Wrestling with objects in a wonderland of white.

Wrestling with objects in the wonderland of white. After many years of doing crazy stuff in the out of doors I have slowed down a bit and decided to blog about life’s adventures. I always wondered why I liked to find the next rush of adrenaline and yet I didn’t care much for the cold. Tubes, boards, sleds, and yes an old car hood or two made for some serious fun. I’m reminded of a few good stories we read and shared at the condo in the hills from Patrick McManus. I remember he called some things a pleasant misery in his stories of the wonders of life. I can honestly say I cuddled up in fast motion to my share of brush and trees. Some serious things happen when you have your feet tightly fastened to items of sure death and destruction. Yes I play hooky many a good day of school to carve the fresh laid white on the hills. Large many of us were called “The out of control ski patrol” and “The rag time ski team”. It’s hard to stay away from the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Racing the gates on the NASTAR and trying for air from the ledges. The snow snakes and bogies loomed about waiting for their shot at us and laughing when they did. Yet even when we found ourselves face down in the cold white we always found the need to jump back in for more. In the end we always could place the blame of this insanity on our well meaning mother. Snow skiing was a kind of way of life for her growing up in the Doner area of the Cali. This craziness has spread for years from Mom to kids, grandkids, great grandkids, and on and on….. Even on those times that we didn’t head to the mountains, we found snow and a large slide in the yard to challenge us. Yes it is a family that relishes in the crazy and not limited to just the boys.

Brushes with the death star.

Brushes with the death side.

Thinking back on my life I am amazed that I survived at all. Brushes with the death side of things came early on in my life. About two or three years in to life we were camping near Flaming Gorge. Not sure as to the details but the story is I tripped and fell as most young kids do. Not landing in the best of places but landing none the less in the fire. Came out good in the end considering that we where miles from nowhere and no where close to a hospital.

One day a few years’ later (Maybe 4 years) walking across the road to home. Small toy rifle in hand I crossed the road not seeing the car. Toy flying from my hands and a blur passing fast. It was close and I didn’t even realize it was that much so until I was older. I would say this is brush number two but I can’t place the time frame on some of the things of the past.

With the time frame jumping as it has I also remember a large and rather mean rooster that attacked me in there some place. It leads more to the explanation of why I gag on eating meat of the fowl variety.

Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles and I have had some rather fright filled times as well. From rolling over to head on and in to the trees and brush on two wheels. Bicycles aren’t safe either.

Those that would think playing with ropes can be just as close of calls too. Smashed fingers and face, cracked helmets, and a few thrilling rope stops on occasion. Some would say I had a kind of death wish but I have thrived on adrenaline. Yes I would say it is one of the notches ya get in your walking stick born in to a family of thrill seekers. May have some light to shine on things when ya look at the other self destructive behaviors I’ve had.

Yes ya have to add in the water and snow skiing, snowboarding, and tubing/sledding with stories for another day.

Not forgetting the one big one and the numerous other times of being burned and zapped by the wired monster called electricity. The big zap will take a post of its own. People often talk about the things they see in half way passing to the other side. It is a thing you don’t soon forget and most of the time try too.

It is the stuff that we fear most that we often hide and run from. Yes there have been many brushes and near passes to the other side. But knowing as I do now the love of a very loving God. I have come to not fear the reaper so to speak but have some peace. I do know that I was saved for some reason and still aloud to be here. Although life can give us a pretty wild ride, all we can do is sit down, shut up, and enjoy the ride.

Rambling around the birthday.

Just felt the need to ramble on the birthday.

Looking back I can see that I must surely of had the hand of a greater power helping me to live this long. I’m glad to say another year older and maybe a bit wiser. So much to look back and be grateful for in the years I have been alive. I have found a deep love and connection with God. I met and married an awesome lady that believes in me. Six awesome and always inspiring kids with many others that I claim also. Great friends that I have met along the path of life. Many that came along when the trail became steep and dangerous and helped me learned to hang on just one more day. And those friends that I met when we were having some totally awesome adventures. Always great to be above ground and smelling the Daisies not pushing them up. God loves us all! One day at a time!

Sanctity of marriage.

9/1/15

Considering the amount of craziness in the media about the sanctity of marriage and the need for strong family bonds. I’m not jumping on the band wagon to slap those on the other side of the line. I do however have a few things to say about it.

Family can be the best but sometimes the most frustrations. The good times with the family are more than just a small thing. For me my family is a lot of things that cannot be just described in few words. Some of my early issues in life were family. I have come to grips with most of that now. Many times life is filled with the joys which it should be. We need bonds of family to hold our society together. With that being said we must do our part to keep the family strong.

Marriage is being down played greatly and we continue to see it beaten down on every side. Hackers exposed million that openly considered breaking theirs or others vows within the past few weeks. Is marriage become not so important to our world in general? Maybe to some. I can tell you that it can be a challenge but after twenty five plus years it has to be worked at daily. My wife has put up with some of the biggest parts of this crazy one. We have crossed a lot of bumpy ground and yet we come out closer. Marriage between a man and a women is ordained of God has been from the beginning and will be forever. I love my wife dearly.

Are we wrong when we are right?!

Are we wrong, when we are right?

Some I have made it a point to post as much good and positive as I can each week to the web. Mostly in hope that it changes the view that most see each day and leaves a positive note.

I’m reminded of the talk given by David Bednar on “Flooding the earth”. He set the bar high for us to do our part in spreading good and positive around the world by use of the media resources that we have.

I have seen and heard others comment as to the types of posts that are out on the web both good and bad. So I ask the question then are we doing good or are we adding to the bad or wrong that bombs us as we live life daily? And what is right and good?

So here is my take on this: If it’s positive and will change life for another for the better.-GOOD. If it can be funny and humorous without being crude, vulgar, and un-Christian.-GOOD. If it is helpful and informative to improve our relationships with others and our Higher Power.-GOOD. If it is up lifting and gives us power to fight the old Dragon.-GOOD. If it doesn’t do anything to improve the world around us.-BAD. Not everything we share is filled to the brim with everything that is good. The cutie picture that has a puppy, a kitty, some ones kid, or nature shot may look cool to the start but have other things that are not good. Often pictures have things added to them that is crude, vulgar, or morally risky. Should they be shared? I would say maybe not.

So for us to do what we can to make things better we must act. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. –Edmond Burke

Do we sit on the side lines of the game of life hoping that others will clean it all up for us? No! We must act and fight that Dragon. Remember: “Your silence is your consent!”

Life is not simple!

Life is never simple but we learn to make it an adventure.

Moving!

MOVING!

This is one of the things that you can depend on happening in life, Change. Moving is part of the change thing and it makes things crazy for sure. Growing up I moved so many times I thought for a time my dresser was a box. Yeppers, born in a small town and lived there for a few years. Then on to areas with more people. It seems the longer you stay in one place the more crazy stuff you collect. I’ve seen some amazing places in the journey. I had to do some thinking as to the location with the longest lay-over. Some of the stops along the way had light and great moments to share with some fantastic people. Some with some not so cool. I learned a lot of things in my moving around the country. I found I liked some pretty good things to eat along the way too, like mud bugs. It gives lots of stuff to write about that’s for sure. So here it goes with the places I have lived by myself and also with my family. Some of them I lived off and on and more than once at different times. The longest place I happened to live was with six plus kids. The places I’ve lived are: Fillmore (Utah), Pleasant Grove, Orem, Provo, Albany (LA), Slidell (LA), Gautier (MS), Mobile (AL), New Iberia (LA), Kenner (LA), Baton Rouge (LA), Ephraim (UT), Logan, Centerfield, Cedar City, Enoch, Vernal. Just to put the house count in there at maybe twenty-five ish. Not including camping and working in various places around the country doing jobs. Kind of make me wonder what is in store for the next ten to thirty years. But that could mean lots more adventures to have and write about.