A Season of Joy

I have been very blessed!  When I stop and try to count my blessings I am quickly overwhelmed with all that I have been given.  This is a very happy conclusion but it is also quite scary to consider the expectations that must come to someone who has been given so much.  In the Bible we are told, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required" (Luke 12:48.).  And in the Doctrine and Covenants we are warned, "For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation (D&C 82:3). 


At the beginning of this year Laura confided in me that she wondered if this might be a difficult year for our family.  I am not sure if these were inspired feelings allowing her to portend future events or rather a recognition of how fortunate we have been as a family over the years and acknowledging that it may be our turn to be tested.  After all, I do believe that this life is a time for us to be tested so that we can grow as we work together to overcome these trials.  So I guess it makes sense that I can't always expect sunny days.  


Recently, I have seen many people suffer through terrible illness, financial stability and even untimely death of a loved one.  I have wondered how they make it through such difficult circumstances.  Laura gave me great comfort when she pointed out the scripture, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it' (1 Corinthians 10:13).  Perhaps I have not had to suffer as much because I am not able to bear as much.  However, it is comforting to know that when I do have trials that they will not be more than I can handle and that the Lord will help me escape it.  


I am reminded of the early saints who had to endure so many terrible hardships one after another.  But as they began to rebuild their lives in Nauvoo they seemed to be given a period of rest where they could regain their strength and be ready for whatever lies ahead. They did not worry away this season of joy afraid of the next storm that might be coming.  Instead they worked together to build each other up and enjoy this rare time of peace.  


If there are clouds beginning to form beyond the horizon I need to do all that I can to prepare.  I need to fortify my defenses by building strong relationships within my family.  I need to lead by example in increasing my faith in the Lord.  I need to support others in their trials so that collectively we can be stronger.  I also need to be sure to enjoy the current weather and catch my breath so that when adversity comes I am ready to..."Giddy Up, StevieG!"

One of the Places on Earth My Family is Happiest

I do not enjoy roller coasters and other intense rides.  Whew! It feels good to get that off my chest.  As a child I can remember feeling the internal struggle of not wanting to go on certain "scary" rides, but also wanting to be a part of the unofficial 'club' of people that did.  I adopted the technique of holding on tightly to the bar, closing my eyes and counting the seconds until it was over.  I reasoned that just once was enough to be like everyone else.

Disneyland 2003

With that confession it may seem incongruent that one of my favorite family vacations is to go to Disneyland.  I absolutely love it!  I could go several times in the same year.  In fact, usually I have to convince the rest of the family that it is time to go again.  I don't know if it is the 'happiest place on earth' as Disney claims, but I do know it is one of the places on earth where my family is happiest.  Laura says the kids turn into super-kids when we go there.  They seem to acquire the super power of extra patience which helps to foster the ideal conditions for a great family vacation.  Don't get me wrong, it is exhausting.  We start early so we can be there when the gates open and stay until they kick us out at night.  We are on our feet for most of the time and usually have very little to eat (have you seen the food prices... ouch!).  By the time we walk back to our hotel at night my legs are usually throbbing in pain and I wonder how we are going to wake up in just a few short hours and do it all over again.  But somehow, magically (pixy dust?), the next morning my legs are fine and I can't wait to get back into the park.

California Screamin' - 2009

Luckily for me, I married Laura (period) who loves roller coasters.  She will often take the older kids on some of the more intense rides while I take the younger kids on Buzz Lightyear or Jungle Cruise (those jokes kill me every time).  However, as the kids are getting taller I no longer have an excuse, so for the good of the vacation, I relent and assume my old strategy to survive the ride.  The older kids are also very good at taking their turn on some of the kiddy or "dad" rides.  I think we have been on every ride at Disneyland and California Adventure except the Tiki Tiki Room and the Canoe Ride.  I guess getting into the 'club' for those rides just doesn't seem as enticing.

Disneyland 2009

People who know me and understand that I am averse to intense rides, spending money and large crowds have asked why I keep returning to Disneyland.  I think it is as simple as the title of this entry.  I love spending time with my family in one of the places where we are happiest.  Any sacrifices that are needed to get there seem trivial.  I think it is the same with heaven.  I know that being together as a  family after this life will be the pinnacle of happiness.  I also know that any obstacles or challenges that we have to overcome in this life in order to make it to heaven with my family are worth it.   Therefore, as I prepare to face life's challenges I will tighten my safety strap, keep my hands and feet in the vehicle at all times and...

Giddy Up,
StevieG

Video 1: Disnelyand over the years with the Porters

Video 2: Disneyland 2009

Trust Your Training!

This past year I joined Laura for just part of one of 4 marathons she completed this summer (she is my hero!).  It didn't take long for me to become painfully aware that the Park City Marathon course was not designed around speed, but rather to highlight the beautiful mountain scenery.  In order to keep my mind off the agony I began to take note of the various signs being held by the crowd that had come out to support (or deride) us.  Some signs bore encouraging sentiments: "You can do it", "We love you, mom", or "I'm so proud of you".  Others made me smile like: "They say 80% of running is mental... that means you are all crazy".  However, there was one sign that had a lasting impact on me.  It read simply, "Trust your training".  It occurred to me that besides telling someone NOT to run, this was the next best piece of advice you could give someone on race day.

Sample Training Plan - Ogden 2011 (goal time 3:45)

We usually spend around 5 months preparing to run a marathon by following a strict running schedule (sample below).  The running schedule we use is developed based on the distance we plan to run (marathon) and the time we want to achieve.  The schedule demands running 4-5 days a week at various speeds and distances. If we are fortunate enough to stay healthy, motivated and complete the training we might have a fighting chance at reaching out goal. However, more importantly than the physical preparation, the 5 months of training is meant to prepare us mentally for the inevitable moments during the race when we question our ability to complete the distance or keep up our target pace.  It is at this difficult time when I 'dig deep' into my memory and recall overcoming similar doubts over the previous 5 months of training.

Red Rock Relay - 2010

And so it is in life when we progress outside our comfort zone and worry that we are not ready.  Whether it is starting Jr High, High School, College, or a new job;  Or perhaps performing in a concert, big game, or taking a big test.  The knowledge that I have been prepared for each step by completing the prior training (graduation etc) is the confidence I need to keep moving forward.  I believe that this principle also holds true for after this life.  Through our Savior's example and teachings I believe we have all been given the training plan we need to prepare us for the step we will be taking after we die.  Do we trust this plan enough to follow it?  Will we have confidence as we meet our judge in heaven because we recognized that this life was the time to prepare to meet God (Alma 34: 32-34)  and so we worked hard and completed the training plan .

Red Rock Relay - 2010

I know I still have a lot of training I need to do in order to be ready to graduate from this life.  So I will lace up my shoes, toe the starting line (with my remaining 6 toe nails) and ...

Finish Line (Zions) of Red Rock Relay - 2010

Giddy up, StevieG!

New Year... Same Old Goals

At the start of each new year I try to take some time to reflect on the events and blessings of the previous year.  Sometimes I even get so bold as to create a slideshow of some of the highlights.  For example, here is a slideshow I made last year for Laura (my inspiration) to remind her of a very eventful 2009 - running, vacations, cosmetology school etc:

Next I like to jot down a few goals to focus on in the upcoming year. To help me decide on where to focus, I imagine myself a year in the future watching the slideshow of highlights.  After writing my goals for 2011 I stumbled on goal sheets from previous years.  I was disappointed to see that many of the goals I created this year were the same goals I write down each year.  Are these goals really not that important to me?  Or do I just need to be more focused and motivated all year long?  In an effort to clear the log jam of goals I have decided to publicize my goals in hopes of staying motivated.  At the very least, the humiliation of other people knowing that I fell short once again should convince me to try a different set of goals next year, right?

I was inspired by the scripture Luke 2:52 to set goals in 4 different areas.  My FY2011 goals are (Drum roll please)...

Wisdom--> Intellectual

• Learn 4 songs on the guitar
• Practice for 15 minutes at least 3x / week
• Learn a new chord each month (Taylor Swift recommendation)

Stature --> Physical

• Train for and run Marathon with Laura in under 3:50 (Boston Qualifier)
• Sign-up for Marathon (Ogden)
• Create and follow 18 week training marathon
• Complete P90x (or similar) program before beach trip in July
• Acquire program (DVDs)
• Eat a low fat, high protein diet

Favor with God --> Spiritual

• Write in a journal at least 1x / week (52x / year)
• Find Medium for journal (Blogger.com)
• Find regular time to write in journal (Sunday?)

Favor with man --> Social

• Rip all home movies to MP4 to be backed up and viewed on iPod, AppleTV etc
• Acquire all materials - External hard drive, Fire-wire cables, mozy.com account
• Rip 3/week (12 / month) starting Feb 1st.

Hopefully in a year I will be watching a slideshow that includes the accomplishment of these goals.  It is time to grab hold of the reins, give the horse a kick and ...

Giddy Up!

StevieG