WhiteEyebrows

I have a theory about men: Men are empire builders.

I’m not talking about Nero, Constatine, or Caesar (though he created a great salad).  Empire building on a worldwide scale kind of went out of favor in the 19th century… I’m talking about local empire building.  I’m taking about men who build an empire in the immediate vicinity of their own being.

A man’s empire consists of the things he loves and values most.  Most of his satisfaction and joy is derived from watching that empire grow.

Let me give you a few examples:

Continue reading “An Empire of Relationships”

Mom was cleaning out an old trunk of hers and found all sorts of photographic treasures she has mailed to me for me to scan and clean up.  Here is the first in a series of very LONG nights I’m going to have retouching her photos:

Debbie Ricks (Anderson) - Age 7 or 8

The last two weeks have been a rude awakening for me and my wife to the potential pitfalls of future parenting.

Continue reading “Parenting Preview”

Tomorrow is another big day in my extended family, G-ayla is getting married!  (That’s Gordon+Kayla).

I am so happy for them!!!  Mostly because I really never thought Gordon would ever get a clue.  Don’t get me wrong Gordo, but I thought you’d be playing video games and eating nothing but junk food well into your 40′s.

I’m so glad you guys have finally seen the light and figured out that you were destined to be together after all these years of denying it. (…and not even telling us about your little soirees!  Rude!)

Sadly, because this is the THIRD wedding in my family this year (holy crap!  and still one more to go!), I won’t be attending this one.  I can only stand so many trips out to Utah every year, and this one just didn’t work out.

Bummer

In spite of that, I want Gayla to know how much I love and support them.  They will make a great married couple.

… And somehow… you’ll make it through tomorrow without me!

This is one of my favorite speeches on being a husband and father.  Gordon Hinckley gave it in 1998 – over 10 years ago – but I remember it like it was yesterday.

Here are some excerpts:

The girl you marry will take a terrible chance on you.

She will wish to be married to someone who loves her, who trusts her, who walks beside her, who is her very best friend and companion. She will wish to be married to someone who encourages her in her Church activity and in community activities which will help her to develop her talents and make a greater contribution to society. She will want to be married to someone who has a sense of service to others, who is disposed to contribute to the Church and to other good causes. She will wish to be married to someone who loves the Lord and seeks to do His will.

I constantly deal with those cases of members of the Church who have been married… and who later divorce.  When first married, they are full of great expectations, with a wonderful spirit of happiness. But the flower of love fades in an atmosphere of criticism and carping, of mean words and uncontrolled anger. Love flies out the window as contention enters. I repeat, my brethren, if any of you young men have trouble controlling your temper, I plead with you to begin the work of making that correction now. Otherwise you will bring only tears and sorrow into the homes which you will someday establish.

I am satisfied that if we would look for the virtues in one another and not the vices, there would be much more of happiness in the homes of our people. There would be far less of divorce, much less of infidelity, much less of anger and rancor and quarreling. There would be more of forgiveness, more of love, more of peace, more of happiness. This is as the Lord would have it.

Some sage wisdom that needs to be read and re-read.

Full article here.