love the context it provides. How easy is it to hold on to things in our lives, and because of that, we miss out on the "real" joys in life? Whether it be anger towards another, or accepting mediocrity rather than pushing to improve, or even holding fast to a favorite vice, etc; small items such as these often prove to be the stumbling blocks that impede the true happiness and joy one can find by giving up the "fake" pearls to finally receive the "real" ones.

Dustin's Sermon on the Stage

To take the words right out of Dustin’s mouth, “…love is a loyalty sworn, not a burning for a moment.” My love (and therefore my “loyalty”) to Mr. Kensrue was questioned yesterday evening, so I felt it necessary to throw together a quick post on his brilliance. In order to do so I will go back into the archives, and pull out a Thrice classic; in fact, I consider it pretty much Thrice’s (and therefore Dustin’s) anthem. Musically the song is powerful, but what of the lyrics? Let’s take a quick look inside…

When deadbolts awake you from déjà vu dreams,
At four in the morning you know where I’ll be.
Out running red lights asleep at the wheel,
The sirens feed my nightmares.

I just close my eyes, and I’m already there;
It’s already too late.
I know it’s nothing but lies,
But they sound so sincere;
I find them too hard to hate.

And she calls from the doorway “Stolen Water is so sweet,
So let’s drink in the darkness if you know what I mean.”

And I’m almost sure that I’ve been here before,
That this is not the first time I’ve stood in front of this door;
With an overwhelming feeling that I shouldn’t go in,
But it seems this is a battle that I never could win.

And you! My true Love!
You call from the hilltop. You call from the streets,
“Darling don’t you know, the water is poison?”
And I say! “Come on and give me my poison.”

What have I done?
Is it too late to save me from this place?
From the depths of the grave?
We all are those, who thought we were brave.
What have I done?

It is clear that Dustin is telling a tale using the proverb found in Proverbs Chapter 9. “Stolen waters are sweet,” with references to his true love calling from the hilltops, etc. contribute to my hypothesis. Proverbs Nine talks of a lady named Wisdom building her house on a hill, and how she preaches of what true wisdom, knowledge and learning is. (Dustin loves learning, seeking, pondering for truth almost above all else; or in other words “his true love”.) Meanwhile, another lady sits by her house telling those passing by how wonderful her stolen water and food are; however, her guests are truly in the depths of hell. So what exactly is Dustin trying to tell us? What is he trying to say?

Deadbolt is all of our journeys in life. For the most part we have our sights set on the good and true things; however, there always seems to be those same pesky vices that bring us down, right? We know that they’re wrong and that they will cause us harm, but we give in anyway. Our guilt is almost immediate, and we ask ourselves, “What have I done?” “Is it too late to save me from this place?” However, the true genius of the song lies in this message: we may think we are brave, but we are not. “I just close my eyes, and I’m already there; but it’s already too late.” How easy is it for us to fall into those same vices when we constantly expose ourselves to them? His message is that once confronted by them it’s already too late, we are done for, and even as wisdom calls out from the hilltops and streets that it’s poison, our reply will remain, “Come on and give me my poison.”

So what does this have to do with this blog, and our message of being a lion? My simple reply is everything. The call (if you choose to heed it) is to be more than a sheep merely wondering about, and taken by the whims and whirls of everyday life. A sheep hears the glorious message that “water and food are sweet” and ignorantly walks in to its utter demise; however, a lion not only stands at the familiar door and denies the offered temptation, but further still avoids it altogether! My charge, as is Dustin’s, is to stand up and be a Lion; to not allow the lies to become sincere, and “too hard to hate.” To seek out the truth, and allow nothing else to compromise the strength that comes from it!

To bring this post to a close, I’ll leave you with a quote that I love…

The mind must not only possess a knowledge of truth, but the soul must revere it, cherish it, and love it as a priceless gem.

May we all seek the truth and hold it dear as a priceless gem, and may we have the strength and courage to stand up for it, “at all times, in all places and in all things,” to be in fact Lions.

"Little Light"

Jesse Lacey sings, “Little light, lead us through the night…carry us, those distances we cannot walk.” I listened to that one minute of song a few times on my way to work this morning, and can’t help but be moved by its power. Two things come to mind when I think of the “little light”.

First, is the powerful testimony and discourse that Elder Holland delivered last Sunday afternoon during General Conference. It is true that he brought the thunder, and made it perfectly clear as to how he feels about the Book of Mormon, and the authenticity of its origins; however, the real strength of his talk comes in the truth he preaches. Elder Holland declares clinging, grasping, holding onto the rod (or in this case the word of God, the Book of Mormon, or even “little light”) and never losing focus is what will help each and every one of us from having our “hearts fail us”. These truly are times of much pestilence and mass destruction, but there are surely times of personal difficulty as well, and what better instruction on how to overcome those struggles (and be Lions) then this.

Second, and possibly even more powerful than the first thought, is the notion that we ourselves are to be that “little light” helping others navigate their way through the mist of darkness that is the Latter Days. As stated above, we all face personal struggles and turmoil, that is the purpose of being on the earth; however, the best remedy that I’m aware is to follow the command and charge to, “…bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light…to mourn with those that mourn…and comfort those that stand in need of comfort and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death...”

Elder Holland certainly qualified himself as a Lion by standing and bearing witness, but we can all do the same in our own “little” ways. Again the call rings out; who I ask will answer the call? May it be us; may we be the “little light” that shines down on those in the darkness of the night, and may we have the strength to carry those who cannot walk on their own.

We are Oysters all...

Brand New's latest album is quite a tasty treat, and on my way to work this morning a particular line jumped out at me that I hadn't heard prior, "We are oysters all, with our grain of sand." I found it quite profound, and figured I'd share it with everyone. Reminded me of something I read not too long ago:

Success begins with recognition. We must acknowledge that change must be made. Easy enough to say. After all, when our current circumstances are familiar to us they are also very comfortable. Change requires discomfort.

It’s a lot like the story of the farmer and his old hound dog. Every day a young boy walked past the farmer’s house on his way to school. While the farmer and the dog sat on the porch, the dog howled every few minutes. Finally, one day the boy stopped and asked the farmer, "Why does your dog howl?” The farmer said very matter-of-factly, "He’s sitting on a nail sticking up through the floor board." Puzzled, the boy asked, "Then why doesn't he move?" The farmer replied, "I guess it must not hurt enough yet!"

Too many times that is how we live our lives. It doesn't hurt enough for us to change, so we sit and howl. Change starts with doing the little things day in and day out. The more uncomfortable these changes are, the more effective they will be in making us successful. Every day we make a choice. Will you choose to be a hound dog or an oyster?

Let it Begin...

Unfortunately, yesterday was a Wednesday, so that means I had scouts, etc. This of course means there was no time to begin any workouts, or get things moving in preparation of the January 23 showdown...or was there?

No, I did not log in any "true" exercise hours, but I did begin some preparations. First up, I wanted to see just how bad the weight situation was. Expectations were low, and I was really just hoping for something respectable. Fortunately, for me, it turned out alright. Back on December 14, 2008 (a day similar to yesterday in the fact that I had just gotten completely fed up with being lethargic and fat) I weighed in at 255.4 pounds. Yesterday evening, September 30, 2009 (a solid nine months plus since) I weighed in at 253.8 pounds.

Certainly not something I'm going to be proud about, but must admit was a bit of a boost to morale. It has been quite a year, with plenty of ups and downs (not only phsyically, but also emootionally, family, etc.) and to think that at this point in time I'm still coming out ahead, even though it is admittedly only just slightly, was nice to see. With this new found information I have set a goal to step to the starting line on January 23, 2010 weighing in at 230 or less.

The other thing I did was look up the Snow Canyon Half Marathon which I knew was sometime in November. It in fact is Nov. 7th, and is a mere 5 weeks away. Is that enough time to prepare? Not entirely sure, but will publicly state here that I hope to be able to run the event come the first Sat. in November. Just for everyone's reference as well, I ran that race back in 2006 or 2007 with a goal of finishing in 2 hours. I believe my finish time was 2:00:38 (it was definitely 2 hours and just under a minute), so that is another gauge I will use to try and measure where I currently stack up.

Now that I think about it, the circumstances were some what similar for that race which will be good. It was 2006, and was after I completed my first triathlon previously that June. I had raced in that tri after training for only 5 weeks, and so I wasn't in the best of shape. Even later in November for the half-marathon I still wasn't exactly trim, so it should be a decent comparison for beginning my training here and now.

Hope to be able to post some actual progress and workout information soon. Until then....lets be Lions!

A Challenge Proposed....

Since you're the only one who checks this regularly (Benjamin) I thought it only appropriate to come in, and make a post for you. 2009 has not been a solid year for me physically, and I have yet to compete in any type of significant race period. Just when I thought I might be able to sneak a triathlon in before the end of the season, I was once again removed from a good workout schedule. Shameful excuses, I know.

However, as the marathon is now quickly approaching for Ben Hog, the thoughts of running are dancing through his mind at a rapid pace. During his visit this past weekend, we were to have a raquetball tournament to get the juices flowing. An epic battle ensued with a game that lasted a solid 45 minutes, and was filled with back and forth momentum swings. Killer serves, kill shots and overall play was at a maximum, but in the end I came out the victor. Once again my serve pulled through, and I was able to finish off my foe with a comfortable 3 point victory. The following game was a disaster as my opponent showed his weakness, and a 5 minute beating ensued. His will was so broken that a Saturday game (which was to be part of the tournament from the onset) was canceled. Benjamin wanted nothing to do with the little blue ball any longer!

In an attempt to renew the friendly banter of competition between us, he instead threw out a challenge. Now that he considers himself a "runner" he throws out the Painter's Half Marathon which takes place in Saint George every January. After the Spanish Fork Half, and soon the Saint George Marathon, he thinks himself ready to challenge me in a duel. Sadly my physical conidition is far from peak, but I will accept this challenge, and come January plan to assist others in the crowd cheer him into the finish line since I will be finishing first!

1,000 miles in 2009

My declaration for 2009 is to run 1,000 miles. So far this year I've run the following:

Saturday, January 10, 5 miles
Friday, January 16, 1 mile
Saturday, January 17, 6 miles
Monday, January 19, 5 miles
Tuesday, January 20, 3.1 miles
Wednesday, January 21, 3.6 miles
Thursday, January 22, 3.1 miles
Saturday, January 24, 5.5 miles

From this point forward my goal will be to post at least weekly, and I'd love it if someone had a mileage counter type "gadget" that I could use to keep a running tally. According to my math I'm at 32.3 miles for the year, and though I'm slightly off the average pace I'll need to reach my goal for the year I'm feeling good about where I am having not really gotten off to a great start. Good night for now, and don't forget to be Lions!