Multiple Thoughts

I’ve actually written several posts lately, then I’ve decided not to publish them for one reason or another.  The main reason being that I’m concerned that they would all be taken the wrong way and people would get: A) offended B) upset C) violently angry or D) severely depressed.  Maybe that is a good thing because all of them have dealt with the amount of laziness, apathy and absolute foolishness I’ve observed in the world around me lately. 

Maybe it’d be a good thing if people got angry enough to actually get off the couch and act on something…that would be a step in the right direction.

Here are a few of the topics that I’ve attempted to cover recently:

Bullying – how I believe that this is an overused and over-applied term.  Too many people in our society blame their lot in life on bullying.

Self-esteem and what a harmful thing it is to build too much of it.

Doing Hard Things – another overused term in a society of lazy, boorish people who have every conceivable modern convenience at their disposal and would rather play video games than help a neighbor take out the trash.

The zombie apocalypse that has already begun. Just take a look at your average teen as he or she plays a video game…see the vacant expression and the dead eyes and tell me that that kid isn’t already a zombie drone.

So the main reason that I didn’t post many of these things is simply this…

I am trying to avoid focusing on negative things.  Rather than sit here and point out all the bad/wrong things that people are doing I’d rather focus on positives and what CAN be done.  Clearly if a person is reading my blog, they’ve come to a point in their lives where they are looking to change for the better and for me to point out all that is wrong doesn’t help that in any way.

So I resolve from this point forward to focus all my time, energy and writing on being a ‘builder’ rather than a ‘wrecker’. 

With that in mind…I want to lay out a few rules to all who wish to become a real LDS-SOF Warrior. This is the foundation:

1)    No Whining – You CANNOT blame your circumstance in life on ANYONE else. Own your weakness and turn it into a strength. Whiners accomplish nothing.
2)    No FEAR – Fear does not come from GOD.  2 Tim. 1:7
3)    No Regrets – there is only one thing in life that we need to regret and that is sin.  Repent and move forward.
4)    Respect others. Demand respect from others.
5)    Smile.  You have the light and truth of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ, the fruit that is most desirable, be happy about it.
6)    Man-Up…Warrior-UP…Armor-UP…Put on The Armor Of God.
7)    Get Fit.

There are many things I could add to this…but like I say, this is the foundation, the base.  This is where you begin your journey.  This is where I begin my journey.  We are all in this together.  We truly are a Band of Brothers.

Let’s roll.

NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS

Taking Risks

I noticed something interesting at an activity that I attended recently…and it was that today's boys are really afraid to take risks, whereas the girls seem to have more courage to try things and potentially fail.

The reason that this struck me as odd is because that the traditional stereotype is that men tend to be the risk takers.  Men are the ones who are always doing something that requires the courage and willingness to possibly fail.

At least in the instance of the activity that I attended this was not the case.

Often when asking Young Men about this kind of thing, you will get a long list of reasons why they should not take the risk.  Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of looking foolish…etc…the common denominator being FEAR.

I tell you what…I hate that word.

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

There is only one good use for fear and it is the kind of fear that protects life.  The fear of an actual, real, dangerous, bad thing happening.  Fear that causes adrenaline to race though our bodies and gives us power to protect loved ones.  Fear that makes us prepare for the worst, but live for the best.

Irrational, paralyzing fear though, seems to be a dominant force in the lives of our men today.  Irrational fears that become debilitating and create physical, mental and emotional barriers to being the best we can be.  What are we really so afraid of? Why are we cowering before phantoms that aren’t there? Why do we let these fears dictate unmanly behavior? Most importantly…when did this become acceptable?

Fear is the antithesis of faith.

We are men. 

Men do not hide from a challenge.  Men do not let circumstance dictate behavior. We act with honor ALWAYS. We move forward with courage and fortitude.  We relish danger and we ‘grin when we fight’ (Winston Churchill). We take risks.  We learn from mistakes. 

WE ARE PRIESTHOOD MEN.

We protect the weak and defenseless.  We sacrifice to provide for others.  We give up our own comfort that others may be comfortable. We use our priesthood not for our own vain purposes nor to satisfy personal desires for glory.  We exercise this priesthood on behalf of those whom we serve…especially women and children.  It is our God given gift to bless their lives far beyond our own.

Of course sometimes we are scared and can be fearful…but it is those moments that true character shines through.  Are we cowards…or are we men of valor?  Is our Virtue one of honor or are we slaves to weakness and FEAR.

Don’t be afraid.  Be faithful. 

Feed the dog of courage.

NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS