God's creation

It never ceases to amaze me the beauties that surround us, if we would just open our eyes. I took Shania to Susanville (112 miles) for her soccer game today -- which their team won and she received the praise of her coach as being the only one that played her position perfectly -- brag, brag!!! But that wasn't what I wanted to write about.

As we drove over the mountain, I couldn't get enough of the magnificent, pine trees that lines the road. The leafing trees (I won't pretend that I know any of the names of any of the trees around here) were changing colors and the brilliant golds, reds, and yellows were scattered all through the forests. As I came up over different peaks and saw into the little valleys, I could see small streams or a couple of lakes that were tucked back away from the chaos of the road and cars that zoomed by.

Off in the distance, next to a grove of fallen trees I spotted a couple of deer. One was eating while the other was watching as sentinel.

How can anyone deny that there is a loving Heavenly Father and not marvel at the creation that He placed before us for our enjoyment? How can anyone say that there isn't a purpose for our existence or that we are not the crowning glory of His vast creations?

Yet, it has recently been brought to my attention that both Levi's and PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric -- the big utility company here) are paying large sums of money to defeat the bill to protect marriage. The opposite of what this bill stands for that will violate the ultimate gift that can be given to all mankind.

When one steps back and looks at the grand scheme of the universe or even the little ant that walks through the grass in the yard, if that person would stop and let the spirit whisper to his heart, there is no denying our Heavenly Father exists, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, helped to create all of this Earth for us, and wants us to return to live with Him again.

A humbling thought when we realize that not only has He given this to us, but He can take it away. I can't imagine the pain our Heavenly Father must feel at the misunderstandings and abuse that we allow the adversary to introduce into our lives.

I'm thankful for those quiet moments when I can reflect on the love of Jesus Christ and the assurance that floods my mind knowing I can have faith in Him and turn to Him, working toward returning to Him someday.

Dad, but I need . . . .

Oh, the injustice. The long explanations and reasoning behind each detail. The mournful pleas and countless ways of trying to explain the same thing. Only to be confronted each time with . . . "Do you NEED it or do you WANT it? Well, in that case, you can't have it." The fastest way to lose it all was to profess the dying need for something.

To the hormone clouded mind, there was no difference. If you want it, doesn't it mean you need it to soothe your feverish desires to fit in and be part of every one else. Of course, every one else had it or was doing it -- that is what it was all about. Never mind the sensibility of each request. The important thing was the need.

How could parents be so insensitive to their children's needs? If they really loved them, the parents would see to it the child had all of those much needed and important things. Yet, in the end, all the kids heard was how much they would thank their parents when they had their own. Yeah, right!!!!

Well, a million years later, here I am and just the other day I about fell off my chair. "Son, do you really NEED it or do you just WANT it? Now, really think about it. What is the truth? Do you need help figuring it out?" Yikes!!! Where did that come from? I swore I would never say or do those things. Alas, the more I "mature" the more I realize how like my parents I am becoming. I thank my Heavenly Father daily that I had good parents that I could become like.

So, good luck kids. You don't have a prayer of a chance. I learned from the best and they say each generation gets better than the last. That should mean I'm just about perfect -- hee, hee!!