Thanksgiving

It is amazing to me to count my blessings at Thanksgiving. They are not measured in dollars and cents, but in family. I have never experienced being "rich" so I can't say I don't like it, but I do have a rich heritage of family and I "like" it. So, what does that mean? In terms of "eternity" it means everything. I remember the story of the man who had it all and he wanted to take it with him. In his will he stated that all of his wealth should be buried with him. After the funeral, a close friend asked his wife if she was angry with the request. "No," she replied, "it was a good thing and I was happy to comply." Her incredulous friend couldn't believe that she was okay with putting all his wealth in the ground with him, so she pressed; "how will you manage?" "I will be okay," she responded. The friend, still bewildered, queried, "You put every penny he had in the casket with him?" "Every penny," she responded. "Then why are you so happy?" the friend snapped. "It's simple," she said, "I wrote him a check." The great thing about family relationships is that they go with you and are truly eternal.
I believe in simplicity and this all seems very simple, but obviously there needs to be some requirement from members of the family to make sure that happens. I guess that is why it is important that we accept covenants and live according to them. I have watch "policy's" and "leaders" come and go, but the constant is that family relationships are constant and eternal. In the D&C 132:19 it says: "...if a man marry a wife by my word,which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them--Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection...and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities and powers, dominions, all heights and depths...which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever." (You should read section 132 completely so this comes in context. This section is also about the plurality of wives.) Seeds is defined as an eternal family.
So, what does all this mean? In a nutshell, when we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, we are an eternal family. That "family" is two, but with each additional sealing and new families created, there is the relationship between the families that cannot be broken as long as we keep our covenants. WOW! That is so awesome. It is my hope that we can all do what is "important" vs. what is "wanted" so we can continue on forever--and not hope for a "check" in the casket that may bounce.
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Fatherhood

Bill Cosby once said, "Gray hair is God's graffiti." I wonder where that leaves me? So much graffiti, my hair is vanishing. It is interesting to be in a place where I am now watching my sons raising children of their own. Sometimes, I think I should offer some nuggets of wisdom, but realize it would quite simply be interfering. So, rather than interfering, I thought I would just "blog" about fatherhood and related topics. Watch for my first "thoughts" very soon. I am new at this blogging thing, so bear with me.