Keeping watch.

Sleeping is a great past time. There is nothing like sleeping the hours of night away and waking in the morning refreshed and ready for the day. While sleeping, our minds are free to relax and renew. Slumber sets our bodies strait again.

Soldiers on a battle field or behind enemy lines need to sleep too. The problem is that when they sleep they are in more danger. This is why there is always a watch or guard setup to warn of incoming dangers. Without a watch, enemies of the soldiers can enter the camp and wreck havoc on them. The armies of the world always have a watch for warning and protection.

We are taught a similar type of "watch" in the scriptures. In Mark 14:38 Jesus teaches us to "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation". Much like soldiers, we need to watch so we don't fall into spiritual dangers. These dangers can come in any forms such as temptations, addictions, thought and actions. If we fail to keep watch something harmful to our spiritual growth may creep in and make it harder to progress and grow.

Unlike the soldiers, we are responsible for our own watches. We cant rely on others to do it for us. This makes it that much harder and important to fortify ourselves spiritually. We have to remain watchful at all times and in all places so we don't fall. Being watchful allows us prevent bad influences from coming into our lives.

In vs. 37 of Mark 14, Jesus came to find his disciples asleep, He woke them and asked "couldest not thou watch one hour?"  Keeping watch is hard, it can be boring, trying, or just down right uncomfortable. It is easy to let our guard down and fall asleep. It takes work and effort to maintain a watch. The rewards however are worth it.

How do we watch for the temptations of the world? What can we do to guard ourselves? Jesus told us, He said "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation". Prayer is how we protect from the temptations all around us. We need to pray and ask for help and guidance. This combined with watchfulness will keep us safe.

Here is a question I find myself asking. "Do I sleep when I should be watching?"

Monkey Traps

This week in my scripture readings I came across Luke 21:35 in which Jesus says, “a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.”

What is a snare? According to Google, a snare is “a trap for catching birds or animals, typically one having a noose of wire or cord, or a thing likely to lure or tempt someone into harm or error." A snare or trap is generally something to avoid as they are dangerous or lead to danger. What are the kind of snares Jesus is talking about? What are the snares that bring spiritual danger? How do we avoid or get out of these snares? These are some of the questions I hope to be able to answer as I share what I have learned this week.

Snares in a physical sense trap our bodies and prevent freedom of movement. On the other hand, Spiritual snares trap our spirituality and prevent the freedom of choice. Freedom of choice is taken from us through bad habits, addictions, and choices. These things, especially addictions prevent us from freely choosing an alternative action, one that will allow us to be spiritually happy.

A good illustration of this principle is a monkey trap. The trap works by cutting a monkey hand sized hole into a box. The box is then staked to the ground and made immovable. In the box is placed some kind of monkey treat; banana, nut, or other. When a monkey clutches the treat, it’s fist becomes to large for the hole. The monkey is unwilling to relinquish its prize and thus becomes trapped and ready for capture.

(Image Source)

This example is easy to understand. When we reach out and hold on to temptations we become trapped. We can no longer feel the Holy Ghost. It becomes harder to live righteously and be a good influence for others. The only way to gain freedom and get released from the snare is to let go. Repentance is the best way to let go. Through the repentance process we promise to let go of our sins and not pick them up anymore. This way we literally let go of the thing that is keeping us trapped.

This week I have been looking for the snares in my life and figuring out what I need to do to free myself. What kinds of activities are keeping me trapped and unable to be truly happy? By finding these monkey traps in my life I will be able to more fully enjoy life and have the freedom of choice.

I encourage you to look for potential monkey traps and avoid them.

"But whoso shall offend one of these little ones..."

I am taking a New Testament class as part of my schooling. This week I read Matt 18:6 In which Jesus tells his disciples: "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea".  The Greek word for "offense" is skandalon, its meaning is boiled down to a "stumbling block". (More on the Greek word can be found here). This verse got me thinking about my children and how I treat them. What offenses or "stumbling blocks" do I place in my children's way? Does my example help my children follow the path of righteousness?

My goal for this semester is to better express love to my children by word and deed. I am not perfect. I run out of patience and end up yelling and grumpy, or unpleasant to be around. This is a habit I want to replace with love and kindness. I want to treat my children as Jesus treated those He served and taught.

I came across a message by President Gordon B. Hinkley, (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). I feel this is a message meant for me to find. I would like to share some thought Pres. Hinkley had on children.

 “If you are worried about the future, then look to the upbringing of your children.”

Children are a blessing from God. He has entrusted their safety to Earthly parents. We are to take care of, teach, and provide both spiritually and physically for their needs. As we raise our children we ca strive to teach them the difference between right and wrong and how to show love, kindness, and respect. These attributes will help them live a happy life and make correct choices which can shape the future.  

President Hinkley also shared this wonderful thought from E.T. Sullivan about how God gets things done.

“When God wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way. He doesn’t stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts. Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home of some obscure mother. And then God puts the idea into the mother’s heart, and she puts it into the baby’s mind. And then God waits. The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts. The greatest forces in the world are babies” (quoted in The Treasure Chest, ed. Charles L. Wallis [1965], 53).

“And those babies, I should like to add, will become forces for good or ill, depending in large measure on how they are reared.”

President Hinkley said “If I may be pardoned for suggesting the obvious, I do so only because the obvious is not observed in so many instances. The obvious includes four imperatives with reference to children: love them, teach them, respect them, pray with them and for them.”

I think these are the simplest ways to help our children.

One last thing from Pres. Hinkley: “Do you want a spirit of love to grow in the world? Then begin within the walls of your own home. Behold your little ones and see within them the wonders of God, from whose presence they have recently come.”    Read the talk here!

So how does this all tie in to not causing our children to stumble?  This week I have been considering what my example is teaching my children. Are the things I am doing a stumbling block for my little ones? Will my example teach them ways to live that will make life even more difficult? Do my words and habits invite or repel a love of the Savior and His teachings? These are some of the questions I need to keep asking myself every week.

My actions speak louder than my words. Children understand and see much more from our actions than they do from our words. If our actions and words don't line up they will see that we don't believe what we are saying. 

When I lose my patience with a child it may be seen by all my children. This is not a good way to teach the children I have been entrusted with. I have learned that my actions, words, and even habits can be stumbling blocks place before my children.

I would invite you to ask yourself the same questions I have been considering this week. What actions, words, or habits are your children learning from you? What possible stumbling blocks are you placing before your children? What corrections can you make?

“What went ye out for to see?”

I have been taking a New Testament class for school. I have learned some things I have never thought of before. I would like to share one of those nuggets here.

Phrases are often repeated in the scriptures to emphasize importance. One phrase stuck out to me this week. In Matt 11:7-9, Jesus repeated the question “What went ye out for to see?” 3 times when asking the multitude why they sought after John the Baptist.  He was asking why the people went to see The Baptist. was it for curiosity, truth, or even knowledge.This question stuck a little. Why did Jesus repeat this particular phrase? What is its significance to me?

After sometime pondering a thought was put into my mind; why do I go to church?What do I expect from my attendance? I took the time to ponder this question. I was just given a nugget of a truth. A truth that could change the way I perceive my actions.

When you dig down into the question “What went ye out for to see?”, it means why did you go? What do you expect to find? What do you want to learn from a particular situation? If situations are looked at with these questions in mind, activities can be more enriching. Growth can occur at a faster pace.

When thinking about what I want to get out of activities like church attendance, I start to focus on what I want to learn from my lessons or the talks that are given. How can I apply the principles or doctrines, of the gospel in life?  Pondering the deeper meanings of talks, or the reasons for different activities will help me develop a deeper understanding of gospel topics.

This question Jesus asked can be applied to any situation we find ourselves in. Why are we doing this activity? What do I want to learn? Why am I here? When these questions are asked with a sincere heart great knowledge and truths will come.

I encourage you to ask yourself “What went ye out for to see?” and find the deeper meanings your life.

Enduring to the end.

This week I feel I need to share an experience I had. Lately I have begun to feel weighed down by all the things on my mind. things that may seem small but for me they cause conflict and uncertainty in this head of mine. Here are most of the items I was thinking about this week in no particular order; Showing my children I love them, struggling with math, Needing to finish my book report for school, Political decisions I need to make, The state of the country and world affairs, Figuring out what I need to do with my life in regards to a career path and employment.

I was listening to my scriptures , I say listening but I ended up in deep thought. As I found myself getting sucked down into feeling miserable about all the above I felt and even heard a voice say to me "endure to the end". Now this may seem a little unusual for the timing but this was the forth time I heard this phrase in the last few weeks. One was from a fellow student. One was from my math instructor. I read that phrase in this weeks scripture block. I heard it the other morning.

Friday came and I thought to get caught up on some of my religion class work. I had some video segments to watch that went with this weeks lesson. I listened to them while driving between stops. One of those videos brought the Spirit into my heart very strongly. I would like to share that with you.

As I first listened to this video I heard President Eyring mention that while we have challenges in this life it is important for us to endure to the end. I needed to hear that again. Life gets challenging and while no two people have the exact same challenge, it is how we react to said challenges that make up who we are. As the video states, we all have "Mountains to climb".

If I may, (and I may because it is my blog), I would like to quote from a song that I think helps illustrate this idea as well.With a small twist and a little imagination I think this song has some eternal truths in it. It is from the song "The Climb" by Miley Cirus:

There's always gonna be another mountain

I'm always gonna wanna make it move

Always gonna be an uphill battle

Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there

Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side

It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing

The chances I'm taking

Sometimes might knock me down,

But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it,

But these are the moments

That I'm gonna remember most, yeah

Just gotta keep goin',

And I, I gotta be strong

Just keep pushing on,

Here is a link to the video: Miley Cirus,The Climb. give it a try and see what you think.

So I would like to encourage all to "Endure to the End". Our journey here is but a short time and we should be making the most of it, and learning all we can.

Showing greater love for our children

It has come to my attention that I need to work on something. Something that I have not been the best at. Sure I do it in a roundabout general way. I work, I bring home the bacon so-to-speak, I do the best I can to make sure things are taken care of. What could I possibly be missing? What in the grand scheme of life is there to do?

In life we are given many duties and responsibilities. We have jobs, callings, volunteer efforts, civic duties, and what ever crops up to interrupt those things. There is one thing that trumps all. What is it, you may find yourself asking? I'm getting there.

One of the most important things in this life is our families, more importantly our relationship with our families. Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, second cousins twice removed; all these are important and have meaning in our lives. They can help us grow into who we are.  In times of difficulty they can offer support and love. For some there is a special select family group that is the ultimate in life... I am finally talking about immediate family: father, mother, son, daughter. This group should be the goal and center of every person's life. (I understand that it may not happen for everyone. If that is the case then you begin by strengthening your relationship with your extended family.)

I have a large family with 9 children between my wife and I, (sometimes quite literally).
One of the things I have come to realize recently is that I don't show my children that I love them enough. I tell them at bedtimes... that is not enough for the children. They deserve to hear their father say those three great words "I love you" much more often. It is a very important phrase containing more than an idea. When the words "I love you" are spoken with meaning they convey a sense of being, a promise of acceptance, and teach that love is an important part of life. I realized some of these things earlier last week when I was thinking about my progress in being cheerful. I came to the conclusion that I was doing pretty good at having a cheery disposition. What should I work on next? That's when it came to me, I need to express by both word and deed my love for my children, let them know that I am there for them, that I do love them,

I even set some goals to help me.

• I will start listening more carefully to what my children are trying to tell me about their day.
• I will make sure to tell them "I love you" multiple times a day.
• I will put my phone down more than just sitting there within easy reach (distraction much?).

My children are very important to me. I know they are here to learn from their parents, but they are also here to teach Mom and Dad about love and how to share it.

So here is a challenge for you. Make sure you don't forget to tell your loved ones that you love them. Spend time with them and help them feel your love.

Scripture study

This week's "something that needs to get out" post.

Life has a tendency to get busy. So busy in fact that we forget the little things and worry about the big things that need to get done, like work, transportation, grocery shopping, what to wear to work, how to spend time with the family in all the busyness, and what people think about you. But what about the things that affect how we feel, or what motivates us? I'm talking about something that can uplift us, help us to have hope, give us encouragement. I'm talking about daily scripture study.

I have learned in the past several weeks the power of this daily action. I have been doing an online school through the Pathway Program through my Church, (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). In this program we study an academic and a religious course each semester. We are given the assignment to read and study in our scriptures daily.  I wanted to get into my scriptures and learn to love them, I was excited to get started. After the first few weeks I started to just get it done.This activity became a kind of a "must accomplish" thing. It wasn't as fulfilling as I knew it could be.

So what changed this week? Well over the last few weeks I was making a real effort to read and learn. This week I made double the effort, I read in the morning and then listened while I drove for work. This created a better learning atmosphere. I felt better too. I was able to keep a good attitude despite some difficult situations at work. I also had a better time at home with my family. 

Daily scripture study allows us to learn, from the scriptures, what God wants us to know in order to make it through this life and return to Him. Daily scripture study also allows us to be taught, by the Holy Spirit, those things which are of a spiritual nature that we may not have known before hand.

When we read the scriptures we open our hearts and minds to the influence of the Holy Spirit.

I have had a good week because I have done a better job at reading and studying daily. I encourage all to do the same and see if it works for you.

Of Missing Cats and Thank Yous

 

Back ground info: 3 years ago we got two cats Cookie and Butterscotch. Makayla loves the cats. Last year we kicked the cats out of the house because there were peeing on the furniture. Makayla loves the cats. The cats still hang around the house and mostly like the kids. Did I mention that Makayla loves the cats.

About three weeks ago Cookie went missing. (Not completely unusual.) Makayla has spent many a day calling out the windows for the missing cat.

Bed time on April 5 was just like any other (mildly controlled chaos). I was tucking the four older kids into there beds when I found Makayla crying. When asked why she was crying the reply came through sobs and tears, “Cookie has been gone for three weeks and I made tomorrow, (April 6th), the cats birthday.” I told her I was sorry and that she needed to go to bed and went downstairs. After completing my preparations for bed I went upstairs. Makayla was still sitting up in her bed crying. This time instead of getting upset or telling her to be quiet and go to sleep, (usual approach), I went to her bedside wrapped my arms around her, hugged, and told her that Cookie was probably off on some grand adventure like in the movie “Incredible Journey” and was just taking her time returning, (it’s happened before with Butterscotch). My words didn’t seem to have any effect.

I left her with another big hug and went to say my prayers before bed. After I finished talking with my Heavenly Father I found Makayla standing at my door way. “Go back to bed” would usually be the response but I took a deep breath and asked “what do you need Makayla.” She came around the bed and gave me a big hug and said “Thank you. You really comforted me.” We said good night to each other (again) and went to bed. I laid in my bed and knew that my daughter really loves me, Her Dad. I said another silent prayer and thanked God for this small opportunity that I was presented with.

Being a father is Great!!

A video Journey: Courtesy of You tube

Checking my email this morning became a neat journey. A video, from my mail provider main info page ,title caught my eye. I clicked on the video and waited…. and waited…. and waited some more… I decided to drop that attempt and head over to “YouTube”. There I searched for the failed video and found it.

Here it is:

the video I started my journey with

Pretty cool huh… what do you mean you didn’t watch it… how are you supposed to follow me on this journey if you don’t participate?

after that I looke at the suggested videos on the right and found this one:

same guy on the tonight show

then saw that he was also on the tonight show with Johnny Carson:

I then found the ultimate juggler, to me at least.

What originally caught my eye was the unusual use of juggling. With a piano? I am a very unpracticed juggler, so the idea of adding another element hasn’t crossed my mind. Now take what the last video did just blows my mind. the amount of control and patience just amazes me.

Makayla saw the videos, (she took the journey with me). She liked the piano juggling, and was floored, wowed, and speechless at the last.

I know juggling takes practice, practice, practice, practice, and more practice. But it is fun to do.

Hope you enjoyed this small and free video journey as much as I did… 

practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, lots of stinking practice…

My Theory on Aging

 

There is something that happens once a year that many people fear. This annual occurrence threatens the way of life for some. many hide behind falsehoods and justifications.

What is this horror of horrors that many are so afraid of? It is the annual Birth-Day. That's right the yearly ritual of aging, getting older,continuing up/down the hill

What is aging? It is the process in which are bodies tell us we can no longer do the thing we want to do, and have difficulty doing the things we must do, I.E. work, play with kids, grand kids, or keep up with the younger crowd.

This aging process is inescapable for all who live on Earth. It’s a fact of life. We don’t typically feel our age until the great age of “__”,(fill in your own “Great Age”).

In my professional** opinion age is a matter of mental projections. As our yearly number increases we hear more comments that remind us of how old we “should feel”. Phrases like, “Your old”, and “how's it feel to be old?”, or “old Geezer”, don’t help with our mental state. The more you hear and Listen to these comments the more you feel your age. So what do you do when you hear these things…ignore them for the most part…continue thinking young thoughts…act young were appropriate.

I am currently “xx” number of years old. (notice my lack of acceptance for my real age). I try to ignore all signs of aging as a matter of course. the other day while I was riding with another driver, I was climbing in and out of the back of the truck like I did it every day, (which I do, so it was no big deal for me). The driver I was with was impressed that I moved so “easily”. He asked how old I was, (weird question). I continually deny my age.

At some point age catches up with people. That is when you are allowed to use age as an excuse.

 

In closing I just want to reiterate my theory: “It’s all in your head”, (at least until you hit the age of “__”).

 

 

**My P.H.D. came from the same place I got my drivers licencse, Perfect parent of the year award, perfect attendance award…for the last 15 years, and my “spy” permit… Al’s awards and more. “Where success is just a payment away”.

 

Jason

Computer Fun!

 

Today is update Tuesday. After my wife's computer updated and then restarted she found a new program installed on her computer “Antivirus Pro”. We don’t own this program have never heard of this program, and definitely didn't download it. Tristan was no longer able to use the Internet, run many of her programs, restore to an earlier point, or even run her virus scanner. the one thing we could do was reinstall windows….. What Fun!!

 

The good news is that Tristan had just backed up her important files to DVD's so her data was saved.

So let the fun begin….I think it is great fun to do a clean install of windows… you get to pick and choose (from the mass amount of programs that you have installed over time), the ones you actually use.

We started by reinstalling Windows. Then we started on the fun task of figuring out which programs Tristan needs/wants. Some we had, (on various hard drives and flash drives around the house, (that is my fault, I like storage),  others were included with the restore disks that came with the computer, and some we had to go rooting around the net for.

 

As I helped with the reinstallation of every thing, we discovered a couple of programs, (we had difficulty with before hand), that worked this time around, (made my wife happy!!). It is now 7:45 PM and Tristan's computer is just about finished.

 

Here are some suggestions for heavy content creators or picture takers…and all who could possibly get a virus.

• Install a security program and turn on windows fire wall

The program I use is Microsoft Security Essentials

This Idea comes from “The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management”

• Back up…There is a three step process to backing up

1. make 3 copies of your data
2. put it on 2 different kinds of media I.E. hard drive cd DVD.
3. have an off site back up (on the web or at your office or at a parents house

Remember that one copy is not a backup and don’t make a copy then delete the original because you will still only have one copy.

For a great article on backing up visit dpbestflow.org 

• Get a password manager

 

The one I use and recommend is Last Pass.

Last Pass not only remembers your password for every site you save to it, but it remembers websites and logins for those sites.  Last pass will even generate secure passwords for you. All you need is to set a master password and let last pass do the rest.

This is what my password vault looks like (yes I did edit the contents so you cant see some of my user names).

 

By clicking on the links on the left it will automatically take you to the site and log you in.

 

Please let me know what your suggestions for a good computing experience are.

 

Jason

Christmas in July

 

Why were my wife and I up till 12:30 last night? Well we weren’t wrapping presents or making gifts. We weren’t Watching a movie together. It turns out that we weren’t doing anything normal parents of five with one on the way should be doing on a long Friday after the kids are asleep, (I.E. sleeping).

We decided that it was time to go through the thousands, (seems like it sometimes), of toys that have accumulated in our house over the last 9 1/2 years. I brought all of their toys from the two bedrooms downstairs, brought all the toys stored in the attic. After all the toys were gathered, (we started around 9:30), we spent an exhausting hour and a half to two hours going through toys and deciding what to keep, what to toss, and what to give to Good Will.

This is the total of all the toys in the house not counting Legos or Duplos which we are keeping forever. The big green tub close to the white door is full of Little people which we are also keeping forever.

 

We discovered that we had way to many toys from fast food joints. Lots of broken or parts missing toys were found and lots of toys that don’t get played with.

At some point in the evening I was sent out on a food run, Taco Bell and Dairy Queen… What it was hard work…lots to carry down stairs.

 

When All was said and done we ended up with no broken or parts missing toys, no happy meal toys, and no unwanted toys.

This is what the load to Good Will looked like: 10 boxes and 1 basket

 

Needless to say the kids never saw what got trashed or donated so they can’t miss it. There was great excitement this morning, (like Christmas type excitement), as the kids woke up to find all the toys downstairs. The excitement grew as we took the toys to there rooms and started putting them away in closets and on shelves.

 

End result: Two very tired parents, Five happy kids, Less mess…for now…

 

Jason

Weird Eating habits

Eating is a fact of life. Every one has to eat. The one thing that sets us apart from each other is how the food gets to our mouths. From straws to forks to spoons it gets there, some how. People have different methods; the fork everything method, it's opposite of spooning everything, to the two utensil shoveling method (very messy I might add).

I like the fork every thing method even for applesauce. Now when it comes to foods that require a spoon, (like ice cream and soup), I have an odd habit, as pointed out by my lovely wife, I will put the spoon to my mouth and then, turn the spoon over and scrape the food off toward my tongue. Why such an unusual eating habit? It's simple enough for me. I have sensitive teeth. The idea of hot or cold food touching my front teeth makes me cringe. In reality it is quite uncomfortable.

Another lesser habit I have involves ketchup. I like it on my grill cheese sandwich, on my potato chips (i.e. ketchup chips out of the bag). Funny enough everything else use ketchup for seems pretty normal to me.
What are some of your weird eating habits? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Jason

All I need to know about life I learned from the movies….

Bad guys-

-When confronting bad guys in costume (i.e. full body armor with matching helmet) remember that they can't shoot straight so you can run straight to cover (car, building, around a corner, or over a hill).

-When sneaking up behind bad guys reach around and cover their mouth so they can't yell/scream.

-A karate chop to the neck always works

-Bad guy bosses love to talk... So you can always find out what their secret plans are...you just need to find that one really easy way to escape and then ruin the bad guys day.

-The hide out is almost always below ground, dark and grimy, unless the baddy is super rich and powerful already then it is a pent house apartment or CEOs office.

-Bad guys always lose....after about two hours of action.

Driving:

-There are two types of cars; really cool and fast cars, and really old cars you know will just be torn up, scraped up, damaged beyond repair, or be destroyed in a spectacular explosion.

-When bad guys drive they plow through traffic. When the good guy drive they weave through traffic..... Leaving other drivers to plow into other cars/buildings/or poles.

-The car always seems to run out of gas at the gas station.

-Any car can make a spectacular jump. Only the cool ones survive the jump and keep going.

-When being chased... Jump over a river... The other car will do one of two things; try to jump and end up in the river, or plow nose first in to the river.

 

-Dating:

-When making dinner for a date.... Don't forget the begets.

-always dress to impress, apply copious amounts of make-up, and make a fashionably late entrance.

-There's always a spark

-Espionage/Spies

       - Always carry a blank cd to copy important secret  information,    (you never know when you will get another chance).

-See bad guys above…

-Don’t get Caught…..If you do get caught “Mums” the word.

So in life; go to work find corrupt entity, get caught, run like crazy, fall down, getup, run, run, run, get into car drive really fast weaving in and out of traffic. Find co-pilot, drive to motel, stay the night in fear and terror. Run, drive fast again, jump a river, out maneuver the following car by e-brake turning into an alley that just fits your car but the SUV has to find another route giving you time to get to headquarters and spill the beans thereby ruining the bad guys day.

Dune series review

 
About a month ago I finished about a month long listening experience. The Dune series by Frank Herbert. The author wrote this six book series before his death. The series has since been carried on by other authors.

Book one: Dune

Dune starts off on a green water filled world called Caladan. In a castle/fortress lives a the Duke Atreides, his Bene-Gesserrit which, (you'll learn more throughout the series) wife, (by all but marriage) named and titled Lady Jessica. And their son Paul, the ducal heir.
The Duke Atreides is forced to leave his planet, by the Emperor, and relocate himself, his family, servants, and military to the planet Arakis (also called "Dune"). Dune is a desert planet (complete desert, no water, no rain, all moisture is captured and reused). It is the dream vision of the native population (called the Fremin) to remake Dune into a paradise planet,though it may take many generations. They will do this by placing collector plates around new plants.

Through strategic and subtle plans the dukes enemies overwhelm the many defenses around the new fortress (a very trusted and un questionable servant becomes the tool of the downfall).
In the after math Paul and his mother manage to escape into the dessert. There they meet up with the locals called the Fremen. After a tense encounter they are invited to join the  Fremen life style in the desert.

When Paul starts to see future events he is regarded as someone out of prophecy or legend. He ultimately "marries a native Fremen named Chaney, leads the Fremen to freedom and power by destroying the Harkonnens that took over the dukedom of dune, then maneuvers him self into being emperor.

My thoughts:

This book was a good listen.  It had stealth, cunning strategy, a completely different universe with different rules and personalities.
I did like being transported to another time and place.  I did however find it difficult understanding the new rules and relationships. It seems that the priorities set forth in the first book of this series are: selective breeding to bring forth the desired traits. Love is not the rule but the exception to it. Religion is only a tool of the powerful, (i.e. The Bene Gesserrit and even Paul Atraides who uses the prophecies and legends about himself and his mother to gain control of all Fremin and ultimately the empire), to control the masses and changes constantly. There is an a constant battle over power for three different races.

Over all this was a fun ride.

Hollywood....leave my entertainment alone

 

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My family does not have cable at our house. As a result we have a large movie/show collection (we like to watch shows as a family). Most of the movies we have are what you could call kids/children's, movies from Pixar,DreamWorks, Disney. We also have DVDs of Dora the explorer, go Diego go, Backyardagains, Blues Clues. If you count movies like Harry Potter and Star Wars as kids movies the add those to the list as well.

Recently I bought Avatar and Star trek. Both of these are really great movies with one big exception....wait for it.... A sex/bed scene. Obviously the directors thought this act would add to the movie in some way, whether it was for a tender moment, i.e. Avatar, or for a funny interaction between characters, i.e. Star Trek. This does not  add to the enjoyment of the show.  The only things this does for my family is cause mom and dad to pay close attention to where the offense is and skip that section, (my kids love Avatar, (they hate when we have to skip something even when they have no idea why), I like Star Trek minus the aforementioned scene).

I have a show that I like, (I watch it on hulu.com), called Stargate Universe. It's about a group of scientist and military personnel that are forced to evacuate a crumbling planet through a stargate. By change of the address on the star gate they end up on a ancient space ship, (Destiny), that is flying through the universe billions of light years from earth. Sound interesting so far.

About every three episodes or so the makers of this unique show find it necessary to introduce a "Bed Scene", (not long of course, (does it need to be long), or show what some characters sexuel preference is, (don't know don't care), to mix up the "emotions" of the show. It disturbs me... I would rather they just get on exploring planets or fixing the ship or fighting random aliens. I don't need to see what happens in bed rooms, (I’m married…I know). The last episode was great; Strategy, tension, and a little helping of true friendship!!!

This pattern of "adding to the emotions" of the show happens in a lot of TV shows with increasing .... With movies and TV shows it just dampens the enjoy ability` of what I am watching.

Did all the mirrors break?

You've seen it before, at public places like a fair, zoo, theme park, or even a mall, the various states of dress that people are wearing, (or rather not wearing). There seems to be a trend in the world to wear less and less.

Last month I went to the zoo with my family, sister in laws family,and mother in law. We wanted to see the new polar bear exhibit. We had great fun. On our way back to the exit, (and throughout the zoo), we were assaulted by several people who, (for reasons unknown), chose not to look in a mirror before leaving their house that morning.  They had clothes, (used very loosely,no that is not a pun), that were made for younger people or were just three sizes to small or what some people would wear to bed. I wanted to yell "Mirror Check".

I know that summer is much warmer than winter, that doesn't mean people need to go around in there underwear or pajamas. When the clothing you are wearing might as well be your swim wear you need to check a mirror.

One may consider whether a piece of clothing is comfortable to go out in. Now I don't nesseccarily mean the feel of the cloth, (though that can be a determining factor), I mean whether you would be comfortable wearing that with your mother/father/preacher around. Another thing to consider  is the many adjustments to the articles on your person, "got to make sure that "this part" is covered", not to mention the feeling of over exposure.  Speaking of adjustments.....seriously guys pull up those pants...no one wants to see those "awesome" underoos you are wearing. And pleeease Keep your shirt on.

 
My wife and I try to teach our children modesty in the way they dress.  We (my wife) go through great lengths to find clothing that fit and or of a modest design. Those items are getting harder to find, (especially for young girls)... Why? Because more and more people are buying the clothes that don't fit right, for themselves and for their children.  Leaving designers to make more ill fitting clothes.

  Teaching moments occur when we are out in public , when we can ask if that person is wearing clothing of a modest design. They also occur when you see young women and men adjust thier clothing, be it straps or waist lines, (get a belt). 

I assure you that it is possible to look nice (sexy even), while still wearing all of your clothes (that cover everything up). It is possible to look "cool" with your pants held up by a belt.
In closing just remember to "mirror check" before going public with today's outfit! 

Door Openers

Definitions:

Door:a movable structure for opening or closing an entrance, as to a building or room, or giving access to a closet, cupboard, etc.: most doors turn on hinges, slide in grooves, or revolve on an axis. (http://www.yourdictionary.com/door)

Opener:a person or thing that opens. (http://www.yourdictionary.com/opener)

I have opened a lot of doors in my life, in fact  I  am willing to bet the farm that everyone has opened a lot of doors. Its a fact of life… If you want to get inside.

I open doors (by myself) close to one hundred times a day, going in and coming out of stores that I deliver to. I do this while using a loaded hand cart, I have become quite adept at it.

Occasionally a customer at the store I am at will hold the door for me, it is a relief for me as some times (not often) I really need it.

Now as I see it here are two ways to hold the door for someone;

1- Hold the door from the outside (most common I believe)

2- Walk through the door and then try to hold it open from the inside

I have absolutely nothing against the first way, there is nothing to get in the way of the hand cart or the person operating it. I do however have a “pet peeve”, (maybe not the right word), with the second way. It can be hard to bring in a load of Gatorade (which can way almost two hundred pounds) while holding the door by your self but throw in another obstacle in the door way and it gets harder by multiples. when holding the door with one hand I can just pull in the cart and be on my way. If someone is “helping” then I have to worry about “running them over”, bumping into them with me the cart or the load, while trying to pay attention to the way this particular store is laid out, (counters, racks, people, ect…). So way #2 in my opinion and situation is less helpful.

Please don’t get me wrong I love it when someone takes the time to open the door for me. I will even hold the door for people before taking my load inside.I would just rather hold the door for my self than risk “mutilating” a good Samaritan.

There is an easy fix for all this door opener nonsense….. Automatic doors…. (I have still had people offer to hold the door for me (not realizing it to be an automatic door (I thank them any way).

The 80's

 
A time where big hair and baggy clothes were the rule not the exception. A time where TV shows were simple yet effective entertainment.

I recently purchased the first season of MacGyver on ITunes, (a rather lengthy process as it took almost three days to download 22 episodes at 500 mb each for a grand total of 11 Gb).
The most remembered scene, (for me anyway), from MacGyver is when Mac is captured by the bad guys and has to escape, (again...running theme perhaps), by contriving a device, explosive or a diversion out of everyday house hold or industrial items. There by making a spectacular getaway!

I remember one scene in particular where MacGyver is locked in a concrete room. He looks around, as he usually does in these situations, and finds a lighter and a hanging light. So MacGyver decides an explosion is needed. Filling the lock with the gas from the lighter he then throws the powered light bulb at the lock there by igniting the gas and making it explode the lock and letting him stroll out of the room. Not the most accurate, but made for very convincing entertainment.

That is the Essence of TV shows in the 80's. Shows like Knight Rider, A-team, Air wolf, Battle star Galactica, (these are a few of my personal favorites), offer imagined scenarios that are impossible difficult but are accomplished in the last five minutes of the show, (ie MacGyver).

Now as I went back in time to 1985 while watching MacGyver I noticed A few themes, (besides the cheesy effects), good is good, bad is bad. More than that is the fact there is romance with out nudity, love without sex, dialog without cursing and good guys doing what they do best, winning.

My wife just purchased the TV show "Gummi Bears" and my kids love it. They ask for it constantly. Good simple fun. All these old TV shows have brought the fondness of old cartoons back to my mind so that I now want to buy another of my favorite cartoons just to enjoy the fun,(Chip and Dales Rescue Rangers).

I have found that the cartoons of today are really about nothing, (and they are annoying). No values are to be found, bad jokes abound and they are way to violent…

At home we also have the complete series of "little House on the Prairie". My eight year old daughter loves it and I believe it is her favorite TV show. Why might she like it so much? It could be the simple stories of simple people. Or it could be the underlying good values and good feelings that come from watching a well done show. But the fact remains that it is a show the whole family can enjoy together.

 

Final Thoughts:

Keep in mind the things you watch as a family

Find shows that entertain and uplift and maybe even have a good moral…… ( Or just dump the TV altogether…)

Distracted Driving

Ever wonder how some people manage to get to work alive?

I drive/make deliveries for a living so I have let’s say a more unique view of the situation that most drivers on the road. 1. I am on the road a lot during my day of deliveries. and 2. I am higher up in the air than all the cars out there (which provides me with the ability to see much more than if I where just in a car). I see things that may be hidden from the average commuter. Just a few examples…

Every one knows about this one, the proverbial mobile beauty shop, (is it that important?).

Thinking of things best left for the bathroom…. What about flossing your teeth… yes I have seen it at least once during my forays out into the wide world.

Onto practical matters… Is texting or email so urgent that it can’t wait for a couple of miles until you get to work or a rest area, (somewhere that you are not moving). I don’t text with my phone never have and I don’t plan to. I have however taken notes or contact info on my IPod Touch…. Never said I was Perfect… Not a safe thing to do. I may feel more invulnerable than the puny cars I am surrounded by……. that said, I do not make a regular habit about it.

Some of the interesting things that have caught my attention are:

Texting/checking email

Reading; whether it be book or newspaper/magazines (yes i do mean those kind of magazines?)

Using a laptop in the lap of the driver or on the passenger seat

Eating of course

Changing directions on a GPS

A big pet peeve of mine is when people have there pets on there laps while driving, not in the back seat where they should be but sticking there heads out of the driver side window. The dogs get under the arms of the driver or the driver is petting or holding the animal…. you can’t move the animal fast enough in an emergency, because you don’t want to hurt the animal….

While I am on the subject of animals not being where they belong… he biggest annoyance is when I see parents who just let there children stand up or lean forward all he way (not seat belted. Are the parents that unconcerned with the safety of there children? okay off my soapbox.

The most common distractions are however cell phones and other hand held devices. With all these distraction I wish to coin a new phrase for police to put in their accident reports or traffic citations lets call it DWUIT- “Driving While Under the Influence of Technology”. or DUIT- “Driving Under the Influence of Technology”. I Think I like DWUIT better…It’s funnier to say.

So final thought is think about it the next time you get that itching in your fingers, or that need to read, or even if you fell like beautifying yourself think twice and then think again.

Thank You for your time

Jason