One life effects another. *SPOILER ALERT* READ ONLY IF YOU HAVE SEEN "ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE"

We all know the story, "Its a Wonderful Life".  Yes, its a Christmas time story but that doesn't mean that we can only talk about it at Christmas or in the month of November and December.  Anyway, George Bailey, we follow his life as a young kid and grows up to an adult.  All throughout his life he is always helping someone wither they be friend or family.
On Christmas Eve George jumps off and Clarence, the angel 2nd Class, comes and rescues George from killing himself.  He asks George what is the wish he wants and George replies," I wish I had never been born." 
Clarence says to George that the wish has been granted.  George Bailey has never been born. 

• No Zulu's petals
• No ID,
• No Credit Cards,
• No Social Security Number,
• No Drivers License,
• No car keys,
• No missing $1,000,
• No warrant out for his arrest from Mr. Potter,
• No house,
• No car,
• No damaged ear and can hear in both ears now,
• No Building and Loan,
• Not friends with Bert the policeman and Ernie the cab driver, 
• No dent in the tree that he crashed into,
• Bedford Falls is called Pottersville and is home to nightclubs and pawn shops;
• Bailey Park was never built;
• Mr. Gower was convicted of poisoning the child and spent many years in prison;
• Martini  no longer owns the bar;
• Violet is a dancer who gets arrested as a pickpocket;
• Uncle Billy has been in an insane asylum for years;
• Harry is dead, since George was not around to save him, and the soldiers Harry would have saved also died;
• Mrs. Bailey is a hardened widow running a boarding house;
• Mary is a spinster librarian.
• No children of his own.

George realizes that life is much happier with him being around everyone and saw of how much he had an influence on his friends, family and the town. George realized that life is wonderful and that being friends to everyone is quite rich in blessings than one can count on one hand.

So what does that have to do with us, its only a movie, right? Well, if you would think of everyone that you had the influence on such as your parents, siblings, relatives, co-workers, friends, spouse, children, in laws, boss, organizations, church, etc.  As you see it dominoes of everyone you touch.  You may think that oh if I wasn't born it would only effect my immediate family and a few close friends.  Though as you look at it, you effect everyone you come in touch with.  If you haven't saved someones life for the better then who knows they could end up in the hospital, prison, mad house, death, etc. 

I know for me I have influenced a lot of people in my life in various aspects and I know that if I wasn't there for them they could easily be on a different path right now that may not be the right path or that they would have just effected enough a little to show that you care for them and willing to show them that you do care for them and love them.

So life is wonderful and live to the fullest!

Life is a race.

HONK!! The race is off and who knows what lays ahead of this race.  An hour later has passed by.  Approaching the finish line and the racer finishes the race!!! The crowd goes wild, cheering on the racer who raced the race. 

Isn't life a race? Before we came down here to Earth, we were taught of all we needed to know of what challenges we would face and that it would be worth it.  Then as we come up to the starting line of life here on Earth we are born as a baby to our wonderful parents.  We cry for that is all we know of what to do.  We have a veil put over our minds so we have to be taught of what is right and what is wrong. 
As we go along the race through life we face encounters along our path.  We deal with peer preasure, friends, work, entertainment, religion, government, etc.  We are taught from our parents and religious leaders of things to do to help us on our race of life.  We have scriptures, family home evening, love, friendship, etc. to help us in our path. 
Sometimes we may think that a different path may help us to get to the finish line faster or quicker route to take.  Such as taking drugs, alocohol, stealing, etc.  Though they may seem to be harmless from far away but when we get closer we realize that this is not the way it is supposed to be, we should go back on the path we should be following. 
The only thing with the finish line is that we don't know when its going to happen to us.  We just know the finish line is death on Earth.  That we leave this mortal life and become immortal.  After that we will see our loved ones that have gone before us and rejoice for the race we have ran. 

I enjoy my life, sometimes its a hard race to run.  But with the help of loved ones and good friends it will make it worthwhile to continue on with the race.  I knew that life would be hard but that it would be worth it.  That God gave us a Savior so we can live life and be grateful for the wonderful gift of life.  I look forward when I reach the finish line to rejoice with my loved ones and tell them I lived a good life and finished the race!

Pioneer Day Greeting

This Saturday is Pioneer Day.  I'm so thankful for the pioneers in the 1800's who came across the plains in the freezing cold to come to Utah and settle.  Some of those pioneers were my ancestors who crossed the plains.  They didn't have luxury items like we have now.  They didn't have GPS, I-Pod, television set, nice warm clothes, modern medicine, etc. like we do.  They had what they needed then, yes the stuff now would have saved them from dying in the cold, sped up the crossing the plains, but then where would the trials come from, and the "Come,Come Ye Saints" hymn.
I'm sure they wished they weren't asked to leave or be exterminated by Governor Bogs.  But that's what faith came into play.  They knew that there was going to be trails for them and I'm sure they had heartache when a loved one died to weather or mobs. 
Though they are happy of what they did.  If you could talk to them in person from a visit they would tell you they wouldn't give up anything for what they did.  If they had to redo it again they probably would change a little but overall I'm guessing they would have done the same things they did already.  They would tell us in our time to keep the faith, keep pressing forward, they are watching us and will cheer when we do something good and cry when we do something bad.  
The pioneers are not to be forgotten but to be remembered at what they did and stand for. 

Happy Pioneer Day!

Falling asleep in church services, mainly Sacrament Meeting.

I know that Sunday is a day of rest, from what the 10 Commandments tell us.  That we should take the Sabbath Day and make it a holy day and be rest from our labors.  For some reason when I was younger I wouldn't fall asleep as much during Sacrament Meeting but, now for some reason I'm so tired and exhausted that I can't stay awake during Sacrament Meeting.  I do try and stay awake.  I do sing the hymns and listen to the prayers but I usually lay my head down on the bench in front of me and just close my eyes but leave my ears open.   I'm sure there are several of you out there that do the same thing I do.  Try and fall asleep while we get told to stay awake and listen to the speaker.  The most embarrassing would be is to be up by the podium and falling asleep and making the podium go up and down to the speaker.  I hope that won't happen to any of us. 

A double deal of spirital thought.

About a month ago one of my family pets was put to sleep.  It was a dog.  She had lived a good life and that I miss her.  She felt like part of the family.  I just know that I will see her again in the next life.  Even though dogs are not humans and never will be but at times they feel part of the family.  They are the kind of pet that knows will hear you out and won't talk back to you.  They are the ones to cheer you up when feeling sad or lonely.  I'm thankful to be able to know that there is life after this life.  It would stink to think that this life is all there is and nothing to look forward after this life is end.  I mean what would be the point to get married and have kids or pets and then when they die not to see them again.  That would be devastating.  I don't think I could live a life like that. 

We are all here on this earth for a reason.  To help to return to live with our Heavenly Father.  There are times when we need help and for that reason he sends us someone to cheer us up.  We all face struggles in this life and when someone nice enough comes up and says something nice, does a smile, says hi, etc.  It does make the day a bit brighter and better that someone would go out of their way and make someone else feel better.  I know that I have been an angel to my friends at times.  As I'm sure you have been an angel to someone as well.  The Lord does hear and answer our prayers and I know that we may face a hardship but the fact is that we are loved and that with the faith and prayer we can feel the spirit of comfort and know that we are not alone.

Stop and smell the roses.

I want to thank you for reading my blog.  I know that its not fancy but its what I feel like writing at the time. I feel that its for me to take into heart as well as anyone else who feels that its for them as well.  If at anytime you feel like making a comment about what I wrote for that week, please do so.  As long as I have people reading my blog I'll keep on posting my blogs.

This weeks is about the old adage "slow down and smell the roses". Which means don't let life pass you by.  You go by in a car zooming fast to your destination and then do whatever you need to do and then head back to where you came from and then repeat it all over the next day.  Its best to take some time to take a walk and see what nature has to offer (flowers, bugs, grass, etc.)  Nature and everything else is not to just place in our midst just to us ignore it, we need to take the time to notice it and realize that its for our benefit to notice, increases our health, notice the small things that we overlook when driving by.  So the next time you feel that you don't know what is around your house or neighborhood, take a walk and you may see something that you didn't notice before. 

Not to be hard on ourselves.

I hope we all had a good 4th of July celebrating our independence.  I sure did. 

How many times are we hard on ourselves? I know that we aren't perfect and that we are supposed to make mistakes in this life.  When we are hard on ourselves, it doesn't do us any good to beat ourselves up.  We are only hurting ourselves even more when we do so.  We are not helping us to progress further into being a better person.  So the next time something happens, take it with a grain of salt and realize hey I made a mistake, I'm not going to be hard on myself.  The Lord would appreciate that and so would yourself.