family

Sorry....

but I have to best family.  Debate - over.  Discussion - ended.  The original 7, and now 11 (soon to be 12) of us have the best time with each other.  We talk, joke, laugh, experiment and figure things out together.  We trust each other.  We enjoy each other.  My family means everything to me.

I think my sister Karey is the greatest mom of her generation.  She is creative, energetic, driven, and full of love.  My brother Matt is enthusiastic, funny, dedicated, caring, and patient.  Another brother, Mike, is loyal, hard-working, full of faith, and innovative. My younger sister Kelly is imaginative, thoughtful, tender, and determined.

No doubt, each of us are who we are thanks to our parents, who just happen to possess these characteristics.  No wonder my siblings were so lucky to be born with these inherent attributes.  They're the best.  They're my family.  And I'm blessed for it.

respectful reflections

Just like many before it, this past Sunday was a beautiful day. Taking advantage of a day off from work and school and with a sky full of sunshine, I found myself in a cemetery in south Salt Lake at the gravesite of my grandfather.  

My grandpa, Julian Lowe, was an exceptional man.  He served in WWII, worked for his country in his professional life and excelled in any church or civil assignment he was given.  Above all, Grandpa Lowe was a dedicated father, grandfather and friend.  He was trusted and respected.  He was loyal and full of integrity.  He was faithful and loving.  

Visiting his gravesite gave me an opportunity to reflect on his life, his attributes and what made him the man that he was.  I had a chance to evaluate my life and see areas for improvement to become a fraction of the man that he lived to be.  The truth is, we all need moments like these to sit or stand or kneel or lay and think.  Taking time for ourselves helps us learn who we are and is SO important in this fast paced day-in-age.  

As Voltaire said, "No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking."

Think about that :)

I'm learning about flowcharts in one of my classes right now...They are seriously pretty cool. We're learning about how they help in business organization and the implementation of new ideas. As you can see below, however, they aren't just used in office buildings! 

In honor of flowcharts. And Friday.

And in case you've been living under a rock for over a year, and don't know what this refers to, I apologize in advance for being the first to expose you to this musical catastrophe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0

what's in a number?

I know that age is just a number and it shouldn't bother me.  But regardless, this May 14th has psyched me out!

Another year has come and gone and now I find myself staring 24 in the face.  Last year's birthday wasn't a big deal...after all, 23 was still the "early- 20's."  24, however, begins the "mid-20's."  A person's "mid-20's" indicate that their 20's are halfway over.  Generally, people's lives are falling into place in terms of careers and families and life's greatest pursuits.

Well, I'm still in college.  With no family of my own other than the one I was blessed to be raised in.  I work two jobs, but not in the field I'm hoping to go into.  And you know what?...I couldn't be happier about where I am.  Sure, I want to reach each of those goals, but the path I've chosen to take has been the best road I could have taken.  I'm two of the most fun years away from a college degree, with the BEST family, great friends, and unlimited potential for how I spend the rest of my "mid-20's."

What could be better?

trend setter?

Let's go through the series of events:

I created this blog on April 26, 2012.
I saw this headline in the BYU newspaper on May 7, 2012.
Was the name of my blog so creative that a major university's newspaper would copy it?

You be the judge....

the power of perspective

I'll admit it - Most of the time, my life is pretty boring.  I stick to a few routines and for the most part, they keep everything in my life in order.  This past week was an out-of-order, far-from-normal Kevin Vaughn type of week.  Here's the rundown...

I started two jobs
I started at BYU
I got sick
I moved
I lost both my debit and credit cards
I forgot about some homework and that my tuition was due

By Tuesday morning, I felt so out of sorts that it seemed like an uphill battle just to start the day.  But once I did, things began to come together.  My cold started to go away.  I got a little more settled into a new home for the next few months.  I somehow remembered where I left my debit and credit cards.  I finished the homework more quickly than I thought I would.  A great lady helped me out with my scholarship and tuition situations.  By the end of the night, after a few hours at the gym and a good movie, life was back to normal.

One of the former prophets of the LDS Church once said, “Please remember this one thing. If our lives and our faith are centered upon Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right.”

I learned the truth of that statement yesterday - sicknesses will end, lost items will be found, surroundings will become familiar and things will work out when our focus and perspective are where they should be.  Jesus can and will and wants to help us and with Him in our corner, everything will always work out just the way it's supposed to.