Just Do It

Our inspiration for a Thought for Thursday this beautiful week comes from Nike.

This was a Nike ad long ago.

"Too often we are scared.

Scared of what we might be able to do.

Scared of what people might think if we tried.

We let our fears stand in the way of our hopes.

We say no when we want to say yes.

We sit quietly when we want to scream.

And we shout with the others,

when we should keep our mouths shut.

Why?

After all,

we do only go around once.

There's really no time to be afraid.

So stop.

Try something you've never tried.

Risk it.

Enter a triathlon.

Write a letter to the editor.

Demand a raise.

Call the winners at the toughest court.

Throw away your television.

Bicycle across the United States.

Try bobsledding.

Try anything.

Speak out against the designated hitter.

Travel to a country where you don't speak the language.

Patent something.

Call her.

You have nothing to lose

and everything

everything

everything to gain.

JUST DO IT."

Let's Get Seussical!

Dr. Seuss is one of my heros.

Somehow he manages to think just like kids.

Enjoy this week's version of a thought for Thursday brought to you by the man, the legend,

Dr Seuss

"Today was great, today was fun, Tomorrow is another one!"

Our Only Chance

Wlecome to A Thought for Thursday.

This week my inspiration comes from one of my favorite LDS leaders of all times, Sheri L Dew. She gave this talk in general conference while I was on my mission nearly 10 years ago. Wow, it really has been that long ago.

I feel so old.

Anyway, I refer to this talk still today, it had such an impact on my life. It still has deep personal meaning to me, I feel this talk has a lot to do with the person I am today. In fact I shared this story in my Relief Society lesson this last Sunday.

So here is just a piece of that talk given so long ago, April 1999.

"As a young BYU student I learned a little something about staying on course when heading home. One Christmas Eve my brother and I left to drive home to Kansas. But early in our journey we learned that a huge snowstorm was heading our way, so we pulled out a map, identified a detour that would skirt the edge of the storm, and headed into parts unknown. Our creative navigating proved dangerous. Our new route was unfamiliar, and we still ran right into the blizzard. To make matters worse, late that night as we were creeping along in blinding snow on an obscure highway, our old Ford quit. We were stranded. And we had absolutely no idea where we were.
Eventually we caught a ride to the nearest town, where we found that we were still hours from home and marooned in Last Chance, Colorado. At that point there was only one thing to do. We called home for help. In the middle of the night our father left to come and rescue us. By the next afternoon we were all safely home.
I’ll never forget Christmas Eve in Last Chance, where we were immobilized by a problem largely of our own making and one we were unequipped to solve. That day our father did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Now, each one of us is on the path towards our eternal home. And for various reasons we all need rescue—rescue from loneliness and heartache, from despair and disillusionment, from the consequences of innocent mistakes and blatant sin.
Where do we turn for help? “In the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way” (Ether 12:11). The Savior isn’t our last chance;

He is our only chance.

Our only chance to overcome self-doubt and catch a vision of who we may become. Our only chance to repent and have our sins washed clean. Our only chance to purify our hearts, subdue our weaknesses, and avoid the adversary. Our only chance to obtain redemption and exaltation. Our only chance to find peace and happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come."

Wings

I know, I know, Thursday is almost over. I have been really busy this week and I almost forgot about A Thought for Thursday. Until I was sitting watching T.V. after I put the kids to bed. I heard this quote while watching House. I liked it enough to share with my devoted readers.

"I'd rather live close to the birds my whole life rather than waste it wishing I had wings."

Short and Sweet

Welcome to a Thought for Thursday. In light of recent economic news here's a quote from a very educated man, none other than

Thomas Jefferson.

"Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies."

Can't Live With Them, Can't Live Without Them

For A Thought for Thursday this week I found lots of quotes about children and childhood. They are oh, so true. They speak to my soul. So here is a whole conglomeration of quotes all about those little devils we call our future, our angels, our children.

"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough book shelves."

Anna Quindlen

"The first half of our lives is ruined by our parents, the second half by our children."

Clarence Darrow

"You know children are growing up when they start asking questions that have answers."

John Plomp

"If your parents never had children, chances are you won't either."

Dick Cavett

"The child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five."

Groucho Marx

"Facing a mirror you see merely your own continence; facing your child you finally understand how every one else has seen you."

Daniel Raeburn

"I have found the best way to advise your child is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it."

Harry S. Truman

A Thought From a Genius

"If you want your child to be intelligent read him fairy tales.

If you want him to be even more intelligent, read him more fairy tales."

Simply said by the master himself,

Einstein

So there you have it, a Thought for Thursday, now go read to your child. If you don't have one go read to some one else's child!

Bill Cosby and Evolution

Let's try a Thought for Thursday again, shall we?

I need something funny this week, therefore I must go to the master of funny,

BILL COSBY

"A baby sells itself and needs no advertising copy; few people can resist it. There is something about babyness that brings out the softness in people and makes them want to hug and protect this small thing that dribbles and produces what we poetically call poopoo. Even that becomes precious, for the arrival of a baby coincides with the departure of our minds. My wife and I summoned that grandparents of our first baby and proudly cried, 'Look! Poopoo' A statement like this is the greatest disproof of evolution I know. Would you like a second disproof? Human being are the only creatures on earth that allow their children to come back home."

From his book Fatherhood

Update:I was just reading some of my favorite blogs and I realized today is the anniversary of 9/11. Has it been so long that it takes until 1:30 in the afternoon for me to figure it out?

Shameful

I just read this blog post about the whole thing and have been bawling for the last 20 minutes. It feels like it just happened all over again. Take a look, it's worth the read!

I Am a Mighty Oak

I am an acorn
Full of potential, in need of nourishing
With sun and soil and rain
I sprout, upward and down


I am a seedling
Surrounded by my siblings
Sending shoots and roots
I explore grow and expand

I am a sapling
Reaching for the sun
Tall, trim, flexible
I yearn for more

I am a tree
Roots diving deeper and deeper
My canopy spreads
I grow in strength and stature

I am a tree
Standing in a forest of fellows
Unique in purpose and place
I lift nests and climbers

I am an oak
Soaring above the valley
Victor over fire and flood
I breathe life to all around me
Seasoned, wise
Mostly, I raise acorns


By Oliver and Rachel DeMille

On the back cover of their book

Leadership Education

The Phases of Learning

Thanks for joining me for A Though for Thursday!

A Thought for Thursday

Photo by Sanjay Kittimani

I have been thinking a lot about starting a new tradition on my blog. I'm sure you all are getting tired of hearing me ramble

on and on and on and on.

I thought I would share with all my fabulous readers a new thought from someone other than myself every Thursday!

This gives you all a much needed break from my insanity and it gives me a chance to share with all of you some of the insights I have learned during the week.

They may be funny, inspirational, thought provoking, or even song lyrics that I really like.

I hope this becomes a fun tradition.

You have to know going into this that I read a lot with my kids so don't be surprised if a lot of the quotes are from children's literature.

So let's get this thing started. We just finished reading

The Trumpet of the Swan

by E.B. White.

Here is one of the passages I thought was beautiful.

"The sky is my living room. The woods are my parlor. The lonely lake is my bath."