Last night we got a call from a good friend whose daughter is at BYU letting us know that President Hinckley had passed away...I was surprised, but certainly not shocked...it is by the grace of God, I am convinced, that he remained a vigorous, active man nearly 100 years...and while I am saddened at our loss, I am immediately comforted that he is reunited with his dear wife, and that his final days were not prolonged suffering in his mortal body...I would like to think that his deep respect and love for his family and his heritage sweetened the joy as he joined with all his family...and friends....perhaps President Faust needed a good man at his side once again...I don't know that I can fathom the welcoming by the previous 14 Prophets of the Restoration, but....Wow......wow....what a scene that must have been to behold...
I can honestly say that I love this man and all he stood for...I marvel at the foresight and vision he has had to use and create the technologic advances and structures that are now so taken for granted in the body of the church...I don't think most folks realize the sweeping changes he has made over time using innovative ideas and being on the cutting edge of technology in so many areas...he moved the Church forward in a truly remarkable way...
But I'll miss his genuine love for all...I know it may seem trite, or cliched, but I always felt like he was kind of smiling at me when I watched him on TV...and I have said before on more than one occasion that if I could sit down with anyone for a private conversation, it would be Gordon Hinckley...just to talk and laugh...mostly laugh...he was a clever, witty man, and I don't think we got to see or hear nearly enough of that...I'll bet visiting with him was a real kick...
For many young people, he is the only Prophet and leader they have known...my own son included...Geoff was too young to remember the great men who served during his toddler years, and the first Prophet and President that he really knew and understood about was President Hinckley...it reminds me of when I was young and David O. McKay led the church...it seemed he was always the Prophet...when he passed away, it was all new and different...not in a bad way...and I suppose that's what we will see now...except I see President Monson as a man who shares President Hinckley's vision for the Church, and while he will bring his own personality (which I have also always loved) and vision, I am also grateful for his good health, vigor, and vitality..it will be exciting to see what his focus will be...
I loved President Hinckley as a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator...and as a man of God who was completely prepared to pass from this life.....our loss, but for a time...
Monday, January 28, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Just one more thing...
I'm getting off the Story of the Day kick....but just wanted to share one more....
Flexible Practice
"I was thinking of either meditating or napping, but the way I do it, there's not much difference except in the explanation to the rest of my family."
Flexible Practice
"I was thinking of either meditating or napping, but the way I do it, there's not much difference except in the explanation to the rest of my family."
Friday, January 18, 2008
More of the same...
I have decided that most of The Story of the Day stories are more enjoyable when you share them.......I hope this isn't like some sort of infringement deal.....cuz you could subscribe to Story People your ownself if you want to get them firsthand, every day.....otherwise, you'll see them here now and then.........kind of like this:
Story of the Day:
"What do you want? I said & she said, in the abstract or the concrete? & I decided to rephrase the question. I'm going to the store, I said. Need anything? & she frowned & said, Obviously, you meant concrete."
So, for future reference, if you ask me if I want something, or need something and I respond...."abstract or concrete?" you'll know how to answer.....which can be handy information to have, don't you think?
Story of the Day:
"What do you want? I said & she said, in the abstract or the concrete? & I decided to rephrase the question. I'm going to the store, I said. Need anything? & she frowned & said, Obviously, you meant concrete."
So, for future reference, if you ask me if I want something, or need something and I respond...."abstract or concrete?" you'll know how to answer.....which can be handy information to have, don't you think?
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Story of the Day
I subscribe to a daily email that sends a story a day...they are usually just a sentence or two, but I enjoy them...I often print them up and stick them up in my office space...I liked this one...
Here's the Story of the Day:
"Today she decided to be suitably ambiguous, so you can think whatever you like about her (Amount of time scheduled for the opinions of others = Zero)"
Here's the Story of the Day:
"Today she decided to be suitably ambiguous, so you can think whatever you like about her (Amount of time scheduled for the opinions of others = Zero)"
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Whadja get for Christmas?????
One of the questions asked most often at this time of year...What did you get for Christmas???
Most of the time the answer is something that was purchased at a store, or made by loving hands...and occasionally it is a true gift of the heart...which is what happened to the Taylors, specifically Mark, this year......In order to appreciate this gift, a little back story:
We have a really great Ward organist. Ted Roberts plays very well...with great spirit and emotion...all the Taylors appreciate how well he plays and do our best to let him know that........Our dear friend, Dana Garrett, is an extraordinarily talented pianist....she has a natural talent, you know, that touch that you really have to born with...and we love hearing her play...
So early in December, Dana and Ted played a Piano/Organ duet in Sacrament meeting...a very stirring, moving arrangement of "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing." It would take a pretty cold hearted person not to be touched by the music....and as I sat there listening, I was so sorry that Mark had begun his holiday schedule of working on Sunday, and had missed this special number...after the meeting, I told Dana that there was no one in that congregation that enjoyed their number more than Mark would have.......her response surprised me....she said that maybe she and Ted could play it again for Mark some evening before Christmas.....I told her that I loved her for even thinking of that, but that Mark worked late just about every evening until Christmas, and the few that he didn't were already busy........she said, Well, we'll just have to do it late one night, after he gets home........and she didn't forget about it....we picked a night...the Friday before Christmas, and a time....10:30 at night...Ted often plays the organ at the Temple and would be playing that night, with the session ending at 10:00, so he was all good with coming to the church instead of straight home...
My part in all of this was to get Mark to the church without him knowing what was going on....so I called Dana and told her that I was going to lie to Mark....she relayed that information to the Bishop, which is easier than you might think since he was standing right next to her...Bishop Garrett replied...."Not my problem...." Then I said..."Well...I'm going to tell Mark that the Bishop called and INSISTED on talking to me that night...in his office...along with Mark....at 10:30 as he knew Mark worked late..........Bishop's reply was...."O brother! Don't get me involved!!!" But that was the plan.....and we stuck to it...when Mark got home around 9:40, I gave him the story......and he bought it...he thought it was very strange, but he reluctantly bought it...Chanel asked if she could come along...just in case we needed moral support....so at 10:20 we all drove over to the church...there were a couple other cars in the parking lot that Mark recognized...."Uh-oh" he said..."Must be somthin' goin on..."
We walked in and I went straight to the Chapel door...."We're not meeting in there" he said....but I just kept walking..........in the chapel, Dana and Ted were playing a soft Christmas hymn......The Bishop, and their daughter Lexi, Ted's wife Dixie, and Bill Boland were the only people in the softly lit chapel...Dana had arranged a lighted evergreen garland around the podium and placed one of her beautiful big Nativity sets on the front edge of the pulpit....the only other light was up on the stand so they could see their music....Mark still didn't know that we were all there just for him......then Lexi handed him a scroll...
Chanel helped him open it, as I whispered..."This is just for you..."
No one spoke as we took our seats in the middle of the Chapel....and there in the soft light, hushed with reverence, the concert began.....What had been a single hymn in church had become a gift of several Christmas hyms.
They played six or more renditions of the most beautiful Christmas carols I have ever heard....the Chapel absolutely rang with majesty and beauty of the music...
When they were finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the group...I sat there listening, marvelling and realizing that I was seeing true friendship and love in action...there were hugs all around, delight in the surprise, and love expressed to each other........we left there feeling so blessed, so grateful, so uplifted...we had all been given a beautiful gift of self......truly a gift from the heart....
Most of the time the answer is something that was purchased at a store, or made by loving hands...and occasionally it is a true gift of the heart...which is what happened to the Taylors, specifically Mark, this year......In order to appreciate this gift, a little back story:
We have a really great Ward organist. Ted Roberts plays very well...with great spirit and emotion...all the Taylors appreciate how well he plays and do our best to let him know that........Our dear friend, Dana Garrett, is an extraordinarily talented pianist....she has a natural talent, you know, that touch that you really have to born with...and we love hearing her play...
So early in December, Dana and Ted played a Piano/Organ duet in Sacrament meeting...a very stirring, moving arrangement of "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing." It would take a pretty cold hearted person not to be touched by the music....and as I sat there listening, I was so sorry that Mark had begun his holiday schedule of working on Sunday, and had missed this special number...after the meeting, I told Dana that there was no one in that congregation that enjoyed their number more than Mark would have.......her response surprised me....she said that maybe she and Ted could play it again for Mark some evening before Christmas.....I told her that I loved her for even thinking of that, but that Mark worked late just about every evening until Christmas, and the few that he didn't were already busy........she said, Well, we'll just have to do it late one night, after he gets home........and she didn't forget about it....we picked a night...the Friday before Christmas, and a time....10:30 at night...Ted often plays the organ at the Temple and would be playing that night, with the session ending at 10:00, so he was all good with coming to the church instead of straight home...
My part in all of this was to get Mark to the church without him knowing what was going on....so I called Dana and told her that I was going to lie to Mark....she relayed that information to the Bishop, which is easier than you might think since he was standing right next to her...Bishop Garrett replied...."Not my problem...." Then I said..."Well...I'm going to tell Mark that the Bishop called and INSISTED on talking to me that night...in his office...along with Mark....at 10:30 as he knew Mark worked late..........Bishop's reply was...."O brother! Don't get me involved!!!" But that was the plan.....and we stuck to it...when Mark got home around 9:40, I gave him the story......and he bought it...he thought it was very strange, but he reluctantly bought it...Chanel asked if she could come along...just in case we needed moral support....so at 10:20 we all drove over to the church...there were a couple other cars in the parking lot that Mark recognized...."Uh-oh" he said..."Must be somthin' goin on..."
We walked in and I went straight to the Chapel door...."We're not meeting in there" he said....but I just kept walking..........in the chapel, Dana and Ted were playing a soft Christmas hymn......The Bishop, and their daughter Lexi, Ted's wife Dixie, and Bill Boland were the only people in the softly lit chapel...Dana had arranged a lighted evergreen garland around the podium and placed one of her beautiful big Nativity sets on the front edge of the pulpit....the only other light was up on the stand so they could see their music....Mark still didn't know that we were all there just for him......then Lexi handed him a scroll...
Chanel helped him open it, as I whispered..."This is just for you..."No one spoke as we took our seats in the middle of the Chapel....and there in the soft light, hushed with reverence, the concert began.....What had been a single hymn in church had become a gift of several Christmas hyms.
They played six or more renditions of the most beautiful Christmas carols I have ever heard....the Chapel absolutely rang with majesty and beauty of the music...
When they were finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the group...I sat there listening, marvelling and realizing that I was seeing true friendship and love in action...there were hugs all around, delight in the surprise, and love expressed to each other........we left there feeling so blessed, so grateful, so uplifted...we had all been given a beautiful gift of self......truly a gift from the heart....
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