Little Thor Commercial

I haven't ever watched Thor.  Didn't even realize what the kid was trying to do in this video till the end, but when I got to the end I laughed out loud.  Cute and funny.

Things Kids Say

Primary is the children's organization at my church.  Every year the primary puts on a program for the rest of the congregation.   I received this in an email from my mom this week:

Our Primary Program was yesterday and it was a great meeting as always.  The one that stole the show though was our autistic boy.  His mom kept bringing him up and he would chicken out.  At least once he was leading his mother up there.  About the 4^th time he finally said his part jumped off the stool and said “We did it!”  We were all praying for him to succeed.

And from my sister-in-law, who replied back to all of us :

We had a pretty funny moment.  The classes were sitting together with their teacher holding a microphone in the middle.  When it was the sunbeams turn, one 4 year old named John Arlie was asked by his teacher (who's also his mom) what makes him happy.  He answered, "Boogers."  To which his 3 year old cousin Brayden responded in all seriousness, "Ooooh, that's a good one."  

Validation

When I was first introduced to this video I was determined not to smile.  Well, not so determined, more like, "yea, it's probably not as good as everyone is making this out to be."  It didn't take long though and I was...smiling.

Niagara Falls

Since first seeing a picture of Niagara Falls I wanted to see it in person.  A couple of years ago it became a goal and last year I accomplished that goal on a vacation with my family.  Beautiful!

We even road on the Maid of the Mist to the bottom of the waterfall.  It was a blast getting wet by all the sprays of water.  The power of it just rumbles through you.











Rex and Gavin having some fun up on the walk along the river and falls.

What Is the Purpose of My Life? What Am I Going to Do?

This video is a great example of the wonderful people there are in the world. Narayanan Krishnan is a man who quit his job not only to feed those in need, but to give them love and affection as well.

Provident Living Tidbits

For Sunday, October 2nd

From The Value of Home Life by Neil A. Maxwell, Ensign Feb. 1972.  

A good member of the Church must understand the implications of his beliefs with regard to the home. 

This different commitment will mean, among many things, knowing—

—that because the home is so crucial, it will be the source of our greatest failures as well as our greatest joys.

—that home is the one place we will be in that will require us to practice every major gospel principle and not just a few, as may be the case in some temporary relationships.

—that the pressures of life in a family will mean that we shall be known as we are, that our frailties will be exposed and, hopefully, we shall then work on them.

—that the love and thoughtfulness required in the home are no abstract exercise in love. They are real. It is no mere rhetoric concerning some distant human cause; it is an encounter with raw selfishness, with the need for civility and taking turns, of being hurt and yet forgiving, of being at the mercy of others’ moods and yet understanding, in part, why we sometimes inflict pain on each other.

—that family life is a constant challenge, not a periodic performance we can render on a stage quickly and run for the privacy of a “dressing room” to be alone with ourselves, for the home gives us a great chance to align our public and private behavior, to reduce the hypocrisy in our lives, to be more congruent with Christ.

Thus, to commit oneself to home and family is to do a wondrous thing. It is a high adventure. It is not a task for those who wish to run away, nor for those whose human causes are chosen because the cause is distant and makes no real demands of them. It is the same for all the basic teachings of Jesus that constitute that solitary path to salvation.

In this sense, the straight and narrow way is a path only for the brave!

Of course, commitment to principles with a divine difference—hard doctrines that produce significant modifications in life-styles—means involvement and occasional disappointment in a divine church full of imperfect people; it means getting banged about a bit, but it also means joy now and everlastingly in a church that is divinely managed on the things that matter most.

For Sunday, October 9th

Viva Vegetables: Winter Squash

Provident Living Tid-bits for Sunday, Aug. 28, Sept. 4, Sept 11

For August 21st

Stretching to improve flexibility

• Don't consider stretching a warm-up. You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles. So before stretching, warm up with light walking, jogging or biking at low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Or better yet, stretch after you exercise when your muscles are warmed up. Also, consider holding off on stretching before an intense activity, such as sprinting or track and field activities. Some research suggests that pre-event stretching before these types of events may actually decrease performance.
• Focus on major muscle groups. When you're stretching, focus on your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. Also stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use at work or play. And make sure that you stretch both sides. For instance, if you stretch your left hamstring, be sure to stretch your right hamstring, too.
• Don't bounce. Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears in the muscle. These tears leave scar tissue as the muscle heals, which tightens the muscle even further, making you less flexible and more prone to pain. So, hold each stretch for about 30 seconds. Repeat each stretch three or four times.
• Don't aim for pain. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching, not pain. If it hurts, you've pushed too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch.
• Make stretches sport specific. Some evidence suggests that it's helpful to do stretches tailored for your sport or activity. If you play soccer, for instance, you're more vulnerable to hamstring strains. So opt for stretches that help your hamstrings.
• Keep up with your stretching. Stretching can be time-consuming. But you can achieve the best benefits by stretching regularly, at least two to three times a week. If you don't stretch regularly, you risk losing any benefits that stretching offered. For instance, if stretching helped you increase your range of motion, and you stop stretching, your range of motion may decrease again.
• Bring movement into your stretching. Gentle movement can help you be more flexible in specific movements. The gentle movements of tai chi, for instance, may be a good way to stretch. And if you're going to perform a specific activity, such as a front kick in martial arts, do the move slowly and at low intensity at first to get your muscles used to it. Then speed up gradually as your muscles become accustomed to the motion.

Know when to use caution - In some cases, you may need to approach stretching with caution. If you have a chronic condition or an injury, you may need to adjust your stretching techniques. from: Mayo Clinic

For September 4th

Emergency Sanitation PDF

For September 11th

Tips for living: Helping jobless friends by Raymond G Bingham 

Have you ever wanted to help a friend, but whatever you did only made matters worse? When a friend is unemployed, that is a prime opportunity for making bonds better or worse. Having just finished nine months of unemployment, which ended in our family moving to Utah, I want to pass on observations that will help keep friendships strong and may even help them get a job.

1. Don't preach trite solutions. Entitled ignorance comes through loud and clear to someone without a job, especially whenever one gives a suggestion like, "Have you tried getting a job in the church? They're always hiring." This little gem was given me when I was living happily, if a bit jobless, in Washington. I was an electrical engineer specializing in semiconductor verification.

2. Internet searches can be done by just about anyone who has an Internet connection. The fact that someone cared enough to go out of their way to search told me that there were folks out there who cared about me.

3. Take them to the unemployment office or LDS employment. The long trip to the unemployment office is easier with uplifting pep talks from friends.

4. Take them with you to work. Even if you're not a match at all, just seeing you in your place of employment can jog loose ideas and gets your friend out of the house

5. Help them fix something in their home. By helping, friends give the truest form of Christian service.

6. Find ways your friend can help you. Knowing that I mattered to them — that I was needed — made all the difference in my attitude. If you have a friend, let them know that they are needed by inconveniencing them a little once in a while — ask them to help you. Not out of a "Hey! You've got nothing better to do!" but with the attitude "I value you and want your expertise."

7. Look over their resume; take a couple of copies. Even if you don't know to whom to give the thing, you may be prompted, being in the right place at the right time. Make up a lame excuse if you must, but get a copy. Pass it along to your hiring manager. Share it with relatives.

8. Invite them into your house. Play games. Take pictures. Celebrate. Send them home with leftovers. Repeat. When you're unemployed, your ability to entertain dwindles. It's amazing how dependent we all are on this basic thing called money. Share your means by doing more than giving to the local food bank. Open your house, and be generous with all that you've been blessed.

For September 18th

September Viva Vegetable PDF - This is the September newsletter, even though it says August.  You can find August here.