Knowing Where You're Going

The long-awaited "call" came Thursday May 18th to our "permanent" post office box in Layton, Utah.  It was the busiest time of Kay's 20-year teaching career, with two weeks left to wrap up the school year before retirement and our big family trip.  Only two weeks earlier, we had moved to Farr West after quickly selling our frontier home.  Potentially overwhelming!

Our agreement was to open the letter alone together, so we could process it privately as a senior couple before sharing the news.  After school, having parked at the LDS temple by our former home in Ogden, we opened the large envelope and read our assignment to serve in the ... (braced on edge of car seats, eyes focused with anticipation) ... 
Michigan Detroit Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 
for 23 months.

It took some time for the location to sink in.  (Not Alaska or Argentina, Pennsylvania or Prince Edward Island.)  The "member and leader support" assignment was especially exciting.  What's more, we get to be full-time companions throughout our mission, and we'll be just across the river from Kay's dear Canada!  Gratefully, we had each other for discussion in solitude.  Immediate feedback from family & friends was positive -- first a text and cheerful phone call from our son Spencer, a bishop who has enjoyed recent business trips there and loved the big city and beauties of Michigan.  That spelled relief.

Such a peaceful setting for accepting a somewhat scary calling ... to live and work in central Detroit?  We thought about it and later pondered with the aid of comfort food at Kneaders Cafe.  That night, our acceptance online was short and sweet.

Kay & I trust that we will be needed in Michigan, and will love the people as we love the Lord. That is exciting!  In fact, the mission secretary called us a week or so later and asked if we would help in the office for the first month or two.  (Computers, etc.)

After years of planning for a mission together, it's great to know where we are going.  As on a flight or road trip with a map or GPS, it's important in life to know your destination.  Where would you choose to go?

leaving Santa Fe B&B 15 June 2017 – just the two of us

"And I'm like ..."

Car horns honk all around ... to lock doors.  And I'm like ... is that annoying noise necessary?  Or is there another way to lock late-model cars?

(Sorry.  I had to ... like ... get two things off my mind by writing.)

Have a pleasant day!

Memorial Day: Memories

Just another Monday holiday?  Not so.  This Memorial Day, I recall treasured memories and cemetery scenes that remind me of eternal family.  I am so grateful.

(Posted 25 May 2014, about those who have passed on:)

With love for family and friends who are actually more alive than we who are living.

And there is room here for more memories.  There is no end …

Sustainable Strategy

Renting storage units nearby worked short-term for moving out of our frontier home we sold.  Now what's a sustainable strategy for further discarding, donating, condensing, and safely stacking stuff to the top of the big unit so we can vacate two extra storage units by the 31st?!  How do I turn chaos into order?

If that weren't my immediate concern, I could pay more attention to our president's need for a sustainable strategy to turn our country around as promised.  If it’s in a mess, what will it take to transform it into a smooth-running system?  I can only pray and hope for the best while I tune out the distracting, negative chatter this month.

reminder that last winter was the end of my shoveling here on frontier

Earth Day Recollections

Here I go again, writing a day late – a sign of aging?  Earth Day yesterday was actually a busy day, including "The Music Man" at Hopebox Theatre in Kaysville, in which our grandson played a key role as Tommy.  And lightening our load for the move.  Today is a day of rest with time for family history, including recollections of our involvement in Earth Day Utah during the 1980's.  We had kept some materials filed – that is an understatement.  Kay & I still recall and practice "the three R's": recycle (including paper in file cabinets), reduce (especially when moving), and reuse (better than buying new boxes, for example). 

Hopefully our children have positive recollections of family efforts as they were growing up in East Mill Creek.  Taking steps to care for the Earth makes sense, as we respect God’s creation; (the fourth and most important R).  We are grateful.

Morning After Tax Day

Journal entry, Wednesday 5:35 AM 4/19/2017:

Mixed emotions about generous checks mailed early – 
in the afternoon, not waiting till the last minute.  Covered by a big bank loan.  Feeling relief, mourning the loss, and recognizing a contribution to the defense of freedom.

I wonder as I wander through tax implications for 2017.  What will we be asked to contribute next April?  How will our tax money be used?  Should we overpay, let government manage it as a savings program, get excited by a refund, then spend it on gifts next year?

Never mind ... rhetorical questions.  God bless America!

our home-front flag on Presidents' Day 2017

flag cake celebrating Independence Day 2010 at ranch reunion 

Easter Impressions

Burdened with details of preparing for major changes in our life – sale of our home, Kay’s retirement from teaching English, and a mission for the Church – we are so ready to pause and ponder what should be everyday remembrance: 
the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  I am grateful for our Savior’s sacrifice and eternal love for all children of our Heavenly Father.

Google, logically having no hint of Easter on its home page, suggested three searches that are most common, I suppose: easter 2017, easter egg hunt 2017, and easter bunny tracker.

Top story: "Pope Francis on Easter: Cling to faith amid wars and hatred.

Pope Francis on Sunday encouraged people to hold fast in their 'fearful hearts' to faith despite all the wars, sickness and hatred in the world, acknowledging on Easter Sunday that many wonder where God is amid so much evil and suffering.

Tens of thousands of faithful braved heavy security checks — and, later, a brief downpour from what had been sunny skies — to enter St. Peter's Square where Francis celebrated Mass on the steps leading to St. Peter's Basilica.

... giving an off-the-cuff homily during Mass to try to answer what he described as a nagging question for many faithful: why are there so many tragedies and wars in the world if Jesus has risen from the dead, a belief Christians celebrate each Easter."  – foxnews.com/world/2017/04/16

To make sure I spelled Resurrection right, a search on lds.org found this:

“Today, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is just as central to the message proclaimed to the world by His Church as it was then. As the Prophet Joseph Smith said: ‘The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.’ The Resurrection helps answer fundamental questions about the nature of God, our nature and our relationship to God, the purpose of this life, and the hope we have in Jesus Christ.”
– lds.org/liahona/2017/04

Yesterday Kay and I were privileged to attend a stake conference meeting with Elder Edward Dube, who was “sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2013.”  – lds.org

Elder Dube (pronounced Doo-bay) was born in Zimbabwe and completed his education at the University of South Africa.  Typical of Christians in Africa, he shares a special enthusiasm and love for the Savior, engaging all who listen.  His seemingly informal discussions centered on Jesus Christ, strengthening families, and related topics.  He showed the video message, "The Prince of Peace: Find Lasting Peace through Jesus Christ" (seen on mormon.org)

In a peaceful neighborhood setting, Elder Dube frequently encouraged our participation by asking, “Any impressions?”  He must have a strong belief in seeking personal revelation and promptings of the Holy Ghost.  Such impressions enhance and add to words we hear from speakers and study in scripture.

What are your impressions about Easter?  I will write more journal notes as they come to me, line upon line.

Our home-front view of sunrise over snow-capped Wasatch Mountains