What I was doing 10 years ago...
I was staying busy and having fun in high school. I was finishing my sophomore year and was way excited to be a cheerleader. (Lame I know, but it was high school) I stayed busy dancing and working. This is probably when I was only worth $3 an hour (SEE LATER QUESTION). My sophomore year was probably one of the most fun & carefree. I didn't do the best friend thing- never felt quite like I fit in Treetown when I was younger, or confided much in anyone- so I didn't deal with that drama, I just observed it. I had lots of great friends though, guys & gals. My friend Kevin would bring me home after school & Clark Pixton and I would fight for shotgun everyday. Hoot & I were friends. The things that seemed important and like a big deal weren't. I was very shy, but no one knew it, I was afraid to put myself out there. Therefore... I think I came across as snobby/bitchy to lots of people, but I would have loved to be their friend. Didn't know one of my best friends lived under my own roof, we were too busy fighting like cats and dogs, we’re over it now. (I think I've made this all too deep). For the people that say they would never go back to high school- I would go back to high school, just so I could appreciate it, it was so much more carefree than the real world. Although, this life is great too!
5 things to do today ...
1. Clean my house
2. Laundry
3. Figure out what I'm suppose to be doing in my new church calling & get things organized. I've been to Relief Society probably 20 times in my life, how do I know what the Relief Society Secretary is supposed to do???
4. Get my nails done. This is something I hate to do, schedule, make time for & pay for... but it looks much better on the plane if I serve you a drink with pretty, well manicured hands.
5. Go to dinner with Hoot & some of our friends
Today is a pretty low-key day
5 Snacks I enjoy...
1. Chips & Salsa
2. Veggies & Dip
3. Cheese Nips (Reduced fat, 'cause they're crunchier)
4. Gummy candy
5. Garden fresh tomatoes
If I were suddenly a billionaire...
Pay off or buy new homes for all family members, (and buy my mom a 2nd home in the South). Pay off any debt for friends and family, get my pilot's license and buy a plane. Decide its okay to have a kid, because they'd be set for life. Pay tithing, (that should've been the first thing), and donate to various charities. (I'd probably put Hootie in charge of this part, because he is much more generous than I am). Put into savings & find some great investments gotta plan for retirement.
5 places I have lived....
1. Grapevine, Texas
2. Kansas City, Missouri
3. Sandy, Utah
4. Taylorsville, Utah
5. Tremonton
5 Jobs I have had...
1. Maximums Receptionist- easiest job ever, only paid $3.00/ hour. (I wasn't 16 yet)
2. Hogi Yogi- This one was slow, but fun. It pained me to close at night, moving all the chairs, and sweeping/mopping that dumb tile floor. (I just had an epiphany as to why I don't like to sweep/ mop my own tile kitchen floor, I always do it last.. but love to vacuum and keep everything else clean).
3. Anserfone- answering service, easy.
4. Buckle- I refused to be one of the annoying sales people that show people crap they don't want to buy. (I don't like being helped in stores, or when it's painfully obvious someone works on commission.) I wasn't the typical Buckle sales girl, and I was continually a top-seller in my store & top ten in our region and a team leader/trainer.
5. Skywest- Flight attendant, inflight instructor, and ground instructor.
5 things people may not know about me....
1. I really want to become a pilot & get my license. I want to fly small planes for fun, but not a career. When I see a small plane I want to be flying it. When planes are landing in Brigham I keep my eyes on the plane & runway, instead of the freeway, oops.
2. Marathon runners are one of my heroes. I wish I liked to run, but I truly hate it.
3. I love to shop and get a good deal, but I do not have the patience to look at a Sale rack. For this reason I am a huge fan of Forever 21 and H&M because they are reasonable to begin with.
4. I don't really like to talk on the phone, I wanna see your face when I talk to you, and I hate texting... if you text me, there's a good chance you wont get a response. (I'd rather get a call than a text).
5. I love my job and working, I'm probably a workaholic.
Friends to tag...
Whoever hasn't done this.
4.25.2008
4.18.2008
Good Story
Just another story I wanted to share on the blog. This definitely brought tears to my eyes, but I'm super sensitive & a good cry-er. ENJOY!
Information Please
Author Unknown
When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember well the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother used to talk to it. Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. "Information Please" could supply anybody's number and the correct time.
My first personal experience with this genie-in-the-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor.
Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, but there didn't seem to be any reason in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy. I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway.
The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the foot stool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear.
"Information Please," I said into the mouthpiece just above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear.
"Information"
"I hurt my finger..." I wailed into the phone. The tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.
"Isn't your mother home?" came the question.
"Nobody's home but me," I blubbered.
"Are you bleeding?" the voice asked.
"No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts."
"Can you open your icebox?" she asked. I said I could.
"Then chip off a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.
After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her for help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me my pet chipmunk that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts. Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary died. I called "Information Please" and told her the sad story. She listened, and then said the usual things grown ups say to soothe a child. But I was unconsoled. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?" She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, "Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in."
Somehow I felt better.
Another day I was on the telephone. "Information Please."
"Information," said the now familiar voice.
"How do you spell fix?" I asked.
All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much.
"Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the tall, shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me. Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity, I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.
A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle I had about half-an-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now.
Then, without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information, please."
Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well.
"Information."
I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, “Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"
There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."
I laughed, "So it's really still you," I said. "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time."
"I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."
I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.
"Please do," she said. "Just ask for Sally."
Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered, “Information."
I asked for Sally. "Are you a friend?" she said.
"Yes, a very old friend," I answered.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this," she said. "Sally had been working part time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."
Before I could hang up she said, "Wait a minute. Is your name Paul?"
"Yes."
"Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you." The note said, "Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean."
I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.
Never underestimate the impression you may make on others.
Whose life have you touched today?
‘Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows.”
- Michael Landon
Information Please
Author Unknown
When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember well the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother used to talk to it. Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. "Information Please" could supply anybody's number and the correct time.
My first personal experience with this genie-in-the-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor.
Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, but there didn't seem to be any reason in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy. I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway.
The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the foot stool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear.
"Information Please," I said into the mouthpiece just above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear.
"Information"
"I hurt my finger..." I wailed into the phone. The tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.
"Isn't your mother home?" came the question.
"Nobody's home but me," I blubbered.
"Are you bleeding?" the voice asked.
"No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts."
"Can you open your icebox?" she asked. I said I could.
"Then chip off a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.
After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her for help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me my pet chipmunk that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts. Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary died. I called "Information Please" and told her the sad story. She listened, and then said the usual things grown ups say to soothe a child. But I was unconsoled. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?" She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, "Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in."
Somehow I felt better.
Another day I was on the telephone. "Information Please."
"Information," said the now familiar voice.
"How do you spell fix?" I asked.
All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much.
"Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the tall, shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me. Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity, I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.
A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle I had about half-an-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now.
Then, without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information, please."
Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well.
"Information."
I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, “Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"
There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."
I laughed, "So it's really still you," I said. "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time."
"I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."
I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.
"Please do," she said. "Just ask for Sally."
Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered, “Information."
I asked for Sally. "Are you a friend?" she said.
"Yes, a very old friend," I answered.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this," she said. "Sally had been working part time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."
Before I could hang up she said, "Wait a minute. Is your name Paul?"
"Yes."
"Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you." The note said, "Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean."
I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.
Never underestimate the impression you may make on others.
Whose life have you touched today?
‘Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows.”
- Michael Landon
4.14.2008
What happens down in Mexico...
Hootie & I just got back from Cabo San Lucas last night, so I thought I'd post about our trip. This was our second time there. When I flew in the first time I thought it looked like the ugliest place and couldn't believe it was a vacation destination. It was extremely rough desert, & I don't find the desert beautiful. But as you drive into town and closer to the waterfront you start to see the beauty and can see why people enjoy it. We were invited to Cabo by Sheena & CJ Wade (thanks) to stay in their family's amazing home, Casa Grande. We were excited because we knew it should be tons of fun & they'd bring lots of neat couples. Hootie & I got to hang out with 6other amazing fun couples, all from St. George, and we had a blast. We went from Wednesday to Sunday.
On Wednesday night we had dinner catered at the home, it was a yummy authentic Mexican dinner. On Thursday the girls hung out poolside, while the boys went golfing. A bunch of us thought we'd enjoy the Bull Fight that night. I've always wanted to go to an authentic Bull fight in Mexico and thought it would be interesting. WRONG! My best piece of advice is save yourself the $25 and do not go to the Bull Fight in Cabo, I wouldn't recommend it. (They call theirs exhibition and it is very amateur). It is basically a rooster and donkey show, and they play beer drinking games, sometimes against the donkey. After two hours of mostly boredom, you see a bull run out and chase a matador who kept hiding from the bull behind the safety of a fence, this only lasted for about five minutes of the two hours. So I'm still holding out for a real Bull Fighting in Mexico, I'd like to see one. Another piece of advice, you don't volunteer for things in Mexico, or let them pick you out of a crowd. (They tried to get me, Blondie, out to participate in their games, I refused this time around). I learned this on our honeymoon, when I had to do a shot of tequila on stage & yell. Hootie & Chris figured this out when they had to drink beer & yell, and then drink beer against a donkey.
Friday the girls went to the beach & the boys once again went golfing to a beach side course. We went to a quaint little Italian restaurant that night, Romeo y Julieta. On Saturday half of us went deep sea fishing. We went through a pod of dolphins- there were thousands of them, I just couldn't ever get a great picture when they would jump high out of the water. We saw tons of Marlins, and casted out a couple dozen times, but none of them took the bait. Too bad, it would have been quite a rush to catch one. I'm just glad I experienced deep sea fishing on a nice yacht, I don't think I would make it on a small boat without puking all day. It was rough out there.
There is also some pictures of one of the many amazing yacht's in Cabo. This is an approximately $90 million dollar boat, the owner also has a probably 70' foot taxi boat(to take them into shore), it goes everywhere the yacht goes, plus a helicopter and landing pad on top of the yacht. It all has the same color scheme of white & aqua blue. It would be amazing to get to see the inside. It's owned by a Mexican steel guy who comes from old Mexico money, or that was the story. This boat looked huge even anchored next to a cruise ship in the bay.
When we got back from fishing two Mexican guys had parked their cars crazy so we couldn't back out of our spot. No locals knew whose car it was, so the boys picked it up and moved it. Very entertaining.
I know some of the pictures are kind of goofy, Hootie hates taking pictures so he usually refuses to act/smile normal. He looks cheesy in some, or the one wearing a helmet (he was riding a scooter) he looks challenged. But we had lots of fun & were in good company. We have to get some vacationing out of our systems, because we know it will halt for a bit whenever we have kids. Thanks to all the couples for being so much fun and for a memorable vacation.
4.07.2008
A Good Message
I enjoyed listening to conference and hearing our new prophet speak. He is a special, neat man. It was also nice to hear that he too, has good relationships with leaders of other churches. Hootie made fun of me when I said President Monson was a good speaker, (well duh, they all are) I had to clarify that his message is always clear and he gives good quotable talks. You can always reference his talks when you speak in church. There were many good lessons given over the past couple of days.
I know I'm a little late posting this, but I wanted to share. I love church on Easter, the spirit that is there and it's usually a whole new learning experience for me. I have posted a story from a talk that was given during our Easter Sacrament meeting, I hadn't heard it before, but I loved the message & it has stuck with me. The savior went through the atonement for each one of us, whether we choose to accept it or not. He has offered it to us & paid the price for our sins. It definitely makes you want to use the gift of repentance and forgiveness.
This is long, but worth the read.
There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States. Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year, regardless of his or her major.
Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously. This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor’s class. One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.
“How many push-ups can you do?” Steve said, “I do about 200 every night.” “200? That’s pretty good, Steve,” Dr Christianson said. “Do you think you could do 300?” Steve replied, “I don’t know… I’ve never done 300 at a time.”
“Do you think you could?” again asked Dr. Christianson. “Well, I can try,” said Steve.
“Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it,” said the professor. Steve said, “Well… I think I can…yeah, I can do it.” Dr. Christianson said, “Good. I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind.”
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren’t the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls.
Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson’s class.
Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, “Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?” Cynthia said, “Yes.” Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?” Sure.” Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten.
Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia’s desk Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, “Joe, do you want a donut?” Joe said, “Yes.” Dr. Christianson asked, “Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?”
Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut.
Walking down the second aisle, Dr Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When the professor asked, “Scott do you want a donut?” Scott’s reply was, “Well, can I do my own push-ups?” Dr. Christianson said, “No, Steve has to do them.” Then Scott said, “Well, I don’t want one then.”
Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn’t want?” With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.
Scott said, “Hey, I said I didn’t want one” Dr. Christianson said, “Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don’t want it” And he put a donut on Scott’s desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow
Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, “Jenny, do you want a donut?” Sternly, Jenny said, “No.” Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, “Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn’t want?” Steve did ten….Jenny got a donut.
By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say “No” and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push ups in a set because he couldn’t bear to watch all of Steve’s work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.
Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set. Steve asked Dr. Christianson, “Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?” Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, “Well, they’re your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want.” And Dr. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, “NO, don’t come in Stay out!” Jason didn’t know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, “No, let him come.” Professor Christianson said, “You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?” Steve said, “Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut.”
Dr. Christianson said, “Okay, Steve, I’ll let you get Jason’s out of the way right now Jason, do you want a donut?” Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. “Yes,” he said, “give me a donut” “Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?” Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.
Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve’s arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, “Linda, do you want a doughnut?” Linda said, very sadly, “No, thank you.” Professor Christianson quietly asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn’t want?” Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.
Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. “Susan, do you want a donut?” Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. “Dr. Christianson, why can’t I help him?” Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, “No, Steve has to do it alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.
When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes.”
“Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?” As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said. “And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, ‘into thy hands I commend my spirit.’ With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.”
Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. “Well done, good and faithful servant,” said the professor, adding, “Not all sermons are preached in words.”
I know I'm a little late posting this, but I wanted to share. I love church on Easter, the spirit that is there and it's usually a whole new learning experience for me. I have posted a story from a talk that was given during our Easter Sacrament meeting, I hadn't heard it before, but I loved the message & it has stuck with me. The savior went through the atonement for each one of us, whether we choose to accept it or not. He has offered it to us & paid the price for our sins. It definitely makes you want to use the gift of repentance and forgiveness.
This is long, but worth the read.
There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States. Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year, regardless of his or her major.
Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously. This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor’s class. One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.
“How many push-ups can you do?” Steve said, “I do about 200 every night.” “200? That’s pretty good, Steve,” Dr Christianson said. “Do you think you could do 300?” Steve replied, “I don’t know… I’ve never done 300 at a time.”
“Do you think you could?” again asked Dr. Christianson. “Well, I can try,” said Steve.
“Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it,” said the professor. Steve said, “Well… I think I can…yeah, I can do it.” Dr. Christianson said, “Good. I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind.”
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren’t the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls.
Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson’s class.
Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, “Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?” Cynthia said, “Yes.” Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?” Sure.” Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten.
Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia’s desk Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, “Joe, do you want a donut?” Joe said, “Yes.” Dr. Christianson asked, “Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?”
Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut.
Walking down the second aisle, Dr Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When the professor asked, “Scott do you want a donut?” Scott’s reply was, “Well, can I do my own push-ups?” Dr. Christianson said, “No, Steve has to do them.” Then Scott said, “Well, I don’t want one then.”
Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn’t want?” With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.
Scott said, “Hey, I said I didn’t want one” Dr. Christianson said, “Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don’t want it” And he put a donut on Scott’s desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow
Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, “Jenny, do you want a donut?” Sternly, Jenny said, “No.” Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, “Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn’t want?” Steve did ten….Jenny got a donut.
By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say “No” and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push ups in a set because he couldn’t bear to watch all of Steve’s work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.
Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set. Steve asked Dr. Christianson, “Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?” Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, “Well, they’re your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want.” And Dr. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, “NO, don’t come in Stay out!” Jason didn’t know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, “No, let him come.” Professor Christianson said, “You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?” Steve said, “Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut.”
Dr. Christianson said, “Okay, Steve, I’ll let you get Jason’s out of the way right now Jason, do you want a donut?” Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. “Yes,” he said, “give me a donut” “Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?” Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.
Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve’s arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, “Linda, do you want a doughnut?” Linda said, very sadly, “No, thank you.” Professor Christianson quietly asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn’t want?” Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.
Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. “Susan, do you want a donut?” Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. “Dr. Christianson, why can’t I help him?” Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, “No, Steve has to do it alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.
When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes.”
“Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?” As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said. “And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, ‘into thy hands I commend my spirit.’ With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.”
Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. “Well done, good and faithful servant,” said the professor, adding, “Not all sermons are preached in words.”
4.01.2008
Greetings from California
I went down to L.A. this weekend with my mother and sister-in-laws. The cheerleaders were competing at Nationals so Kristie, Maddi & I went down to watch & support Morgan. They did awesome and took 2nd, they had 8 teams in their category. The boys had to stay home to shear sheep. I missed not having Hootie there to play, but we still had lots of fun. We spent time at Knottsberry Farm & Disneyland. We were given the Dream Fastpass, it has 12 different fast pass tickets on it. That's the way to do Disneyland- no waiting in lines! Maybe it was good Hootie wasn't there, he isn't Disneylands #1 FAN! We went a couple of years ago & I promised him he didn't have to go back until we had a kid that was 5 or 6 and could enjoy it. (So who knows when we'll be back there). The weather was so-so, but better than it was at home. Unfortunately, we didn't hit up any good shopping. O-well. I thought I'd post a few pictures from our fun girls weekend. There are also a couple of Easter pictures, gotta love the timer on the camera.
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