2nd Installment What's Normal

I've been thinking a lot about blogs and the purposes of blogs. I've also been reading some of my family's blogs and some others at random. (Please don't think when reading this blog that I think you aren't normal, on the contrary I believe there's much more normalcy around us than we think.) This and other things brought me to the main thought behind this next installment. I think it interesting that most people think that their life is normal and everyone else is just a little bit off course (especially in a global sense). I've recently come to believe that learning to show Christ like love in a family environment (and later in our whole environment) is the thing that will make us most normal and also, that any other goal, or any lack of a goal in this life is what causes the real day to day problems in this life. And that no other pursuit in life can bring us as much happiness. Susan's gratitude blog and many other comments in other family blogs-discussions, etc and some time in places like Germany and Iraq brought me to this conclusion. We that live in the more peaceful parts of the world and have the luck or what ever to live with family nearby, are the most blessed, and normal, and that we are sometimes unaware of how lucky we are. I've witnessed many types of family life, in many parts of the world, we have it pretty good. A little Bedouin family I got to know in Iraq loved each other as much as we do, they played together as we do, they worked together to survive which we do to a small extent. A German family I got to know were divided by the Iron Curtain. They still loved each other though only able to communicate with letters. Our lives are much more stable than some other places and this makes a normal life more certain. The thing that ties all happy families together in the in the realm of normalcy is that they love and serve each other. That is what brings them true happiness. No selfish goal will bring happiness. I thank you for teaching me this. Blogs are making the world smaller. Maybe the "family of man" can really happen if enough people in the world show their Love for their brothers and sisters all over the world. I hope we"ll all pay a little more attention to greeting the world around us with love (happiness).

A begining

Lately I've enjoyed reading my daughter in law and son's Blogs. I think I'm getting to know them better, especially the wonderful girl that is helping my son to live "the good life". I also realize that this is a good chance to express many things to people I don't see very often, and to put myself on record about some subjects. As families seem to kinda spread out over time it will also be a good way to keep in touch.
I guess I'm also living the good life. My wife Jeanette and I have been married 28+ years and have seen some of the world. Our life has been centered in southern Utah (even the 9 years Army life), we looked forward to and enjoyed every moment of leave that we spent in Utah (the greatest part of this great Nation). I believe that love for this part for the world is what motivated me to serve my country those years. The history stuff I'll add sometime later. In Alex's blog in one paragraph he talked about his great grandfather, grandfather and dad (me) spending Christmas's away from home in a hostile environment in the service of our Country. I don't know about my predecessors but that time made me appreciate my home (Southern Utah) even more.
My wife and I have 3 children, Alex that's married to Nicole and living the best years of his life, Nathan, He lives here in Orderville after spending a few years in Provo, and last but not least Miranda that lives in Lacrosse, Kansas with her husband James and two children, Liahna almost "2" and Peter, 1 1/2 months. My Parents, Jeanette and children are the joy and purpose of my life. Enough for now.