Christmas Flash Mob

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Silent gratitude isn't very much use to anyone

We were discussing with our home teacher how The Sunday morning session of Conference  has historically contained the thematic or keystone talk of the prophet. It might be because more people attend Sunday Morning session, that the church has better distribution of the broadcast Sunday morning , or tradition. Nonetheless, it was interesting re-reading President Monson's address of Sunday Morning - "The Divine Gift of Gratitude" Truly gratitude is a life changing attribute and state of being.

As he recounted the story of feeding the 4,000. I reflected upon times in my life when I have  - " Like many of us, the disciples saw only what was lacking" . In the midst of a trial it is oft time difficult to gain the eternal perspective, maintain a positive outlook, and project and be an attitude of gratitude. I have consciously tried to cultivate an attitude of gratitude to as President Monson quoted - Said the Greek philosopher Epictetus, “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. Grateful for what? For all the wonderful things that God has done to make me  / us happy. As CS.Lewis said in his book " We are not quite as happy yet as HE wants us to. God wants us to be happy both now and through eternity and does all he can to facilitate it if we will but subject ourselves to his will. "The prospects that God has opened to our view are Wonderful and Grand." I am grateful.



" We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others . . . Often we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don’t get around to it. Someone has said that “feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. . .  to express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven".

 And so at the close of Thanksgiving season and the start of the Christmas season my heart swells with gratitude for my Rindy, my children and their families, my health, my opportunities, my material blessings, books, friends and temple. I think the thoughts started to formulate as I read Kristin's blog, then built as we discussed Presidents Monson's talk in Priesthood, fed further by our home teacher - I'm grateful for our Savior and the plan of happiness. My heart does indeed touch heaven.

Santa Baby

We walked to downtown Naperville tonight to join the festivities and the girls visited a friend.

Black Friday

So while some got up early
others stayed home and did puzzles and four score with grandpa

Thanksgiving Feasting

No one does it better. Rindy served another great feast. We more than ate our fill.
The dishes are now done so we can sit down to pie and a bit of gaming.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Getting Closer

So what to do?

The table is spread.

What to do indeed!

Its time for a parade.

We drove downtown for the Chicago McDonald's Thanksgiving Day parade. An easy drive downtown, convenient parking and temperate weather (high 30's). The trip was Blair, Julie, Dean, Eden, Mac, and us; we missed the boys who are at John & TJ's. The parade had many marching bands dancing and playing up a storm; inflatibles, dancers, horses and the like. Definitely a fun parade.

Thanksgiving Warm Up

As anyone could note the official cooking has commenced as Eden and Rindy are stirring the pot. How can you not be thankful with a partner who delights us with exquisite food and a grand-daughter who lights the room. It will be a glorious Thanksgiving.We are indeed blessed.

Black Friday

Black Friday is a crazy time at any retailer and we are busy at work making the final deals happen and happen in the right way.  Target too is working hard and I have to admit I like their series of commercials featuring this woman. They crack me up.

Google Street View

The world captured by Google appears to be more truthful and more transparent because of the weight accorded to external reality, the perception of a neutral, unbiased recording, and even the vastness of the project. With its supposedly neutral gaze, the Street View photography had a spontaneous quality unspoiled by the sensitivities or agendas of a human photographer.”

It’s a herculean task in its scope and a fascinating look at the world. I must admit I feel it is somewhat intrusive into my private space. It feels very 1984 Big Brotherish. But in a world where people post their most private of doings on Facebook its not a great leap to have omnipresent cameras.


http://t.co/JqUaRjy via @techcrunch

D' Bears

Expressing an interest - does NOT represent a change of heart.
Attending a work function does NOT mean a change of loyalty.
Touring a stadium, eating their food, and a photo op does NOT a fan make.

This week I attended a Chicago Bears Event and Soldier Stadium hosted by FedEx..And, in total candor, it was a very enjoyable vent. We had a tour of their locker room hosted by two alumni of their 85 Superbowl team. They were interesting speakers talking about winning, accountability, and team. They were both articulate and engaging speakers. I must admit from  looking at photos of other locker rooms on TV the bears was nice but in a relative world still spartan. After the tour was dinner, and then talks and photos with Briggs and Olson from the current team. Not quite as engaging but gracious people. It was a fun night. Go Vikings

Legacy

We have interesting legacy moments that catch us in Chicago. This past week while in the study room at the Temple one brother dropped in with  peppermint lifesavers. I quickly commented that my father had been an addict and that I always enjoyed one thinking of him as I did. Another elderly brother commented that when he first started working in the Temple the President at the time use to put bowls of lifesavers in the worker's room for people to enjoy. I asked him when,where, and who. It was Chicago, 1992, and Dad. Life is fun. A great memory though small, of my Dad.

The CallI Its really here

We have been anxiously awaiting the day (ok maybe with less than perfect patience) and what a glorious day it is. We are grateful that another of our children is worthy, ready, and able to serve the Lord as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.It is truly one of the landmark events in a family's life-cycle. And we are no less excited for the fourth than we were for the first. Perhaps even more given we have seen the impact the opportunity to serve has been on the others and on us.

Each opening of the Call has had it's own flavor.
Blair, we were all very eager. His arrived during the day and opened it and celebrated to go back to where we had lived, to return to Madrid. He waited almost 5 months from Call to departure.

Brigham, was going to school in Alexandria, Egypt at the time and the letter came to our home in Plymouth, We drove over to Grandparent's and looped people in by phone, including looping in Brigham by phone and we read it to him. He was living in his mission boundaries at the time, and returned where he had visited the year earlier to Athens, Greece and Cyprus. His wait was similar to Blair's before departure.

Evan was living at home with us in our  home in naperville - we had barely lived here then. We gathered in his bedroom and once again looped people in through multiple phones. It was incredible that he was being able to serve a proselyting mission, live full-time with the missionaries and fulfill his dream by serving in the Chicago South Mission.He left quickly thereafter.

Parker is the first to receive his call and open it away from us the parents. Thanks to skype we are all able to virtually be there - more than just a phone call. It was a crazy gathering of skype and cell phones, dropped service - interrupted calls. Gathering of friends and family at Brigham's.Though different than the others his will be no less an adventure and wonderful service experience as he reports to his mission on March 2, 2011.

Oliver also served there and Parker is going to: here.

We are incredible grateful and thrilled to see him go and can't wait to get him back.

Sound

Sound surrounds us.
Some can not tolerate silence and can not live with their own thoughts.
Some find the Spirit in a still small way not in the loud.
How does sound impact your life, your home, your study, your church?

Keeping up with the Jaynes

I was speaking with Robert after the World Wide Training event this morning  (7am) and we were commenting what a blessing it is to have family nearby. Yesterday they had a morning need for us and in the evening we had a need for them. They are great to have as a resource, support and family; and to top it off we get Peter quotes out of the relationship.

It doesn't get much better than keeping up with the Jaynes.

Cruising Chicago

We live in a great Ward with a wide-range of people we enjoy and relate to.  There are weekly groups who attend the Temple so that most any day you can join someone. And there are irregular groups who head downtown Chicago to check out a restaurant, a museum, a store, a building, or all. Once a month on a Thursday is usually the day. for that type of road trip.

ElfmasTown

So what have you been working on lately.
Check out facebook - elfmastown

Naming

I need some fresh fodder on my blog and move past last night's episode.  Being unable to find a moment to generate new content thought I would lift thoughts from this mornings Groupon Post on naming. Those of you expecting might take guidance from it and truly if you were odd enough to want a cat it provides true guidance

The Groupon Guide to: Naming Your Pets


The surest way to establish an emotional bond with an animal and rapidly domesticate it is to change its name. However, one must be tactful, because many animals consider themselves nobility and were perhaps surgeons, Parliament members in their forest kingdoms, Egyptian royalty, and/or Golden-Age baseball greats in their former lives. Use this handy Groupon Guide to select a name that will ensure love and loyalty from your new pet:



•Dogs: Appropriate names include Dutch, Scooter, and Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Bark?

•Cats: Appropriate names include Yawny, Get Off of That, and Free to Good Home.

•Half-Dog Half-Cat Hybrids: Appropriate names include Howie and Why-ie.

•Male Mallard Duck Wearing Tiny Deerstalker Cap and Monocle: The most appropriate name is Professor Cornelius Whippersnout the III, but the only appropriate means of addressing him is "M'lord."

•Human Beings: Baby humans do not need to be named in infancy, because they are typically assigned a name on their first day of school, based on expected level of popularity.

Excellence

I appreciate the Young Women's Personal Progress program, how it engages and challenges young women to become. The stark contrast between a program based in values to those of the world is readily apparent. This evening we attended with Mackey as they discussed the key ingredients for the recipe of success and shared an excellent demonstration of what happens when inaccurate or compromised ingredients are incorporated.

The Recipe for a Woman of God

• Begin with a good-sized does of Faith
• Combine with a portion of Divine Nature
• Fold in the right amount of Individual /Worth
• Stir in some Knowledge
• Add some Choice and Accountability
• Drizzzle with plenty of Good Works
• Mix in lots of Integrity
• And thoroughly douse with Virtue

It yields the kind of woman I married. The kind of woman our daughter is becoming.

Editors error

You ever have a draft go live
I have
my apologies to all

Boldness

Today was an interesting day.
The elections are always interesting, particularly in Illinois where the mantra is vote early, vote often.

Dinner was interesting, we shared a delightful meal at Robert & Laura's, which is always fun.

But of most interest was what Mackey orchestrated. Mackey has a class at North in World Religions of which one subject of discussion has been Mormons. She has taken the time in her class section to make a presentation about Mormonism dispelling some of the misconceptions. Today, she took things a step further by organizing and facilitating an open house for three different sections of the class. Two buses carried approximately 70 students, teacher and chaperons to our chapel where three sets of missionaries presented: the Restoration, Plan of Salvation and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many if not all took a copy of For Strength of Youth and several requested a copy of the Book of Mormon.

Building community and bridges of understanding by allowing others to feel the spirit that missionaries carry - our bold daughter.

They shared one video: Finding Happiness

Bump Set Spike

Another season comes to an end. Mackey's school season wound up this past week. Their team played well and had a winning season, they don't rank JV teams but they lost very few and won many. Mackey improved significantly in strength, power, vertical, soft touch and game smarts throughout the season. We've totally enjoyed watching her play.

On to Club.