Goodbye, 2022!

 Can't believe 2022 will be over in just a few hours!  Seems like just last week I had to keep reminding myself to write 2022, not 2021.

It's been a very good year.    And the not so good parts of the year have pretty much faded into the background.  As it should be.

However, sometimes I had to remind myself of Robert Frost's observation "you just have to go through it to get to the end" when I was facing an unpleasant task. And before I knew it, I HAD reached the end of that arduous assignment.  The rest of the time, life was pretty smooth sailing.  And good....

Probably  the best summation of the year for me is from the signboard of one of the local churches in my small town.

IF YOU NEED SOMETHING, ASK GOD.

IF YOU DON'T,  THANK HIM.

Good advice for all.  You'll never go wrong. 

Happy New Year!

Celebrating Christmas

 MY CHRISTMAS PRAYER FOR ALL!

                                                                                         

        Please give me, Lord,   
                    eyes to see Your star…

ears to hear the angels’ glad hosannas…

hands to lay the meager treasures

of my life at your feet…

and lips to sing, like a modern-day shepherd,

                        praises to my

               Savior and King!  

CHRIST...MAS

 

I was listening to Music and the Spoken Word when I was getting ready for Church this morning.  It was their broadcast for Sunday, November 27, 2022.  The choir was beautiful, the images evocative of familiar Christmas celebrations, and the message was uplifting.

In his text, LLoyd Newell proposed that sometimes in the anticipation of this wonderful holiday, we might lose sight of the one focus we should have in December on our journey to Christmas Day.   That focus should always be the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place--Jesus Christ's birth.  

Brother Newell said that in Spanish, the word "mas" means "more".  He suggested that even though Christmas is NOT a Spanish word, we might translate that thought of "more" into an action, a conscious effort to put more of Christ into our celebration of this glorious season.

I think that is a great idea!  And I decided to ponder that "Christ...mas" counsel in my own personal countdown to December 25th.  There will be no display this year of all those treasured Nativity sets that I have to help me set a Christ-centered tone, but I can make a conscious effort to be sure Christ is still the most important reason for this season.

So, Merry Christ...mas!

THANKSGIVING DAY REFLECTIONS NOVEMBER 2022

 

I used to read the Reader's Digest from cover to cover every single month for years and years.  I loved reading the articles!  If I remember correctly, the publisher's motto was "An article a day of lasting interest."   That was pretty true.  I read it all and learned a lot, even about stuff I hadn't really had an interest in before. I'm not sure if my family subscribed to the magazine while I was growing up, but I do recall in one of my 7th grade classes, we had assignments to read and study RD every month with the copies provided to the school for classroom use. 

My files are full of little bits and pieces which I saved from those magazines that I thought were MORE worthwhile for later perusal.   I even submitted anecdotes from my own experiences to "All in a Day's Work" and "Quotable Quotes".  One of which was actually published! 

The following article was a reprint from The Chicago Tribune, published November 19, 1979, during the time we were living in Virginia.  I don't know when it was reprinted in The Reader's Digest.  But I have referred to this article many times over the years, and present it here now as still viable.

Notice how unabashedly Joan Beck writes about God and His tender mercies to all.  Forty-two years ago, it was perfectly normal to refer to Deity and our blessings from the Lord without repercussions and accusations of religious bias.  What has happened to the values nearly everyone espoused as their own?  Life is certainly different now--and not always for the better.

Still, I thought this article was worth sharing on this special occasion--Thanksgiving Day 2022. I hope it gives you pause for reflection on our injunction to live in a spirit or attitude of gratitude.  

In the words of Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "...instead of being thankful FOR things, we [need to] focus on being thankful IN our circumstances--whatever they may be."

HAPPY  THANKSGIVING!

DEJA VU...

 Not long after my husband and I got married, we went on a Caribbean cruise with a group Louis's sister and her husband organized.  We had a good time in spite of the fact I really am not a water/beach person.  I dutifully laid out on the beach, went jet skiing, and acted the part when we were on the shore excursions.  But truthfully, the parts I liked the best were shopping in the local markets.

On one of those shore excursions, Louis insisted on buying me some real diamond studs.  I liked the fake diamond earrings I had been wearing.  Besides these studs were quite a bit smaller--practically no more than a shiny dot on my ear lobe.  But they were REAL, so I didn't put up a fuss.

I had been wearing them literally for years, day and night, never taking them out of my ear lobes except to clean them, when United scheduled me for a layover in Las Vegas.  The shower in the hotel we stayed at was part of the bathtub assembly.  Not uncommon for most hotels.  But that particular morning as I was showering, I noticed a piece of lint on the bottom of the tub.  So, I just moved it with my big toe over to the drain and continued on with my shower.

Imagine my surprise and shock when I got out of the shower and glanced into the mirror only to find that the stud in my left earlobe was missing!  Suddenly, I knew exactly what that "piece of lint" had been.  I was so mad at myself.  Of course, I went straight to the drain to see if I could salvage the earring.  Nope!  It was gone.

When I got home from my trip assignment, I went shopping for a new pair of studs.  Wow!  Real diamonds were costly.  Even little bitty ones in ear studs.  So, I went to Kohl's.  They just happened to have some Cubic Zirconia studs on sale for half price.  And I just happened to have a 30% off coupon.  And I just happened to have some Kohl's cash.  Thankfully, Kohl's allows their shoppers to apply ALL coupons and discounts onto the same purchase.  I walked out of the store with a nice pair of fake diamond studs for $43.  Here's the plus....they were also bigger and the size I liked better than the real ones I had worn for years.

There was something about those earrings that caught the passengers' attention--all the time.  Men even.  Not just the women passengers would complement them.  To their delight, I always told a brief version of the story--moved a piece of lint to the drain in the bathtub on a layover in Las Vegas only to discover it was my earring.  Not going to spend a lot of money anymore for real diamonds that could get lost, so went to Kohl's and paid $43 after applying all the discounts for fake diamond ear studs.  Cubic Zirconia ones.  Everyone got a kick out of my sad tale of woe and the happy ending.

More years rolled by.  You can bet I was careful EVERY time I took a shower, though, to make sure the earrings stayed in my ears.  Wasn't going to have that same experience I did in Las Vegas.

A few weeks ago, though, I noticed the left stud was almost out of my earlobe when I looked in the mirror after I got out of the shower.  Whew!  That was close!  I made darn sure I tightened the back securely.  Sometime later when I got out of the shower and looked in the mirror the left earring was missing again!  I looked all over the shower floor, did an inch-by-inch scrutiny of the bathroom floor--and found the stud!  (The back was still bored into the back of my earlobe!)  The loops on the terry cloth towel must have caught the stud and pulled it out.

Now I was ever more vigilant!  Every day in the shower I would check my ears to make sure nothing was missing.  When I got out of the shower, I wasn't as vigorous when I toweled my hair dry.  And I made another adjustment every time to make sure the earring back was securely holding the stud in place.  All was well....

Then one day last week, I saw a little piece of lint on the shower floor.  I pushed it with my big toe to the drain and went on showering.  I even wondered if it was some lint from Louis' towel, as he had showered first.  

Just as I was ready to get out of the shower and pulled my towel down, I heard a little rock hit the floor of the shower.  "Now where did that come from?  When I took my towel off the rack, did it dislodge something on the decorative flower wreath on the wall just above it?"   So, I pushed IT with my big toe to the drain and got out of the shower.  A mystery....

...until I looked into the mirror.  NOTHING IN MY LEFT EARLOBE!!!!!  I had done it again in spite of cautious diligence on my part. Deliberately pushed my earring down the drain!  How could I have been so careless?  AGAIN!!  I was so mad at myself!

It just so happened I had a 30% off coupon from Kohl's, and I hoped they had some Cubic Zirconia studs on sale because I was on my way to the store as soon as I got ready for the day.

No jewelry department at Kohl's anymore.  I knew they had put all that SEPHORA makeup stuff in their stores during recent remodeling.  But I had paid no attention to the fact that took the place of the jewelry section--costume and the real thing.  Maybe they had moved the jewelry to a different part of the store.  I spent 10 minutes wandering up and down the aisles, looking in every department before I saw this itty-bitty little glass case full of Ray Ban Sunglasses and a few pieces of jewelry.  

I looked around for someone to help me and noticed the sign that I was supposed to take a picture of that QR code thingy and help would be on the way.  Fortunately, Louis had just taught me the day before how to DO that QR thingy.  So, I clicked on it, filled out my name and indicated on the proper box I wanted someone to help me with the jewelry, not the sunglasses.  Then I waited.  And waited.  And waited some more before I went to the cash stations and said I had done my part, now could someone meet me at that dead-end little counter and show me what was in the glass case?  The young man said he would go find someone.  Five minutes later the same young man came back with a key and said he would help me.

There were very few selections on display--some pieces with real diamonds and a couple of Cubic Zirconia items.  Amazingly everything was 60% off!  Okay.  Things were looking up.  Only HIS version of "help" differed quite a bit from MY version of help. I said I was looking for a pair of Cubic Zirconia studs that were just a little bit bigger than the ones featured in the case.  Could he check to see if there were any others?  He unlocked the drawer and opened it.  There were dozens of boxes, yet he said they didn't have any.  Could you open a couple and see if there are other sizes?  No.  Kohl's was closing out all of their jewelry stock and that's all they had left.  But could you look?  No. There is only one size.  Do you think they might have these online?  Perhaps.  But Kohl's is getting rid of all their jewelry stock.  Okay.  How long is this 60% off sale going on?  Not sure.  I think I could find out.  THAT took a whole five minutes while he fiddled with his handheld device and finally announced it was valid until the 17th.  Good, I won't have to run right home and get online now because I have some other stuff to take care of before I can sit at the computer and spend time checking out Kohl's website.

I left Kohl's, went grocery shopping, did the other errands, and headed home.  Later, while I was thinking about this whole episode in the shower and at the store, I remembered that I had purchased some look-alike diamond studs from an Avon rep that went to my Curves facility.  I started rooting around in my own jewelry box and found them.  Not at all what I wanted.  Why had I even purchased them?  I did find a set that looked like the blossom of a flower.  A little bigger than I wanted and also in sterling silver.  I wanted gold.  Oh, the price tag was still on them.  Bought THEM at Kohl's quite some time ago, so long I don't even remember, on clearance for $10.   Too bad they didn't fit the bill for me.  I looked through more stuff and found a little gold box with some Cubic Zirconia studs, a little bigger than the one I lost.  I have no idea where or when I purchased them.  Looked like a department store tag.  Original price--$250.00.  I KNOW I didn't pay that kind of money for them.  But whatever----I had a new pair of earrings!  I put them on and haven't taken them off since.  Only as yet no one has complimented me about them.  Probably best not to let anyone know I am a dork!  Enough said!  

Deja vu!  

Following the Yellow Brick Road

Doesn't really look like this in Kansas--SHOCKER!

I recently had lunch with my former neighbor and friend Cathy Callahan.  She told me that she had decided to drive to Kansas last summer to see her son and family at Fort Riley rather than fly.  Not particularly keen on driving alone, one of her friends agreed to make the road trip with her.  On their way they stopped in Concordia, Kansas, at the Orphan Train Museum. Cathy told me all about the visit and said it was worth the detour to her son's home.

I had read a couple of novels about kids who had gone West on trains to live with foster families.  Those stories had impressed and intrigued me with the whole concept that over a period of time from 1854 to 1929, an estimated 250,000 children were relocated to rural areas of the United States from crowded Eastern cities.

The annual summer closing at the Fort Collins Temple began on August 15th. That meant  neither Louis nor I was scheduled for our shift at the Temple during that time.  Me on the following two Wednesdays and Louis on the following two Saturdays.  

I toyed with the idea of following a yellow brick road of my own during some of that free time.

The first thing I did was look up how many miles it was to Concordia, Kansas, from our home in Johnstown, Colorado.  Then I asked Louis how long he thought it would take me to drive there.  The inevitable question was posed by him..."Why do you want to drive to Kansas?"  So, I told him about Cathy's experience, my own interest, and the temple was going to be closed for two weeks.  All of that shouted "Adventure!"  I wanted to go.  Not surprisingly, Louis asked if he could tag along.

Of course!  That was the whole idea.  Louis likes to drive.  Louis likes road trips.  I was pretty sure he would want to jump into the car for this one--and I would be able to leave all the details to a professional driver while I sat back and enjoyed the ride.  Pretty sneaky, huh!

Thus, we began to plan.  Louis suggested we each come up with a list of other attractions we might want to see during a four-day trip to Kansas and back.  A few days later, we pooled our finds and mapped out an itinerary that looked like it would be fun AND interesting.

We set out bright and early Monday morning August 15th about 6 am with an ETA of 3 pm in Concordia.  But...with all the stops along the way including lunch, gas, browsing at a brand-new travel store on I-70, the world's largest ball of twine, and a huge roadside picture of Van Gogh's Sunflowers painting, it didn't look like we were going to make it by then.  

Plus, we had also stopped at one of Louis' choices on the list.  It was the national historical site of Nicodemus, a preservation of the only all-black western town during the Reconstruction Period after the Civil War.

Though it is now nearly deserted, Nicodemus is symbolic of the pioneer spirit of those black individuals who left regions east of the Mississippi they had been familiar with to seek personal freedom and the opportunity to develop their talents and capabilities as homesteaders.  Handbills distributed in Kentucky and surrounding areas encouraged black people to come west where they could support themselves and make a living primarily through farming their own land.   

The initial stake was from $1-$5, and then the Homesteader had to "prove up" in order to keep the land.  Unfortunately, the railroads, which were expected to bring the revenue needed to support a western settlement like this one, were built north and south of there.  And the town dwindled from about 700 people in the late 1800's to nearly nothing in the following years.

The Historic Site was attractive, educational, and had a great gift shop (always at the top of MY list for tourist stops).  We learned a lot in the museum, and then we drove through what is left of the town to see other buildings that were once prominent.  The town, which  blended into the landscape of the Great Plains of Kansas, was dusty and HOT!  I was glad to get into the air-conditioned car for our last leg that day to Concordia.

And it was 103 degrees when we finally got there about 6 pm!  Way too hot for me! The car was dusty from the country roads, so Louis decided it would be a good idea to wash off the dirt.  Lo and behold, it began to rain while we were actually in the car wash stall.  I suggested we just stay there until the rain stopped, figured it wouldn't be long but a short shower just like at home.  Nah...Louis said he didn't care. He was hungry and wanted to find a place to eat.

When we got out of the restaurant, the air was fresh and it felt so much better than it had just an hour or so before.  Good sleeping weather.  We were tired and called it a day.

The next morning when we got up, however, it was COLD!  Only in the 60's.  The whole town was abuzz about the weather...it was such a relief for them, they were glad.  I wasn't too happy about it being chilly.  I had only packed short sleeve shirts and short-legged pants.  Nothing in the suitcase was warm enough.  

First order of business was to go downtown.  Only one main street, but I had seen a couple of stores on our jaunt to the hotel.  Sixth Street Fashions and Footwear was a spacious shop with lovely clothes on the high end.  Kind of like Chico's and White House.  When I asked what was up the lovely curved staircase to the second floor, the clerk told me "seasonal and clearance".  Aha!  My kind of shopping.  Found two very cute tops with longer sleeves on sale for a combined price less than one blouse on the main floor.  Paid for them and asked if I could use the dressing room to put the warmer one on right there.  Sure.  The clerks had sympathized with my plight and then complimented me on the top I had chosen because it even matched my pants.  

Walked out of that store and into a thrift store right next door where I found a casual jacket in a leopard print, which zipped up front and had an elastic waist, for $5.  I was set for the day!

Next stop was the whole reason we went--the Orphan Train Museum where we spent the next three hours.  I was at once overcome but uplifted and spent most of the time near tears with the emotion brought about by this gigantic welfare project as related in personal histories and testimonials.  

The orphan train movement was started by the Children's Aid Society which recognized the inadequacy of New York's welfare institutions, and at the same time, saw the Western states as places full of opportunity.  Charles Loring Brace of this organization devised a system whereby disadvantaged children would be sent to rural communities, traveling by train and with a Society Agent, where they could be taken in by families who would teach them good morals and provide for their needs.  

The stories about people helping children in need were remarkable!  And yes, there were some not so good outcomes such as sponsors taking kids just because they wanted someone to do their farm work and then did not treat the children like they would their own family.  Some children came with siblings and were separated from each other.  But the majority of cases had positive influences on children who needed help.  The negative complaints also helped in that these situations were used to instruct social services clearly to adopt better policies that continue to influence and guide the foster care system today.

Placed all around Concordia are 46 statues (currently, more are added frequently) which are dedicated to Orphan Train riders and their stories which are placarded as part of the statue.  (Like the one below.)  We didn't take the time to find all of them, but the ones we saw added to the whole Orphan Train Museum experience.

One of the statues in Concordia

The museum and statues were definitely worth the trip.  The next day we went to a WWII POW camp which also recounted some very uplifting experiences of those enemy soldiers who were incarcerated there.  Those young men also became part of the community and some even came back years later because of the humane treatment they received.

We went to Salina, drove up to Hebron,Nebraska, stopped at Hays, Colby, and Goodland all of which were on my list--antique stores!  Found a couple of worthy items for my Nativity collection.  (Not that I need ANYTHING more!)  But still, it was fun to poke around and see lots of Kansas homestead stuff belonging to people who had lived their lives on those Great Plains.

In all, it was a top-notch get-away.  Our own little "yellow brick road" with some fun and worthwhile adventures.  I whole-heartedly give it an enthusiastic THUMBS UP!

But....we DIDN'T see the Wizard!

GENERAL CONFERENCE

 

                                                                                                                                                                      

GENERAL CONFERENCE                                                                                                            OF THE  CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

                     

I didn’t always like General Conference.  Oh, when I was a teenager, it was a great adventure when my folks would let me with my cousin Lynn Butterfield use Conference as an excuse to go alone to Salt Lake City. Our dads both worked for Union Pacific Railroad, and we could ride the train for free. We would board the train at midnight from Rawlins, Wyoming, where we lived and travel all night for a 9 am arrival in SLC.  (This was the 60’s. No one was worried about our safety like you would be now!)  Lynn’s married brother Roger lived there, as did five of my sisters.  We usually crashed at my sister Marcie’s apartment since she was a student in SLC and had no entanglements with husband and family. 

 

Ostentatiously, we were there for Conference.  In those days Conference lasted three days and included the Sunday closest to the 6^th of either April or October.  Maybe Sunday was the first day or the last day of the proceedings.  But we crammed in shopping trips—Z.C.M.I. (Utah’s department store) and all the other stores were up and down Main Street, not clustered in Malls as they are now—and always a visit to Keeley’s, a popular little hole in the wall that served delicious sandwiches and delectable ice cream sundaes.  We could only afford one treat there each time.  But Conference time was sale time for the merchants, and I always went back to Rawlins with at least one pair of shoes from Baker’s or one of the other now long-gone shoe stores. 

 

Once in a while, we would stand in line and jostle for seats in the Tabernacle.  Most of the time if the weather was nice, we would sit on the lawn and “listen” to the talks, then try to get a glimpse of President McKay as he left the Tabernacle.  David O. McKay was the Prophet for a long time when I was growing up.  Got a lot out of that.  RIGHT! 

 

Years later as a BYU student, groups of us would go to Temple Square for Conference (by then it was only a two-day affair) and sit on the lawn visiting with each other. Got a lot out of THAT, too.  Oh, I had my favorite speakers.  But still no impact on me.  Even when Conference began to be broadcast over cable television in my Wyoming hometown and our Sunday meetings were cancelled so we could stay home and watch, I wasn’t really interested.  In fact, I used to dread those long hours in front of the TV.  My dad would insist I come out from my room to the front room and watch with the family—he who didn’t even go to Church!  Did I get anything out of it?  I doubt it.  I always used to watch in my pajamas, and doze off or daydream, waiting until I could be “released”. 

 

I am not sure when Conference began to take on a new dimension in my life.  I suppose it was when I had sufficiently matured to understand  the scriptures better and know that the General Authorities were the “prophets” spoken of in those books.  Maybe it was when I started putting something into Conference—not as George Washington put it, “going like an empty bucket to be filled.”  Like actually being present while I was listening!  That was when I noticed some of those talks had something for me to learn from and apply in my own life. 

 

Marvin J. Ashton’s talks were always about the temporal side of life—personal finances and relationships.  I could relate to those things.  One April I remember watching Conference from my hospital bed the morning after my 4^th baby Jeremy was born and being so grateful when President Kimball spoke of food storage that I could hold my head up because we had a good amount in place.  I remember Elder Packer’s talk about spiritual crocodiles, President Benson’s landmark address about pride, Elder McConkie’s testimony of Christ (and I just felt he was going to be dead soon—and he did die just days later) and others on and on through the years.   I remember the eloquence with which Elder Maxwell spoke about being disciples of Christ and feeling that maybe, just maybe, I might be on the road to being one.  Too many General Conference memories to list.  But now I look forward to Conference.  I want to hear the broadcast, I feel uplifted when I read the talks during the following months. And since I spend a lot of time in my car, I listen to the CDs of past Conferences featuring both the spoken word and music from the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. I appreciate these spiritual influences.

 

I have changed.  And these days I am grateful for the Lord’s direction to us in this way.  We can’t go wrong in listening to and implementing into our lives the principles which the Prophets present.  That I am a better person for making Conference an important part of my life is readily apparent to me. Of this I testify and encourage you to make Conference meaningful this October 1^st and 2^nd.  Session times are Saturday 10am, 2pm and 6pm   Sunday 10am and 2 pm. Streamed live on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and the church’s General Conference YouTube channel, though there are many other platforms that will be streaming the broadcast.

Russell M. Nelson, Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will preside at the two-day conference this weekend.

The WISDOM in Proverbs...

 

 Proverbs....

I recently studied the book of Proverbs in the  Come Follow Me

curriculum for Sunday School for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

 Saints.  It was an uplifting endeavor.

Proverbs is full of the familiar sayings that we still hear quoted

 frequently in our time, such as: “Train up a child in the way he should

 go, and he will not depart from it” and “A soft answer turneth away

 wrath” as well as “A Merry Heart Doeth Good Like a Medicine”.  That one

 has been a favorite of mine for a long time.

Attributed mostly to the writings of King Solomon, this is one of the

 books in the Old Testament that are referred to as “wisdom literature”.

  It’s almost like a manual of parental advice, words of wisdom for us to

 help us and our children navigate life.

Emily Belle Freeman said that 

“...this wisdom literature was written with a concept of “thinking through” which involves bringing in other opinions, reaching out to God for answers, and noticing the fruits of the decisions we’ve made.”

I could see that as I read Proverbs.  In the very first chapter of the book

 of Proverbs, are these words:

“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother” (Proverbs 1:8).

So, as I was studying this book in the Old Testament and rereading some

 little gems I hadn’t thought of for years, I found myself also thinking

 about the words of wisdom my own parents imparted to me as I was

 growing up.

When I left to go to Brigham Young University, my dad said, “Now,

 Georgia, just because everyone there belongs to our Church doesn’t

 mean they believe the same.”  I scoffed.  “Oh, Dad!”  But it turned out

 he was right!  That was something I had to “think through” when I saw

 my roommates and other students doing things that I had been taught

 were clearly not part of living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Even watching

 them do something like housework or shopping on Sunday made me

 stop and look around to see what other people were doing and what

 other opinions people had about how to spend the Sabbath day.  I made

 a conscious decision to continue living the way I had been taught

 because I felt better, doing “Sunday” things on Sunday and staying

 away from what I had been taught were not “Sunday” things.  That

 brought peace for my week.

I remember one thing my mother requested when I was growing up was

 that I come home from playing with a friend at the reasonable time she

 had specified.  I didn’t always like that rule, and sometimes I would cal

l home and ask if I could stay longer.  I can’t think of too many times my

 mother said it was okay.  Usually she would reply, “Now is a good time

 to leave when you’re still having a pleasant time and enjoying each

 other’s company.  You’ll be better friends.”  And she was right, too.  Just

 like my dad had been.   Spending too much time together often led to

 quarrels and sometimes even sneaky behavior both my friends and I

 knew wasn’t the best idea. Again, it was checking out other people’s

 opinions and determining the consequences of the decisions I was

 making even when I got older, and I didn’t have my mother nearby

 suggesting that it really was time to come home at the specified hour. 

Both of these pieces of advice found their way into the way I parented

 my own children.  And THAT, is when I could really see the wisdom of

 my parents' humble teachings.

I’m sure you have similar experiences with the “wisdom literature” your

 parents shared with you and how you share some of that wisdom with

 your own children. 

In October 1983, Marion G. Romney who was a counselor to President

 Spencer W. Kimball in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ

 of Latter-day Saints said, “ … What we desperately need is to

 recognize and acquire that quality which converts knowledge

 into wisdom.”

Consequently, my invitation to you and to me is to think about the

 lessons from Proverbs and keep on “thinking through” everything that

 comes our way, check out other opinions, seek answers from God, and

 keep track of the results of the decisions we have made. If we do, we

 will acquire that quality which converts knowledge into wisdom.  Then

 we will be able to continue to share that wisdom with our family and

 others in order to better navigate life.

BREAD...

    

BREAD is like the Sun...

It Rises in the "YEAST"

and Sets in the "WAIST"

Saw this little axiom on some marquee somewhere and laughed out loud!  

I LOVE bread.  It is literally the stuff of life for me.  But it is also the reason why I no longer have a waist.  Do I want a shape, or will I be content to just get thicker and thicker and thicker around the middle until I roll out of my turn on earth since I have no willpower to pass it up?

And I wonder, will there be bread in heaven?  

Just pondering....

OOPS!!!

                 The "all-seeing eye" that let me slip out of it's gaze....OOPS!

 I went to a different WalMart a few weeks ago and checked out the Garden Shop to see if there was any inventory that was on sale.  There was...including a good-sized shrub to replace the one that died over last winter.  And at a quarter of the price it was in early Spring!  What a bargain...

As I was going through the self check-out however, the replacement sale tag had faded from water exposure and the bar code couldn't be read by the electronic eye.  After I had scanned all the other items in my cart, bagged them, and put them into the cart, I motioned for the clerk that I needed help.  Wow!  Not only did she assist me in making sure the shrub was entered on the tally for the things I had purchased, she also gave me an earful!

The clerk told me that she was SO sick of the garden department and that she was SO happy they were clearing everything out within the next few days.  Then she added that there was going to be NO Garden Shop next year.  This was the beginning of August, and I thought that seemed early to get rid of all the remaining plants.  And there were A LOT of them still in the Garden Shop.  This was one Wal Mart store which over the years has had the best plants including flowers and shrubs.  I have often purchased my own garden treasures there.  I wasn't too keen on the news that there wouldn't be ANYTHING next year.

I asked her if that was just her store or if that was the plan for all the other WalMart locations around the country.  She said she didn't know.  It only mattered that SHE wasn't going to have to deal with them anymore, trying to get the price tags to scan and putting up with the inconvenience of plants not ready for check out.  

That particular WalMart store is set up a little differently than the one I usually go to which is closer to my house.  So, after she finished her diatribe--which also included there were going to be no more plastic shopping bags anymore after the first of the year--I thanked her for her help and left the store through an entrance immediately next to the self-checkout.

As I was putting the shopping bags into my car, though, it suddenly hit me that I hadn't PAID for the stuff I bought.  That woman was so completely in my face with her sad tale of woe, that I forgot to click on the PAY NOW button.  I had walked out of the store with a cart full of unpaid merchandise!  

I turned around to see if the store cops were on their way to apprehend me.  They weren't.  But you can believe I did double time getting back into the store with my credit card in hand to take care of my error!  I was sure at any point the long arm of the law was going to reach out and nab me.

It was a different clerk at the self-check registers when I got back.  Very embarrassed and red-faced, I told her what had happened.  After checking around a bit, she found a message that the transaction had been a "walk-off" or some such thing.  (There was a special name for it.)  I hurriedly paid, all the while apologizing profusely for not paying attention and walking out of the store without having paid before.  The new clerk was really nice and said not to worry about it.  I had taken care of it, and that was that.  

I felt like such an idiot, as it was a pretty big OOPS!  

But all's well that ends well.  And my new shrub looks great on the front porch!

PS   Over the following weeks I have been in several other WalMart stores, specifically to check out the garden department.  Some of them WERE completely empty.  A clerk at one of those locations told me that she actually wept when they came in and cleared out all the living plants and put them into the trash.  It was such a waste, she said.  However, many of the other stores still have many plants--brand new selections for the upcoming fall months with autumn colors to enhance any fading blossoms that are nearing the end of their season in home gardens.  I bought a couple of them myself the other day to fill in a space in my own yard.   

I thought again how blessed we are to have such beautiful surroundings to enhance our turn on earth.  What a loving Creator we have!

AGENCY

 There is a lot of talk in the world about "free-will" and having the RIGHT to do what you want when you want.   People over the ages, and most assuredly now in our ME culture, claim there really is no right and wrong, that everything is nothing more than moral relativity.  If it feels right, go ahead and do it.  And the world be damned because it is personal choice that no one has any business interfering in.

 I was taught and have always believed this ""free-will" or agency as it is spoken of in the scriptures, is one of the most glorious gifts a loving Heavenly Father has given us.  And that it carries with it a responsibility because there ARE consequences.  

I recently read this definition which I think really spells out how this powerful behavior can be a tool for good.  It is from an address given by Randy D. Funk in the April 2022 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  

Perhaps it speaks to you, too!

   THE GIFT OF AGENCY IS NOT SIMPLY 

      THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE, 

 IT IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT.

PIONEER DAY!

 

I come from Pioneer stock.  

My ancestors on both my mom's and my dad's side of the family came West with the Mormon Pioneers in the mid 19th Century.  That is a fact that I have always been proud of.  My parents both spoke so highly of the stupendous accomplishment their grandparents and great grandparents two or three generations back who pretty much walked the 1,000 plus miles from Illinois to Utah--and some of them did that barefoot!

So, when hard things have happened in my life, I often remarked that I come from Pioneer stock, if they could do hard things, so can I.  And I have often reminded my own children, when they have been in the face of difficulty or are being confronted by challenges that seem overwhelming, with the same reminder of their Pioneer heritage.

Today is PIONEER DAY .  It marks the day the first members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley as emigrants.  That was in 1847.  Their guiding principles continue as the great qualities which have marked sacrifices for countries, families, members of congregations, and for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide.

Though our contemporary challenges are different from those faced by earlier pioneers, many are just as dangerous or difficult, or formidable as were theirs.  Just clothed a little differently.  Here are just a few.

WOLVES:  not prowling animals, but drug dealers, pornographers, and unsavory video and audio experiences in music, movies, and video games.

ILLNESS:  we have the blessings of modern medicine to help cure us from disease and accidents, but we have recently suffered a pandemic which kept the world confined and off-kilter.

PHYSICAL HUNGER:  now we could face spiritual hunger if we choose to listen to the world's rhetoric

WORK:  pioneer children did incredibly hard physical labor to survive their surroundings.  Now many of our children face the ABSENCE of hard work.  This absence has brought about a change in "discipline, responsibility, and self-worth".

And what was it that enabled those early pioneers to wade through so much adversity?  FAITH!

To quote Dallin H. Oaks, "They stepped forward into the unknown:  a new religion, a new land, a new way of doing things....they stood fast against formidable opposition."  Their efforts were part of what made their still fairly new nation great in a unique way, and in turn also changed the world.

Many other great qualities are evident in these pioneer ancestors.  They are a lack of selfishness, unflinching service, cooperative unity, and persistence to continue in the face of adversity as they patiently continued onward mile after mile after mile across the Great American Desert and endured to the end.  They also left a legacy of inclusion:  no one was left behind (they went back for those who couldn't leave initially) and on the trail no day ended until everyone was accounted for--including the stragglers.

As my children were growing up, we looked forward to celebrating Pioneer Day.  It was one of our favorite Nichols Family parties.  We played pioneer games, ate pioneer food on tin plates, wore pioneer clothes, and ate out on our "prairie", then enjoyed favorite pioneer stories and songs around our "campfire".  Sometimes we invited the neighbors who also joined in the fun with a true pioneer spirit. I miss those days with my children and grandchildren celebrating this important occasion.  

Today it is just Louis and I, but I have had a true Pioneer spirit as I reflected on the enduring principles that continue to have a profound effect on how I meet my current challenges.  How blessed I am!

Long live the pioneers...anyone who prepares a way for others to follow!

TALKING A LITTLE ABOUT THE WEATHER....

When Jeremy was a small boy and I would suggest maybe he might like to go out and play on a beautiful summer day, he would say, "It's too hot outside."  And, on a cooler day when I made the same suggestion, he would usually say, "It's too cold outside."  One day in frustration, I asked him just what kind of day he would like.  

"Medium.   I just want it to be medium."  

And that is exactly how I feel!  I would just like a nice 85 degree day in the summer with pleasant sun, no wind, and beautiful blue sky.  

But the bad thing about weather in the Rocky Mountain West is that it is constantly changing.  What is forecast in the morning--for example a lovely day, not too hot and not too cold--can be totally different by noon.  Sometimes I find the forecast has changed to something entirely opposite: windy with possible thundershowers and only partial sun.   There is always something about the weather that isn't stable.  And it can't be depended on for any length of time.

However, I recently saw a weather forecast that never changes.  It was on the marquee of one of the local churches in the area.  

WEATHER FORECAST

GOD REIGNS

JESUS CHRIST ALWAYS SHINES

Now THAT's the kind of forecast I like!

And how about this weather forecast that gives others around us something they can depend on.

THE BEST TEMPERATURE YEAR 'ROUND 

  IS A WARM HEART AND A COOL HEAD!

No wonder researchers say that "weather" is the number one topic of conversation!  There's always a little something to talk about....

...and then COVID

Yup!  We had a great vacation, fast-paced as it was--so it was no surprise that just a couple of days after we got home, I began to feel ill.  At first, I thought it was because I was worn down from all the fun we had.  But as more and more of my body felt like I had had a run-in with a MAC truck, the headache was intense, and my eyes hurt even to move them from side to side I started to think maybe I was sick "for reals", like my kids used to say.  

I told Louis that if I didn't feel better by Sunday night (this was Thursday) I would make an appointment and go to the doctor.  He said I was foolish.  If I were sick, I should go to one of the urgent care centers.  No, I like MY doctor.  I said I would wait.  

But by Saturday morning, I was really feeling bad, so I went online to see which urgent care center took my insurance.  Then I got into the car and drove myself there.  Five minute wait and I was talking to the doctor.  Maybe they could give me a strep infection test?  That was the way I felt--like all the times I've had strep infection over the years.  Okay.  And we'll do a COVID test, too.

Well, the strep test was negative.  The COVID test was not.  I had COVID.  A whole different sickness than when I had it in January 2020 before all the hoopla and the quarantines and the pandemic.  Whole different way my body reacted.  So, I spent the next few days in bed or on top of the bed resting.  Yet, I could not sleep day OR night, and I felt like I was going to go crazy from lack of sleep.  

Soon, though, I was up and about and even went out after the proper time period the CDC now recommends.  Although I still don't feel 100% like I do when I am totally well, I am trying to get back on track after the hiatus of routine during my heart procedure just prior to our trip to Savannah and then being sick for several days after we returned home.

Someone asked me where I thought I might have contracted COVID.  Well...let's see 

• six flights
• four major airports
• two graduations
• hundreds of people 

It's anyone's guess.  I'm sure somewhere in all of that there was probably someone who passed the virus to me.  It's okay.  I got it.  I got over it.  This time it was more like a bad case of the flu.  I'm sure there will be more bouts of the "flu" before I come to the end.

But sometimes, it's kind of nice not being expected to do anything, to be productive, to contribute.  We all need a rest like that at some time once in a while.  This was my time.  

BUT I'M GLAD IT'S OVER...

                    CORONA VIRUS