Funerals: Special Times for Tributes, Celebration of Life, and Healing

My wife and I recently attended a funeral of a good friend of ours, a father of six and only 49 years old. He died from complications of COVID-19. The events leading up to his death were sad. The family posted several times, requesting thoughts and prayers, which we gladly did. Then, early one morning, his wife posted a Facebook message came, informing all that he had passed away. 

Our hearts and minds were deluged with sadness for his family and the tumultuous time they had over the past few weeks, watching the gradual yet tragic decline of their husband and father. On Sunday evening, we went over for a candlelight vigil at their home. Many people attended, saddened and grieving, most with the question why? 

We attended the funeral a week later on a beautiful Saturday morning. We thought we had arrived early, but there were so many people already there at the viewing, watching a video of his life, talking, and reminiscing. Funerals are like that. People from their past and present congregate to celebrate the life of the person who has died and give encouragement to the family and friends. 

This man’s funeral ran the gamut of many emotions—happiness, sadness, peace, spirituality, and positivity. Two of the daughters spoke about their father, their best friend, and confidant. We heard from his brother about his early life and his fight for his life at the beginning and growth and even his role as the family jokester and prankster. We learned of this man’s propensity to help people, no matter who they were or what they were doing. We cried, we laughed, we smiled, and we remembered him and the impact he had on all of our lives. 

During the funeral, I remembered my mother’s and father’s funerals and the kind words we received through music, talks, and private conversations. I remembered the poem I wrote when my mother died, and tears welled up in my eyes. At my father’s viewing, one of my childhood friends looked at me and said, “Now, we are both orphans.” Until that moment, I had not realized that true statement, now that both of my parents had passed. We talked about that and the support we had both received from so many people on that day we became orphans and the days and years since. 

Before my mother’s funeral, my little brother decided he would make my mother’s casket from oak. My brother and I helped him, and it took us a few days to construct, sand, and then stain. It was absolutely beautiful, and many people commented about how they would like one just like it. We knew she would have liked it. Constructing the casket took away some of the pain as we sanded away the bumps and other imperfections, making the wood smooth to the touch. That’s what people do at funerals. They are sometimes the sandpaper, giving us hope and smoothing out the sadness. For our family, people were so kind to us, even though we were already grown, and most of us had families of our own. 

I also remembered about two funerals that Noel Raymond and I officiated in Menan, Idaho, many years ago. The funerals were some of the saddest I had ever attended. The first one was for three children who had died instantly in a car crash as their father was rounding a corner and smashed into a cement embankment on late, dark, and chilly October evening. Hundreds of people came to the Church, sat in the pews, and were quiet, except for some crying and sniffling. I could hardly get through the conducting part because I was so sad, so devastated at the loss of my friends. 

The father could not attend because he was fighting for his life in the intensive care unit at the local hospital. The mother of the three sat stunned at the thoughts of the present and afraid for the future. One of her sons, an eight-year-old, still lay in a hospital room, with one of his legs amputated below the knee and the other one in jeopardy. The other two who survived the crash were there, confused, heads down, still wounded about the whole ordeal. 

Not a week later, we were back conducting the father’s funeral. Yet, there was a peace about it because of the overwhelming support of the friends of the family, even people who barely knew them. They had come together to support and to show peace and comfort through words, prayers, pats on the backs, hugs, and just thoughts that hovered in the air like comfort blankets. 

Overall, funerals are tributes to the deceased, celebrations of their lives, and times for healing and comfort for those who remain. Even though our friend had died, I again felt the comfort and reassurance of the plan of happiness that I so adamantly believe in, knowing that he and all the others will live again and become whole. This reassurance lifted me as I listened to the singing of hymns, the talks, the hilarious stories about him and his family, and the positivity from this family who had just lost their father and husband to the devastating COVID, which has taken millions and is not finished with us. 

Truly funerals are not supposed to be completely sad although death is a challenging concept to even understand. It is a time, though, for the family, the community, and friends to come together to remember the good and the positive and to celebrate the life of the person who has died. While sadness and sorrow still hover in the room, the glow from friends and compassion and love help dissipate the sadness and other emotions that course through the crowd. 

Funerals are like one of the daughters said, “Dad is probably laughing right now, saying, ‘Hey, it’s okay. I am fine. You are going to be fine. Besides, what it comes down to is love, true, honest love.”

The Beauty of Storms

The Beauty of Storms

by Darrel L. Hammon
with inspiration from Mata Kāpeta

 


Storms come gently, sometimes viciously,
usually early morning, just about dawn.
They clamor over the mountains,

through the valleys, and on to the plains,
gathering ferocity, twisting trees until they snap,
causing grass and flowers to bend,

face down into the saturated ground.
The ferocity of spring storms is really no match
for the storms that doth beset us in real life—

Storms of divorce, depression, anxiety,
lost children, husbands or wives who stray,
disease and brittle bones, addictions,

and just plain sadness and withdrawal.
We often curl up by the window in large chairs,
grandma’s old throw wrapped around us for comfort,

stare into the wee mornings and watch the rains
and winds bash the windows outside
while our personal storms bash us from the inside,

wrecking more havoc than 50-mile per hour winds.
Yet, we know, though, that after the winds die down
and rains and their gray clouds dissipate over the ridge,

the sun emerges triumph. So, too, within us,

we also know—and plead fervently—
that the Son will appear as well, settle beside us

in any dark corner we find ourselves,
knowing His Light will dispel all darkness.
That is the beauty of storms,

knowing they retreat as suddenly
as they come when the Sun exerts its power
through Him who created all.

Being children of a living and loving Heavenly Father provides us with a richness of human capacity

We had a California Riverside Mission Reunion on Friday! It was a glorious event! We attempted to social distance as much as we could. These missionaries love each other after having spent two years or 18 months of their lives together. They had sacred experiences with their companions, their districts, their zones, and their mission that only these people would understand. It is during these moments, like mission reunions, where you can feel those same feelings and share them with people who really understand.

During the reunion, Joanne and I had the opportunity to address these phenomenal young people. In essence, we talked to them about remembering and staying on the covenant path. For my portion, I have organized my thoughts under the title: "Being children of a living and loving Heavenly Father

provides us with a richness of human capacity": 

 

Helaman 12:2

When we sin or do things that we know we shouldn’t or we become lax in what we should be doing, a sense of dimness/darkness creeps upon and we begin to forget. It is Satan lulling is into a sense of shifting our gaze and focus on Christ to focus on the ephemeral things of the world, which doth canker and corrupt instead of the things eternal (also see 2 Nephi 28:21-22).

 

Question: What must we do to “remember” and enhance our capacity to remember?

 

1. Remember who and whose we are. We are children of a loving Heavenly Father.
2. Remember that we are worthy of God’s love and forgiveness, no matter what we have done in our lives.
3. Remember why the Atonement is so integral in our lives and why we must repent every day, every day, every day. 
4. Remember we possess great capacity to achieve and to do grand things. Thus, we can see a far off in a holistic way!
5. Remember to educate the whole being—our minds, our body, and, especially, our hearts. 
6. Remember to treat ourselves kindly. Don’t beat yourself up over the things you cannot control.
7. Remember to be courageous and fearless in standing up for all that is good in the world. 
8. Remember to love others with our whole hearts and treat them as Heavenly Father and Christ would treat them.  
9. Remember to always show gratitude in all things.  
10. Remember to find joy in doing what the Lord wants and needs us to.  
11. Remember that everything we do has an effect on people, wherever they might be watching or listening or reading or observing. 
12.  Remember that our purpose and meaning stems from what we promise the Lord we would do when we were baptized, when we took upon us the Priesthood and its oath and covenant, when we did our initiatory, when we took out our endowments and made covenants with the Lord, and when—for some of you— knelt crossed the altar and whispered that sacred “yes.” 

As we remember and do, we are filled with great light, which “growth brighter and brighter until that perfect day….that you may chase darkness from among you” (see Doctrine and Covenants 50:24-25).

 

May we do everything in the Lord’s name with what Samuel the Lamanite called “Unwearied diligence” (see Helaman 15:6).

Hay 20 cosas debe hacer cada día para su esposa o querida

 Para mis amigos que hablan Español!

Hay 20 cosas debe hacer cada día para su esposa o querida

Haga el día de su esposa, cada día, con estas acciones simples que le recordarán su amor por ella.

 Díle que la amas

 Le debes decir que la amas más que una vez al día, incluso cuando sales y cuando regresas a casa. Como texting es tan popular, puedes enviarle un texto a ella aunque la conversación con ella cara a cara sea la más importante e íntima.

Muéstrale la amas

De todas las cosas que necesitas hacer cada día, esta es quizás la más esencial. Le puedes cuanto la amas, pero la demonstración de su amor hacia ella es vital en su vida diaria. La demonstración. Hay miles de maneras cómo mostrarle a esposa cuanto la amas. Sea creativo — Todos. Los. Días.

 Sé organizado

Nada es menos atractivo que montones de ropa, zapatos, calcetines, envolturas de dulces, etc. esparcidas por todas partes. Seguramente puedes gastar unos pocos minutos para poner en su sitio tus zapatos, colocar sus calcetines en la ropa sucia o hasta colgar tus pantalones. Si eres experto en arrojar las cosas al suelo o amontonar unas camisas de un número astronómico en la silla al lado de tu cama, deja la pereza y sé más organizado.

Limpia alrededor del fregadero

Uno de los lugares más insalubres en su casa hoy en día, aparte del teclado de su computador, es el fregadero.  Límpialo cada día, y ella estará gratamente sorprendida y agradecida.

 Plancha la ropa

Trata de planchar por ti mismo. Tú serías sorprendido cuán relajante—y terapéutica—es planchar la ropa.

Escríbele una nota

Este podría ser una de las más sencillas. No tienes que hacer un curso de poesia, solo una nota que le deje saber que ella es hermosa, o desearle que tenga un buen día. Pónlo en su bolsillo o en algún lugar donde ella puede verla. Prueba con una nota adhesiva en el espejo en el baño.

Haz la cama

O por lo menos ayudarle hacer la cama. Siempre es más fácil cuando dos hacen la cama, y sólo se tarda unos minutos de su tiempo. Hay algo refrescante tener una cama ordenada.

No te quejes

Sin duda, puedes abstenerte de quejarte una vez al día—hazlo dos veces mañana. Quejarse es un signo de pesimismo.

 Léele a ella

Quizás no sea lectura, pero el leer algo a ella cada día es dulce e íntimo. Podría ser uno de los comics del diario, un versículo o dos de la Biblia, o un increíble pasaje de la novela que estás leyendo.

 Cepíllate los dientes

La frescura es la clave de la felicidad.

No le preguntes por lo que se debes hacer

Al preguntar significa que no eres un buen observador.  Probablemente, ella te ha insinuado y tal vez incluso ya te había dicho: "Querido, ¿podrías tú hacer esto?" Sé observador, mira a tú alrededor; y escúchela.

Pon los platos en el lavavajillas

 No hay ninguna razón para dejar los platos en el fregadero o en la mesa. Si el lavajillas está lleno, váciela.

Parquéate correctamente

El espacio del garaje es sagrado; así pues, asegúrate que tú auto quede en tú propio lado.  La usurpación de su puesto no le será gracioso. Si su coche está fuera, siga adelante y pon el carro de tú esposa adentro del garaje también. Es una de las cosas que muestra que la amas.

Lleva la basura afuera

Siempre te toca sacar la basura—Asi es.

Cierra con llave las puertas y apaga las luces

Por la noche, anda alrededor de la casa, cierra con llave las puertas y apaga las luces. Tu cónyuge se sentirá segura y protegida si completas esta tarea.

Abrásela

Abrazos por la mañana. Abrazos cuando regresas a casa. Abrazos cuando se acuestan. Y asegúrate que no sea sólo un apretoncito. Déle unos abrazos de oso.

Congratúlela

Recuérdale cuánto amas esa sonrisa de la cual te enamoraste. Hay muchas cosas que ama en ella, así le recuérdatelas a menudo.

Ayuda con los platos sin preguntar

No solo en ponor los platos en el lavavajillas, ayuda también a una vez limpios ponerlos en su sitio, y a la vez poner la mesa a la hora de la comida y recoger la mesa después de las comidas.

Cocínale

 Esto puede significar que tienes que aprender cómo cocinar algo. Pero tus esfuerzos serán muy apreciados cuando preparas una comida deliciosa para ella.

Tengan una conversación increíble cada día

En la sociedad de hoy, con tanta tecnología, días laborables largos, etc., rara vez tenemos el tiempo para la conversación. Su matrimonio será reforzado si llevas tiempo para hablar con tu esposa cada día.

Memorice esta lista, añade a ella y siempre recuerda dos palabras importantes: "Sí, Querida."

"Moving Mountains": a poem

I have thought a lot about the challenges, maybe our personal mountains to climb, we have been facing over the past several months, so I wrote a poem titled "Moving Mountains," using some photos of mountains/hills I have taken along the way.....Enjoy! You can also see this on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Eh1_6dKSTJU.

Here is the full text:

Moving Mountains

 Mountains in our lives seem to engulf us,

cause us to shrink from even starting,
lulling us into self-pity and wallowing in our woes
to the point of spiraling and stumbling.

Surely, we must realize:
All that does not become us.
That is not who we really are.
Yet, once we rise up,
eyes focused on the way,
we will know what we need to do.

Once we choose to face that challenge,
our own personal mountain,
with faith, not fear,
we begin the steady, arduous ascent,
step by step, scrambling up and over
boulders and even small rocks,
the minutia of our everyday lives,
that hide the view from us
because we place them
so close in our line of vision
as to obstruct the big picture,
even the view of it all.

At each corner of our journey,
if we look carefully and sometimes quickly,
we catch just a fleeting glimpse
of the mountain top,
our ultimate goal.
But now we know
what the summit looks like,
that vision filling our minds
of what’s to come.

As we continue forward,
steadfast, diligent, persistent,
waiting in hope and striving to endure,
we ultimately hear those penetrating whispers
and songs of exclamation and praise
from Him whose love we seek.
Then, our hearts and minds overflow
with gratitude for this more excellent way.

What propels us now is hearing
and feeling and knowing
that yes, we are enough
and that we can move mountains!

Darrel L. Hammon

First Snow

For those who have heard the poem and seen the photos, here is the text of the poem: "First Snow" for your reading enjoyment. Be sure to read it aloud. You can follow along on with the video on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpC1oCbSzuM

First Snow

It seems lately that one day it is gorgeous
with lots of sun, and the next day,
clouds, cold, and flurries that drown out
summer and picnics and laziness outside.
While we mumble about this new fascination
of the onset of winter among other things,
the first snow cleanses the air, forces
the unsavory particles from the sky to the ground,
creating a sense of newness of white
and clarity in the air and in our minds,
especially if we take a brisk walk in the early morning
after the white stuff finds its way onto the lawns,
still green, the water ways, ducks’ backs, roses, and trees.

The shimmering of the mountains as the sun floats
over them, seeing the snow for the first time,
brightens everything, making us a bit giddy,
allowing us to bask in both the brisk and beauty
of the glimmering of snow and the coldness
of the water in the streams and ponds, caked on the sides
with snow-covered greenery and ice dangling
on fallen branches, brown and gold leaves, and logs.
High in the sky, the Canadian geese are out
marauding around, honking at each other
and every wing snapping in perfect cadence
to wherever they are going.

I just stand on the pond’s edge, listening
to the gurgling and the greenheads milling around
with a cadre of other duck breeds.
Although my fingers are a bit chilly,
I am warm with my vest beneath my coat
and stocking cap on my head,
my feet snug in warm socks and new boots.

I snap a few pictures, holding the camera
just so to capture the glistening
and the quietness of the snow-laden branches,
reminiscing of times past in Idaho
with my brothers and sisters, snowball fights,
snow forts, and inner tubes pulled by tractors
and then lounging afterwards by the fireplace hearth,
a hot cup of chocolate in hand, laced
with tiny marshmallows simmering
and dissolving into the chocolate,
creating a pause in my thoughts
of the future and yesterday simultaneously.

Darrel L. Hammon
November 14, 2020

Are you ready to be first-time parents?

Not long ago, I was visiting with two of our friends who were preparing for their first baby reveal about what first-time parents ought to know before the baby comes and even after. They were curious as to what to expect. I told them I would do a little research.

So, what does one do to research this information? You ask experienced parents, especially those who just had a baby! I used Facebook as my research tool and posted this question: “What would be your top three things/principles first-time parents ought to know?”

I was pleasantly surprised at the diversity of answers I received from recent first-time parents, parents with eight children, and grandparents. Once I read and reviewed the information, I have categorized them in 15 categories, directly from other parents and grandparents who have been in your shoes.

Here they are, first-time parents:

Love them

This was the number one answer for most respondents. A father of twins, Carl, said, “Recognize that love is infinite and grows with each child.” It will be really challenging not to love your new baby. I remember seeing Anna Rose and Hailey, our daughters, for the first time after they were born, and we loved them instantly. In actuality, though, the moment you find out that your spouse is going to have a baby your love begins and grows and grows. According to Amy, a mother of several daughters and one son, “Be prepared to love like you’ve never loved before….Babies also need to FEEL love and lots of it.”

Do your very best.

The one thing most everyone agreed on is this: You are going to make mistakes. I know that is a challenging concept to accept, but it is the truth. Do not worry about the “should-have-done-it-this-way.” There really are lots of correct ways, many of them you will learn along the way. Your child will love you even though may make a mistake. They probably will not realize it. Just move on from that mistake and do what you know you need to do. Great parenting comes from doing your best and improving every day.

Relax and enjoy the experience.

One mother Kristen astutely wrote, “If you have to choose between a nap and a shower, it’s okay to choose the nap.” Joanne, my wonderful wife, wrote: “Take time to record the memories.” Write in your journal or even buy a journal or a baby book for your baby and record the moments. Often, you will be holding your new baby in the new rocking chair or recliner, and all you want to do is just hold the baby, nothing else. That is okay. There will be a constant nagging in the back of your mind that there are things to be done. These times will not last forever. Just sit back and enjoy that sweet baby.

Understand that every baby is different.

Sandra, one of my high school classmates, reminisced, “I thought I knew everything until I had my 8^th child. She was nothing like the rest. It was like starting completely over!” Focus on your child and know they will be different than the rest of your children and anyone else’s. There is nothing wrong with that. Some will need more cuddling than others; some will drink more milk; others may cry more or smile more or….a thousand other differences. Be accepting of those differences.

Seek to establish a family-centered child and not a child-center family.

Another mother Kandi gave this counsel. “The family is truly the center, not necessarily the children. The children need to learn to be part of a family and have responsibilities and consequences. Amazingly, when we work as a family team, everyone learns their role and how to grow and develop their talents with the help of their siblings.” Yes, it is easy to just focus on just your baby and nothing else. Please create the environment so they know they are part of a family, even an extended family.

Know that you can never prepare enough but “tis enough.”

Because of the inordinate number of books, the Internet, etc., you will have lots of first-time parent material to read and ponder. But when the little one arrives, it is as if you did not read or listen to a word. You look at your baby and say, maybe a wee bit exasperated, “I have no idea what to do!” Well, that is truly a frustrating moment. We were the same way. We had read the books, but we felt so unprepared. But the moment Anna Rose, our first, was placed in Joanne’s arms, she knew exactly what to do. That mother instinct kicked in immediately. It was a marvel to watch. One father, Chris, a young man we knew in Miles City, Montana, said, “Nobody is ever truly ready for the first children. There are lots of trials by fire….experience is the best teacher.” Just remember: You will be enough.

Be prepared to be tired, probably even exhausted.

Many mothers responded how tiring it was being a first-time mother. One of the grandmothers who responded, Therese, commented: “It’s okay if you don’t get the dishes done after each meal. Try to relax.” Babies are time consuming. With diapers, feeding, changing their clothes, holding them, just watching them, etc. takes time and great amounts of energy. These new babies are literally 24/7 beings and need attention all the time. You will be tired. So, take time and rest when they are resting. Do not think you have to do all these things while they are resting. Rest when they rest!

Listen to some advice but not all of it.

Once you announce you are going to have a baby, the advice and counsel will be delivered to you in dump trucks and several data dumps in your email box, Messenger, text, and other social media sources. Listen to some of it, but do not listen to all of it. There are thousands and thousands of books on parenting—some good, some bad, some mediocre. One mother, Nicole, wrote: “Listen to your own parental instincts rather than what your family, friends, Google, or the latest parenting book tells you….Find what works for YOU and your child.”

Know you are still an individual.

Sometimes first-time parents feel they lose their identity with a new baby in the home. People coo over the babies, bring them gifts, and then—maybe—they say something to the parents and ask them how they are doing. Jennifer, a mother of an autistic child, wisely wrote: “Don't forget to take time every day to do something that makes you, YOU. Take a bath, read a book, write in your journal. Maybe you'll only get five minutes, but it's five minutes where you get to be completely yourself.” The key is that you still have an identity, and it also needs to be fed.

Do not be afraid of what you are about to do.

There is always a fear that lingers prior to your first-born coming. Some sound advice comes from Brandy, a mother of three boys: “Give yourself more patience than criticism.” A fairly new mother, Candace, wrote: “Having children will change you in a way you never imagined. It will bring the worst and best out of you leaving—hopefully—a more perfect person full of compassion, understanding, patience, and charity.” If you enter this phase of life with fear, it will dissipate if you remember why you decided to have a baby. Yes, changes will occur. Yes, your body and emotions change. The key hinges, though, on knowing that these little ones will help us learn new lessons, help us grow and mature, and develop in positive ways. Thus, do not be afraid; rather, be anticipatory and grow from this incredible experience.

Do not compare yourself to other moms and the corollary is do not compare your children to other children.

Every child is different, yours included. Our oldest did not walk until she was 14 months old. We wondered what was wrong with her—what was wrong with us! She was bright, she could say a few words, she was attentive, but she did not walk. One day at Church, she was standing by her mother and me, holding on to both of my hands and watching the other kids her age and younger walking. She looked at them and then at us, let go of my hands, and began walking. Just. Like. That. One mother from Springville, Utah, Natalie, wrote: “You are the perfect parents for your children. Be your best self for your kids and don’t worry what other parents are doing.”

Read and talk to your children often.

One of my former basketball players, Darcy, said, “Talk to your babies a lot when they are little. Then, when they can talk, listen to everything they want to talk about. When they become teens, they will be more likely to talk to you when they need your help.” We loved reading with and to our children. When Joanne was in the hospital for two months when she was pregnant with our oldest, I read the Hobbit to both of them, Joanne in the hospital and Anna Rose in the womb. When Anna Rose began to grow, she loved being read to and still loves the Hobbit.

Remember to do the basics.

Several respondents reminded us of the basics of first-time parents. Leonr from Puerto Rico shared some counsel from her pediatrician daughter: “If you feed your baby with a bottle, don’t lay him/her down with the bottle of milk against a pillow because this may cause ear infections. Try to keep his head raised.” Many said, “Buy lots of diapers and burp cloths.” Pam wrote: “Pray every day for patience, kindness, love, safety, acceptance, help, strength, courage.”

Be the best father.

As first-time fathers, we know that it is the mothers who seem to do the bulk of the work with the babies. Be cognizant of that and try to help in any way you can. Do the housework, wash the dishes, put in a few loads of laundry. Do not wait to be asked. Also, you may want to take some time after the baby is down for a nap or right after they go to sleep and just rubbed your wife’s feet, back, shoulders, etc. Be attentive and observant to her needs. Remember: If it is your wife’s challenge, it is your challenge, too. This baby is yours together.  

Your life will change.

Starting a family will change you, and you may never be the same. Amy, one of the moms, counseled, “Nothing can really prepare you for the ways your life and your heart will never be the same. It’s also the hardest thing and can be quite overwhelming. You will experience sleep deprivation, hormonal changes, self-doubt and if you’re breastfeeding, this can be extremely painful and difficult, but you will know how to love them because that comes naturally.” But as a new father, Joseph, wrote: “You and your spouse may be sleep deprived, but as long as you support each other, take every opportunity to rest, keep an eye on each other’s emotions, you will learn to enjoy every moment.” Thus, change can be a learning experience.

Conclusion:

Overall, being first-time parents can be challenging, yes, even hard at times. But the counsel that a OBGYN doctor, Liz (our niece), gave is profound: “It’s easy to look back on your life with young kids with rose-colored glasses and wish about all the things you ‘should have done’ and offer advice. Despite this when you are in it all the work still needs to get done and a lot of the time it’s hard. It’s ok that it’s hard, it’s ok that you hate it some days, it’s ok to be unhappy and not want to ‘relish’ every all-nighter, diaper explosion, tantrum, etc. Do your best, love them and know that they won’t be small forever, and eventually you’ll be able to look back with your rose-colored glasses and think that it wasn’t that hard.”

We wish you well, first-time parents. Do your best! And remember that you are you and will do just fine. Please have some fun being a first-time parent. 

Good luck!