The world has changed

Several times each year I seem to reflect on how much the World has changed in my long life. Usually one of those times is around 9-11 due to the fact of the events 17 years ago.
I remember the day well. I remember how sick I felt.
I remember traveling before and after that day and how that has changed.

Today I worry more for my kids and grandkids. The world they have to navigate is really scary and yet they have no idea I think.

Growing up we never worried about being outside or if the door was locked or not.
We would walk the street after dark without a care. Not so now.

 My older kids had to worry a bit about bullies. I had to in school, but the environment today is so much worse. Home used to be a safe place where nothing bad would enter in, but with social media and all, that is not true.

I am doing what I can to make sure everyone I connect with knows how special they are. I am grateful for those around me and in my life and my family's life that think and do the same.
We are enough and we are each our own kind of special.
 

People are good!

I had the chance to volunteer at the Salt Lake FanX Comic Convention this past weekend. I have done this for the past 3 times and love it.
I am lucky enough to be assigned to the Celebrity Row team, which basically means we are there to help the Celebrities with their autograph signings. Helping with fans and the lines that form instantly it seems.

I was able to be with several big names and I must say that each and everyone of them were gracious and treated me with respect.
I was very happy to see the different people as they waited inline, take the time to check on each other, to help with little kids that just don't get why Mom and Dad want to hang out on a cement floor surrounded by weirdly dressed people waiting.

People are good to each other ----for the most part. There are a few that are not, but the majority that I saw and dealt with were a pleasure, even when things were not going a well as they wanted.

I think human nature is built to be nice and I hope more get back to that. I'm grateful for that.

Life, Prayer, Scripture Study, A great Wife

Lots to be grateful for. Over  the past few months work has been very hard. Dealing with people and their issues that effect me and what I need to get done has become a part time job it seems.
Trying to figure out how to approach problems has also been a challenge.

I decided to make it a matter of prayer. It is no surprise that as I included God in my daily work and issues they seemed to be less stressful.
They were still there and a pain but I didn't seem to stress as much anthem nor did I lie awake at night working them over and over in my mind.

My wife and I team teach a Sunday School class of 12-13 year olds. We have 8 in the class and they come every week.

I am so grateful for her insight in how best to try and reach these kids.
We each study the lessons separately then talk briefly about how we want to approach the lesson.
Most weeks it is great, some times not so much but we keep working on it.

We also each do our own scripture study and then talk about what we each have read or thought about.
This is awesome and a great blessing. I love her insight into he scriptures as well.

Family

The Saturday after Thanksgiving is the Annual Papa and Nanny kickoff to Christmas with the grandkids

I have 6 grandkids and then Boo who is still at home being only 9 yrs old.
Each year we get together for games, food, talk about what Christmas is really about.
This year was another memorable one thanks 100% to my great wife.

The kids decorated their own Graham Cracker house with icing, candy and fun.
We had a wide variety of styles. From the detail obsessed to lets just dump a bunch of icing on.
We laughed and could see each of the grandkids personalities on display.

We then played reindeer games by tossing rings on to the antlers of a reindeer.

Then it was lets talk about the First Christmas and as we told the story each child added that piece to their own Nativity.

Then Maggie read a new book we gave each family. Pig the Elf.

Then I read a new book we found of Home Alone. Based not he movie. The kids loved it.

So grateful for a wonderful wife that puts all this on and for kids who let me be in the lives of my grandkid.

Modern Tech

I was on a conference call the other morning and the thought struck me of how far we have come.
Here I was sitting in my car driving into work wearing a headset that did not have wires, that was connected to a phone that was sitting in my pocket.
On the call were co workers located in Utah, India, and several spots across the country.
Later that morning I knew I had a call between people in Utah, Canada, Mexico and India scheduled.
When I awoke that morning I had rolled over in bed and glanced at my phone to see the latest email and what problems my day may hold.

This is a long way from when I first started out in the work force in the mid 70's.
Back then I had to make sure I kept a roll of coins in my truck in case it broke down and I would have to walk to get to a pay phone.
Or that one time that I faked my truck breaking down in front of the house of a girl I had a crush on in High School who didn't know I was alive.
I thought I could go up to the door and ask to use her phone to call for help.
Was a great plan until it was her dad that answered the door and offered to come out and look to see what the problem was...he was a mechanic...oh to be 16 again and have an excuse to be dumb headed.

I remember when years later my work got me my first pager. It was the size of a deck of cards that clipped to my belt and allowed below to enter in a phone # I needed to call.
Later I was so excited when I upgraded to the newest type that was the size of a magic marker and held 10 numbers.

The first mobile phone I saw was one my boss bought that had a battery back up pack that was the size of a purse.
He thought he was so cool carrying it around...well a lot of people thought he was cool carrying it around.

I remember my first Smart type device.  A Palm Pilot that had 500mb storage on it. IT was so cool to think I had my calendar and could even carry a couple chapters of scripture with me always.

Now kids today have no idea what it means to have to walk to a pay phone only to discover you don't have changed you thought you did.
Or parents wondering where their kids are and if something has happened..I don't miss that part.

While I sometimes hate that I am always connected tot he office and never really away from work, I am glad that in the same sense I am always connected to my family where ever they are in the world and never far away from them no matter what they might be doing. For that I am grateful
 

Church

Today I am grateful for Church.
I look at Church as my charger for my spirit. I go each week to be topped off.
Not just seeing friends and neighbors but to feel the spirit.

Today we had a returning Mission President and his wife speak.
Several thoughts that were shared:
There is no growth in the Comfort Zone and no comfort in the Growth Zone.

The Lord works from the inside out and the world works from the outside in

Nothing Draws you closer to Christ than a desire to change

Your Marriage can come closer together as you have Christ as your center and focus on the Atonement

Murmuring and complaining leads to justifying which can lead you further away from Christ.

Also each week I get the chance to sit in our youth Sunday School class and teach with my wife.
I have loved seeing the growth in her this past year.
She has such a love for the youth in our class. Her knowledge and love of the gospel has grown as she has applied herself to daily study.
It makes me want to up my game as well and for that I am very grateful.

Eternity looks to be pretty cool if I get to hang out and work with her.

Modern Medicine

Today I am grateful for the wonderful team of Medical people who have been part of our lives since March 2016.
Huntsman Cancer Center was the central hub of activity last year as my wife went through her Operation then Chemo and radiation and now our regular visits to check back in.
Today was one of those check in days.
Happy to say it looks like everything is great!
So grateful to have her in my life and for the miracles we had in getting her cancer taken care of.

Modern medicine is truly a wonder and I for one am glad to have it.