Do you believe in Karma, "cause and effect", "what comes around goes around", "you reap what you sow"? Well, I do. I guess I don't believe in a person called Karma like the television show "My name is Earl" believes, but I do believe that you will be treated as you have treated others.
Here is my story. I am a simple appliance repair man. The appliances that I repair are computers. On many occasions my friends call me up asking me questions about computers. I respond the best that I can. Sometimes, a friends computer is beyond help over the phone so I offer to have them bring their computer over to my house and I'll take a look at it. I'll usually work on the computer, install updates, run some cleanup utilities and get it working the best that I can before handing it back.
When returning the computer to it's owner, I usually get many "Thank You's" in return and a query as to how much it will cost. I always give a bit of a smile and reply, "cookies would be nice". I then get another smile and a thank you. I send my friend with their fixed PC on their way. I really wasn't looking for anything in payment, just a happy friend.
Well, the tables were turned the other day and I was the unlucky friend asking for help. Not just a little help but a MAJOR plea for help. How grateful and thankful I was to find a friend that was willing to give of his professional services to help our family. When we offered to compensate him for his work, all that was offered was a big smile. I am so thankful for friends that are willing to help us out when we are in need. My dedication to help others with their computer problems is even more profound. With the simple act of service that our friend gave us, the help we received completely and totally outweighed all of the service I have ever given by helping my friends with their computers.
Do unto others as they would have done unto you. Karma (our Heavenly Father) will repay us for our service with blessings until it is overflowing and more than we can receive. That is my testimony and the lesson that was taught to me again this week.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Follow Up
I found a video clip from American Idol that proves my point about the 100% vs 110% weirdness. Not only that, but this clip shows one of my favorite clips of the 2010 season.
The first audition is of Vanessa Wolfe from Vonore Tennessee. She isn't the best singer in the group but she is authentic. She is who she is and does her very best. My favorite quote from the clip is, "Instead of butterflies, I got Fraogs".
At the very end of the clip you will see Randy Jackson giving his vote on whether Jermaine Sellers should go to Hollywood. Listen on what percentage of "yes" he gives this performer.
The first audition is of Vanessa Wolfe from Vonore Tennessee. She isn't the best singer in the group but she is authentic. She is who she is and does her very best. My favorite quote from the clip is, "Instead of butterflies, I got Fraogs".
At the very end of the clip you will see Randy Jackson giving his vote on whether Jermaine Sellers should go to Hollywood. Listen on what percentage of "yes" he gives this performer.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
100 Percent
Ok, there are a few little sayings that annoy me just a little bit. I wrote about one of those phrases that pesters me in my blog a little while back. This time, another phrase caught my eye while watching American Idol. This little idiom comes into play after all of the judges have given their opinion about the participant. One of the judges brings up the fact that they need to vote on whether to keep the minstrel or toss them out of the show. If the vocalist is horrible, the critics tell the poor schlub how terrible they were and march them out the door in tears. However, if the warbler is good, each of the judges try to explain just how magnificent they sang. Unfortunately, their vote sounds like this. "I vote yes! One Hundred Thousand Percent Yes!"
Ok, a hundred thousand sounds good, but then they said percent, what is that? I think when you are talking about a percentage, once you reach 100%, you have reached the max you can go. Have you heard people say they will give 110%? I hear it all the time. Once you hit 100, you are done, thats all there is. You can't give more than 100%. So, if you are excited about something, or you are trying really hard at something, please just say you are giving 100% and end it.
If you don't like only giving 100%, try using something that doesn't use a percent. You are the best vocalist I've heard and so you get a total YES from me. Lets see, you could say I'll work harder than everyone else. I'll stay later, I'll sing higher, practice longer. That all works.
110%?
Not so much.
Ok, a hundred thousand sounds good, but then they said percent, what is that? I think when you are talking about a percentage, once you reach 100%, you have reached the max you can go. Have you heard people say they will give 110%? I hear it all the time. Once you hit 100, you are done, thats all there is. You can't give more than 100%. So, if you are excited about something, or you are trying really hard at something, please just say you are giving 100% and end it.
If you don't like only giving 100%, try using something that doesn't use a percent. You are the best vocalist I've heard and so you get a total YES from me. Lets see, you could say I'll work harder than everyone else. I'll stay later, I'll sing higher, practice longer. That all works.
110%?
Not so much.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Going to the wrong church
Over the New Year Holiday weekend our family took a trip to Bountiful Utah where we were invited to a New Year Celebration. The party took place at my Brothers house up on the hill. We had a great time and enjoyed ourselves very much. As Sunday rolled around we decided to go to my brothers ward at 9:00am so that we could get on the road so we weren't too late getting back home. As we gathered all of the kids in the car, we took off in a caravan to attend Blake's church. My Mom and Dad led the way since they new which church Blake attended. There is an LDS Church on about every corner so it isn't that obvious which church you attend. So, we traveled up to the church, entered through the back, and found seats in the gym. We settled down for a nice fast and testimony meeting. As we tried keep our kids from falling asleep and from beating on each other we discovered that the chapel had "stadium seating". It was strange. The chapel had a slight downward slope to it so that the back rows of the chapel where about the same height as the raised podium. From the gym, where we were sitting, it was really hard to see the speakers at the podium because they were only at eye level.
After the sacrament had been passed around, we noticed that Blake and Estee had still not arrived. They were only a minute behind us when we left the house so there was no way that they were just late. We then realized that we were not at Blake's ward. We really couldn't pick up and leave in the middle of the meeting so we decided to just stay. Plus, if this wasn't Blake's ward, which building was?
Anyway, as we peered around the members in front of us, we could get small glimpses of the people on the stand. As I scanned to the right of the stand, I could see the men that were presiding at the meeting. At the very end of the bench, there was a man that I thought looked like Elder Bednar. As many of you might know, all of the mormon men in Utah look the same. Most of the leaders walking around look like Elder Bednar so I shrugged it off and went back to managing the sleepy kids. I did, however, continue to study this "Bendar Look-a-like". Of course, I was in the gym and my eye site isn't what it used to be. I decided to entrust my findings with my wife. I pointed him out to her and then took Savanna out in the hall so she could use the restroom.
When I got back, Deanna leaned over to me and said, "I think you are right, that might be Elder Bednar." Wow, that was cool. Deanna, with even worse eye site than mine, agreed with me. With this confirmation, I leaned over to my parents to get their opinion. As they bobbed and weaved their heads to get a better look at the gentleman on the stand, my Mom reported that she was pretty sure that he was Elder Bednar. I immediately turned to my son Coby and pointed out that there was Apostle up on the stand. He squinted his eyes and gave a small grin as he picked out Elder Bednar from the men in front. Then, he leaned back over to me and reported, "Ya Dad, and I think the guy next to him is Elder Hales." I grinned in disbelief and stuck my head up above the crowd and sure enough, on the right hand of Elder Bednar was Elder Hales. I relayed this message down the pew and in seconds we were all looking at each other with huge grins on our faces and in complete shock. It isn't every day that an Apostle attends your church meetings. In fact, in Twin Falls, it never happens!
As the meeting went on, we became privy to the fact that these two Apostles were attending their "Home" ward. No wonder everyone in the chapel was so casual about these two very iconic general authorities attending their sacrament meeting.
After the meeting, I was determined to go up and meet both of these men so I marched myself into the chapel area with my kids in tow to meet both of the Apostles. This is a big deal since I have only met one other Apostle in my life. If you want to read about it, you can view it on my post at LDSFamily.net Anyway, back to the story, we went into the chapel to track down Elder Bednar but he went out the side door to another meeting. However, Elder Hales walked up the isle right towards us, so I stuck out my hand and introduced myself. He looked at me for a second, smiled and said hello. I introduced each of my family members which were standing in a line like the partridge family and he shook each of their hands. He asked us where we were from and we replied that we were from Idaho. Just as he was leaving he said, "My sister raised 6 kids in Burley Idaho." We looked at each other and thought, "We know people in Burley!", but, he had already left.
So, even though we were at the "Wrong" Church, we were at the "Right" Church.
After the sacrament had been passed around, we noticed that Blake and Estee had still not arrived. They were only a minute behind us when we left the house so there was no way that they were just late. We then realized that we were not at Blake's ward. We really couldn't pick up and leave in the middle of the meeting so we decided to just stay. Plus, if this wasn't Blake's ward, which building was?
Anyway, as we peered around the members in front of us, we could get small glimpses of the people on the stand. As I scanned to the right of the stand, I could see the men that were presiding at the meeting. At the very end of the bench, there was a man that I thought looked like Elder Bednar. As many of you might know, all of the mormon men in Utah look the same. Most of the leaders walking around look like Elder Bednar so I shrugged it off and went back to managing the sleepy kids. I did, however, continue to study this "Bendar Look-a-like". Of course, I was in the gym and my eye site isn't what it used to be. I decided to entrust my findings with my wife. I pointed him out to her and then took Savanna out in the hall so she could use the restroom.
When I got back, Deanna leaned over to me and said, "I think you are right, that might be Elder Bednar." Wow, that was cool. Deanna, with even worse eye site than mine, agreed with me. With this confirmation, I leaned over to my parents to get their opinion. As they bobbed and weaved their heads to get a better look at the gentleman on the stand, my Mom reported that she was pretty sure that he was Elder Bednar. I immediately turned to my son Coby and pointed out that there was Apostle up on the stand. He squinted his eyes and gave a small grin as he picked out Elder Bednar from the men in front. Then, he leaned back over to me and reported, "Ya Dad, and I think the guy next to him is Elder Hales." I grinned in disbelief and stuck my head up above the crowd and sure enough, on the right hand of Elder Bednar was Elder Hales. I relayed this message down the pew and in seconds we were all looking at each other with huge grins on our faces and in complete shock. It isn't every day that an Apostle attends your church meetings. In fact, in Twin Falls, it never happens!
As the meeting went on, we became privy to the fact that these two Apostles were attending their "Home" ward. No wonder everyone in the chapel was so casual about these two very iconic general authorities attending their sacrament meeting.
After the meeting, I was determined to go up and meet both of these men so I marched myself into the chapel area with my kids in tow to meet both of the Apostles. This is a big deal since I have only met one other Apostle in my life. If you want to read about it, you can view it on my post at LDSFamily.net Anyway, back to the story, we went into the chapel to track down Elder Bednar but he went out the side door to another meeting. However, Elder Hales walked up the isle right towards us, so I stuck out my hand and introduced myself. He looked at me for a second, smiled and said hello. I introduced each of my family members which were standing in a line like the partridge family and he shook each of their hands. He asked us where we were from and we replied that we were from Idaho. Just as he was leaving he said, "My sister raised 6 kids in Burley Idaho." We looked at each other and thought, "We know people in Burley!", but, he had already left.
So, even though we were at the "Wrong" Church, we were at the "Right" Church.
 Elder Hales |  Elder Bednar |
Friday, January 08, 2010
Christmas Morning 2009 at the Carters
Nothing too exciting happened at Christmas this year. The major gifts were a Laptop, a Family Membership to the YMCA, Nintendo DS, Rip Stick, White Socks and Acquire. We defiantly had a wonderful time being together and sharing gifts. We hope you enjoy the short montage of our Christmas Morning.
New Years 2010 Celebration
Here is a quick little video of our family at a New Years 2010 party at Blake's House in Bountiful Utah. All of us had a wonderful time. Blake and Estee were great hosts. We did our best to clean up the confetti mess but I am pretty sure that Blake will be finding little pieces of confetti throughout his house for years to come.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Sledding into the New Year
For new years we traveled to Bountiful to visit my parents and my brother. We found this really fun sledding hill so I took the kids over and ran up and down the snow hill. I decided to take a camara along with me on one of the rides. I think you will enjoy it.
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