Russell's Food for Thought

More AF Canyon

2009-06-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

Here are more photos from American Fork Canyon.

American Fork Canyon

2009-06-09T18:09:00.000-07:00

I decided to take some pictures up American Fork Canyon today. These are some of Amber's favorites.

A new love for the same picture

2009-03-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

Today I celebrated my two year anniversary with my wife. I was amazed to look back and see the transition that has taken place in my life. 28 months ago I met Amber at an ice-skating activity with several friends. Three other boys were trying to get Amber’s attention. Little did they know, I had already won the battle.

That night Amber and I spent three hours talking about our families, hobbies, and goals in life. That was it from that moment on I wanted to spend every moment with her. Every day I learned something new about Amber that pushed me further in love, even when I told her I loved her and she simply replied, “I really, really like you and am very, very interested in you.”

Amber is like the main picture on my blog. Because I took it, I feel like it is a great picture. I could stare at it and find all the ugly things about it but my eyes won’t let me. Instead I find something new which I had not before seen to love every time I see the picture. I have found myself doing this same thing with Amber. Every day for the past two years I have found something new to love about the same picture (Amber).

2009-03-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

In every day life we are faced with the challenges which make us feel uneasy, frustrated, anxious, worried and so forth. These feelings can be summed up into one word, STRESS.

Stress is in our lives regardless of how hard we try to avoid it. The way stress makes us feel is not something to be desired. Few people enjoy the challenges it brings, however stress will affect everyone for better or worse. Some stress can be a positive aspect in our lives, it can encourage us to perform better or to practice more to obtain a goal.

The negatives to stress are more than bad feelings. Stress can cause inconvenience (like memory loss) or even bodily harm. Under some stress the body will release glucocorticoids, which hinder the formation of white blood cells. This will cause the immune system to slow down (Cohen & Herbert, 1996). A slower immune system means more time being sick.

Along with the slower immune system, stress can lead to harmful outcomes. Certain stresses can cause blood pressure to increase and plaque to build up in the arteries. The build of plaque forces the heart to work harder, this can lead to heart-attacks (Strike et al., 2004).

With all the scary outcomes stress can bring there is hope for us all. Research was done with couples that do not habitually kiss. When the couples were asked to increase their kissing to 30 min a day, a change took place in their immune systems. The results of the study show an increase in the couples immune systems (Kimata, 2003). If stress lowers the immune system and kissing increases it, one might be led to believe that kissing for 30 minutes (or more if you can get it) lowers the stress in our lives. So grab someone that will let you and pucker up and enjoy the next 30 minutes.

October 6, 2008

2008-10-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to start writing down my thoughts and daily activity. While I was driving around looking for the people that forget or chose not to obey the laws, I started thinking about what class of man is living among us today. Everyone sees the challenges one might face today, but is quickly reminded of the challenges a Nation or even the world is facing. When I am brought to the realization of the challenges, I can’t help but think these questions:

-How did we get here?
-Who did this or who can we blame?
-What happens next?

How did we get here? Think about it for a moment. The last time we were brought down to our knees of financial burden, most of us were not alive. I imagine after the recovery of the depression our predecessors had a little different attitude toward the purpose of life and their goals in life. I would like to think they were not as worried about how much they were going to make as much as they were about being grateful they had a job. I would like to think they wanted everyone to have the same opportunity to work.

Now look at us now. We have CEO’s making more than ever. We are so focused on what we have and what we want (every man for himself). Greed has gripped the heart and mind of man. We just had to have the bigger houses, the extra big toy, or more often than not, toys. The leaders of the banks and government wanted more as well. They gave the loans to those who should not have had them just so they could paint the books black and their pockets green. Give me give me more, more, more. Greed has some how set our hearts upon the items of the world.

When I ask myself the question of “who” I know there is no other answer than me. I did this to myself. I let the influence of coveting overtake me. I have wanted what others have and not wanted to wait. I have wanted in my youth what my predecessors had worked for their whole lives.

So where do we go from here? The world, our country is in a mess. The men who wish to lead this country try with lies and deceit to persuade our hearts and votes. Banks and financial institutions fall. Men have their secrets and do acts of lewdness and filth. Man has his wars and rumor of wars. The earth is unleashing disaster after disaster. The phrase “history has a way of repeating itself” comes to my mind. As I reflect upon a book called the “Book of Mormon” I see the same patterns unfolding. I only hope to see the pattern fulfill its cycle and the time of prosperity come again. I know this based off of our own commitment to give up our greed and pray for righteous leaders.