GLIMMERS OF HOPE vs TRIGGERS OF FEAR

Photo of sunrise over the Wasatch Mountains

I read the following advice this morning that I thought I would share: 

If you want to decrease stress, start paying attention to your "glimmers".

Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. They're those tiny moments of joy, awe and peace that cue our nervous system to feel safe, calm and connected.

Once you start looking for them, you will see them everywhere ...

To combat stress and cultivate inner peace, focus on cultivating and appreciating your "glimmers"—those small moments of joy, wonder, and tranquility that soothe your nervous system.

Unlike stressors that trigger anxiety, glimmers signal safety and connection, fostering a sense of calm. These moments, often overlooked in the rush of daily life, are abundant once you begin actively seeking them out. 

Glimmer to me has always meant slight, minimal, and hardly unrecognizable. We all witness "glimmers" in our life but often times choose to view only the negative "triggers" 

The world we live in often seems fixated on highlighting the "triggers", and it can feel heaving when those consume our thoughts and minds. The recent tragic fires in California have not helped.  Fear, stress, and anxiety are just a few of the many names that reflect "the accuser". But hope, peace and comfort are "glimmers" that reflect the Lord. 

HOLY **** !

 Just when I thought the reconstruction of the Salt Lake Temple could not get worse. We are now going on six years since the beginning of the "Reconstruction" of the Temple. For those of you who are unable to see the current state of the Temple right now, I share the below photos.  High above the Temple between the spires, there are now eight port-a-potties positioned above the temple. (See lower left in the below photo). I have zoomed in so you can see up closer these Honey Buckets)

I had friend email me a photo of the temple and said this when he saw the portable toilets on top of the temple and said the following: 

Those are the only two words to describe this scene. Literally. 

(or maybe two other words -Desecration and Defecation)

 (btw: the large crane was partially photoshopped out of the photo) 

GRATEFUL THAT 2024 IS OVER!

It's been a while since my last post, but I wanted to kick off the New Year by sharing a quote from Orson Ferguson Whitney that perfectly captures the year 2024 for me.

“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God . . . and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.”

Despite the challenges and hardships of the past year, there were also some truly beautiful moments. Below are a few photos I never got around to posting from some hikes and experiences in 2024. The first photo probably best represents what 2024 felt like. My wife took it while hiking behind me.

With all that said, I felt it was important to share this today. This morning, I woke up with a heart full of hope and gratitude. I’m feeling incredibly optimistic for what 2025 has in store

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Sidenote:

Last night, my wife and I watched the movie Mary on Netflix.  I hesitate to recommend it. The creators took GREAT artistic licensing and I found some of the content to be disturbing, especially how they portrayed the angel Gabriel as well as some other scenes. But that being said, I appreciated the contrast between the virgin Mary to the King Herod. Anthony Hopkins portrayal of Herod the Great was incredible. It shows what the  insatiable lust for power can do to a man. 

Here is the trailer to the movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d74vHvsACSs