Category Archives: Gratitude

Attention & Focus, Gratitude, Making a Difference, The World

So Easy to Forget

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Today I was banging my head against the wall trying to figure out how to get a buzz out of the audio of a video I was making to show a group of friends how to help our company achieve one of my outrageous goals. In turn we’re letting them take part in the passive income it will generate.

Well, in a moment of frustration and ADD I was surfing around my cluttered Facebook account. When you check your account 20 times a day it’s exciting to see the little red notification light at the bottom…I pounced. And for once, what I saw wasn’t clutter. It was a link from a friend to a little video, the one you’ll see below and it changed my frame of mind. Whereas I was just barely experiencing frustration, I felt hope. Whereas I felt anger, I felt love. Whereas I had lost focus, I once again regained it.

Along this road of life I’ve learned that action helps to solidify belief. So, I’m going to take our first $3,300 from our Sprouts project and donate it to Charity: Water, where 100% of the donations will be used to build clear water wells in Ethiopia. Please join me in some way to bring an ease that we so often take for granted to some of our brothers and sisters the world over!


The September Campaign Trailer from charity: water on Vimeo.

Faith, Family, Gratitude, Relationships

My Mother

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My mother in so many ways has done so much for me that I feel I stand in a very similar position to that detailed by the ancient and wise King Benjamin. The righteous king told his people that their Father in Heaven not only had provided them with all they had, but that he continues to bless them each time they show, through obedience, their gratitude. Because of this none can ever expect to repay him.

I owe so much to my mother that no amount of honor I bring her, no dollar value, no amount of words can adequately express how much she’s done to bless my life.

Though this is the case, I want to note several ways in which my mother has consistently blessed my life. Her example in each of the following areas has meant more to me than I can adequately express.

Faith – My mother has stepped into the darkness with the hope that the way would be lit for her. She was a convert to the Church at age 26 and has continued on to receive her temple endowments, serve faithfully in her callings and open the way for many of her ancestors to receive the blessings & ordinances of the gospel. She’s helped build my foundation of faith.

Hope – My mother reminds me often that Christ has power to overcome all fears, doubts and challenges that face me. She reminds me that there are many people praying for my success in life. She remains firm in the hope that she will one day receive the greatest blessings that can be afforded the faithful in this life. Her hope has been a strength to me.

Charity – My mother gives of her time to lift others. Preparing meals for those in need, making holiday treats to let neighbors know that she is thinking of them and taking the time to visit the sick and afflicted are living memories that I have of my mother. The noblest action is for one to care for another who cannot care for themselves. This is my mother.

Love – My mother makes a point to remember important things in my life and ask me about them. She has always encouraged me throughout my life, whether it be in dating, school or in sports…and believe me, I needed a LOT 🙂 . Her oft expressed words, “I love you” hold weight because I see that they are accompanied by thoughtful actions, words of encouragement and meaningful attention. I am lifted by my mother’s love.

This is my mother. She means so much to me and in the shadow of her greatness I seek only to do what is good and right and true.

Thanks Ma! I love you!

Your Eldest and Only Son,

Ryan

Change, Gratitude

Thanking Dr. Jones

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I’d like to send a shout out to my man Dr. Jones who has been with me for so long, helping me through my hard times. He’s picked me up when I’ve been down, calmed me when I’ve been anxious, and in all has been there wherever my feelings have been of the negative sort.

I guess there comes a time in life when you have to move on, when the road bends and the scenery changes. I’m there. Things are changing and it’s time for me to move on. So, Dr. Jones, although you’ve been with me for a long time, it’s my time to journey down other roads and where I’m going I cannot take you. I have a feeling you’ll be fine without me. I have a feeling that the path I’ll be traveling will replace the role you had in my life. So, I won’t need you anymore.

Thank you for your time. Thank you for providing protection from danger. Thank you for giving me your all.

Sincerely,

K. Arthur

Gratitude, Self Discovery

The Secret: Gratitude

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How do I begin to attract good things? Start with gratitude. Your eyes will begin to see all the things that you’ve been missing.

Application: While in Korea serving my church and God I was responsible for a small group of others who were also serving. At one time one of the Korean sisters in our group came to me crying. Her emotions were strong. Her feelings and countenance were dark. I felt resistance from her. I couldn’t see how I was going to help, especially since her stated cause of sadness and anger was things happening in her family. How was I, an American poor at the Korean language, going to affect this sister’s life for the better?

With a prayer in my heart for guidance I listened to her mountain of discords. When I spoke to her I found myself saying something that may in similar circumstances be laughed off. I asked her to essentially “Count Your Many Blessings”. With tears still in her eyes and now looking up at me with trust, she said that she was thankful for her beliefs. She spoke of her family and of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I allowed her to continue to think on these things and before long her tears of sadness had become tears of happiness for all that she had.

I didn’t have to change things in her life to improve her attitude and emotional state. All that needed to be done was for her to recognize that though discord DID exist in her life, her state of happiness didn’t have to hinge on that. While focusing on the things that she perceived to be stealing happiness from her, it was as if she was blind to the possibility of positive emotions. She couldn’t see them sitting right next to her. Once she acknowledged those possibilities her emotions soared to great heights.

Gratitude, Hope

…they shall be as white as the fallen snow.

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Gazing momentarily into the immediate heavens this morning I couldn’t help but wonder how many snowflakes filled the sky. It was a sight reminiscent of the visual description given to the ancient father Abraham as the Lord spoke to him of the vastness of his future posterity: “I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore” ~ Gen. 22: 17.

Very well could the Lord have said, I will multiply thy seed as the flakes of the falling snow…today they seemed infinite.

The thought of cleasing us from our sins is an amazing one. I do not fully comprehend the meaning of that truth. But to contemplate the idea that as infalable as we are, God the Father has set in place a process to remove from his memory the mistakes which we, in our fallen state fall so quickly into, is incredible…it fills me with hope.