First and foremost I do not feel like and old guy, but I guess I am because I quote my Dad all the time.
Just the other day I was speaking at a High School to about 300 seniors and I told them that there are three ways to learn things.
THE EASY WAY - listen to those around you who have a better and more experience.THE HARD WAY - ignoring those around you and going it on your own & then you find the hard lessons of reality. In some ways I think some people only learn things this way. SAD :-(
THE TRAGIC WAY - this is where someone gets hurt severely or dies & nobody wants this but it happens all the time.
The above is a direct quote from a conversation I had with my father when I was in Junior High. This is classic MFAS stuff and more than likely most of us have some great stuff our Fathers have taught us.
Prov 4:1-4
4 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.
3 When I was my father's son,
Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 He also taught me, and said to me:
"Let your heart retain my words;
Keep my commands, and live.
NKJV
4 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.
3 When I was my father's son,
Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 He also taught me, and said to me:
"Let your heart retain my words;
Keep my commands, and live.
NKJV
Wise words from Solomon.
BIMD Back In My Day. These are usually stories of greatness about ourselves or others that are stuck in our memory banks and usually get a little larger than life the older we get. I can remember telling someone many years ago that I would never tell BIMD STORIES. Well I lied!!!! I do it all the time, but I try to cloak them in some other cool way and not say BACK IN MY DAY.
I was waiting for a table in a restaurant recently and while I waited I stood at the bar to watch ESPN. Well ESPN had a replay of the the 1985 or 1986 (not sure which year) NBA SLAM DUNK CONTEST going. As I stood there watching it brought back such cool memories that I was enjoying. Dominque Wilkins & Dr. J lost to a really young Michael Jordan on the famous take off from the free throw line dunk. Right after one of Dominque Wilkins powerful dunks some young guy standing next to me said to know one in particular, "Who the heck was that guy?" Of course I knew the answer so I offered up my expertise with the following comment: "Back in my day Dominque Wilkins was probably as good as Michael Jordan but he never had the supporting cast or coaching that Michael had." Of course I said it like I had lived it which of course I had only vicariously through TV and the comment was just one mans opinion.Which some would vehemently disagree with. After my meal I got in my car and I was driving away when it struck me that I had just said a BIMD comment and oh did it make me feel old.Prov 22:28
28 Do not remove the ancient landmark
Which your fathers have set.
NKJV
28 Do not remove the ancient landmark
Which your fathers have set.
NKJV
I hope there are more important lessons that I learned from BIMD and I hope that I will share them freely when I have the opportunity. I pray that they are as quick to my mind and heart as the memory of a SLAM DUNK CONTEST and even quicker off of my tongue and into those whom I lead.
BIMD & MFAS THOUGHTS ARE VALUABLE FOR THE LESSONS LEARNED BUT WE CANNOT LIVE THERE OR GET BOXED IN BY THEM. LEARN THE PRINCIPLE AND MOVE ON.
by Thomas S. Monson
Praying that you are encouraged today.
Ed
