Aaron Kelson is an old friend from our college days at Utah State University. He was getting his masters and I was slowly working on my bachelor’s degree. That’s he and his wife Roxanne in the photo. During our college days, I was also traversing a challenging journey with cancer which put me out of work. And with no insurance, we quickly racked up tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills. Many people stepped into our lives to help…
To those friends who have anchored my soul in the midst of the battering storms… I love you. BATTERING STORMS By Les Patterson I was lost Wandering aimlessly Broken body and soul Without hope Brightness was gone Chased away by darkness Then a friend Came wandering by Kindred souls connecting Then chose to stay Why I struggle to know Even through most rocky times Like an anchor Stabilizes a drifting ship Solid in place I began to feel The storm…
It’s Time To FORGET Resolutions And Goals!!! Why, you may ask? Simple. They don’t work. At least not collectively. The words seem to have lost any real meaning, speaking again collectively. The reason they’ve lost their power is that we generally do not connect the necessary action steps to go with them. As for me, I use the word OBJECTIVE because it automatically invites me to create strategies to acheive the objective. While objective tends to be more connected with…
As the old adage goes… “Out with the old, in with the new!” Clutter is the old. Physical clutter. Mental clutter. Life clutter. If we want to change the clutter in our lives, we must find something better, new, or simply even different to replace it with (shout out for the inspiration to my friend Ashley Stuart of Rethink Clutter!) This is where the persuasive power of the story we create for ourselves can become exponentially powerful. OUT WITH THE…
With no kids around Christmas morning for the first time, I had to find something creative to occupy my time. It didn’t take long before words started flowing and out came two new poems and a third which was nearing completion. The first poem I wrote reflected the epic moment of having no kids at home on Christmas morning. For the first time in 30 years we slept in thanks to no kids jumping on the bed (or softly knocking…
“Keep writing,” Clark Gentry said to me. “Keep inspiring.” The occasion was my birthday in 2018. He knew we both had an affection for great poetry and he shared one of his favorite poems as a way of encouraging me to “keep writing [and]… inspiring.” “Would You Scale the Highest Heaven,” by James Allen encourages us to focus the silent power of thought and to “Dwell… upon the Grandest.” Dwell in thought upon the Grandest, And the Grandest you shall…
Elisa and I are experiencing our first Christmas in 30 years sleeping in with no kids jumping on the bed (or softly knocking on the door as they got older). Even our very first Christmas morning we were blessed to already have our first child, our son Cody who was born on December 23rd. We brought home on Christmas Eve in a stocking large enough to swaddle him. As empty nesters we experience a range of emotions, missing our kiddos…
I love sharing Christmas stories, and today, as is tradition, I share again the story of the Christmas I spent in Iraq. It’s one of my most memorable Christmases. As we remember those serving in harm’s way around the world, and as you remember your own loved ones who are unable to be home for Christmas, it seems fitting I share this story again. It’s a true story of a shepherd who had a flock of sheep. I hope you’ll enjoy….
“It’s A Wonderful Life” is my favorite Christmas show of all time. George Bailey of Bedford Falls spends his entire life putting others’ dreams before his own. Through a series of unfortunate events, George begins to feel his life is “worth more dead than alive.” This is where we meet George’s guardian angel Clarence, who shows up just as George is about to jump off a bridge into the icy river water. What follows is a massive flashback where George…
Major win for me on Saturday! I climbed a ladder on Saturday to straighten the Christmas lights on our roof! I was freaked out by the time I hit the third step but somehow I managed to get all the way up to the fifth step, stay on the ladder and fix the lights. In the process I somehow (miracle) managed to not let my head start swirling thinking the whole world was crashing down! This is REAL my friends!…