Journal Entry 2013

Wellsfargo has given people the opportunity for some time to put there own pictures on debit and credit cards. I decided today to put something together for the card.  I put this together in a about 20 minutes.  This is just my first attempt.  I have a couple other cards I will do also. 

(Diclaimer – if you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you probably will not understand this. If you need more explanation you will need to go find a member of the LDS church who regularly attends and ask them to explain)

Now with the disclaimer out of the way. I attended a stake priesthood meeting last night. There were the usual topics, service to others, scouting, Duty to God and be a good husband, father, leader. But then at the very end of the meeting, the stake president, as part of his talk announced that he had been praying and fasting to see if we could going together as a stake to fast and pray for rain. I guess this had been on his mind for 4 or 5 months. The area has been a drought now for a couple of years. And with this summer at over 50 days of 100F+ the situation is getting pretty drastic. I have even noticed the local water has started to taste different. But the stake president, President Hollingworth, received the inspiration to go ahead an announce that the members of the stake could join together, collectively, to pray for and have a special fast the first fast Sunday in September for rain.

All I can say is get ready for the miracle.

I was at the store today and when I saw the chocolate milk I just knew I had to have some. It’s pretty cool I live in a country and at a time of the world when I can just get chocolate milk. It’s not going to add much to my over all health. But it sure was good to drink. And trying to get the most for my money I’ll be able to drink Chocolate milk for a couple of days.

Some other good things in my life are my wife and kids. I am so lucky to have gotten the mine. I know most people talk about how good there kids are and how beautiful their wife is, but mine is for really. They are perfect for me and I have very happy to have them around. I also feel blessed because I the hope I have that we will be together forever. While most of the world believes in “til death do you part” That is pretty sad, because this life is pretty lame most of the time. I really look forward to living in a situation that is better than here in mortality. But even with as lame as this life is my family really makes it bearable. I really am lucky.

And then on occasion I get a little bonus and get some chocolate milk.

I heard this story in church last Sunday. So I thought I’d look on the internet to see if I could find the author. I found this story in many places, but could not find an author. If you may know where the original story came from please let me know.

There was a group of women in a Bible study class. One day they were studying Malachi in the third chapter they came across verse three, which says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next class.

That week this woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith; he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God putting each of us through the furnace of affliction – then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered “yes”, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”

He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy. When I see my image in it.”

Which reminds me of the scripture in Alma

Alma 5: 14, 19
14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?
• • •
19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?

It seems that today was the day that Lance discovered he doesn’t have what it takes to win the Tour. Also Tom Watson, who is 59, made a magnificent run at the British open. Only to falter on the last hole to force a playoff that he didn’t win.

For me being forty I was cheering on both of these guys. I guess it gave me hope that maybe I can bring back some of the physical stamina I had reached as a younger man. But today, like these guys, I feel older and less relevant.

It is a good thing because it makes me humble and keeps me from even thinking I can have the pride I once had.

I am just reminded I am tired. I will keep moving forward.