The Most Miraculous Communication Known to Mankind

Do you know what "it" is? 


In just a few seconds every human being processes more data through his/her individual learning centers (all senses and feelings) then can be depicted in thousands of written words. Describing the millions of colors including the various shades of light, the depth and distance of the objects around me and their ever changing shadows, the subtle wind on my face, how tight my shoes are, the hum of the machines that I tuned out, my heart beating, my brain constantly checking and adjusting all body functions, the itch in my ear, I'm going to have to pee soon, my skin is dry, I'm feeling curious or is it adventurous, my breath is warm and consistent. Hundreds of layers of sounds fall in and out of the range of my hearing. I don't know why, but I think I need to call John, I'm hungry, I laugh with your laugh and don't know why, I feel a chill and the goosebumps confirm it as they rise on my skin, the night sky inspires me, the adrenaline taste is still in my mouth, I needed to say that, I hear you, I feel what you are saying is true, thank you and peace distills on my soul, until the phone rings and jolts me away... 


Your and my incredible soul processes more information every moment than we can consciously realize. Self awareness is too often dulled due to haste, waste and an increase in distractions. With that dulling comes a smothering of our innate and childlike sense of wonder and awe. This is a vital gift and quality that makes our lives awesome! 


When was the last time you tasted your food? I mean really intentionally paid attention to the flavors and textures of what you ate with each reasonably sized bite, instead of bite swallow, bite swallow... Did you look intently and absolutely into his eyes while you spoke? Did you watch his face and mouth to see how he felt? Or read his posture and gestures just for fun? Squat down and look at the world from a small child's perspective as you go about your day. Drive home a new way and see what you think and feel. When was the last time you took your shoes off and walked in the grass, then sat down, looked at the grass closely and just stopped to watch it grow? Or walked on the beach or stopped to stand still in the shallow waves as they slowly buried the tops of your feet with each massaging pass? Did you see the sky today - day or night? But did you really see it? The birds playing, the jet stream dissolving, the light reflecting off the clock? Where did the clouds move, or did you see the branches sway as the light danced with the leaves to music of the wind? 


We are born to learn. Our bodies and souls are recognizably divine and capable of eventual feats and miracles beyond our wildest dreams. If you don't believe me, test living a life of attention and thoroughness of work (pay attention to the details and finish with style) for 30 days every day, all day as often as you can.


We cannot appreciate what we do not recognize. God said, In no way can you offend me more than to not recognize my hand in all things*.  What is right in front of you that you are missing? 


Our Life's compass is how we feel. I'm referring to feelings deeper than an emotional purchase. It's choosing to act with courage and without regret or remorse. It includes confidence from the inside of our self that is enviable, desirable, wanted from the depths of our toes to the top of our souls. It's doing knowing that "I am in alignment with the universe and it's plan for me right now". It's the second greatest feeling during and after the perfect golf shot, the right words that came out and surprised not only you, but me, it's being in "the zone" so thoroughly that when it stops it's like a bubble popped and I stepped out of a dream like state back into a more bland reality. 


We are born to do GREAT things! The simplicity of discovering the solutions and making many decisions (not the difficulty of actually doing them) often comes back to how we feel. I hear, "In data we trust". And signs and wonders are nice. They have a place, but in the long run may end up proving nothing. Instead we see only one facet of a multifaceted gem.


Our heart is our guide to living. In business it's called "instinct", others call it my "sixth sense", mom's may say it's "radar", "a still small voice", "our link to the Holy Ghost", the scriptures, "the Light of Christ", in Pinocchio it's personified as "Jiminy Cricket" - his frequent companion and "conscience".


We may study and work for years to invoke, provoke and seek a change in our relations or behavior. Haltingly and almost randomly we may feel a sense of progress and hopelessness - sometimes at the same time. Then something unexpected is heard/felt and our burdens get lifted and our hearts change and we can begin to do what was previously difficult, if not seemingly impossible to do before. We feel something when God's Spirit touches our spirit that is non-duplicable, assuredly impossible to imitate. 


I believe in these God given moments we have a chance to instantly improve because we are reminded of who we are and where we come from. You are Divine. We are children of God. 


So often media seems designed to want to numb us and replace natural feelings with pre-recorded and virtual realities. One epitome being the looped fake fireplace showing on our tv. 


Being a thrill seeker most of my life, I lived on fewer emotions and more of seeking the next challenge and thrill. I now identify a full range of emotions - including a growing feeling of kindness and a genuine appreciation, love and respect for others and the life around me, puts living my life into perspective - that media can't teach or replace. I can still take the shot, but in these moments when I'm in tune and in sync, I'm living. Really living. And I like it.


Let's choose to begin being more in tune today, right here, right now.... the carpet is soft and warm under my sore feet - maybe even invigorating. The hard and noisy keys under my fingers will soon grow cool again in my absence.


Bryan Packham

http://i2i2blog.blogspot.com/

(*scripture: http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/59.21?lang=eng#20)
(want to feel something good, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOpOhlGiRTM)

When Lightning Strikes Your Child, Who Do You Want to Help?

On the afternoon of Wednesday, September 30, 1998, a Little League football team in Inkom, Idaho, was out on the field for its midweek practice. They had completed their warm-ups and were starting to run a few plays from scrimmage. Dark clouds were gathering, as they sometimes do in the fall, and it began to rain lightly, but that was of no concern to a group of boys who loved playing football.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, an absolutely deafening crack of thunder split the air, inseparable from the flash of lightning that illuminated, literally electrified, the entire scene.

(this is not A. J. it is someone else)

At that very moment a young man A. J. Edwards, was ready for the ball on a handoff that was sure to be a touchdown in this little intersquad bit of horseplay. But the lightning that had illuminated earth and sky struck A. J. Edwards from the crown of his football helmet to the soles of his shoes.The impact of the strike stunned all the players, knocking a few to the ground, leaving one player temporarily without his sight and virtually all the rest of the players dazed and shaken. Instinctively they started running for the concrete pavilion adjacent to the park. Some of the boys began to cry. Many of them fell to their knees and began to pray. Through it all, A. J. Edwards lay motionless on the field.

David Johnson, rushed to the player’s side. He shouted to coach Rex Shaffer, “I can’t get a pulse. He’s in cardiac arrest.” These two men, rather miraculously both trained emergency medical technicians, started a life-against-death effort in CPR. Cradling A. J.’s head as the men worked was the young defensive coach of the team, 18-year-old Bryce Reynolds. As Bryce Reynolds offered a prayer and blessing, A. J. Edwards drew his first renewed breath.

The ongoing prayers, miracles, and additional priesthood blessings of that entire experience—including a high-speed ambulance drive to Pocatello and a near-hopeless LifeFlight to the burn center preserved his life. It is sufficient to say that a very healthy and very robust A. J. Edwards is in the audience tonight with his father as my special guests." 

Today I am looking at this miraculous event re-told by Jeff Holland from a different perspective. This story illuminates me. I'm seeking all the additional light I can find while walking through the many shadows encountered while raising children. 

These days our lives are littered with seemingly limitless, and often confusing choices created by masterful and perfected sciences of manipulation and marketing. Even as lightning is an excellent metaphor for false light when compared to the sun, it is clearly exciting and fun to witness.... until it strikes close to someone you love. Just ask A.J., his friends or his parents and siblings.

I have studied, researched and witnessed the billions of dollars, hundreds of thousands of hours spent by intentional packs of men and women who are perfecting the language and ability to better manipulate and influence the human psyche - into choosing what they want sold (services, products and philosophies). These flashy, well pitched, well timed and expertly written options are carefully presented to us as caramel covered onions (not apples). Do you really believe these packs of individuals have our best interest in mind? 

What do I mean by manipulate and influence? One example is, during a 21 minute TV show, in between 9 minutes of skipped or seen commercials, each "show" may have 10,000 or more purposely placed products that are highly researched, carefully tested and chosen by experts. Each item pays for its place in the show and is therefore strategically set at critical key points in dialogue, views and angles. Experts fill the hollow sets where the actors perform to sometimes empty audiences that are later filled in with well scripted recordings of laughter, oohs and aahhs. These product placements are often integrated seamlessly to appear harmless and normal and cool. They are endorsed by a celebrity, often at the price of failing to tell a real story or delivering memorable entertainment in exchange for our 21 minutes of time.

When we were children there was a distant sound that used to stir our parents while we slept at night. It is now moving boldly into the light of day. As parents we must wake up and teach our children and those we care about to hear the sound of these wolf packs who howled around us when we were young and naive. Could they really be stalking our children in almost every view of every waking moment? 

While I like nice things as much as the next guy and I don't work for free. Take a moment and answer, Where isn't advertising? Then look around and see the lighting strikes - the logos and emblems, music, tv, printed pages, boxes, bags, images on your computer and your phone? Each purveyor of product or philosophy has an intention of using our familiarity and sometimes numbness to their tactics, as well as our children's naivete' and vulnerability to satisfy their own self seeking wants, often at great price.

Like the story above, how quickly are many to flee to safety when lightning strikes your child? How few are prepared and also have the courage to stand against the raging storms and potential threats to help rescue him? Are you prepared? I am definitely a work in progress. 

Maybe you can relate to seeing and feeling the gale winds blowing stronger against our kids futures? I see it as a challenge. As we prepare ourselves as parents, neighbors and friends who value those closest to us, we will appeal to the Light in others. The innate strength within them to get back up and keep moving forward.

As parents, family members and friends we are called to rescue the innocent, the needy, the deceived, the downtrodden and those looking for peace amidst the roar of thousands of choices who don't know where to find hope and comfort, safety and peace. We are fighting an often unseen, but clearly felt enemy.

We are never alone and can rely on the Savior, Jesus Christ. Each day that we remember prayer and scripture study we are made stronger. Our senses are sharpened, armor thickened, so that we might not fall or be fooled by the subtle craftiness of men who lie in wait to deceive. 

Even as three prepared men collectively rushed to save a boy's life, they also worked to keep a family intact and enabled A.J. to live a lifetime paying his debt forward to others as he feels is best. Inspiring leaders, friends, teachers and neighbors are available to help us bless our family and friends lives - if we seek them, we will find those who can help. Working together we will be that much stronger against those who would use our family and friends for their own selfish reasons. (link story of prince)

Let's unite in leading our family and friends to safety in today's storms - even though our actions may create whining, complaining, drama and/or sadness (click here to see an extreme example - 55M views http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YersIyzsOpc). 

Let's help them be prepared when someone they know will be in trouble - who will need their hands, prayers and blessings to survive.

Side Note: Read Pres Monson's  uncondensed talk: http://lds.org/liahona/2001/01/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng

Bryan Packham

www.i2i2blog.blogger.com