Excuses

Excuses are an empty bucket that hold no water

January 31, 2014

I recently attended an event and was very much effected by the great attitude of this large group of people. Everyone had a smile on their face and enthusiasm radiated from their beings.

I found myself getting caught up in the mood and being energized by the crowd. I’m thinking, what a great place to be. My self respect soured as I realized that I could have been home looking at my four walls, having little or nothing going on in my life. Instead I was here among this mass of happy people enjoying one another company.

In times past I have found myself making excuses to stay at home. I have used excuses such as, it’s going to cost too much, I don’t have time or the neighbor won’t lend me his lawn mower. It doesn’t matter what I use for an excuse. I’m sure you have heard it stated, that an excuse is only good for those who make them.

At the event I met people who had traveled from around the world. In attendance were blind people, some were in wheel chairs. I would have felt ridiculous if I had used one of my excuses.

I’m not saying that there are not reasons that keep us from doing everything that we would like to do.
There are defiantly obstacles that can’t be over looked.

My reason for writing this is to keep me in check. I have made commitments that I need to honor. I have set time estaminets on achieving my goals. I have set in place certain actions that I must take in order to reach those mile posts and in order to arrive at the intended mile post, my pace has to be consistent. I must never give in to excuses.

I look back at that great event and feel that my ability to succeed have been enhanced in ways that were unimaginable before. I have gained a firm knowledge that the guy who made the decision to purchase the tickets, get on eight jet planes to make the trip, spend a large sum of cash was someone I could count on. I’m happy with my decision and found the trip was well worth it.

My wish to you is that you reach your dreams and that we can someday meet together in the setting
that I have just described.

Love you.

Taylor Thayne

My 50 Year Love Story

My 50 Year Love Story

Fifty years with the same guy hasn’t been easy on her. Our lives have been so busy. At the present time, our union has produced 8 children and 37 grandchildren. That is just about a population explosion of its own. I’m constantly amazed at how she has stood up under the load.

Our start at establishing our family institution was quite unconventional to society’s standards. We met and became acquainted while I was serving a mission for my church. I could see the good person that she was and I may have had the thought that she would make someone a good wife. I was even struck by her kind and thoughtful ways. We never shared our thoughts and feelings with one another. We went our different ways and lived our different lives. Time moved on. I continued serving my mission and she did whatever girls do.

Eventually, I received a phone call from one of our mutual friends informing me of her grandmother’s passing. I knew her grandmother to be a sweet, caring person and she was Gail’s only means of support. She had lived her life with her grandmother. I was saddened to hear of her situation. I called to extend my sympathy and later sent her a card.  The card….that’s what did

it! She returned her “thank you” in a short letter and informed me that she would be moving to Huntington, WV. and that’s when our correspondence began.

In less than two months, I had completed my mission and returned to my home in Utah. As soon as I could come up with a bus ticket, we sealed the deal with me sending her the money for transportation to Utah. Memories are foggy about the truth of where I secured the money. At least one brother accused me of borrowing it from him. I’m sure he feels I never paid it back. I may have to give him one of my kids.

Gail came to Utah on her 18th birthday and we were married one week later. I owe her so much , as she has given her all to our union. Someday soon, I intend on taking her on a date. (That’s my joke and I tell it often). Seriously, I feel overwhelmed at the faith she has placed in my hands. It was hard to imagine in my wildest dreams, that a pretty girl like her would catch a bus in West Virginia and travel those many miles away from home to Utah to be with me. The only thing I could offer her was my heart. I had nothing of material value. I had to pinch myself…”Is this real or is it a dream?”

Many times since the, times have been tough, but we pulled through them together.  As I have observed her in action, I marvel to this day at her unconditional love. She loves everyone, right down to the smallest creature. One of my favorite stories of her is when

she was little and  she heard a mouse trap snap at her grandma’s house, she hopped out of bed and released the mouse.

What a special part of my life Gail is. She truly is a helpmate through and through. So…for 50 years, we’ve held hands through thick and thin. I’m looking forward to the next fifty.

As the old saying goes, “You don’t change horses in the middle of the river”.

Take Time to Express Yourself, Don't Wait until it is too late.

Take Time to Express Yourself, Don’t wait until it is too late.

January 22, 2014

My son co-authored  a book entitled “Taking the Reins”. The book deals with leadership. I am inspired with the dedication page. The book is dedicated to his co-author’s wife who died of cancer. Her life leaves us with something to think about.

She was credited with taking the reins in everything she did. (Taking the reins is a western term for guiding a horse.) As a strong leader, ground breaking professional, confident supervisor, effective manager, caring teacher, trustworthy friend, loving wife, and compassionate mother, she lived the principles presented in their book. She was, to a great many people, the world’s best listener and always focused on others. Sadly, she lost her battle with cancer. 

The hearts of many people across the US, and around the world, were deeply touched by her passing. Faithfully teaching, even to the end, she expressed the following words of wisdom in a letter she wrote to her family and friends to be read at her funeral. “Why do we wait until someone is dying to tell them what they mean to us? What a difference it would make if we told our family, friends, and colleagues, how they influenced us and how much we love and appreciate them. So your assignment, due today, is to tell at least one person how much they mean to you and what a difference they’ve made in your life.”

A lot of food for thought, for us who remain walking the streets of life.

Remember to show your love and appreciation for those around you today!

Love,

Taylor Thayne

My Challenge of Becoming Computer Literate

My Challenge of Becoming Computer Literate

January 10, 2014

Seventy-four years of maneuvering through life trying to overcome the obstacles of everyday, has been nothing compared to understanding the computer. My children have adapted to computers as naturally as breathing in and breathing out.

My first personal experience with computers happened at age 73. I had managed to steer clear of them. They were beyond my power of comprehension. In fact, I feared them. 

I was so impressed with smart phones and their tremendous technology that I accepted the challenge and dove in. I am amazed at the amount of information that I didn’t know. Slowly and steadily I am peeling back the layers of understanding. Each layer I remove brings me to the stark realization of the vast space of unknowns that lay ahead. I’m only encouraged to keep pushing forward by looking back and seeing how far I have come.

I’m rewarded for my efforts by the many friends that I’ve encountered. I never cease to be amazed that I can blog and that my stories are shared across the world. Many people seem to like my stories and some say they are inspired by my life’s experiences. Some have encouraged me to never quit writing. Imagine that!!

Even with the many struggles, I’m so happy I made the decison to embark upon the journey. I have found such personal growth and appreciation for life itself. I realize that I have a long way to go and I am excited to uncover the layers of understanding. I just can’t wait to see what’s around the next corner.

My new found knowledge has enabled me to create an income that comes in handy and allows me to enjoy time at home with my good wife. For too many years, we have been separated from one another much of the time because my employment has taken me many miles from home.

I have many friends who haved said that they would like to do something different with their lives, but worry that they wouldn’t be able to learn new technology.

May you rest assured that if I can do it, you can do it!

My mission is to help you get some time to spend with your family. There’s more to life than work, work, work.

A Recipe for Disaster? Turns out it was a recipe for HAPPINESS!

A Recipe for Disaster?  Turns out it was a recipe for HAPPINESS!

She lived in the East. He lived in the West. She was raised in the city. He grew up in the country. She loved small indoor animals. He loved large outdoor animals. She was stunningly pretty. He was definitely plain. She spoke with sophistication and poise.  He totally slaughtered the language. She thought he was perfect. He knew her to be kind with unconditional love. She found out he wasn’t perfect. He found out she couldn’t cook. 

With so many differences, we figured we shouldn’t stir the pot any more than we had to.There’s a possibility that there may be even more reasons why we shouldn’t get married.

The one thing we had in common was we both believed in God and we loved our Lord, Jesus Christ. We knew that if we lived His plan and followed His example, there was nothing we couldn’t overcome.

I’m sure she wasn’t always that excited about making her home in the country. However, her kindness and love ruled, and made him one of the happiest men in the world.

I take my hat off to her. She found a way to make it work. Her tender heart softened many awkward situations. For example, I love to hunt deer and rabbits. She loved deer and rabbits. After a few hunting trips and coming home and finding her feeling sad, I lost all desire to hunt. She just has a way of touching my soul and she makes me a better man. I know I have a long way to go to be in complete compliance, but I’m working on it.

I appreciate her never ending love. I don’t deserve her but I’m glad she got me anyway.

I look back over the 51 years that we’ve been together and memories are as a movie of two people coming together. We were so happy to have one another and we lived with the vibrancy of youth. 

Time marched on and children came to share our lives. We found that our closeness of sitting on a pickup seat, became a thing of the past. As each child came, the distance on the seat became even greater. Her love has always made up the difference. 

I find myself today, nearly fifty one years later, wondering how she could always give so much of herself. She had moved nearly 2000 miles away from her hometown, leaving her family and friends and coming to a strange, primative, unforgiving environment, leaving the luxury of downtown with paved streets and shopping areas nearby, to come to dirt roads and the nearest shopping thirty five miles away.

She arrived on a bus on her birthday, January 19th, 1963, and we were married one week later on January 26th.  To this day, I am honored that she believed in me. What a girl !

Our children have all grown up and have children of their own. Her fountain of love is extended to each one in massive proportions. Our family includes 8 children and 36 grandchildren to date. She even found time to sponsor a foreign exchange student from Japan who is still included in her circle of love.

The love we shared back then has matured and taken on an element of great respect that has no bounds. We hold to our faith in Jesus Christ and know that we couldn’t be to this point without Him…and she can cook!

I’m so grateful for her. Certainly there is no one who could have made me happier. In many ways, we have become one in purpose. I can’t stand for her to feel pain. My desire is to help her to have true joy as we help each other down the path of old age.

Thank you, Sweetheart. You amaze me. Love ya!