The John Singer

We know, well, we should all know that Neil Diamond is The Jazz Singer. I mean, the man is phenomenal, even legendary. I on the other hand, not so phenomenal or legendary though on occasion I enjoy singing a little tune. I don't have a particularly strong voice and I don't remember lyrics to most songs. I was sitting and working on some menu item prices when I started singing The Promise - maybe I listened to this a few hundred times back in the day. Apparently Amy has never heard that song, kids. I've just one thing to say about that:

"I'm sorry but I'm just thinking of the right words to say, I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be. But if you wait around a while I'll make you fall for me, I promise you, I promise you, I will."

It was a pretty good effort on my part, filled with drama and passion to be sure. And then, the singing stopped cold. Amy possesses the ability to get mother to sing on camera at any given moment. Then she takes and posts it on YouTube and FaceBook. Here is the skinny - The John Singer does private shows only. There will be no videos posted on the web. When the camera came out The John Singer clammed up.

I am establishing a rule now - no cameras or cell phones are allowed at this years skaryoke party. Amy, I'm serious...

Hey wait a minute. Didn't Justin Bieber get his start as a YouTube sensation? Perhaps I may need to rethink my position on this. Hmmmm... nope, no cameras.

Ice Racing

This post is for June 29, 2011. Blogger was not working properly and I couldn't post it last night. Here it is:

The day was pretty long and unproductive on one end yet rather productive on the other. My furniture work stalled out and gave way today to us placing a food order for the cafe`. That endeavor took us somewhere between 4 and 5 hours with the rep from Nicholas. Hopefully we will get it all dialed in and it will be much easier in the future. It had to be done and the exciting news is that we will have food delivered on Tuesday and have the cafe` operational and selling food then. Sweet!

Now to the funner side of the productive things. The ice in the Coke machine was low and the old man gets a little concerned about that. It so happened that he was about to walk out the door when he thought of it so I told him not to worry that Dave and I would take care of it real quick. One thing lead to another and before you knew it we were having ice races. He had taken off with a bucket of ice and dumped it in the machine and was hurrying back when I was headed towards it with my own bucket. I sensed that he was racing a bit so I got a little skip in my step. He saw that I had hurried back and so he quickened his pace. I was ontop of it myself and made up a little ground on him. On my next trip back to the ice machine Dave was still scooping and had no idea I had returned so quickly. I stood clear of his view and pretended to be yawning when he came out from the Ice Shack. We both chuckled a bit at that and the race was still on. We were running back and forth with ice buckets, laughing it up and just having fun. Amy was sitting and doing something on the computer laughing right a long with us. Before you knew it the ice bin was full. That was a fun little race and we all laughed pretty good. Ice Racing - I highly recommend it. Looking forward to more fun and laughs tomorrow.

Righteous Routines

Well! I start that way on purpose tonight as I shared a little story with my friend Collette about being stuck in a rut while writing in my journal. There was a time when I started every entry with that word. Didn't matter what had happened that day or anything else, I started with the word Well. Funny, it is probably the only legible word in any of the entries. I remember when I realized that I started every entry with those same four letters and how I had to commit myself not to start that way. It was tough. There were times when by habit (21 days) I would write that big capital W and then I would remember and have to come up with a different W word to start the entry with. For a guy that lives by routine it was a tough change to make. Isn't that life though? Sometimes we settle into certain routines and they just become part of what we do and they can make up who we are. Certainly there wasn't anything particularly wrong with using the word Well but it did get old and weighed on me after a while. I discovered I was just writing it out of pure habit. I am a routine kind of guy and I guess my routines can lead me into ruts.

Righteous Routines... I just thought of that. Righteous Routines are good routines to have. Perhaps the trick there is just to be sure your routine is moving you forward and not sticking you in a rut. The Lord teaches us line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little. It is certainly my hope that my routines are righteous and are drawing me nearer to my Savior each day. So maybe not routine but consistency or constancy. Reminds me of a talk, I want to say by President James E. Faust titled Constancy Amid Change. I won't go pull that up on lds.org but you could search that title and test me memory to see if it was actually President Faust. Great talk though.

In other news I got some furniture painting done today. I like what a fresh coat of paint does for something. An old worn out chair can get a fresh start on life with a little tightening up here or there and a new coat of paint. That is one of the things I love about the furniture work. Taking something that is tired and old and giving it new life is a lot of fun. What would you pay for the old violin? The Touch of the Masters Hand. I think that is one of my favorite films and that thought came into my mind as I was pondering this subject. Not trying to declare myself a master with this furniture, no, not going there. I was actually pondering my own experience and being in the lowest of lows not long ago and thinking that all is lost. I think it is good that I am a routine kind of guy because I stuck with all the things I knew to be right and I have felt that touch of the Master. The Master healer. It humbles me greatly and I weep some while I type. Sometimes all you can do in life is trust in the Lord and press forward with faith. All is not lost.

I mentioned in opening sharing a story with Collette. We went out tonight and had a great time - well I had a great time anyway. I have enjoyed getting some practice in on the grill and so we made our own dinner at the LBH. I have to confess that when I was telling the story to Collette I botched it. I told her the word was Wow and when I started typing this I was talking all about the word Wow and after writing a few lines I started a sentence with the word Well and it occurred to me that I told Collette the wrong W word. I am certain to have over used the word Wow also but am confident that Well was my standard opener. I can go back to the journals to be sure but I don't feel the need. So I have gone back and corrected that here and am going to have to send Collette a little note on the matter. It was a fun evening nonetheless and I am grateful for good friends. I'm sure Collette had a great time too even if she had to wash dishes. I taught her the secret of the Philly Cheese Steak and let her cook up her own. She did well for a first timer. Note to Mike - Collette is quite slender and she rather enjoyed the Philly. Not sure your not so scientific discovery at the Hogi Yogi was correct.

Kids Ocean Voyage

Natty told me last night that they were going to go out on the ocean today on their Grandpa Jimmy's boat. This is a cool boat that Jimmy had built special for moose hunting. Anyhow, Natty was a little nervous but I assured her that all would be well. Her grandpa Jimmy knows what he is doing on the water. I asked her to send me a picture and this is the one that I got. I thought it was great.



Andy is looking classic - perhaps a little elfish. Makes me laugh. Natty texted me a bit ago and said they were back on land. I think they had a great time. Rachel said she would send more pics. I'm looking forward to them. Miss my kids.

I think I had a migraine today. My head was pounding to the point where I could not function. I came home a little after 4, took some meds and passed out for a few hours. The good news is that the headache is gone. I am very grateful for that. I actually got back to work around 8. I loaded up a few things in the garage, worked a bit on some furniture that I have here and then took the load over to the LBH. I then went to work finishing the work bench. It was something I wanted to get done today but then when I couldn't function it just didn't happen. Well, it is done now and I am pleased with it. I do enjoy working on the furniture and look forward to getting onto more of that.

Apology

Tonight was Stake General Priesthood Meeting. I previously shared how I was asked to give the opening prayer at the Priesthood Leadership meeting in Stake Conference. Yes, that is the one that I was on time for and couldn't figure out where everyone was. I thought for certain that I had the time wrong but it turned out I had the location wrong. Well, I wanted to apologies to President Schmutz for not fulfilling the assignment but I have not seen him or been in a position to talk to him since that time. I waited after the meeting tonight in order to meet with him quickly. I know it was a silly thing and people miss little assignments here or there but it was important to me. I thanked him for the opportunity and he assured me that all was well and they would be sure to call me again in the future. I don't know how to describe how I felt other then to say that I knew that President Schmutz cared about me and I felt his love. It was a simple and quick exchange that was filled with nonverbal communication.

I have had occasion to visit with Stake Presidents in the past. I will forever treasure the time I served with President Sweeney. He had a tremendous amount of love for the members of the Stake. I had some very significant moments with him driving to assignments or visiting in his office or at his home. He helped me through some very difficult and challenging times in my life and I knew that in him I had a friend. Many members of the Lakeland Stake were likewise touched by his great love and his service.

When I got in the car after the meeting tonight I was a little choked up as I thought about some of these great leaders in the Church. Stake Presidents, Bishops, Quorum Presidents - these are special men and I appreciate them. I appreciate the time that they give in the service of the Lord. I appreciate the time they take to minister to their respective flocks. I would add to this list my appreciation for good Home Teachers. My home teachers at the moments have been the most consistent in my adult life and I am grateful for their love and concern for our family. Mike Leavitt and Glen Adams are good men.

I want to live my life in such a way that others feel better for knowing me. I certainly do my best to make others feel better about themselves in playing card games, golf and most definitely basketball. I only mention this quickly because we played Hearts at the folks tonight and I was terrible and lost big time. I actually lose on purpose so that others can feel better about themselves. I am only kidding of course. Anyway, grateful myself for good people and positive influences in my life.

Unknowing

Sometimes you move forward in life without knowing what awaits you or how you will make it. I guess most of life is lived without knowing. We don't exactly control what will happen tomorrow we can only do our very best to live our lives in a way that tomorrow holds no fear. We can control the things that we will do but we don't necessarily control the things that happen around us or perhaps to us. Determining what our actions will be before something happens is not always the easiest thing to do. We can determine that we will not do drugs or smoke or drink and when we are approached with that we find the strength to say no. I learned a lot about expected and unexpected behavior this year when I went to parenting classes at South Elementary in an effort to better understand how to work with Jack as well as Natty and Andy. Looking at different scenarios that would or could happen in Jack's life we tried to determine what the expected behavior or reaction would be. I didn't do real great with him on this but it is a work in progress and we are trying. Anyway, there is a lesson there. All of us encounter different experiences in our lives and when we work to determine how we should act when things happen then we will find strength to control our actions. Does this make sense? I don't know.

I sat in a meeting once in the Lakeland Stake with a gentlemen that worked for LDS Social Services in Orlando. He spoke about sin and how we can recognize it and strengthen ourselves against it. The sin itself was referred to as the violation. If we were to chart it the violation would be in the center of the chart like the bulls eye of a target. The rest of the chart would look like the rings of the target that spread out from the bulls eye. The rings of the target are actually little dashes that he referred to as crossings. The crossings represent actions that we take and those closest to the bulls eye represent the actions we took just prior to committing the violation. The crossings that are furthest away represent the things we do that begin us on a path that leads to the violation and the crossings in between are in chronological order. The trick is recognizing what the crossings are. When we find ourselves at a crossing that we know leads us towards a violation then we need to have a plan of action in place that we follow in order to correct our course away from the violation. Determining what the corrective course of action should be at every crossing will strengthen us from committing the violation. You have to be brave and make the course change in order for any of this to work. Anyway, I found this very intriguing when it was taught and believe that there is strength in it.

The specific violation that this Brother spoke about was pornography. We have heard much from the Prophets on this topic over the last several years and it is clearly something that many members of the Church struggle with. As silly as it may sound I am going to go back to a Family Home Evening lesson taught by mom when I was a teenager. I am fairly certain we were living in Carson but I cannot say which house it was. Spiritual Winners was the topic and I learned later that mom borrowed much of her lesson from Jack Christianson. Great work mom. Anyhow, one of the stories was of Joseph and Potipher's wife. I have always remembered how Joseph ran and got him out. I wanted to be the same as Joseph and still do.

I remember a time when I was working in Vegas and we wanted to buy a house. There was a show on TV that took you on tours of different houses in the Valley and they shared a web address and invited viewers to go online and look at many more properties. I thought this would be a good thing. I also thought I could remember the website. When I pulled up what I thought it was I knew I had made a mistake somewhere. Up on the screen popped a woman that wasn't wearing much of anything and the quickest thing I could think to do was hit the main power switch on the computer. I did so as fast as I could. I sat alone in that office and it would have been really easy to indulge in that filth but I had determined beforehand that I would run from anything that would destroy me. I was expecting to look at houses that were for sale. What I expected to happen didn't and so I had to react. I knew that I wanted no part of what was in front of me so I changed course fast. I have ever been grateful for that decision.

Does this make sense? I don't know. I just started writing tonight and this was the message that came out. I hope it serves a purpose. I would say to my children, be brave. never be afraid to run from those things that would harm you. Never be afraid to stand for truth and right. Know that times will come in your life, you won't know when but they will come, when you will be faced with things that you did not expect. I hope that you will be determined to do right, to trust in the Lord and do what he would have you do. Sometimes that will be hard to do but if you will trust in the Lord you will find joy in doing right. You will never regret choosing the right. These are things that I know to be true.

Early Night

It is just after 8 PM and I am seriously thinking that I am going to go to bed here in just a moment. I am completely exhausted and since I don't have anything to do at the moment I might just...

In the Little Brick House there is a door that came with the building. It is a solid core door and it weighs somewhere between 200 and 300 pounds. It is 4 feet wide. It was never installed and there was no way for us to really install it as the jam that we thought was for it was bent out of shape. This was more the result of the building shifting. We could have tried to make it work but ultimately decided we would simple put in a new door. Good Choice. The hinges alone would not have been able to hold this monstrosity.

I had a thought that we could make that old door into a work bench in the new workroom that we are including. Today, it became that work bench. I hope it works out well thought I don't think it will ever be removed from that room. It weighs a ton and it is huge. I like it and look forward to having the room organized. I have a few projects to get caught up on. See, I do have things that I need to get done. Tonight however, I think my long days have caught up with me and I am spent. Time to go catch a good long nap.

Where Were the Pols?

I have managed to hit Costco every Thursday for the last 4 weeks. I don't know what it is about the place but it just seems to pull me in there like the tractor beam on Star Wars. Costco is the Death Star and I am the Millennium Falcon. That's right, I'm like the fastest ship in the galaxy. Anybody want to have a foot race? Okay, so reality is that I go to the Temple on Thursdays and like to hit Costco afterwards for the Hot Dog Combo and a little shopping as well. I picked up a few things this evening for the shop. Got to practice some stuff and work out some recipes as we are getting closer to opening the Cafe`. Nearly there peops. Waiting on inspection. I do have to say that I knocked out some Philly Cheese Steaks today. I think they went over pretty well. At least I know that Amy, Dad, and I liked them but don't know about Dani as she took hers to go. I like that sandwich.

Okay, so 4th straight Thursday at Costco and I have to report that there was something missing. Not a food item or the Snack Bar or anything like that. No, just a change in the pattern of the last few weeks. Where were the pols? I didn't see a single Polygamist family there this week. Really weird as they have been very evident over the previous three weeks. Last week proved the heaviest week in the study. Not sure what the change was this week. I was there at the same time I normally am but found myself seeking but not finding my fellow Costco members that happen to wear really old looking dresses with modern and hip footwear. Wonder where they were this evening? Oh well, next week perhaps. Wonder how they would react if I just walked up and started shooting the breeze with them. Maybe a great line would be "So, do you come here often?" Okay so I would likely never do this but it might be fun to see what their reaction would be if I did. Ooohhh, a little Jack Burton quote for the follow up question: "So what happens new girls come old girl go?" "Maybe...take your tie off" "I know what you mean my wife gave it to me for Christmas." Sorry, had to run with it.

This is an odd post filled with rambling. I guess I don't have a lot today. I really enjoyed the Temple today and loved just sitting in the Celestial Room admiring the architecture and thinking about the history of the building. Also felt a little something when I walked past the picture of the founding fathers and President Woodruff that hangs there. I really like that. Then the picture hanging in the foyer caught my eye as well. It is a close up of a single tree with a distant plateau landscape in the background. What a great picture. It was a good session and good to be there. Really, that is the highlight of my Thursdays not the Polygamist women hanging out at Costco or lack thereof.

Special thanks in closing to Mom who came and helped with more packing today. I have been dreading Natty's room and ma got in there and took care of it today. Thank you for all of the help ma. Love you much.

Patient Fish

Somebody call PETA or get me the number and I'll call PETA. I need to turn myself in. I have neglected the fish and left them without food for the last 3 days. I thought about them last night probably while I was running but forgot about them by the time I was done. I just remembered them again so I ran in and fed my patient aquatic friends. I do have to say they were attacking those flakes with a vengeance I have rarely seen. Ravenous almost. Hmmm. I threw in a little extra for good measure or maybe just as a way of apologizing. I am not a fish whisperer so I communicate in the only way I know how... food. It appears that they accepted my apology with a little feeling even. Not to worry, I forgot to feed the turtle too but I don't think it eats anyway so no big deal. It hissed at me once when I was cleaning it's tank so he can starve. I'm tellin ya, don't cross me turtle. Don't cross me.

That is the classic tale of a man seeking forgiveness whilst being unwilling to forgive. I really hold no contempt for the turtle. It did hiss at me once but I continue to feed it and clean it's tank. For the record, I am not a turtle whisperer either. No I just speak in a regular manner to the turtle when I tell him he stinks. That is typically followed by the tank being changed which is generally when he hisses at me so maybe it is I that have offended him. Oh, the horror. Please, don't call PETA. It is too much for me to take. I will do better. I will do better. I will do better.

Just going to put this random thought out there. Do what you will with it: Cajun Spiced Pistachios are amazingly good and they make my nose run. World Table brand packaged specifically for Wal-Mart. Pistachios with a little kick. Maybe I should give some of those to the turtle.

I just got off the phone with Big Jack. He was in tears and was really upset. He wants me there tomorrow so I can bring him home to Cedar City. It is too light in Alaska and there is nothing to do there and the dogs bark a lot and he is getting chubby and he misses me a lot and I am his best dad ever and his best buddy and and and.. suddenly the crying stopped - "Hey, there is my missing tooth". Thought we made it through the episode and then the crying started again. "I want to bring my tooth to Cedar City and show you and the tooth fairy can come and get it...".

I have been through little Jack episodes a few times and having spoken to Natty an hour or so before I kind of had a feeling of what happened. They were playing Lego's when I was talking to Natty so my guess was that there was a Lego incident that upset Jack and then he got in a little trouble and suddenly his world blew up. It is near impossible to console him so you just have to have him cry it out and say his piece and then wait a bit and try to help him calm down. It was a 22 minute phone call and we only started the deep breaths at the end. I think once we did that he realized there were some fun things going on and he said "You can stop talking now" which means bye and he was gone. Rachel got on the phone and gave me the run down and it was as I thought, a Lego meltdown. She tried to work through it for a while and then asked him if he wanted to talk to me. We know the answer to that.

I don't find pleasure in the fact that Rachel had to experience that nor do I find any satisfaction that she needed to call me. I do think it is important to experience the meltdown. They can be hard to deal with and the only way to better manage it is to learn from it and try to figure out triggers and patterns. I pretty much stink at it but I like to talk a good game. I just know that the best way through it is to get him to relax and breathe. He's gonna get some deep thoughts and some anger out along the way but we'll get there. Kind of like the fish, have a little patience, it'll come.

This verse in Helaman 3 was one that I read today. It stood out to me this morning and I think it teaches a great lesson about patience. The people of the church were beginning to suffer great persecution and to wade through much affliction. Verse 35 describes how they persevered:

35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

I like that a lot. It gives hope. So fish, I will, like you, be patient in my afflictions and in my trials. I know that the promised blessings come.

A Wee Bit O" Plumbing

We are down to a wee bit of plumbing in The Little Brick House Cafe`. Isn't that a relief? Yes it is. Well, I went in this morning determined that I was going to get the majority of that plumbing done. I am, after all, experienced in the field. Yes the summer was long and hot in Las Vegas back in 97. I labored hard in the hot sun running drain lines and gas pipe for an apartment complex. The few months that I worked for Krahenbuhl Plumbing actually taught me a lot. I think the first lesson any aspiring plumber learns is that crap flows down hill. Most plumbers wouldn't use the word crap there and I was certainly schooled on the subject by a teacher that used slightly different language, very colorful. Anyhow, this is a family show so we try our best to keep it clean.

Anyway, I was determined to get it done and did so. I was actually running water lines which I didn't do any of back in 97 though it isn't much different then running sprinkler pipe. Actually used a product called SharkBite and it was really easy to use and fun to work with. There was the occasional challenge but in the end the goal I set for the day was accomplished. Now the only plumbing remaining is the faucet we are waiting for that gets installed on the triple sink. The hookups were run today and tying everything in should be quite simple. We are hoping the faucet arrives tomorrow.

Funny, there was a quick little lesson here. In life we are going to encounter challenges along the way. It happens to everyone and we simply need to press forward and work through them. If we remember that the challenges are part of life and that crap runs downhill - meaning the challenges will pass - we will make it through and be just fine. Funny enough we will find that we have learned a few things a long the way.

Grateful for the day and looking forward to another productive one tomorrow. Sure do miss my kiddo's and was thinking about the fact that 3 weeks has passed pretty quick. I don't mind the time going quickly. Soon enough it will be the 2nd of August and they will be home. There is much to do before then and that is good.

Mr. Home Depot

Over the course of the last 3 months we have made a few visits to the local Home Depot. Some, well one of us makes a few visits to the local Home Depot every day. Yes that may sound a little extreme or a bit of an exaggeration. You would think so but it is a reality. The old man is a bit of a celebrity there. Everyone, well not everyone but quite a few of the employees know him well. We have teased him quite a bit about him going to see his girlfriends there. Obvioulsy not reality but we like to tease him and he plays along well. Even ma got in on the act last week asking him about his Home Depot Girlfriends. Pretty funny.

Dave and Amy and I joked about getting him some Home Depot gear, maybe an apron, for fathers day. On Saturday night I rolled up prior to closing and sought out an apron. I was directed to Ashley in the Paint Dept. and she went to work for me. The actual aprons that the employees wear are not available to the public. Not surprising as nearly anyone could get one and impersonate. That would be a headache. No they have something they refer to as SOP or standard operating procedure and it specifies that these aprons are to be warn by active employees only. They can only be given to the public in the event that authorization has been received from the Vice President of the entire company. That is crazy but the reasoning is completely understandable. Ashley tried but the head honcho at the store said no. Well, we didn't stop there. Ashley came up with the idea of using one of the kids workshop aprons. Perfect. She decorated with dads name and then wrote "from all your friends and GIRLFRIENDS at 4418" (or whatever the store number is). Classic.

I am proud to present Mr. Home Depot modeling his new pride and joy:



Most grateful for Mr. Home Depot. He makes life a great and fun adventure. Appreciate very much the example you are pops and love you very much.

A Message on Fathers Day

Usually during the Sacrament Meeting program on Fathers Day you hear a few talks about the positive traits of a father accompanied by a tearful rendition of how the speakers own father was so wonderful and did this amazing things. If no such story exists then you hear messages about other great fathers and all leaves you feeling positive and up beat with an appreciation for your own father.

Today was High Council Sunday and so instead of having youth from the ward stand and speak we had a return missionary speak followed by the High Council member assigned with a little primary song in between. I thought the missionary did a great job. He spoke plainly about a few things relative to preparation and wishing he had better prepared for his mission. I think that there are probably quite a few missionaries that can relate to those feelings. Anyhow he tied in the role of father to missionary work and how fulfilling your responsibilities as the patriarch in the home can help in preparing your children to be missionaries. I thought he did a good job.

I do want to interject real quick here that Brother and Sister Bettridge got their mission call this week. They are going to serve in the Portland Oregon Mission. Ken was funny when he announced the call - he said it hadn't even been a week and he was already homesick. They will report to the MTC in a month. I sure do love Ken and Georgia.

The primary kids sang a song about their dads being their best pals or something. I had never heard it before. I could here Jayson singing with everything he had and I sure thought it was neat. I looked across the chapel at Jay who was just smiling and it was just a neat thing. I am grateful for my family. Obviously I mention Jay here but don't do so at the exclusion of any of my other siblings. They are all good people, good examples and good friends. It is nice to say that I enjoy a friendship each of my siblings as well as my parents. I was out on a home teaching visit after church and Brother Roy Smith was in need of a blessing. I was there solo and asked for a few minutes so that I could run and get someone to assist. I went straight to Jay's house and he was more then willing to come help. I sure appreciate that willingness to go at a moments notice.

When I was the Executive Secretary in the Lakeland Stake there was a time or two when I had to fill in for members of the high council on their speaking assignments. It was during one of these assignments in my home ward (Highlands Ward) that I received a phone call in the middle of my talk. I had forgotten to turn off the ringer. I thought I shut it off but then it rang again and without thinking I answered it right there at the pulpit and simply said "Hello, I am in the middle of giving a talk and will call you back" then hung up. Talk about embarrassing. I just continued right on with my talk. Anyhow, the other time I was assigned to speak was in the Arcadia Branch and the subject was a conference talk by Elder Oaks on Divorce. I prepared and thought that I had given a fairly good talk. I don't think there was anything particularly harsh in my comments and certainly not in the contents of Elder Oaks message. I went on to spend three straight weeks down in the Arcadia Branch for different Stake business and came to learn that several members of the branch had been divorced. I wondered if I had been as sensitive to that as I should have been. Before I went through divorce myself I was definitely not aware of the pain, the struggle and the heartache that goes along with it. I certainly did not think about the perspective divorced individuals in the church may have.

Well, this brings me to the topic at hand and the message that was shared by the High Council rep this Fathers Day. I learned today that you cannot be a good parent if you are single. It was a very interesting comment and the man said it with pure conviction. I thought about my dear friend Heidi sitting in the back with her 5 children and the amazing parent that she is to her children. This man obviously doesn't know Heidi. It is funny that I just got a text from Heidi wishing me a Happy Fathers Day and hoping I was able to ignore some of what the speaker said today. Anyhow, it didn't end there. He went on to rail on those who have been divorced.

I don't think I have ever heard the brethren speak in such a manner. I am not saying that you need to get overly sensitive on the subject or paint a picture that divorce is the norm. It isn't, it shouldn't be. I think however that we need to understand that people have their agency. Sometimes a spouse chooses to walk a different path leaving the other to pick up the pieces. I also think that members of the church need to understand how hard it is to be that parent left to pick up the pieces and stay active in the church. It is embarrassing. You feel like a major disappointment and that you have failed. The focus on the church is family and when you show up as the single divorced parent it can be hard to be there. You feel like everyone is looking at you and judging you for something they know nothing about.

He went on to discuss some 16 or 18 things that kids from divorced parents suffer. I don't even wish to repeat any of them. I thought this was perhaps the worst part of his talk as it would leave any struggling single parent to believe that their kids are doomed to failure regardless of what they did. Heaven forbid a child of divorced parents were listening. They might have thoughts planted in their mind that certain things were destined to happen in their lives.

I kind of just tuned out at that point. I was trying to hang in there but there was only so much I could take. Certainly it was one of the more uplifting fathers day messages that I have ever heard. I walked over to Jay and Sara afterwards and said I was done. I am obviously a bad parent and my kids are doomed to failure so why bother. I am packing it in. They both felt bad for me throughout the talk. Really though, I am okay. I understand that there are going to be a lot of people that are passionate about divorce. There are going to be many that don't know the pain that comes with it. I know what that is like and now I know the pain of it.

I just got off of Skype with the kids. We were on for about an hour. They were great. Andy dominated the microphone and was so happy to show me how he text's on Natty's old phone. He is going to be one cool Kindergartner. Jack showed me his missing tooth and we had some fun with that and Natty took me on a quick tour to her bedroom there. They all looked great. Andy and I sang Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam together. Jack was pretending to be a ghost in the blanket and I did a quick puppet show for Natty with some of the little statues I have here on the shelf. The Moose, the Giraffe and the Zulu Warrior. Fun stuff.

I love the Lord and I know that He loves me. He knows my heart. He knows my struggles and my pain and He carries me through the difficult times. He knows that I have been divorced and he knows more then any the sadness that came as part of that experience. He has not left me comfortless and He will not leave any of us comfortless when we place our trust and our faith in Him.

Tired Warrior

I remember references to being a "tired warrior" ever since I was a small boy. There have been multiple occasions when I have referred to my own children as tired warriors. In doing so Andy often gets very serious and lets me know that he is not a tired warrior, he is Anderson or he is a boy. Just like a tired warrior to take issue with how one might refer to them. If there is one thing that I am learning from Andy it's that you don't mess with his name. I believe I've mentioned before that I have asked him "Are you ready Freddy?" and his response is stern and extremely serious: "I am not Freddy, I am Andy". Oh the kid makes me laugh.

Anyhow I am a tired warrior. I have not had much sleep this week and have found myself buried with work and packing. I will be most grateful by about the middle of July because the shop should be getting the final kinks out and I will hopefully be unpacked and settled in the new place. I might actually be able to squeeze in a nap. Won't that be nice? Some days are very challenging and all you can do is your best. At the end of the day giving your best. I

Holy cow. I cannot keep my eyes open. This is not a secret trait of the Tired Warrior though exhaustion does play a major role. Suffice to say, I am worn out and am probably on the verge of talking in circles. That said, I am going to close for now and go to bed.

IceMan

For those who were alive and well in the mid 80's one of the great movies of the time was Top Gun. Naturally we think of the classic Tom Cruise performance in this movie or the esteemed Anthony Edwards as Goose. Then there was the epic portrayal of ICEMAN by none other then Val Kilmer. Yes it was epic indeed. Hate to say it but I think the ICEMAN has gone down hill a skosh as an actor. But really, it would be hard to improve on this role, you don't exactly one up the ICEMAN. Well, Nick Rivers was up there as well but I don't know if Top Secret was out before or after Top Gun. Regardless, in both movies Val Kilmer was at the top of his game and one thing is for certain, this is not Mel Torme.

If you have read this entire introductory paragraph I apologize now because other than the name ICEMAN this has absolutely nothing to do with this post. Top Gun just came to mind when I titled the post and so I blurbed a bit. Thanks for indulging however. No today I titled it ICEMAN because we have had success in hooking up, cleaning, and firing up the ice machine. Not only that but we have produced ice. The machine is working like a champ and that is fantastic. My Internet is down at the moment and I am not sure why. After rebooting the comp it remained down and I lacked the patience to try and figure it out and had no desire to type on the Blackberry tonight so I am in the store at the moment. I checked said ice machine on arrival and it is going strong. This is fantastic.

I learned a little something about how the ice machine actually works today. This one uses water to heat and cool the refrigerant as opposed to air. In doing so it pumps water through two different systems within the machine. The first, as you might guess, is the ice tray or ice producing system directly. The second is through the refrigeration or compressor side of the system. Both of these end up working together in an interesting way.

When producing ice the incoming water gets distributed appropriately so that there is plenty of cooling on the refrigeration side and also so there is water being pumped and run across the face that freezes and cubes the water. As the ice gets to where it has formed and it is ready to be broken away from the cube face something interesting happens. The water that is pumping through the refrigeration side is cut off. The water that is pumping through the face side gets pumped right out of the machine and into a floor drain. With the water no longer flowing through the refrigeration side heat is created on the face and rather then freezing the water it begins to melt the newly formed block of ice. This caused the block to breakaway and fall into the bin where it breaks up into the smaller cubes.

In order for the water to become ice the face plate has to go through some different things. It has to be cool, freezing actually, in order to have the running water become ice. When it is time to break the ice away that same face place becomes hot. Only when it performs each of it's functions properly does the ice get produced. Sometimes as a parent, as a boss, as a leader or whatever, we need to be cold. Then there are times that we need to be hot. The ice machine automatically controls the temp that the face plate achieves. It is in control even though it has to get hot for a moment.

Well the scripture from Section 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants comes to mind.
Reproving betimes with sharpness when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love...

As with the ice machine producing perfect ice so it is with us. Life can be a delicate dance and we have to learn how to manage ourselves so that we can help develop ourselves and those in our stewardship.

To Feel

To feel the Holy Spirit, to listen and to pray...

I decided a few weeks ago that Thursday was to be my Temple day. That is a good decision. To set aside a day and time each week for Temple attendance and worship is empowering. I did it for a few years when I had gotten home from my mission and I loved it. I am looking for a greater measure of the Spirit in my life today and the Temple is certainly a place where that can happen. I remember President Washburn of the Las Vegas Temple discussing the Temple as the Lord's classroom. I believe that it is. There are powerful lessons taught in the Temple and there is great opportunity to serve.

I will need to make preparations that will enable me to continue going weekly when my kids return home. A large part of my going each week was it seemed like a way that I could strengthen my family. I cannot do much for my kids while they are away but I can serve in the Temple and I can pray for them. I have a heart filled with gratitude to the Lord because my kids have been safe and protected since going to Alaska. Rachel has done well with them also. Each week when I go to the Temple I put their names on the prayer roll. I believe that the Lord blesses my efforts and answers prayers.

I do make a weekly stop at Costco now on Thursdays. I have discovered that Thursday night at Costco is a popular night for Polygamist's as well. Tonight I saw 3 families in their shopping and I was caught off guard by one gal that was wearing running shoes under her modest gown and text messaging while shopping. I didn't think they would text so I was surprised. Then I saw another that was carrying around two cell phones, working the modern day technology. I don't know why I would think they wouldn't use cells, probably the dresses throwin me off. I was starting to think that maybe they were in the same fam and were just texting shopping items back and forth, coordinating their efforts. I know this is fascinating conversation... I will move on.

There was a 5.2 magnitude earthquake in Alaska today. I might have been on the phone with Jack when it happened. He was telling me about the earth shaking anyway. Then Natty got on and told me they were having earthquakes. Jack was actually calling to let me know that he lost a tooth yesterday. I was excited for him and then he told me to stop being so dramatic. Love that kid. He keeps it real.

I am grateful for family. I am grateful for the Temple and the blessings that we have as a family because it. For the Temple is the House of God, a place of Love and Beauty. I'll prepare myself while I am young, this is my sacred duty.

People We Meet

Life is a wonderful thing. Sure there is heartache and there is disappointment, I think that is just part of the ride, but there are wonderful things that we enjoy each day. We are so richly blessed and have so much to be grateful for. Wow. It takes me down a notch or two when I consider how generous our Heavenly Father is, how loving our Savior is. I am very grateful for that.

I have talked about angels in times passed. I am sure you can look back at life and reflect on those who have been angels in your own life. These are often people that are there in the background of our lives who have an amazing ability to be there when we need them and simply lift us up. They listen to and act on the prompting of the Spirit and are instruments in the hands of the Lord. I love these people and I wish I were more like them.

We had lots of great friends in Florida. Those who know me know that I get emotional sometimes and you could guess that when I typed that and thought about these people that I got a little choked up. Well, you'd be right in that guess. I just have love in my heart for so many good people and it just happens. Can't help it.

I have had a few moments that have been a little rough since the kids have been gone (2 weeks yesterday). I am certainly lonely and the house is often too quiet. Anyhow, I end up doing some self evaluation and I get hard on myself for not doing a good enough job. I have been pressed on with thought that I am not able to provide my kids with all they need. They seem to be having such a good time in Alaska and so I wonder if they would be happier there and, well, I recognize that these thoughts are not from my Heavenly Father. I know that. I realize that I am not going to be able to provide everything that they need but I am giving everything that I have within me to their well being.

Funny that the adversary is working on me right now with these thoughts and then out of the blue I get an email from a friend that is just what I needed. A friend that listened and took the time to send a note. I include the note not because I want to make myself look great and wonderful. I don't. This is more than just a blog, this is my personal journal that I have decided to share with everyone. The note here means a lot to me and I put it here so that I can retain a copy of it. I do not feel that I am worthy of the praise that is heaped upon me. The thoughts shared humble me greatly. The contents however were timely in nature based on the battle I currently wage and I think it amazing that the Lord knows what we need. I will share the note and then say something of its author.

I didn't want to put this out there....I just wanted to tell you how wonderful I think you are. You are quite a man.....you have taken on this role in your life with such grace and joy that I love reading your posts. You lift me up.....you make me know there are really really good people out there doing good things for those they love. Don't ever doubt the role you have been given to live out. You are the rock and foundation for these children and grooming and preparing them for life ahead....out there where we live. Your love for them is obvious, your sense of humor in every situation is endearing.....you have been called upon to train up these children and you are doing a mighty fine job. Sure, there are days when I bet you wonder but when you look back you will know that you were Divinely guided. I always had a saying....." I'll take all of the credit and NONE of the blame." I figure, just like you John, I did the best I could with what I had at the moment. We may have to tweak it down the road......but that's okay....they are flexible. I pray for you and your family every day.......keep up the good work. You are a good man......raising very good children. Love, Susan..

Some of my dear friends are Jeff and Tammy Holmes in Lakeland. Amazing people. I love them dearly. Jeff has always been like a brother to me and let me just throw in that he rocks Neil Diamond karaoke. His signature song - Sweet Caroline. I only hope to deliver it as well as Jeff. Tammy is pure in heart and such an example of service. Anyway, we spent several holidays with Jeff and Tammy, we shared in birthday celebrations and other fun a raucous activities. On our first fourth of July in Florida I met Jeff's parents John and Susan. These are wonderful people. John passed away a few years ago. What a man. So full of life and so full of fun. Susan is equally full of life and fun and she has always been so sweet to me and to the family. I always knew that when I went to a function with the Holmes family I was going to receive some motherly love from Susan.

And so Susan sent me this message today. I don't have any sort of correspondence with Susan, Jeff or Tammy other than seeing the occasional FaceBook post. This message from her was completely out of the blue. I don't believe it was merely coincidence or chance that she sent it. For that I am humbly grateful. Yes, I wept when I read it.

I love people. I am grateful for the people I meet and I look forward to future days when I will meet them again.

Pack Away

I have continued with packing today. I spent some time in the boys room going through toys. I thinned it out some but that was primarily McDonald's toys and the like. I don't think it is anything that they will miss. Nothing that they actually play with. Then there are the children's books. Oh my goodness we have a ton of those. I have two boxes full and still have more to do and that is just the books in the boys room.

What are the things worth hanging on to in life? What is worthy of keeping and what is worth parting with? That can be a tough question and one that I will have to wrestle with when I take on Natalie's room in the next few days. I am not exactly looking forward to that as Natalie likes to save everything.

Oh my goodness, this is always fun to do. I have two and a half weeks and a lot of work ahead of me. If I thought I was going to catch up on rest and relaxation while the kids are in Alaska I was certainly mistaken.

Restore

I worked with a very interesting product today that was really quite amazing. It took old worn out, stained concrete and resurfaced it. It restored the concrete to like new or better than new condition. I was actually quite impressed with how well it worked. We will see the final product tomorrow after it has finished setting and drying. What a difference it has made.

I will share only one thought on the matter. There is only one who has the power to take something and restore it to as new or better than new condition. that would be the Savior. Through Baptism we are made whole. Through worthily partaking of the Sacrament we are allowing the Lord to restore our Spirits to new or better than new condition. I am grateful for that and for the love the Savior has for each of us. Well, before I applied the product I had to pressure wash and scrub the area. When the surface had been cleansed of dirt I applied the restore. It took preparation, work and then restoring. So it is with us when we worthily partake of the sacrament.

Grateful for the day. Ran the 5K tonight with Amy. 28:58 minutes was my time tonight. I am happy that I was under a 10 minute mile but not real happy with the time. I thought I would do better. Well, something to shoot for.

Ratings, Our Responsibility

We have had some interesting discussions relative to movie ratings in the last 24 hours. It in an interesting topic and one that I think I will share a couple of thoughts on.

When I was just a lad my father decided that we were not going to watch R rated movies. That was a real bummer because this decision came shortly after I saw First Blood which I happened to quite enjoy and threatened the rest of my Rambo series viewage. I am not proud to say the I managed to see all of these movies as a youth but I did. That said, it took me a few years to climb on board with the idea that R rated movies were probably not what I should be watching. I have pretty much gone cold turkey other then movies that were edited for television.

It is kind of funny that I found myself watching previews and hoping for a PG13 rating believing that this would make whatever the content of the film was okay. I was always a little disappointed when an R rating was attached to a movie I wanted to see but that decision was made and so I could easily let it go. I never really felt at all tempted to watch at that point.

I have found over the years that more and more of the PG13 movies are laced with filth and are simply trash. As we have discussed the topic some the idea that all Rated R movies are bad and Rated PG13 movies are good has been broached. This is simply false. I am sure that there are some extremely good Rated R movies out there and at the same time there are some very poor and filthy PG13 movies.

Throughout this discussion we have talked about personal responsibility. We have to seek to have the Spirit in our lives and if we are watching something, be it a rated R or PG13 or something on TV that drives that Spirit away, then it is probably best that we not engage in viewing that. If we are watching something that honestly helps us to draw nearer to the Lord and makes us a better person then it is probably okay. We are the judge of that. We cannot put our faith and trust in some board to determine what is and what is not good for us to watch. First, who are these people and why would we sacrifice our Spiritual well being to them? Second, this is not how the Lord works. Joseph Smith taught the concept that he teaches correct principles and allows us to govern ourselves. The Prophets have not come out and said do not watch R rated movies. Shocking I know. We seek after anything that is lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy. If we believe that a simple rating qualifies or disqualifies something from that standard then we have placed our trust in the wrong source.

I am certain that this particular topic may cause some to question my testimony. Look, I have joked some about suddenly feeling this freedom to go out and watch a bunch of R rated movies. That is not reality. Reality for me is a responsibility I feel to seek the Spirit in my life, to follow it's promptings and to be brave in doing so. I am still responsible for whatever I subject myself to regardless of the rating. Just because the World tells me something is okay based on some rating does not relieve me of my responsibility. I am accountable for the decisions I make.

As a note a search on lds.org for R-Rated Movies will yield several articles written on the subject. There isn't however a definitive statement from the First Presidency on the matter. Here is an excerpt from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet on the matter. It tends to guide us in a manner that encourages seeking the guidance of the Spirit, taking personal responsibility and avoiding those things that would be offensive to the Spirit.

Whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you. Therefore, choose only entertainment and media that uplift you. Good entertainment will help you to have good thoughts and make righteous choices. It will allow you to enjoy yourself without losing the Spirit of the Lord.

While much entertainment is good, some of it can lead you away from righteous living. Offensive material is often found in web sites, concerts, movies, music, videocassettes, DVDs, books, magazines, pictures, and other media. Satan uses such entertainment to deceive you by making what is wrong and evil look normal and exciting. It can mislead you into thinking that everyone is doing things that are wrong.

Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable.

Pornography in all its forms is especially dangerous and addictive. What may begin as a curious indulgence can become a destructive habit that takes control of your life. It can lead you to sexual transgression and even criminal behavior. Pornography is a poison that weakens your self-control, changes the way you see others, causes you to lose the guidance of the Spirit, and can even affect your ability to have a normal relationship with your future spouse. If you encounter pornography, turn away from it immediately.

Depictions of violence often glamorize vicious behavior. They offend the Spirit and make you less able to respond to others in a sensitive, caring way. They contradict the Savior’s message of love for one another.

Have the courage to walk out of a movie or video party, turn off a computer or television, change a radio station, or put down a magazine if what is being presented does not meet Heavenly Father’s standards. Do these things even if others do not. Let your friends and family know that you are committed to keeping God’s standards. You have the gift of the Holy Ghost, which will give you strength and help you make good choices. "Entertainment and the Media," For the Strength of Youth: Fulfilling Our Duty to God, (2001)

Dumping

Today was the day of the sneak peak and that went well. There were quite a few things to do still this morning in preparation for said peak. One of those things was a trip to the dumps. Dave and I made the drive out and parted ways with some fine items like the arching black and gold shelving unit. Oooohhhh that was a nice one. We also dumped old table booths that don't fit and that we cannot store. It was a good load of trash actually. Whilst dumping Dave and i were talking about the guy that was working there, driving the big tractor. I do believe that we both thought it would be fun to work at the dump driving tractor and just pushing peoples trash around.

What is it about the dump that makes it such a great place to visit? Maybe it is just being able to let go and unload? Perhaps the sweet smell that exists there? Though there are none present at our local landfill I do remember seagulls at the dump. That always reminded me of the story of the seagulls coming and devouring the crickets that were taking out the crops of early Mormon settlements. What a bird. Seriously though, the dump is a fun place. I know my kids love going there even though they can't get out of the car. I was noting all the plastic bags that the wind carried into the fences. That totally reminds me of Ezibeleni Township outside of Queenstown where I served for four months. Crazy. Anywho, a dump run is a wonderful thing, highly recommended.

I need to get one of those nifty keyboards that is designed for the normal positioning of your wrists. The standard keyboard has become most uncomfortable in recent weeks with this carpal tunnel thing. This is really just a side note because I am hurting at the moment and it popped into my mind. I do quite like the wrist guards that I picked up a couple weeks ago. I have been able to sleep again and that is, well, welcome.

So anyway the sneak peak went pretty well. I am quite happy about that and hopeful that we will begin to see more and more traffic. I am really looking forward to getting the restaurant side up and moving. I think that we may need to start practicing on the grill as soon as the electrician gets it wired. I know I want to cook up some stuff and get that rolling. Time for an ultimate bacon 3 cheese philly. Mmmmm, deliciouso. I think and hope that it will go well. Certainly exciting to see it well received by those that visited.

Progression

I am simply going to say that the shop is progressing. We are nearing the finish... I think. Wow, I am sitting here exhausted. I got home tonight at 10:30 and we have an early day tomorrow. We need to make a dump run, we need to set the counter, we need to finish the face of the front counter, we need to hang some antique doors, and we have to get everything cleaned up and ready for a sneak peak that is on schedule from noon to 3. Holy smokes it has been a crazy couple of months. I really look forward to being done, to being open, to working on furniture projects again. Oh won't that be nice? Sometimes when we are in the middle of something we don't recognize the growth that is taking place. Perhaps that is how I feel about the progression of the LBH. I have been at it everyday and you don't always recognize the progress and the growth when you are in the middle of it. Well, we have progressed to the point that we are almost done. It has been a fun project and there have been many lessons throughout it. Grateful for the experience for sure.

Fishing

When I was the Scoutmaster in Carson City the troop would go camping every month. It was the best calling I've ever had. I loved going out with the scouts. I always came prepared with a spiritual thought for the Scoutmaster Minute during the fireside. I've previously posted about training fleas so I won't go into those details - they can be found in the archives, most likely November of 2010. Anyway that was one of the lessons I shared at the fireside. There were several others that I shared and I hope the boys got something out of them. Anyhow, training fleas has to do with rejection. Whenever I'd talk to a group of boys or technicians about fleas I would always close with something like "don't be a flea". I need that sometimes.

Scouts like to go fishing. I have never been a great fisherman myself but I do enjoy casting and reeling. That is a good thing cause that is all I ever tend to do. I might get a nibble now and again, just something to tease me and keep me going. In the end I never bring home the fish and after a while I grow tired of casting and reeling with not results at which point I will retire the rod and reel and go jump in the lake. I don't really mind not catching the fish because I don't particularly enjoy fish. I do like jumping in the lake though.

I remember going fishing in Hawaii when I was a deacon. We went out to the Island Hopper pier in Waimanalo where parts of Magnum PI were filmed. There was a huge fish that was hanging out under the pier and I was trying to catch it. Ended up it was a bait stealer. Anyway, I remember trying to keep my bait in front of the fish and leaning over the side of the pier pushing the rod further and further under the pier when I lost my grip and dropped the rod in the water. It sank to the bottom and the fish swam away. So there I was sitting a top the pier while my rod and reel were sitting on the ocean floor. Actually I think that it was Jim's get up and I thought he would work me over if I came home without it so I was trying to figure out how to get it. Ahhh, Jonas Otsuji jumped in, swam down and got it. I always did like Jonas.

Fishing is one of those things that can lend itself to a lot of rejection. I get rejected a lot when I go fishing. As I pull my empty line out of the water the fish like to jump out and say "no worries mate, there are plenty of fish in the sea". Yes there are and so I try again, and again, and again until I finally either set my gear aside or drop it in the water.

I'm beginning to learn that dating is a lot like fishing. For me that means that there is a lot of rejection. I keep trying, all be it slowly. Being rejected by the fish is not a big deal because I don't like fish. Being rejected in dating hurts because I actually like the ladies that I date. So like the flea who hits his head on the lid of the jar or the scoutmaster that can't catch a fish, I get to the point when it is easier to stop trying. Why bother continuing to do something that leads to pain? Maybe because I need to I guess. I have to hold on to hope that one day I will find a lady that is looking for my particular brand of bait. Oh there have been a few that I really hoped would be lured in but apparently my babe magnetism lacks, well, magnetism. Maybe I should just forget it, drop my pole and jump in the lake.

Minute Men

I am not going to be able to give a full historical account of the famed Minute Men from the revolutionary period of our Nations history. I will say that these were men who could be called on at a moments notice and were there ready to fight or perform their duty. Several years ago, shoot back when Natty was born, we lived in the Laurelwood Ward in the Las Vegas South Stake. Bishop Lowe was our Bishop and it was in one of our leadership meetings that he compared the brethren of the Priesthood to the Minute Men. Many Priesthood holders stand ready to serve when called on to do so. They are ready, willing, and able to perform their sacred duty. That is one of those lessons that I recall on occasion. Probably because I need reminding. Anyhow, do I stand ready to move when called upon to do so? I try to be ready.

I was painting the cooler that we are going to be using for flowers early this evening and received a call from President Fawson. The Miners were in process of moving some heavy items and Jacob was hard at work with his brother. They were going to go at it alone so President Fawson decided we needed to help. He will have no arguments from me on that one. When the call comes you go and so I finished the last part of what I was working on and headed over.

Is there anything truly fun about lifting a box and moving it from point A to point B? I don't know that there is. I do know this, I have a great time helping people. I have a great time associating with whom I labor. At first it was just President Fawson and I along with Jacob and his brother. I asked who else had been called and assumed the President had sent out a text message. No. It was just he and I. I guess that question sparked a little something and President sent out a text to some of the brethren. Now, here is the neat thing. The Minute Men responded. In a few minutes there was Todd Allen, Will Bagnal and Ron Cardon. A few minutes later there was another brother from the High Priests Group. His name escapes me. Suddenly we were loaded, tied down and on the road. I love to see the Priesthood respond and it is a testimony of what Bishop Lowe taught 10 years ago.

I have to note that Jacob has made some of their furniture. Bunk beds for the boys, a book shelf and an aramoire come to mind. I am sure there are others. Anyway, I loved it. What a talent. The other thing I loved and teased Jacob about was the heft associated with everything he made. The guy does not mess around (I don't know how to spell aramoire and spell check marked this wrong yet had no suggestions outside of armor. Yeah, well, we will stick with it mispelled and hope you all know what I am talking about). The bunk beds will withstand anything his boys will ever be able to dish out. Sturdy, solid, no messing around. The aramoire was not overly huge but the thing weighed more then a Volkswagen. Unfortunately the aramoire suffered a fatal blow in the move. One of the legs broke off. We were repositioning it in the garage and another came off. Actually it appeared to be a repeat of a past problem and I think it may stem from the fact that the unit weighs a ton and the little legs were held on with a few brats. Anyhow, it should be fixed easily.

I had some good laughs with Jacob and the rest of the brethren. Jacobs brother kept calling me Fontaine and asking if that was right. He was a fun dude and we talked a bit about the sandwich shop opening. It is funny but there is a lot of excitement about this thing. That makes me happy. Now we just need to open her up. The Minute Men need to eat.

Be A Pig

I committed earlier today to go running with Amy at 11:00 when she gets off work. I actually committed again when she sent a follow up text a little over an hour ago. I must be some sort of an idiot. The original plan was to write the blog and then run on the elliptical for an hour while watching a movie. That is my routine. I am a routine guy. Now I have to gear up in the next 45 minutes to hit the streets. I am thinking right now that the commitment was a skosh premature and I would much rather go to bed at the moment. No, that would cause me to break a commitment. And so we will go and I am sure it will be great. On the bright side, I won't have to pick out a new movie to watch.

Speaking of movies, last night I finished Seabiscuit. That is a great movie, a great story. It is inspiring and it offers hope. I love the level of commitment that exists in this story. I love the message of hope during challenging times. I love that when both Red and Seabiscuit are never suppose to be able to ride or race again, they defy the odds and do come back AND they win! I have found in my life's circumstances that I am sometimes down. Currently I am enduring and working through a challenging period of my life and that is okay. It will pass. There is hope in the future and a great need to have that hope as it is a source of strength.

One of President Sweeney's favorite sayings or quotes was "stuffing 4 lbs. or sausage in a 3 lbs bag" but that is not the quote I am referring to. No he said "at breakfast the chicken is involved but the pig is committed". So I guess what I am saying is when I give my word I want to be a pig. When it comes to the gospel and following the Savior, I want to be a pig. When it comes to raising my kids well and being a great dad, I want to be a pig. So, in the footsteps of my brother in law Nigel, I am no longer John. No, you may now refer to me as Wilbur. Some Pig!

The Little Things

I think one of the biggest pains when it comes to moving are the last few little things that seem to linger there. We are at a point where we have tackled much of the big stuff at the Brick House Cafe` and we have a lot of little detail work to do now. That is not as fun but still a necessity. Actually it is just fine but perhaps a bit hard to keep track of. I was reviewing the master list of things to do and it is pretty much complete. This did not include the details and so now I think I need to sit and list out all the little details so we can be sure not to miss them. Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun...

Jay and the fam were on a walk and stopped in this evening for a bit. That was great especially when Jay helped move some furniture from across the street. Ma has been moving a lot of the small stuff and we have the bigger furniture to move now. Shucks, that is like the opposite of our construction schedule except that there will still be the little things to do after the furniture gets moved. I am not on packing duty so that is fine.

Well, I am rambling on a bit here. Let me say this. The little things are key in life. Spiritually we are taught by a still small voice. Yes there are times when we can experience big or intense spiritual promptings and they are wonderful. Most of the time the guidance we receive comes through faith and a listening ear to the quiet promptings of the spirit. I was pondering testimony meeting some over the last couple of days and how this meeting has always been one of my favorites because of the Spirit that I feel there. It is a quiet prompting without a lot of fanfare. The promptings of the Spirit are often small but they are very real. I am grateful for the little things in life. Indeed it is the little things that make all the difference.

KB and The High Priests

I walked in to Sacrament Meeting today, solo, and Ken Bettridge spotted me. He gave me his signature wink and thumbs up and then invited me to join him and Brother Doug Maxwell on the Deacons bench. And so I went up and shook hands with these good men and then Brother Clark joined and it was an honor to have the opportunity to pass the Sacrament today with my friends. Brother Jacob Miner came and joined me so that I wasn't the only non gray haired, I mean non silver haired Deacon. Brother Yuri was there as well but his hair is a bit peppery. I have really enjoyed the older brothers in the 7th Ward. They are good men. Ken has been a tremendous friend to me and the kids since we moved in and I appreciate that signature wink and thumbs up. I get it from him every week and it gives me strength to carry on. The High Priests have all been kind and more then one has put an arm around me to let me know that I am doing a good job. I get a little misty thinking about it because it has meant a lot to me. I battle a lot with feeling like I am not doing a very good job and that I am failing in many ways. I guess we are always our toughest critic. Anyhow, these men who I look up to help to strengthen my feeble knees and lift me up. I am grateful for them.

Now let me say a word about Brother Jacob Miner. Jacob has been a friend since we first moved into the ward. He served in South Africa as well. He served in Joburg after I was already home but I think you share a special connection with people that have served in the same general area as you. Maybe not. I really can't speak for everyone. Suffice to say I feel a connection to those who have served in South Africa. Today was his families last Sunday in the Ward. I have teased him a bit about moving out but I have to say that I am going to miss my friend. I am sad to see them go. That is how life seems to be though. I am grateful that for the last year he and his family have been here. I appreciate that this brother befriended me in a very difficult time in my life.

I have said a lot about the Angels that are here among us and those sweet sisters that were such a blessing to our family in Florida. Here there have been family and friends including KB and the High Priests as well as Jacob Miner, who have been Angels. I am very grateful for them.

I missed hearing my kids share their testimonies today. I did get tho hear their cousins and several others from the primary stand and share but missed them. I talked to Natty and she said church was good but they didn't get up. I am sure it was a little intimidating being the first time in the Ward. Maybe Jack will share his thoughts on straight rows of benches next month. The good members of Alaska should not be denied the pleasure of those testimonies and if they are I am sure the members of the 7th Ward in Cedar City will love to welcome them back.

Adjusted

One of my good friends from Florida is Dr. David Thompson. We were in the brotherhood of the clerkship together. That is what a friend of ours, Del Murphy, referred to our service in the Stake as. He was, or still is the Stake Clerk and I was the Exec. Secretary and we spent a lot of time together. He is a chiropractor by profession and there were a couple of times that he adjusted people right there in the clerks office. He offered to give me an adjustment every now and again but I never took him up on the offer. Over the last couple of months I have thought how nice it might be to have those offers again and to take advantage of them. The fact is I am a couple of months shy of my 38th birthday and have never been to a chiropractor. I have never been "adjusted".

Today I was back at the Brick House or the building formerly known as the Ron and Chris Bakery. We are getting closer everyday. Mom is moving stuff in. I am still finding stuff to degrease. Dave got the door to the women's bathroom done and the old man is building a fabulous fence on the front of the building. I don't know who came up with this fence idea but I love it. At one point I was there solo and Dr. Biggs came in. I don't know what his actual name is, I only know him as Dr. Biggs of Accident and Injury Chiropractic. I have talked to him a few times. Anyhow, I decided I needed to ask him a few questions. As noted previously I have had a lot of problems in my hands going numb, not being able to grip, waking me up at night. He took a quick look, felt a few things, popped a couple of things and it made some sudden improvements. He then had me walk down the hall and back. Apparently I am all sorts of screwed up. He gave me his standing adjustment - apparently he mastered it at his sisters wedding when a lot of people wanted an adjustment. Anyhow, that was pretty cool. A bit later he gave me another back popping adjustment. Wow.

So I have yet to go and visit with a chiropractor. I did, however, get visited by a chiropractor and now I have officially been adjusted. Fun times people.

Hazel Nutty

I have developed a love for Nutella. Actually first had Nutella in the Republic of South Africa. Mmmm, delicious. I did not know of this tasty dish before happening upon it as a missionary. Later I found it quite popular in the States, well, Kobe Bryant of the LA Lakers was a young star in the NBA at the time and was quite the fan of Nutella. Can you blame him? The stuff is good.

Lately I have gotten in to trying to make Nutella myself. I have been working from one basic recipe with adjustments for sugar. It simply has not turned out very good and I wanted to try something new. Tonight I did. I certainly got a lot more out of it filling four jars as opposed to one and a half jars. I really hope it tastes good. We'll find out tomorrow.

I do have to say that the Vitamix is a butt whoopin piece of machinery. Wow, it works awesome. I think you could probably make butter out of just about anything with the Vitamix. Well, I'm not looking for just about anything. No, it is the hazels that have me a bit nutty at the moment.

Back to Basics

One of my favorite quotes as a missionary was from Elder L. Tom Perry in a talk that I think was called Back to Gospel Basics. I am taking a time out and heading to lds.org to pull the quote... Oh how I love technology. Yes, April 1993 Back to Gospel Basics. Here is the quote:

In the Lord’s instructions to His children, we find sublime consistency. What the Lord has declared to be right will always be right. What He has declared to be true will always be true. What He has declared to be sinful will always be sinful. Rest assured that when the so-called “enlightened” doctrines of men contradict the holy scriptures, they will only bring heartache, disappointment, and destruction to the souls of mankind.

My good friend Beau Bingham (Mike and Liana's Bishop for a time) and I use to quote this regularly while doing our best impersonation of Elder Perry. Those were fun times never to be forgotten. Anyway the message is true. I am a fairly simple person by nature. I don't delve into the deep doctrinal vortex and I tend not to get too caught up on world events and other things. I have my habits and my routines. This blog happens to be the product of habit and a decision made years ago to write in my journal every day. There have been plenty of days when I have sat down completely exhausted and have penned or now typed something because I am committed to it. Perhaps I am a creature of habit and that isn't bad so long as the habits are good ones. I would submit that creating habits with the basics of the gospel are good habits to form. By the way, it takes 21 days to create a habit. How long does it take to break a habit? Well, 21 days.

There was a time in my life when I made a decision that I could be in the Temple every week. I was living in Vegas and that beautiful Temple was right there. It was easy to get there and I could do it. I thought often about the people I served in South Africa and how long of a trip it was for them to get to the Johannesburg Temple. Anyway it motivated me to be there regularly and so I made a few changes to my schedule and Wednesday nights became my Temple night and without fail I was there every Wednesday evening. It is one of those decisions in life that I will ever be grateful for.

So back to basics. I have not had a regular Temple night in many years and decided a couple of days ago that it needs to happen again. I noted this in my blog from two days ago. Thursday evenings are my Temple night and tonight was the first. I went today with a prayer in my heart for my children and felt the other day that this was something that I could do for them while they are away. It is something I can do for them all the time and I will continue this endeavor when they return home. I don't know of a better place to be.

Amy and I went down together. We had a little business to do first and then she dropped me off at the Temple and went shopping. When she picked me up she brought a surprise - sushi. I happen to enjoy Sushi but please note - I like basic sushi with cooked stuff. I was introduced to raw tonight - thank you Amy. Not a fan of the raw or looking at bright orange fish eggs sitting atop of something I am putting in my mouth. No, when it comes to Sushi we can go back to the basics there as well.

electronic media

I was sending a message to a friend today that included a yo momma's so fat joke in it. I sent the original joke and then I re-wrote the joke in the way I would have likely written it. Here it is:

Yo mamma so fat she sat on a quarter and a booger shot out of George Washington’s nose.

I think it safe to say this was probably written by a brotha. If I had written this particular joke it would have read more like this:

Your mother is, shall we say obese. So obese in fact that the other day she sat down on a quarter and while doing so a green and hardened mucas substance commonly referred to as a booger went flying right out of President George Washington's nasal passage. It simply flew right out of that silver coin. Wow! It was quite an amazing thing. You should be proud.

The original joke is obviously straight to the point and to the point no fakin' while I dance around with details in mine. The original gets the job done and doesn't waste any time while I get a bit overbearing. Well crap, not much I can do about it. That is just the way I write. I much prefer a blog post to a facebook post. Likewise blogging can be much more detailed then your average text. I do like both facebook and texting but prefer the blog. It gives me the freedom to write and detail the way I like to. I feel constrained with the others though I have been known to send text messages that take upwards of 3 screens or whatever you call it. Look, I don't speak or type text and it is just to hard to send something without at least a little detail.

Short notes on Facebook are fun but I much prefer a good blog post. I like reading what people have to say and I think a blog post gives you a sense of how they feel and who they are. I just got caught up on Liana's "Fontano Rememberences" blog which I highly recommend. I loved it and found myself laughing quite a bit. I enjoy the stories and the updates.

As much as I love the blog posts and the more ancient style of lengthy detailed writings, I quite enjoyed the multiple play by play text messages I got from Natty today as she has detailed their travels to Alaska. My last update was them getting on the plane in Seattle. I am looking forward to hearing that they have arrived safely. Well, text away Natty. Text away.