Yay for Guns
I like guns.  The shooting sport is something I’ve actively participated in for almost 40 years.  My children enjoy shooting as well.  We have had wonderful opportunities to create memories, and build skills that will allow them to safely enjoy the sport for many years to come.

Don’t go around hurting people
I support the right of an individual to defend themselves from harm with any means at their disposal.  We are guaranteed the right of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness.  If an individual feels the need to take that right from another individual, I hope they are effectively stopped with whatever legal means necessary.  Possible means include: Guns, knives, nunchucks, the red turtle shell that never misses in Mario Kart, Karate, pepper spray, taser, etc.

A little Victim blaming
Recently, we had a fire in the back yard.  My middle son, playing in the fire after being told not to, had a metal roasting rod in the hot coals.  He grabbed the rod too close to where it was in the fire, and burned his thumb and forefinger.  I imagine it hurt like hell.  He received the care to treat the wound, but he received zero sympathy from his loving father.  HE had been warned, and HE put himself in a position to get burned.  Literally.
If a person chooses to put themself into harms way by trying to hurt someone else, they are playing with fire, and risk getting burned.  People don’t like to get maimed or killed by other people if they don’t deserve it. 

I Don’t Carry a Gun
I have a permit to carry a concealed weapon.  I have guns that are great options for concealed carry, but I hardly ever carry one.  Why, you may ask?  I just haven’t felt the need.  I try not to put myself into situations that could escalate into a violent encounter.  I avoid riots, I try not to incite road rage, I put the toilet seat down after peeing, and I don’t try to take what isn’t mine.
I 100% support the right to carry a concealed weapon, and the right to use it in an appropriate situation.  I also strongly feel that carrying that weapon increases the accountability and obligation to avoid conflict and de-escalate potentially volatile situations.  True strength and power is having the ability to exercise force, and choosing restraint whenever possible. 

Not Guilty.
Kyle Rittenhouse.  If he was my kid, I probably would have killed him myself before he could have been arrested.  He was in a bad place at a bad time.  HE was stupid for being there.  HE put himself in a place where things could escalate.  They escalated in a tragic and terrifying way.  He took action to preserve his life.  His life is changed because he took lives.  The families of the people shot are suffering.  His family is suffering.  He was found innocent, acting in self-defense.

The poor decisions of several people led to tragedy.
​
Let’s Make Good Decisions
In the wake of the Rittenhouse trial and subsequent verdict, I’ve observed a variety of reactions.  We see members of the die hard far right spike the football, almost like it’s open season to hunt protestors.  We see the far Left claiming this is pure racism and encouraging more protesting and riots.  The media is stoking the flames on all sides, thriving on the discord, and throwing journalistic integrity out the window.  In the midst of all this tumult and chaos, we have YOU, noble reader.  YOU have the ability to calm your world.  YOU can be the voice of reason.  YOU can de-escalate conflict.

You can also learn how to properly defend yourself and others Heaven forbid the need should ever arise.
​
You can also take up shooting sports… Promise.  It’s fun.

Fertilizer.  Fertilizer, while a necessary and beneficial substance, is not the most pleasant thing to come into contact with.  It smells, can cause irritation, and is difficult to clean up.  However, without it, our plants, trees, and grass won’t grow and reach their potential.  Funny how our Father in Heaven in his wisdom will sometimes see fit to “fertilize” his children to help them grow.

This Summer has been full of fertilizing moments.  Early this spring, I felt the desire to try to build a closer relationship with the Savior.  I put in effort, reading the scriptures and having more meaningful prayers.  Those prayers were answered, but not in a way I expected.

I own a small pest control company.  Every year we have seasonal employees who help with our summer work.  This year, we had a difficult time finding employees.  In addition to being short handed, we had several costly repairs on vehicles, and equipment malfunctions.  As work began to stack up, it seemed impossible to be able to fill all of my obligations.  I was doing everything I was supposed to do.  I was working hard, I was praying, I was reading scriptures.  I still didn’t have the help I needed to get the work done, and I feared I faced the failure of my business, and the security of my family.

At the peak of my anxiety, I lay in bed late one night, praying that we could find a way to make everything work.  The answer immediately came, “you asked for this, let me bring you closer to me.”  This was a comfort, however I still didn’t know how I would be able to accomplish all of the work I needed to do.  I literally needed to move a mountain.

A day or so after that late night, I got a call from the former owner of the company.  He offered to help me spray some lawns for a day.  In that day, He and I were able to accomplish THREE days worth of work.  My mountain was moved.  That same week, I was able to hire two employees.  Work was getting done.  Miracles had happened.

Since that week, I have had other challenges come before me and my family.  I don’t know what the outcome will be, however, I do know that our Heavenly Father loves us.  He allows us to get “fertilized” from time to time so that we can grow to our full potential.  I also know that as his children, we are able to call upon our Father in Heaven and request miracles.  One of my favorite scriptures is Moroni 7:33 “And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.” 
​
I believe our welfare, both spiritual and temporal is expedient to Christ.  As we get discouraged and overwhelmed by our challenges, we can remember that through him, we can find a way through whatever obstacle may come before us.

“Eat your food!  Think of all the starving kids in Africa…”

  I grew up most of my childhood thinking all the kids in Africa were starving. 
I had a friend spend a couple of years in Africa.  Guess what several of the African parents he associated with would tell their kids who were picky eaters… “Eat your food! There are starving kids in America!” 
True story.

In every walk of life, parents are trying to teach their children to appreciate what they have.

E Pluribus What?

  I’ve seen a lot in the news of late about inequality.  There has been debate about the propriety of teaching Critical Race Theory in public schools.  I’ve also seen resentment growing between people living in different income brackets.  Economic and racial concerns creating schisms in the nation whose motto E Pluribus Unum means “out of many.. One”.
  I have a few thoughts to share on these issues.  I certainly don’t have the answers to all of the Worlds problems.  I remind you that I’m a college dropout.  I’ve got a masters degree from the school of hard knocks.  So, take my observations for what they are.. the ramblings of an underqualified, overly verbose blue collar dude.

My Race Theory

  Knowledge is power.  Ignorance is weakness.  Empathy heals.  Racism is evil. 
  Anything that can be done to squash it is a noble and worthwhile undertaking, so long as the goal really is to eliminate racism, and encourage empathy and understanding.
  A lot of attention is being given to the debate over whether Critical Race Theory should be taught in schools.
  I once had a high school science teacher named Mr. Litizette.  I lived in a small deeply religious community, and Mr. Lit was tasked with teaching a bunch of church kids the theory of evolution.  As he started the section on evolution, he prefaced by stating the following: “I know most of you have been taught that the theory of evolution goes against your religious teachings.  I don’t want to do anything to damage or contradict your faith.  I just want you to be able to understand what this theory is, recognizing it as only a theory, and to be able to discuss it intelligently.”  He proceeded to spend the next week teaching evolution.  I learned a ton, and my faith remained intact. 
  I am quite certain that Critical Race Theory does not contradict my religious teachings.  I simply want to illustrate the respect shown by an educator tasked with teaching something he knew could be sensitive to multiple groups of people.
  I think everybody in our country would benefit greatly from gaining a better understanding of where we’re all coming from, and the things in our history (good and bad) that have gotten us to where we are. 

Safe Spaces

  Safe spaces were a big deal a year or two ago.  If we’re going to be addressing difficult topics, I firmly believe such discussions and lessons need to be done in “safe” spaces.  Kids need to be able to talk about questions and feelings in a way that they don’t feel embarrassed or attacked for having questions. 
​  I also believe that history is history.  Instead of blaming members of todays generation for problems of past years, lets help todays generation overcome and solve the problems we have fought for so long by forging genuine respectful loving friendships and nurturing understanding.

Privilege

  Every living person on this planet, regardless of race/gender/class, has a better life than somebody else.  They also have it worse than somebody else.  That’s the human condition.  I’ve met people who lived scarily below the poverty level who were the happiest people I’ve had the pleasure of associating with.  Conversely, I’ve known some incredibly wealthy people who live shallow, hollow, meaningless lives.
  Literally every single person alive right now, in the eyes of an envious neighbor, is viewed as privileged.  We are all privileged.  We are all blessed with talents and abilities.   We are all entitled to create joy in our existence.  As we find joy in our lives, we in turn try to bring joy to the lives of others, regardless of their relation on the socio-economic scale.
Here’s the religious church kid ending..

It doesn’t matter

  We are all children of a loving Father in Heaven.  He loves us each the same.  He allows each of us to be born into different circumstances, to learn, grow, and to become better. He’s rooting for our success.  He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for the sins of the world, and to be resurrected, allowing all of us to be able to return to heaven after this life.  If we build a relationship with the Savior, and rely on him, each of us can be healed from all of our infirmities and inequalities. 
​
In the meantime… If you have any ideas on how to get my picky kid to eat his dinner, I’m open for suggestions.

​​Sean Connery.   
James Bond, Henry Jones, and one of my personal favorites..
  
Jimmy Malone

The Untouchables is one of my favorite films.  It dramatized the takedown of Al Capone by FBI agent Elliot Ness.  Capone would bribe and intimidate Chicago Police, and corrupt officials made it easy for the mob to conduct its business during the Prohibition Era.  Sean Connery plays Jimmy Malone, the jaded but honest beat cop who won’t be bought off.   
Recruited by Ness, Malone tells him if he’s going to beat the Mob, he has to do it the “Chicago Way”.  “If they pull a knife, you pull a gun.  If they put one of yours in the hospital, you put one of theirs in the morgue.”   
They proceed to wage a delightfully violent and well scripted war against Al Capone, eventually winning their war.  Except Jimmy Malone.  When confronted by a hitman with a stiletto, he utters the famous “Isn’t that just like a (racial slur), brings a knife to a gunfight!” Malone chases the guy out of the apartment with his shotgun, only to fall into a trap..  being killed by machine gun fire.  Poignant. Fictional.  Who cares?  

 Our Country is falling apart, and I’m reliving violent movies. 

The Chicago Way
 
I understood the Chicago way even as a child. 

If my brother looked at me funny, I’d push him, he in turn would retaliate by hitting me, I’d hit harder, soon tears would come, parents would be involved and we would end up incarcerated in our room.  My own children are no different.  They are born with an innate understanding of the Chicago Way.  I’ll wager you have had similar experiences. 

Yup, got it.  Tit for tat.  Law of Moses.  Eye for an Eye, and all that crap.  Who cares? 

The people at the Capitol on January 6th care.   

The people who lost businesses, or were hurt in looting and riots all summer care. 

The people who are trying to do their best to provide for their family, pursue happiness, and love their neighbor's care. 

We should all care. 

For the last 12 years, it seems our country has been run the Chicago Way.  Political escalation and retaliation.  The Left pushes their agenda while in power, and the Right pushes back harder with their agenda when in power.  Each side advances propaganda and misinformation, creating fear and uncertainty, causing their respective bases to cling to whatever cause the extremes in their party is promoting.  The only winners are the incumbent politicians, and the News Media and Social Media outlets. They're all set for life financially, not to mention the power perks.  With soaring viewership, and purchased advertising, they’re laughing all the way to the bank.  All the while, our Nation is being destroyed from within and We the People are left with the consequences of being used as Useful Idiots. 

"The Bryce is right."
That was my catchphrase.
In my adolescence and young adulthood, I loved to argue. I was good at it. I had strong opinions, nay, understanding of facts, and I wasn't afraid to let those around me know it. I would debate any issue I felt strongly about until the poor soul who dared offer a dissenting opinion would finally agree with me to basically get me to shut up. I won. The Bryce is right.

The Bryce was a bit of a jerk
I was good at winning arguments, but that meant I was also good at making people feel less intelligent, marginalized, and looked down upon. I beat them into submission. The Bryce was right.. but. What was the PRICE of Right?

Dale Carnegie wrote, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still".

While congratulating myself for winning arguments, I had lost the esteem of friends, and those who would be my friend. I had damaged whatever cause I was advocating for by being abrasive, and failing to change the heart of the people I tried to convince. The price of right is far too great.


2020
I've mellowed out quite a bit over the years. I feel comfortable in my beliefs, and don't really see a need to make excuses or defend my views. I think my actions speak for themselves. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt and hope the same in return.

I have been blessed to be surrounded by a diverse network of family and friends. I wouldn't be the person I am today without the love and influence of so many different people, and am grateful to have them in my life. Many of these friends share very differing philosophies and opinions. Each individual sees the world in their unique way, and has their own view on how to make it better. Each of these people, who I love and respect, have in varying degrees, sometimes agreeing, or opposing views on how to make the world better, safer, and happier. This is great, and is as it should be.. until somebody needs to be....

RIGHT.


Horseshoes and hand grenades
Thanks to the digital age, we each live in a personalized echo chamber. Our opinions are affirmed daily by articles, posts, and comments presented to us by algorithms that anticipate what we are wanting to hear. Communication on social media removes the face to face aspect of discourse, allowing us to tell others "how we really feel". With the stroke of a few keys, we have the ability to swoop down and publicly beat into submission any soul who dare share a view that we disagree with.

If the pen is mightier than the sword, the keyboard is a hand grenade.

People get blown up.

The Thing About Horses
I spent four years of my childhood on a ranch in Idaho. We had a couple of horses and a bunch of cows. One morning, when my dad was out of town, I was woken by my Mom telling me that the horse had gotten out, and I needed to catch him.
I was 11 years old. I was the man of the house.
I grabbed my lasso, the key to the four-wheeler, and was off to save the day.

I chased that stupid horse all over the place. I couldn't get anywhere near it. Finally, he ran a mile down our gravel road to a neighboring ranch. The man who owned it stopped me to ask what I was doing. I proudly explained my Dad was gone, the horse got out, and I was going to catch him. The man laughed and told me to hold on a minute. He left and a short time later came back with a bucket of grain. He started shaking the bucket, and walked slowly toward the horse. The horse walked right up to the man, started to chew happily on the grain, and was led calmly back to his enclosure. I was a little embarrassed. I thought I could make that horse do what I wanted it to, and I had wasted a lot of time and energy trying to do so. I couldn't push him.
I needed to lead him.
 
KaBooom
While the keyboard is like a hand grenade and has a huge blast radius, it leaves a wake of carnage. It’s tempting to seek relevance by participating in arguments online.  We become vicious warriors in whatever cause we champion.
Sadly, sometimes cherished friendships and associations fall victim, casualties of sociopolitical war. 

It’s the price of right.    
 
Not gonna go there
You may have noticed that I haven’t addressed any of the major polarizing issues that seem to have triggered this blog. 

I don’t intend to. 

I don’t have the answers to the world’s problems, and while I do have some pretty strong opinions, I don’t feel it appropriate to force them upon you. 
I will however submit the following for your consideration. 
 
Circles
We each have our own unique circles of direct influence.  These circles start as relationships with parents and family.  They expand to our friends and work associates, and from there to partners, spouses, and children.  Our circles continue to expand as our influence on others carries through in their interactions within their circles of influence.  Nurturing and cultivating the relationships within these circles gives us the most direct and effective means to change world for better (whatever your view of better happens to be).  If you are considered a safe place by the people within your circle of influence, when they are seeking answers, you are more likely to be the one to whom they turn for advice. This is the golden opportunity, and is where you can truly make the world a better place. Hearts are changed in quiet conversation.
 
Who is right?
You are. 
I am. 
Anyone who has taken the time, put in the effort to make the world around them better. 
​Anyone who shows love to the people around them.  Anyone who builds greatness in others. 

​Abortion!
​ 
If you hate women, and want them to be oppressed, you are against abortion.  If you actually care about women, and equality, and being a good person, and have moral fiber, then naturally… you are for abortion.  Especially late term abortion.  The later the better. 

A Modest Proposal….

 It is my personal belief that the champions of abortion are selling themselves short.  Why stop at late term, or partial birth abortions? 
 SO many parents have children thinking it will be fun, only to find that children are HARD to deal with.  The parents didn’t know what to expect.  Maybe their child is defective.  How many mothers are overwhelmed trying to take care of their kids, only to have their kids talk back to them and cause mischief in the home.  We need to have POST-birth abortions. 

A person isn’t a person until they’ve turned 18.  They are a nonviable mass of tissue. 
An embryo, if you will.  They can’t really support themselves.  They cause risk to their parents, and to the world around them.  They are also a financial burden. 
In certain cases, where a child makes a mess in the house, a teenager crashes a car, or a toddler refuses to eat his brussel sprouts, I feel that a parent deserves to have “the right to choose” a simple procedure to eliminate and remove the unwanted or nonviable growth from their household. 
 Post Birth Abortion could be a way of improving countless lives. 
 As organs are harvested, wanted children can be saved from various maladies.  Stem Cell research will thrive with the influx in sources. 
 Planned Parenthood will be able to become even more successful. 
The economy will thrive as parents lessen their financial burdens and reinvest their money in their communities. 
 School performance will increase as class sizes decrease.  As we are able to remove the children with less desirable traits, humanity will become more attractive, intelligent, and healthy.  Post Birth Abortion will save humanity.  Only by killing our kids can we save ourselves.

Let me tell you how I really feel

 The miracle of life is a pain in the @$$!  
 My wife is 8 weeks pregnant, and is as miserable as one can be.  She is perpetually nauseous.  NO food sounds good.  The faintest smells make her ready to vomit.  She asked for this.  As parents of two children, we intentionally put ourselves into a position of discomfort to bring another life into the world.  She was more excited about it than I was, and she is my hero for going through so much to bring children into our home.

Woosh Woosh Woosh

 We had our first ultrasound last week.  As the tech began the procedure and the screen came up, we could see the little mass of “unviable tissue”.  Then, we heard it.  Woosh-woosh-woosh-woosh.  The babys heartbeat.  It’s difficult to describe the feeling you feel when you see and hear something miraculous that you helped create. 
 A life. 
 And, no matter how inconvenient, that life is a life.  It’s sacred.

For every rule, an exception

 I one hundred percent agree that there are instances, unfortunate and tragic, where an abortion may be necessary.  Cases of rape, incest, peril to the mother etc.  These cases should be treated with kindness, understanding, and sensitivity. 
 I also know individuals who are unable to have children, and have experience discouragement and heartache in trying to adopt.  I believe no greater gift can be given than an unwanted baby to parents desperate for a child of their own.  Those mothers who have the courage to carry a pregnancy to term, and give the baby to loving parents are truly heroic.

Parting shot

 If you have managed to read this far without storming off in disgust, I thank you for your time and consideration.  I feel it necessary to end this piece at this time because my children are making a mess and I need to explain to them that if they don’t fall into line, they will be replaced by this new little parasite growing in Mommy's tummy. 
For the record… I think it looks like me.

Lynch:
 
verb
 (of a mob) kill (someone), especially by hanging, for an alleged offense with or without a legal trial.

Mob

noun

1. 1.
   a large crowd of people, especially one that is disorderly and intent on causing trouble or violence.

 
 
Did you attend high school American history? 
  I did.  It was one of my favorite classes.  I loved learning about how this nation gained its independence.  I was fascinated by the Civil War.  The taming of the west and it’s outlaws captured my imagination, and the Civil Rights movement inspired me and broke my heart seeing the pain endured by so many so unfairly.
  One of the traditions in the old west that carried into the first half of the 20th century is that of a Lynch Party.  Lynch Parties were "jolly affairs".  The towns people, feeling bored and needing excitement, would find something to take offense at.  A perceived slight, a persons color, a legal infraction, it really didn’t matter as long as it provided an opportunity to gather together united in a common goal.. to destroy another human being.
  Our good townspeople would then grab their trusty torches, combine together and form what is affectionately referred to as a Mob.  Mobs had their own mentality.  They worked together as one, and with great courage, honor, and a sense of self-righteousness.  The mob was usually able to overpower whatever law enforcement official who might intervene and take custody of the offending individual.
  The Lynch-ee, as we might call him, was beaten, sometimes tarred and feathered, and tortured in other humiliating ways.  The grand climax of the evening was to toss a rope over the branch of a tree and leave the Lynch-ee hanging dead, a deterrent to other would-be offenders, and a warning that the town was full of kind hearted people who wouldn’t tolerate any nonsense.
  If you are interested in historical documentations of this time-honored tradition, just google it.  There are numerous accounts and even photos. 
 
But fret not..
 
YOU CAN TAKE PART IN LYNCH PARTIES TODAY!
 
  In the immortal words of Bob Dylan, “the times they are a changing.”, but people don’t.  It’s now considered impolite to take torches and hang people from trees when they do something to annoy us.  In our society, we are expected to act with tolerance and open-mindedness.  Until about 2004 when we were blessed with Facebook, mobs were only in history classes.  The great miracle of social media has once again given good people the opportunity to experience mob mentality, and to participate in the sacred and historic rite of the public lynching.
 
  I live about twenty minutes from Preston, Idaho, and have friends, family, and other ties to Preston.

  This week, a story has gone viral about a Science teacher who fed an under developed almost dead puppy to a snapping turtle.  The story was misreported, exaggerated, and damaging.
  As I’ve watched the story evolve on social media, I’ve seen those directly involved with the incident make statements to clarify what really happened.  There has been overwhelming support for the teacher.  These statements are met with threats of violence, insults, foul language, and vicious epithets. There was a Facebook post started to encourage violence against the Preston School District, and Police are at the school as I write this blog.
  My purpose in writing is not to take a stance on the teacher.  The local authorities have taken appropriate action, the teacher is still employed, and I’m satisfied that they have the situation well in hand.  I do, however, find it disheartening and alarming that people who claim to be kind caring and compassionate, and full of concern for a puppy are advocating for violence.  On the page of a supportive mother, a Facebook Mobber suggested that the mother feed her own children to the turtle.
  Yesterday, children walked out of schools across the country in the name of stopping violence and remembering the victims of the last mass shooting.  In my opinion, shootings will continue, violence will continue, and pain will continue so long as the Media, and every well meaning computer crusader encourage and participate in the public lynching’s of innocent people.
 
And that’s all I have to say about that.
 
 

Please do not use the following experience to justify bad behavior.  My intention in sharing my story is to show that we are all capable of overcoming challenges in our lives.  The challenges I reference here were initially self-inflicted and could have been avoided.  It is through the atonement that I was able to overcome them, and I strongly discourage experiencing them.
 
 
 Just who the devil are the Joneses, and why exactly are we keeping up with them?
 
  We live in a therapist’s market.  Depression and anxiety are at an all time high.  As we peruse our social media feeds, we see the near perfect lives of everyone around us, and compare their lives to our own, we begin to question our own competency as human beings.  Sometimes resentment grows, and we pull away from others.  In religious communities, people even lose sight of their spiritual wellbeing.  If we can’t measure up to our neighbors and friends, how will we ever be good enough for God?
 
  I have a bit of a past, and I would like to briefly share my story.
​
  I grew up a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I served a Mission for the Church from 2001-2003 in Lansing Michigan, and loved every minute of my time serving others.  When I got home, I had life figured out.  I found a girl I wanted to marry, had school lined up, I just started writing and performing music, and life could not better be.
  Things did not go as planned with the girl, my ego was severely bruised, and I grew bitter.  I threw myself into my music project and decided if I was going to be a “rock star” I was going to do it all the way.  I began partying and drinking.  Soon, I couldn’t go a day without drinking.  My personal relationships suffered, and I wasn’t a very kind person.  I wasted three of what could have been among my most productive years in a blurry haze.  My family was patient with me.  They knew I wasn’t in a good place but didn’t know the scope of my problem.  They showed unconditional love. 

  One night, at a friend’s house, I consumed a large amount of alcohol and prescription drugs.  A short time later, I was violently sick, and struggling to stay conscious.  My friends took me to urgent care where they did blood tests.  I was scared.  The doctor came back and said my kidneys were in bad shape and I needed to go to the Emergency Room for further evaluation.
​
  I prayed for the first time in a long time.  I told Heavenly Father that if I made it through this, and if he would help me through the de-tox process, I would never drink again. 

Then I called Home.

  My Dad and Brother arrived at the ER a short time after I did.  Explaining to them what I was going through was one of the hardest things I’ve done.  My Dad kindly told me he didn’t judge me and was there to help and support.  They gave me a priesthood blessing, and a short time later I was released from the hospital.

The first week was the hardest.  

​  My family didn’t abandon me, and neither did God.  I attended the LDS church’s 12 step addiction recovery program, and slowly, my mind became clearer.  I know many other people who go through similar experiences suffer relapses, and intense withdrawal symptoms, but I was able to push through and stay clean.  I finally started to find a sense of self-worth through a series of small personal victories and overcoming obstacles.  A year and a half after that emergency room visit, I was able to get married and start a family, and now, almost nine years since my overdose, I have a wife and two amazing children.  Sure, I still crave a drink now and again, but what I have is worth so much more.  My family and other personal connections make it so easy to say no to the cravings. 

   ……. You don’t get any of that background from my Facebook profile.

We all have demons.  

​  Some demons are readily visible, while others are easily hidden from the public eye.  Some of us have conquered, while others are rising from defeat after defeat.  Often, those among us who seem to have the most perfect lives are dealing with the direst challenges.

  I firmly believe that we are children of God, and that he put us where we are to influence and be influenced by everyone around us.  Our individual worth is tied to our divine heritage.  We are all equal in the sight of Heaven.  I also believe that our sense of self worth is directly tied to our knowledge of our divine origin, and to our response to our unique trials.

   As we overcome obstacles, we gain confidence.  As we gain confidence, we overcome greater obstacles, and the pattern continues until we can start reaching out to help other people overcome their trials.  
  Our experiences give us the ability to relate to others.  If we can identify people within our circle of influence that may share some of the same challenges that we have conquered, we are in a place to help them in their battles, and we may find that they are uniquely qualified to help us with a battle of our own.

  And now a brief word to the Joneses, whoever and wherever you are.  I have a feeling maybe sometimes, it’s hard just keeping up with yourselves...