Liz stared at the computer screen in front of her. Feelings of discouragement washed over her. She had worked for almost a year now to build her foundation to help abused women, but so far, she had struck out in obtaining much of any support for her cause. Another bill was due, but more women had also been abused, and she had not been able to reach them. Her prayers to God were that someone with resources would be willing to share. Even $10 from a thousand people could go suc

As Charlotte looked out the window, she saw more cars arriving at her neighbor’s house. She tried not to think about how lucky they were, to have so many friends and family. It seems that they had a party almost every night. As good neighbors do, of course, they had invited Charlotte to attend one of the neighborhood gatherings. Charlotte couldn’t bring herself to do it though. She glanced over at her son, playing with his toys, unaware of the fact that Charlotte hadn’t been

Principles and Concepts to Promote Proper Government The genius of the American system of government was in the checks and balances that exist throughout the government systems. With the growth of technology, powerful business, lobbying and other interests, as well as the general entropy that systems experience, America needs to return to solid principles of checks and balances, transparency, and other principles that help to keep America's governments functioning well and ap

“ Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations ” – Zig Ziglar My family and I had the opportunity to go to a friend’s cabin a few years ago. We were told it was not a very long drive to the turn off, followed by a few miles on a dirt road and we would reach the cabin. This sounded like a great opportunity and a fun time away with my family. We had packed up the trailer and had everything loaded when I finally received the GPS coordinates to the cabin. You can imagine

I felt torn inside. Things were not going well at home, and some family members were experiencing some significant struggles. But, things at work were going very well, and I could tell that I was being blessed in those efforts. I knew that I had been blessed with many things, but there was a significant distance inside between the feelings of gratitude for the good and the feelings of despair for the bad. It felt like I was simultaneously on a high mountain and a low, dark va

Winter, spring, summer, and fall. Each of these seasons brings on new and exciting possibilities, new memories to be made, and new activities to explore. They also hold many traditions and memories that we remember with fondness. Each of these seasons also brings the opportunity to gather. Gathering with family and friends; gathering wood to stay warm for the winter; gathering fresh blooms from the spring garden; gathering the harvest from a summer garden; gathering a team fo

Are you looking for happiness? Most people are in one form or another. It’s not too often that you hear someone say, “I’m just trying to be as miserable as I can be.” We like to feel good. We like to be happy. It isn’t easy though. Happiness can seem elusive and ephemeral. Just when you think you’ve found it, the situation changes and you’ve lost it again. Sometimes it makes us wonder, “Can we find lasting happiness?” It’s a deep question - too deep for our purposes here toda

Do you have a bucket list?  There are so many wonders in the world to read about and explore. I would say most, if not all of us desire experiences that enrich us and bring learning and joy. So, what is stopping you from doing some of these things? If you are like me, you may simply need to start writing these things down. I have thought of several things, but I have never actually made a list. It’s hard to accomplish a task or a goal if we never write it down. Writing it dow

Jenny made another mistake on the piano as I watched with a bit of confusion. Teaching her to play the piano has been a unique experience. During some piano lessons, she displays an almost prodigy-like knowledge of piano theory and ability. Other times, she just stares at the sheet music in confusion. Those who have taken piano lessons before might guess that the lessons in which she excels directly follow the weeks she practiced daily. That’s what confuses me. Why does she n

How many times have you heard somebody when, after given a compliment, say “No, that’s not true”, or “Not even”. They often reject the compliment trying to be humble, or because they do not believe the compliment, but in reality, they are being detrimental to themselves and the person giving the compliment. Saying “thank you” to a compliment greatly increases our ability to love ourselves and others. Let me explain why with a case study. I once knew a very impressive girl. Sh

I once asked a group of students what one plus one plus one equals. Most said two, but one cleverly said “It depends on if it is in math or chemistry.” I added, “It would also change if we are talking about synergy because then the answer would be eight”. They were quite confused, but I explained with a pencil analogy. I gave a student a pencil and asked if he would break it. He did. I then gave him a stack of pencils and asked him to try to break them which he could not. One

It had been a week since my son had gone to school. He had been ill, so I went to his school, talked with his teacher, and picked up his homework. I took it home and looked it over with him, talking him through what was needed. He responded that he would be able to do it and didn’t need help. A few days later my son was feeling better, and he proudly announced all his homework was done and that we now had time to do something fun. We were both excited at this announcement, bo

About 16 years ago, I planted two peach trees. I grew up with my mom and grandma canning peaches and prefer those over store bought canned peaches. I also enjoy eating them fresh. I selected a variety that I liked and got them planted. It takes about 3 years before you can let them bear fruit. This helps the tree to get established and grow strong as well as be able to handle the weight of the peaches. My family and I have enjoyed many years of fresh peaches and had such an a

Tales are told of explorers who spent significant energy, time, and resources searching for the Fountain of Youth, pirate treasures, the City of Gold, Atlantis, and other significant things. For many such explorers, they never found what they were looking for, and the question always lingers over their tales – did the item they searched for actually exist, or was it just a legend? When reading their stories, it is easy to smile at the ignorance of someone searching for a Foun

Our names are an incredibly important part of our identity. They carry personal, cultural, familial, and historical significance. They also give us a sense of who we are and the community we each live in. A person’s name is the greatest connection to their own identity. Some might say it is the most important word in the world. Our names are a way to get someone’s attention, it’s a sign of courtesy and a way to recognize them. Where does your name come from? Along with our gi

There I am, standing at the top of a ladder, about 20 feet from the ground. I am so confident that I could put this large bounce house up on the garage shelf for my friend. She is afraid of heights, but I am not and am happy to help her. I get ready to set it in place, but it slips slightly. I don’t drop it, but I don’t have the best grip on it and the other items on the shelf have now shifted. I try again, unsuccessful. At this point, it is getting heavier. My friend stops t

Have you ever heard the adage, “It takes more muscles to frown than to smile”? I’ve learned recently that claim depends a lot on definitions and perspectives, but let’s just take it at face value for now (pun intended). The adage is generally used to try to encourage people to smile, as – according to the adage – it’s so much easier than frowning. Doing things merely because of their simpleness or ease never gained much traction with me as being a desired activity, so perhaps

As an attorney, I still often feel saddened or overwhelmed at many of the conditions my clients find themselves in. A mother with cancer who also has young children is left by her husband, even though she is unable to work. A father caught in the middle of a business partner’s theft of client funds. A daughter not being allowed to bury her mother next to the mother’s infant daughter that died at birth because the daughter’s brothers refuse to consent to the burial due to bein

The day had finally come, Jill and Tom were moving into their first home. They had spent many years in apartments and living in many different locations, but they were finally settling into an area where they could make memories and lasting relationships. Some of the apartments they had lived in were small and less than ideal, but they were able to make it work. The excitement of all the possibilities this new spacious home offered seemed surreal.   There were many things tha

In Utah and much of the West, reservoir levels are dropping to an all-time low. Many people are praying for rain, hoping that the reservoirs can be refilled and people have the water they need. I too have prayed for rain and tried to cut water usage at my home. As I have done this, I have realized that my prayers for rain can create problems elsewhere.   In a simple example, I had a painting project to do outside to help improve an area of my home. I booked time in my schedul