Unnecessary Quotation Marks
December 26th, 2008 - 8 Comments
I think I just found the greatest website ever. Here are two pictures from the site. If you don’t think they’re as awesome as I do… go make a snowman or something.
My Writings. My Thoughts.
Away in a Manger
December 13th, 2008 - 4 Comments
One thought at Christmas has always impressed me the most–the thought of the selflessness of the birth of Christ. I am amazed what the savior was willing to give up to come down here and to help me. I think Tad Callister says it best in “The Infinite Atonement”:
That night, God the Son traded His heavenly home with all its celestial adornments for a mortal abode with all its primitive trappings. He, “the King of heaven” (Alma 5:50), “the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth” (Mosiah 3:5), left a throne to inherit a manger. He exchanged the dominion of a god for the dependence of a babe. He gave up wealth, power, dominion, and the fulness of his glory–for what?–for taunting, mocking, humiliation, and subjection. It was a trade of unparalleled dimension, a condescension of incredible proportions, a descent of incalculable depth. And so, the great Jehovah, creator of worlds without number, infinite in virtue and power, made His entry into this world in swaddling clothes and a manger. (pg 64)
He didn’t have to come… He’d already accomplished what we are here to do. Christ had somehow achieved in the premortal realms a state of omnicience and omnipotence, with no need of this sometimes difficult and painful experience of mortality. But He did come; how much more a difficult and painful journey it would be for Him than for us.
Did He remember His sacred mission as He lay there between His mortal parents, or did the veil of forgetfulness allow Him a few years of peace, unburdened by what lay ahead?
Did He know that the world around Him, the stars above him were crafted by His own tiny hands? That He, inside a tiny and helpless mortal body, was yet the creator of the universe, the Lord Omnipotent?
Some time ago, pondering this last thought made “Away in a Manger” my favorite Christmas hymn. There’s a line in that sacred music that has always brought to me a feeling mixed of wonder, irony, and helpless gratitude:
The stars in the heavens looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
Things That Are Weird
December 8th, 2008 - 4 Comments
These are a few random things in life that make me laugh. Or at least smile inwardly and think that humans are weird. If you have one you saw today, feel free to throw it into the comments.
1. The avoidance of eye contact with a stranger when you’re walking down the sidewalk–Every one of us kind of looks around until we get within ten feet. Once we’re there, we’re allowed to look at each other and maybe nod or something. Weird.
2. Dancing–I know, I think it’s fun too. I just don’t get it.
3. Facebook status updates–Sure, I do it too. I don’t know what it’s for, though. “Britton is writing this blog.” Did your life just change? Maybe a little? Are you more happy or less? Any taller? Check your back pocket, is your wallet still there?
4. Roll along backpacks–What in the world?
5. The fact that there is a show on NBC called “Dirty Sexy Money”–Wow. That same title would attract apes straight out of the rainforest. Welcome to devolution.
6. People that have Macs and think they’re better, but don’t know why–You just spent a lot of money on that shiny plastic. (PS I have a Mac… I’m just 
saying that you ought to have a reason to buy your laptop for the price of two).
7. The idea of not acting interested in someone when you go on a date–Like you’re trying to send the message “Hey, I was thinking maybe I would go to dinner and then miniature golfing tonight. You can come. If you want. I don’t really care. I’m far more interested in things like textbooks and superballs. But hey, you can come. Person. That I’m not interested in.”
8. The fact that we all want each other’s approval–Admit it. You do. Even if you hide it, somewhere deep down inside you’re happy when someone approves of what you do or say. I don’t get that one in the least. I should to wear my clothes inside out tomorrow or something just to see if I can get my brain not to care. (The picture is a seal of approval. HA!)
9. Movie critics–That’s a job? Holy crap!
10. Fretting about gas mileage–Say that I handed you about a ton and a half of metal and told you to get it to take you (and the entire pile) ten miles away with just a milk jug full of flammable liquid. Wow. I can’t even imagine how in the world that works so efficiently. Much less a car that gets 30 MPG or more. That’s from here to sandy. With one gallon of gas. I can barely start a camp fire with that.
I’ll probably add more some time… for now, that is my random thought of the day.
