I have just been recently married and as such there have been some adjustments in the way I am living my life. I now share any and everything with my dear wife. That has brought along a specific set of challenges as well, but if you can approach each situation with your spouses best interest in mind and in the most selfless way possible, you can find happiness.
Whenever there is something little that bothers you, just don't let it bother you. Do your best to realize that your spouse has no intention of bothering your specifically with that small act. They probably aren't even aware that it bothers you. Just smile and keep on with life, and when the time is right and if the small little something that bothers you continues to happen, speak with your spouse and do your best to work out a solution. That is what we have done so far in our marriage and it seems to be working out just great :)
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Same-Sex Attraction and Homosexuality
This tends to be a pretty sensitive and/or hot topic so I will do my best to make sure I present my ideas clearly so as not to be mistaken for anything other than what I have intended.
This posting is not intended to bash or support homosexuals or anyone feeling same-sex attractions, but it is a post about the beautiful individuals God has created in each of us and how we can better this world he has placed us in with the talents, personalities, and temperaments He has so lovingly created and nurtured within us here on the earth and in the pre-existence(our existence with God before coming here to the earth).
That being said, the Lord never made one of His children to be homosexual. The Family a Proclamation to the World states that gender is part of our divine identity and that we have specific roles to fill as part of those genders https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation (particularly paragraphs 2 and 7).
Now, let me say that I do believe that some men may have some qualities that some consider feminine like kindness, sensitivity, and empathy. The same would hold true for some women. Does this mean that they are born to be homosexual? Absolutely not! It is the special characteristics they have that will help them to become the person our Heavenly Father knows they can be. Women, think for a moment, which of you doesn't want a husband who is kind to you and your children, sensitive to your families needs, and empathizes with anyone he knows is struggling?
I focus more on men at this point because I want to use an example that would be more easily applicable. I think about the Savior Jesus Christ. There was a man, in every sense of the word. He was the epitome of masculinity. He was a true man that we can all look up to. But does that mean the Savior was unkind? Does it mean he wasn't sensitive to others? Does it mean he lacked empathy? Of course it doesn't. The Savior's kindness was evident when after discovering the woman with an issue of blood who had touched His robe said, "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." (Luke 8:48) His sensitivity showed brightly when upon being shown the woman taken in adultery he sent her accusers away, and then spoke privately with her to give her hope and forgiveness (John 8:3-11). Lastly the Savior showing great and lasting empathy for the sisters Mary and Martha and their departed brother Lazarus (John 11:35)
Jesus Christ had many of the qualities that some would be quick to label as feminine, yet he was our perfect example of masculinity and how to live our lives. Those who may have qualities that seem not to fit with your gender, it doesn't mean that you are homosexual, it just means that you have gifts that you can use to help others and yourself to be developed more fully and become complete without overstepping bounds of gender appropriateness. In all things, if we follow the Savior, I know we will be blessed
This posting is not intended to bash or support homosexuals or anyone feeling same-sex attractions, but it is a post about the beautiful individuals God has created in each of us and how we can better this world he has placed us in with the talents, personalities, and temperaments He has so lovingly created and nurtured within us here on the earth and in the pre-existence(our existence with God before coming here to the earth).
That being said, the Lord never made one of His children to be homosexual. The Family a Proclamation to the World states that gender is part of our divine identity and that we have specific roles to fill as part of those genders https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation (particularly paragraphs 2 and 7).
Now, let me say that I do believe that some men may have some qualities that some consider feminine like kindness, sensitivity, and empathy. The same would hold true for some women. Does this mean that they are born to be homosexual? Absolutely not! It is the special characteristics they have that will help them to become the person our Heavenly Father knows they can be. Women, think for a moment, which of you doesn't want a husband who is kind to you and your children, sensitive to your families needs, and empathizes with anyone he knows is struggling?
I focus more on men at this point because I want to use an example that would be more easily applicable. I think about the Savior Jesus Christ. There was a man, in every sense of the word. He was the epitome of masculinity. He was a true man that we can all look up to. But does that mean the Savior was unkind? Does it mean he wasn't sensitive to others? Does it mean he lacked empathy? Of course it doesn't. The Savior's kindness was evident when after discovering the woman with an issue of blood who had touched His robe said, "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." (Luke 8:48) His sensitivity showed brightly when upon being shown the woman taken in adultery he sent her accusers away, and then spoke privately with her to give her hope and forgiveness (John 8:3-11). Lastly the Savior showing great and lasting empathy for the sisters Mary and Martha and their departed brother Lazarus (John 11:35)
Jesus Christ had many of the qualities that some would be quick to label as feminine, yet he was our perfect example of masculinity and how to live our lives. Those who may have qualities that seem not to fit with your gender, it doesn't mean that you are homosexual, it just means that you have gifts that you can use to help others and yourself to be developed more fully and become complete without overstepping bounds of gender appropriateness. In all things, if we follow the Savior, I know we will be blessed
Saturday, January 19, 2013
People, listen! We need more people!
I just finished recently a close to two hour documentary on fertility rates and my first reaction was...W O W! I couldn't believe some of the things I heard and saw, much less take in all what it meant for me and my family! For quite some time the fertility rate has been dropping in the United States (even as far back as the 1720's). Now just to clarify, the fertility rate and birth rate are two different things. The birth rate is how many children were born per 1,000 people, where as the fertility rate is the number of children born to each woman during her lifetime. So yes, you would be correct in saying the birth rate most definitely has increased significantly since the 1720's, but the fertility rate has actually been declining.
That being said, what does the fertility rate have to do with all of us? Well...lots to be honest. For starters with a lower FR, we are not able to reach the sustaining point of our population. In other words, with a low enough fertility rate we would depopulate until extinction! (OK, that is a bit extreme, but the fertility rate taken to the extreme can have extinction as a result!) Another reason FR is important to us is because of Social Security. Social Security is funded by us, the working people of America. When Social Security was funded a retiree was funded by an average of 13 working people. Now, because of the decline in FR, that ratio is roughly one retiree to three working people. Why? There are more people in the older generations, and much fewer in the young working generation. To make matters worse, our baby boomer generation is approaching retiring age, that means the largest population in one generation in America will be added to the Social Security pool! That will change the retiree to worker ration to just a bit more than 1 to 2! As if we aren't losing enough from each of our checks!
So what is to be done? First and foremost, people need education about this problem! Many people think the earth is way overpopulated thanks to a number of different reasons which I won't go into here. We need to let the world know that, guess what? More people is good for us!
As for me personally, I will be doing my own part to populate the earth by starting my own family!
So to you people who read this blog, I echo my own Father's words to me the night I shared this information with him, "Have fun repopulating the earth!"
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Introduction
Hello Everyone!
This blog is created with the intent of using it as a space to share my thoughts about various topics. Specifically, I will be focusing on the family. I love families and hope this will be a good read for anyone else who loves families as well!
This blog is created with the intent of using it as a space to share my thoughts about various topics. Specifically, I will be focusing on the family. I love families and hope this will be a good read for anyone else who loves families as well!
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