Beneath the Wraps

                  I can’t say for certain, but I think it’s highly probable that there are several wards (or congregations) that tend to sing the same 40 – 80 hymnals with each meeting.   That doesn’t even cover 50% of what we’ve been given.   And there are some choristers who have tried to introduce new hymns – which may have been enforced in recent years.   If I was called as chorister, I’m afraid our hymns would be the same familiar ones that we have sung at least 20 times during any given year.   I don’t think I have to be concerned about being called to chorister position.   I enjoy listening to music – and I will even lead – but not with expertise I’m afraid.            My brother, Corey, has often made the complaint that with over 300 hymns (and those are just the ones currently published in today’s hymn bo...

         Each ward has a different cleaning schedule for the building in which church meetings are attended. The church was across the street from the first house in which we lived.   Two wards met in the building.   The two wards would trade off with the cleaning the building and the upkeep of the grounds (namely shoveling snow)   A list was passed around to the members of our ward to sign up for various weeks.   It felt like our family was involved with cleaning the church 4 – 8 times during the year. There are three wards which meet in the building which we currently attend. When we first moved into the ward we were told that each ward was assigned to clean four months out of the year.   The months were consecutive and not spread out.   Our ward would be cleaning the building each Saturday for the last four months.   I personally thought they should be spreading them out, but whatever. In ...

I was watching the news this morning and saw this human interest story about a horse who had been rescued from frozen waters.   It was told in a Twas the Night Before Christmas   type manner. The way it was told seemed somewhat cute in the beginning but seemed to drag into cheesy as the reporter kept on rhyming words.   It made me think of Jane Fonda’s character in “The China Syndrome” which was released in 1979. Kimberly Wells (said character) is sent on assignment to cover the story at the zoo featuring a birthday in honor of a residential tiger (or something like that) and would rather do hard core stories.   I don’t personally know any reporters, their dreams or ambitions, or how many indeed would rather do the hard core and investigation than those human interest stories. (If I were a reporter, I would personally like to deliver the human interest over hard core) Kimberly Wells finds her story at a nuclear power plant.   She wants...

  Almost every year since we moved to West Valley, Roland will ask, “When should we tell Jenna about Santa Clause”  I always answer, “Tell her what?” “There’s no such thing as Santa” “What do you mean?” He gives me a look. “Roland.   I believe in Santa.   I have been Santa.   And we have been recipients of Santa a huge amount of times.   What do you mean there’s no such thing as Santa?” “We need to tell Jenna that you and I are the ones who put the presents out.” “Oh . . . why?” “You don’t want her to be the only one in third, forth, fifth grade to still believe.” “Tony is 23, 24, 25 and he still believes in Santa Clause. I’m 48, 49 . . . and I still believe.” Another rolling of the eyes. Media warns us about targeted homes during this time of the year.   Robbed of Christmas by thieves.   We left the house around 2:30 and did not return until after 8:30.   We had always done Christmas ...

I don’t know which is worse – the Saturday before Christmas or the Friday after Thanksgiving.  I don’t enjoy shopping or trying things on or waiting in line or crowds or winter or parking or all the fragrances and plants which flare up my allergies.  Before I met Roland, I always had my Christmas shopping done by September –ALWAYS And then I met a man with a sporadic income, a greedy ex-wife, and a judicial system that sucks big time – you think we would have done better at spreading things out.  But we were struggling for our needs and so wants were ALWAYS on the back burner. I don’t know if Roland has always been procrastinastic about Christmas shopping.  As I mentioned before, he’s got a great heart.  He is always thinking of others.  But he doesn’t spend wisely for the most part. I opted to go shopping with him and Jenna yesterday – not that I really wanted to, but I wanted to get him a winter scarf because he asked for one – not ...

            Shortly after we moved to West Valley, Jenna started hanging at Alley’s house.  Every once in a while Alley and her brother came over to our house, but usually Jenna went to theirs.  I don’t know why they stopped playing together.  But they haven’t been hanging around together for at least a couple of years.   Jenna and I were waiting for the bus on Tuesday morning when Alley’s mom offered to drive us to school. Her oldest attends the same junior high that Jenna will be attending.  She had already dropped him off but seemed willing to make another trip.  She said she was also willing to pick her up from school – and the junior high gets out at least an hour before the elementary school does. So yesterday she picked Jenna up and took her to school and we picked her up last night.  Today brought the killer snow, and she was still willing to drive us. But as her children...

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness.   I give unto men weaknesses that they may be humble; . . .” Ether 12:27 How many of us wish we had a time machine that we might have opportunity for do over.   If only I had made a different choice.   If only I had spent more time (and probably money) perhaps we could have found our runaway dog.   I wish I had been a more positive influence when Roland’s girls came to visit.   I wish I hadn’t left Jenna in all day kindergarten after we moved. Regrets are demons if we allow ourselves to dwell on what could have been instead of just moving on.   Perhaps we may learn from or see growth from what it is we think we’d like to change.   Allow me to use Jenna’s kindergarten experience as an example. The school by our first house offered two all-day kindergarten classes.   There were few parents who desired just half day.   The instructors were able to devote m...