Beneath the Wraps

Mom did not go to Anna’s third birthday party.   She may not have known about it.   I wondered who would bring her – or if she’d be there at all.   I learned that the last time Sunny and her family had collected my mom for a Sunday dinner was probably the last time she was out. I had taken her out on Memorial Day .   I don’t think she would have come if Harold hadn’t given his approval. “Mom, you have to come.   Your brother, Bruce, will be there.” She hadn’t seen Bruce for years.   He actually looked the same to me – but in her eyes he was still 29 or 35, certainly not an old man.   She didn’t recognize him. But she was active and attentive and helped provide Corey with names to go with several photos he had found.   She enjoyed herself and we enjoyed having her there.   But that was over a month ago.   I haven’t taken her out since, and from what I understand, she doesn’t want to go. Well, that’s a far cry f...

I mention my discovery of Mr. Terupt in this post .   Rob Buyea makes reference to several books throughout the two books that I’ve read and I have made my journey into some of those books. So here are my reviews on “Belle Teal” by Ann M. Martin and “Belle Prater’s son” by Ruth White “Belle Teal” is told in first person by a girl who’s been named after her grandma – Belle Teal.   The story takes place roughly 1961 – 1962 I’m guessing in Virginia. Two things stand out for me.   One is that Belle’s grandmother has Alzheimer’s or another form dementia.   It isn’t explained.   Even back then – there wasn’t the same understanding that we have now – and are still trying to explain. The other is/was the relationship between her classmates.   One is a black student who has just transferred into an all white school.   Another is a high and mighty princess, also a first timer for that particular school. The other is the son of an abusive drunkar...

It’s been a couple of months since I took Jenna and her friend to see The Mysterious Happy Life of Brown Bag by Greg Near. I honestly did not know what it was about – but it was playing at the library and gave us something to do for free. It started out cute and funny.   Jaime, Trume and I all laughed.   Towards the end though, they both got bored with it and I don’t think they realized what had even taken place.   The one act play had taken me from laughter to tears in just a matter of seconds.   Brown Bag had been bullied because he was different.   He so desperately wished to have friends that he allowed them to manipulate him – even though he knew that because they were trying to hurt him, they really weren’t his friends. After the play the cast members and writer and some others held a discussion panel.   Trume and Jenna both wanted to leave – which I understood.   It’s not a comfortable subject. But I thought it was important that w...

H old O n - P erseverance, E ndurance Yesterday I made a comment to a quote expressing a limited hope targeted to a certain group of people for basically following his or her own heart.   Perhaps I was out of line with my answer, but I elaborated as the one who posted the quote followed my comment with a question that sounded to me as though she is feeling despair. But we have to have hope.   Hope is what brought the children of Israel out of bondage.   And it was hope that caused slaves in America to move from the South to the North.   It was with hope that so many Jewish people (among others) stayed hidden before and during World War II.   It is with hope that we are even to leave our house each morning. I like how President Uchtdorf says, “Hope, on the other hand, is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances.” In his talk The Infinite Power of Hope We all hope to get out of bo...

        This year the Church created a new format for teaching the youth.  Our theme for the month of February is on the Plan of Salvation.  The website and brochure give guidelines and suggestions, but it is up to the instructor of seminary, Young Men’s, Young Women’s or Sunday School to allow him or herself to be guided by the Spirit to come up with meaningful lessons that will make an impact on the youth.  It beats the same outline and manual that we shared with the adults last year (and I suppose every year prior) Last week I introduced self worth and service as part of the plan and had a tremendous amount of examples – including relating the ideas that have been shared in the video “ Man’s Search forHappiness ” (Didn't the Church put out a more updated version?) The lesson itself seemed to go okay but I also seemed to lose my train of thought rather early in the lesson. I ended quite early and asked for a closing prayer.  But as...

          He entered another house in a countless number of foster homes.  It was mid December and his new foster mom asked what he would like for Christmas.  His request was simple.  Never before had he been in any home long enough to even celebrate Christmas.  He wanted his own stocking – which Diane had planned on getting anyway.           They went out that night and allowed him to choose his very own stocking and made sure his name got written at the top.  He beamed for days and asked for permission to take his sock with him to school.  For him it represented a sense of belonging, something he hadn’t felt for almost ten years.           His biological mother had abused him and who knows how many others?  He had been recycled in the system so many times it wasn’t any wonder that he understood what it w...

Another example that illustrates the title of my blog what lies beneath could bear an element of surprise Beneath the Wraps

I love this recording by Petula Clark.  Unfortunately the video is actually quite boring to watch.  Thus I’ve include the lyrics by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent so you can follow along as you listen. Life is never what it seems   We're always searching in our dreams   To find that little castle in the air   When worry starts to cloud the mind,   It's hard to leave it all behind   And just pretend you haven't got a care   There's someone else in your imagination   You wish that you were standing in their shoes   You'd change your life without much hesitation   But would you if you really had to choose?   So, don't look around   Get your feet on the ground   It's much better by far   To be just who you are   The other man's grass is always greener   The sun shines brighter on the other side   The other man's grass is always greener   Some are lucky, some are not ...

          Before Roland and I moved from our first house, he introduced me to the reality show “Chopped” a one hour show that gives four chefs the opportunity to create appetizers, entrees, and desserts using four specific ingredients – most I haven’t been familiar with or think of as too bizarre to belong with  either the rest of the ingredients or in the particular round.           I would think that there is more than eight hours of footage for each episode of “Chopped” – thus it is not just the chefs competing who get “chopped” but the editing as well.  It sickens me to know that all this wasted footage exists – that so much tape ends up on the floor.  The expense that goes into these reality series (Wife Swap is another example) and all the waste.  I could really use the money that is spent on wasted film.  So many Americans could – especially in this econ...

          Roland has often told me about different dreams that he’s had and always concludes with, “What do you think it means?”           Dreams are just that.  Some are bizaare.  Some are wonderful.  Some you hope to never “dream” again.  And perhaps some do have meaning.  Truthfully, I don’t place too much value in dreams.  I think that is how God communicated to his children at one time – and perhaps still does to some – though I think the methods of communication have broadened sufficiently since then. My personal opinion is that, overall, dreams really don’t mean a whole lot.           Still, I often have crazy dreams that I will write down or share just because they are so bizarre.  And sometimes I ask myself what would have caused me to dream it.  But I never go into depth about the possible symbo...