Hungry for Heaven

 This blog is dedicated to Ronnie James Dio, a great man, a great example, and a great musician. R.I.P.

 When I think of Dio in the context of the scriptures I always come back to a scripture in the book of Alma, it seems to fit the kind of person Dio was and what he stood for:

 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.

 Ronnie James Dio was a singer, and though he was hardly above 5 feet tall, he sang with the voice of thunder. He sang songs about standing up for yourself and making yourself heard, he sang songs about overcoming the things that keep you down, he sang about fighting your fears, and he sang about the power of desire. Our desires shape who we are and how we act.

 There is a song of his named Hungry For Heaven, and it's one of my favorites. I love the idea of that song, being hungry for heaven, desiring to make yourself better. When you hunger for something its not just something you think about It's something you need, you have to have it, and you'll do anything for it. I have often thought to myself "Am I hungry for heaven? Or am I just kind of snacking on salvation?"  

 Dio wanted to sing, he wanted to touch the hearts of millions through his music, and it became who he was. He influenced countless lives though both the lyrics of his music and the huge amounts of money that he donated to charity as a result of his success. And Dio did it all because that was just the kind of man he was. He was Hungry For Heaven.

 One Columnist said about Dio after his death:

 "The amazing thing is, Dio the man never succumbed to the typical ravages of drugs, booze or hideous all-body tattoos. He never gained 75 pounds later in life or lost most of his voice through merciless shredding and ended it all playing county fairs for 19 drunk dudes in a barn before collapsing in a heap in a motel room in Jersey. There's a lesson in there somewhere. Or everywhere." -Mark Morford

 Ronnie James Dio knew what he wanted and he knew how to get it. And the lesson I learned from his life is that you can succeed and still be a good person. He passed away a few years ago on May 16 2010 from stomach cancer, after 7 Chemo therapies, but he was performing until the end. He was still on stage at age of 67 until his health kept him from doing so.

 I know what I want, and I know how to get it. I only want to make my Father in Heaven proud. I want to do what he would have me do to be close to him, and I want to do it with the same kind of passion that Dio devoted to his art. It might not be easy, but neither is singing in front of thousands while suffering from stomach cancer.

 It is the celestial glory which we seek. It is in the presence of God we desire to dwell. It is a forever family in which we want membership. Such blessings are earned through a lifetime of striving, seeking, repenting, and finally succeeding. - President Thomas S. Monson

I pity the fool that doesn't love Mother's Day!

"We are living in a great season for all women in the Church. Sisters, you are an essential part of our Heavenly Father’s plan for eternal happiness; you are endowed with a divine birthright. You are the real builders of nations wherever you live, because strong homes of love and peace will bring security to any nation. I hope you understand that, and I hope the men of the Church understand it too."
 -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The scriptures* have a lot to say about mothers and how amazing they are:

She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also,and he praiseth her.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Mothers are the most powerful force for good on this planet. They have the patience and long suffering of Job, the strength of Samson, the Wisdom of Solomon, and the courage of David. Your mom shapes your life, from the second your born, and makes you what you are today. And don't you forget it!

Motherhood is the most sacred calling of them all. To be trusted with bringing souls into this life is something beautiful and amazing, and more than that, to raise that soul in a loving environment where it can be nurtured and grow. It must be hard, it certainly looks hard, but I know it must be worth it. I hope that everyone can remember their moms this Mothers Day, and make it a special one for her.  Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a mother that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

I love my mom so much, she's the best. She put up with me for my whole life, and this is no small feat, and not only did that but did it with a smile. There's only one way to express my love for her, and that is by Mr. T's Mothers Day Rap:

Mother

There is no other

Like Mother

So treat her right

Mother

I always love her

My mother

So treat her right, treat her right

M is for the moan, and the miserable groan

from the pain that she felt when I was born

O is for the oven with it’s burnin’ heat

where she stood makin’ sure I had something to eat

T is for the time that she stayed up at night

and took my temperature when I wasn’t feelin’ right

H is for the hard earned money she spent

to keep clothes on my back and try to pay da’ rent

E is every wrinkle I put on her face

and every worry that I caused when I stayed out late

The last letter R is that she taught me respect

and for the room up in heaven that I know she’ll get

She’s a Queen

Second to none

Take care of Mother

You only get one*

*Proverbs 31:17,20,25,26,28,30

*Mr. T's Mothers Day Rap

Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life

This song goes out to all the Darek Heims.

 "You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that! I'm always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens." -Rocky Balboa

 Rocky Balboa faced the odds his whole life, he fought when he thought he couldn't, and he won. He never backed down, he never lost heart, even when he fought the most challenging fight of his life. In the Cold War, the Soviet Union had a champion named Ivan Drago, the strongest fighter in the world. He was a giant, a Goliath, and he fought and killed Rocky's best friend Apollo Creed. Rocky was afraid, he was sad, and he fought anyways.

 Rocky said to his wife Adrian "No maybe I can't win. Maybe the only thing I can do is just take everything he's got. But to beat me he's gonna have to kill me, and to kill me he's gotta have the guts to stand in front of me, and to do that he's gotta be willin' to die himself. I don't know if he's ready to do that. I don't know. I don't know."

 "Well might we look carefully into our own lives and judge our courage, our faith. Is there a Goliath in your life? Is there one in mine? Does he stand squarely between you and your desired happiness? Your Goliath may not carry a sword or hurl a verbal challenge of insult that all may hear and force you to decision. He may not be ten feet tall, but he likely will appear equally as formidable, and his silent challenge may shame and embarrass."-President Thomas S. Monson

 Everyone has a Goliath, everyone has an Ivan Drago, someone who's bigger or stronger. Your Ivan Drago doesn't have to be a person, maybe it's smoking, drinking, or depression, maybe it's an uncontrolled temper; But there's not a single person on this planet who isn't afraid of something. Being afraid doesn't make you a coward. Being afraid just means that you have something to overcome. It means that there is something in the way of your happiness.

 We don't have to face our Goliaths alone, "Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good." (2 Chron. 19:11). Our Lord will always fight for us, if we rely on him. "Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s." ( 2 Chron. 20:15)

The scriptures give us many examples of courage: "And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine." (1 Sam. 17:32) "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7) "Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it." (Ezra 10:4)

"Like David of old, 'our cause is just.' We have been placed upon earth not to fail or fall victim to temptation’s snare, but rather to succeed. Our giant, our Goliath, must be conquered."-President Thomas S. Monson

And we can, like Rocky Balboa when he overcame, say "Yea, I love yous too. I just also wanna thank God. Except for my kid bein' born, this is the greatest night in the history of my life. I just wanna say one thing to my wife who's home: YO, ADRIAN! I DID IT!"



This Blog is dedicated to Darek "Plum Tea" Heim