The Sublime Roundabout

So there I was last night, mowing my lawn, when I noticed how beautiful the sky was. Here in southeast Texas, we get some very beautiful skies. The clouds are very low to the ground and move very quickly across the sky. Often, these clouds will catch an updraft and start to pile up on top of themselves in great towering columns of clouds. This is different from the huge thunderheads I am familiar with in Utah, where the entire sky can sometimes be filled with enormous storm cells that move about like Spanish Galleons on the Atlantic. No, these clouds are slender and narrow in comparison, like pillars of the sky. Last night one of these pillars started forming south west of my house. Since they are so narrow, it's very hit and miss if you will get rain. This one looked like it was on a collision course with my yard, however, so I watched it. It was also incredibly beautiful, because the smaller, lower clouds scudded along in front of it while the towering, amazingly white column of ...

A Blessing A star shines in the darkness Bringing order and light To a lonely world that lingered In a long and frigid night This star shines constant and true Ne’er changing in its course Leading souls back home Like a gentle, impelling force Across the vastness of the sky This light continues to shine Ordering the chaos Bringing everything in line This star, however, Is not above our head It shines in your eyes And in the words you’ve said Your countenance shines Like a brilliant star Giving us your light Whether near or far In your eyes I see The power of your spirit In your voice is a blessing Whenever I hear it So you are my blessing My love, my life Thank you forever For being my wife This is only the beginning! What fun! We will eternally live together as one! I love you. Happy birthday!

This one is safe to read if you are concerned about being propagandized by a misguided liberal... This morning my family and I were reading in Ezekiel. We get up every morning at six and read a chapter of the Book of Mormon and a chapter of the Bible. We have been doing this for some time now: we're almost done with Ezekiel. Today we read chapter 47 . First of all, in an effort to keep things honest and above board on all of this - when it comes to the Old Testament, I am no great scholar. There is much that I really enjoy about it, but it can be so symbolic at times that it is difficult to stay on top of things. This difficulty is exacerbated when you don't speak English as a first language (as in the case of my wife), you are particularly young (as in the case of my two beautiful and intelligent but normal children), or you are not a geek (like me...). Ammon said - I don't LIKE Ezekiel: He's BORING! OK. Duly noted. Doesn't matter, though. We're still going to ...

*** Warning: This post contains material of a political nature. Don't say I didn't warn you...*** So, there I was last night, minding my own business and driving to the Church for our regular Wednesday evening fun. As I turned off the freeway onto North Main, I noted an unusual amount of police vehicles... No big deal. Those of you who know me know that I don't speed or anything, so I wasn't worried. But I noted it. After turning on to Baker, there, between the High School and the Post Office I saw a gaggle of folks with banners and signs "protesting" the tax policy. There were American flags, cleverly worded posters, and all kinds of highly motivated individuals milling about smartly... And there was a large number of police, including (for some random reason) a (I am not making this up!) fraudulent license plate detection unit. Amazing. This brings to mind a number of things: 1. I have seen real protests. In Korea, protesting is a national pastime. Nothing t...

So, I was listening to Rush Limbaugh the other day. I know, I know. You'd think I would know better than that... But he said something that I have heard other people say. The statement goes something like this: Man! It sure is COLD today... What ever happened to GLOBAL WARMING?!? We could sure use some of that GLOBAL WARMING around here... (Chuckling about how everyone else is so stupid and only Rush has the REAL knowledge about what's going on...) I don't blame Rush. He's a radio host. He's paid to be obnoxious and insulting and arrogant - it creates controversy that makes people listen. If it weren't so obvious it would be scary. But like I said, I hear it from many different sources, so it kind of bugs me. Couple of things to keep in mind: 1. Global warming is happening. It is a matter of a few degrees measured over the past century or so. Whether or not human intervention into natural processes is contributing to the current trend, how much we are responsibl...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-3enjfQyuE I don't need you to worry for me cause I'm alright I don't want you to tell me it's time to come home I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life Go ahead with your own life, and leave me alone I never said you had to offer me a second chance I never said I was a victim of circumstance I still belong, don't get me wrong And you can speak your mind But not on my time I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life Go ahead with your own life, and leave me alone Keep it to yourself, it's my life.

I don't know if I actually remember this talk specifically. Elder McConkie gave it in 1984, so I would have been very young at the time. But the sentiment has been often repeated. Please indulge me in repeating it here: "Now, I have what every true disciple has. It is called the testimony of Jesus. In our day it includes the revealed knowledge that the earthly kingdom—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—will triumph. In this connection may I set before you this illustration: The Church is like a great caravan—organized, prepared, following an appointed course, with its captains of tens and captains of hundreds all in place. What does it matter if a few barking dogs snap at the heels of the weary travelers? Or that predators claim those few who fall by the way? The caravan moves on. Is there a ravine to cross, a miry mud hole to pull through, a steep grade to climb? So be it. The oxen are strong and the teamsters wise. The caravan moves on. Are there storms that ra...

If you don't know who this amazing man is I invite you to find out. I have to admit that I was having a very hard time letting go of President Hinckley . I know President Monson doesn't mind. He's having a hard time, himself. It's hard to let go of a man you loved so much and with whom you felt that you had such an intimate connection. I felt that I could have walked right into President Hinckley's front room and made myself at home. I know, it's a little silly, but I really felt that close to him. So when President Monson succeeded him as president of the Church, I struggled. Naturally I prayed for him, and have continued to do so every day since he was made the president. But it just didn't click for me... Until yesterday. I don't know how to describe this, but I know that President Monson IS the prophet. I know he is who God, or loving Heavenly Father wants to be at the helm at this time. When I heard him speak yesterday morning, I heard the voice...

In Korea there's an old saying that goes: There are three kinds of fool: those who brag about their wives, those who brag about their children, and those who brag about their jobs. Since I am somewhat of a fool when it comes to my family and I have already bragged about my wife, I am going to brag about my boy. I'll talk about my daughter later. Before Ammon was born I was a typical expectant father - very nervous. Would I be the kind of man who makes a good father? Would I be able to teach my son some of the important things I have learned? Would I try to force him into living the life I always wanted or let him have his own? Would I be able to provide for his needs - materially as well as spiritually? Would I be a good example? These ideas, and a million more like them, chased around and around in my head like so many Koi in a Japanese landscape pond. I desperately wanted (and still do!) to be a good father - like my father was (is!) for me. But it was a new experience, so ho...

My life flows on in endless song; Above earth’s lamentation I hear the sweet though far off hymn That hails a new creation: Through all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing; It finds an echo in my soul— How can I keep from singing? What though my joys and comforts die? The Lord my Savior liveth; What though the darkness gather round! Songs in the night He giveth: No storm can shake my inmost calm While to that refuge clinging; Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth, How can I keep from singing? I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin; I see the blue above it; And day by day this pathway smoothes Since first I learned to love it: The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, A fountain ever springing: All things are mine since I am His— How can I keep from singing?