Pocket Guide to ...

What do you want to know?  There seems to be a pocket guide for everything under the sun.  With the astronomical end of summer coming tomorrow 9/22 at 3:21 PM Eastern, most folks are already back to school and work.  So, the one I wanted was available at the public library in Children’s Non-fiction: Pocket Guide to the Outdoors by Jean Craighead George, published in 2009.  “How to: build a shelter, start a fire, catch a fish ... navigate by the stars ... and much more.”

“pocket guide: A concise manual or reference book providing specific information or instruction about a subject or place.”

— thefreedictionary.com

A recent survey showed 41% of people in our country could not name the three branches of US Government.  Surely there is a pocket guide for that — quick reference in case of another civil survey.  In reality, YouTube has replaced print with video guides to most everything — taught me how to transplant a shrub and turn off emoji keyboard on iPhone.  Amazing how life is simplified now.

Prayer and Desire

After considering the principle of prayer for this post, I reviewed my shared-journal entry of September 20, 2018.  I believe it was not coincidental that I found the following, posted two weeks before my wife passed:

“Early Thursday morning [9/20/2018], Kay said the sweetest prayer for a senior missionary serving in Michigan, whose husband, Elder Estep, passed away from a heart attack Wednesday night.  We have fond memories of working with them.  Tears of love!!”

Undoubtedly that prayer was an expression of her soul’s sincere desire, which was heard by our loving Heavenly Father.  Three years ago, and still inspiring me to keep the faith.  I have a feeling our Angel Kay is comforting Sister Estep and their family on this special Sabbath Day.

Language of 9/11 recalled

Remembering September 11 attacks

20 years later.

Memorials

Terrorist attacks

Twin Towers

World Trade Center, Lower Manhattan,

New York City

The Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

Shanksville, Pennsylvania

“Let's roll” --the last known words

Singular event, tragedy

Stock market closed

Flights canceled 

Patriotism

American flags

Red, white & blue

United States of America

Heroes and victims

Survivors and people missing

NYPD police

FDNY firefighters

Port Authority of NY & NJ

US Department of Defense

Response justified

Anger, resolve, trying to cope

Power of prayer

Moment of silence

Mourning the dead

Ground Zero (workers called it "the pile")

Covered in ash

Like a war zone

Search & rescue/recovery

Hoping to save

Family and friends.

I was watching CNBC when it happened.

20 years ago.

Short Story

Can it be true?  A “short story” is classified as “prose fiction”, but here’s a brief story my wife Kay wrote that is actually true:

Rocky Raccoon

Help!!  In November 1978, a raccoon got into our house on H Street — very scary!  I called Father, and he warned us to be careful, as they can be dangerous.  Finally, Animal Control came and saved our family from the wild intruder.  We were so grateful.

Hanging Up

Scanning a mixed batch of stuff with iPhone before recycling, I reviewed an old book on time management which applied to my business.  Sometime after 2010, I had tagged a page for my blog.  Challenges in life are different now, and with texting as my preference over phone calls, this applies even more:

“You can be efficient in handling your phone calls without being deficient in courtesy. Remember the ancient proverb: ‘Talk on the phone unto others as you would have them talk on the phone unto you.’ ... [Assume] we’re all very busy.”  I’d say, “Keep it short and succinct.”  (NOA Dictionary defines as “briefly and clearly expressed”.)

(... Time to Do It Right ... c.1990 by Jeffrey J. Mayer — apologies to the author for abbreviating his super-long title, and thanks for the helpful book.)

My wife Kay, “Wonder Woman” on (and off) the phone, learned it well at age 14 on a three-year mission in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  (Recall my “Talking to Strangers” 3/31/2014.)  Confession in contrast: at age 16, I was scared to death of phoning a girl for a date.  I’m sure my calls were painfully short, and my parents never counseled me to spend less time on our limited landline.

Hanging up on a fast mix of management advice and family history.

Razor Scooter a Kick

Upgrading from walking and longboard transportation to kick scooter this month, I received a Razor (ordered online) and got permission to park it at our senior activity center.  (Those electric scooters that nearly ran into me in Ogden are not for old men.  What’s the rush, anyway?)  Uphill rides are exercise.  Life on the downhill side is fun with gravity as a friend. 

What’s your favorite mode of transportation?  Get your kicks on a bike combined with FrontRunner?

Real Pictures?

A little girl walking with her dad in the church hall today stopped to look at a picture of a New Testament scene — a woman kneeling at the feet of Jesus.  She asked her dad, “Is this real?”  He replied, “No, it’s a painting.”  Her next question piqued my (language) interest: “But did it really happen?”  Realizing the different meaning of “real”, her dad clarified, “Yes, it happened when Jesus was helping a woman.”  The picture and others in the meetinghouse portray actual scenes and true events we read about in the Bible — for real. 

Having raised five children and 23 grandchildren, and taught Primary children for years, my wife Kay knows how smart the littlest ones are ... not far removed from Heaven.  As real children of God, we should be more like them in good ways ... with love.