This scripture has continued to be on my mind. Having that be a focus of my thoughts, I was recently led to think specifically about what “The Kingdom” is.

A “kingdom” can have several meanings. The meaning that is the most poignant and relevant to this discussion indicates that a kingdom is comprised of the inhabitants thereof. A king may have a castle, walls and weapons of protection, and even endless amounts of land. Yet what meaning does a king or a kingdom have except there be people who live in, work on, and enjoy the land and the protection of that king and those walls and those weapons.

God is our King. The earth is His land. We are His people.

I submit, that we are the Kingdom of God. We, the people, the brothers and sisters of a mutual Heavenly Father. We, all of us, are that Kingdom of which we have been commanded to seek first.

With that bit of perspective in mind, it gives a bit more, and perhaps different, meaning to the verse, “seek ye first the Kingdom of God”.

I interpret that to be yet another form of the same message that our God has given us over and over again.

“As I have loved you … love one another.” (John 13:34)

The greatest commandment, second only to love of God, is

“Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:39)

In other words, we need to be looking at each other as siblings. We need to be focused more on doing things for each other. We need to be doing things for each other out of love and concern for one another, not for money or power. If we are truly seeking first to serve and love each other, all the riches and blessings of the universe will flow unto us as a natural consequence of our actions.

This building, this city, this state, this nation, this continent, this world, this universe is nothing without us. WE are the most important things in this universe. God made this universe for US, not us for it. We need to treat each other as the most precious and important possessions in the universe. We need to cherish, love, and look after each other.

For we are, the Kingdom.

Slightly longer review: This movie was truly AMAZING. Avatar was more than a movie, it was an experience. This was the most immersive and enthralling movie I have experienced in a long time. Perhaps ever. At this moment I cannot think of another movie that has affected me so greatly.During the movie I noticed myself physically agitated. My heart rate was affected dramatically. By the time the credits rolled at the end I was actually numb and weak from over-stimulation and perhaps over-oxygenation. This movie makes made me want to go out and do something. So I think that when I am done with this review I am going to go for a run.

I am told that this movie used computer-generated imagery (CGI). That is incredibly hard to believe. The characters in this movie, both alien and human seemed to me as real to me and anything I know. The movements of the characters was fluid and dynamic. The world in which they lived was rich beyond comprehension. The interaction of the characters with the world and the creatures in the world was flawless.

The filmography was breathtaking! The world was gorgeous and awe-inspiring. In fact, those words cannot do the scenery any kind of justice. The artistic beauty was incredible. The bodies of the alien people were beautiful. The creatures of the world were beautiful. I find myself at a total loss of words to adequately describe what I have just beheld. No words that I can think of seem to do this movie any level of honest credit.

Even the story had depth. And there was much more depth that was hinted at that we only got a glimpse of. There is so much more to this story that I just want more. I do not want to spoil the plot, so I will just say that the movie, had a very fulfilling ending. Yet at the same time I yearn for more.

James Cameron has outdone himself. Everyone who worked on this movie has outdone themselves. The technology and imagination that has been employed to create this masterpiece were tremendous.

I do not have enough thumbs to rate this movie. A scale of 1-10 is worthless for this movie.

Truly, this was an amazing experience. Amazing. That is really the only word that keeps coming to my mind, over, and over. Amazing.

Check out the Official Avatar Movie Site.

Check out some images of the movie on Flickr.

Check out movie details on IMDB

Find out why it is rated PG-13.

Here are some scriptural examples of seeking:

• “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” (Matthew 7:7) (alt)
• “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)
• “For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live.” (Amos 5:4)
• “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
• “But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.” (Jacob 2:18)

Perhaps a more visual example of “seeking” would be in the story of Harry Potter. He was a “seeker” on his Quidditch team. If he had just sat on his broom and merely looked for the golden snitch, he never would have been able to lay hold on it. His seeking of his goal included actively doing something to attain that goal.

I would very much enjoy it if you shared with me more examples of seeking.

I have been driving for many years and I have noticed a few things. It is fun to drive fast and pass people, as if I am driving a race car. It feels gratifying to be able to drive faster than someone else and get into the empty space in front of them. It gives me the feeling that I am getting to my destination faster. Yet, all too often as I pull off the freeway and am waiting at the stoplight to turn onto the city streets, I notice that next to me are the same people that I have passed. Which means, all my zipping and zooming did nothing for my progression, in comparison to those around me. I usually do not reach my destination any faster, despite the illusion that I am going faster.

We do this a lot in life, not just on the freeway. We judge ourselves based on the people who are around us. When in fact, we are all different. We are all going different places. Even if we have the same destination we all have different purposes and may take different routes. Thus, it should not matter how fast we are going compared to how fast someone else is going. Our lives are different from theirs. Our challenges are different.

I need to gauge my progress against myself. Comparing myself to someone else would be like comparing an apple to an orange. This applies to happiness, money, education, knowledge, social aptitude, running speed, physical appearance, et cetera.

I can never become better than someone else. To attempt to do so would be pointless folly. I will never be someone else. Nor do I really want to be. I am who I am. I can become better than I was yesterday. That should be my only comparison. That and the goal I have ahead of me of who I want to become.

24 hours of pure insanity. The Ragnar slogan is completely apt: “Run. Drive. Sleep? Repeat.” Why would anyone actually pay money to endure the torture? Let me tell you my story and perhaps you can understand how Ragnar got into my blood and now has me looking for more.

The year was 2009. I was in my mid-thirties. I had spent my life hating the idea of running. Oh sure, I love playing soccer, running after a ball, or hiking mountains, or mountain biking, I even love rappelling Aussie style. But running? No way! BORING!!! I had thoughts like: “What is the point of running?”, “It is exercise, pure and simple.”, “There is nothing fun about running.” Running is a solitary sport. That was my take on the whole running subject. If I was not chasing something or being chased, running was pointless in my opinion.

Then one day, my good friend and co-worker, Chase, said the word “Ragnar” and mentioned that it was a foot race from Logan, Utah to Park City, Utah. I thought to myself, that is insane. I learned that it was a relay race, which meant that a whole team of people run the race together. Not at the same time, but one after the other. They all take turns running which makes the total distance any one person has to run much more achievable.

This relay race idea is something I had heard of before. My sister Trishelle ran something similar in Oregon. She had talked about how awesome and amazing it was and how much she wanted to do it again. Chase mentioned how he had really enjoyed it as well. He told me how it is much more than just a foot race. He said it was actually fun.

This made me stop and think. “Running” and “Fun” were concepts that I had never allowed to play together. Now, for the first time I was actually considering the possibility. People I knew, had done it and enjoyed it. The words they used to describe the experience did not include “boring” and “tedious”. I was intrigued.

I asked my wife. Jamie had always had knee problems. She had run in the past and said that she enjoyed it but had never gotten into running as a serious hobby because it had always bothered her knee. Her answer surprised me. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: Would you like to do a race with me? I am being talked into participating. It might be fun to run together.

Wife: My only concern is that I am an ULTRA slow runner, and if winning is the goal, I would NOT be an asset to the team. But it does sound intriguing regardless.

Me: Winning is not the goal. Completion is the goal. Chase told me that it is more of an event than it is about winning.

Wife: Okay, I have no idea what I am getting into, but I’d like to do it.

Me: I guess that means I need to start running.

That was it. We and our other teammates committed ourselves to doing it and took the plunge. I decided to actually go out and run, to see what the hype was all about. Perhaps it was because I now had a goal, because my first run was actually rather exciting. In fact, from then on my idea of running was completely changed.

For extra practice and motivation before the Ragnar, I entered several small races. A 5k, 10k, etc. Those were really fun. In fact, these smaller races served to bolster my enthusiasm for running. I looked forward with even more excitement to the Ragnar race. The moral of that story is that if you are looking for motivation to run, sign up for a race.

Soon enough, the date for the Ragnar came around. We all drove up to Logan, Utah and checked in. We decorated our two vans with our team name and other fun stuff. We noticed that there were other teams that had gone all out and really made their vehicles look wild and crazy. There was one team that made their vans look like huge wooly mammoths! Some teams even had costumes that they ran in, like “The Warrior Princesses” who all looked like Xena.

The excitement level at the Ragnar was high. Every exchange (way point) was packed with people and there was a general air of excitement and encouragement. Everyone was cheering for everyone and just having a fun time.

The way the relay works is that each team has 12 runners and two vans. Each vehicle has 6 runners in it. Each runner has three legs to run. The first van has runners 1-6. Runner 1 starts at the beginning of the race. The first van follows the runner and provides support and also delivers the second runner to the first exchange. Runner 1 crosses the first exchange line and hands off the baton to the second runner. The first runner hops in the van as it speeds off in support of Runner 2 on it’s way to exchange 2. This continues until the end of the sixth leg. Meanwhile, Van 2 is gearing up for their runs and getting to the first major exchange. As Runner 6 finishes their leg they hand off to Runner 7, who is the first runner from Van 2. This continues as the runners and vans leap frog each other until all 36 legs have been completed. At the end of the race is a huge celebration.

What really made this race so worthwhile was the camaraderie that our team developed. For 24 hours we had to rely on each other for support. Support came in many forms. Cheering for each other was probably the best support. As I would run it was amazingly encouraging to have my van pull up beside me and start whooping and hollering. Yelling my name and cheering me on. One of my teammates would always be willing to run some liquid refreshment out to me and even run along side for a while to give extra encouragement. While we rode in the van we had time to get to know each other better. We even enjoyed cheering for other teams just because we were having so much fun.

The act of giving service and supporting others while getting to know them personally was a kind of glue that bonded us together. Some of the people in my van were family members and I even got to know them better. It was a difficult and exhausting experience that in the end had created a band of friends. Truly a team building experience. I look forward to the next race with excitement and anticipation.

One other benefit of the race was getting to see some areas of Utah that I had never seen before and that were amazingly beautiful. The scenery was spectacular.

Since I have been running I have realized that running is not only good for my physical body. It is also good for my mind and my spirit. When I run, my mind has time think. Sometimes I run while listening to audiobooks or blogs, sometimes I run to music. Sometime I just run to my own thoughts. There are few places in this world where I can truly let my mind relax. When my mind is relaxed I am able to think more clearly and I also find that I am more receptive to inspiration from my Heaven Father. Running is one of those places for me and I usually end my runs with the need to write down my thoughts.

Since the Ragnar race I have run even more races and I have never felt better. Getting my “exercise” has never been more fun. I am proud to say that I am now officially a runner.

(Disclaimer: I would not suggest that anyone go from zero running to running half a marathon with only a month and a half of training. Your results could be problematic and painful. Always start slow and work up to your goal. Pushing yourself is good, but only if you are ready for the push. Pushing a body that is not prepared can damage the body. Results can be ITB syndrome or worse. Trust me on this one.)

If that were the end of the blessings that He had given me, it would still be more than some of our siblings have been given.

If that were the end of the blessings that He had given me, I would still count myself wealthy.

I could start writing a list of all that I have been blessed with and it would fill a book and yet be incomplete.

I honestly have nothing that I am worthy to complain about.

To throw out an unsubstantiated statistic, I would wager than at least 90% of Americans have nothing really worthwhile to complain about.

If you are reading this message right now, you are blessed with a computer, an internet connection, and the ability to read. If someone printed it out and gave it to you, then you are blessed with a friend, paper, and the ability to read. And still those 3 comparably small and overlooked blessings truckloads more than what some of our siblings have.

If you think you are having problems with your life right now, then you are a selfish ingrate. I bet my life that you have more at this very moment to be thankful for than you do to complain about.

You disagree with me?

You think you have a hard life?

You think you have been dealt an unjust hand?

Watch this video and just you reconsider your overly abundant and wealthy life.

Now tell me. What problems do you really have in your life?

I am a Child of God and so are you and so is everyone else on this little planet of ours. Who is your neighbor?

“Endure to the end”, has become the motto of our sentence here in mortality. Do many people really think of life as a prison to be endured?

The natural man has the tendency to sit back and wait for life to happen to him. He lives life by default. To overcome the natural man we have to decide to take life by the reins and lead it where WE want it to go. Life WILL happen TO us, if we let it, and we may or may not like it. We forget that we have the power to make life happen FOR us. We were not given this opportunity, called life, in order to be the poster children for mediocrity. We are children of a Supreme Creator. We are GODS. We were built to CREATE. We were built to ACT and not to be acted upon. We are not pawns in a game. We are players and the choices all belong to us.

I am passionate about helping people find their passions and live them. We are all akin to the servants in the legendary “Parable of the Talents”. We will be held accountable for what we do or do not with what we have been given.

I think it is another natural tendency for us to think that we were not given any talents. We think that we are not special. We think we have no unique gifts. These are all fallacies and are taught to us by the king of evil. There is not a single person on this planet and any time past, present, or future who has not been blessed with many gifts and talents. The problem is, we do not look for them. Or if we do happen to find them, we disregard them and tell ourselves that we could never excel with those talents.

How dare we? To say we are talentless or that the talents we have noticed are worthless is to spit in the face of God.

Find your purpose and live it! Follow your passions! We are much more efficient and successful when we are following our own passions than when we are just following what we think will help us survive. Survival should not be our attitude. Prosperity should be our attitude!

LOVE LIFE! FIND YOUR PURPOSE! Your life is up to you.

FIND YOUR TALENTS! USE THEM to better your own life and the lives of others.