BEING THANKFUL

This week is Thanksgiving which gives us the opportunity to reflect on the things that we are most thankful for.
And the opportunity to over eat in grand fashion without guilt.

I am thankful for my family, and the love that we have together.
I am thankful for my wife, who never gives up.
I am thankful for my children.
I am thankful for my grandchildren 8 of the best looking kids around.
I am thankful for the little things in life that added all together make me happy.
I am thankful for the blessings of the temple that make our family an eternal unit. (Picture of Salt Lake Temple)
I am thankful for Nov 14 of this year (picture of Zane and Quinton) one of the happiest days of my life.
I am thankful for the changing seasons that continue to give interest to our lives, because without winter we would not have tulips in the spring.
I am thankful for my Mom who turned 80 years old this year. I'm thankful that she is still with us. (She's the cute kid in the picture above)
I am thankful for laughter.
I am thankful for tears.
I am thankful for warm clothes.
I am thankful for a home that is cool in summer and warm in winter.
I am thankful for my testimony.
I am thankful for my knowledge of my savior Jesus Christ.
I am thankful for my ward family, that gives me strength.

And now for the lighter side of being thankful, but still very thankful
I am thankful that guy from the halfway house I ran into with my car this summer was not hurt, just his bike.
I am thankful I have pockets, because the guy from the halfway house had his id and all his money in his sock!
I am thankful for people who don't text while talking.
I am thankful for good Mexican food.
sometimes I am thankful for mediocre Mexican food.
and for pizza.
I am again thankful for laughter, except when it makes soda get in your nose.
I am thankful for people who can drive without rage.
I am thankful that I am taller than Tom Cruise, who is stupid.
I am thankful for the "office" because we all need an escape from reality. That's real reality not reality TV, which we also need a break from.
I'm thankful that I have never been mugged going to work.

POLITICAL SCIENCE

Not always known for his "political correctness" Randy Newman is a fantastic songwriter. With such great lines as "short people got no reason to live" and "we're rednecks, rednecks, don't know our a** from a whole in the ground" But he has also written some great movie music, including Toy Story, Monsters Inc. and others. Here are the lyrics to one of my favorites "Political Science".

No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens

We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us-so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them

Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us

We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too

Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono babe
And there'll be Italian shoes for me

They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now

TOO MANY WALLS

It was 20 years ago today (Nov 9) that the check points were opened and the Berlin wall came down. A very real symbol of a socialist government. The great wall went up and came down in my life time. It stood for only twenty-eight years. We should never take for granted the freedoms that we have in this country, that many around the world do not share. We should especially treasure our rights for freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The Berlin wall is gone, unfortunately there are still too many walls, some not so visible but just as thick and hard to penetrate.

"The greatest infringements of religious freedom occur when the exercise of religion collides with other powerful forces in society. Among the most threatening collisions in the United States today are the rising strength of those who seek to silence religious voices in public debates, and perceived conflicts between religious freedom and the popular appeal of newly alleged civil rights."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Full text of Elder Oaks talk