Beneath the Wraps

I watched two different news stations lead with the story of the demolition and transformation taking place at Fashion Place Mall.   That was their lead story, I kid you not.   Both stations.   The second story on one of the stations (but further down the line of the other) featured budgeting for the homeless – what can we do for them?   Hey, here’s an idea: take the money that is being spent for the super Dillards and provide those many homeless with jobs – or build a place that the “homeless” might be able to afford.   It chaps my hyde when so much money is spent for unimportant matters.    Oh, I suppose for Dillards executives, the number one story was great news to their ears.   What awesome publicity.   And I suppose there are some shoppers who will be equally excited.   As I have previously mentioned, I hate malls.   I hate commercialism.   I hate the chaos and materialism.   How great it ...

There are some people who are so gifted in being in tune and teaching by the Spirit that the words they use just seem to flow so eloquently through their mouths and everything they say is so profound.   And you know that you can really learn from what is being taught.   That is how it is with my sister Sunny.   There are also several leaders in our ward that have that gift. I know that there are a few posts in which I mention that I co-teach the youth Sunday school class.   There is no longer a manual provided.   Leaders and instructors are given general themes and guide lines of what is to be taught each month.   This is to help us to get in tune and teach by the Spirit – though I haven’t always felt that I have been prepared enough to teach by the spirit.   I think I have attended all but two classes since I accepted my calling.   I don’t always teach, but choose to sit in on the days that Kelly teaches. Kelly does not atten...

She seemed fascinated with the toilet.  I thought she’d train early.  She didn’t. She took off after she turned one.  How cool to move herself with her feet, to go from room to room.  To explore.                                                        She collected balls and rocks. Whenever we’d go out walking she would climb on fire hydrants and pick up anything she found in her path.  She loved roly-polys.  They resembled small balls.  She did attempt to put one in her mouth.                                             She collected whatever she could carry. She started preschool when she was thr...

This post is different from  average - at least in this blog.  Perhaps you have an opinion?  And then we could have a discussion I dreamt that I was at some kind of convention – a BYU education week perhaps.   I believe I was in Provo with a mass amount of people.   For some odd reason I had been toting around some bedding (at least two pillows and one afghan) something I would NEVER do in real life.   For some reason there was a group of us ended up waiting for one of the instructors at his home.   And while we were waiting several dressed like hell’s angels decided to do some kind of aerobic activity on the instructor’s lawn. As the skies grew dark I found myself on the front porch wrapped in my afghan and sitting on my pillows until I decided (as odd as their particular moves seemed to be) I would join them.   I was a lot thinner in my dream and therefore it seemed more reasonable than if I were to try it now in real life. ...

I recall a former bishop who has six children – each given a name or names after people that this bishop and his wife had crossed paths with.   I had actually met the two men whom their youngest had been named after.   I was just a youth when one of the men passed, but I’m actually good friends with the man who is living.   What an honor the bishop’s youngest should feel to share a name with such a marvelous man, as I’m certain each individual involved with the lives of their family. My mom had been given one of those feminized masculine names (e.g. Josephine, Roberta, Patricia, Geraldine, Georgette . . .), which she didn’t particularly care for. It was three syllables long and as she learned to write was too long of a name to fit on the top line of any school paper. It wasn’t until high school when she decided to go by her unisex nickname (e.g. Joey for Josephine, Bobby for Roberta, Pat for Patricia, etc.) but still did not care for the name.   ...

Preparedness (according to Wikipedia ) refers to a very concrete research based set of actions that are taken as precautionary measures in the face of potential disasters. These actions can include both physical preparations (such as emergency supplies depots, adapting buildings to survive earthquakes and so on) and trainings for emergency action. Preparedness is an important quality in achieving goals and in avoiding and mitigating negative outcomes.  Methods of preparation include research , estimation , planning , resourcing, education , practicing and rehearsing .          It’s been eighteen years since BYU hosted the imperial tombs of china – an exhibit that my mom and I had gone to.   I found it odd that these rulers would spend their entire lives preparing for their deaths.   But then I suppose to some extent many of us experience a similar thing.       ...