As one who has been the minister, the reporter, the poet, the organizer, and the politician… Though not the lawyer… And as one who salutes the Flag, serves beneath the Flag, and will one day have my coffin draped by the Flag… I echo the words, the meaning, and the honor symbolism of these hallowed thoughts from Charles M. Province… On this Memorial Day, Let Us Never Forget… It is the Soldier, not the minister Who has given us freedom of…
Nestled on the east side of the cemetery in Hyde Park, Utah, lies the little-known grave of Civil War veteran Joseph Cain. According to his headstone, Cain was a private in Company B of the 50th Regiment in the Illinois Infantry. He was born September 30, 1841, and died February 16, 1907. I first learned of Private Cain through Hyde Park neighbor Dorothy Cook Izatt. Cain was a friend of her grandfather when her father was a kid. Click here…
Small businesses are struggling to find, hire, and retain good employees at all levels of their organizations. Many factors play into this, including record-low unemployment, enhanced unemployment benefits, and political pressure to increase the minimum wage. These are each significant factors. According to Clint Pulver ― aka the Undercover Millennial― the number one reason for employee turnover (spoiler alert) has everything to do with the leader. I had the opportunity to interview Clint last week on Red Edge Live to…
Many business owners struggle to grow their business because they don’t know what to say, how to say it, and where to say it. This is a problem. Many leaders in businesses, organizations, and non-profits struggle to lead and guide their team because they don’t know what to say, how to say it, and where to say it. This is a problem. If you are a business owner who struggles to communicate how you really can help, or if you…
Maria von Trapp had a catchphrase “Aren’t we lucky” which helped focus her perspective when life was extra challenging. When Maria von Trapp and her family lost their fortune and escaped to Austria, they lived each day not knowing where they find their next meal, where they would sleep, what the next day would be like. Yet, with all these unknowns, Maria von Trapp was known to say repeatedly, “Aren’t we lucky!” No matter what happened, no matter how hard it…
Sometimes reality doesn’t quite match up to our expectations. Actually, if we’re being frankly honest here — and we can be frankly honest, right??? — reality NEVER matches up to my expectations. It’s either worse than I hoped for or it’s better than I could ever dream of. Sometimes, it’s both at the very same time. Let’s talk about marriage. Everything about my marriage has failed to live up to my expectations. Yep, you are hearing me correctly. EVERYTHING about…
Tony the Tiger was a staple of my growing up years. I still remember the commercials promoting Frosted Flakes (which I loved but rarely ate as it was out of our family food budget by lightyears). My favorite part was when Tony the Tiger would raise his fist and proudly roar, “They’re Great!” Sometimes I would translate Tony the Tiger’s roar to hear “You’re Great!” It was rare I would actually believe the “You’re Great” I was saying to myself….
While it may not feel like it today, God is doing a great work in you today… Sometimes there are obstacles in the road That can leave you feeling low And you don’t know how to move forward And sometimes there are turns you wanna take But the way gets hard to trace When it gets really hard, that’s when God is doing a great work in you today… So if you ever get discouraged Speak to yourself and say…
Over the years I have come to realize it’s crucial we learn how to confidently talk about the uncomfortable, especially those things which make us different… Race and sexual orientation, politics and religion, mistakes of the past and of the present. Asking sincere and respectful questions, listening with a strong desire to understand, and having real conversations will create real understanding, build real connections, and foster real relationships. Such conversations are needed now in Cache Valley. I’m grateful for those…
Today is a new day. Today is the beginning of a new week. Today is another beautiful day of spring. Spring is a time of birth, hope, and renewal. Flowers burst forth from their winter hibernation. Baby Holstein calves dot the pastures around Cache Valley. I love the smell of spring in the air, watching robins flying around, and the rumble of my neighbors on their Harleys. Like the beginning of a new year, spring gives us the opportunity for…