There are hard days, And there are easy days, And then there are the in-between days. You know… Those days when life is neither extra hard nor extra easy. Kinda like most days of life. It’s these kinds of days When the gift of life shows up And the gift of love. In each of these days we find a mixture of the good and the bad and the in-between. But mostly the in-between… And that’s the magic! You see……
What are you destined to do? That is one of the key questions Jeffrey A. Barnes asks in his book “The Wisdom of Walt – Leadership Lessons From The Happiest Place On Earth“. Elisa and I gained some insights into this question this past weekend. I was introduced to Jeffery Barnes (aka Professor Disney) by Cheryl Knowlton, president of the Mountain West Chapter of the National Speakers Association. We’re reading this book together as the board of directors… kind of…
Honoring our military brother Michael “Wally” Wolverton whose heart gave out at the young age of 55. Godspeed Wally till Valhalla… To Kenzie, Austin, and your beautiful family, and for Kylee who now runs free with her daddy, I share this gift of words. While I wrote them originally for Staff Sergeant Greg Low, they have now been adapted for Wally. Love and prayers my friends. TO FIDDLER’S GREEN By Les Patterson Go rest ye now Sergeant Wally Though on…
When life feels extra hard, I take inspiration from my mother. Mom lived most of her life with chronic pain so bad that any movement hurt so much that she wanted to scream. But instead of screaming, she spoke softly. Instead of complaining, she expressed immense gratitude. Instead of mourning what she couldn’t do, she focused on what she could do. Mom replaced the natural tendency for bitterness by focusing intensely on joy. Hope replaced fear. Light replaced dark. Peace…
#SUNDAYREFLECTIONS: REMEMBERING 9/11 AND EACH LIFE THAT TOUCHED OURS FOR GOOD Two decades ago, plus one year, the world we knew changed with the fatal journey of four planes. In the blink of those horrible moments, thousands of people died, and thousands more would eventually die through the lingering impact to physical and mental health as well as in service to our country. Each one of those thousands of people was a person who touched others for good… their families,…
To honor those who labor… We play. We head to the lake, the mountains, the parks. We barbecue, watch movies, and sleep in. We camp, ride bikes, paddleboard. To help us play… Many must labor… They work the stores, the gas stations, the drive-thrus. They drive trucks, deliver packages, rescue broken-down vehicles. They patrol the streets, nurse the sick, defend our country. Sometimes we play. Sometimes we labor. Sometimes we do both. Today… however you labor or however you play……
The task must have been daunting. It was the summer of 1985 and Lionel Kendrick of North Carolina and his wife Myrtis were tasked with shepherding several hundred young men and young women who had volunteered for missionary labors. The Kendrick’s were assigned to a geographical area called the Florida Tampa Mission covering most of central and southwest Florida. You’re not just good… In December of that year, I was assigned to the Florida Tampa Mission. I felt as lost as…
He felt lost in the soul but content living in his ramshackle camp. He was tall though it was hard to tell as he was quite hunched over. His face hadn’t seen a razor in several weeks and his hair was matted and dirty. When he smiled, which he did quite easily, I could see he was missing a few teeth. A worn-out tent along with an equally worn-out sleeping bag was his home. A stuffed army duffle bag, faded…
I was asked the following question last week during an online Q&A session: “How long has it taken you to become a public figure/speaker? How’d you get so good at talking?” As I answered the question, I felt others may be interested in my answer as well. I am not naturally a confident person. For many years I didn’t feel confident raising my voice as a speaker in any way. Nor did I consider myself any kind of public figure….
One noticed a worn-out Flag… another wanted to share love and appreciation… each did something about it. THE FLAG We’ve had our current Flag flying for nigh onto two years. Cache Valley’s frigid winters, blistering summers, and galeforce windstorms (maybe just a bit exaggerated) have turned that beautiful symbol into a somewhat “Ragged Old Flag” that would serve Johnny Cash well. Scott and Valerie Pettingill are friends and neighbors who live across the street. They have a beautiful yard and…