The Parable of the Bicycle

The Bike

Some of you may have heard of the Parable of the Bicycle.  It is contained within the book "Believing Christ" by Stephen E. Robinson.  In that story, a little girl wants a bike but only has 61 cents.  She despairs that she will never have enough money to buy a new bike.  The father, however, takes her 61 cents and makes up the difference so that she can get the bike that she had longed for.  The lesson of the parable is that as long as we put in our best efforts, the grace of Jesus Christ will make up for our deficiencies to help us receive the blessing of the Atonement.  This is not that parable.

My parable of the bicycle lacks an inspiring, uplifting theme.  It's the story of a father who tries to put in his best efforts to be a good dad, but realizes that his son is about to turn 9 years old and still doesn't know how to ride a bike.  In fact, that son might be the only kid on the street who doesn't know how to ride a bike.  The reason is that the son's bike was the right size for a four year old (and may have been lost the last time we moved).

The father worries that there are certain things that dads need to teach their sons and he worries that if his son doesn't even know how to ride a bike, he may be missing out on teaching his son other important life lessons as well.  The father resolves correct that mistake, get his son a bike, and teach him how to ride it.  It's never too late to do the right thing.  So maybe there is some hope at the end of my parable after all.  :-)

S.'s Little League Pic

Does this parable sound a little too autobiographical? Well, obviously it's not about me...  *cough* *cough*

Anyway, I figured that it was time to get S. a new bike.  I put a lot of time and effort into trying to pick out the right bicycle.  As a kid, I had a Huffy BMX bike.  It was blue with yellow mag wheels.

The really "cool" bikes when I was a kid were the Diamondback bikes.  I remember being envious of my friends that had those bikes.

I found both types on Amazon.  Then I went to my local bike shop and found a Haro bike that looked really cool but was the most expensive by far.  It has a hand brake and has a freehub, which means that you can pedal backward without actually braking.

I struggled with which bike to buy.  Did I want to spend all night or all weekend putting a bike together?  Or do I want to shell out the extra bucks and get the more expensive bike that is already put together?

Well, if you've seen the picture above, you know which one I chose.  Convenience won out over frugality.

I picked up the bike this morning and I was excited to give it to S.  I stashed it into the closet and hoped that S. wouldn't see it when he got home from school.  He didn't and I wheeled it out at after we did cake and ice cream tonight.  Judging by S.'s reaction, I think we have a winner.  I'm excited to teach him how to ride it.  I have a sneaking suspicion that he's going to figure it out really quickly and take to it like a fish to water.  S. is a really good athlete and he seems excited to start riding.

S. Prepares to Blow Out His Candles

As much as I enjoy riding, I hope that S. can learn to enjoy it as much (if not more than I do).  And maybe it's not too late to learn from my own parable of the bicycle.  :-)

On Giving...

Giving...

It's Good Friday today.  For some reason, I've found myself thinking about several topics related to Easter today and this evening.  Giving is one of those.  We also give gifts at Christmas time to celebrate the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ.  I feel like, as important as the Savior's birth was, his sacrifice was an even more important event in the Gospel plan.  

As a kid, I would look forward to the visits from the Easter Bunny.  In our house, the Easter Bunny was kind of a junior varsity (JV) version of Santa.  He brought some cool stuff, but on a much smaller scale than Santa did  for Christmas.  I know the Easter Bunny will be making a stop at our house this weekend to keep the tradition going for our kids, but we don't really give gifts to each other for Easter.  Maybe we should.

I was talking to a friend today on the phone.  She was in the airport preparing to fly home after a trip.  As I was talking to her, someone approached her trying to sell her a pen for a dollar.  The person was apparently deaf.  My friend related this to me as it was happening.

Instinctively, I thought to tell my friend to just buy one from her.  I knew the money wouldn't mean much to my friend who is a well-paid professional.  My friend, however, was way ahead of me.  She has a kind heart and made a donation of a dollar to the would-be pen salesperson, even though she didn't need the pen.  

I don't know if my friend realized that it was Good Friday today, but I certainly think that she did a good deed.  And it was a good example to me of giving to people who are in need.  Especially because the pen salesperson wasn't out begging.  He or she was willing to work--to offer something of value in an effort to improve their situation--even though he or she did not have much.  I also find that admirable.

Homemade knit hats and scarves

A close friend related the following story to me as well tonight.  She was with her family, parked in a minivan, in a parking lot near a local Costco tonight.  She looked up to see a man approaching her window.  Eye contact was made and it was impossible for her to ignore the man.

The man was dressed for the cold night air.  He was a little older and looked like he was in need of a good meal, a hot shave, and a warm shower.  Her first thought was that she was a bit startled and worried for the safety of her kids who were sitting in the rear seats watching a movie.

The man walked up to the driver side window and held up a clear plastic bag that had some sort of knit items in it.  She rolled down her window enough for him to explain that they were homemade hats (beanies) and scarves that his wife had made.  He gave a quick, but heartfelt, sales pitch about how soft and well-made the items were.

My friend listened politely, but had no interest in the items.  She told the old man thanks, but no thanks.  The old man's countenance visibly dropped and his shoulders slumped as he turned to walk off.  My friend--still a bit startled--started the car to drive off to her next destination.

As she backed out and left the parking lot, she couldn't help but notice the old man approaching others with his bundle of homemade goods.  There weren't many goods in there, but it really looked like he could use the money.  He approached everyone he could see in the parking lot.  One man raised both hands immediately as soon as the old peddler approached.  Even though my friend couldn't hear what was said, the potential customers's body language sent a clear, unmistakable message.  "No."

After each rejection, the old peddler visibly reacted.  The despair was pretty palpable to anyone careful enough to observe.

My friend left the parking lot, but could not leave the memory of the encounter behind.  She thought about how the man had been sincere and hadn't asked for a handout.  He had only asked to sell a product that he seemed to truly believe in.  My friend didn't need a scarf or a beanie.  (She lives in Southern California after all!)  But she couldn't help but feel like she didn't realily need the few extra dollars in her pocket that were left over from feeding her kids.  But that money probably would have really meant something to the old peddler.

She couldn't shake the prompting that she should have done something to help the old peddler.  She turned around and went back.  The old peddler was still there.  In the parking lot.  Desperately trying to sell the colorful scarves and hats that his wife had made.

My friend pulled up and asked the old man a couple of questions about his goods.  She told him that she didn't think she needed any of them, but asked him if a little money would help him and his family out.  She gave him a few dollars.  The old peddler graciously thanked her.  She then asked him if he was hungry or if he needed any food.  The old peddler said that he had just eaten but thanked her as well.

King Benjamin's Speech

I don't think it's easy to know when to give to others.  It's something that I constantly struggle with.  Maybe both of my friends totally got scammed today in their efforts to give.  But even if the pen salesman and the old peddler were not who they purported to be, I still think that the givers did the right thing.  And I think that they will be rewarded for their willingness to help someone else.

I've always loved King Benjamin's speech from the Book of Mormon.  He has some great thoughts on giving:

And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.

Mosiah 4:24

I think that it is noble to give.  And even if we can't give, we can want to be able to give if we had the means to do so.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ was a free gift to all humankind.  We celebrate His gift to us--including his sacrifice and his resurrection--during Easter.  Even though we traditionally think of Christmas as being the Season of Giving, I think it's just as appropriate to do so at Easter.

Happy Easter to all of you and your families!  =o)

My Christmas Wish List

Jolly St. Nick

It's Christmas Eve!  If you have read my blog, I appreciate it very much.  And if you have taken a moment to comment on my blog, I appreciate it even more!  =o)

Because Christmas is a time of giving, I thought about doing something to show my gratitude to you for reading and commenting on my blog.  Initially, I considered a giveaway, but I wasn't really sure that I had anything that was "give-away worthy."

I always say that I know my readers--all five of you!  And for those of you that are related to me, I already have your gift ready to go.  But in reviewing my blog comments, I realized that I've had a few more than five people comment so far this year.  

I wanted to get something for each of my readers for Christmas, so since a Nordstrom gift card for each of you is out, here's my Fantasy Christmas Gift/Wish List for each of you (aka what I would give you if my dad were Bill Gates!)  =o)

Amy, now that you have your college degree, I hope that you inspire all of your kids to each get their own degree.  And I'd hire someone to help you free up some time to come up with some more posts for all of us to read and enjoy!

 What do you give the best pre-school teacher in California?  I'd start with a crystal apple...

And then probably send over a plate of Tito's Burritos, since I owe you some anyway!

Andrea and The DeVito's, my Christmas wish for you is that you have more friends like Brooke.  Though I realize that that's a pretty tall order to fill.

Definitely not a dustbuster...I hear you're all stocked up on those!  ;)

Always handy!

Instead, you get your very own badge for your web site, you deserve it! 

UPDATE:  I actually had one more badge for your "collection."  This badge proves that there truly were no losers in this contest!

I hope Kaari's not jealous!  ;)

An iPad wireless keyboard...so you don't have to worry anymore about the iPad's $%#$! auto-correct feature, of course!

And assuming you ever figure out how to turn off the auto-correct (and won't need the keyboard), I'd "give-a-give-a-give-a-give-a-give-a Garmin" to you.

Since you're a stay at home mom who is rarely home, there's no reason not to equip your minivan (aka "garbage can on wheels") with the latest technology.  A GPS unit will change your life (for the better!)...

To have Costco build a new store near you on the Sunshine Coast of Oz.  Otherwise, I would have said something like this:

if only the shipping to Oz didn't cost thousands of dollars!!!

 The chance to meet a few more of your blogging friends in person in 2012.

That you love your new house as much as you loved the Grandma House.  :)

Don't worry, I think Lancer was taking the picture

Donnie W. with one members of the Osmond Clan

The opportunity to finally meet Donnie W. in person!  

 Yet another Raytheon League Basketball Championship!

 A year's worth of free airline passes to visit your kids and grandkids (but also fully transferable so that they can use them to come visit you)!

 The chance to enjoy your new house without having to travel for a bit.

You are so beautiful inside and out and every time I see you, you look more and more like your mom.  I love that you are more like a sister to me than a cousin!  My Christmas wish for you would be for you to be able to spend more time bonding with your cute sisters up there in Utah Valley.

A kitchen remodel and a Caribbean cruise with Dad!

A triumphant return to the Turkey Trot in 2012...this time with Lance running alongside with Jacob in the jog stroller.

That you get your new house decorated cute and that our family gets a chance to visit you guys for a change!

Your dream job with your new degree.  Ideally somewhere close to where we live so that we can see you more often!

Straight A's this semester and a fun NCAA tournament run for BYU's basketball team!  Plus that you like the stuff we "really" got you for Christmas this year!

Merry, Merry Christmas!!!

I Got Caught...

I often say that I know all five of my readers.  But there are a lot of people that don't read my blog--even among my family.  One of those non-readers is my wife J.  I once finished a post that I was kind of excited about, hit the "publish" button, and then handed her my laptop and asked her if she wanted to read it.

She said "No" and handed the laptop back.  True story.

One of my favorite posts of my blog so far was my post judging a Thansgiving Display-Off contest that some friends of mine did.  I think J. was just confused when she read it.  She probably wasn't even sure that I actually wrote it!  (That's okay even if she doesn't read my blog though--she has her hands full dealing with more important issues.  =o)

So when I wrote in my "Gift of the Magi" post that I still had one more gift to get for my wife, I felt like I was safe and that J. wouldn't read it until after Christmas.  I wasn't...I got caught!

Here is what I found in my email box early this morning...It was an email from J. to me.

A not-so-subtle hint...

So, like any good husband, I took the hint and decided to check it out.  Here, I'll save you the trouble:

These boots are made for walkin'...

Anyway, I went to the trouble of stopping at Nordstrom on my way in to work this morning, but they are out of stock.  (I left so quickly, however, that I forgot my credit card, so I'll have to stop by again later to pick it up!)

I give J. credit with this suggestion, however, for a couple of reasons...first, I think that they look good (not that I would ever doubt her taste in fashion...).  Second, they are half off right now (I know, I know, don't you just hate those chintzy 40% off sales!)  J., your ability to spot such a great sale in particular makes me especially proud!  =o)

So I'm going to double-down and say that I bet J. will not read this post before Christmas and that the secret of  her "one last" Christmas gift is safe until then.

J., if you do read this before then, I've ordered these and they'll be waiting for you when we get back from Christmas Vacation!  (There was no way to get them here by Christmas...)  You deserve these for being such a great wife and mom--not to mention surviving the drive on a trip that may be remembered in family lore as the "Vomit Comet."

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

Gift of the Magi

Christmas is a time for giving gifts.  Right now, I'm stressed because I have several gifts that I need to buy, including another one for my wife.  (I won't say what I'm getting her on the off-chance that she happens to visit this blog before Christmas.)  My problem is that I'm not sure when I'm going to have a chance to go shopping!  (It's too late to order these gifts online or they weren't available online.)

Last week, we took our Young Men on a Christmas activity to see the Christmas lights in one of the neighborhoods here in Orange County.  It was a bit of a trek to get there, so we had some good quality travel time in the car.

The Young Men from the SC Third Ward Enjoy Candy Cane Lane

On the way back, one of my awesome youths decided to start having people in the car answer questions about Christmas topics.  Somehow, I found myself relating the story: "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry to the "captive" occupants of the car.

Della and Jim Young -- our two protagonists

I love to read.  One of my favorite genres is that of the short story.  O. Henry is a master of the short story.   If you haven't read The Gift of the Magi before, you must!  It will only take you about five minutes.

"Young" Love--Della and Jim

Basically, Della and James Dillingham Young are a young married couple.  No kids, but very much in love.  Della has saved all year to get a Christmas present for her husband.  She literally saved pennies at a time (obviously inflation has kicked in a bit since O. Henry wrote the story in 1906!).

On Christmas Eve, however, Della had only managed to save $1.87.  I guess even 100 years ago that couldn't buy very much.

Della decides to chop off her hair (hair that O. Henry describe as being beautiful enough to tarnish the Queen of Sheba's jewels) and sell it to a wig maker to buy a platinum chain for her husband's family heirloom, gold pocket watch.

She knew that as fancy and impressive as the watch was, her husband was sometimes embarrassed to pull it out to check the time because he could only afford a simple leather strap for it.  (Maybe her husband was an attorney (or law student) and had to keep checking the time because his professional life was ruled by the almighty "billable hour."  O. Henry doesn't say, but I digress...)

Della bought the platinum watch chain and it was the perfect gift.  Even though she now looked like a "truant schoolboy" and she did not feel cute at all, she was "intoxicated" with the thought that her beloved "Jim" would love the gift.

Well, Jim got home that night and presented Della with her Christmas gift.  It was a set of beautiful tortoise shell combs for wearing in her hair that Della had "worshipped long in a Broadway window."  Della's "heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession."

(First, I love how O. Henry can say so much in so few words.  He is a literary wordsmith.  Second, as a guy, I have no idea what a set of these combs would even look like or why they would be so expensive.  Were they like berets?  Headbands?  If you have any idea, feel free to help me out here...)

A tortoise shell comb (apparently)....why anyone would use it remains a mystery

The aforementioned set of combs was very expensive.  To pay for it, Jim sold his prized heirloom watch.

And so, both Della and Jim had, quite foolishly, sold their most personal, valuable, and prized possessions to buy a gift for the other that neither would be able to use!  Can't you just feel the irony?

And if that were the end of the story, it would be a great story.  Funny, ironic, and probably soon forgotten in the annals of American literature.

But O. Henry closes with the following paragraph and I think this is what makes the story so enigmatic and enduring--not to mention worthy of our attention during the Christmas season:

The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.

But what does this mean?  On a surface level, Della and Jim were certainly young and foolish.  But why would O. Henry say that they were also "wisest...They are the magi."?

I was wrestling with this issue in my mind for a few days and decided to put this question to my Young Men.  I got a very simple, but profound answer from "Paul"--one of my 12-13 year olds.  Paul said that Jim and Della were wise "because Christmas is about giving."

Christmas Is About Giving

The Magi (or Three Wise Men as they are sometimes called) traveled to visit the Baby Jesus.  They brought him gifts of gold, frankincense (a resin from trees used in incense and perfumes), and myrrh (another natural resin used as perfume, incense, and medicine).

These gifts were undeniably costly.  In ancient times, myrrh was worth its weight in gold.  The Magi's gifts were truly gifts fit for a king.

We give gifts at Christmas time in the continuation of the tradition started by the magi--the wise men.  As kids, we loved Christmas because of the joy, anticipation, and excitement that comes from Santa's visit.  As adults, that pure love and joy can get squeezed out in the hustle and bustle of shopping, office parties, and other year end festivities.

But Paul was right.  Christmas is really about giving.  And the best gifts are those the gifts where we give of ourselves.  I think the Magi knew that.

Maybe they could easily afford the gifts that they presented to the Baby Jesus.  But the Magi really gave of themselves in that they gave their time to search the heavens waiting for the star that signaled the birth of the Savior.  And then they traveled to seek Him out.  It could not have been an easy journey.  After finding Him, they were warned in a dream to go home by a different route so that Herod could not find and kill the newborn King of Kings.  They obeyed.  They truly were Wise Men.

The Wisdom of the "Youngs"



Yes, Jim and Della foolishly gave away their two most prized possessions.  But they are the wisest of givers because they gave of themselves.  They cared more about the recipient than they did about themselves.  In their youth and "foolishness," they actually understood that Christmas is about giving.  And they truly did give each other the best gifts.

The miracle of Christmas is that God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son to redeem us from our sins.  His gift to the world was perfect.  The Savior's gift to us--eternal life--is likewise perfect--the best gift.

We have been counseled by modern prophets to earnestly seek the "best gifts."  (D&C 46:8).  What better gift to seek than to seek after Christ?  It has been said that "Wise Men Still Seek Him."  At Christmas, we have an opportunity to do just that and to be reminded of the importance of doing that.

Jesus Is The Reason For The Season

The scriptures are replete with examples about giving.  The people of Israel were asked to give their best--the firstborn of their flocks.  They did so, but got so caught up in the technical aspects of their gifts, that they didn't realize that the purpose of their gifts was to foreshadow God's gift to mankind--the Savior Jesus Christ.

Today, it seems as if our society gets so caught up at times in the commercial aspects of Christmas that we forget the true reason for celebrating Christmas.  I admit I have a hard time feeling the true spirit of Christmas when rush around trying to be productive at work, be a dad, get to the store before it closes to do Christmas shopping, and fulfill a church calling.

Even though I'm still stressed about all those things and also about finding the perfect gift for the people on my Christmas List, I am going to look for opportunities to remember and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas this year.  

Back to Back

My kids like to watch a teeny-bopper tv show called "Victorious" on Nickelodeon sometimes. The show will occasionally pop up a graphic that uses an emoticon to display the status or mood of the main characters.

If I had to display an emoticon to display my mood right now, this would be it:

Yes, I'm stressed. And one of the main reasons is because I'm trying to do Christmas shopping for my office.  Luckily, no one in my office reads this page, so I'm okay discussing this topic here.

[Not that anyone does regularly read this page anyway.  I used to say that I had five regular readers and I think I've officially lost a few since then!  If you are reading this page then it's highly likely that one of the following two things are true about you: (1) you googled "Uncle Eddie" and came to my blog looking for my post that had a picture of Dennis Quaid from Christmas Vacation; or (2) you're most likely related to me and/or your name probably starts with with the letter "E."   But I digress...]

'Tis the Season!

I like to think that I am good at giving gifts.  But gifting for the office is incredibly stressful.  First, there are quite a few people and so you want to get them something that they will actually like, but you also want to make sure that you don't overdo it.

One of the things that I think is key to giving a good gift is knowing what the person really likes, but sometimes, especially with people that you work with, you may know them really well in the office, but you don't necessarily know what they like to do outside the office.

It's not like you can say to your secretary, "Marge, you've been great this year, and I've really noticed how much that stapler bothers you that every once in a while, it will jam.  I know you've had your eye on a brand new one, so I took the liberty get you something really, really nice...Merry Christmas!"

And then they open it, and their reaction is: "Oh.  Great.  A stapler.  Just what I always wanted."

Even if they love the movie "Office Space" and even if they really need a new stapler, it's just not the type of gift that is going to excite someone for Christmas or that really shows how much you appreciate their hard work and loyalty over the past year.

Anyway, I went to Costco today thinking that I could snag some cool gift cards for my "Office Mates" but I'm just not feeling the inspiration.  I'll keep thinking on it...still another 12 days until Christmas, so no pressure!

If any of you have any great ideas for something to get a co-worker (especially my secretary executive assistant), please feel free to let me know!