What is with the weather in Utah?

Now most of you know I have lived in areas with vastly different climates. Here in Utah it is blazing hot in summer, cold and snowy in Winter and sometimes mixed up in between. I have also lived in Russia where a high without windchill could be in the negatives for days on end and it is perfectly normal. Then there is Oregon where winter plays out like a particularly dreary "Twilight" scene with cold and rizzly rain, cloudy all the time and then the good part is when freezing rain hits and all of the Californian Expatriates drive around like there on an oil slick. Very amusing to watch.
Now I got up this morning to a sleet like drool plastering the ground which is what it stayed like till I turned the corner above La Caille and it changed almost instantly to snow. Now it has been snowing steadily since but form what I have heard around the valley, it hasn't made up its mind yet whether to rain, snow or just glower at us.

I guess I should just be happy that the snow hasn't drifted to the fourth story of downtown buildings, right Russia?

Goodbye 2010 -- Hello 2011

2010 has been a rough year for a lot of people I know. It has been a rough year for us. However despite how rough it is, I learned a lot. Best summed up in a phrase by Heber J. Grant. "It is the pursuit of easy things that makes men weak" This man presided over the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the end of World War One -- Through the Roaring 20's - through the Great Depression - and through most of World War II. Considering that resume, I think the statement is accurate.
I would talk about some of the struggles we have faced this year or even what I may have learned from them, but that would indicate an intent that everyone else needs to learn the same lessons. Those lessons are mine and apply to me and my family because of our unique situation. Instead I want to talk about trials and learning in general.
It has also been said that the blessings, trials, miracles, and sorrows we experience in life are customized each for us to give us each the best possible shot at Exaltation. The extension on this thought is that the blessings, trials, etc. of others, if given to us, may make it harder to get to exaltation, not easier. Yes that assertion includes blessings. Also what may be a blessing for one may be a curse, or trial for another. We see the lives of others from the "looking-glass" of our own lives and our own experiences and so our perspective may be different from others. The film "Eye of the beholder" is a good example. Different people look at the same man all within minutes of each other and all describe him differently. He also reacts to them differently as they are each different to him. It is our differences that make each one of us special and our experiences that give us insight tot he human experience that is unique to us alone. The great part of it all is the conclusions we draw most benefit ourselves and not others.
As we are each unique and special in our own way, often our attempts to "be like someone else" are met with frustration. We can't seem to figure out why that one plan, that one, system, that one bit of advice works for some but not others. Good advice when grounded in good fundamental principles is often always good advice. Execution of the advice we are given, though always varies and by association, the results vary just as much. It is getting to the fundamentals that the advice was based upon and the principles they teach that we should form a plan around and execute it loyally to those fundamentals. The best fundamentals to base them on is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Many different religions have elements of the Golden Rule in them, but execution of the principles or laws derived from the golden rule widely vary. I have found that the temperate laws of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are the most in harmony with my own beliefs and experiences. The Beatitudes in particular are a good example. The benefits inscribed is that of inclusiveness without respect to the differences. Humility, meekness, charity are all examples of this. Charity, in particular has been debased by many of the prideful poor as an undesirable trait but I think they misunderstand. Charity is the expression of love unbound of one human to another and most particularly where love is least likely to exist. Christ could have ended the lives of all of his enemies with a single thought but he came to this earth to save them and fully atone for them. If he ended their lives, wherein lay their chance for repentance? Saul of Tarsus repented and later became one of the strongest fighters for the cause. Charity is not limited to handouts any more than Christmas is only about Santa Claus. Charity is love, unconditional and humble love, expecting nothing in return, asking for nothing in advance. It is service, kindness, nurturing, and joy gifted to one in hopes of making the recipients life better. Often what is given is everything the giver has, even their own life as the example of the Savior shows.
Learning the true virtues of godly living, living as He would have us live would be a far better resolution than anything I could come up with and far more reaching. The great part is that it does not shatter with momentary setbacks as He whom is our Exemplar is forgiving to those who are honestly trying and we gain bit by bit those virtues He desires for us. This, when compared with a feeble and narrow weight loss goal, or a goal to achieve a specific goal or task that can be easily lost with one tiny slip, seems much more enduring. Besides shouldn't our resolutions be to make every part of our life better.
I don't know what 2011 will bring. I don't even know all of the challenges I will face. However, I do know that as time goes on, if I will honestly strive to live by the virtues that have been taught me, honestly try to be a better person, and learn of Him, I will face all of my challenges, problems, bad habits, and difficulties and gain the power I need to conquer them. To flip President Grant's statement upside down, which also paraphrases Ether 12:27 It is the pursuit of hard things that make men strong.

Forever Strong

I saw the movie "Forever Strong" rater late in its popularity. It was only a few months ago but ever since then I have dwelled on the lessons it teaches. I bought a copy not long after seeing it and we watched it together as a family for Family Home Evening. I think the message was mostly lost on the kids who wasn't interested in anything that wasn't animated. Samuel picked up a few things but it didn't last long. I didn't expect it to, but I am hoping to see some of those lessons to sink in over time.
I watched it again twice yesterday and though I wouldn't say I learned any new principles, I did gain an ewer resolve to do better in my own life. There are a lot of things I just mess with and don't really focus on to see it through and stick with it. I have so many little things and several big things I need to do and I am never really sure how I am going to execute things. Unfortunately I tend to manage my life by crisis and my energy is focused on the things (or person) that is screaming the loudest. I think that is partially due to being behind on so many things and having so many messes to clean up. I work hard and long to get them cleaned up and after I make some real progress, I fail to put in the effort to keep them in good shape. I am tired and think I deserve a bit of a break. Things begin to retrogress and they end up in the same terrible shape as before. it is a vicious cycle that needs to break but I haven't gotten the grit and resolve to keep working to maintain things in good shape.
I think a few things that might help are to do a few little one-time things. Get some small victories to keep my motivation going. I then need to get a few things scheduled and work hard to keep those 'appointments' like exercising. if I can keep them I should do well. lastly, I need to control how much I eat. I have done pretty good over the past few days until yesterday when I ate a lot of junk during the BYU-SDSU game.
One more thing. I need to keep my commitments to Elizabeth about what I have volunteered to take care of around the house. One of those things is the laundry. I would wash it if she would fold it and put it away. I have done lousy.
I have a lot to do but I think I can do it if I knuckle down, get to it and stick with it.

Change I Can Believe In -- Part 2

Leadership is a tricky business, especially when you are not formally a leader. I have nightmares and daytime fears of trying to encourage people to go a certain direction and having them reply in a rebellious tone. "No, you're not my boss!" I want to demonstrate good behavior which I am fairly good at, but I also want to encourage others to follow good behavior, most particularly when they are not behaving good. I also see different approaches with it. I would not expect similar results between my co-workers and my kids if encouraged in a like manner. My oldest is eight and the pandemonium reigns anytime much leeway is given with regards to them doing their tasks. Likewise, directly enforcing them to complete homework, chores etc. by babysitting them as they do it has been one of the only successful ways to get it done. The most successful way has been to do our tasks together as a family. We would all get together and start at one end of the house and work, everyone doing everything, till the whole house is done. We did this very well and even had it down to where we could clean the whole house, top to bottom in a little more than an hour. I was impressed. However, my schedule does not always allow me to participate, nor do others so it has been really tough keeping it going.
The best option is common to everyone, my kids and coworkers and that is the Oz Principle. It is the subject of several books and it has roots in the gospel. It has a couple of different facets to it and I want to describe them here. First, the concept that in the context of your organization, all the work is everyone's work. Some may have specific assignments that naturally lead them to do specific tasks. In fact most people are hired for those reasons. However, There is nothing that says a billionaire CEO who has time on his hands can't clean his own executive washroom and take out the trash when the custodian is running behind or on vacation. The idea is that if we all pitch in and work as one cohesive unit, with all of us believing that we all working together, can accomplish anything, we succeed.
The first phrase which leads to this is See it, Own it, Solve it, Do it. This works on an individual level as well as the group. It also doesn't work on an individual level as well as a cohesive group. Allow me to explain.
Seeing it is merely the recognizing of the task or tasks at hand. A person or group must be aware of their work and the scope of it. They need to know what it entails and properly prepare and train for it.
Own it is the principle that the individuals in the group each take individual responsibility for the task. I like to describe it as making the task personal. It is no longer distanced by it being a "work' task. Succeeding at this task involves your whole soul and character. You approach it and work at it as you would a final exam in school or a sculptor does a project. That work will be a reflection of you, your work, your commitment and your contribution to the good of the whole. The collective persona of the group must also have just as much of an ownership response to the task and must acknowledge that the "we" factor on the task is vital. If only part of the group is bought in to the plan but the others are looking for the balance of the group to carry them through, they hold back and the result is not as good. It then reflects less successfully and falls from amazing to ordinary.
Solve it is the principal of the plan. It is what takes the energy of the group through to conquering the problem. It is the spiritual creation or execution of the task. This is wholly necessary as just plowing into a task without a plan is like a tornado. Everyone is going based on their own perception. Solve it. turns everyone to go the same direction so that all efforts have efficacy and actually lead to the success. Without it many people, well intentioned actually end up working in conflict, nullifying much of their efforts and frustrating them.
Do it. This is the principle of executing the task for real and is a culmination of the other three. This is where flaws in the plan may manifest themselves and scream for resolution. Commitment to success is vital here because problems will occur and should not derail the plan. If the people are good, committed and the plan is good, then the outcome should be good. This is the principle of stick with it so long as it remains good, making adjustments here and there.

The whole must be bought in to it. For and individual to only be partially bought in, their success or failure is a result of that commitment. Going in half hearted will result in half-baked. Any definite success will be the result of pure luck or disproportionate and unfair intervention by another. The group must be likewise or the same thing will happen.

I must be fully committed to what I do or I won't succeed. The ashes of failed attempts at things in my life lie all around me and I am certain that it has been because I was not fully committed to See it, Own it, Solve it and Do it.

The other aspect I will cover next time. This is called the results pyramid and is largely how different events of the above relate to each other. Experiences lead to beliefs which govern our actions which generate results. Part 3 to come.

Change I Can Believe In -- Part 1

On the face the title of this post might sound like a Barack Obama catch-phrase but it is in fact something entirely different. I do not like to dabble in the quotations of others, nor criticize the merits of the catch-phrases of the day. I like learning the meanings of new things but not to sound eloquent of speech. I like learning new things and using them because I like new things.
The change I want to talk about here is not a new thing. It is as older then the world itself and is epitomized in the fundamentals of existence. Hence, it is a change I can believe in because it is not just a change that throws a superficial coat of paint on the same old ugly face. It is a change exhibited in the actions of a chisel on that ugly face to make a real lasting change, one that is not easily reversed and one that, if applied correctly and with skill, makes what is ugly, beautiful.
I have long idolized the words of men like Stephen Covey and David A. Bednar, two of my heroes in the field of self improvement but I must say I have done very poorly at applying their advice in my own life. I hear what they have to say, and then look around at others and seem to say, "Did you hear that? See, now you know you need to do better." It is the same as someone who preaches to their fellow quorum members that they need to do better at their home teaching, but have a lackluster record at that themselves. I am one of those and I have long passed it off as being something I am not focused on right now. I find reasons to pass it off and think that I would not have made a difference anyway. I also do this at work where I work hard and follow all of the rules but then get frustrated at why others aren't and then reason that because I perceive myself as performing so much better than the others that I would be the obvious choice when a search for a new Team Leader or Supervisor is sought out. Being the least of the sinners is not what Heavenly Father Looks for in his leaders. I have had this as my focus for a long time.
A related problem is that what improvements I do make have been as a result of a reaction to something and in response to the words, actions, or thoughts of others and not solely because it is the right thing to do.This problem is further exacerbated when those good actions done with the wrong motivation in mind is not seen by others and I find myself bitter that I have been ignored again. This has also been me for a long time and I have met the results as outlined.
The change that is needed is a simple one, and as I have already said, it is not a new one. many who read it will say one of several things like, "Well, I know that!" or even "I already do that!" Some do, many don't. I am not here to point fingers at who does or doesn't. I am here to describe what I believe it is and how I want to make the change in myself.
To preface the change, I need to explain that there are two different realms of change at work here. The outward kind that I described before as superficial, and an inward change that has real meaning and has lasting effects on our lives. The outward change is the visible part. It is when we start doing good things simply because we have come to know that old behaviors were not right and that new behaviors need to be adopted. The change outwardly is a good one but they are done with the wrong motive in mind. They are done because someone else indicated they need to be changed and not because we truly believed a change needed to be made for our own sakes. The sakes of others is a secondary result and is a good side effect, but should not be the focus.
The change I am talking about is that I am going to make a change of something in me so that I can be a better person for myself, my family, my friends and my God. I become more valuable to them by making this change and I am a better, more fulfilled person for it. In this change statement there is nothing about changing another person for our own benefit or even changing their perceptions. By focusing on changing ourselves simply to be a better person relative to our older selves and not relative to someone else, we centralize the focus in an isolated manner on ourselves. The changes in ourselves are noticed by others and they have an effect, usually a good one. But our motive should not be one that we do it to be noticed either. In this way we might even consider the motive selfish, but it is in a way that is better for our own good and not better for the good of others. The latter implies that if we did not make the change, others would suffer for it and so betterment of the whole depends solely on our becoming better.
Let me illustrate this with an example often used. Exercise. Those of you who know me know I am a big guy. My weight fluctuated between 330 and 350 pounds on a regular basis, a weight range which I have occupied for a long time. I recently purchase with the generous gift of others and some of my own resources a treadmill as it had previously been identified as my instrument of choice in exercise. A good motivation but it died fairly quickly. I had many other things to do and those other things took priority and were easier to start and do. They did not involve nearly as much sweating and did not involve any sacrifice in one of my favorite pastimes -- eating. I love food.
If I exercise solely with the motive of making myself healthier (better) I would feel physically better, I would sleep better, I could work better, faster, and improve in so many different facets of my life. I could be a better father to my children and a better husband to my wife. See how none of these effects or results are directed to changing others to make them better? The focus is on me and me working on making me better for my own sake. The others are all secondary and are wonderful to behold.

---More later.

The Oncoming Winter

I have thoroughly enjoyed the past summer in may ways. I got to grow my first successful garden. I have had two main attempts in the past, one of which I abandoned when I moved to Utah from Oregon, the other of which was a more lazy, half-hearted attempt that resulted solely in tomatoes with blossom-end rot. This year, however, I turned my backayrd upside down and grew what is likely to be a record yield of tomatoes per plant in my memory of gardens, even those growing up. I also planted one pepper which spent most of its existence under the canopy of the broad leaves of the nearby pumpkin plant which grew like the monster pumpkin plant from Oblivion. It took over half of the backyard and I now have about fifteen full sized pumpkins, six of which are harvested and the remainder are not far behind. I got my front yard looking very good and I fully intend to take it up a notch next year.
Winter, however is a different story. I have so much I want to do inside this box I call a house. It has so much that needs to be done. The things that are most obvious are also the ones that cost money. So a list has started but I need to focus more on the day to day, starting with myself. Well see how that goes.

My Summer so Far

My summer has been a lot of work so far. A lot of unnecessary work. However a few unexpected benefits grew out of them.
First problem was a tiny drip from a sprinkler valve added up overnight to flood Samuel's room in the basement, most of my office and part of the hall and Elizabeth's office. After cleaning up and moving most of the stuff ourselves, we had Utah Disaster Kleenup come and help us finish and with their equipment got everything dried out. We then cashed out on the repairs and I was able to replace the pad for the carpets myself.
We then discussed what to do with the rest. After looking at several options we decided we could replace the carpet in my office instead of laying new pad. We found a good style of vinyl tile and I commenced laying it. After two days and one of them being about fifteen hours on a Saturday, we got it all laid. Knowing the office wasn't perfectly square, I laid it on an angle that though it was not perfectly 45 degrees, was sufficient to look very good.
We also determined that we had enough to lay laminate flooring in our living room and hall upstairs. However, not having enough room to store the furniture out of the rooms we had to move it all to one side and replace a section at a time, three sections at a time. As of this writing, I have complete the first two sections and cleared most of the floor and the hall for the third section. There is still much to do and as soon as it is finished, I don't plan on doing any more projects till it is done. When it is done, I have a lot of maintenance things to get caught up on.
I haven't done anything on the floor for a couple of days but need to finish. The hallway is not so daunting as it would seem but it is a lot of work for such small floor space. It just won't seem like I am getting very far very fast till it gets done.