Hello again....

Being rude again.  Not posting and not even saying that fact.  I do apologize.  I was thinking of closing up shop here until February 14th but something keeps niggling at me to just forge ahead.  I'm letting my co-d nature spring forth and spread doubt about myself with thoughts of... who do you think you are/you know nothing/what arrogance for you to want to share your take on life and blahblahblah and etc.etc.etc. 

Of course, we all know, we water and help those thought-seeds of doubt, to bear fruit/flowers that have the internal impact of hemlock/holly berries/poison oak on the system.  Like ingesting poisonous mushrooms.  Thoughts are not just fleeting...they flow, build up residue in our thinking, that snags and builds up negativity, in the form of self doubt, and it becomes like a beaver dam in our head.  Now I admit this will take close examination of these sentences to get a mental picture of what I described! 

So...I decided- no one is forced to read my blog.  I have never held myself up as perfect, in the example phase, of living my life that is permeated with my love of being LDS.  So why not?...just blog and let my co-d nature lose this round.  Onward.

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Remember when you first left home to live on your own?  To be all grown up and make all of your own decisions?  The excitement and challenge, in addition to the confusion and self-doubt?  Feeling ill-prepared on many counts and at the same time totally confident you could master it all.  Slay the dragon with one wield of your sword.  The mix and complexity and the joy and horror of living a mortal life.

My life had settled into years of routine and I felt in charge of the happenings.  Now aging, especially with one-half, not up to par in the equation of available man-power, really changes things up!  I feel like I'm back at square one.  I think there are a lot of back to square one milestones in our life.  Just the flow of family...married or not...that flow ebbs.  Marriage brings the baby and more babies and less sleep and more expenses and all sorts of periphery stuff...like jobs and houses and moving and Church service etc.  With younger years and better health it seems easier to figure out the landscape and pick the best available life-route.

Bored?  Sorry.  This is my reality. (and I seem to have no blog filter in my brain to pretend or act like changes have not occurred and I am not challenged!)  Things have changed.  I am trying to be aware of what I need to do to create, for the two of us, something very familiar and non-foreign.

Housekeeping.  There are those that have NoStandards in that area.  with mold and mess and germs wafting around and pans and dishes and grossness abounds and piles of junk and filth.  I am above the LandFillNoStandards and have settled in with BasicLowStandards!  That means things are picked up off the swept floor, dishes done, laundry done, surfaces clean.  That also means you might open a cupboard and be killed, by the falling whatevers, lurking behind those closed doors.  You might also be afraid of the piles of books and magazines and papers in my office and wonder if an avalanche is pending.  BUT it's all clean trashy (Not to me.  my treasures!)  Did I mention--if the sun is shining a certain way, you might not be able to see through the windows?  BUT if you have to use the toidy, you won't be afraid of germs?  (that's a plus for sure!)

The reason for the LowStandardBasicGoal as the bulls-eye?...  Because I never know when there may be a few days, because of health challenges with Terry, that things don't get touched.  Therefore things remain pretty stable and never look any different.  Things stay the same.  Our life used to be challenged by toys etc. strewn all over.  I find we can keep things strewn even without blaming it on toys and kidlets!  Oh, yes...we can drop things all around with the thought in mind of-- later I'll move that-- and later might mean a long time. 

Meals  I still have my excitement about 2016.   I mentioned meals before and my desire to freeze some things.  There are times with compromised health or exhaustion from broken sleep, or whatever, that you just don't even like the thought of cooking anything!!  I did up the ante and cook in the morning and adapting as I go along.  I've enjoyed that!

I've made several batches of our favorites soups and have frozen them in serving sizes.  They have already come in handy for us and for our son, when he got sick, and Chicken Noodle Soup was the only thing that sounded good.  I had it ready in minutes.  (drumroll!)  I've made Gumbo, Navy Bean, Creamy Chicken Noodle, Chicken Rice with tomato and I can't remember what else.  I'm going to still make Lentil and one more bean soup.  Then spaghetti sauce.  Then a couple of casseroles-to freeze and cook later.  Now I did that in my LowStandardHousekeeping without guilt.  I felt no pull to up the standard before I pulled out my soup pot!

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I did freeze one other thing.  Using our son's Food Processor (ours was to small) I made pie crust and froze the discs.  I got carried away and made 9 crusts.  I felt pretty smug as this was for those times when someone needed something and I could easily whip out a pie!  My Pie-making is no longer talked about in hushed tones at any dinners, with awe oh, that is one of her pies.  I hope I get a piece.  I'm not even thought of with all of the women that easily whip out pie after pie and everyone is saying to them...oh, I hope you brought a pie tonight!  they are so delicious!  No.  that isn't my life.

My reasoning was...again...simplify to where I can still live my life and still do the tending to health stuff!  I figured that I could have the pie crusts ready and I bought several cans of pumpkin and I do know how to make great chocolate pie and banana pie and even coconut pie.  WELL, I used to know how to whip up a cream pie but anyhow that was my plan.  I also purchased some pie-tins at the Dollar Store so no one would have to bother returning tins!  Everything in place!!!  Yes!!

Plan in place.  Discs frozen in readiness.  The RSP sends a blanket note that our Ward is feeding the Yakima Mission at a Zone Conference and she needs 5 more pies!!  Be still my heart!!  So I send an I can help note.  So she needs two pies.  Bliss.  I roll out the dough.  Prepare the pumpkin.  pour it in.  Lots of pumpkin filling left!  The pie tins were not deep dish!!  They are already in over when it dawns on me.  So I bake them and go to check them and they have split in a full circle and you can see how dry the pumpkin is!!  I decide that missionaries will eat anything so opt for the RSP to spray whipped cream all over them before serving.  I took the extra pie filling and made another thin pie.  Terry took a pinch of filling, while waiting for it to cool, and pronounced, like some Chopped judge...Nancy!  This has no sugar!  You forgot the SUGAR!! 

The RSP had already commented on the pie's appearance--Crater Lake!  She agreed to put whipped cream on.  Later I emailed her and said...Terry said he doesn't want me to mention that he thinks the pies are horrible so I won't tell you that.  I forgot the sugar.  Just throw them away.

Did she or not?  I don't know.  I do know that someone else in the Ward, a real piemaker, had sent the Missionaries over to the RSP house with 4 pies.  You know- one of those good deed doers that just wanted to help out and gave pies without being asked and all of that righteous doing that I envy.  Bless her heart!

(I asked the RSP today if she threw them out on Thursday and she reluctantly told me she did...now you know the end of that tale!)

So I'm totally in on making my life more manageable...LowStandardHousekeeping and freezing soup and sauces and casseroles BUT the jury is out on the gifting of pies.  I'm thinking folks might feel better without receiving one.  Still figuring that one out.

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Next on my list of trying to super simplify my/our life is the yard!

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If it's to be it's up to me.  If not now...when?  If not me...who?  (a part of my creed that is being put to the test!)  I want my sweetie to feel at ease and not guilty as I try to rearrange our life! so all of this is a challenge!

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In that first melodramatic paragraph...I mentioned mushrooms.  Here is a mushroom from my childhood.  We had so much fun smashing these with our shoes and watching the greenish cloud come out.  a PuffBall.  Poison.  Just like all of life...we have things that can do us in and stinkin' thinkin' can, at the very least, do some polluting but if tended to full growth, thoughts become poison.

Alaska Poisonous Puffball Mushroom

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This talk is so incredible!   IF I had children at home...I'd read this and section it up and teach what he talked about.  It is just great!  I think you could even simplify it for younger children. 

Elder Ted R. Callister- CES Devotional --What is the Blueprint of Christ's Church?   here

Me...being brave...

On most things of life, things that life throws on you, those trials and tests and etc.....I figure out how to deal with it.  Today I faced something that is sheer terror for me...a Dentist!!!   Technically I didn't face a dentist.  not yet.  I made an appointment!!!  This is a huge step for me.

Dental care in my younger life seemed to border on mouth abuse.  Metal Hypodermic needles that felt ice cold on your lip/cheek as a needle, big as a wooden matchstick, punctured your flesh with a pop!!  dreadful!!!  The drill was a huge hanging metal device that whirred like a buzz saw with chain saw noise.  Dreadful smells emitting.  Instruments were like chisels that felt like it was creating a tombstone name on cement.   2 times I fainted.  I about had a nervous breakdown just thinking of it!! 

Remember when they knocked me out to pull those teeth a couple of years ago?  I found a friend that is a terrified as me and she found a dentist that will do that even if he's filling teeth.  (angel chorus in the background!!!)  I can even take Rx and nitrous (don't think I'll be laughing though) and that is probably what I'll go with.

Hopefully tomorrow they will confirm my appointment.  I only had nerve to fill in a request on their website!  Not actually talk to someone!

I'm like the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz!!!

(of course I pray!  exercise faith!  you doubted?  this is as good as it is right now!)

I think I need some medical attention beyond my teeth.  So I'm gearing up for putting myself through all that sort of stuff!  one thing at a time!!!

The heavens are open...

and I know they are opened but the way this doctrine is presented is so succinct.  About revelation in our time...our day...for us.  I doctored it up with the bold print and underlining.  All of this is a part of the restoration and as I said, I really enjoyed the way he presented it.  I hope you do also!

Brethren, four great statements I leave with you to ponder.

First, the words of God the Eternal Father, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” [JS—H 1:17] Not 2,000 years ago, but in our time.

Next, the memorable words of John the Baptist who declared with authority: “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron …” (D&C 13) in our day.

Third, the Savior’s statement about: “Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you …” (D&C 27:12) happening in our time of the world’s history. 

And fourth, from Kirtland, as recorded by the Prophet Joseph: “We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber.” (D&C 110:2.)

Indeed, fellow priesthood holders, these statements are not the idle words of men. We live in a remarkable time. The Lord has spoken in our day.

(quotes from Robert L. Simpson  1973 CR talk

Strolling along...

I don't understand the "how" of the working of the Spirit.  Meaning...how it works...how you can feel in a downward way emotionally and then a thought pops into your mind, in the form of a scripture or a hymn or a Conference talk paragraph, and suddenly you feel peace just seep through your being. 

I know sometimes when you speak of what you want to do or are going to do or the likes, it seems that it suddenly is more difficult on so many levels.  Like me with all of my 2016 enthusiasm.  I know I'm on the right track thought-wise but suddenly just this little co-dependent thought sneaks in.  And just who do you think you are?....you are this and that and don't forget this and don't forget that...all negative thoughts.

Thank heavens for the Holy Ghost.  He who brings all things to our remembrance and that remembering includes the good things we've read/heard/seen/sung etc. etc.

Feeling that bluesy feeling, and how strange to feel azure-y, in the midst of doing what I set out to do.  Actually accomplishing what I wanted in beginning to move ahead in 2016.

What a blessing to awaken with a hymn lyric running through my head.  I came back here and looked it up.  Then a scripture popped into my mind.  It was at that moment of gratitude that I was thankful that I had something in my head that could be brought to my remembrance.  Words that were a special message to me.  Words/lyrics that gave me hope and insight plus a lot of peace was breathed in and a settling occurred.

Again...who knows how any of this works?  I only know it does and I love the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  I hope to live better and better and to receive more and more light from Him.  More instruction.

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When Terry and I were looking at our daily Conference talk from 1973 I was brought back in time to the men in pastel shirts.  It was a sea of color at the Priesthood meeting.  It is so interesting to see how things have changed over the years and how hard those men labored in helping the Church to deal with growth.  So many of these talks deal with implementing either new plans.  Now those new plans, on some things, aren't even used anymore.

One recent talk dealt was encouraging the members to have a one year, or more, of food on hand with emphasis on wheat and beans.  Now we are suppose to have a 3 month supply on hand and that is if the country you live in will allow it.

It was mentioned that the Bishop's Storehouse only had commodities for 8-1/2 months on hand and not the year supply they wanted.  They needed one year on hand to feed the poor in the Church.  They needed more support.  Now we have Bishop's storehouses all over plus we have vans of food at the ready to help those devastated by calamities throughout the world.  Members and non-members.

When we listened to Vaughan J. Featherstone talk...I really wondered what the unnamed Stake President thought as his story was told!!

"Now there are some principles we also need to understand. One is this: when stake presidents and bishops contribute to the general committee from your projects, would you consider that we must have the very best. For example, we had one stake president in a nearby stake who the central storehouse called and said, “We need a few head of cattle.” The wholesale index that the Church was working on was a little under that which represented the present market. He said, “No, we won’t furnish you the cattle. We will sell them and then we will give you the cash in lieu,” which he did. They gave us the cash in lieu, brethren. We had to go out on the wholesale market and buy dressed beef at an up price. Now you think about that. It is all the Lord’s money. I don’t believe he would be pleased with that kind of a transaction. I wouldn’t want to offend anyone. I just think we ought to give the best we have to the Lord’s storehouse."

Yikes!  I wonder how that Stake President felt??

It's a great talk and he said something, in regard to fasting that I really enjoyed.  One of those IF/Then
situations.  Thought you'd enjoy his take on the one part about promises for fasting..

"Then if you do this, he promises this: “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. (Isa. 58:6–9.)

"Now brethren, if I gave to a fast offering fund or contributed to a welfare production project, I want to tell you that if I did it for no other reason than to know that when I would cry the Lord would say, “Here I am,” that would be motivation enough."

Vaughn J. Featherstone  here   (Enjoy the entire talk!!)

Agree!

President Henry D. Moyle has said, “The older I get and the closer contact I have with the President of the Church, the more I realize that the greatest of all scripture which we have in the world today is current scripture. What the mouthpiece of God says to his children is scripture. It is his word and his will and his law made manifest through scripture, and I love it more than all other.” (BYU tri-stake fireside, January 1963.)  This is a quote from  A. Theodore Tuttle 1973      here

Gifts...

Sacrament talks were centered around service.  Most service mentioned is visible.  I'm fascinated with service that is invisible except to the recipient.  I was talking to my Laurels about the Holy Ghost and found this great quote.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 

“Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost.”

Elder Marvin J. Ashton (1915–94) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “‘There Are Many Gifts,’” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 20.

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Life is picking up around here and I'm enjoying feeling more in control of my time.  I have so much that I want to do!!!  and things that I need to do!  I'm moving as fast as I can but it feels like slow motion!!  Sort of like a train gathering speed and just puffing along the track and seeing the steep hill ahead.  I think I can...I think I can.

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Did you listen to Elder Nelson and his wife speak at the World Wide Devotional?  Both talks were just so great!  I like hearing from the wives' of the Apostles.  It's rare that we get to hear them as they usually speak at trainings in other countries.  If you are "desperate" and want spiritual help to find answers to that desperation...she gives a challenge with a promise.  It's on LDS.org.  right on the page.  Listen and see and hear her speak.   Aren't we all desperate about something???  I've never done a challenge like this before.  Read it and tell me if you have.  Hey!  I'll put the link here for you!
Nice me, huh?

World Wide Devotional

To think about...

This was cited in the Conference talk we listened to this morning... so thought provoking!!

"Which Way to Shore?"  by William H. Bennet (October 1973)

Longfellow, in his poem, “Psalm of Life,” which is one of my favorites. I should like to repeat part of that at this time:

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act, act in the living Present!

Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time.

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us then be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to labor and to wait.