The Whatty What?

I was in my store today and I overheard someone say to their friend “I don’t thinking you are doing that right”. I have heard that before, but it got me thinking about people I know in my life. When I heard this statement, I was holding a book called Zen Inspirations…and I could only think of one thing, the Angry Buddhist.

There is this acquaintance I have, who I have known for several years. At times, we have been friendly, other times, not so much. This person makes much of the fact that they are a practicing Buddhist, which I find admirable. As a religion and a lifestyle, there is much about Buddhism which I find commendable. The emphasis on striving for peace in one’s surroundings and learning control and self-mastery are wonderful pursuits. However, my associate, well, I don’t think they are doing it right. I am not sure I have met a person who is more consistently ticked off and mad at the world and on occasion, rude and self-serving.

Now a disclaimer is in order here… I am by no means attempting to disparage this person because they are not perfect. I am not perfect. I fail consistently in my efforts to keep up with my spiritual beliefs. I am a wandering soul like most who strives to live up to a standard, just knowing that perfection cannot be totally achieved.

I think this leads to something I have been thinking about for awhile and that is this…be what you are. There was the famous rant from former NFL coach Dennis Green a few years ago…

They are who we thought they were…am I who I think I am. I would like to think of myself as a caring person, concerned with the welfare of my family and those around me. I think I am good at my job, good at being a father, a husband, a son, a brother…but am I really? This must be the question we should be consistently asking ourselves. It can be expressed in many ways…to thine own self be true being maybe the most famous…In my own core beliefs, I have a lot of thoughts about this which I wrote about on my other blog…read it if you like (it can be a little preachy)

So I guess the thought is all this is this…whatever you are, be a good one and live up to what you are striving for. If you are a Buddhist, try and not be an angry one. If you are a Mormon, try and live up to that, etc. Too much time in our live is lost in saying we are one thing and then not being that thing.

Bouncy Bounce

One of my favorite things is Daddy-Daughter day, where it is just me and Cooper. Mommy works that day so I take the day off so we don't have to pay for day care. We are trying to find new things to do. There is a new place we have found down the street call Jumping Jacks. It is a warehouse full of blow up bounce houses. We got Coop a summer pass and now have taken her a couple of times This is a genius idea...she plays hard and gets worn out and I get the chance to read when I am not checking on her.

Coop is such a bright and playful girl, she makes friends so easily when in situations like these. When we went this week, there was only a couple of other kids there, but within a few minutes she had made friends with a little girl. They played and chased and ran around. Every time Cooper turned a corner, she would yell out "Cooper"... When we left, she ran over and told Cooper goodbye about 4 or 5 times. When we got to the car, I asked Coop what her friend's name was and she replied, "I don't know...

Yes, I Know

It has been a very long time since I have posted anything. After my Mom passed away, I kind of list the initiative to write, but I have lately gotten the inspiration to write again on some level. I will try and keep two blogs going, one for personal and family stuff here and another for more spiritual and philosophical ramblings...here's to hoping I can keep it up this time...

I will always miss you, Mom

Marilyn Lee Pratt Jaques was born on February 27, 1943, in Hermiston, Oregon. She was born to Nina Mern Mitchell and Eugene Franklin Pratt, joining her older sister, Jeanie. She lived in Utah and Oregon in her younger years, eventually settling in Nyssa, Oregon. She was on the honor roll all four years of high school. She was chosen to represent the state of Oregon on a trip for high school students where they traveled across Canada and to New York and Washington, D.C. She graduated from Nyssa High School in 1961 and attended one semester at the University of Oregon on scholarship. She married Clark Whitney Jaques on July 29, 1961, in Nyssa. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple on December 17, 1963.

Clark went into the Army in December of 1961 and Marilyn joined him in June of 1962 in Black River, New York. They were then transferred to Fort Dix, New Jersey, where David was born in 1963 and Clain in 1964. David's birth cost $3.50 and Clain's was $5.25. The family moved to Roseville, California, in January of 1965, later moving to San Gabriel, California, in August of 1965, during the height of the Watts Riots. During their time in California, Marilyn worked for U.S. Forest Service. Andrea was born in 1969 in San Gabriel. The family then moved to Flagstaff Clark came in April of 1970, where Matt was then born in 1971. to Page in March of 1975 to open the Village Inn, with the rest of the family following in August of that year. She first worked at Page Elementary as a teacher's aide before becoming the children’s librarian for the city library for 23 years. She loved children, reading, and especially reading to children during story hour. By the time she retired in December of 2005, she was reading to the children of those she had read to many years before. After retiring from the library, she was a volunteer with the high school reading program for one semester, where she went in and read to the students two to three times a week, working with Angela Schoppmann. She loved good music, especially old-time gospel hymns and was a huge fan of Vince Gill. She had the chance to see him twice in the past year. She said that she could die happy now because of that fact. She was a huge Sand Devil sports fan and continued to support their programs even after all of her children had graduated from school. She learned to love sports and Clark learned to read.

She passed away on February 17, 2008, from complications of hepatitis C, after having beaten breast cancer and gallbladder disease.

She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Clark; her four children: David Olsen, William Clain (Michele), Andrea Lynn, and Matthew Madison (Camille); and also by her six beloved grandchildren; Charlie, Chandler, Kristin, Madison, Michael, and Cooper

The role of a husband

In following up on yesterday's thoughts, I was reading in 1 Nephi 5 this morning and I saw another great example from Lehi, this time in the role of husband. After the lengthy absence of her sons, Sariah, a faithful woman herself, began to murmur and express doubts in what their family had done. This is understandable...she has left her home and know thinks she may have lost her sons as well and she lashes out at the closest person to her, her husband.

But rather than get upset or lash back, Lehi shares his testimony with his wife and expresses his sincere belief in the choices they have made. "And after this manner of language did my father, Lehi, comfort my mother, Sariah, concerning us, while we journeyed in the wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem, to obtain the record of the Jews."(1 Nephi 5:6)

As priesthood holders and heads of families, sometimes it is our role to bear witness and share our testimonies with those in our families, whether it be spouses or children. The power of our words can be a source of comfort in times of struggle.

However, we must make sure the lives we are leading are worthy to make those testimonies. In Romans 2, verses 21-23, we are admonished to make sure that when we teach or share our beliefs, that we are living it as well.

"21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?" (Romans 2:21-23)

Make sure you are living it and then make sure you are sharing it, especially with those you love.

New Year, New Goals

I have not written much as of late. I have been so busy between finishing the last term at school and work (retail+Christmas=much aggravation) and some other trials that I simply have not had time to write.

I have made several new goals for this year...to read the Book of Mormon twice through, to do my home teaching every month, to attend the temple every month, to finish my MLIS with a certain GPA and, of course, to find a job in my chosen field of study. I have also decided to read the scriptures more often and maybe a little more closely than I have in the past. I have been trying to take notes in a more productive fashion, hoping to help me retain more of what I have studied.

In reading about Elder Ballard's urging members to use new media, such as blogs, to help spread to gospel, I am going to use this forum as a way of sharing thoughts I have while I study the scriptures. I have committed myself to reading 2 chapters in the Book of Mormon and 1 chapter in the New Testament every day. When I get the chance, I will share some of my thoughts on my reading here. Comments, thoughts and discussions are always welcome...

In chapter 2 of 1 Nephi, the Lord tells Lehi. "Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life." Sometimes in life, it is hard to understand why persecution comes even when you are doing exactly as the Lord wants. Lehi followed the Lord's instructions and yet is told that because he did it, people will try and harm him. I think of the early saints in this dispensation and the persecution they faced, knowing that it would come and yet, they still were faithful. There may be no more impressive quality in a person that knowing that the hard times are coming and yet still facing up to it and doing what they believe in and not taking the easy or safer way out.

Later in the same chapter, Lehi and his famaily have left Jerusalem and have been in the wilderness for three days. They finally stop and pitch their tents. What is the first thing that Lehi does? "And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God." He gave thanks, even the midst of trials. When life's hardships fall upon us and we get a little respite, is the first thing we do to kneel down and offer thanks?

Rightfully so, Nephi is the focus of much of the early part of the Book of Mormon, but as a father now, I love reading about Lehi and his great example of being a parent and being faithul and showing a great example to his children. It, of course, doesn't mean they always listened to him, but he lived it and meant it. Am I that kind of example to my daughter? Does she see that when times are tough, Daddy still says his prayers and give thanks for all his blessings? Does she see Daddy as someone who honestly belives and lives the things he professes? I hope so, but maybe this is the time to make sure I am that kind of parent like Lehi.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of all ages...

I am almost a little embarrassed to admit, but I am in my 30's and went to the circus for the first time last Saturday...and all I can say is "What took me so long?"

I was out with Cooper on Wednesday last week after my physical therapy appointment. We decided to go to my bookstore downtown and run some errands. For those who don't know, my store is at the Gateway mall, which is next to the EnergyDeltaSolutionsLHMPalace Center. Cooper and I saw all these people lined up along the street and realized the Circus was starting that day and the Elephant Walk was about to happen...it was awesome!!! Cooper loved seeing the elephants and it became obvious, we needed to get tickets to see the circus.

So we got online, bought three tickets for the Saturday morning show and, I have to say, I was blown away. Now granted, this wasn't the local traveling freaksow circus, with a one-eyed elephant and clowns that look more like homeless people....it was the real thing, Ringling Brothers and Barum and Bailey's...it was THE circus...

We went to the Preshow and got down on the floor and saw the warm up stuff...like the painting elephant Asia...and the clowns and the trampoline guys and the acrobats...and it was great. Then the show started and it was as entertaining an even as I have been to...even the poodles doing backflips were great. We saw tigers (although one was not happy and kept taking swipes at the trainer), a live band, singing, Bello the clown, firework, overpriced souviners, trapeze artists, people shot out of cannons and most especially, the elephants. What incredible animals they are.

As a parent of a little girl, it is hard to imagine activities that Mom, Dad and Cooper all go to and all get that level of entertainment at the same time...and now we know...next year, we are saving for the front row seats...