Photo Essay: What is different remains the same.

Far away

Close at hand

Felt but not touched.

Mountains anchored --

clouds untethered --

which is happier?

Shadows on a mountain 

can't erode

a single snowflake.

There is no blue

like that above

a mountain.

The Empty Big Box Store

I drove to a big box store to finish my Christmas shopping on Monday. The parking lot was just about deserted. When I went inside there were no frantic crowds or holiday hustle. It was as quiet as a funeral parlor. The muzak was not playing Christmas songs -- it wasn't even on. I asked a clerk, who was playing solitaire on the jewelry counter, where was everybody.

"Don't know" she sighed. "It's been this way since we opened the doors this morning at six. Nobody's coming in; nobody's shopping. You're the first person who's not on staff I've talked to all day. Do you wanna buy some jewelry?"

"No thanks" I told her. "I was looking for fishing gear, actually."

"Aisle eight, right next to the camping equipment" she said.

I wandered over to Aisle 8. I had to keep rubbing my eyes; it looked like cobwebs were forming on all the merchandise. But that couldn't be right. Could it?

A tumbleweed blew past me as I priced stink bait. I got so unnerved that I quietly walked out of the big box store without buying a single thing. That's never happened to me before; I always buy something.

In the parking lot a security guy was writing me a ticket. He stuck it under my windshield as I walked up to my car. He had what looked like a plastic GI Joe walkie-talkie on his shoulder; it was playing Beach Boys songs.

"What's that?" I asked him.

"Ticket" he said shortly. "You can't park here during peak shopping hours. The sign says so, right there." He pointed at a small wet piece of cardboard with crude lettering that said: "NO PARKING HERE WHEN BUSY."

"But that's ridiculous" I told him. "There's no cars in the lot and the store is practically abandoned."

"Yeah" he said. "This year people are staying home and roasting ears of corn in their fireplaces instead of going insane buying presents. I haven't bought a single thing for anyone, and neither has anyone else in my family. This is what the holidays are now."

"So, are you gonna throw away my ticket or what?" I asked him.

"Okay. Sure." He took back the ticket and tore it up.

"Thanks" I said.

"Not a problem" he replied. "But next time I may have to shoot you instead." He grinned at me, but I wasn't at all certain that he was joking with me. I felt cold and very disoriented.

I drove back home and looked at all the presents under the tree. That security guy was right. I took all the packages out to the dumpster next door, where they were renovating their garage, and tossed them all in. Then I felt better and made myself some Kraft macaroni and cheese. It tasted so good I took some over to the homeless shelter across the street to give to anyone who wanted it. 

But they were closed. There was a wet cardboard sign on the darkened door that said "CLOSED DUE TO LACK OF HOMELESS PEOPLE THIS TIME OF YEAR. COME BACK IN THE SUMMER."

"Stupid jerks" I muttered to myself as I went back home. It started to snow, so I built a roaring fire in the fireplace and got out a flashlight and a box of Saltine crackers to create a new religion. 

Signs and Wonders

And behold this is not all, there shall be many signs and wonders in heaven.
Helaman 14:6

The tendency to disbelieve

the marvels that I oft perceive

in the heavens and below

to maintain the status quo

leaves me sad and wondering --

will I heed the new-born king

when he calls to me today

to shun mere baubles and essay

to worship as the shepherds did --

and do all that my heart is bid.

Photo Essay: Movers & Shakers, Recaptioned.

 @amybwang

Words released --

are Hindenburgs

waiting to happen.

@jswatz

Go to court --

when you have more money

than brains.

@coreykilgannon

Bike lanes --

summer incentive

winter waste.

@timcarman

Baker turned poet --

this is what happens when

yeast gets in the brain.

Be more aware of God's providence.

President Russel M. Nelson

"How much better it would be if we all could be more aware of God’s providence and love and express that gratitude to Him. Our degree of gratitude is a measure of our love for Him."

President Russell M. Nelson

I live upon a footstool that belongs to Jesus Christ.

He made it long ago and then for us was sacrificed.

His providence surrounds me and his love can never cease,

and when I am aware of that my heart if full of peace.

Help me show my love for thee, my Savior, Friend, and Guide,

by keeping thy commandments -- both the narrow and the wide!

Letter from my President.

Photo Essay: Rainy Saturday in Winter.

Idle bucket --

I, too, have nothing

to fill today with.

Plastic bag --

stopped by a fence

for a thousand years.

Still leaf --

are you trying to blow in,

or blow out?

It's a long road

when nobody cares

your're on it.

Wet asphalt --

must be worth

more than I think.

A graveyard

for leaves --

the way of all trees.

I see a face

in the wood --

ugly, isn't it?

How does

one piece of trash

take up so much room?

Discarded

or stored?

Hard to tell.

Brittle angel --

sticks and stones

are just hormones.

God loves us better than we love ourselves

Elder Gerrit W. Gong



"Recently I have felt the strong impression that God, our Heavenly Father, loves us more and knows us better than we love or know ourselves."


Gerrit W. Gong

The mountains loom before me

and the skies are huge above,

but nothing in the universe

compares with God's great love.

I cannot count the stars nor view

beyond horizons vast,

yet I can testify that God

has known me first and last.

Humbly I entreat Thee,

kindly Father, tutor sweet,

to share with me more knowldege

of myself Thou deemest meet!

Beyond

My prosaic life --

telephone poles

roof tops

fences

bare trees

and beyond . . .

Beyond is mystery

and God.

Plentiful and always in season

Elder Neil L. Anderson

"I promise you that the Savior’s arms are always outstretched to you too. His fruit—His joy—is plentiful and always in season."
Neil L. Andersen

In the void of winter,

or when drought is at its worst,

the joy of Lord and Master

still springs forth as at the first.

No mango or papaya,

nor the apple sweetly tart,

refreshes like the joyful fruit

the Lord puts in my heart.

So plentiful this fruit becomes

when I choose to obey,

that I can feast upon it

without ceasing every day!