Fresh Start

Here it the new year. I have felt for awhile that I needed to keep a journal of some sort. The question is how, where and when. In this modern era of computers, internet, PDA's, cell phones, e-mail etc. how is a real question. Will I lose all that I write? Can I remember this new password? Alas, for whatever reason I have chosen the route of the blog. Wish me luck.

I spent quite a bit of time working on my personal goal statement. Over the last month or so my wife, Marta, has the read aloud the book, The Power of Story, by Jim Loher. It has been a pretty easy book to read as we believe that it coincides with what we are working on in our family. Its premise is that we create our life by the story we write for ourself. Said in other words, we live the life we believe we have. It suggests that each of us write a mission statement that, if read at our funeral, we felt our life fulfilled. I will learn how to back up this blog and save it so my thoughts, in a small way are preserved if any of my acquaintances should like to read them. There are those whose lives intersected with mine, who are no longer, that I wish more was available about.

Enough nostalgia. Here is another opportunity to get better at keeping a journal. When I was an LDS missionary I kept a regular journal. When I review it I have to laugh. In the beginning it is really serious, then the unabashed, cocky, young man comes through. While I certainly had my faults I also had a good sense of purpose. I still have a good sense of purpose. I am a husband to Marta and the happy father of seven great kids. It is still a blur how I ended up turning 40. My family also has 2 dogs, a cat, two horses, and a couple of turtles somewhere in the yard. By profession I am an attorney who focuses on injury law. Our church has a lay ministry (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) and I work with the 12 & 13 year old young men as an advisor and Scout Master. Life in great.

This past weekend I took the Scouts to Zion National Park for an overnighter. I was able to take two of my sons, Chander and Sam, age 12 and 7. We had 6 boys go. A few of the mothers were worried as a big storm was due. It rained all night long and all morning. Fortunately, our water proof tents were still water proof and all remained dry. When moring came there was no real push to get breakfast, as generally people just wanted to go home. The rain lightened and we set out for a ride. What a great choice. Zion National Park is always beautiful, and the rain with snow on the higher elevations was no exception. We saw buck deer, water falls, and filled our lungs with clean, cool winter air. Attached are a couple of the photographs. What a great time.



It seems a little strange to start by writing about a Scout campout, but I suppose the recency of the event brings it the most easily to mind. There are lots of great things to write about and I commit to write at least twice a week, hopefully it will get easier as we go.