My son is a runner, actually he is a very talented runner.
The other night he came to me with a very serious question, I could tell that he’d been thinking about it for some time. He said; “Dad, why is it that here I am, tall, lean and running hard, exercising, eating right and really trying, and yet I’m struggling to achieve my goal times…I’m only going so fast…but yet, I know that somewhere in Ethiopia or Kenya, there is a kid, the same age as me, same build, etc. but with less advantages…and he can probably run faster than me? What is the difference?”
WOW…what a thought provoking question. It was one that I really had to think about. You see on the surface it doesn’t make any sense. In the USA we have more money, state of the art science, excellent coaches and training facilities…but yet we still can’t seem to churn out world class distance runners very effectively…why is that?
To understand, you have to turn what makes sense on its head.
Here is what I told him:
Blog for the Priesthood MEN who are ready to "arise from the dust and be MEN" (2 Nephi 1:21)
Monday, December 17, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Stoicism...
OK…so I’ve been mulling this around for some time…Elder D. Todd Christofferson’s talk from General Conference (Brethren We Have Work To D) was a very powerful one to me. It echoes many sentiments that I’ve written about here on my blog. It was thrilling to me to hear his words and feel a small sense of validation. I can’t tell you how many times as I’ve tried to talk about these very issues, and people have said “If this is so important, why aren’t the brethren talking about it?”…WELL…
One thing in particular that I can’t seem to get out of my head, was this quote:
“Today, however, with women moving ahead in an advanced economy, provider husbands and fathers are now optional, and the character qualities men had needed to play their role—fortitude, stoicism, courage, fidelity—are obsolete and even a little embarrassing.”
Those four attributes that he lists piqued my curiosity: Fortitude, Stoicism, Courage, Fidelity. What do these words mean? Why do they matter? How do they define men? And ultimately, how do we put them into practice?
Thursday, October 11, 2012
What Does Being Healthy Mean?
This is a "FUN" post. I was reading the News the other day and stumbled on an article by James Fell titled "What It Means To Be Healthy - Hint: It Doesn't Mean Looking Like A Fitness-Mag Model". In the article Mr. Fell outlines some points of what it means to him to be Healthy, here is his list:
-It means finding my own personal “good enough.” I don’t pay attention to what the media says about the way I should look, get jealous of fitness models with rippling abs or bemoan the fact that I never won an Olympic medal. The only person I’m competing with is myself.
-It means harmonious instead of obsessive passion. I run because I love doing it, not because I have some number-crunching minimum of calories to burn.
-It’s about having a life that I enjoy. My diet doesn’t feel deprived, and I don’t feel like my time is eaten up by exercise. When I want pizza and (root) beer, I have pizza and (root) beer. When I don’t want to lift weights, I don’t lift weights. Conversely, when I’m in the mood to exercise, I relish going hard.
-It’s about finding out what I’m physically capable of.
-It’s about having kids who say things like, “Daddy, you’re really strong.”
-It’s about having a loving wife who thinks I look hot.
-It means finding my own personal “good enough.” I don’t pay attention to what the media says about the way I should look, get jealous of fitness models with rippling abs or bemoan the fact that I never won an Olympic medal. The only person I’m competing with is myself.
-It means harmonious instead of obsessive passion. I run because I love doing it, not because I have some number-crunching minimum of calories to burn.
-It’s about having a life that I enjoy. My diet doesn’t feel deprived, and I don’t feel like my time is eaten up by exercise. When I want pizza and (root) beer, I have pizza and (root) beer. When I don’t want to lift weights, I don’t lift weights. Conversely, when I’m in the mood to exercise, I relish going hard.
-It’s about finding out what I’m physically capable of.
-It’s about having kids who say things like, “Daddy, you’re really strong.”
-It’s about having a loving wife who thinks I look hot.
Monday, October 8, 2012
General Conference October 2012
OK..this is a quick post, and I'll have more thoughts on this in latter posts, but I've got to say that I LOVED all of what I heard and felt during Conference.
Some messages that especially resonated with me were the Priesthood Session talk by D. Todd Christofferson, the Sunday AM talk by Jeffery R. Holland and the first talk of the conference by Quentin L. Cook. All amazing talks! I can't wait to listen to them some more and read the words. I always learn more as I revisit them.
Elder Christofferson's talk seems to fit right in with the overarching message of this blog. Rise and be Men that the Lord can trust!
Some messages that especially resonated with me were the Priesthood Session talk by D. Todd Christofferson, the Sunday AM talk by Jeffery R. Holland and the first talk of the conference by Quentin L. Cook. All amazing talks! I can't wait to listen to them some more and read the words. I always learn more as I revisit them.
Elder Christofferson's talk seems to fit right in with the overarching message of this blog. Rise and be Men that the Lord can trust!
NO FEAR - NO WHINING - NO REGRETS
Friday, October 5, 2012
Random Thoughts
Today I’d like to address a few random thoughts that I’ve had rolling around for some time, but haven’t been able to make a full, coherent post out of…
Random thought #1 - The hijacking of the word VIRTUE by the YW program of the Church. I mean no disrespect by this, but I wonder if anyone has actually looked up the definition of the word? We hear a lot these days about the “Return to Virtue”…but what does that really mean?
vir•tue - [vur-choo]: from L. virtutem (nom. virtus) "moral strength, manliness, valor, excellence, worth," from vir "man"
noun
1. moral excellence; goodness; righteousness.
2. conformity of one's life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness; rectitude.
3. chastity; virginity:
4. a particular moral excellence.
5. a good or admirable quality or property:
6. effective force; power or potency:
7. virtues, an order of angels.
8. manly excellence; valor.
Virtue is a very manly word…quite possibly one of the MOST MANLY words around. Why? Well, the root VIR is Latin for MAN…and the word is literally the definition of a manly man. To be a man of virtue is to have the highest regard of manliness. It defines a man as noble, respected, righteous, honorable, courageous in battle and trustworthy. In ancient Rome, and man who was described as “VIRTUS” was akin to royalty. Only the bravest and most noble in a man bestowed this title upon him.
Random thought #1 - The hijacking of the word VIRTUE by the YW program of the Church. I mean no disrespect by this, but I wonder if anyone has actually looked up the definition of the word? We hear a lot these days about the “Return to Virtue”…but what does that really mean?
vir•tue - [vur-choo]: from L. virtutem (nom. virtus) "moral strength, manliness, valor, excellence, worth," from vir "man"
noun
1. moral excellence; goodness; righteousness.
2. conformity of one's life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness; rectitude.
3. chastity; virginity:
4. a particular moral excellence.
5. a good or admirable quality or property:
6. effective force; power or potency:
7. virtues, an order of angels.
8. manly excellence; valor.
Virtue is a very manly word…quite possibly one of the MOST MANLY words around. Why? Well, the root VIR is Latin for MAN…and the word is literally the definition of a manly man. To be a man of virtue is to have the highest regard of manliness. It defines a man as noble, respected, righteous, honorable, courageous in battle and trustworthy. In ancient Rome, and man who was described as “VIRTUS” was akin to royalty. Only the bravest and most noble in a man bestowed this title upon him.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Putting on the Armor of God
Among my favorite topics to discuss with my fellow warriors are the scriptures teaching us the all important principle of putting on the ‘Armor of God’ (Ephesians 6:11-18 and D&C 27:15-18). This is no small topic and one that can fill volumes with gospel discussions. There are some key elements for Latter Day Warriors that I’d like to point out, then I’d encourage you to prayerfully study these passages to find the personal meanings for yourself.
Of course the real world metaphor is that any warrior going to battle would never do so without his armor. A good warrior knows the value of defensive/offensive armor. Failure to properly fit, maintain, and utilize armor would result in severe injury or loss of life. Putting on armor is not just a one-time action. It requires constant training, conditioning, practice and skill. I can’t just hand you a sword, helmet, breastplate, shield, etc… and say “Go to battle!” You must first practice with this armor, and practice a lot! (Alma 46:21 think about how the Nephites come RUNNING with their armor ON...what that means in terms of preparation...) You have to keep your armor in good condition and be comfortable with its use. In a similar fashion, you can’t wait until a crisis strikes before you start to practice with your armor. It must be a habit well before you actually need it. It is often said that the best warriors are the best trained warriors. SEAL’s, RECON Marines, Green Berets…you name them, they all train constantly so that when the call to action comes they are truly ready. (I’ve read where SEAL’s train with real bullets because of the slight difference in weight, recoil and smell than blanks. They go through more ammo in training than other units combined. All to practice so that when they have to use it for real, they know what they are doing.)
One lesson to be taken from this scripture is that we should be preparing as warriors in a very spiritual sense on a daily basis, just like real world warriors do. We can’t expect to win battles with our adversary without this knowledge and the daily practice of it. As we strive to become warriors, a key element in this progression is to put on our armor and use it. How do we do this? Simply put, it’s living those basic gospel principles on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. Daily personal and family prayer, regular scripture study, going to our Church services, being a Latter-Day Saint in all that we do, but this isn’t all…these things have to be done in earnest. We can’t put in a half-hearted effort here, just like Navy SEALS in training, it’s all or nothing. It isn’t enough to just pray etc…but we must Search, Ponder and Pray. We must ask questions and seek honest and sincere answers. We must exercise our priesthood in a manful way and we must “walk uprightly before God” (Alma 1:1). In our daily actions. In short…we need to be sheepdogs, actively looking for weakness and fortifying it with diligence, faith and conviction, putting down evil and wickedness wherever we go. Like true warriors, we must always be “ON” and ready for action.
Of course the real world metaphor is that any warrior going to battle would never do so without his armor. A good warrior knows the value of defensive/offensive armor. Failure to properly fit, maintain, and utilize armor would result in severe injury or loss of life. Putting on armor is not just a one-time action. It requires constant training, conditioning, practice and skill. I can’t just hand you a sword, helmet, breastplate, shield, etc… and say “Go to battle!” You must first practice with this armor, and practice a lot! (Alma 46:21 think about how the Nephites come RUNNING with their armor ON...what that means in terms of preparation...) You have to keep your armor in good condition and be comfortable with its use. In a similar fashion, you can’t wait until a crisis strikes before you start to practice with your armor. It must be a habit well before you actually need it. It is often said that the best warriors are the best trained warriors. SEAL’s, RECON Marines, Green Berets…you name them, they all train constantly so that when the call to action comes they are truly ready. (I’ve read where SEAL’s train with real bullets because of the slight difference in weight, recoil and smell than blanks. They go through more ammo in training than other units combined. All to practice so that when they have to use it for real, they know what they are doing.)
One lesson to be taken from this scripture is that we should be preparing as warriors in a very spiritual sense on a daily basis, just like real world warriors do. We can’t expect to win battles with our adversary without this knowledge and the daily practice of it. As we strive to become warriors, a key element in this progression is to put on our armor and use it. How do we do this? Simply put, it’s living those basic gospel principles on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. Daily personal and family prayer, regular scripture study, going to our Church services, being a Latter-Day Saint in all that we do, but this isn’t all…these things have to be done in earnest. We can’t put in a half-hearted effort here, just like Navy SEALS in training, it’s all or nothing. It isn’t enough to just pray etc…but we must Search, Ponder and Pray. We must ask questions and seek honest and sincere answers. We must exercise our priesthood in a manful way and we must “walk uprightly before God” (Alma 1:1). In our daily actions. In short…we need to be sheepdogs, actively looking for weakness and fortifying it with diligence, faith and conviction, putting down evil and wickedness wherever we go. Like true warriors, we must always be “ON” and ready for action.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Feminization
Today I’d like to address a topic that has been rolling around in my head for years. This is not intended to belittle any gender or principle taught at Church…simply an observation that we might be slightly off in some of our beliefs (not doctrine…just the traditional way in which it is presented).
What I’d like to talk about is the feminization of the gospel and the subsequent effect on men.
To help illustrate my thoughts, let me tell you a story.
A few months back we took all our YM (12-18) up in the canyon to have a Duty to God activity. As I’ve stated before in my posts, I’m conducting an experiment where every six months, we have an activity and issue a challenge to work on the Duty to God, with a reward to follow in the next six months. This was such an activity. As part of that activity I told a story about the race to the south pole from a post that I read here (art of manliness) We had some fun with it and to be honest, by the appearance of the boys, I thought it went in one ear and out the other. They were fidgety, they were not looking at me…I figured it was gone.
Well, last Sunday, the guy who was supposed to teach the Deacon’s Quorum couldn’t be there so the Deacon’s Quorum President (who happens to be my son) asked if I could come and visit the quorum, tell that ‘South Pole’ story again and teach about the Duty to God program. The Deacon’s Quorum has recently had an influx of about 6 boys and they have no idea what the Duty to God program is, or how to do it, so I thought he had a good idea.
Since half of the quorum had heard the story, I picked on them to help me tell it (also to see what they retained). I was truly shocked at the details they could recall, and the lessons learned that night six months ago. They rattled off to me details of the story that I had forgotten. It was amazing. The lesson was a rousing success because the boys taught each other…I did very little.
What I’d like to talk about is the feminization of the gospel and the subsequent effect on men.
To help illustrate my thoughts, let me tell you a story.
A few months back we took all our YM (12-18) up in the canyon to have a Duty to God activity. As I’ve stated before in my posts, I’m conducting an experiment where every six months, we have an activity and issue a challenge to work on the Duty to God, with a reward to follow in the next six months. This was such an activity. As part of that activity I told a story about the race to the south pole from a post that I read here (art of manliness) We had some fun with it and to be honest, by the appearance of the boys, I thought it went in one ear and out the other. They were fidgety, they were not looking at me…I figured it was gone.
Well, last Sunday, the guy who was supposed to teach the Deacon’s Quorum couldn’t be there so the Deacon’s Quorum President (who happens to be my son) asked if I could come and visit the quorum, tell that ‘South Pole’ story again and teach about the Duty to God program. The Deacon’s Quorum has recently had an influx of about 6 boys and they have no idea what the Duty to God program is, or how to do it, so I thought he had a good idea.
Since half of the quorum had heard the story, I picked on them to help me tell it (also to see what they retained). I was truly shocked at the details they could recall, and the lessons learned that night six months ago. They rattled off to me details of the story that I had forgotten. It was amazing. The lesson was a rousing success because the boys taught each other…I did very little.
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