He’s NOT my Boyfriend!

               It’s weird how one’s mind works sometimes and what odd things might trigger memories that haven’t been considered for decades.  A movie title had come up in the grid that reminded me of an odd relationship with my next door neighbor sometime after his wife had passed.  Keep in mind that he was old.  I had gone out with his two oldest grandsons at one time or another.  There is no way I was looking for that kind of relationship with the grandfather!  Give me a break!

  

        Yet, for some reason, he seemed to feel the need to call me to suggest I might want to read a certain book or watch a certain movie.  I don’t know why he singled me out of all people – but would call a few times a week.  Each time my mom would answer she’d teasingly tell me it was my “boyfriend” on the phone.  Granted, he was a lonely old man (who was hard of hearing, I might add).  It still remains a mystery of why he had selected me. Or why he thought he knew me well enough to make suggestions based upon my personal preference. Weird.

It Was a Pride Thing

 I would like to be more humble as I have always had a problem with pride. Whenever I think that I have overcome so much of my pride – wham!   I find myself fighting all over again.  And here are just two examples:

 

1)   When I was in the young women’s presidency the YW president had asked me to write a skit for camp – which I did but it took some time to incorporate my ideas.  When I tried to present my idea the YW pres. said it was no longer needed.  The girls had decided that they wanted to do something else – which really didn’t even relate to the topic.  At least at the time I didn’t think it did.  I felt a bit put out that I had worked on this skit and they didn’t even want to listen to my ideas.  And I knew it was wrong to feel resentment.  After all it is the girls who should be involved and they were.  I should have expressed praise or some kind of encouragement.  I tried to shrug it off especially since I didn’t want pride to win – and yet I think I let it win.

 We were making flags for camp that year and had an activity for each girl and leader making squares that would be added to the flag.  I did not even need to think about what I would do for my square.  It just came to me.  I based the theme on a Beetle Bailey comic strip (more detail here) and cut out the shape of a head and neck  to glue onto a red background (as it was the YW value color of individual worth – our selected value) and attached a large mustache and two little eyes.  I gave him hands.  In one he held the YW torch marked with Hymn #114 which is More Holiness Give Me (which was the hymn number for the red and blue hymnbooks.  In the green hymnbooks the hymn number is 131 and may be changed again when/if the new hymnbooks should ever come out)

 Though at the time I didn't see their skit being related to the theme I have since learned they did have good ideas and as a whole was better for all than mine would have been.

2)   Yesterday I watched a tiktok that someone had posted about gratitude to the Mormon “angels” with the destruction of Hurricane Laura.  Feeling the horrors of the fires, evacuations and the outpouring of volunteers I thought it a fitting video to share with a church group that I started.  I had missed the part where Tara Parks (original tiktok poster) said “ . . . garan . . damn . . . tee you . . .” which to some people made the video offensive and it was removed from the page because of “inappropriate language” okay . . . I guess there are a few sisters on the page that might find that offensive but I also know that others might smile at her choice of words.  I did. 

    I had missed the word that created negotiation on censorship in “Gone With the Wind” (see here) Seriously. I had missed it. I had to rewatch it.  The second time it made me laugh.  I know it would make other sisters laugh as well – but not all.  So did those who decided to have it removed even watch the entire thing?  It was funny and it had a good message.

It’s through pride that I felt offended although I had initially questioned as to whether to even posted it or not.  I didn’t (still don’t) want to be upset about it.  I understood the censorship and the concern. Thus far I haven't had to "approve" others' postings but I know the ward page changed for approval because of some "not so uplifting" content.  I found the tiktok video to be very uplifting.   

A few hours after church had ended I had reached out to at least one person who watched the video (I have no idea how many views it had before it was taken down) when I received an unexpected phone call from someone who had been added to the page.  When she called to ask about the video I felt God’s tender mercy.  Perhaps that was the initial plan. I still have a ways to go with this pride thing.  I hope these examples will help me stay where He wants me to.

Word: Match

I can strike a match to light up a room

or start a fire to toast marshmallows

I can play different versions of match game

For example, I've tried to learn about which flag goes

with what country by matching one to the other

I can attempt to paint the shutters and trim

to match the rest of the house.

I can mix and match socks

I get tired of trying to match assignment problems

with the responding exercise found in the book

an electronic book I might add

I would like my clothes to match

Occasionally I would like to match the face to the voice

We've been through quite a few furniture pieces that didn't match.

you remember this scene from Frasier? 
We had worse cases than Martin's chair.

Some librarians and instructors will read books and set up an activity

The activity matches themes based upon the book

There is a lot of competition in the retail business. 

So many try to match another's price

I have never owned boots that have matched my coat.

Some people display their photos in all matching frames

Sometimes I get frustrated with web sites that never match

what I am searching for.

match pictures to real items

I love it when Jenna's enthusiasm mirrors my own.