tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-290760132011-12-28T19:34:12.397-05:00Random Golden Thoughtsngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.comBlogger301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-62505911796344577572009-06-30T23:18:00.004-05:002009-06-30T23:29:27.734-05:00

These are pictures of my baby in reverse order. Sorry I haven't figured out the blogger system quite as well as I would like.Enjoy - I'll be posting more later.

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-31345625653504180832009-06-23T10:19:00.002-05:002009-06-23T10:36:47.539-05:00

So first I want to comment on a situation that's a-brewin'. It's less important than my next post, so I want it underneath everything. No doubt you're aware of what's been going on with Jon and Kate Gosselin from TV's "Jon and Kate Plus 8." I woke up last night to check on my baby and found my wife sitting out on the couch watching this show. I caught the hind end of them saying, "Well, it's best

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-21122462129275779022009-04-04T08:18:00.005-05:002009-04-21T05:21:28.037-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself at a hotel in Coalville, UT. Looked like the hotel was the town as far as I was concerned. Eric and I drove up to catch the last three sessions of a five session men's conference there at the Best Western. The topic was leadership development in a number of different settings within the church and it was being facilitated by one of my favorite teachers. He

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-6280161737930679742009-02-28T02:12:00.002-05:002009-02-28T03:07:19.999-05:00

I like to pretend I'm a musician sometimes. As a musician, I'm a fan of musicals. I admit, I've grown distant from the musicals of my parents' generation. The Sound of Music doesn't really strike a chord with me anymore, if you catch my drift. But I like a lot of the new musicals and so I have a tendency to subject myself to them from time to time. Most of the time, I'm not too disappointed by

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-12638395068001364972009-02-17T00:02:00.005-05:002009-02-17T00:30:43.450-05:00

I was relaxing this evening and I had a thought - it's been almost 5 months since we found out that we were expecting Amelia. Now, I have to admit that since that day, I've been prone to some really unusual thoughts and feelings. In my entire life, I've never been more in touch with my sensitive side - kinda makes me feel a bit weird. It's to the point that I could even write a good country song

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-64774732546809037502009-02-07T10:41:00.001-05:002009-02-07T10:43:02.066-05:00

Click on the title. Do it now. It's a link to pictures of Alan and Tiffany's beautiful twin girls. 

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-8985779865720189542009-02-07T10:27:00.002-05:002009-02-07T10:41:11.847-05:00

Vanessa and I decided that we should read The Love Dare. And yes, I understand that the book is meant for one person, but don't be judging me on how I read.First thing I have to say about it is that it is a fantastic book. I've read "please help my marriage because I'm about to jump off a bridge and so is my spouse" books before and most, if not all, of them say the same thing. They say, "Care

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-62849768176436661752009-01-31T01:52:00.003-05:002009-01-31T02:24:10.047-05:00

I can't find words to express how I feel about my wife. At this point in our relationship, I love that woman more than I have ever loved anything in my entire life. You know how they say that love grows over time? They're right (whoever they are). I thought we were good to go the day we got married, but how I feel right now makes that feeling look like a Dollar Tree toy.And as much as I like

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-72673832631767887942009-01-31T01:05:00.002-05:002009-01-31T01:51:31.612-05:00

Yesterday, my little girl kicked at my hand. I guess in any normal situation, it might have been cause for a parent to reprimand his child, but this was not a normal situation. Instead, it was the first time we've been that close to each other in either of our lives.You see, my little girl is only 21 weeks old, and like most little girls that age, she insists on spending all of her time inside

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1379133365820312352008-04-18T00:53:00.002-05:002008-04-18T01:05:45.256-05:00

Okay, so here are some random thoughts. Yeah, they're pretty unedited...sorry.The book of Isaiah begins with a stern admonition to the Jews. They had a problem - their worship of God was intensely self-focused. They checked in on feast days and the Sabbath. They prayed and offered incense. They sacrificed and they worshiped. But their hearts were greedy for gain. Their hands were covered in the

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-68554752822886922482007-10-31T07:18:00.000-05:002007-10-31T07:39:43.386-05:00

Okay, okay, so it's been a few weeks...or a few months maybe. Sorry about that, but I did get married, you know. My question would be, "How are YOU doing?" I haven't heard from you in just about as long.Speaking of marriage...it's been almost six months! Can you believe it? I sure can't - the time has flown by and we're just getting started with this whole lifelong thing. My good friend, whose

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-86116351779844029912007-05-09T14:46:00.000-05:002007-05-10T13:39:00.227-05:00

Okay, here's what I know. I know that I'm getting married in 16 days and that I am most definitely ready for it mentally, emotionally, and every other way. I'm just not ready. Things aren't done, people have no clue what's going on, and we haven't even picked processional music. I mean, for the love of a pink cocker spaniel, I can't even fathom how I'm going to finish planning in a little more

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-51977719987401743542007-01-30T20:39:00.000-05:002007-01-30T20:47:43.757-05:00

Okay, okay, so it's been a while. I'll fill in quickly. It's been a crazy year - I've traveled all over the place and I'm currently at over 14,500 miles driven by myself in a van. I've learned how to talk to myself. I've learned how to listen to talk shows. I've learned how to make Kansas the most interesting place I've ever driven through.I sit here, only 113 or so days from my wedding. I

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-84564737978565941222006-12-07T00:29:00.000-05:002007-05-03T10:59:47.300-05:00

Critical Acclaim for Nathan's Next Post"You know, after years of reading, I can pretty much tell a good story from a dull and generally boring one. I've looked at these photographs and they just scream a good story. I can't wait to read Nathan's next post!" - General Norman Schwarzkopf"Brilliant writing, brillianter photographs." - The New York Times"The story that shall proceed from hence shall

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-21593781866476999942006-11-19T01:22:00.000-05:002006-12-01T13:46:24.298-05:00

. . . a large number of ninja turtle moves. Okay, so these are my boys . . . well, sort of. I'll name them off for you and you can see what cool, muscular, and generally good-looking friends I have. Then I'll tell you why they are my friends and how we hanged (hung?) out on Friday night. So, here's the lineup from left to right, top to bottom: Colton "Gimp" Groves, Lucas "Divorce the Mountains"

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-84147531408614163592006-11-09T12:17:00.000-05:002006-11-09T14:14:31.486-05:00

"...my thoughts exactly."

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-65869002960327355442006-11-04T20:31:00.000-05:002006-11-04T20:35:54.570-05:00

Just a quick recap of my last post - my good friend Kira commented on our constant surrender to God. She ended with the following:"The more I just relax and say, 'I trust You, where to now?' the more constant, peaceful, and joyful life is. The surrender doesn't nullify the complex events of life, the surrender simply teaches the life liver once again that he is dead...yet that he lives...except

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-45290511766855636592006-10-29T17:02:00.000-05:002006-11-04T20:36:52.141-05:00

Do you ride roller coasters much? If so, what are the two things you remember about all the rides you've ridden?Well, if you're like me (which could be a ride all by itself), the first thing I think of is the gut-wrenching anticipation that I get as I strap myself into the seat of a roller coaster that I've never ridden before and begin the roll-out or ascent to the first drop. I'm especially

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1160692616284536012006-10-12T17:14:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:37.037-05:00

Good gracious, it has been a long time since I posted on here. I don't know quite what to say, except...I missed me? Well, I guess I'll just have to catch you all up on the current news.For those of you who weren't aware of it, I am back in West Virginia this year. (Wait, does the post below this one mention that?) Anyway, I'm traveling as an Admissions Representative for the college that I

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1157487178509490572006-09-05T14:54:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.962-05:00

Those of you who watch movies may remember my title as the opening line of the song on the credits of the movie "Extreme Days." That's what it feels like here in Fairmont, WV. With very little training and little or no knowledge of what to expect, I have abruptly thrust myself upon the world of college admissions representatives. To point, it has been a mediocre experience. I must admit,

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1155588173425739472006-08-14T15:37:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.888-05:00

Whew! Awesome picture! Me and my woman - I like it, she doesn't. I say my vote wins, so now it's all over the internet. This is us at Jr./Sr. Banquet last Spring. Isn't she beautiful?

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1155586327619479812006-08-14T13:06:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.827-05:00

Well, my last post is almost obsolete at this point. Let me drop the vague language and covert syntax from before and come to the point. This past weekend, I had planned to rent a car, drive to Columbus, and surprise Vanessa for her birthday. It was a wonderful plan, but the folks at Enterprise dashed the proverbial ship of my dreams against the equally proverbial Great Barrier Reef. After

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1155318992469137392006-08-11T12:45:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.685-05:00

Have you ever made plans? Like big plans? Like allsummerlongyouvebeenplanning plans?What happened when you made those plans? If you say, "Well, when the plans worked out, it was the coolest thing in the world," then you are exceptionally fortunate. For you, the plans worked out.Now, let us look at Exhibit A in a case heretofore unknown to you. Exhibit A is me. When I plan real small things,

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1154923749363718712006-08-06T22:56:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.608-05:00

You know, sometimes life comes at you so fast it knocks you down and rips on by. Other times, it knocks you down and then comes back and stomps all over you.That's kind of how I feel right now. I feel stomped on, which really doesn't make sense because the past few days have been some of the best of my career to point (which is good considering that my career is living).Anyway, to bring you up to

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1154450437624987032006-08-01T11:06:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.514-05:00

"Howdy, big guy."My summer officially started ten weeks ago with those very words of welcome from field coordinator Ron Thompson. It seems really freaky that it's about to end. Like tomorrow. Like, no more Utah Valley. No more Payson Bible Church. No more Pioneer Bible Camp. No more bugging the Whitworth girls and saying "Who dah man?" to Caleb. No more Temple Square visits. No more Isuzu Trooper

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1149611328757727712006-06-06T11:23:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.452-05:00

So I'm sitting here, trying to be random, but it's not working. Instead, I will just say that Habakkuk is a really cool book when you understand it historically. I've been studying it for the past two hours and it's amazing to see that Habakkuk was writing on the eve of the Babylonian captivity. He was scared, he was unsure about what was going to happen, and he had a bunch of questions for

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1149570176881683402006-06-05T23:19:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.366-05:00

Quick run-down of the things I never expected to do as a pastoral intern. I never expected to...1. Clean out a 110 year-old church basement2. Tow a Chevy Lumina minivan behind a Chevy Express van for 50 miles3. Change a tire in a narrow canyon4. Make Sunday School doughnut and cookie runs5. Drive my hosts halfway up Nebo Loop and back6. Visit a ski resort7. Tour Temple Square for the 4th time8.

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1149397746265707652006-06-04T00:07:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.305-05:00

So I typed for a stinkin' hour and then lost it. Go me. I'll try again tomorrow.

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1149230435011686122006-06-01T20:03:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.238-05:00

Yesterday, I returned to Temple Square after a two week hiatus. Josh and I have kept busy and managed to make time for one more visit before I move to Payson (that's tomorrow, by the way). A mutual friend of ours came with us (you rock, Kira) and the three of us set out to again be reminded of the chokehold that Mormonism has on its followers. This was my third time there and I think I'm finally

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29076013.post-1149140260498086692006-06-01T00:34:00.000-05:002006-10-29T16:19:36.162-05:00

Well, here it is. The first post on my new blog. Interesting, huh? I bet you're thinking, "Wow, this is so interesting, I might go have some more cheesy bacon tuna fish on pumpernickel bread." I know I would think that if I thought this were interesting. And I do. So 'scuse me whilst I make myself a cheesy pumpernickel bacon tuna fish sandwich.

ngoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528402731309662949noreply@blogger.com2