Starting the day off right

What is the perfect start to your perfect day? I think understanding this goes a long way toward having lots of perfect days. I don't know that I have it completely figured out, but over the last few years I've discovered how I really like to start my day.

• 5:20am - Wake up, look over at my wife and be amazed (yet again) at how beautiful she is when she sleeps. You can see the warmth and the softness in her cheeks.
  
• Head down stairs (take care of nature - it's like clockwork...) brush my teeth, study my scriptures (I love it) and pray (I love it).
  
• 6:00am - Get some exercise (head to the gym and/or go for a run). Put on my headphones and get into the zone - the General Conference Zone.
  
• 7:15am-ish - Hit the shower and throw on my suit.
  
• On Salt Lake days, catch an 8am bus and read the Book of Mormon all the way to work.
  
• On Orem days, go home and putter around the house until the kids get up, say family prayers, make people breakfast and inevitably be late to the office because I can't stand to leave my little ones.

Anyone else have the perfect start to the perfect day figured out?

Oh, and here is my favorite breakfast.

Tips - You know like money

Today my good friend Brad introduced me to a new service called TipJoy (TipJoy.com). The basic concept is if you like something or someone you can leave them a $.10 tip through PayPal. You have to transfer $5 into your TipJoy account to start tipping. I can see some powerful implications to these $.10 micropayments. Anyone feeling generous? Click the TipJoy button at the end of this post to send me a tip.

Yep, we love her.

Fiery Furnace - Again

Daniel and me hanging out at camp Friday night.


A sweet dutch oven dinner in the works.


Hanging out in the cafeteria.


Posing between fins of the furnace.

I don't honestly know how many times I've explored the Fiery Furnace. Two answers come to mind: a lot and not enough. It is definitely one of the most beautiful places in southern Utah. In my opinion it is the best part of Arches National Park.

As I was starting to get ready to take the teachers quorum down this past Friday, I couldn't stand the thought of not bringing Daniel along. He loves the Fiery Furnace, camping, and hanging with dad and I love the Fiery Furnace, camping, and hanging with Daniel. I asked him if he wanted to go and he was packed and ready before I was.

I think it has been two years since the last time I took him through. He sure has grown. He was climbing everywhere the older young men were. In fact, he went places some of them didn't. I had to tell him he could only go places if he could get there on his own. I thought that would slow him down. I also thought it unwise to get us both stuck somewhere. He was absolutely amazing. I showed him some tricks for pressure climbing and getting up cracks and he was off.

One of our favorite adventures was climbing through a boulder pile in the first slot canyon to the left after you pass by skull arch. You climb up and over the first part of the boulder pile and then we went down under the boulders for about 200 feet. It is quite an experience to squeeze between giant rocks with thirty or forty feet of boulders above you. We crawled in between the huge rocks, sliding on our bellies, positioning our shoulders just right so we could squeeze through. Then we emerged out the other side of the boulder pile that blocks the canyon and continued on a bit further.

Can't wait to do it again.

Snowshoeing to the saddle

The group I run trails with may seem hard core at times. I guess what I mean is we run the same trails throughout the year. One of our favorite trails (up Dry Canyon to the Big Baldy saddle) gets quite a bit of snow during the winter. We try to keep running up it to keep the trail open but after a while the snow gets quite deep and it becomes an exercise in post-holing your way up the mountain. This year we decided to strap snowshoes on our backs, run as far as we could and then put on the snowshoes and keep going. I now have a new addiction - winter trail running/shoeing. Here's why.

365 Gratitude version 2.0

For some time I've wanted to do a more general blog. I have several blogs that are very niche. The problem with that is I often have things I'd like to blog about that don't fit the niche. So I've decided to upgrade my 365 Gratitude blog to be the place where I write about whatever seems blog-worthy and use labels to categorize topics. So, welcome to 365 Gratitude version 2.0.

Day 1 (again): He that spared not his own Son

I'm grateful for today for a Heavenly Father that was willing to offer up his Son as a sacrifice for the rest of His children.

Romans 8:32
He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

1 Corinthians 2:9
...Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Day 73: Picking up where I left off...

Wow, it has been a while. Life kind of sailed on me over the summer. It feels good to be back on the gratitude blog again. Today I'm grateful for 'My Best Boy Daniel Boone' as I like to call him. He is an amazing boy. He and I had an amazing time together this summer hiking in and spending the night at Pittsburg Lake. Here's a quick photo show of our adventure.

Day 72: Our Patio Swing

It seems during the summer that this patio swing becomes the center of attention. I can't tell you how many times I come home from work and the kids are out back on the swing. During the day they'll lay down on it and read a book or sit together and just rock back and forth while they talk. It is so relaxing to just gently rock back and forth. The other night after the kids went to bed my wife and I just sat and watched the moon.

We had a lemonade party recently for all of the women in the neighborhood. The over 60 club arrived early, took their spots on the swing and stayed there for three and a half hours. I peaked out for a second to talk to these sweet ladies and they proudly told me, "We got here early, staked our claim, and we're not budging." Well, who is going to kick three grandmas out of their place?



Somehow rocking gently in the swing with all of the trees and flowers around you brings peace and relaxation. It seems natural to socialize with those around you. It draws people closer together. I'm grateful for our patio swing.

Day 71: First Fish

The first fish I remember catching was at a lake by my Grandpa's house in California. It was a little sunfish. We had been fishing for quite some time and all I had managed to do was get my line snagged. It was time to go so I decided to try and get my line free and reel it in. I got it free and started dragging something heavy in, I thought it was a stick. Boy was I surprised when that stick turned out to be a fish.

A couple of weeks ago I was setting up a pole for one of my girls. She was excited to finally have a real hook on her line. My oldest son already had his line in the water. I heard some excitement behind me and turned around just in time to see my son pull his first unassisted catch out of the lake. What a great thing that first fish is.

Day 70: City Champs

I've never been into baseball much myself. In fact, I think I'd get struck out by most of the little league pitchers I've seen in my son's league. But my oldest son seemed to have a real interest in baseball so we signed him up.

My son isn't particularly talented at baseball but he has improved tremendously over the season. He was fortunate to be placed on a very good team. They won the City Championship and are heading to a multi-city tournament. I'm grateful for the good people, players, coaches, and families that support my son and this team. I'm grateful for the excitement my son has experienced being part of it. I'm grateful for the smile on his face as he collected his trophy.

Day 69: The Beauty of the Earth

God's goodness and glory is all around us. Need I say more?

Day 68: Getting Lost

I've been lost a few times in my life. I don't think I'd ever intentionally get lost but there is something to be said for the opportunity of finding your way back or being found. It can be a life changing experience.

I remember wandering for several hours one night in Dublin. Eventually I realized that I had no idea where I was. I was hungry and I needed to use the bathroom something fierce. I had dreams of finding some fine dining but my need for a bio-break found me walking into the first hole-in-the-wall grease pit I came across. I wasn't there for the food, but in hopes of finding a bathroom. It became clear that the bathroom was not for lost passers-by so I ordered the fish and chips and made a beeline to the bathroom.

I ate some so-so fish and chips and then asked the proprietor for directions back to my hotel. Boy was I relieved to get my bearings again.

Sometimes we aren't physically lost but mentally, emotionally, or spiritually lost. During these times it also feels great to get your bearings again. It is hard to appreciate how good it is to be 'not lost' until you've been lost.

Day 67: I don't have to eat bugs

At the camp for young men that I helped with this past week one of the activities was a 'Fear Factor' activity. Each team of boys had to choose two out of their ranks that would compete. The reward - the right to eat dinner that night. Each boy threw a spear across a field toward a target painted on the ground. They ate what ever corresponded to the number closest to the spear. The items: sardines (not too bad), gold fish (just swallow, don't chew), live crickets (definitely chew), night crawlers (best when swallowed with water), and meal worms (apparently not much flavor but kind of crunchy).

I think I could eat any of these if necessary (or simply if dared to). In fact, I've eaten everything on this menu except gold fish at some point in my life. I guess I'm grateful for two things. 1) I don't have to eat bugs all of the time 2) Young men that somehow find this amusing (some even came back for seconds). I have some great video...

Day 66: The Word of God

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

2 Nephi 32:3
Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

Isaiah 55:2
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Revelations 7:17
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

2 Nephi 4:15
And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.

Day 65: Marlin

Marlin walked to Church with his wife last Sunday. He wasn't feeling well so he stepped out of the chapel to get some air. Shortly he came back in to get his wife to help him home. They walked around the corner to their house, hopped in the car and drove to the emergency room. Marlin passed away the next evening.

We both moved into the neighborhood about the same time. We first met about ten years ago in a landscaping class held by the community. Although he was much older than me we formed a quick bond in our love of beautiful landscapes.

It wasn't possible to talk with Marlin without feeling uplifted. He was a humble, happy person. He never pretended to be more than he was. The intent of this blog is to express those things daily for which I feel profound gratitude. Today I feel a profound gratitude for my dear friend Marlin.

Day 64: Sacrifice

A favorite hymn of mine, Praise to the Man, includes the phrase, "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." I know that is true. To sacrifice is to give up something of value for something of greater worth. The greatest people who have ever lived in this world are remembered in part because of their sacrifice. I wish the principle of sacrifice was more directly taught in the world to day. The world would be such a better place. It is hard for selfishness and sacrifice to co-exist. When we sacrifice our own desires or pleasures for what God would have us do, we are truly able to unlock the powers of heaven in our behalf.

I'm grateful for sacrifice it truly brings forth the blessings of heaven.

Day 63: Love

I've been thinking lately about what an amazing thing it is to love someone. I find that my heart is increasingly filled with love for all around me. It is becoming a tremendous force in my life. I'm beginning to believe that there is nothing that cannot be conquered by love. My heart grows larger and softer. I'm moved to tears several times a day by what I see around me, both the good and the bad. My life has found a new richness as I've increased my ability to love. I'm grateful that I can feel love.

Day 62: Sleeping out in Thunderstorms

I love extremes in nature. I think it is especially thrilling to be camping out during a great storm. Nature seems to peak in beauty during a thunderstorm. The power displayed is amazing. Nothing man made seems to compare except perhaps nuclear weapons. Is it that feeling of being in and a part of nature that I get from hunkering down in the mountains and waiting out a storm? Perhaps it is just the age old plot of man against nature that thrills me. It certainly has a way of centering me and humbling me. I've camped out through some nasty weather over the years. It amazes me now to think that there is one who can command and calm the storms.

We usually think of storms ending with a rainbow. This was the introduction to a spectacular night of rain, wind, hail, lightning, and thunder.

Day 61: Ropes and Logs

There is something exciting to me about the proposition of building things out of ropes and logs. Over the years I've built all kinds of towers, tables, tripods, bridges, you name it. It never ceases to amaze me how three little sticks lashed together can hold so much. This past week I taught about 80 teenage boys the basics of building things with ropes and logs. Their final test at the end of our time together was to build a tripod and see if it could support the weight of a 300 pound football player that was there with us. I was amazed to see a small tripod built from sticks about 3/4 inch in diameter hold the 300 pound lineman.



Here's a couple of snapshots of a monkey bridge I built to show the boys what could be done and to let them have some fun during the camp.