Angel Family Nominations & Scholarship News..

I want to thank all of you who have shared with us your feelings toward an angel family whose had a challenging year. It's heart breaking to know there are so many people who've lost or will lose a child or parent soon.

As promised, one of these various families will receive a small financial gift as part of my upcoming Celebrate Life concert on February 15th, 7:30pm at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The family who receives the gift will remain anonymous to the public in order that we may respect the privacy and nature of all those participating.

As one who understands, people who have lost or are losing a family member deserves our help, love, and friendship. It is absolutely vital to our own happiness and character that we are willing to "mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort."


CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE SCHOLARSHIP

The SLCC full ride scholarship available to those affected by congenital heart disease has a new deadline, May 3rd. For more information visit: http://scholarship.paulcardall.com

Affected means it can be a parent, brother or sister of someone who has been influenced by CHD.

A Chapter of My Life

Life is full of chapters. We close one and start a new one. I am in the middle of “the heart transplant” chapter of my life and the plot thickens as I continue to wait. It has been nine months. That’s full term and my water hasn’t broke!

Nevertheless, Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” We try to make the most of our circumstances reflecting upon what we have learned or hope to learn from our situation. I am learning more than I could ever dream of and I hope to pull through to share that with many more people.

My spiritual hero, Thomas S. Monson shared this powerful insight to happiness, “This is our one and only chance at life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.”

I continue to find comfort in my knowledge that God is good! God is close! God is my friend. He has wrapped His loving arms around my family through the love, service, and support of those who also love Him. It’s a miracle!

Yesterday I was fortunate to attend the closing chapter of a few college students as they graduated from Salt Lake Community College where I attended school for an associate’s degree.

I was invited to attend by President Cynthia Bioteau and the SLCC Alumni association. The school honored me with the “Distinguished Alumni Award” which was quite shocking because it is awarded to those who’ve made a contribution to our community and yet it’s our community, which for the past nine months has been making a contribution to our family. Matt Bunker, Alumni Advisor, made it clear that this award was decided upon before they knew I was sick.

And so, I am thankful for SLCC alumni’s kindness in acknowledging my music career which has been a tool for me to share something peaceful, positive, and uplifting in a world full of pain and suffering.

I am grateful for the Salt Lake Community College chapter in my life. Before graduating high school I was recruited by their Freshman Leadership Council despite my average grades and offered a full-ride scholarship.

Getting involved in student government where I sat on the college activities board, served as student Fine Arts Chairperson, later as the student Public Relations Vice President, and as an aggressive recruiter, gave me many opportunities to learn things that I have applied to my business and life.

College was an enjoyable chapter of my life and I had moments of nostalgia sitting before the graduates.

Congratulations to all of you who graduated!

(Pictures: Top - Wearing the honorary cap & gown, Middle - sitting next to Dan Young (PC Laptops) who also received an award, Bottom - With my parents Margaret & Duane Cardall)