9 Years of Andyboy

Today is Andy's 9th birthday.  We had a fine day as we celebrated his birth and life.  What a wonderful boy he is.  I got him a puppy for his birthday.  He is very excited.  It's name is Bentley and he is battery operated.  Andy can pat him on the head and give him instructions.  He is good at playing dead and lifted his leg on occasion as well.  Fortunately there are no messes to clean up, no food to buy, no baths to give.  I am a fan of the electric puppy.  Andy was thrilled.  He has played with it and given instructions to it. I really like the no clean up aspect of this electric puppy.  I can't help it.  I caved and allowed it to happen... sort of.

Home Teaching

I remember a talk from Conference a few years back when President Monson was sharing some obituaries he had seen recently.  One of them said "Gone home teaching".  Seems like a good way to go.  He also said there will be home teaching in the next life, it will just be more perfected. Anyway, I do find joy in home teaching.  Last week Brother Leko and I visited with the Arnold family and tonight we visited with the Scholes.  These are good families with wonderful children who are a joy to share the gospel with.  I shared the lesson this month from President Monson who declared that the youth of the church are a light unto the world. We discussed that a bit and talked about what a light does.  We discussed things we can do to strengthen our testimonies and increase our light. In these two home the children are taught the gospel and it is apparent when we have a discussion like we did tonight.  I had a great time tonight with the youngest, Dre, climbing all over me.  I sit in the popular computer chair or office chair and Dre and I usually have some fun.  He climbed right up behind me tonight and kept sticking his head out and laughing.  I leaned back a few times and pretended to be surprised that there was something in the chair.  He would laugh, I would laugh, everyone pretty much laughed.  Good times.  Good times that are had by home teaching.  I have been their home teacher since before Dre was born.  In the last 4 years we have had some great visits and experiences.  That happens because we go.  What a joy it is to home teach.  I suppose one of these days I might have said of me, "gone home teaching" and I wouldn't mind a bit.  It is good to go. 

Finishing Up

Today I set out to finish up some projects.  I managed to get a few of things done.  Got the trim down on the flooring finished in 3 out of 5 doors that needed it and the other two are cut out and ready to go but the concrete bit died so I need to buy another.  I am happy with it as it cleans up the doorways and looks pretty sharp.  I also trimmed out two doors downstairs.  The office and the train room both needed it.  I tried to do something different with it and ended up not liking it so much but I don't have the product to go back and fix it so we will leave it as it is.  I have a lot of silicone work to do on the baseboards and the door frames.  I also tried my hand at crown molding.  Um, that was not as easy as I thought it would be.  I ended up burning through a length of molding because I kept cutting it wrong.  I finally cleaned everything up and switched saws.  Success.  Holy smokes.  Unfortunately I was about 10 feet short so I couldn't finish.  I might be pulling some down to fix it a bit better.  This entire thing soaked up my day and I spent a lot more time on it than I wanted to.  It is nice to be getting the house projects done.  There will always be more but these are the ones I wanted done prior to school starting.  I am a bit late but we are getting there. 

Tubaless

We started out the school year with such high hopes.  Jack was excited to join the band and to try his hand at the Tuba.  Well he has been having a rough go in band.  Apparently there are a couple of boys that have figured out things that Jack finds irritating and they are purposely doing them.  This set Jack off a bit and after having words with the boys he left the class.  He went to skills which was locked so he sat on the floor.  The principal, who I know and am so happy she is the new principal there, found him and brought him back to her office.  Well, at the end of the day Jack has decided he is done with the band.  I was concerned that it would be over stimulating for him.  I think that is part of it.  It also sounds like it could be a bit chaotic.  They gave him the choice of a study hall during that time or sticking with the band.  When we got in the car he disclosed that he wants the study hall and to drop the band.  Well, done. 

Audio Please

I have a talent for falling asleep when I sit down to read.  I guess reading is not the qualifier as I have a talent for falling asleep when I sit down period.  That said, reading or attempting to read long and boring chapters in college books is a recipe for, well, sleep.  I was going to say destruction but I don't look at sleep as being destructive so I chose not to use such an ugly word when discussing sleep.  Anyway, I am doing my best to get through some stuff but these eyes are determined to rest.  I need me some audio for my college text books.  I can listen to the book while I do other things and that allows me to get something out of it.  There is certainly enough money in these books for the publisher to afford an audio version.  You don't have to distribute anything, just make it available via the internet.  It would be so much nicer for me anyway.  I know I am not alone in this.  There have to be others who say good night when the eyes meet the textbook.  I know I had one book last year that had the audio and I loved it.  Now we just need to add more. 

Pressing Forward

I went to class this morning.  I don't recall how long the sickly feelings lasted at the beginning of last semester.  It just gets overwhelming for me and to have Jack going through some issues as he transitions to middle school just seems to compound the sickly feelings.  I'll get through it.  There are going to be things about the semester that I just don't like but I must press forward.  I am not thrilled, I don't love being in school, I don't know if I should really go for special ed, I don't know what the heck I should do.  It is hard.  It is hard to think about working with special needs kids and facing challenges with them everyday like I face with Jack.  When he is having a bad day it is hard to deal with, it is exhausting to deal with.  Hopefully I can pick up some direction as I go through some of these classes.  Got to keep pressing forward regardless.  It is hard, I don't want to sometimes but I need to. 

Struggling

Tonight I am struggling.  Having some difficulty feeling motivated to do the school thing.  This semester is feeling like a lot and seems like it is going to be somewhat tough.  If it were just me taking care of me that might not be a big deal but tonight I got to sit down with Jack to do his homework.  It appears that Jack has homework because he is not getting it done in class.  Not just one thing that he didn't get done and not something he really even got partially done.  So here I am helping him to accomplish his homework and when I think we've got it he pulls out something else and when I think we got it he pulls out something else and then I am pretty sure we got it and suddenly there is another paper that is completely blank.  I guess we'll do that one tomorrow along with whatever else he is bringing home.  This kind of stuff is really discouraging to me and so as I said previously, I am struggling.  I am trying my best to manage the business but that isn't easy.  I've got employees with a wide variety of needs and planning around those needs is time consuming and can be quite frustrating.  I'm doing my best to be a good father and to lead my kids in the proper way and to assist them as best I can in their schooling.  Sometimes that means I am doing their schooling with them or for them.  There are all the other things that come with running a home.  Keeping up with that alone is a major chore.  Adding my own education in the mix and the amount of work I am looking at right now, it is tough.  This is definitely my least favorite part of the semester.  I have class tomorrow and I really don't want to go and that needs to change or it will be a very long semester.  So anyway, struggling. 

Back in Class

Well today the fall semester started at SUU.  I am back in the classroom.  Not super excited about my classes but that is normal.  I remember very clearly wanting to throw up on my first day last semester.  It is not my favorite thing as it just feels so overwhelming and I wonder how I will ever do it.  I am a bit nervous with two new professors this semester, it is their first time at SUU and that idea makes me think they will be tough, out to prove something.  I don't know.  Maybe it will be just fine.  Regardless I think I have a couple of challenging classes.  One particularly will be my special ed class that is just shy of 3 hours on Monday afternoons.  Going to have to push myself to stay awake in that one. 

Anyhow, day one in the books.  I wish I could say I am ready for day 2 but I've got a lot of reading to do. 

Only One Tree

There were two sisters in the Ward who spoke today in Sacrament Meeting.  They had been assigned the conference talk entitled Stand By the Tree from the last conference by Elder Kevin W. Pearson.  It is really a good talk with a powerful message based on the vision of the Tree of Life found in 1 Nephi 8.  Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life is on the list of favorite scripture stories.  I always enjoy reviewing this chapter and the other chapters detailing the explanation of the dream given to Nephi.   Anyway, in the talk from the first sister, I want to say Sister Mutan but I have no idea, she made a comment that the world is filled with a forest of trees but we need only be concerned with one, the Tree of Life.  I like that.  I really like that.  Certainly the adversary is a skilled impersonator and will do everything in his power to lead us astray.  There will be other trees that mimic the Tree of Life and we may find ourselves there if we fail to hold to the iron rod which leads us to the Tree of Life.  The scriptures and words of living prophets accompanied by prayer and steadfast devotion to our Heavenly Father will guide us to the Tree of Life.  That isn't a direct quote of Sister Mutan, I didn't write it down, but that is similar to what she said.  I quite enjoyed the talks by both of these Sisters and know that there is strength that comes when we Stand by the Tree. 

Answers

Last night when I was getting in bed, in major pain and barely walking, I looked at my phone and there was a message from Dave saying Dani might be going in to labor and he might need me to work from 10 to 1 but he thought Amy would cover it.  I sent him a message that I was barely walking, to keep me informed and I would do what I needed to do.  At that point it was time to pray and so I did and prayed that I would be able to walk and function if the need was there. I prayed also for Dani and Dave.  Anyway, I didn't hear back and so figured all was well.  I didn't go in at 10 but did go in at 11 when I dropped Natty off for work.  I received word about a food review so I sat down and addressed it online and then was talking with Dave when the phone rang, it was Dani and it was time.  Dave left.  I stayed, Brent came in early.  It was actually fairly quiet at the shop right up until that moment and then it got busy and it stayed busy and I stayed all day until just shy of closing.  Last night the amount of pain I was in was incredible, this morning I felt a lot better but still in some pain and then when I was needed the strength was there to make it happen.  I don't think that was just coincidence.  I am sitting here typing this and I am hurting, not as bad as last night but still hurting.  Anyhow, I am grateful for prayer and I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who is aware of the burdens of my day and who made them light.  Answers to prayers come in a variety of ways.  Today they came by way of physical strength in a time of need.  Some answers however don't come like working all day so you can support your brother and still waiting on word of the birth of your newest nephew.  I keep checking messages but there is nothing.  It's wonderful.  Hopefully tomorrow I will have the answer which I seek.  I have to be prepared for my role as uncle. 

Can't Walk

Can't walk... that might not be the appropriate title for this post.  I can walk but right now I can't walk without a significant amount of pain.  It must just be a bad day for the lower back because I am hurting big time.  I did go to the football game at Cedar High tonight and sat on the metal bleachers.  It was completely miserable by the time the game finished.  I could barely stand and certainly had to ease myself around.  There is some serious pain in my lower back and I've got to figure that out.  I have stretched much since coming home and tried to warm it up. Nothing is really happening.  I am struggling to sit, struggling to stand, struggling to walk.  It isn't fun but I will do my best.  Hoping I can get past this mess. 

Survived the First Day Back

The kids seem to have survived the first day back to school.  I'm not real sure how Jack managed to do so as I was barely falling asleep in the 1 AM hour Jack came into my room and said he was wide awake.  He was ready to get moving.  I told him to go to the bathroom and go back to bed.  If only that would have worked.  No it was one of those nights for Jack when you constantly wake up and are then wide awake and waiting for morning is dragging on because you never really fall into the deeper stages of sleep just a series of little naps.  That is highly frustrating especially when I can't sleep because I am constantly being asked if it is time to go or if I slept through the alarm.  Well, he made it.  Natty Sue had a fun day delivering sass.  She is starting drivers ed and just hit me with needing another $100 for that class fee.  I think I am going to die.  Anyhow, Andy had a great first day and so all the kids have turned in a good day.  All are completely passed out right now and that is a good thing.  Hopefully I will survive my first day of the fall semester on Monday.  I don't know that I will but we will do our best. 

EDU-EXPENSIVE

Between fees at public schools and the balance not covered by my grant at SUU as well as books I have shelled out over $1000 in the last, well 48 hours now.  That is a tough nut to swallow.  Not to disclose what I make on an annual basis but that is a significant portion of my income.  Nothing like having that sick feeling when you write the check to cover school fees.  If you are irritated by how much you pay in taxes for education know that those with kids in school are still shelling out a significant chunk of change for their child's free public education.  Heaven forbid they are involved in sports as well. That will take your breath away.  I was hit with a surprise number of fees at SUU that I certainly was not expecting.  At this point all I can say is oh well, small Christmas's are the best ones anyway.  I was looking to buy some used couches for the basement but I think we'll have to go for inflatable furniture in stead, perhaps used inflatable furniture with random patches throughout to stop the leakage.  Yep, that might just do it.  The slow leaks keep one from watching too many episodes of their new favorite show on the Netflix.  Alas, who can afford the Netflix with these rising fees in education?  So dang expensive. 

Just Working

School starts on Monday and I really want to finish some of the house projects that I have been working on prior to heading back.  I was all over the trim today in the living room and part of the kitchen.  I think the rest of the house should be relatively easy in comparison.  Hopefully in the next couple of days I can knock it all out.  I've got some shelving needs for storage in the garage to look at also and then getting everything put back together.  I also need to pick up some couches for the basement.  We have no furniture there.  I found some stuff on ksl and hopefully I can find a few other inexpensive options there.  I may not quite get there by Monday but it is a good target.  We are in the middle of school stuff with the kids.  I've still got back to school night for Jack tomorrow and that should wrap it up before the official first day of school for the kids hits on Thursday.  Last day of summer vacation tomorrow.  Hard to believe. 

Fun Home Evening

For Family Home Evening we mixed things up a bit and I grabbed a book I got for my birthday from my brother Mike called Food, A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan.  I randomly opened the book and we read a chapter on meats.  It was a fantastic commentary on bologna and how it is the bottom tier of meat.  Steak is at the top and bologna is at the bottom.  Spam doesn't qualify as meat thus cementing bologna in the position it holds as the worst of all meats.  It was such a fun chapter that we had to continue with the next chapter on bacon.  This was perhaps the most enjoyable of the three chapters we ended up reading tonight.  Bacon is the candy of meats.  Is there really anything more enjoyable than bacon?  The bacongodmother can make a blah meal into something magical simply by sprinkling bacon bits on the dish.  We finished it up with the next chapter on pastrami and deli sandwiches.  Jim Gaffigan is a tremendous talent and I had my 8, 11 and 15 year old kids glued to every word.  I highly recommend reading Food, A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan.  Read it aloud to your kids, they'll love it.  I certainly cannot pull off a Jim Gaffigan voice but I like to picture myself in all black standing in front of my crowd of three delivering this dialogue like the man himself.  I certainly need to find myself a bacon scarf.  I think with one of those I could go as Gaffigan for halloween this year.  It might be worth it.  I'll have to work on some bacon and hot pocket material. 

Farewell

So my neighbors daughter, Cassie Jo Jenkins gave her mission farewell talk today.  I don't know that we have official farewells any longer.  Maybe we do but they are a lot less than what they used to be.  I remember the productions that they once were with families taking the program with multiple talks, moms weeping, siblings singing and great honor being paid to the missionary to be.  That doesn't happen any longer, well it isn't common.  It may happen somewhere but not something I have personally seen in a long time.  Well, Cassie spoke in Church and she did a fabulous job.  I firmly believe that Cassie will be one of the hardest working missionaries in her mission.  She is a work horse.  She was an employee of mine for over a year and was one of the best I have had.  I like to say that her job interview was the day she came with her family and helped me move from the house next door into this one.  Her work ethic is incredible, she gives it her all.  She isn't a really vocal person and I used to tease her about making her hostess so she would have to talk to people, it would be a way of preparing her for the mission field.  Well, she hosted on occasion but I don't think we had a lot to do with her getting prepared for the field.  I believe it is her desire to serve the Lord and her love of the gospel that has helped her to prepare. It is parents who have taught her how to work.  She did stand and deliver today a message of power about the Sabbath Day and things we can do to keep it holy.  She was more animated than I have seen her in the past, she shared powerful testimony and she was filled with the Spirit.  I am excited to hear about her experiences. 

I have always loved the missionaries.  I love to hear their farewell talks and I love to hear their homecoming talks.  I love to hear them speak whilst in the field.  There is a great spirit about them.  I am grateful for the example they have been to me throughout my life.  I am grateful for their examples to my children.  I love that on High Council Sunday in this Stake we have recently returned missionaries speak.  Certainly my hope is that my children are listening and learning and feel the great spirit of missionary work, that they will have desires to serve also. 

Do Over

I have been working this week on a trim project for the stairs.  When I removed the carpet there was a gap that I needed to fill and I am just getting around to it.  Well, I started with what I crafted last night and once I had it installed it looked like crap.  I crafted crap.  Not the first time and certainly not the last.  Bathroom humor aside it did not turn out like I had hoped.  Today I tore it all out and decided to go to the Home Depot to see what other options existed.  I found a molding that I thought would work.  I picked it up and went to work.  It has turned out a lot nicer than what I had put together and I am much happier with the outcome.  I still have a lot of work to do but don't mind that.  I think it will turn out great.  I was trying to use as much of what I already had as possible but it just wasn't doing it for me.  I will still use it as firewood now so it won't be a complete waste.  Sometimes in life you just need to do it over. 

Joyful Moment

At work today I was helping to stock the salad bar and as I was in the kitchen I looked up and saw Natalie at the dishwasher working away.  This was her 3rd day on the job.  She is doing a good job.  Anyway, I was filled with joy as I saw her there having an opportunity to work.  I looked over at the line and saw 4 cooks hard at it and continued to be filled with joy as I thought about these guys.  I know the jobs we provide are not the best jobs out there, certainly they are not career positions.  Anyway it was a joyful moment as I pondered where we came from and where we are now.  I am glad we can provide some employment and that we have some good people working for us.  I am also thrilled to have Natty Sue working away.  She is wonderful. 

The Pain Continues

Today was a rough day.  I have been trying to stretch and loosen up to relieve some of the pain in my back.  Some days have been okay but today was a pain filled one.  My lower back, right of center is just killing me.  I don't know what the deal is there but I am trying to loosen it up.  I am guessing that I was on my feet too long yesterday and my back just tightened up.  Not sure what else it would be.  It was sore all day and made moving around interesting as I was being very cautious so as to not disturb the back.  That didn't work all that well.  Tonight however the boys and I went for a bike ride.  I did my best to stretch things out whilst on the bike.  I did come home and stretch out a bit afterwards and right now that seems to have helped.  Still pain but nowhere near as bad as it was earlier today.  The pain continues but I am hoping to change that narrative. 

Trimming Out

Finished putting down the flooring today and so the work of trimming out the house begins.  I measured out what I need and then I got started on sanding and cutting wood I need for the stairs.  I don't know how the stairs will ultimately look but when I removed the carpet from them I found a significant gap between the stairs and the wall.  Not everywhere but in certain areas.  I need to close that gap and make it uniform.  I think I have the right idea and hope it will look good.  It will be tricky.  I have delayed the trim work in areas I had finished before we moved in until now.  What a slacker.  My hope is to get it all done before school starts so I have a little over a week.  Good times ahead. 

Serving

Had the opportunity to go out and visit with Sister Belle this evening as a Sunday School Presidency.  It was Bro. Scholes and myself.  Anyway, we asked her to serve as the Gospel Doctrine Class President.  She happily accepted and was grateful for the opportunity to serve.  I certainly felt good going out and serving in my calling and was happy to see Sister Belle excited to serve.  As we serve others we are about the Lords business and we are in His service.  That feels good and brings a measure of satisfaction to our souls.  Sometimes that service may be a grand affair and at other times it might be a small act.  It was the widows mite that meant the most and this can be our offering to the Lord as we go forth.  We do the very best we can do, we give it everything we can.  Our offering will be acceptable to the Lord. 

Ride Like the Wind

I love it when Woody tells Bullseye to ride like the wind.  I repeat that line often.  I don't know that everyone I say it to realizes it is a quote from a movie but I do and that's what really matters.  Anyway, we had a little family bike ride tonight.  Jack wanted to do our SUU route in reverse.  It was a first time for Andy and Natty but they did just fine.  We did run into a little problem on the route and so reversed course and went an alternate route.  Some sort of construction project happening in the middle of campus.  That and a chain falling off of Natty's bike delayed us a bit but we certainly rode like the wind.  Andy was pushing it on his little bike.  Good times.  Happy to be out riding with the fam. 

It's Time

We had some really great talks in Sacrament meeting today by Andrew Maxwell and by the Visser family.  They spoke on the temple and it was really good.  I appreciated the comments that were shared by each.  Sister Visser spoke about her mission in New Jersey and being able to go and visit the Manhattan temple.  She talked about how noisy and busy the city is and how you walk into the temple and suddenly there is peace.  So true of the temple.  I have not been to Manhattan but I have been to many temples and am so very grateful for the peace found therein.  I quite enjoyed the messages today as they added to my own testimony of the temple of a place of peace, a place of learning and a place to draw nearer to the Lord.  It was a good meeting. 
There are great things in store for the people of Cedar City and surrounding areas as the time has come for the work to begin on the temple in this land.  I am grateful for that blessing and look forward to following the progress of this special building.  I look forward to the day it is completed and for the peace that will be found within its walls. 

Broken Ground

We had a rare opportunity this morning to watch the ground breaking ceremony for the Cedar City Temple.  It was pretty awesome.  There were some powerful talks given.  It was a wonderful outpouring and I am grateful to have had the opportunity.  My goodness I am beat.  Just need to close things down. 

42

Woke up this morning feeling like I was definitely older.  It has gotten a bit harder to rise in the morning as my back experiences certain pain and it takes a while to get it warmed up.  That is not real comfortable.  I will keep moving forward.

Anyhow, i enjoyed contacting friends who share the same birthday and to wish them well including Tim Nations, Lystra Pitts and  Kaden Leko.  I have enjoyed keeping in touch with Tim and Lystra for the last several years.  Kaden and I just discovered the shared birthday recently.  Anyhow, it is good to share your birthday with some good folks and great friends.  I enjoy these people and am grateful for their friendship.

Had some birthday wishes from friends and family on the Facebook.  Grateful for the love and kindness extended to  me and my family.  42, it's not hardly as old as I used to think it was.    

Mr. Hodges

A couple weeks back one of my friends from Florida, Jason Hodges, sent me a message saying he was coming through Cedar and wanted to stop in.  Well, today was the day that he was coming through and so this afternoon he and his oldest son stopped in at the Brick House and we had a fun reunion of sorts.  It was great to sit and visit and find out what was happening with him and his family.  They moved to Wyoming a while back and are loving it.  Fantastic.  These are good people who were a tremendous support to me back in the days of loneliness and despair.  They were a support in other times as well.  Anyhow, I truly appreciated their friendship and kindness to me and my family.  We had a good visit.  I watched his son devour a triple burger at the Brick House.  It was gone in seconds.  That is a full pound of meat.  It was insane.  Anyway, Mr. Hodges, thanks for the visit.  Wonderful to see you and to catch up.

Having Fun

We got this smoothie machine yesterday and I have to say we are having some fun with it.  We've got a few recipes that we've been working and they are going well.  We actually sold a few of them today but we've made a lot of sample smoothies.  I've given a few away.  Made a creamie with nutter butters and lined the cup with some chocolate.  There was a customer staring at it and he was watering at the mouth.  I gave it to him.  He was ecstatic and loved it.  I gave a creamie and an iced lemonade to Jake Whetman to take home and share with his wife.  I don't have the report but I trust they were well received.  He was excited to be a Guinea Pig for me.  They are quite good and not loaded down with sugar.  Well, there is sugar but it is a fruit puree that we are using from concentrate.  There are no artificial flavors or colors and they are good.  Hopefully we start moving them, lots of them.  I think we could.  They are pretty dang delicious.  I don't know how well they will move in the winter so we need to get them going whilst we've got some heat on our side.  Maybe I should turn off the air in the dining area and drive up the indoor heat index a bit.  That might jump start some sales of these fine beverages.  It's a lot of fun.  

Home Again

I am sitting here with none other than Andyboytano.  The little man is home along with Nattysue.  Pretty exciting times.  In fact he is standing on my chair behind me eating a cheese stick.  He says he's not tired because he is on Alaska time.  Sweet.  We'll need to get him back on Utah time before school starts.  He may have to watch me sleep because I am not on Alaska time.  Anyway, good to have the kids home.  Jack was very happy to see them as well.  He and Andy had a big hug in the front yard with big smiles on their faces.  It was great.  Well, I am about to pass out so we will call it a night. 

Back at it

I returned to the chiropractor today.  My adjustment of last week did begin feeling better and the pain in my left leg seems to have gone away.  As last week progressed however my lower back on the right side deteriorated rather quickly.  It could have been the 11 hours of dishes on Friday that finally killed it but I was in terrible shape.  I could not lay on my stomach as the pain was pretty severe.  Well, I tried to lay on my stomach a few times because the pain on my sides was pretty bad but I could not stick it out for more than a few minutes.  What the heck kind of a wuss am I?  Anyhow, I was back at it with the chiropractor and I presented more than what he was expecting today.  After some treatment and then an adjustment I let him know that the pain was still pretty strong, he watched me walk then had me lay down on the table again this time on my back.  He went to work on some muscle that was on the upper part of my right leg and it was deep.  He told me to breath, I breathed in and then could not breathe, that was a bit of pain.  It was even painful for the good doctor.  It took a bit of time and some icing but it has begun to feel a bit better.  It isn’t great but it is better than it was.  I am actually icing it right now so my back is cold and I have the swamp cooler running and blowing cold air on me.  I don’t think I will be falling asleep whilst writing this post.  It is a tad chilly.  Anyhow, I go back in tomorrow morning to see how things are.  Hopefully we are on the mend.  

Tomorrow Natty and Andy will return home.  I am excited to see them.  Their mom is staying for a few days and though I thought I would be moving in with the folks and letting her stay at the house she has opted to get a hotel room.  So I won’t be vacating my home for a few days.  That is nice.  Not that I have a problem with the folks, it is just nice not to have to back up clothes and my stuff for a few days away.  

Well, I am about frozen so I am going to call it a night. 

Do I Sustain?

I'm faced with a difficult situation at the moment dealing with my responsibilities in the Church.  I am the president of the Sunday School and am charged with all gospel teaching during the second hour of our meetings.  In the training I have received and in the handbook of instructions it is clear that we are to use only the approved curriculum from the Church.  So I have been a little taken back by a special class for missionary work that has been pushed to be taught during the second hour that is not part of the current 2015 curriculum.  Earlier this week I received notice that it would not be taught in those wards that were not already teaching it or that had it scheduled to begin.  Our ward had neither of those so I figured it was done and I wouldn't have to worry about it longer.  Today in a meeting I felt a bit blindsided when it was announced we had approval for the class and that we would be starting it soon.  It was completely contrary to what I had received previous.  So what do you do in that situation?  It is a difficult thing to have to implement a class that I do not have materials for and that does not fit in the current curriculum.  When I orient the new teacher that will be called I instruct them that we should only be sticking to the doctrine and following the curriculum... except in your case.  It is a tough thing but alas, I don't make the big bucks I only raise my arm to the square and give a sustaining vote to those who are called to preside over the church in this area.  That said I will do everything I can to help this class be successful and to act well my part according to the instruction I receive from those over me.  Is that the wrong approach?  I don't think that it is.  I have voiced my concerns to multiple people over me and at the same time have resolved to sustain my leaders.  I have to swallow a bit of pride here and trust.  I'm sure it wasn't easy for Abraham to press forward with what he was asked to do but he went in faith and the Lord provided.  I will press forward and do what I am asked to do and will trust that the Lord will be pleased with my obedience to those who are in authority over me. 

Effort

So I am trying to do things on the Sabbath that would be pleasing to Heavenly Father.  I have in times past done the schedule for work on Sunday.  It seems to be the most convenient day to do it and why wouldn't it be?  In an effort to do better I have determined that I will do my best to not do schedules on the Sabbath.  Technically speaking I guess I failed at that since it took me until after 1 AM to get it done but at least I won't be doing it before or after church.  Now it is time to turn in and try to be somewhat rested before the day of rest.