Day 2 - Arizona Winter Weather

While the rest of the country dreams (or digs out) of a white Christmas, here in AZ we wear shorts.  In fact December weather is one of the great blessings of living in Arizona.  (We won't mention May thru September)

The days are absolutely beautiful!

I love being outside, going for walks, enjoying the winter rye grass lawns and just plain enjoying the freedom of lower temperatures. 

While I do miss the dramatic changes of the seasons I enjoyed growing up in Mexico, the change in temperature is dramatic enough to keep me smilin'.

Yep - Arizona is mighty fine in wintertime.  Just ask half of Canada, 3/4's of Minnesota and all of the Dakota's. 

Season of Distraction or of Inspiration?

From the first day of our marriage, my sweet Dulcinea and I have gotten along famously and have had very few serious disagreements.  That being said, we do have pet peeves, and of all the little pet peeves my wife has about me, there is one that really gets her.  Fortunately it only comes out once a year:

My alter ego - November 1 through December 24th

My list of things I don't like about Christmas is very cliche, and boils down to how much the commercialization of Christmas bugs me.  I know - very original (I said it was cliche).

What a self-righteous rant!

The scriptures and God's prophets are constantly counseling us to "be in the world but not of the world."  Certainly this counsel should apply to our attitude towards one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar.  If I allow my own self-righteous indignation to crowd out the Spirit of Christmas, don't I trivialize it far more than the retailers whose advertisements drive me nuts?

To help me overcome this fault and fill my heart with the Spirit of Christmas this season I am embarking on a project of personal improvement.  From now until December 25th I will spend time each day writing about Christmas.  It will include memories of Christmases past, Christmas stories, family traditions or simply an expression of gratitude for my Savior and His great gift to me.

Day 1 - Longing for Home

I love how the hearts of so many people grow more tender towards their family during the Christmas Season.  Something about the Christmas Spirit draws us closer together as a family.  We long to be with those we love, and often we long to be with them in our old homes or home towns.  Gifts given or received may briefly cross our minds, but mostly we remember being around our family.

I am thankful for my family, and I have been blessed with a large one.  My wife and children, my parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts and cousins are all a joy to be around.  I love each one of them and the promise we have of being a family on into the eternities.

I am thankful for the central role that families play in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Uncle Clifford

On Sunday our family lost a cherished member.  I have tried to write about the feelings I have had as our family has exercised our faith on Uncle Cliff's behalf over the past five weeks, but I feel that perhaps they are too personal and sacred to share here.  

I sure am going to miss Uncle Cliff.  I'm grateful for his example and wish I could be with the family this weekend as we remember him.

Godspeed Tio.

Clifford Leon Whetten 
(February 10, 1946 - September 11, 2011) 

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Clifford Leon Whetten

Clifford Leon Whetten left this mortal existence on September 11, 2011 surrounded by his loving family. His passing was sudden yet sweet, due to complications from pancreatic cancer. At the time of his diagnosis, Clifford was serving as the MTC President for the LDS Church in Lima, Peru.
Clifford was born February 10, 1946 in Colonia Chuichupa, Chihuahua, Mexico to Glen and Ada Whetten. He was the seventh of ten children. His siblings were his best friends throughout his life.
After graduating from the Juarez Stake Academy, he served his first mission in Northern Mexico. He married Rosalyn Hatch in the Mesa, AZ temple on December 21, 1968. Together they were blessed with four children.
After earning degrees from BYU and UTEP, Clifford moved his family to College Station, TX. Upon earning his PhD from Texas A&M, he remained at the university as a professor of education administration and multi-cultural studies. They spent many happy years in Texas raising their family. During that time, he served as a branch president, bishop and as a member of the stake presidency.
Clifford retired from teaching early, at the age of 59, when he was called to serve as president of the Mexico Tuxtla Gutierrez Mission from 2005-2008. Upon completing their mission, Clifford and his wife settled in Utah to be closer to their children and grandchildren. But their love of missionary work was put into action once again when he and his wife went to serve at the MTC in Lima, Peru in January 2010. Clifford received an honorable release from his earthly missionary service on September 7, 2011, four days before his passing.
Clifford is survived by his eternal companion, Rosalyn; their children Diana Windley (Ryan), Carolyn Smith (Jacob), Renee Christensen (Gary), and David (Natalie); their grandchildren Jett, Lauren, Luke, Jenna, Tommy, Carter and Sammy; and his siblings John, Velma, Amanda, Robert, Edward, Earline, and Don.
He is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Glen and Bert.
Funeral services will be held Friday, September 16, 2011 at 11 a.m. at the Valley View Ward, 2455 North Valley View Drive, Layton. Friends may visit family Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road and Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.
Interment, Croydon Cemetery.
The family gives appreciation to Dr. Mark Ott and the many nurses at IMC who provided our husband and dad with compassionate care during the last five weeks.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the LDS General Missionary Fund.

I love you but...

A couple of days ago my oldest son, Dr. Destructo, was tap dancing on my very last nerve.  Someone had come home from Jamba Juice a few minutes earlier and the remnants of a smoothie were being shared between the three youngest members of the family.  (I know, gross, but they didn't care so who was I to insist on hygiene? They're related anyway.)
Inevitably there was a screaming match going on between the youngest one and his two older siblings as they took to the smoothie like a school of piranhas.  I had a massive headache at the time and had watched the two older ones take sip after sip without letting the little guy get his head in there for a chance.  This, of course, set him off.

(Before we go any further you should know, if you don't already, that two-year-olds of both genders have been blessed with the most piercing high-pitched wail known to man.  If you happen to have a headache when the wail goes off it will instantly reduce you to a blubbering pile of goo on the floor.)


Tailgunner was getting his wail worked into a fine crescendo, so I stepped in before he did irreparable harm to my head.  I had just told the two older ones to back off when Dr. Destructo swept in for one more shot of smoothie, setting off Tailgunner like an air raid alarm.  I lost it.

Nailing my oldest boy to the floor with a look of death I began the roaring for which I am known (unfortunately) in my house.  As I looked at him the most interesting thing took place.  I could see from the look on his face that he was about to argue with me that it really was his turn at the smoothie. "Dad..." he began saying, but then he caught the expression on my face.  His eyes widened and then his voice got very small and said:  "Dad, I love you Dad."

His expression (undoubtedly one of self-preservation) took almost all the steam out of my boiler, but I was still too worked up to completely think through my response:

"I love you too son, but you have to be obedient."

I was irritated that he had been disobedient and because his actions were aggravating my headache.  No doubt my son needed correction, however by putting that conditional "but" in the middle of my sentence I'm afraid that I communicated a very damaging message to my son.  It no sooner came out of my mouth than I realized I had failed the test of that moment.

There are no "buts" when it comes to the love a parent has for their child.  It is not conditional on their performance, they do not have to be constantly earning it and they should never feel that they are in danger of losing that love.

Could I re-do this moment I would have said "I love you too son, and because I love you I want you to learn to be obedient."

"Dad, I love you Dad"

In my mind's eye I can see Heavenly Father saying:  "I love you Paul, and because I love you I will give you another opportunity to take this test down the road.  Be sure you don't forget the lessons you learned from failing this test."

Stereotypes Rule!

Last night our ward had its annual swim party at a local pool.  In the weeks leading up to the party several of the men commented on the cannonball contest that was held at each party and asked me whether or not I would be competing.  (I guess they were expecting something spectacular due to my rather portly figure)
I really didn't want to compete for a few reasons:

• Heights terrify me and the contest was to be held off the high dive
• I always worry that the diving board will snap off when I get out on the end
• I didn't want to prove the stereotype that the fat guy ALWAYS wins the cannonball contest (it is technique, not size, that wins)

Well...

Hats (or crowns) off to the previous holders of the Salt River Ward Splash King title:

2006 - Brian O'Barr

2007 - Jay Coombs

2008 - Tim Green

2009 - Brian O'Barr

2010 - Gregor McHardy

2011 - Yours Truly

Aqui 'toy

For well over a year now I have not posted anything on this blog or my other one.  As much as I enjoy writing, I haven't had the time to do so, and those few times I have sat down to write things I have suffered from pretty serious writer's block.  (In fact, I am having trouble figuring out how to end this post).
I guess the whole point of this post is that - I'm coming back.  I flatter myself that some people who read my blog in the past will take up reading it again but, regardless, I will begin writing again.  If nothing else it will help me "untangle the webs in my head" which is the original reason I created this blog in the first place.

Independence Day!

I am not ashamed to admit that, hands down, Independence Day is my favorite holiday of the year.  I usually follow that statement with a tongue-in-cheek comment that runs somewhere along the lines of: "You gotta love any holiday that is celebrated with explosives!"

All joking aside, Independence Day is inspiring to me on so many levels.  I marvel at the miracle of so many brilliant men not only belonging to one generation, but living in the same country.  These men were men of means and reputation who had the most to lose if their venture failed.  And yet they didn't waver.  Of all the Founders, George Washington is the most inspiring to me.  When we think of 1776 we usually reflect only on the fact that that was the year we became our own nation.  But 1776 was a very bad year for the patriot cause, and we very nearly lost everything during the battle for New York.  Any other man would have been crushed by the disaster of that battle and given up, but General Washington stayed true to the cause he had embraced.  He met emergency, disaster, rank recriminations and treasonous cabals with fortitude,courage and absolute faith in the rightness of what he was doing.  When others had given up hope, he embodied the spirit of the Revolution and kept it alive.  Because of him and the brave men who served under his command, the American Army lived to fight another day and eventually secured, in fact, the liberty we had proclaimed for ourselves at the outset of the struggle.

We are fond of saying that "freedom isn't free".  Truer words were never spoken.  The fight to become free and remain free has always cost the blood of the best amongst us in every generation.  Yesterday, at the Arizona Celebration of Freedom event I got the opportunity to visit with men who fought at the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.  The stories they told me were amazing, and I felt humbled by the sacrifice they made on behalf of our country.  Even as I sit here and write this in the comfort and security of my own home, the best of our nation's men and women are standing between us and "the war's desolation."  They fight to stop those people who would do us harm and threaten our way of life.  They give up time with their loved ones so we can safely enjoy time with ours.  And, over 3000 times since September 11, 2001, some have actually given their lives for this freedom we love so much.

I haven't written very much about my own cousin, SFC Jake Whetten, because the feelings are still very near the surface and so intensely and personally felt that I can't fully express myself yet.  But he has been on my mind all weekend.  When we sang America the Beautiful in church today I could't get through the third verse.  When we stood and sang The Star Spangled Banner I couldn't get through the third verse.  These things mean more to me now, and I am just a member of his extended family.  I can only imagine the sorrow that his immediate family feels at this unwanted honor they now bear.

My heart is so full of gratitude for my freedom that I can't completely express myself tonight, but I wanted to put down in writing how grateful I am for the privilege of being a US citizen.  God bless this country, God bless the memory of our Founding Fathers, and God bless and protect our men and women in uniform this glorious 4th of July.  Happy Independence Day!