Posts By Kevin Miller
Joy in the Journey- Cre-wait-ivity
In 2008, President Uchtdorf taught, “The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul… Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty. Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment.” These words have been important to me as I have worked to bring more creativity into my life. One may think that creativity is always flowing and spontaneous, and that it does not require much planning or effort. To the contrary, one’s best creative work may come after special preparation and patience, and by learning from repetitive efforts of trial and error. This is certainly the case for me as I have tried to extend my creativity as a photographer. Capturing the image below of a mother swan, momentarily rising from her nest of eggs, required planning, careful effort, and patience.
Joy in the Journey- The Swans
One of the joys of living near water is being able to connect with the water fowl. We have especially enjoyed the beautiful, graceful, black swans. It may be a stretch to call Michelle the “Swan Whisperer,” but she loves to feed these lovely creatures. Her daily challenge is to selectively distribute the special fowl food to the swans without having all the other species crash the party.
Gratitude- Perceiving Color
What a blessing it is to perceive color. And yet that blessing is not available to all. Many of the patients I work with each day have advanced glaucoma and are not able to fully appreciate God’s beautiful offerings. God often blesses the world with vibrant scenes and I am thankful to be able to receive them. The rich colors in the image below played out during a recent afternoon at the Red Rock National Conservation Area in Las Vegas.
Red Rock National Conservation Area
Gratitude- The Greatest Christmas Gift
Recently, Michelle and I were blessed to participate in The Nativity, a yearly re-enactment of the Savior’s birth, performed at Opportunity Village in Las Vegas. I love the Christmas season. During this special time, God fills my heart with conviction of the reality and divinity of Jesus Christ as the literal son of our Heavenly Father. The birth, life, and mission of the Savior bring great hope and peace to my soul.
Gratitude- What Are YOU Thankful For?
God’s word teaches that we should be grateful for all things, not only the good, but also the bad. Through the trials of life we are stretched and given opportunity to draw even closer to the Lord if we will but seek Him when the path is dark and uncertain. Once we understand that being close to God is our most meaningful goal in life, we can begin to see that our afflictions and trials are needed blessings that can take us from our seat of comfort to a better place, a place in which the Lord can bless us more abundantly. No matter what our storms of life consist of, they can be associated with silver linings of eternal import as we seek the Lord. Some of these silver linings will be less obvious and some will be vibrant and bright, beyond our expectations. Such was the symbolism last night as an ultra-vibrant sunset punctuated a lovely Thanksgiving Day in Las Vegas.
