Productive Endurance
Esteemed to Be the Enemy “I’m calling the police,” the mother shouted at me. I asked her to calm down and tell me what was going on. She said, “I have been divorced for 9 years. I have shared custody of my children with my ex. He is an irresponsible, alcohol using, sexual pervert…!” She went into detail defending her position. Based on her story, I didn’t believe her husband broke any laws. But if her facts were correct, he certainly had some problems. Regardless, her ex-husband had standard visits and her children would be spending this weekend at his house. She has been “long-suffering” since the divorce. The emotional battle has severely strained her relationship with her ex and at times with her children. This
Control Your Temper Before It Controls You
A number of years ago I was irrigating our garden. I looked at the watering chart and felt sure it was my turn to use the irrigation water. I went out and put the dam in the ditch and turned the water into my garden. I was letting the water move down each furrow when I saw a man down from me come running up the ditch bank swinging his shovel and swearing. I sensed there was a mistake in the watering turn and he felt I was taking his water. As he got close enough to me but yet far enough away I yelled out to him, “I am sorry. I made a mistake. It’s all my fault.” I quickly pulled the dam out
When Caring Hurts
Give, Give, Give President Jones was up bright and early. She helped her daughter finish a math assignment while she cooked breakfast for her three children and husband. As soon as the kids and husband were out the door she started baking bread for the new family that moved in down the street. While the bread was cooking she received a phone call from one of the ward sister’s who had a fight with her husband. The police had just arrived at her home. After all President Jones had just told that sister the night before “If you ever need anything just give me a call.” The day continued with “one thing after another.” It was Monday night and there was no way she could get the lesson
40 Seconds
I listened as Gary’s father shared: Best Friends My son Gary was probably my best friend. We spent a lot of time together. When he was little he liked sports and I coached his baseball and basketball games. I loved watching him play. A little later, he learned to bowl and found he had a natural ability for the game. I always went with him to his tournaments and shared his happiness when he won. … He dropped out of school altogether at age 16. He had several jobs but they didn’t last long when he was about 20, Gary met and married a girl he loved a lot. For a while they were really happy he vowed to give up the things that were
Not Enough of Me
Just One More Day She was up at 3 am and again at 5 am with sick kids. After cleaning up the throw-up she was able get a few minutes of sleep before fixing her husband’s breakfast. They had family prayer and sent her husband off to work. He’s been working overtime. She ran the daughter to violin lessons and the son to gymnastics. She worked on her Young Women lesson as she and her toddler waited in the car. Just one more day and her husband would be back to his normal schedule. There’s Just Not Enough of Me to Go Around! He filled the empty fishing net. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at
“A Worthless Soul”
“I’m just no good. Today I was supposed to be in Boise. I couldn’t fix my truck. I’m frustrated. I can’t afford to pay someone to fix it. I’m not a good provider. I might lose my job… I talked to my wife about how much of a failure I believe I am and she says she’s going to divorce me… I came in the house twice and prayed. I lack the faith… nothing changed… I wish I was dead.” I sat in his front room as he went on and on describing how he believed he was “a worthless soul.” Such a good man and family. They were just completing Family Home Evening with their children as I arrived. I could see their garden in
Today’s Trials, Tomorrow’s Testimony
He Will Not Always Take Your Afflictions – The ultrasound was complete. The doctor told the prospective parents there was a cyst on the baby’s brain. – The divorce wasn’t even final before his wife learned about her husband’s girlfriend. – She was discharged from the mental hospital in Utah. Her parents located her at a bus stop in Las Vegas. – The foreclosure on the home was final. The family had to be out by Saturday. – There was nothing more the doctors could do. The young father died. What do all these families have in common? Each have completed a session at a local LDS temple. The Doubt And Fear Of Our Times “We are living through turbulent times. A great storm of evil
Measuring UP
“They’re right. I’m just no good!” she declared. Over the years, she had surrendered her “freedom to choose” positive feelings. Her family would criticize her and as a result she would feel depressed and frustrated. She had given-in to using her “family’s yardstick” to measure her own self-esteem. At times she was actually responding as if her family’s words, in some magical way, controlled her feelings and behavior. Her feelings and behavior were no longer hers, but a response to theirs. The tragedy of this scenario was this good woman was a very talented, bright, caring, wonderful person! In my opinion, she was not doing anything seriously wrong and the criticism from her family was unwarranted! In her case, like many others, the offending behavior seemed
Hello, Is the President Available?
Calling the White House President Obama says he is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history. So I called the White House to visit with him about some of my personal concerns. A receptionist answered the phone, “White House.” I asked if I could talk to the President and that I had some concerns. She transferred me to another line. I received a tape recording “President’s Comment Line” saying, “We are closed.” When I call upon God in prayer, he is not that way. The call always goes through. No foreign voice. No voice recording. No support staff is going to answer. We are His children. He’s not out of the office when we call. He’s not disinterested in our
You Get What You Faith For
The Power of Negative Belief “Dad, I don’t have any place to stay. They kicked me out… I’ve lost my job again. I’ve been in IHOP now for 5 hours waiting for someone to come get me. I don’t have any more money. Dad, you have to come get me, now!” pled Amy. Amy was a 20 year-old “prodigal daughter” in a far off state. Dad thought as he has for the past few years, “She needs my help. Honestly, she can’t do this on her own. This is way too hard for her… Why, she can’t even get out of bed on time .” The father booked the next flight to go help Amy. As a psychologist I’ve spent my life reading, studying and
