Things as They Really Are


Perhaps no greater proof exists of the adage, “Your perception is your reality,” than the fact that the colors you see depend on the photoreceptors in your eyes (see “How your perception creates your reality” by Dr. David Hamilton). Most people’s photoreceptors behave the same, but some people’s don’t (hence the variety of colorblindness), and animals’ differ from humans’. But for each individual, the colors we see are the colors things are.

Your perception is your reality, and your reality drives your choices and actions. The problems arise when perception becomes so far removed from reality, becomes so distorted, that the resulting choices become damaging.

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Of Wemmicks and Woodcarvers


Somehow, our family ended up with a copy of a children’s book by Max Lucado, a pastor in San Antonio, Texas. I don’t remember how we obtained it, and we no longer have it, but I like the message of the book You Are Mine.

This book and its sequels are about fictional beings called Wemmicks who were created by a woodcarver named Eli. Lucado teaches some Christian principles through these stories. The stories center around Punchinello, one of the Wemmicks, who learns through his experiences about his inherent value as a creation of the woodcarver. (Warning: spoilers ensue.)

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Be Not Ashamed


Have you ever been embarrassed to be around or with someone? I have, and in one case the feeling was profound.

About a dozen years ago, I attended a conference held by a professional society I belonged to. My wife and I saw an opportunity to experience a new place together, so she joined me on the trip and we spent the evenings together. (One of my coworkers who was attending also had his wife with him, so the two women got to hang out while the conference sessions were going on.) As is typical for such events, we went to dinner with other conference goers.

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To Inherit a Kingdom

In his April 2022 general conference address, Elder Adeyinka A. Ojediran of the Seventy began by relating a parable:

A powerful king desired for his son to rule over one of his kingdoms. The prince had to learn and grow in wisdom to sit on the throne. One day, the king met with the prince and shared his plan. They agreed the prince would go to a different town and gain experiences. He would face challenges as well as enjoy many good things there. The king then sent him to the town, where the prince was expected to prove his faithfulness to the king and demonstrate that he was fit to receive the privileges and responsibilities the king had in store for him. The prince was given the liberty to choose to receive these privileges and responsibilities or not, depending on his desires and his faithfulness. I am sure you want to know what happened to the prince. Did he return to inherit the kingdom?

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