How incredibly cool am I? Well, maybe just sworda cool. Get it? Get it?Anyway. So, there's home construction today. We're tiling the back patio, becuase my dad apparently has this mediterranian island paradise vision for our back yard. I think it'll be nice. So that went on for a while.
Then I made some amazing salad for a dinner we were invited to by the family of my brother's best friend. (Ask me for the recipe)
Anyway, thought of the day. Isn't it amazing how blessings pour out when you least expect them? But when they come they always come at a time when you didn't really notice you needed them, but upon reflection, holy crap, it would have been so hard without them. Okay, that was as clear as mud. To elucidate, an example. So, my family isn't one that anyone would call 'rich'. We're comfortable. We're in the middle class. But we have many expenses, like two kids in college, three cars (two in CA and one in UT) and oh yeah,
my sister is getting married. That's a big one. So, we get by.
Well, randomly, I get this letter in the mail from BYU today, and 'hey Jon, you get a half-tuition scholarship next year'. How nice is that? Completely unexpected. I mean, I apply, but I
never get anything. I'm pretty sure the FAFSA means F- All of the Freaking Stupid Asians. Or Financial Assistance Fakery for people born Somewhere not America. But yeah. And my beloved TTE program gave me a quarter tuition assistance because I'm student teaching. That's (counts) ..three quarters assistance! Really, it's humbling.
It would have been a pinch on my dad any myself who work to the bone already (me not as much as my dad, cause let's face it, I work but not so much for money- apparently I like to give it away.) to get through the next year. I also am aware that there a whole lot of other students who are struggling much harder than I who are probably more righteous than I who probably deserve it more than I. Yet I get the letter. I don't know why such mercies are given me, but I'll accept them with gratitude. I really think that the net effect of blessings like these (blessings without too much immediate reason) is humility.
I think that certain behaviors are manifestations of certain traits. This isn't always without exception, but are good measures to judge by. For example, charity I think is manifested a lot by personal sacrifice. Love, by patience. Faith by action and humility by gratitude. A humble man sees him self as he really is with respect to the majesty of God and His plan. It's eye-opening to realize how much mercy we receive on a daily basis. I feel that God humbles people in two ways: He destroys them, or He shows them mercy. How thankful I am that our Father is a merciful God.
It makes me think to my favorite part of the Pearl of Great Price which is the Oliver Cowdry note at the end of JSH. The one that starts with
“These were days never to be forgotten". This is the whole quote. “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom!" I see a humbled man who is realizing that he is literally writing God's words. I wonder sometimes if he even saw the massive scope of the undertakings in which he was working. I can't comprehend it myself. But what it came down to, what he wrote, was that he was thankful. Humbling, eh?
So, here's to being grateful. All I can really do is work on becoming more humble, work hard and help as many people as I can. I'm sure there's more, but those are my top three. If anyone else can think of more to add to the list, feel free. : )
Still missing my friends though. (And I have no favorites.) But Strawberries and Ice Cream are doing a good job of replacing them.
Hey everyone! Sorry it took me so long to finally put up a new caption contest. As far as a winner for the last one, I think it goes to Jon. Although Leaper's comment was pretty good, too. This one is from my surfing trip to the Canary Islands. And since you all seem to enjoy making fun of me so much, perhaps I will continue to post pictures from the trip even though I am already back in the United States.
Hey folks, sorry if it's been a while. The winner from last week had to be J-rad's child custody comment. This new picture is from San Sebastian, a city on the northern coast of Spain, about ten miles from France. I personally think this looks like the cover of some whiny emo rock band CD, but that's just a suggestion.
Hey folks, Sorry it took a while to get this one up, but I have been out of town. As for a winner for last week, I would have to say Jon's shirt comment made me laugh the hardest, although Jes had some really good ones too. I hope you enjoy this picture of me in Burgos. That ice cream cone man is eating an ice cream cone. That's just sick!
Sorry it took me so long to get this one posted. As for a winner, I would have to say Jared's first comment was the best! I hope you guys have fun with this one of me in a famous park in the city of Burgos in eastern Spain. Enjoy! (Notice: Any Brokeback Mountain - related comments will not be taken into consideration)
Good comments from everyone last week. I think it's time I finally award my father the best caption of the week with his last one, however Jared's comment came in a close second. This next picture is of me sitting in the County Hall in Valladolid, a small city in Northern Spain. It looks like I'm probably saying something very important.
Hey folks! Sorry it took me a while to get this one up. As far as a winner for last week goes, I think this one has to go to J-rad's "token" comment (although the insults from my Dad came in a close second). For this week, here's a picture of me overlooking the Forum (right by the Colliseum) in Rome. What am I pondering about in this picture? You decide!
Great Posts from everyone on that last contest, although I think Canasian's last comment about the jacket made me laugh the hardest. And yes, I do feel that the person who designed it deserves a hot girlfriend. So, in honor of last week's winner, here's another more regal picture of that hot track jacket, on display in front of a statue of Columbus in Barcelona. Enjoy.
This picture isn't for a photo contest, but I thought it still deserves to be posted. I can only imagine this movie is even better in French.
Sorry I haven't written in a while, but I have been travelling trugh Europe and have finally settled down in Madrid for my semester of Study Abroad. However, I wanted to include all of you in this trip, as well as give you an opportunity to make fun of me even though I am across the sea, by starting the EuroTrip photo caption contest. Here I am in Stuttgart, Germany, outside of the Mercedes Benz museum. Enjoy. -Ryan
I got to hold a three day old baby today. One of my friends just had it cute as punch. It's amazing how tiny babies are. I was so nervous (cause I didn't want to drop it, cough on it, etc. It's a girl by the way, Kaiah). But she was just sleeping away, cute as can be. Truly the whole power to create life business is a miracle. I just can't hardly fathom a little soul being in there. (Actual picture of the wee babe, taken by yours truly)
