Divine Reassurance

3:09 PM / Posted by Brandon McBride / comments (0)

Three months.

That's how long it's been since I last wrote on here. Well...three months and one day.

I have a lot on my mind right now. Several different things are toying with my brain and with my heart. Because of the public nature of this blog, I'm choosing to keep the details to myself. It's not that I don't want to talk about them - I do. Just...not here. Besides, they aren't the main purpose of this post anyways. Their mention is merely a preface written to explain just how the following came to pass.

As I was sitting in church today, I began to contemplate the things troubling me. Testimonies were spoken of God's love for us - testimonies I felt I needed to hear. Now this shouldn't be terribly surprising. I've learned that Sacrament Meeting is a place where coincidence is commonplace. I imagine God's thought process as follows: "Oh, you have something on your mind? I shall inspire someone to speak of it."

What did surprise me was a certain memory that came back to my mind - an old mission story of mine. I guarantee that you have never heard it. I myself had forgotten it. I didn't even write it down. And I certainly haven't told it. Why? Because this is not a story of great moral or physical strength. It is not a story of boldness or courage. It is a simple story of human weakness and the need for reassurance, especially divine reassurance.

I was a new missionary. How new, I cannot remember. I had not yet gained the courage to be bold and speak openly. I was still shy - even more so than I am now. Each door was a challenge and at that point forming a coherent sentence was a small personal victory. I still missed my family and my friends. They were the only tangible support structure I ever had and they were no longer a constant in my life. It was a bond I had not yet developed with my fellow missionaries. This went on for some time and I struggled to keep it from showing. One night, after my mission companion had fallen asleep, I broke down.

I cried.

Through my tears, I spoke to my Father in a barely audible whisper. I couldn't just think it. I needed to say it. I told Him of my struggles, my challenges, my fears. I told Him of how pathetic I thought it was that I had to consider coherent sentences a victory in order to keep going. And when I had run out of things to say, I posed the simple question "Who am I? Why am I here?"

Then He spoke to me and my soul burned as the Spirit flooded my very being. The words were simple. The delivery was divine. "You are my son. You are here to do my work. Now go. I will be with you."

And He was with me.

Now why did the Lord remind me of this? Because once again I feel the weight of the world in a way that I have not felt in a long time and, while I do not feel the urge to cry, I do feel the need for divine reassurance. A need which was answered with a reminder of a time when my Father told me exactly who I was to Him. I am a son of God - the very same God who is the source of inspiration for all things related to family and love.

With that said, I could still use someone to talk to.

Psh! Norms are for Normal People.

1:29 AM / Posted by Brandon McBride / comments (1)

Sociology 112. An ordinary, run-of-the-mill class for which I will read chapters, write a paper or two, and take a few tests, allowing me more free time to utilize for other pursuits. Yeah...right.

Before I begin, I'd like to remind you exactly where sociology is in the Official Chart of Science Stuff:


Alright, now that we have that out of the way...


I feel compelled to admit that when I was first instructed to violate the social norms of the Cougareat I was somewhat hesitant to do so. I’m generally comfortable operating (somewhat) within the limits of what is socially acceptable. After all, I’ve been raised that way since birth. When you think about it, most of us have. After all, that's why they're called norms. Because they're normal.

Then I started thinking about it. I mean, I had to do it. So I began plotting. You see, I have a penchant for messing with people. Sure, they’re usually my friends and they know of my fondness for pranks (especially Karen, as she tends to be the victim of most of them). The more I thought about it, the more I became excited to branch out into the unknown. This quickly became more of a shenanigan than an assignment (by the way, I still got an A).

I met with my partner in the Cougareat one evening (the evening before the assignment was due - typical me). His role was to take notes on the reactions of my targets. So we sat and talked over ideas while surveying all of the innocent bystanders. I singled out my first victim just as he sat down with his newspaper. My first victim barely acknowledged my existence, ignoring every single one of my odd behaviors. I stole his newspaper. I spit into my taco and informed him that I did so in order to “keep the bad people from stealing it”. I messed with him for fifteen minutes and I got nothing out of that guy.

Now let's contrast this with my last victims. They had been sitting there for a while, just a few tables over. I sat down with them, introduced myself, and then proceeded to ignore every single one of their questions. No answers. No eye contact. Just leaning back on the chair, sipping my Sprite. Waiting. What's your name? Silence. What are you studying? Silence. Are you okay? Silence. They started talking about me as if I couldn’t even hear them! Who is this kid? I had a hard time keeping a straight face and they could see it. I was about to blow it! It was time to take some drastic measures. I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out my ultimate weapon - Taco Bell Fire Sauce. In only a few seconds I had torn the package, popped the lid to my Sprite, and done the unthinkable. When I mixed in Taco Bell’s Fire Sauce with my Sprite, things changed. I believe the words they shouted as they abruptly left were “Ew, gross! Get away from me!” Turns out they were right - it really is gross.

This was my introduction...no, wait...my initiation into Sociology 112. If you've been at BYU for a semester already, you've probably heard the story about the girl bringing the waffle iron (or was it a George Foreman grill?) into the library and making food there. Yeah. Same assignment.

Today's randomerthought is this: I've been feeling adventurous lately. I had an adventure. And it was fun.

Go and do thou likewise.
~Jesus (Luke 10:37)


And if you're looking for someone to have an adventure with, I'm up for one.

So This is the New Year (Pt. 2)

3:54 AM / Posted by Brandon McBride / comments (2)


We are two weeks into 2012 and, according to the Mayans, I don’t have a lot of time left to improve myself before I die. Since the turn of the New Year, I’ve been debating my resolutions for 2012. What do I need to work on most? What are the things that, given my full attention, I am capable of changing? After a week of debating and another week of laziness I’ve decided on a few goals for this year (or at least the part of the year that we have left before the Mayans rise up and take revenge…that is what happens, right? Mayan Zombie Apocalypse?).

I've invited a few friends to tell you about a few of my New Years resolutions. Please welcome Y U No Guy, Skyrim Stan, Philosiraptor, and Success Baby! Enjoy!


My dad’s last bit of advice to me before I flew back to Provo for New Year’s Eve was to “get involved.” Get involved in church, in school, in dating, in work, in life. I must admit that my immediate thoughts were “that’s nice; I’ll keep that in mind.” Little did I know that those words would soon frame my entire approach to 2012.

I’ve always believed in achieving balance in life. However, just because you believe in something doesn’t mean that you practice it perfectly. I’m trying to achieve a healthy balance between all the aspects of my life, but I often find myself focused primarily on school by default. If I manage to find myself in a relationship, my primary focus shifts in that direction. I’m ashamed to admit that I’m the ward recluse. I won’t deny it. I’ve already begun to change it (this may sound silly to you, but I’m proud of myself for it). My belief in the Gospel is strong; my interaction with the ward is weak. Also, with the recent turn of events in my dating life, I find myself needing to get involved in dating again (something I haven't really felt the motivation to do, but I know it must be done and when I am ready, it will be). Again and again, the reasons for my father’s advice are making themselves apparent to me.

I resolve to get achieve balance in life by becoming more involved in the aspects of life that I have left by the wayside and by achieving equilibrium between these aspects.

This may or may not be a resolution of mine. Allow me to explain. Since a certain "arrow to the knee" in my dating life a few years ago, I've been a much more closed-off individual. It hasn't been easy for me to open up my heart to new people, so the number of people that I trust (and I don't use the word trust lightly) is a small group that I hold dear to me. Allowing someone into this group takes time and great care. Someone leaving this group is devastating in the truest sense of the word.

This is something I've been giving a lot of thought to, recently. Is the above really something that needs to change? Had I been practicing this approach before, maybe I would have avoided that arrow to the knee entirely; however, I would have also missed out on the learning and growth that came as a result. So the question is "What am I experiencing and what am I missing?" I don't know if this is a question that can ever be answered.

I guess the best way to put it is that I resolve to give fair chance to those who wish to have my trust and my loyalty and to not shut someone out unwarranted.


Going back to balance, it’s no secret that I spend way too much time inside. This one is simple: I need to get out more! Live life! Enjoy it! A very wise and insightful person (who I happen to know!) once said “Life is also to be enjoyed in pieces. Bits and bites and beautiful moments.” This hit me like a slap to the face. Not the kind of slap that you get when you say something you shouldn’t have and your dear friend at work slaps you in the face (but you both know everything’s good because you both know each other well enough), but the kind of slap that comes when God is saying “Hey, you, pay attention to that. See that? Sound familiar? No? That’s because you’re not doing it. Now do it.” Robert Brault said “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

I resolve to not only enjoy life, but to experience life as well – to live and to breathe and to truly appreciate all that it has to offer, big and small, for every moment is a chance to do something worth remembering.  

Let’s be honest with each other. Do we always follow through with your New Year’s resolutions? No. No, we don’t. If you said “Why yes, Brandon, I do” then you are suffering from what Han Solo would call “delusions of grandeur.” The real truth is that we aren’t meant to succeed by resolution alone. The hope is that in consciously practicing our resolutions they will one day become unconscious habits. You will feel something missing from your day until you’ve read your scriptures. You won’t have to fight your conscience over whether or not to eat that donut.  Stubbing your toe will bring to mind other words than the ones you start saying only to turn them into words like “damage” or “Shitaki mushrooms”.

The goal here is to have the resolve to enforce my resolutions until they’ve become habitual – to engrain within my very being the things that I wish to improve upon so that time and neglect will not unravel them.

There you have it - the core of my New Year's resolutions. Sure, there are more. But this post is long enough as it is. I really do hope that you have taken the time to find a few things that you want to work on as well. After all, life is better lived with conviction and with purpose.

It's 3:52AM. I'm going to bed.

P.S. I've enabled anonymous commenting. Enjoy.

So this is the new year...

9:38 PM / Posted by Brandon McBride / comments (0)

...and I find myself restarting RandomerThoughts once again. Recently I recognized a reason that provided me with the resolve to restart my writing, and while the reason has resigned, the resolve remains. I've had quite the debate with myself over exactly what I should address for my third grand opening of RandomerThoughts. Indeed, there are quite a few things I feel like talking about; however, not a single one would make any sense without a better understanding of who I am and who I am not, what I like and what I do not like, what my goals are, and what my goals aren't.

My name is Brandon Scott McBride. I like the way it flows and, while my ancestry covers much of Europe, I claim a predominantly Irish background due to the origin of my name (and jokingly because it allows me to legitimately wear "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" shirts).

I was born in Opelika, Alabama. We moved shortly after, so I don't remember much of what it was like. I spent six or seven years in Atlanta, Georgia; Burley, Idaho; and Bentonville, Arkansas (clearly born southern, but I loved my time in Idaho) before heading off for college at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. It was here that I wasted my Freshman year with movies, video games, and shenanigans. While I wish I had made better use of my Freshman year, I do not deny what happened. It was a lesson learned the hard way - but at least it was a lesson learned.

If you ask me where I grew up, my best answer would be the Seattle, Washington area. You see, it was here that I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I learned many valuable lessons while serving God. That service is responsible for a majority of the man I am today, which is a topic that will be discussed later.

It has been three years since I first stepped back into the real world. I won't deny that it was a rocky transition. In under an hour I had already insulted my brother's friends (without meaning to, of course). Thankfully, my dad had warned my siblings that I "might be a little weird" until I had adjusted to normal human life.

The three years since my return primarily consisted of school, work, church, rocky relationships, and recovering from rocky relationships (with the exception of one short but undeniably good relationship), and very little actual dating.

I can't say that my life has been bad. I'm so blessed and there are so many people out there who are suffering right now. I can say that I've had my own unique set of challenges as I've grown up and that I'm a stronger person because of them. Sometimes I've learned the easy way and other times I've learned the hard way. But I'm grateful that I took the opportunity to learn from my struggles and that I have ultimately grown to be a stronger man because of them.



So what defines who I am? Is it my hobbies? My passions? Is it the work that I do? Is it the little things I enjoy? Is it the life that I live? Is it the values that I hold dear? The simple truth is that the answer to that question is different for everyone. I believe that all of these things, and many more, are what define me. While some are more important than others, they all play a role in shaping the man that I am today. What all these things have in common is that they are rooted from within.

Who I am:

  • I am a son of God and a fully faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am happy to say that I am faithful to my Priesthood. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He is my Savior because I have felt the healing power of the Atonement in my life many times. I can say without doubt that I know that Jesus Christ lived, suffered, died, and rose again that I, that we all, may be redeemed. I know that God placed me here because this is where I would benefit most and it is where I will be of most benefit to others. I know that the Church is true, that the Book of Mormon is true, and that the power of prayer is real. I believe in all that this implies, for I have felt the power of the Spirit deep within my heart and soul and to deny it is inconceivable.
  • I have a strong desire to be a good husband to my future wife and a good father to my future children - to treat them with the love and respect they deserve and to encourage them to live to their full potential. I consider myself as family-oriented as one can be without actually having a family of his own.
  • I am a marketing student at the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University, studying to pursue a career in internet and social marketing. At some point in my life I would like to use my talents to benefit missionary work for the Church.
  • I am a hard and responsible worker. Although I can be distracted at times, I make it a point to give my best effort in every endeavor.
  • I am loyal and honest and I wish others to be the same with me.
  • I donate blood on a regular basis because I feel the need to do my part to help.
  • I believe that what defines a man most are his actions and his values, primarily in regards to the way he treats women, rather than his ability to grow a mustache or hold down a dozen beers.
  • I am protective of those I care about, but make it a point not to be overbearing.
  • I am a good listener. God gave me two ears and one mouth for a reason.
  • I believe that it's okay for me to have feelings and to express them appropriately and reasonably. To be emotionless is to be heartless.
  • I consider myself funny. Whether you consider me funny will depend on how well our personalities mesh. As for myself, I enjoy cracking jokes with my own brand of humor, good-natured teasing, and pranks.
  • I am a nerd, often prone to making references to subjects ranging from Pokemon (which I grew up on) to Star Wars to The Big Bang Theory. I also follow Tobuscus, Jacksfilms, and FreddieW on YouTube and I enjoy webcomics such as CTRL-ALT-DEL and XKCD.
  • I like to drive because, to me, it feels like freedom.
  • I like music - a lot. And I like a lot of different types of music. Good bass makes me happy.
  • I like writing and have a fondness for alliteration. The following is one of my favorite movie quotes (and it is a dream of mine to one day have such a vocabulary):
    • "Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."
  • I like learning about things that fascinate or excite me. From cars to cultures, if I find it intriguing, I want to know more about it.
  • I desire to be a positive influence on people. I wish to help those I care about achieve their goals and to never be a hindrance to their success.
  • I am a cuddler. One of my favorite things to do is cuddle and watch a movie.
  • I prefer the simple life. Drama and stress really aren't my style. I'm happy being with the people I care about.
  • I like making memories and taking pictures of said memories. When all is said and done, when I've turned old and gray, I want to look at the pictures I've taken and trigger memories that bring back the same goofy grin I've had all my life.
  • I prefer people to be themselves. If I didn't like what you are, I wouldn't like you in the first place.
  • I like kids. We get along well. Maybe it's because we operate on the same level or because I'm the oldest of four and don't mind being turned into a human jungle gym, a horse, or a truck. I love making kids laugh.
  • I like TV shows where people of seemingly unrelated professions team up with law enforcement to solve crimes. Psych, Numb3rs, Bones, Castle, etc.
  • I like to cook. I'm good with pot roast, taco soup, steak, and a few other things. Hey, a man has to learn to feed himself, right?
  • One day I will visit Italy and see all of the marvelous cathedrals and stand at the Colosseum (and while I'm in the area, I might as well see the rest of Europe, right?).
  • I am not a perfect person, but I try to live each and every day being the best man that I can be.
So there you have it. A not-so-brief introduction to who I am. The funny part is that with all of the above, you have yet to scratch the surface. Like the old Transformers, I'm more than meets the eye (However, I am not a robot in disguise. Dangit.). I'll try to make future posts more concise. Promise.

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