1:54pm I took off on my bike to the FRL-family research library both Wednesday and Thursday morning. Thursday I ended up walking in my uncomfortable sandals. I decided to hitchhike since time was short and my feet were sore on my way home when I reached the Virgin River bridge. Before 100 cars had gone by I got a lift to the Red Sands Market/Mr. D's. I was only 5 minutes late to my BoM class at 7pm.
North, across from our post office is a senior subdivision called South Field. Just south of Grace's Episcopal Church and soup kitchen. I was almost past an old lady who didn't stop at her intersection and was pulling down her window visor when she collided with my back tire and twisted it. When she rolled down her window I couldn't help but ask, "Can't you see?"!!!
My bike is at the repair shop, Bicycles Unlimited. Nate wrote up the work invoice, and should be done by Wednesday. I will have to use the spare. I told him to fix everything, no estimate needed, JoAnn Wallop (Wallace) would pay. I tightened my sandals for my walk home. It took an hour from FRL to South Field estates. My calves and feet are a bit stiff/sore today. (641-7721JW)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Louis has a friend who took the 3 female Puppies Monday. Good bye Thumbelina, Snow White, and Maleficent. But surprise, surprise Christian Linares' mother brought back Pinocchio the next day. Christian didn't dare. His heart is dashed. His girlfriend gave him up. Her mother wouldn't let her keep the puppy. He didn't even come over for two weeks after he asked me for the puppy. He said he figured he would just come when he could take it. He was out to impress, not express. So Isabel did not have to stop nursing all at once. And Pinocchio loves being her only ward. A week without milk and he was so happy! And I am super happy too because I get to play a little longer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SO WHY WASN'T THE OLD MAN RIDING HIS BIKE? Because the back wheel would not go around. And after one block I discovered it was easier to guide it from the back than lifting the back wheel and guide it from the front. After 4 blocks in sandals I decided to hide it at the soccer house on 10th east (she's my old TIS librarian) but a nice walker lady had gone home and gotten her van and drove us to Bicycles Unlimited. I was maxed out so it was very appreciated. As we parted I said, God bless you.
I had a productive day at the FRC. I even whispered a compliment in Sister Wittwer's ear. You are so fun to look at. You are so pretty. She was helping two sisters at once so I didn't want them to hear. She gushed, you are so nice.
So on my way home I had something uplifting to think about. Adventure Bill has another Adventure!
Friday, October 24, 2014
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
vern venting. . .8/4/14 Exchanges
12:16p Monday, ~August 4, 2014
I have a goal of cleaning off the kitchen table for the first time since March, when I got ready to do taxes. So I am doing all kinds of things that are less odiferous/ odoriferous.
I am really happy inside. I wasn't when I woke up. Miserable pleading dreams with me at my wits end about how to raise all my kids without a wife, and pets everwhere-jumping on me (big lizards and treefrogs) and my back yard turned into a stationed exercise rotation. Tears and nakedness and everything.
I changed the water in the 99 g tank. That moved all the 5 g buckets around the kitchen table so I could get to it. I moved 2 albino oscars to new outside bins with tadpoles for them to eat. Fished the almond husks out of the 150 g pond. Changed the water in a bin for a female sword birthing tank. Discovered the water still on with the sprinkler facing down. Luckily it watered a section of the back lawn that really needed it. Huge area. Texted Pandra that my tax return money has been deposited and she offered me some laundry detergent buckets, yes. Texted Sim Young for the third time about the mat/flat black pickup parked out front regularly. Made a folder for 4th year Birthday book I made for grandkids yesterday. And just wrote Shelley.
I have a goal of cleaning off the kitchen table for the first time since March, when I got ready to do taxes. So I am doing all kinds of things that are less odiferous/ odoriferous.
I am really happy inside. I wasn't when I woke up. Miserable pleading dreams with me at my wits end about how to raise all my kids without a wife, and pets everwhere-jumping on me (big lizards and treefrogs) and my back yard turned into a stationed exercise rotation. Tears and nakedness and everything.
I changed the water in the 99 g tank. That moved all the 5 g buckets around the kitchen table so I could get to it. I moved 2 albino oscars to new outside bins with tadpoles for them to eat. Fished the almond husks out of the 150 g pond. Changed the water in a bin for a female sword birthing tank. Discovered the water still on with the sprinkler facing down. Luckily it watered a section of the back lawn that really needed it. Huge area. Texted Pandra that my tax return money has been deposited and she offered me some laundry detergent buckets, yes. Texted Sim Young for the third time about the mat/flat black pickup parked out front regularly. Made a folder for 4th year Birthday book I made for grandkids yesterday. And just wrote Shelley.
fasting
|
12:16 PM (11 minutes ago)
 | | ||
Morning Shelley,
Did you notice these difference
As I was listening just now I couldn't help but think of the way we took our positions last week.[This would go well in Men are from Mars, . . . books for all my kids! Along with the Sheri Dew talk.vj]
I think you like talking better than writing but it gives me a chance to put my thoughts together.
My young ~35yo bishop (2nd time/stint serving) bore a 4 minute testimony to start off the meeting yesterday. Then there were 3 sisters then me. 4/7 months so far this year. I kept myself from testimonying during June and July. When I read and listen to as many scriptures and conference talks as I do and write in my journal about spiritual insights, and having taught 33 years I almost always have something to say. And I had 5+ people tell me thank you through the rest of the meetings. Sister Stead our ward and stake choir leader says that as well. "You always have something meaningful to say." Thank you, thank you.
My daughter in law Amity'85 6'2" and a blonde bombshell, has deep seated emotional issues and is on meds and sees our psychotherapist weekly and more. She got up her courage and had a conflict with me about my AdventureBill Blog because it mentioned her. We have each sent 2 emails back and forth but I think she is scared off and won't approach it any more. It is super, super hard for her to face conflict but conflict is inevitable. She has apologized a few times in the last 5 years (married 12/7/13) for isolating me admitting that she has transference problems with her parents. She transfers her feelings towards her parents to me. They came and walked with me the last two Sunday nights in my park but not last night. She is working as a night custodian at the InstaCare building by the hospital and an associate at PetSmart. 36 hours a week.
Rod has learned to treat her with kid gloves and since they both have emotional issues when one drops off the planet the other one takes over. Last time we walked I learned that the insurance they are paying for is less than the Sark Clayton therapist visits they use each month. Sark is $125/hour unless through Church Social services and then it is just 100$. He has been the stable, secure, lds tether for my family. My parents degraded psychotherapists and labeled them Shrinks derogatorally. Little did I know why. They did not want the truth about their nefarious deeds to come out. They lived double lives. Active Church members and criminals. : ( They were excommunicated in '90. And moved to Kooskia, Idaho to avoid the law, again.
So my writing inmates is not very far from where my parents should have been. Interesting huh?
Anyway in the Bishop's testimony he mentioned he ate dinner with the teacher's quorum advisor's family at 8 pm the night before and said to himself, darn, tomorrow is Fast Sunday. Guess I'll have to fast a little later. I was in the same boat. So after I woke from my evening nap at 10pm I Facebooked and Emailed and Ldss.com-ed as long as I could keep my eyes open and then read the scripture in bed while eating. Guess how I broke my fast? Giuceescsr heoawm Ip borpockoer mny fast? No easy to read answer on that one. I love codes! If you take out the letters for "Guess how I broke my fast?" what is left is my answer. 2 items.
We had good thunderstorms all night. Our stake was fasting for rain again yesterday.
Thanks for letting me bend your ear/eyes. I have saved the story of my 4 year old granddaughter's birthday presents. (3)
==========================================================
Did you notice these difference
|
2:40 PM (0 minutes ago)
| | ||
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"The scriptures record, “And I, God, created man …; male and female created I them.” 1 This was done spiritually in your premortal existence when you lived in the presence of your Father in Heaven. Your gender existed before you came to earth."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"You elected to have this earth experience as part of His plan for you. The prophets call it “the plan of mercy,” 2 the “eternal plan of deliverance,” 3 “the plan of salvation,” 4 and, yes, “the great plan of happiness.” 5 You were taught this plan before you came to earth and there rejoiced in the privilege of participating in it."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"Satan also has a plan. It is a cunning, evil, subtle plan of destruction."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"Our Heavenly Father endowed His sons and daughters with unique traits especially fitted for their individual responsibilities as they fulfill His plan."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"To follow His plan requires that you do those things He expects of you as a son or daughter, husband or wife. Those roles are different but entirely compatible."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"In the Lord’s plan, it takes two—a man and a woman—to form a whole."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"Indeed, a husband and wife are not two identical halves, but a wondrous, divinely determined combination of complementary capacities and characteristics."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"Marriage allows these different characteristics to come together in oneness—in unity—to bless a husband and wife, their children and grandchildren."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"For the greatest happiness and productivity in life, both husband and wife are needed."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"Each has individual traits that best fit the role the Lord has defined for happiness as a man or woman."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"When used as the Lord intends, those capacities allow a married couple to think, act, and rejoice as one—to face challenges together and overcome them as one, to grow in love and understanding, and through temple ordinances to be bound together as one whole, eternally. That is the plan."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"To Adam He said, “Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?” 9 Now, Adam’s response was characteristic of a man who wants to be perceived as being as close to right as possible. ***[The congregation burst out in laughter at this point!}***vj Adam responded, “The woman thou gavest me, and commandest that she should remain with me, she gave me of the fruit of the tree and I did eat.” 10 And the Lord said unto Eve, “What is this thing which thou hast done?” 11 Eve’s response was characteristic of a woman. Her answer was very simple and straightforward: “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”"
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"Later, “Adam blessed God … and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.” 13 Adam was thinking about his responsibilities. He was trying to align his performance with the desires of the Lord."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"Eve said, “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.” 14 Eve’s response was characteristic of a woman. She embraced all, wanted to make sure that everyone was considered."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"One response was not more correct than the other. The two perspectives resulted from the traits inherent in men and women."
The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness
"The Lord intends that we use those differences to fulfill His plan for happiness, personal growth, and development. By counseling together they arrived at a broader, more correct understanding of truth."
Write a book or fish?
8:21am
Dedication Day
I haven't published any books. But I did go fishing. To all the fishermen in the world that have taken their kids fishing: congratulations maybe we did one thing right without even knowing it!"Our Lord and Savior’s message was one of love. It can be as a light to our personal pathway to exaltation.8:2
Near the end of his life, one father looked back on how he had spent his time on earth. An acclaimed, respected author of numerous scholarly works, he said, “I wish I had written one less book and taken my children fishing more often.”
Time passes quickly. Many parents say that it seems like yesterday that their children were born. Now those children are grown, perhaps with children of their own. “Where did the years go?” they ask. We cannot call back time that is past, we cannot stop time that now is, and we cannot experience the future in our present state. Time is a gift, a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to be used wisely in the present."
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Hosanna Shout
Saturday, October 18, 2014, 11:48am
Hello Brandon and Mareea and other friendly connections,
We dedicated the Ogden Temple last month and each stake
center served as an extension of the temple so we could attend one of the 3
dedicatory sessions conducted by each of the first presidency in turn. The buildings were locked 30 minutes before
the broadcast so we could worship in anticipation. I saw two families come at
their regular church time and have to return home because we were all locked
up. (It was so loud in the chapel I went to sit in the foyer. Sometimes I am
overwhelmed by my hearing.)
Have you ever participated in the Hosannah Shout? It is
pretty special. You don’t have to be able to sing to participate. I believe
there is great power in Unity. Participating in the righteous celebration of
the Hosannah Shout has a spiritual power that even overcame President Hinkley
as he led it in October of 2000. His voice died away in the third repeat and he
was consumed and couldn’t speak. It was beautiful.
If you want to see it, you can! Some people have never been
to a temple dedication and they may have no idea of what I am talking about. On
lds.org you can watch this conference talk and hear the dedicatory prayer on
the Conference Center and at the end see the Hosannah Shout. I felt chills as I
listened just now.
This Great Millennial
Year
"My brothers and sisters, what a great
inspiration you are. As I look into the faces of this vast congregation and
realize that there are many more assembled across the world, I am overwhelmed
with a great sense of love for each of you. What wonderful people you
are."
v-Don’t you love to be loved by the living prophet of the Lord Jesus
Christ!
This Great Millennial
Year
"I was around in 1947 when the Church
celebrated the centennial of the arrival of the pioneers. At that time, the This
Is the Place Monument was dedicated. A great celebration was held with a
pageant in the Tabernacle representing the worldwide mission of the Church. The
grand theme running through all of this was that the Church had reached a
million members in its growth. Approximately one-half of them lived in Utah.
Now only about 15 percent live here, and yet we have more members here than we
have ever had. To think that today we have a membership of 11 million is a
tremendous and wonderful thing that brings with it the promise of the
future."
This Great Millennial
Year
"O God,
our Eternal Father, with thankful hearts we approach Thee in prayer on this
historic Sabbath when we dedicate this magnificent Conference Center."
This Great Millennial
Year
"We
thank Thee for the very many dedicated and highly skilled men and women who
have worked long and hard to bring it to completion. May they have a sense of
pride in their accomplishment."
V-FDUchtdorf gave an address telling us it is OK to use the word “Pride”.
Above is an example of GBH using it. It had almost turned into a swear word in the church after ETB told us it is the universal sin.
This Great Millennial
Year
"Almighty
God, how thankful we are for Thy wondrous blessings upon us. Accept of our
gratitude. Keep Thine ancient promises concerning those who contribute their
tithes and offerings, which have made all of this possible. Open the windows of
heaven and shower down blessings upon them.
We love Thee and Thy divine Son. We seek to do Thy will. We praise Thy holy name. We lift our voices in anthems of worship. We testify of Thee and of our Redeemer, Thy matchless Son. Majestic is Thy way, glorious the tapestry of Thine eternal plan for all who walk in obedience unto Thee.
Wilt Thou smile with favor upon us, we pray in the sacred name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen."
We love Thee and Thy divine Son. We seek to do Thy will. We praise Thy holy name. We lift our voices in anthems of worship. We testify of Thee and of our Redeemer, Thy matchless Son. Majestic is Thy way, glorious the tapestry of Thine eternal plan for all who walk in obedience unto Thee.
Wilt Thou smile with favor upon us, we pray in the sacred name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen."
This Great Millennial
Year
"Any mention of this by the media should
recognize that for us this is a very sacred and personal thing. We request that
it be treated with deference and respect.
I will now demonstrate the shout. Each one takes a clean white handkerchief, holding it by one corner, and waves it while saying in unison, “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb,” repeated three times, followed by “Amen, Amen, and Amen.”
Again, those wishing to participate are invited to stand and give the Hosanna Shout immediately following the dedicatory prayer. Those desiring to remain seated are at liberty to do so. If you do not have a white handkerchief you may simply wave your hand. Those in other areas may join in giving the shout if their circumstances are appropriate."
I will now demonstrate the shout. Each one takes a clean white handkerchief, holding it by one corner, and waves it while saying in unison, “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb,” repeated three times, followed by “Amen, Amen, and Amen.”
Again, those wishing to participate are invited to stand and give the Hosanna Shout immediately following the dedicatory prayer. Those desiring to remain seated are at liberty to do so. If you do not have a white handkerchief you may simply wave your hand. Those in other areas may join in giving the shout if their circumstances are appropriate."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, October 2, 2014
September Mourn -Melancholy Month 1
Good Morning
October 1, 2014!
I am entitling this section September Mourn. I am going to be in mourning this
month.
It is 3
years since that fateful email from Kathy telling me she was divorcing me.
I am so
sad. So disappointed
She is a
huge part of my life. I lived for her.
What I say
she may not agree with, but this is me.
Her opinion
was paramount. I so wanted to make her happy.
I love the
fact that I worked and sweated one summer outside painting and earned the money
for her piano. She meant everything to me. It was the most miserable job. So
sweaty, so hot. Up and down ladders. Laying on the roof and leaning over to
paint facia. Hot tar and pavement. Dirt and dust and plants and brick. Drop
cloths and calking and paint rags and sticky fingers and on and on. But with
that dream of getting her the Country French Yamaha Piano it was worth it. I was so excited. I could finally make her
dream come true.
And when
she moved out she did not leave it behind.
I would
have so loved to have been able to make her happy in all things. But I
couldn’t.
How she
scrimped and made pinto bean pizza those first years. In fact if there was a
piece of material that might be used again it was saved.
What a
history we made. BYU together the first year. Graduation. Job applications.
Painting in SLC from Provo. Wray, Colorado and Kayenta, Arizona.
A “shoe in”
at Manilla, Utah. Wray was disappointed not to get me. Kayenta provided housing
and the desperately needed a pianist in the branch.
We slept
overnight in the Manti La Sal national forest one time. We only had my one
thick polyester orange sleeping back. Who cared! We slept together. No tent, no
cushion, and a youth group showed up and camped across the way. We had never
been there before. Good thing it didn’t rain. We were embarrassed about the two
of us being in one sleeping bag.
That was
the morning I found out about Kathy’s spunk and determination. I thought she
would be completely dependent on me. I was wrong.
We went
down to the stream to play. It was good sized and at the bottom of a steep
incline. Lots of weeds and undergrowth. I threw her shoes across the stream and
waited for her to beg in her helplessness for me to bring them back and give
them to her. Surprise! She fought me until she had mine and threw them across
the stream as well. I drove home stunned. The world changed for me that
morning.
Have you
ever graduated from college and then had to work long and hard to try to find a
job? Utah was in a teacher glut. They didn’t need me. I didn’t know that and so
we applied to all the big and little school districts. I traveled and interviewed. I think
some of them thought they were doing me a favor to interview me. They knew
there were no openings or already had someone in mind. I had not planned on
coaching and yet I had traded one of my two student teaching experiences for
another High School experience. There was no way in the world I wanted to teach
Jr. High, ever! Little did I know.
I was
amazed at Kathy’s determination to get us a job! She visited the placement
center regularly and mailed dozens of letters of application and resumes and my
placement folder. It didn’t take me long to discover That Brighton HS science
department and under-rated me. I student taught seminary during my prep period
at that school as well. : (
Luckily my
BYU supervisors and Spanish Fork HS evaluations from Mack Sly were great. Bob
Moderhak gave me a glowing report to Steve Peterson at WCSD after my two years
at Niwot High School in Colorado. Once again I wasn’t a coach and they needed
one at Niwot. They called it "reduction in force".
Kathy and I
collected our SS alternative retirement fund and used it to move to Saint
George.
Kathy loves
big trees. The city had them but Bloomington Hills didn’t. She liked the city
blocks and the quaint old houses in the city.
She loved
well landscaped yards and nice cars and rich homes even though we called our
house our dream home to start with.
It was
tough living with all that envy although I did not know what it was at the
time. I tried to console her by saying, We really couldn’t afford this house
and neighborhood, dear, if it were not for my sweat equity and painting trade. We
just are not in the same economic class as the people out here. The only
teachers that lived here had both spouses teaching or the wife taught as a second
income.
The economy
was way down and we bought and built when it was depressed. We got way more for
our dollar than we should have. Plus, Dad made a deal with LeRoi Merril that I
would be able to be his painter so I could make my payments.
I had a
Master’s class one or two nights a week at DMS. Dr. Miller wanted us to do something we
had never done before in our lives and report on it by the end of the
term. We went around the circle and
shared what we had done. I lied. I said that I played in my first
faculty/student basketball game in front of the student body. He loved it
though. You wouldn’t believe the stress of playing in one of those games if you
are not a good/ show off player! For me
I felt my reputation was on the line. And I was having a hard time with my
reputation as it was. Mr. Rogers at Niwot HS and Bobby Devo at Dixie JH. I
would get so cynical and sarcastic as the school year drew to a close. : ( It was hard reminding the students over and
over again and having them defy the rules. And I felt like I was the enforcer,
the public’s authorized policeman/parent. If there was a rule broken I would
fix it or report it. Dang! So sad and so hard. I didn’t understand!
So what did
I really write my paper on? I did not work on Sundays but I was putting in 30,
40, 50, 60 hours of painting at the Lindhart’s current house as it was built!
$10/hour. I had some call back work that I billed LeRoi for after that job and
he never did pay me for those hours. : ( My kids even saw me up on the top two stories of the Saint George temple in December, priming and painting. They sure looked small way down there. The scaffolding was cool. You wouldn't believe how small the top story is to make an optical illusion of height.
How did my
SUSC professor respond? He understood how tight a teacher’s income was and
accepted it. I was proud and felt understood.
And this is
just the surface of those challenging and difficult times.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)