Do Something You Have Not Done Before

“To accomplish something you have not accomplished before, you must do something you have not done before.”

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“How is it That Ye Have No Faith?”

I attended a Priesthood Leadership Meeting this evening, and one of the speakers was our Area Authority Seventy.  He shared an insight about the miracle recorded in Mark 4:36 — 41, where Jesus calmed the stormy seas.

This miracle has always been immensely meaningful for me, hopefully for obvious reasons.  There are many times when I have felt tossed by stormy seas, and in those times, I have had to rely on the Master, who has power over the storms.  But our Area Seventy pointed out something about this story I’d never thought of before.

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A Response to Jamie

It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve put up a new post.  But Jamie left a comment on the “My Story” page, and my response got so long and involved, I thought it deserved its own post.  So Jamie, here are my thoughts:

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Blogday PEC 24 Black President Memristor

I made my first post on Jan. 11, 2008, exactly one year ago yesterday.  And now, exactly 1 year, 1 week, and 2 days after my first post, we will be inaugurating our first black president.  Coincidence?  I think not, and here’s why.  For something to be a “coincidence,” there has to be at least some apparent connection.  In this case, there is nothing that even has the least hint of a connection.  So I cannot take (blame/credit) for the election of Barack Obama, or really any other important event of the past year, such as the invention (finally) of the memristor.

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So You Had a Bad Day

Elder David A. Bednar was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in October Conference of 2004, filling one of the two places vacated when Elders Neal A. Maxwell and David B. Haight passed away. Elder Bednar’s powerful and eloquent speaking style made him a favorite among Church members. And at the April 2005 Conference, Elder Bednar gave a talk titled “The Tender Mercies of the Lord,” that became an instant classic.

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Concern for the One

I have seen many tributes to Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin in the last day and a half. I don’t know that I have a lot to add, but I’ll share my few thoughts. I see around me a world filled with hate. We have on the one hand certain right-wing groups that call themselves “Christians” but seem to hate everybody who does not look, think, act, and believe exactly as they do. On the other hand we have the left-wing groups who are vandalizing churches to protest intolerance (intolerance being defined as “anybody who does not share my world view”).

When Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin died, the world lost a much-needed voice of love and compassion.

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Baptism

This past Saturday was one of those moments that defines your life as a parent.  I was privileged to baptize my oldest daughter, who had just turned eight the day before.  What a glorious experience!  Here was my own child, entering into the Church and Kingdom of God.  I felt for a moment how pleased the Father must be when we keep His commandments and strive to be like Him.

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Advocate

Well, this is the longest I’ve gone without writing since I started this blog. I’m not sure why I’ve been out for so long. I’ve been busy, but I’ve always been busy. I guess maybe it’s that the one case I’m working on is starting to ramp up for trial after being on the verge of settling. It’s kind of funny how parties can agree on so much and be so close to resolving their differences for themselves, and then they’ll get hung up on one little thing—a minor amount of money, or a little detail—and neither party wants to give anymore. So they end up going all the way to trial. Not that I mind. I’m kind of excited to take this one to trial because I really think we’re right, and it looks like the judge is leaning our way. And I love advocating a position. And it may sound like I’m rambling (okay, I am rambling), but it does relate to what was on my mind.

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Fear and Allergies

Fair Warning:  You probably shouldn’t read this post.  Really, I’m serious.  I’m afraid it’s not going to be very uplifting.  It will probably be unsettling or disturbing.  To my knowledge, my wife has only read this blog once or twice, but if you decide to start now, Love, move on to a different post.  I know for sure you don’t want to read this one.  I promise the next one will be happier.

So if this is such a downer topic, why am I writing it?  Two reasons.  One, I am a writer at heart.  I was a writer before I was ever an engineer or a lawyer.  Writing is how I process feelings.  It’s how I dig them up and get them out.  Great, but why not write it in a private journal and leave it?  That’s reason two.  I know there are other people with similar gender issues.  I have met some of them online.  I have found that we have many common experiences.  Being able to feel like it is a shared experience has helped me, and I hope it has helped them.  So maybe somebody has had similar feelings, and maybe my putting it out there will help in the sharing process.  Or maybe not.  I don’t know.

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How Firm A Foundation

I’ve mentioned that I have like a million favorite scriptures. Well, this is one of them, and it has a neat story to go with it.

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the ^arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your ^bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty ^cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

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