As I looked back on everything that happened during 2017, my initial reaction was one of relief that the year was over. I started taking a mental inventory of all the challenging things I'd gone through. When I'd finished, I was depressed, and once again, felt relief that the year was over. After stewing on this for a few days, I was frustrated by my feelings about the last year of my life. Was it a waste? Had it all been challenges? Could I find no light at all? I believe that we will find what we look for. If you look for obstacles you will find them; if you acknowledge your blessings, you will recognize them. So, in an effort to express my gratitude to God for the last year of my life, I'm creating the top 12 list for 2017 (10 just wasn't going to cut it!). 12. Personal Finance and Self-Reliance facilitator This fall I had the opportunity to be a facilitator in a self-reliance program sponsored by our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I ...
If you can smile when things go wrong And say it doesn't matter, If you can laugh off cares and woe And trouble makes you fatter, If you can keep a cheerful face When all around are blue, Then have your head examined, bud, There's something wrong with you. For one thing I've arrived at: There are no ands and buts, A guy that's grinning all the time Must be completely nuts. ["Smile, Darn You, Smile," as quoted by Jeffrey R Holland, "The Will of the Father," Jan,17, 1989.]