Halloweening

Did your kids go Halloweeeeening tonight?



Looks like mine did...



with, yeah,



their



own



kidlets. Ha!



Hey... every single solitary child in this family has worn this costume!

Love it!

Happy Halloween!

All of us

My pretty sisters

This life

If there is a sin
against life,
it consists
perhaps
not so much in despairing
of life
as in hoping
for another
life...

and in eluding
the implacable
grandeur of
this life.

~Albert Camus

Gadgets and doodads

Look what Copy and Paste can do... bring everything from my sidebar here to a Post!

I read from top to bottom on my blog sidebar this morning, reacquainting myself with Blogger "gadgets" I've placed here over time. Over time I've fussed around with my sidebar til it really, truly, well-ly reflects me.

It's kind of like Marcia doing doodads at her house. Since she got home from Manila she hasn't stopped working on her house – wall-to-wall and top-to-bottom, window washing and picture hanging; kitchen cupboard reorganizing and carpet cleaning and rug buying; and all the stuff in the middle: her doodads she calls them. I've walked in Marcia's house lately to find "gadgets" strewn over the floor or furniture or cupboard tops waiting for her to pick and choose what goes where: in a curio or hutch, atop a bathroom counter or over the rack, or decorating a shelf. Should she hang a picture now where this shelf is...? she'll ask me. What about this to go here (waving at me a ceramic pot or pumpkin-colored bath or hand towel or picture of one [or six] of her grandchildren), she's suggested any number of times when I've walked over to say hi. I love this, she'll enthuse... does it work? And she does, and it does.

My sidebar works. I want it front and center today to say I love it! I've changed images and sayings around on the blog lots over the years I've "housed" my thoughts and inspirations here; I've changed titles a few times, though not lately: I appreciate and admire this saying,

May you always feel that what you have is enough.

I'll leave it for now – maybe for always – to return and return (and return) to see it right where it is. I did read from top to bottom on my sidebar this morning, loving what's here. These doodads will stay too.

God does not love us because we are lovable, or because we have a pleasing personality, or because we have a good sense of humor. He loves us in spite of who we are or what we have done. (David B. Haight, “Love All,” Ensign, Nov. 1982)

COURAGE

THANK YOU!

CHANGE

TO LOVE. TO BE LOVED.

“To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.” ― Arundhati Roy

A THOUGHT...

A GRATEFUL HEART

Thou hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days,
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.

--George Herbert

IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY...

...not only to teach [our children] to be sound in spirit and doctrine but also to help them stay that way, regardless of the outside forces they may encounter.~President Thomas S. Monson

Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind. ~Henri Frederic Amiel

We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to becomeeach day. Righteous character is a precious manifestation of what you are becoming. Righteous character is more valuable than any material object you own, any knowledge you have gained through study, or any goals you have attained no matter how well lauded by mankind. In the next life your righteous character will be evaluated to assess how well you used the privilege of mortality. Richard G. Scott,October General Conference, 2010

Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

“It is easy to be pleasant
When life flows by like a song,
But the man worth while is the one who will smile
When everything goes dead wrong.

For the test of the heart is trouble,
And it always comes with years,
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth
Is the smile that shines through the tears.”
~Irish Sayings quotes

When October goes

John Mercer penned the most poignant words about October I think I've ever heard, to which in 1984 Barry Manilow (as he discovered them after Mercer's death) applied his lilting music. Twenty years ago I heard "When October Goes" the first time and wept. I remember that year too well... the fall... 1994, Cincinnati, Ohio, months after Marc and I separated. Manilow wrote the moving melody out of his own love of the simple, haunting words. To hear this music every once in a while brings forward tears and yearnings from years ago and (almost) exposes long-carefully-guarded feelings.
-----

Even now I'm watchful as leaves are turning early in October for the same "turning" in my self. Everyone close to me realizes I talk constantly about trees – in winter remarking on their "bare bones"... spring, "teen-aged" leaves (ha ha) sprigging and buds swelling overnight into blossoms... in summer on how tall the cottonwood in the park, and old sycamore at Red Butte, stands; lovely the light and shadow over and under their full-green canopies – loveliness is the contrast! Ah, for my pecan orchard I lived under for seven and a half years in Georgia... too wonderful!

Late in September I begin to oooh and aaah over our gilded mountains. Nearer home the trees are losing their green still, ripening you might say... and to me they're never more glorious (or vulnerable) than now, nearly November. When October goes I feel the trees and my very own self turning, turning...

When October Goes…

And when October goes
The snow begins to fly
Above the smokey roofs
I watch the planes go by

The children running home
Beneath a twilight sky
Oh, for the fun of them
When I was one of them

And when October goes
The same old dream appears
And you are in my arms
To share the happy years
I turn my head away
To hide the helpless tears
Oh how I hate to see October go

I should be over it now I know
It doesn't matter much
How old I grow
I hate to see October go

Our combined faith will affect the well-being of others

Remember Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong's talk in Conference a couple of weeks ago? Remember he is the first General Authority to give his talk in General Conference in his native language: Cantonese. (History-making!) Here's what I wrote down:

Man w/palsy... from roof. (From the transcript of Elder Wong's talk posted online here was "someone who was not able to move without assistance. This man could only stay home, waiting for rescue.")

Seek him out, I wrote. Home visit – the man was "being brought" to Jesus; how to bring the man to Jesus Christ to be healed – members of ward councils come up w/ plans to "bring others to Christ."

Rescue assignment takes everyone - work in harmony, no discord. Every individual and every calling is important.

Who do we know who is spiritually paralyzed – needs to come back?

Elder Wong testifies, “In conclusion, may I share with you one more hidden treasure found in this scripture account. It is in verse 5 (Mark 2): 'When Jesus saw their faith' (emphasis added). I had not noticed this in the past—their faith. Our combined faith will also affect the well-being of others.

Who were those people that Jesus mentioned? They could well include:

• the four who carried the man with palsy,
• the man himself,
• the people who had prayed for him,
• all those who were there listening to the preaching of Jesus and cheering quietly in their hearts for the soon-to-come miracle....
• a spouse,
• a parent,
• a son or a daughter,
• a missionary,
• a quorum president,
• a Relief Society president,
• a bishop, and
• a faraway friend.

We can all help one another. We should always be anxiously engaged in seeking to rescue those in need.”

He continues... “I testify that Jesus Christ is a God of miracles. Jesus Christ loves us all and has the power to save and heal, both physically and spiritually. When we assist Him in His mission of saving souls, we too will be rescued in the process. I so testify in His holy name, even Jesus Christ, amen.”

Shiny toes

We four girls got pedies yesterday! I've just jumped out of my chair to take pics so I'm not in the queue... but there we were. All in a row.



And here we are on the sidewalk just out the door after providing much of the shop's entertainment for an hour, ha ha.  While we were waiting on each other Sarah looked online on her phone for what having a long second toe is supposed to mean about someone me and, well, it's that that person☺can be bossy.

Here we are!



Us! Shiny toes!

Become great

Come again

Kent offloading my bike at Rainbow Gardens a quarter of a mile into Ogden Canyon. I'm like (as we drove up the canyon and parked), come again???We're biking out of a canyon? Down a mountain? Mm, we're not mountain bikers. Nope.



Here's the trail head to the Ogden River Parkway we've driven all this way to ride and now I'm relieved. More my speed.



I didn't take many pictures. I just can't on a bike outing I'm discovering unless I wanna be all day getting from here to there and back. 'Twould be bike-not-riding, not bike-riding! I grab snaps when I stop for a drink, or we pause at a marker or map –



but more than that, well, I do Just Breathe In The Beauty and say to myself they'll have to take my word for it! (I'm figuring you care...) Every mile the scenery can stun or interest me, but I've lectured myself I'll not be taking pictures one-handed-on-my-bike-yikes too-very-often.

Hence, here is not the path. We stopped on a bridge and ogled the Ogden river in one direction under us...



... and then the other. Gee willikers pretty, eh!



And HERE'S the path! Or one version (quick stop).



And here. Don't'cha think it's awesome? The turning leaves haven't quiiiite peaked yet, though they're trying, and what's left on the trees form a shade tunnel for miles. Leaves floated over us at times and crunched 'neath our tires. I craved the sun and shadow and marvelous temperature changes.



I'll tell you what, I love this bike trail! Even though the return to the trail head is all uphill.

Internet photo, 10-23-2013; source: http://www.whattodoinogdenvalley.com/aboutcontact.html


I wanna come again!

Same source

Staying

Sarah got here October 9th for a week (plus) vacation. Laura was with her in Hawaii visiting for two and a half weeks prior, and they flew home together – sort of. On the same day, though not on the same flight.



 It's good to have Laura home again and Sarah visiting!

We've all walked early mornings and talked late nights. Run errands together, and separately and together visited with Laura and Sharm and kids – saw them at the movies, remember? (linky) – and Marcia and Brent and some of their kids who've been in town lately and even Marcia's mother-in-law; and pretty much all Sarah's kids who've come and gone. Even Sarah's son's girlfriend's in town! Sarah's loving being close to mom and dad... and of course Sarah's staying with all us sisters, nights at Marcia's home, some at mine, and some at Laura's.

Now the week (plus) is turning into three! Hurricane Ana threatened her Hawaiian island over the weekend so a day or two ago she took advantage of the airline's offer to let passengers change their flights into Honolulu (she would've been landing in the eye of the hurricane last night, gah!, which was scheduled to land at the same time!)

She's staying another whole week (plus) ...

We want her!

We need her!

We love her!

We do.

Personal responsibility and accountability

Here's what I noted from Elder D. Todd Christofferson's talk in October Conference: He quoted from Shakespear's Henry V to start: “Every subject's DUTY is the King's; but every subject's SOUL is his own.”

Who bears responsibility for what happens in our lives?

“It is the requirement of and the opportunity for repentance that permits mercy to perform its labor without trampling justice.”

By making repentance a condition for receiving the gift of grace, God enables us to retain responsibility for ourselves. “... acting to repent is a self-willed change.” ... only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption. (Alma 34:16)

“A world without God, the living God who establishes moral laws to govern and perfect His children, is also a world without ultimate truth or justice. It is a world where moral relativism reigns supreme." (I didn't get all that written in my notes as he spoke it, I had to look it up to post it correctly here. I did write down all in a hurry at the time that he said: Moral relativism = one is his/her own ultimate highest authority. His actual statement is "relativism means each person is his or her own highest authority.” Same-same.)
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William McGuffey, who authored the McGuffey’s Readers, which were the mainstay of America’s public school system for nearly a century, wrote: “Erase all thought and fear of God from a community, and selfishness and sensuality would absorb the whole man.”

Moral relativism weakens our collective cultural conscience. It prevents us from recognizing the evil in our midst that threatens our families, our neighborhoods, our culture, and our nation. And if allowed to continue unabated, it perpetuates the continued erosion of our entire civilization. Published – Idaho State Journal, 09/14/14
-----

This talk by Elder Christofferson is perfectly timed. It reckons with the facts of McGuffey's statement above which today in our society we certainly are witnessing. As a society we're there. And applies to the statement that follows by the writer for the Idaho State Journal last month.

“To those who believe anything or everything could be true, the declaration of objective, fixed, and universal truth feels like coercion—'I shouldn’t be forced to believe something is true that I don’t like.’ But that does not change reality. Resenting the law of gravity won’t keep a person from falling if he steps off a cliff. The same is true for eternal law and justice. Freedom comes not from resisting it but from applying it. That is fundamental to God’s own power. If it were not for the reality of fixed and immutable truths, the gift of agency would be meaningless since we would never be able to foresee and intend the consequences of our actions.”

We MUST assume personal responsibility and accountability (I wrote, as I took note.)

Growing

Tended James a coupla' weeks ago...



... he's growing!

Every day

Joy does not simply
happen to us. We
have to choose
joy and keep
choosing
it every
day.

Henri Nouwen

Down the road

Kent and I drove west of city center toting bikes and parked near a secured facility east of the airport. Donned helmets and packed water and chap stick and entering one narrow gate marked BP1 (bike path 1st section) we commenced our bike trek today on the south perimeter of the Salt Lake airport heading west. Through additional gates (BP 2, 3, 4 and 5) we went around the airport;



then pedal pedal, pedal, we entered the vast Wright Brothers office complex, blocks long and deep, and crossed it on surface streets (this complex where by the way I worked in the WFRC office fifteen months from 2002 to 2003), emerging on the I-80 frontage road (pedal, pedal, pedal... road sign: "Wendover, 50 miles") toward Saltair.

(Saltwhere?)

Long straight-o-way here, long old way. Slightly uphill and into the wind this direction, and into a rhythm we got, holding that and keeping eyes on the (?)summit(?) ahead, really a curve in the road... watching for the heady view of the lake at last... feeling like moving on when we saw the lake, heading for the green arrow ↓, The Great Saltair... though, gee, settling for just short of it for lack of time this day bright, high, gorgeous day.



We turned and trundled home. The view beyond Kent's chin (he he), the mountain, is our own gravel pit and the hill we drive up to home... and, erm, where our car is parked this side of city center is out of the picture (top right) 'bout an hour down the road.



Squint and you can see the airport control tower in the distance, but I bet you can't find it. Naw.

At the movies

We went to see "Meet The Mormons." For Family Home Evening Monday night. At the movies, the real movies (!) with popcorn and Milk Duds and stuff. Kent, Sarah and I.

We sat in our seats before the movie started.



We sat in our seats before the movie started and ate popcorn. Then Sarah said,

"There's Laura...!" (And there was Laura, hello!) Walking into the row right in front of us trailing family members who also had come to the (real) movies to see "Meet the Mormons." Her mother-in-law, husband and some of the kids.



They sat in their seats before the movie started and turned around and we all talked!

I loved "Meet the Mormons." I LOVED it. Loved sitting in the theater with my family; loved the stories in it; the music; the beautiful portrayals and photography. The popcorn and Milk Duds and stuff, too.



Loved being at the movies.