Meme: “Letter To Me”

“If I could write a letter to me

and send it back in time to myself….”

So, I’m starting a new meme titled “Letter to Me”. I got the idea for this while listening to Brad Paisley’s latest hit song also titled “Letter to Me”. The premise of the song is a guy writing a letter to himself at a younger age. It is a song filled with warnings of things to come, memories of what happened, etc. Here are the rules:

1) First, I would recommend actually listening to the song. Click here to watch the music video .

2) Write a letter to yourself at a younger age. Your choice if you specify an age like the song does or not.

3) Tag as many of your friends to do the meme as you want. Provide a link to the person who tagged you as well as to this original post.

Here we go:

Dear Sean-

Welcome to Earth! You will be born in Edmonds, WA, on February 12^th, 1985, to Paul Langdon and Leanne Hansen. A few years into your life your parents will get divorced and your dad will join the Navy. Therefore, you will only see him when he comes home for the holidays. Once he gets out of the Navy and comes back to the area you will have a hard time opening up to him and hate going to his home every other weekend. Be aware of getting angry too much. This has an impact on your life but it will pass by the time you go into Middle School.

When Lindsey tells you in the 5^th grade while on Safety Patrol duty together that other friends are telling her that you like her and she asks you if it is true, tell her yes. Don’t be shy! Tell her that you like her. In fact, don’t be so shy any time you like a girl. Tell them how you feel. Truth is, you are actually afraid of rejection. You are cautious of possibly running good friendships by expressing your feelings. Tell girls you like them at a young age so you are more comfortable with it when you get older.

Join a little league or some kind of team sport at a young age. You will regret not doing so when you are older and will wonder if you would have been skinnier if you had gotten involved with sports early on in life. Furthermore, always take the time to study when it comes to school. You will get average grades throughout your primary and secondary years of education but could have done better if you had just studies. Plus, it is a bad habit that you will keep with you when you move beyond high school.

When you are young you will want to be a country music singer, lawyer, or a teacher. The singer part will be taken care of as soon as you realize you can’t sing. You will loose interest in being a lawyer but always enjoy your work with children and youth and thus a being a teacher will always be an option you consider. Though, as you get into your high school years you will start to realize how much you enjoy serving others and will become interested in ministry. You will dream of working for the church full time at some point in your life. At the age of 20 you will be called to the priesthood and ordained on your 21^st birthday. By the way, don’t tell your church friends on the CyberCongregation that you plan to have your first alcoholic drink on the same day as your ordination even if it is your 21^st birthday. It just becomes a hassle that you don’t want to deal with. Trust me. Throughout your early 20’s your passion for ministry and understanding of your calling will grow.

Oh the middle school years! First, attend Camp Chimacum. You will regret missing it. Plus, you will miss out on forming some possibly great friendships. Your middle school years will be your reclusive years. You won’t want to go to events with other youth. ACT YOUR AGE! You grew up too fast and too young. It is ok to occasionally get into trouble. You learn from those experiences. Also, you will have to actually start shaving by the time you are in 6th grade. Just don’t do so during the swimming unit in P.E. Your face will burn from the chlorine on the freshly shaven skin and it won’t be fun! 

Your first and second jobs will be for payday loan companies. Though, you will gain great experience, it is not an industry you will want to stay in. Get a new job as soon as you can. You will end up having enough of the industry and quit your job in early 2007 thinking that you will find a new job easily. WRONG! Keep the job and work until you find a new one. Or if you do decide to quit, find any job once the summer is over and don’t be too picky.

In April of 2007 you will go on a road trip to Missouri and back for the Community of Christ World Conference. On the way back, after being sick and suffering from a lack of sleep, you agree to drive so you can get home earlier than planned. Don’t, it’s not worth it. You will fall asleep at the wheel just after sunrise on a stretch of interstate in Eastern Oregon. You and the other passengers will be ok but it is a moment that will continue to haunt you for a while.

Most of all, just live life to the fullest. You will be ok and will always be  surrounded with loving friends and family.

P.S. – You wrote this letter when you were 23 years of age.

Now for the tagging. I tag:

Nick at Sansego (I actually told him about this meme idea last weekend and he just posted it already)
Shannon at Erosophy
Patti at The Peppermint Papers
Stacie at Becoming Visible
Mike at Still a Night Owl
John at Latent Prints

123 – Tagged!

Running, Running, Running as fast as I can but alas Mike at Simply A Night Owl has caught up and successfully tagged me to do the 123 meme! Thankfully, this is an easy one!

Here are the rules:

Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more.   No cheating!!
Find the first 5 sentences
Post the next 3 sentences
Tag 5 people

So, the nearest book to me is called “Love Jesus Hate Church: How to SURVIVE in Church or DIE trying” by Steve McCranie. Here it is:

Do you want to experience the abundant life Jesus promised us?
Or, are you sadly satisfied with the status quo?
Do you love Jesus, yet find yourself loathing church?

I am not going to tag anyone in particular but if you want to participate then I invited you to do so!

“Six Things About Me…” – The Meme

Mike has tagged me yet again! Is this freeze tag? I am so confused!

First, here are the rules:

Link to the person that tagged you
Post the rules on your blog
Share six non important bizaare things/quirks/habits about yourself
Tag six other people, link to their blogs and then let them know by posting a comment on their blog.

So, here we go…..

1)  I love chick flicks!

Chick flicks are often times my favorite movies. I like movies with some substance and movies that are classified as “chick flicks” are better than any movie with fictional stars killing each other with tasers or whatever! Some of my favorite chick flicks are “Where the Heart Is”, “Something’s Gotta Give”, “Hope Floats”, and “The Holiday”.

2) I will stop eating my meal if someone belches at the dinner table.

Well, not really anymore. But, I went through a phase in my Jr. High days when I would stop eating my meal if someone belched at the dinner table. I would imagine their germs being flown through the air and landing on my food. It totally grossed me out! Eventhough, I am not that extreme anymore, I will still pause if someone belches and consider not eating my food anymore.

3) If I don’t hear my alarm clock twice, I get cranky! 

If I have to be somewhere early in the morning (like before 9 am) I will set two different alarm clocks to get up in time. If I forget to set one of them or one of them fails and I only hear the one that wakes me up just in time to get ready to go then I become very cranky and irritated. I like having my alarm clock go off between 30 minutes to an hour before I need to get up. I will then go back to bed and have the second alarm get me up just in time to get ready to go. If this routine fails then you don’t want to be near me in the morning.

4)  If I can’t listen to my music in the car, I also get cranky!

I have a really hard time either driving or being a passenger in a car if the music playing is not of my liking. I have a really hard time keeping my mouth shut but it honestly bugs me to no end. This is the main reason that when carpooling I like to always drive my car that we all have to listen to my music. Sad, but true!

5) My nose twitches!

Growing up in Jr. High and High School my nose would continuously twitch. Not sure if it was a nervous thing, natural thing, or what. It still does it today but only when I think of it. When I think of it, it automatically happens though.

6) I have a need to be in leadership!

Everything I am involved with I always end up making it so I have a leadership position. In my church life I am a Counselor to the Pastor, Young Adult Leader, Youth Camp Director, etc. In my work life I left my first job as a store manager and was in charge of creating the staff schedules for 14 stores, about 30 employees or so, at my second job. It ISN’T that I have a need to tell people what to do. In fact that is far from it. It ISN’T that I like to receive the praise. I get very uncomfortable with the common “Thank You”. It IS that I love to be apart of the creating process. I love to plan worships and events. I love to create schedules. These are very important functions of leadership and thus why I aspire to be in leadership positions. I get bored by just simply doing my job or by just sitting in a pew on Sunday morning. I actually like the stress that comes from being in Leadership.

I am not going to tag any individuals in particular but if you want to participate, then I invite you to do so!

Meme – For One More Day…

Last night was the airing of the made for TV movie “For One More Day” based on the book of the same day by Mitch Albom. If I remember correctly I believe the book was partly inspired by the song “One More Day“ by Diamond Rio. It was one of my favorite songs when it was released and still is. I haven’t had a chance to read the book but plan on doing so. I have really liked Mitch’s previous books.

Anyways, thinking about the song and the upcoming movie led me to think of starting this meme.

Here we go:

1. Answer the following questions: If you could spend one more day with someone who would it be? Why? What would you want to talk with this person about? This could be about someone you personally know or someone from history.
2. Tag as many or as little amount of people as you wish to participate! Or participate even if you are not tagged!!!
3. (Optional) Including a link back to this original post and if you were tagged, the person who tagged you. Also, please invite others to comment back on this original post so I can see their responses.

I have been thinking about this question for the past couple of days but was having a hard time thinking of a response. Naturally, I started thinking about my grandma who passed away almost two years ago. We were really close. Though, the more I thought about it the more I realized that eventhough I miss her, I am ok that it was her time to go. I wouldn’t necessarily want to ruin my experience of the last few months I had with her before her death by seeing her one more time. That time helping take care of her was so special that I would now view seeing her again as taking away the time I did share with her in her dying days. I guess I would just want to let it be.

Of course there are several people in history that I would love to have one day to ask them all sorts of questions. People like Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Jesus, Joseph Smith Jr., Emma Smith, etc. The would all be fascinating people to talk to.

Though, my response would have to eventually be my maternal Grandfather and paternal Grandmother. Both of these grandparents passed away when I was really, really young. I have no memory of either of them. I would love to talk to them about my history on both sides of the family. Find out how it was for them growing up. Find out more about my parents from them. I have always wished I had known them. It would be great to have one more day to get to know them.

I now tag the following people to do this meme:

Mike at Simply a Night Owl.
Stacie at Becoming Visible.

Meme – 5 Things I am thankful for!

Mike has tagged me again! This time for a meme in which I am suppose to list 5 things that I am thankful for. This meme was originated by John over at Smulo Space. So, here we go…..

1) Family. For my parents, Paul and Leanne, who brought me into this world. For my brothers, Christian and Kevin, who continually test my patience like most younger siblings do. For deceased and living grandparents who have made an impact on my life. On a related note for my mom’s dad and dad’s mom for whom I know very little about because of their deaths when I was very young. I have much to learn about who they were. For all of my aunts and uncles for being loving and nurturing. Lastly, for my cousins, of whom I need to keep in better contact with.

2) Friends. For Rachel P, with whom I recently re-connected with after many years and greatly respect. For Erik S, who is my co-leader of YAPS. Our different styles of leading the group make it work successfully! For Aaron H, whom I greatly respect and is a blast to hang with. For Christian and Christie S, for whom I both admire greatly. Their continuing devotion to mother Earth and to our Heavenly Father is an example to us all. For all of the other young adults of YAPS and even MAYAs. Many good friendships have blossomed because of my involvement with both of these groups. For my friends from church. For Dave S, Leslie S, Laura F, Mark M, Rob B, and many others who have helped shape me into the person I am today. For Patti, Lisa, Stacie, and Mike as well as many others from the CyberCongregation. Lastly, I could go on and on but for anyone else I missed. All of my friendships are near and dear to me.

3) Community of Christ. I am truly thankful to have been born in to this faith movement. I am a third generation church member and believe so much in the mission of this denomination. Through this church I grew up knowing God and my friend, Jesus. I am humbled to be able to serve in the priesthood as a Deacon. I am humbled to be able to be on the receiving end of such great ministry in this church as well as being able to give ministry in this church.

4) God. Not a lot needs to be said about this one and yet it is the most important one on this list. For giving His only begotten Son to us. For giving me life. For everything.

5) Life. When I look around me I see that I am truly blessed. I have great friends, a loving family, and a warm bed to sleep in at night (well, not exactly warm as I like it a little cold). I live in an absolutely beautiful part of the US. I hope that I live this life that I have been given to it’s full capacity and can use it to the help my fellow man (and woman).

I now tag the following people to do this meme:

Nick at Sansego
Christian at Flannel Christian
Shannon at Erosophy

Meme: WWJS – A Personal Relfection

I have been tagged by Mike for this meme which was started at Lord, I Believe; help my unbelief! The question I am suppose to answer is, “What would Jesus say to me?”. Well…..phew….at least this meme isn’t tough.

This is a lot like an exercise that I have done at Spiritual Growth Retreats. During the exercise the leader of the retreat invites us to close our eyes and listen as she reads a scenario that we are suppose to immerse ourselves in to and become the person that she is reading about. She reads this beautiful description of how I am walking along a path, paying attention to all the details around me. Listening to the birds chirping their melodic song, feeling the breeze wrap around my body, seeing the beauty of a flower and so on and so forth. Then she reads that I am coming to a clearing and that there is a bench in the clearing with a man sitting there. As I come closer, I see that is Jesus. He invites me to sit next to him. At this point, those of us that retreat are instructed to journal what Jesus would say to us. For some, this becomes that most valuable exercise of the retreat. For me though, I always have a really hard time with it. I will again try it for this meme.

So, here I am. What would Jesus say to me if I met him in a clearing and we sat a visited a while? As I reflect on this question the first thing that comes to mind is that he would probably tell me how I need to get past my own insecurities so that I can become a better minister. There are some things that I struggle with. Yes, I preach, preside, lead young adult events, direct camps, etc. I feel very comfortable in those roles. But, my own insecurities make it hard for me to share with those whom I don’t know. Those whom I may come across at the super market. Those who may sit next to me on an airplane. I preach about witnessing but have a very hard time doing it. I can be very shy and am uncomfortable with my weight and at times let those things get in the way of ministry.

I believe he would also let me know that I need to be a voice for those that are oppressed. That I need to be willing to speak up more for those who are marginalized by society; the Muslims, the homosexuals, those with disabilities, those who are ethnically in the minority, the poor, etc. He would probably remind that we are all children of God and that no one should made less of a person because of who they are or because of how they are incorrectly percieved. That they shouldn’t be abused because of how our Heavenly Parent created them.

I think he would remind me that I talk a pretty good talk but don’t necessarily always walk a pretty good walk. I am sure I would be reminded that I have nothing to fear without him in my life. That if I continue to be a faithful servant that I will always be spiritually protected.

In the end I think he would let me know that I have made Him pleased thus far. That it is important to recognize my shortcomings but then learn from them as well and that as long as I do that He will be happy with how I am serving Him.

Wow! What an exercise. It leaves much to keep in thought and prayer even after I press the “Publish” button on this post. Thank you Mike for tagging me on this thought provoking, self-reflecting meme.

It is now my turn tag others so I choose to tag:

Nick at Sansego
Shannon at Erosophy
Christian at Flannel Christian