Puddle Searching

These past few weeks Mother Nature has been playing some funny tricks on us. First she sent a dump of snow, several actually. Then she treated us with balmy 1°C weather. Although it would seem nice to have temperatures on the positive side of the thermometer, after the excessive amounts of snow we got, there were slush ponds everywhere. Most people stared at the icy mud filled mess and scrunched up their noses. I had a similar thought process looking down from my 5th floor apartment at the uninviting lakes. But as I took a stroll through the melting world I couldn't help but love those darling puddles. The way their quaking surfaces saw the world was awe inspiring.Who knew that cratered sidewalks and melted snow could make you feel like Alice and the looking glass? Everything was so pretty and magical. When the wind blew the baron trees danced in the puddles. And little bits of sky made residence on the ground separated by the weaving bridges of concrete. I realized sometimes what I'm looking for just needs to be looked for a little harder before I find it. Today I found joy, and it was in a puddle.

Living for Today

"To worry about what is or may be coming can be debilitating and it can paralyze us and make us quit."

             Last week as I attended a CES broadcast, that evening's message hit home. Elder Christofferson spoke about taking care of things one day at a time and not worrying about the future. It sounded ideal, but also struck me as a little odd not to prepare for what's coming. As I listened, that wasn't what he was saying at all. He was speaking about a syndrome, one that has plagued my life since I can remember. It has probably occasioned yours too. You know the feeling when you lay down at night and anything but sugar plums are dancing through your head. All that you can think about is tomorrow. And not in that dreamy sense of possibility, but in clench-jawed, hand-wringing anticipation. 

        

             Elder Christofferson must have seen my sleepless nights because the analogy he then presented I felt applied directly to me. Manna was provided daily for the Israelites while travelling through the desert. They were instructed to gather only what they could eat in a day. They took on what they could for that day, worrying only about that day. Those who gathered more than this learned an unpleasant lesson.  Gathering manna for more than one day caused it to breed worms and stink. I've observed a similar lesson in my life.  When I stress and worry about the things beyond my control of this day, my life resembles something like the smelly, decaying manna. Today has priority over tomorrow. It is making a future for myself daily and doing what is right today that matters most.

"Thoughtful planning and preparation are key to a rewarding future, but we do not live in the future. It is day by day that we work out our plans for the future.  It is day by day that we accomplish our goals."

 Live for today, and make it beautiful.

Even the small day to day efforts...

...put together make something beautiful.

It is the accumulation of many days well lived...

...That adds up to a full life.

It is the day to day focus on the small and seemingly insignificant...

...that one day we see the grand design

A Wordless Post

I've wanted to start a blog for a while, but I'm not a very clever writer. Then a very clever friend of mine told me I should start a Photo blog. In essence a blog with limited monologuing.  The name By Small and Simple Means is because I love macro photography but also, I guess, because I like to take a closer look at the small and simple things that end up playing a bigger part in our lives than we often realize. But if a picture is worth a thousand words, then I've been saying too much.

Spirit of Christmas

Most every Christmas there comes a time during the day where I feel sad and overwhelmed. For months this day has been anticipated and soon it will all be over. All the decorations will be taken down, carols will cease to be sung and that unmistakable feeling of Christmas will be packed away for another 12 months. This year I experienced a different sort of feeling.

       After spending months away from my family I was ecstatic to be coming home. In the days that preceded Christmas I noticed things that, I guess before, I took for granted, like the endless hours my mother spent in the kitchen, the work she put into making the house look good and her attention to the happiness of her family. Who knew father went through so much to find perfect gifts for his kids and slaved over gingerbread to make an intricate house. The biggest thing I missed seeing was how richly blessed I am to have the family I do. Who knew I would ever be so happy to see my little brother's socks lying on the ground or spend time washing dishes with my older brothers. 

   When I packed my suitcase for home I forgot entirely that I was bringing home presents. My mind was focused elsewhere. I had so many sleepless nights thinking of surprising my Dad in the morning when he didn't know I'd arrived. Or making Christmas goodies with my Mom, being able to sing hymns and play music with my brothers.  The season seemed was carried away in day dreams. Dreams of spending time with my family and friends, seeing the people that mattered most to me who had been so far away for so long.

Christmas eve finally arrived and the family gathered around to read Luke's account of Christ's birth and thoughts of other important people filled my head

 

    This year I was impressed with a deeper appreciation for the coming of Jesus Christ. For the sacrifice of his life and the miracle of his resurrection.  Because of his perfect atonement I have my family forever. So even when I spend most of the year thousands of miles away from my family I still have the rest of eternity to look forward to. It just took me moving away from home to really realize the miracle of that gift.