“I’m going to put $30.00 into savings every time you buy a carton of cigarettes and $1.00 for your daily big swig drink, and spend it on myself,” she said. Her husband replied: “Then I’ll spend $40.00 on me every time you add a pair of shoes to your Imelda Marcos collection.” Addictions come in many forms and all cost resources. Our choices are either positive or negative and results can bless or debilitate our lives. As…
The principles of the gospel are found in all of the worlds’ religions: some have more than others. The basic difference between Methodists, Mormons, and Muslims is content. You can’t live a principle you don’t know if you don’t have the full meal deal. The only question is “do you want the feast (the fullness of the gospel) or just a nibble?” If calamitous times came and you had a chance to invite the Lord to dine in…
“An extroverted actuary is someone who is looking at your shoes.” Actuaries are generally quiet, reclusive introverts who immerse themselves in number crunching. They are the ones who determine for insurance companies mortality expectations and death risks of national, regional and local natures. Do you know what they say about Utahans? Because we are clean livers, we last longer than any other socio-economic group in America. Men can expect to live to age 74, and women age…
Being a good example has no better theater than in the home. Raising children requires it. You owe it to tomorrows’ teachers, leaders, lawmakers and advisors to be good parents to them now, and most of what you provide will come from not what you tell them, but what they learn from your example. Gandhi said: “be the change you wish to see in the world.” With so much bad out there, the good you provide in your…
The present is shadow of our pre-existence, and type of our post-mortal experience. That which we are progressing in now had its origins in the pre-existence and continues in the after life. Think about this – as sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father we were born to use divinely inherited powers to create. We did before, can do now and can continue to create, and, if we do it right, what we create will endure in the…
Isn’t that an oxymoron? Armed service is above all a selfless course of action offered from a position of strength against evil or aggression. Some things never allow for equivocation, “that others may live.” Switzerland has for decades required that every male serve in its’ armed reserves from age 18 through 58. Each man is not only issued arms and ammunition to maintain at home, but each is required to attend training semi-annually in home defense and target…
“You Mormons seem more concerned about standing before the Lord than your standing before the Lord,” he said. “I don’t understand. Is that a double ontondre?” I said. “Yes.” (I felt so much better) “Mormons are more concerned with the end of things, rather than the journey – the event than your condition – His vengeance than His approbation – death rather than the quality of life. All of your preparedness talk seems focused on avoiding death…
“How would you like to live in one of your antique cars with you family,” I said to a car dealer friend who was also a client? Like most dealers, he was a hobbyist, having collected a number of vintage cars. “If your house is paid for, that’s $1,600 a month you don’t have to earn if your mortgage is cleared. No bills, no need for income.” The market was high, a package sale of his antiques cleared…
Pachyderm 37, a Chinook helicopter of the 101st, was going down with its back end on fire. I was headed for the barn. I had cheated death for 976 combat flying hours in Vietnam. I was going home tomorrow. Before I could channel change to the emergency frequency, the response came: “Pachyderm, this is King 6. We have you!” I knew my assistance would not be needed. Every radio net has a designated emergency frequency that all…
“If they don’t have my wife, homemade chocolate chip cookies, and baseball in heaven, I ain’t going.” Now, there are some notable aspirations! · Wife – without a loving helpmate, there is no eternity. · Homemade – everything is always the best when made sweet through thrift, love, and selflessness. · Baseball – anyone who can play the game and win when the odds are 9 to 1 against them (opponents cover all the bases, fields, and even…