So to speak **smile** There has been so much going on inside my head and in my heart these past few months, and lots of what has been going on hasn't been "my stuff" really, so I haven't felt comfortable in blogging about it. Does anyone know what I mean?
Many wonderful things have been happening, and some intensely challenging things have also been happening, and I am certain that the gifts from all of these happenings will bless me and my family throughout eternity. It's just that sometimes I have a hard time seeing the blessings through what looks like dark storm clouds.
Which is silly, especially when one considers that I live in Seattle. I know, from very practical experience, that the beautiful green world I live in is a direct result of the many days of rain we have here. When we have sunny days here in Seattle, there is absolutely no more beautiful place on earth. And to make this possible, we graciously accept our need for the rain. OK, mostly graciously accept the need for the rain.
I am not going to write too much today...I am recovering from a minor episode "under the knife" and all is well, but I am not willing to make a complete fool of myself by blogging under the influence of pain meds. 'Nuff said.
Oh yeah, the Seattle Temple is beautiful. Just so you know. **smile**
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM
Dear Mr. President,
You are the hero of so many Americans. Our prayers are with you and our other leaders, and your beautiful family!
I have been close to tears so many times today. I am proud again of our government and leaders, and I pray that out Heavenly Father keeps you in the palm of His hand--keeps us all in the palm of His hand.
I was just watching Beyonce--this very talented young woman who is inspired by the example set by you and our wonderful First Lady--like so many of us--she said she wants to be smarter and make lasting contributions to our country.
When the cameras panned the crowds this morning, I was so excited to see the vast number of young people who are obviously thrilled to be a part of this rendezvous with destiny. I was touched to see all of the races and ethnicities represented in the crowds who jammed the parks and lined the streets. This is something that so many of us "counter-culture" young people of the 60's & 70's only dreamed of. It is a dream come true!
I am exhausted this evening, so I will go to sleep instead of continuing to struggle to express the joy that is in my heart.
God bless you, President Barack Hussein Obama. Thank you for being the man you are, and may you keep God's will in the forefront of your mind and heart as you lead our bruised nation back to health.
You are the hero of so many Americans. Our prayers are with you and our other leaders, and your beautiful family!
I have been close to tears so many times today. I am proud again of our government and leaders, and I pray that out Heavenly Father keeps you in the palm of His hand--keeps us all in the palm of His hand.
I was just watching Beyonce--this very talented young woman who is inspired by the example set by you and our wonderful First Lady--like so many of us--she said she wants to be smarter and make lasting contributions to our country.
When the cameras panned the crowds this morning, I was so excited to see the vast number of young people who are obviously thrilled to be a part of this rendezvous with destiny. I was touched to see all of the races and ethnicities represented in the crowds who jammed the parks and lined the streets. This is something that so many of us "counter-culture" young people of the 60's & 70's only dreamed of. It is a dream come true!
I am exhausted this evening, so I will go to sleep instead of continuing to struggle to express the joy that is in my heart.
God bless you, President Barack Hussein Obama. Thank you for being the man you are, and may you keep God's will in the forefront of your mind and heart as you lead our bruised nation back to health.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Tough month
To any who may have noticed I have gone underground (so to speak) I just want to let you know this has not been an easy time for me. I survived the year anniversary of my big brother's death, but the shadow it cast over Thanksgiving was brutal. I have been "allowing" myself to ride the waves of grief, as I have learned that when I honor the feelings rather than try to stuff them, the peace comes sooner and more completely.
Getting ready for Christmas....more soon!!
Getting ready for Christmas....more soon!!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Take a lesson from history, fellow Democrats
You know I have a lot on my mind when I am blogging at 4:45 a.m. to share my thoughts. Plus I have to leave for work in 15 minutes, and later in the day I have limited computer access.
I think our founding fathers demonstrated great wisdom when they designed our government with a series of checks and balances. That safeguard can be thwarted, to some degree, when one political party has control of the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives. We witnessed this when "the other guys" had this control during the last few years. We see, and are digging our way out of, the mess this delicate situation can allow to happen. Please, my fellow Democrats, do not fall into the same partisan, arrogant, self-serving tactics that led to the current mess.
We say we want to bring the country together. That means that we must genuinely listen to all of our fellow citizens, even when--especially when--they do not agree with us. I agree with our President-elect when he says we all share so many of the same values, but we have different ideas as to how to preserve those values, or achieve them. One party does not have all the answers -- although I do believe that one party has a greater capacity to guide us, as a nation, to a place where all Americans have the opportunity to create an atmosphere where all those who are willing to work and secure the freedom and liberty for themselves and their posterity are able to do so.
There is more to say...but I must be getting ready for work. Let us not be so arrogant that we forget that our President-elect has promised to be a President for all Americans. Let us support him in that goal. We know what it is like to be shut out and ignored--and sometimes even purposely hurt. And often ridiculed. Let us be the "bigger" people and really make an effort to include everyone in this era of change.
I think our founding fathers demonstrated great wisdom when they designed our government with a series of checks and balances. That safeguard can be thwarted, to some degree, when one political party has control of the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives. We witnessed this when "the other guys" had this control during the last few years. We see, and are digging our way out of, the mess this delicate situation can allow to happen. Please, my fellow Democrats, do not fall into the same partisan, arrogant, self-serving tactics that led to the current mess.
We say we want to bring the country together. That means that we must genuinely listen to all of our fellow citizens, even when--especially when--they do not agree with us. I agree with our President-elect when he says we all share so many of the same values, but we have different ideas as to how to preserve those values, or achieve them. One party does not have all the answers -- although I do believe that one party has a greater capacity to guide us, as a nation, to a place where all Americans have the opportunity to create an atmosphere where all those who are willing to work and secure the freedom and liberty for themselves and their posterity are able to do so.
There is more to say...but I must be getting ready for work. Let us not be so arrogant that we forget that our President-elect has promised to be a President for all Americans. Let us support him in that goal. We know what it is like to be shut out and ignored--and sometimes even purposely hurt. And often ridiculed. Let us be the "bigger" people and really make an effort to include everyone in this era of change.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Senator John McCain--a man of class and courage
Senator McCain is one of my two favorite Republicans. (Colin Powell is the other)
I am not a big fan of most Republicans or their party's ideology. But I must salute Senator McCain for his life of service to our country. If we had to have a Republican president, I wish he had been at the helm these past eight years instead of he-who-must-not-be-named. I honestly think the country would not be such a dismal mess. But, that is water under the bridge--just remember everyone--I warned you about W. I was right. Enough said.
Listening to the Senator's concession speech last night brought tears to my eyes. What a decent, honorable man. What a patriot! I am sad that Senator McCain had to be the one to be nominee in this election. But I am NOT sad that President-elect Obama won. He will bring us together (those of us who truly want to be united) and he will bring back respect from our neighbors across the globe.
Thank you, Senator McCain, for being the man that you are. I pray that President Obama utilizes you in his administration.
Below is the text of the gracious speech given last night...........
From CNN, Nov. 4, 2008 @ 8:30 PT
Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.
My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.
A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Sen. Barack Obama to congratulate him. Watch McCain's speech »
To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.
In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.
This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.
I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Sen. Obama believes that, too.
But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.
A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.
America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.
Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.
Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.
Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.
These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.
I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.
It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.
We fought -- we fought as hard as we could. And though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.
I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends.
The road was a difficult one from the outset, but your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.
I'm especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and all my family, and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign.
I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.
You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign.
All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.
I am also -- I am also, of course, very thankful to Gov. Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I've ever seen, and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength, her husband Todd and their five beautiful children for their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign.
We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.
To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly, month after month, in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.
I don't know -- I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.
This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life, and my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Sen. Obama and my old friend Sen. Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.
I would not -- I would not be an American worthy of the name should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century.
Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone, and I thank the people of Arizona for it.
Tonight -- tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Sen. Obama -- whether they supported me or Sen. Obama.
I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.
Americans never quit. We never surrender.
We never hide from history. We make history.
Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.
I am not a big fan of most Republicans or their party's ideology. But I must salute Senator McCain for his life of service to our country. If we had to have a Republican president, I wish he had been at the helm these past eight years instead of he-who-must-not-be-named. I honestly think the country would not be such a dismal mess. But, that is water under the bridge--just remember everyone--I warned you about W. I was right. Enough said.
Listening to the Senator's concession speech last night brought tears to my eyes. What a decent, honorable man. What a patriot! I am sad that Senator McCain had to be the one to be nominee in this election. But I am NOT sad that President-elect Obama won. He will bring us together (those of us who truly want to be united) and he will bring back respect from our neighbors across the globe.
Thank you, Senator McCain, for being the man that you are. I pray that President Obama utilizes you in his administration.
Below is the text of the gracious speech given last night...........
From CNN, Nov. 4, 2008 @ 8:30 PT
Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.
My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.
A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Sen. Barack Obama to congratulate him. Watch McCain's speech »
To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.
In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.
This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.
I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Sen. Obama believes that, too.
But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.
A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.
America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.
Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.
Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.
Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.
These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.
I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.
It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.
We fought -- we fought as hard as we could. And though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.
I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends.
The road was a difficult one from the outset, but your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.
I'm especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and all my family, and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign.
I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.
You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign.
All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.
I am also -- I am also, of course, very thankful to Gov. Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I've ever seen, and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength, her husband Todd and their five beautiful children for their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign.
We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.
To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly, month after month, in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.
I don't know -- I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.
This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life, and my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Sen. Obama and my old friend Sen. Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.
I would not -- I would not be an American worthy of the name should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century.
Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone, and I thank the people of Arizona for it.
Tonight -- tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Sen. Obama -- whether they supported me or Sen. Obama.
I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.
Americans never quit. We never surrender.
We never hide from history. We make history.
Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.
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