Amen

I was wondering recently why people say the word "amen" at the end of prayers. I did a little digging into the subject today. From what I can tell, the word "amen" means "verily", "truly", "so be it", or "so it may be". Here is one resource from Google. Here is another from the LDS web site that gets into scriptural references and some additional insight into ancient usage.

Abraham Lincoln and Prayer

I was looking through a catalog and came across a framed print of this quote by Abraham Lincoln: "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go."  I liked the quote - President Lincoln is a favorite of mine - and it reminded me of Ether 12:27: "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."  Sometimes people wonder why a caring and loving God would allow hardships - even terrible hardships - in our lives.  Perhaps it's so we'll turn to Him since we'll feel we have nowhere else to go.

Jesus Bobble-Head

A little while ago, I bought a Jesus Christ bobble-head for my office.  It's currently sitting on my desk at work.  I thought it would be a low-key way to let people know that I am Christian and serve as a fun conversation-starter for people who are interested in talking more about it.  It's also had the slightly unexpected effect of keeping me on my best behavior at work (see this fun video to get a better sense of what I mean).  

So far, no one has asked me about the bobble-head but it hasn't been here that long.  Interestingly, though, two former co-workers gave me holiday cards - one who is Christian but another denomination and one who is Mormon but no longer active.  In the first card, the person wrote "you are a real blessing and shine God's light".  In the second card, the person wrote "it is so great to see you so dedicated to God!"  I don't remember talking to either one of these people much about religion - some stuff here and there but nothing too extensive.  I guess people pay attention (both positively and negatively) more than I think.

Emma Smith: My Story

I was in Salt Lake City for Christmas and had an opportunity to watch the movie "Emma Smith: My Story".  Relative to her first husband (Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the LDS Church), a lot less is known of Emma Smith.  I thought the movie was quite interesting and well done (although pretty similar to the movie "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration").  It gave me a more tangible feel for the struggles that Emma went through - the loss of multiple children, extended separation from her husband, constant attacks on her family, etc.

Awhile ago, someone who was investigating the Church asked me about Emma Smith and why she chose not to move west after the death of her husband.  I don't know if we'll ever fully know Emma's reasons for that but it did prompt me to read up on the Mormon Succession Crisis of 1844.  In case you ever become interested in that topic, this is a great analysis that I found.

Footprints in the world

I've started using Facebook a lot recently.  It's a good social networking site and has been a fun way to at least minimally keep in touch with people and know what they're up to.  If you also use Facebook and want to link up, send me an email.

Today, someone I know posted this comment: "wonders: Is time deterministic and inevitable, or quanticized and uncertain?"  To which, someone else responded: "Some people choose to make no footprint in the world. Don't be that guy."  I don't fully follow the original question but really liked the response and wanted to keep it for the future.  Regardless of where life takes me and whether I succeed or fail in the things that I attempt to do, I hope I will be able to look back on my life and say that I made a footprint in the world (see prior post).

Wikipedia

I just made a financial donation to Wikipedia so they can continue to fund their operations.  I'm sure all (or at least many) of you have used Wikipedia at some point.  It's a great resource - especially for scientific information - and I use it often.  To the extent possible, I hope you will support this common good as well.

Children's Letters to God

My in-laws have these cute letters to God on their computer. I couldn't help writing them down so I'd have them for the future. So amazing to see what kids say sometimes.

Dear God,
Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don't you just keep the ones you got now?
J

Dear God,
I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Isthat ok?
N

Dear God,
I think the stapler is one of your greatest invention.
R

Dear God,
In bible times, did they really talk that fancy?
J

Dear God,
I think about you sometimes even when I'm not praying.
E

Dear God,
I am American. What are you?
R

Dear God,
Thank you for the baby brother but what I prayed for was a puppy.
J

Dear God,
I bet it is very hard for you to love all of everybody in the whole world. There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it.
N

Dear God,
Please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter. There is nothing good in there now.
G

Dear God,
If you watch in church on Sunday, I will show you my new shoes.
M

Dear God,
If we come back as something, please don't let me be Jennifer Horton because I hate her.
D

God,
I would like to live 900 years like the guy in the Bible.
Love,
C

Dear God,
If you give me a genie lamp like Alladin, I will give you anything you want except my money or my chess set.
R

We read Thos. Edison made light. But in Sun. School they said you did it. So I bet he stoled your idea.
Sincerely,
D

Dear God,
If you let the dinasor not exstinct we would not have a country. You did the right thing.
J

Dear God,
Please send Dennis Clark to a different camp this year.
P

Dear God,
Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother.
L

I'd hard to pick a favorite - they're all so good - but I think it would either be the one about Cain and Abel or praying for a puppy instead of a baby brother.

Everything's amazing, nobody's happy

A friend of mine turned me on to this video.  It's a clip of Louis CK on Conan (10/1/08).  He's talking about modern conveniences and how everyone takes them for granted.  I've made that observation many times before.  In particular, I think it's amazing (and a little crazy) that my kids will never know a world without cell phones, email, the Internet/Web, DVDs, DVRs, Microsoft Office, Google, video games, computers, etc.  Just as an example, I still remember going to the public library to do research for school projects, looking up books in a paper-based card catalog, photo-copying the pages I needed, and typing up my report in DOS-based Word Perfect and printing it out on a dot-matrix printer.  Now I could probably accomplish the same thing in 20 minutes using Google or Wikipedia without even having to leave my house - and have a much more polished result to boot.  Amazing how quickly things change - and I'm not even that old!

Cowboy Logic

My mother-in-law shared this funny story with me:

A cowboy was herding his herd in a remote pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of a dust cloud towards him.

The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leans out the window and asks the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?"

The cowboy looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure. Why not?"  The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer,  connects it to his AT&T cell phone, surfs to a NASA page on the  Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite navigation system to get an  exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite  that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo. The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany.

Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses a MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Exce spreadsheet with hundreds of complex formulas. He uploads all of this data via an email on his

Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response.

Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer and finally turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1586 cows and calves."  "That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says the  cowboy.

He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on amused as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.

Then the cowboy says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"  The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why  not?"

"You're a consultant." says the cowboy.

"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?"

"No guessing required." answered the cowboy. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked; and you don't know anything about my business...  ...Now give me back my dog."

I find this extra-amusing since my brother is interviewing with management consulting firms right now.  Good luck, brother!  Perhaps your first case assignment will be on a cattle ranch.  =)

The Mom Song

This is a neat video from YouTube.

It's not easy being a mom, that's for sure.

Footprints in the sand

I've heard a couple of people reference this story before.  Here is one version of it:

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.

This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.

The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.

I really like this story since it's a good reminder that God is always with us - when we need Him the most and when we (perhaps) acknowledge His presence and support the least.

Father John Corapi

I've listened to Father Corapi speak a number of times on Catholic radio (I don't get BYU Radio in my area in the car). I struggle sometimes to follow the Catholic-specific references but, on a whole, I've always enjoyed and benefited from what he has to say. This video on YouTube recounts his conversion experience and provides a really nice example of what he has to say (and how he says it). If you're Christian (or even if you aren't), I would wholeheartedly recommend Father Corapi.

Bethlehem (Santa Clara)

Tonight, for family home evening, we went to Bethlehem at the Santa Clara First Baptist Church. I was really surprised at how extensive their production was - live actors, a live baby Jesus, live animals, a full-size market place, etc. A very, very cool experience. In the middle of the production, one of the performers was singing Silent Night. Half way through, the audience spontaneously joined in - a special moment for sure.

South Park explains the history of the Mormons

A friend of mine sent me this episode from South Park.  It's a parody and exaggerates things to make them funny.  There are some inaccuracies, of course, and I obviously don't agree with the final conclusion of one of the characters.  But, considering the group who put this together, I was expecting way worse so I was pleasantly surprised.  The Mormon cultural stuff (like FHE) was particuarly funny to me.

As an aside, if you watch the video and are interested in the objection at the end, feel free to read this - particularly the section entitled "the wisdom of the Lord is greater than the cunning of the devil".