Today I picked up my guitar and started strumming it. I wondered why I was practicing my guitar today. I realized that it was because I made the choice to do it an put forth the effort to do so. Granted, the effort was not great, but convincing myself to actually do it took a conscious decision.

I realized that this was analogous to many things in life. No matter what it is that we are wishing we could do or have, the probability that those things are just going to happen by themselves is very low. It takes a conscious decision to motivate our selves to put forth the effort to actually work toward doing or having the things that we want.

In just 18 minutes, Lessig demonstrates, in crystal clear terms, the devastating effect corporate campaign cash is having on our democracy, and in turn, our lives. Lessig makes obvious that until we as a nation take up this fundamental fight – until we strike at the root of the problem – we will continue to see our democracy crumble.

Source: “Lawrence Lessig’s new TED talk” @ Fix Congress First

It is my opinion that gun laws are unconstitutional and those who make them are ignorant.

When I read this I was excited that I may be able to get rid of the plug-in I had been using for this same purpose. While the plugin worked, most of the time, there were times when it did not. I also personally prefer to use built-in features whenever possible.

I checked out the new Rich Text Signature setting. Quickly I found that it allowed you to add images and links, yet still lacked the ability to do HTML editing. Not yet ready to give up I Googled to see if anyone else had found a way to do HTML in the new Rich Text Signature setting. Finding none I set to figuring out my own solution.

As I thought I remembered that this same feature could be found in Google Sites (and perhaps elsewhere). So I logged into one of my Google Sites and sure enough, the editor was almost identical, except that in the Google Sites editor there is an “HTML” button, which is lacking on the Gmail editor.

I had the idea that perhaps I could use the Google Sites editor to get an HTML signature into Gmail. It worked. Here is how I did it.

I created a new page on my Google Site. I clicked on the “HTML” button to “Edit HTML Source”. I pasted in the HTML I had been using with the plugin. I clicked “Update”. Now my signature showed up in the new Google Site page as rich text. I then highlighted the rich text version, copied it, went to my Gmail settings and pasted it into the Rich Text Signature editor. I saved and the click on Compose. Lo, and behold, there it was. Like magic.

I hope this helps you out until Gmail adds that HTML button to the Gmail editor.

I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for:

• Him
• His Love, which surrounds me
• His Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior, my Redeemer, my brother, my friend
• My Spirit, which I am
• My body, which affords me this mortal experience
• A beautiful wife, who loves me in spite of me
• My children, who bring so much joy and meaning into my life when I take the time to see it
• Good parents, who love me, taught me, and continue to teach me
• Wonderful siblings, who care for me, enjoy being with me, and are all counted among my best friends
• Excellent friends, who support me and encourage me
• Vehicles that function properly
• The ability to operate those vehicles safely
• A house which keeps me safe from the storms of nature, tempers the temperature, and protects me intruders
• Grass, that turns green in the Spring and feels good to walk and run on
• Fruit trees with blossoms on them in the Spring, fruit and shady leaves in the Summer, and brilliant colors in the Fall
• The safety of my family
• Food to eat, every day, I never seem to go without
• Air to breathe, clean air at that
• Majestic mountains that surround my valley like huge comforting arms, upon which I can climb and be awed by glorious views
• Water, clean, clear, cool, and refreshing
• Blue skies that stretch beyond the horizons
• White fluffy clouds that hang in the sky and make shapes to entice my imagination
• Gray cloudy days which remind me of Europe
• The smell of rain, freshly fallen
• The sound of rain, pitter pattering a soothing and hypnotic beat
• A lamp, that looks like a soccer ball, so cool
• Soccer, my favorite sport in the world
• The ability to play soccer
• Friends and family members who enjoy playing soccer with me, even if I step on their feet sometimes
• A job, with amazing employers, amazing co-workers (who are also excellent friends), and work that is engaging and always plentiful and constantly changing
• The smell of fresh-baked bread with real butter smeared on it
• The ability to type
• Two hands and all ten fingers present and accounted for
• Acoustic guitars, which makes such a pleasing resonance when you strum them
• SCUBA diving, in warm, crystal clear waters, and a spectacular array of sea life who present a beautiful spectrum of colors
• The Scouting program, that teaches young men to better appreciate this marvelous creation on which we live and the gifts that we have been given
• My knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the peace that knowledge brings to my soul
• Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
• The knowledge that this life is merely a testing point in the middle of my real eternal life which started many eons before I even came to this planet and which will continue on even after this mortal experience is over
• A desk, that my brother helped me make
• An intense curiosity and a desire to learn all things
• Maps, that help me know where I am and open before me the possibilities of endless destinations
• The Sun, which warms my face and my shoulders and also help tomatoes grow
• Tomatoes, fresh from the garden, so plump and juice which make some of the best salsa in the world
• Spices, that I can experiment with and make food that makes my taste buds sing
• Fresh peaches and mangos, which release copious amounts of delicious juices when you bite into them
• Grape juice, just grape juice, nothing else added, just plain grape juice
• Fresh squeezed orange juice
• (I think my food gratitude list could pretty much take over here so I am diverting…)
• Stars, which twinkle in the night and inspire the imagination with thoughts of what is out there and the beauty and sheer immensity of the universe
• Cool breezes on warm days, that rustle the leaves in the trees and make music with everything they can move
• The Internet, which allows me to communicate with friends and family despite the distances that may separate us
• Newly paved roads, that provide a smooth and comfortable travel
• Books, that open portals to worlds I have never known, thoughts I have never considered, and people I have never met
• Music, the voice of the soul, which is powerful enough to move me yet gentle enough to caress and comfort me, bringing with it the encapsulated moods of the artists who bottled them for others to enjoy
• The comments of a four year old, often random yet usually quite poignant, and can knock me off my seat in shock or in fits of laughter
• Apple products, need I say more
• Languages, fascinating and enigmatic stories of the cultures and peoples who use them
• Electricity, without which I would not be writing this list and you would not be reading this list
• Electronics, of the present, fascinating and yet show only a minuscule sampling of what is truly possible when someday we finally understand the true nature and boundless uses of electricity
• Butterflies, floating and flapping their colors seemingly without care or aim
• Imagination, what dreams are made of
• A bed, and an extremely comfortable one at that, with a down comforter on top
• Belts, for all my Luke Skywalker needs
• Towels, the most important tool any frood could have
• Family photos, painful to create, provide years of appreciation
• Excellent eye sight, some are not able to enjoy, which makes me even more grateful to have it
• Running, takes me away from the world and allows me to really think and be inspired
• People who take the time to share and help others share inspiring and uplifting stories with me (thank you Dr. Paul Jenkins)
• Clothes, they keep me warm, they keep me cool, they provide some style
• A head of hair
• Learning new things
• Sunset and Sunrise, especially with partially cloudy skies, what gorgeous spectacles
• The American Flag, a symbol of freedom, courage, and valor
• Happiness, which, as you know, is a choice
• The freedom to choose
• Endless possibilities

To say that this list is incomplete would be a gross understatement. If only I could take the time to continue.

What are you grateful to your Heavenly Father for?

You have probably heard that we should feast upon the scriptures, in other words, the Word of God. You may have also heard the common analogy citing your mind to recall a feast from Thanksgiving or some other occasion where there is much eating. While this is analogy is usually adequate, I find that is not realistic, for I do not find myself stuffing myself silly as I do on those several special occasions during the year.

Our lesson asked us to compare feasting to snacking. When you think of a snack, compared to a feast, you will most certainly think of a quantity that is much less. I think we should also include quality in that comparison. When I feast, the food is usually available in abundant amounts, but it is also exquisitely delectable, or should be.

If you compared reading the scriptures to eating food it would be true to say that, “Eating Food is to the Body what Reading the Scriptures is to our Spirit”. On average, we feed our physical body 2-3 times a day, often with snacks of some sort in between. If we are not in the habit of reading the scriptures every day, then perhaps we at least read one verse ever now and then. Compare that to eating food.

With all that in mind, please consider the following analogy. Let us say that, for this analogy, a snack is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

On Monday, I woke up and read a page out of the scriptures. That is all I read on Monday. Tuesday I forgot to read. Wednesday, I remembered to read just as I was getting into bed at night. I read a couple verses quickly and then fell asleep. Thursday, I again forgot to read the scriptures. Friday, I decided to do better and read 2 pages in the morning. Saturday, I once again remembered as I was falling asleep. I grabbed the scriptures, read a verse, barely, and fell asleep. Sunday, I took time to read a chapter.

On Monday, I woke up and had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to eat. That is all I ate on Monday. On Tuesday, I forgot to eat. Wednesday, I remembered to eat just as I was getting into bed at night. I had a couple bites of PBJ and then fell asleep. Thursday, I again forgot to eat any food. Friday, I decided to do better and ate 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Saturday, I once again remembered as I was falling asleep. I grabbed a sandwich, ate one bite, barely, and fell asleep. Sunday, I took time to eat a peanut butter sandwich, an apple, and a glass of milk.

Nutritionally speaking, how am I doing? Let’s do the math. In one week I feed my body 4.5 PBJ sandwiches, an apple and some milk. Would that nutritional lifestyle sustain me for very long? I think malnourishment would kick in pretty quick and I would probably be visiting an emergency room not too long after that.

Yet that is exactly what we are doing to our Spirit when we do not read the scriptures. We are starving our Spirit to death.

Not only do we need to read the scriptures every day, but we need to study the scriptures. We need to feast on the Word of God. It needs to be delectable to us.

Reading the scriptures from cover to cover is certainly a good thing. Yet that is like eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It is somewhat tasty and can provide some nourishment, depending on the quality of the ingredients. However, it is not extremely satisfying or enriching.

How much more appetizing is large crock pot full of thick homemade spaghetti sauce served hot over a heaping helping of steaming spaghetti noodles, topped with a generous portion of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Served on the side with hot toasted garlic bread, a crisp house salad with all the trimmings, and an endless supply of Concorde grape juice.

If you do not have the desire to feed your Spirit so richly and abundantly, I challenge you to pray to your Heavenly Father to bless you with that desire. Pray for it often. Eat PBJ until you feel the desire to feast. Then when you are finally blessed with that desire, thank Heavenly Father and ask him to continue blessing you with that desire. The Word of God can and will be delicious to you, if you let it.

Bon Appétit!

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.