Realizing what we have.

Howdy! Well, it's certainly been awhile since i've written last (big shocker) but i can't sleep tonight and haven't been able to for a few days now, but whatever, that's life right? we gotta play the hand we're dealt.
I have an assignment in one of my classes that required me to write a speech on whatever religious topic i want. I chose charity: the pure love of Christ. I love this topic because it humbles me to know that christ has unconditional love for me, even when i make mistakes. When i fall to my knees and find it hard to get up, He is there, reaching out to help pick me up and dust me off. When we shut him out of our lives he is still there, knocking, waiting for us to humble ourselves and open the door to our hearts and  let him in. I love that. He is the perfect example of love.
Here's a story that i used in my speech. It makes me cry when i read it, so if you get emotional stop now and get a tissue, you may need it.

Many years ago there was a school which no teacher could control. The boys were very rough. A young teacher applied, and the old director said, "Young feller, do you know what you are doing? Every teacher we have had for years has had to take a beating." He replied, "I will risk it."
When the new teacher started. One big student, Tom, looked at the him and said, "I can lick him myself." The teacher said, "Good morning, boys, we have come to conduct school, now, I want a good school, but I need your help. Suppose we have a few rules. You tell me and I will write them on the blackboard." One fellow yelled, "No stealing!" Another yelled, "On time." Finally ten rules appeared. "Now," said the teacher, "a law is no good unless there is a penalty. What shall we do if someone breaks the rules?" "Beat him across the back ten times without his coat on." "Are you sure, boys. Are you ready to stand by it?" They all agreed to the new rules. Then school started.

In a day or so Big Tom found his dinner was stolen. Upon inquiry the thief was located a little hungry boy, about ten. Then next morning the teacher announced, "We have found the thief and he must be punished according to your rule ten stripes across the back. Jim, come up here!" The little fellow, trembling, came up slowly with a big coat fastened up to the neck and pleaded, "Teacher, you can lick me as hard as you like, but please don't make me take my coat off!" "Take that coat off; you helped make the rules!" "O teacher, don't make me!" He began to unbutton, and what did the teacher see? The lad had no shirt on and a very bony body. "How can I whip this child?" thought the teacher. Everything was quiet as death. "How come you to be without a shirt, Jim?" He replied, "My father died and mother is very poor. I have only one shirt to my name, and she is washing that today, and I wore my brother's big coat to keep warm." Just then Big Tom jumped to his feet and said, "Teacher, I will take Jim's lickin for him." "Very well, there is a certain law that one can become a substitute for another. Are you all agreed?" Off came Tom's coat, and after 5 hard strokes the rod broke! The teacher thought, "How can I finish this awful task?" Then he heard the entire school sobbing, and what did he see? Little Jim had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around the neck. "Tom, I am sorry I stole your dinner, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I'll love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I'll love you forever."

Jesus Christ took our whipping for us and died in your place. We should be as Jim and say to the Lord, "I'll love you forever for taking my licking for me." 

I love this story. It tells the of the love that christ had for us. Big Tom didn't have to take little Jim's punishment, neither did Christ have to take ours and yet out of the pure love of his heart he did. I'm amazed that He loves me enough to take on my sins, but it hurts me to know that i have caused him pain. I love Him and always will. 

I hope we can go through our days remembering Christ and the sacrifice he made for us. I strive to have that love and challenge you to show Christ-like love to at least one person everyday. Put a smile on someones face, make their day, say hi .. the little things go a long way.

That's all i have for now. Thank you and Goodnight.

-Kev

Well ... Hello there.

Howdy! Well, it's been forever since i wrote last ... ok, maybe not, but it has been a long time. I really don't know what this post is going to be about so if you would rather not read nonsense, i suggest you either:
1. Stop reading now
2. Skim through this post
3. Come back when you feel like reading nonsense
4. Do a little jig and eat a taco and wash it down with a Mountain Dew®.

Well, you've made it this far so clearly you chose 2 or 3. Or possibly 2 and 4 or 3 and 4 or 2, 3 and 4. So this past few weeks have been pretty busy. I've been running around doing homework, looking for a job and all he while trying to have fun and keep sane.
A few weeks ago i went out and took some picture. I enjoy taking pictures and looking at different styles in the art of photography. Here are some of the pictures i took:

 and

and

 and

and 

 and

Those are some of 'em. I can't really choose my "best" pictures. I like them all (or most of them) haha. I wish i could show them all to everyone. I've been told I take good pictures, but I don't do it for the glory of being a "good photographer" ... I do it because it's something I enjoy. 

I've also been planning out my next semester(s) for college, i'm hoping to apply for fast-grad after spring semester and then hit the books hard and graduate and get on with life. Don't get me wrong, the college life is fun and i like it up here, however there are times i wish i could bypass it and have my career already. I'm pretty excited about my plan for school and where i'm headed. 

Oh how did i forget about me riding a steer, last weekend. Way fun! No, i didn't stay on for the full 8 seconds, but that's not what it was about for me (at least not this time). I wanted to get on, hold on for as long as i could and have fun and live in the moment while doing it. Ya i was a little nervous (mostly because i didn't want to look like a fool in front of everybody), but i overcame that and had a lot of fun! I want to do it again, so bad. That was an awesome experience and i'm so glad i had the opportunity to do so.

Well fast-forward a week and here we are Halloween. I can't go be a little kid and trick or treat this year, because:

1. Apparently it's illegal here? idk ...

2. I'm in college and live in a college town with lots of poor college students therefore no money to buy candy to pass out to me 

3. It might rain

4. refer to #6

5. refer back to #'s 1-3

6. refer back to #5

Yes i am random and that number sequence could've easily been shortened and simplified, but if you think i should've done that then maybe you're:

1. A boring person who needs to live life and be happier and learn how to smile and have fun and be goofy from time to time.

2. Too tired and you're thinking to yourself "i've come this far, why stop now? ... I hope it ends soon"

3. You have to use the restroom because you ate a taco and drank a Dew®.

(if you choose #3, its ok to stop reading and go, but remember where you left off or you may start over which can result in another  taco/Mountain Dew® session therefore equalling another bathroom break)

Hello. Thank you for actually reading this far. For whatever your reason may be, you just read a lot of nonsense, saw some pictures, read a little more, hopefully smiled and probably missed some important event that will never happen again. Not my fault.

Well this about wraps up my last post in the month of October in the year 2010. I hope you enjoyed it and got something out of it. 

There was a hidden message, did you catch it? ... Yes, tacos and Mountain Dew® are good, but no that's not the hidden message. The hidden message was: You should find joy in life. In all things. I look for it everyday. I find/found it in photography and steer riding ... and even tacos and Mountain Dew®. What'd you find it in? ...

I like making others happy and i hope this has made you happy in some way, maybe helped you crack a smile or realize that life is supposed to be a happy thing. You don't always have to be stressed and down about it, find the positive and have a half-full cup. 

Thank you and Goodnight.

-kev

Live it like its your last ...

Howdy! Well this past week has been a pretty good one. Last weekend i was down in Salt Lake City Utah for General Conference. It was a way spiritual experience and I am glad i was able to go. Also this past week i had some free time and i was watching a show called: The Buried Life.

It's a show about four friends that travel around the country living their bucket list. They made a list of 100 things they want to do before they die and they're living it. They left on their journey with a promise,  they promised that for everything they completed and were able to cross off their list they would help a complete stranger cross off something they wanted to do. For example, in one episode they were in southern California and wanted to compete in a Krump competition. Krump is a form of dance that really shows emotion and anger. Its a way to express what you're feeling through aggressive dance. The buried life crew wanted to compete and be respected in a Krump competition and while they were in Compton, they met a young man who used to be a gang member and has been in and out of jail and his grandma was always there supporting him, so he wanted to have his music played on the radio so his grandmother could see how he's turned his life around and how she's had an influence in it.

The show is pretty inspiring and it makes me want to be a better person. 

Live life to the fullest and leave nothing back. No regrets. We should all live like each day like its our last. If you want to go bungee jumping, do it. Who's stopping you? It's your life. You choose your own destiny, no one can choose for you, ultimately its your choice. Life is fragile. Take risks, have fun, break rules. Ya there are consequences, but it's better to have lived a life full of fun and excitement then to be on your death bed and wish that you had. I want to be able to tell stories to my kids and grandkids about the times in my life that i lived on the edge and left nothing back.

Go out this week and take a risk. 

-kev

What is love?

Howdy! Yes, we all know that song "What is love?" from Night at the Roxbury http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpwK3vFGJp0, but no that is not what i am talking about. What is love? Love is defined as a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection for a parent, child, or friend. I believe love is more than just having strong feelings for someone or something. We read in the scriptures that "But charity is the pure love of christ and it endureth forever ..." (Moroni 7:47) Like you just read, charity is the pure love of christ, and continuing on that, the pure love of christ is to desire another's salvation over your own.
We all have people in our lives that we love, but do we really love them? Step back and ask yourself this "would i give up my happiness so that they can be happier?"
Too many times in this world is the word "love" thrown around and it has sort of lost meaning. Even i am at fault. I catch myself saying "I love that" or "I love this" ...
One thing that i do "love" or have a passion for is music, i really enjoy listening to AVA (Angels and Airwaves) and this past Valentine's Day they came out with their album "LOVE" now i don't say this because i'm bashing on them, i like their music, it's like my go-to music when i want to listen to something. There is a song on the album "LOVE" called clever love and it reads:
"Oh I know you well
All your life I've watched you breathe
I've watched you lie across the seam through space and time
Through every year of every kind
I'd wait like snow, on the eve of spring
I can out last cold, can you out last me?
Every word you say, is a perfect thing
It's the perfect time, for the perfect love

And you oh, you're all I desire
And you oh, this clever love won't tire"
This is love, true love. If you are willing to do anything for someone else, literally anything then that is love.
I think the ultimate example of love is Jesus Christ.

He gave his life for us, so that we can repent and one day return to him. He knew us all up in heaven and took on the sins of the world so that we don't have to. He's been through everything that we've been through and more. He feels our pain and knows what we are going through. Whenever you feel alone, get down on your knees and speak out to him, fall into his arms and let him help you feel his love. He loves us, all of us and he is always there. I am so thankful for that, whenever i feel like i can take on the world and shut him out, he is still there and when i fall he doesn't point and laugh and say "i told you so" he simply reaches out his hand and helps us on the path to where we want to go.
Remember love is so much more than just a four letter word.
-kev

Howdy! So today is Sunday and I sort of had a "spiritual awakening" if you will. Today, my brother showed me this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA. If you haven't seen it, its about how heavenly father is there for us and when the world tempts us and throws things at us, he is still there ... no matter what. Even during the times when it seems like he's gone and we're alone, he's still there, we just have to open our eyes and reach out to him. I love that. Everyday people turn their backs on him and throw him out into the cold and then complain and say "they're alone". The best thing is when we invite him in to our lives, he'll take on the world for us. He sent his son to die for our sins and i am so thankful for that. Sometimes i take it for granted, but i am so thankful that someone has walked in my shoes and we can be forgiven of our sins.

As i look up from my computer i can see the Rexburg, Idaho temple. Wow. What a sight. I am so thankful there is a temple so close and i can go inside to feel peace. It's so nice to know that the ordinances performed in there are everlasting.
Thank you and goodnight.
-Kev

My life.

So here's me, my name is Kevin Dill. I am a student at Brigham Young University Idaho. I am from Fresno, CA. I am living in an apartment with 6 guys (including myself). My brother, Aaron Kener, he's from Boise, Craig McEwen, he's from Denver, Jonathan Kirkam, he's from Heyward California, and Ed Osborn, he's from Alaska. We're all pretty tight ...
Well I want to be a Mechanical Engineer when I "grow up" haha I am grown up ... Well I want to be an engineer as a career. I want to live on a ranch and be a cattle rancher. I'm gonna have a dog named Sitka and she'll be a Siberian husky. I can't wait. I'm kind of a cowboy/redneck/okie/hick whatever you wanna call it.

So I'm thinking of doing this weekly? I'm not really sure yet ... We'll have to see how it goes. Thanks for reading, keep checking back for updates or feel free to leave comments or ask questions.
-Kev

Yup, i got a blog.

Sooo i watched this video on youtube (My New Life) and the lady on there inspired me to get a blog ... i don't know how well this will go, or even how long ... but we'll see haha