LaTiesha and Jenna's Downtown Adventure

The "Service Engine" light came on in the car.  I took the car to the mechanic's downtown.  I told Jenna we would walk around downtown while Mike looked at the car. 

Today is Vietnam Veteran's Day, and even though it was raining, the flags were up and the first picture I took was this one.

I didn't have my camera.  My cell phone made the images appear a lot darker than I think it really was.  I tried to fix them in the computer, but my efforts only seemed to make it worse. 

Just 17 months ago, I had gone downtown with Jenna for trick-or-treating.  There were a lot more vacant buildings then than what I found today. 

I was surprised to find so many businesses open before 10:00 (if at all) but we did find some that were closed and some that were vacant

Jenna kept on making faces at me each time I would lift the phone

I don't know if Rice Brothers and Adams was founded in 1915 or just the building was.

I took pictures of the merchandise that are still displayed in the window.

Across the street from the Mercantile is the historic Citizen's State Bank (no longer open for business)

I think this piece may have belonged to the store with the "winter hours" .  I don't know if they know it's spring as it has been raining and raining and raining; perhaps they have not looked at a calendar or seen the blossoms?

Jenna and I both through the chair was interesting.  But there was so much reflection on so many of the pictures I took - they look like pictures that have been overexposed.

Homestead was closed, but unlike the mercantile, homestead is open for business.  Didn't get much (because of the reflections) but here are a few samples of what we saw

It was while I was taking pictures at the homestead that I learned the Jenna does not care for the term "Ma'am"

Next door to Homestead is a business that has not yet opened (but the building is no longer vacant)

They had passed out treat bags on Halloween.  I was excited to see the word "Bakery" and kept the bags so we could collect.  Unfortunately it is for dog treats as the bakery caters to non-human animals.

Jenna said she was tired and wanted to stop walking.  Come on, girl.  Downtown is not that big.  We should have walked it all and returned to the mechanic within twelve minutes.

She wanted to take me to a building that the school passes each day

We went across the street to take more pictures.  She was so majorly disappointed to discover that the license plates weren't real, but all part of a curtain fabric

 I had her take a few pictures of me just to prove that I was actually downtown with her.

I took a picture of this wild tree that would roam the neighborhood until the owners put it in a cage

This is by the AG parking lot and here is the AG Market and a truck that happened to be making a delivery

Across the street from the market is a tea room called the Painted Lady.  This is a view from the side

The Rio was a theatre that closed down long before we arrived.  Apparently it is still used for business, but not on Wednesdays.

Cool that they kept the posters (I imagine the last two pictures played before the theatre closed)

We also stopped by City Hall (which is where Friends of Myrtle Creek Library will be meeting from now on)

The police are located in the adjoining building on the other side

Jenna had asked me what the carving was next to her.  I didn't know but I took her picture.

I probably should have asked Josh when he came out to say "Hi".  I asked him if he would mind taking a picture of the both of us.

There have been construction projects all around the town.  Highly unusual.  It almost felt like we were in Utah again.  I don't know why this picture came out so dark.  My attempt to lighten it only made it darker.

and some more pictures of us

Jenna wanted to know what this building was next to the hair salon.  I went across the street to get a picture; the front had looked vacant, but  from the side it looks to be residential.  Perhaps I just took a picture of somebody's house?

She saw a payphone and thought we ought to walk to it as they are so rare now.

Behind her was a wall of masterpiece illustration.

the phone is in the way of the "hornet" which is Coffenberry mascot.  So here are a few parts up close.

Coffenberry Middle School Hornets         Cougar Canyon Golf Course

Rodeo is a big event

After we picked up the car, we drove to "Rip off" Rays and turned in our cans

Roland had pizza for us when we returned home.

Parable of the Talents

            Jenna decided she would give the lesson in Family Home Evening Last night.  She lined up three of her bears at the edge of the table and gave the lesson on the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25.

            The lesson itself brought up fond memories as I reminisced over other times when the parable was discussed.

            During a sacrament meeting in Martinsville, three of us had been assigned to talk on each of the parables found in Matthew 25.  My missionary companion had given the parable of the talents - describing three woman in detail and what talents they'd been given.  I don't recall what each of the talents were except for the one who received two talents was the only one in the ward who could do macramé and the sister who was given only one talent hid her typing skills so as not to get stuck typing (before pc's) programs for the Church and ended up becoming inactive as she chose to gamble on Sundays and ended up having to hock her typewriter to cover the debts.

            I used her talk and tweaked it a bit as Corey prepared to go on his mission.  I told my audience that my first character, Gabrielle, was from Woodbridge - the talent capital of the world.  Gabrieele had been given five talents: cooking, gardening, sewing, knitting and hanging wallpaper.  I kept the two talents my companion had given Amy.  She was the only one in the ward who was able to do macramé.  She was shy, but could give the most sincere compliments.  Her ability to lift others with her compliments was a great talent.  And then there was Stephanie.  Instead of the typewriter, I'd given  her the ability to play the piano - which unfortunately - she did not develop into a talent.  Rather she hid her ability and lost her talent as she had not practiced or performed and kept her ability to play a secret.

             Gabrielle had been put in as the director of homemaking meeting (before the name was changed to enrichment activities or whatever) and thus was able to double her talents.  She learned to crochet, bake, canning , macramé (thanks to Amy) and now not only is she able to hang wallpaper, but has designed wallpaper as well.

             Amy was able to double her talents as well.  She learned to bake and learned to dance.  But then there's Stephanie.  As she lost her talent, guess who received that talent to play the piano?  It was Gabrielle - a multi-tasker-mother-of-the-year as well as wallpaper CEO and ward pianist.

             When Roland and I were first married, we gave a lesson to the boys on the parable of the talents. Unlike Jenna, we did not use bears.  We used the boys.  Roland gave them each 20 dollars to "open a business"  Randy decided right away that he would use his money to purchase 20 one dollar candles.  He went from door to door selling his candles for three dollars each or two for five.  That looked like a good idea to Biff and he decided to do the same thing.

            Tony, who had always had a different sense of direction, said he didn't wish to sell candles.  That made sense.  Tony was not the type to go from door to door.  Roland reminded him that there are three ways to sell: product, service or knowledge.  Rather than purchase items to be brought to the customers, why not purchase product and have people come to the seller?  We lived nearby a ball park and Tony purchased sodas to take to the park and set up a stand. 

 

            He put the sodas in the fridge.  They never made it to the park.  He chose to loan some money to his friend  (who never paid him back) and they drank the few sodas he had purchased.  He "lost" his talent. 

            Meanwhile Randy used his profit money to purchase some more candles and continued to sell candles from door-to-door.  Less than a month later, Randy had 40 dollars, Biff had 30 dollars.  Tony had nothing.  I believe all three of them learned what we had intended.

Another Day in the Life of Primary

        Jordan and Tawnya Ewing moved into the ward about eight months ago.  They have four children which make up about a fourth of the primary.  I don't think Tawnya was snagged into the primary quite as quickly as I had been. She teaches the CTR class which is the smaller of the two.  Her older three are Valiants.

        I continue to look at the manual even since Danny announced her return with her/our primary class.  In the beginning I was more diligent about how I studied, but only read last week's lesson and was not prepared to teach in the event that Danny didn't show up.

        When I walked into the primary room, nine chairs had been set up, but only four students were present.  Bess announced that Tawnya had not showed and I asked her if she wanted to combine the two classes.  But then Danny showed up and I volunteered to take Tawnya's class.

        There were only four students in her class also - three I had formally taught in Sunbeams.  Dylan is a regular visitor who sits still and listens.  Even as a sunbeam.  Hayden was just as wiggly as he'd been in my sunbeam class.  That's just his nature.  Even at home.  Mimi was actually more well behaved than I had predicted; she's the one I had never had in my class before.  She certainly does have a mind of her own - do not tell that child what to do or what not to do.  More times than not, she will do the opposite.  She didn't wish to sit in her chair until I invited the rest of the class to stand up, than she sat down.

        Bess frantically brought me the manual and said the topic was on prophets.  I didn't need the manual - the subject was enough to get me going.  Bess also brought some pictures of prophets - past and present.  It didn't matter which picture I held up and asked the children to guess who this is - Emily always yelled out "Jesus"  even when I took a different approach.  "See these things in the corner of the picture?  What are those?" 

        "LIONS"    

        Oh, yeah.  "Okay.  This is not Heavenly Father and it isn't Jesus.  Who here knows a song about a prophet that was thrown into a den with lions?"

        We went through the pictures.  We went through the song.  We took some time for " get-your-wiggle-out" sessions and played "Simon (The Prophet) says" 

        Carly came into the classroom late.  She had brought some pennies to class with her and used them to bribe the other children to be reverent.  She actually pretty much took over my role as a leader or tried to.

        "That's great, Carly.  I see you have a gift.  Would you like to be a teacher when you grow up?"

        "NO!" she was quite blunt about it.  "You don't get respect.  I wouldn't want to try to teach someone who doesn't show respect"  Actually, I think I had things under control before Carly demanded for the others to show me respect. 

        I believe Carly was trying to assume authority as she is the youngest in her family and doesn't have opportunity for being in charge.  Same with Hayden, when he hovers over Christopher, who was one of many absent last week. 

        I sent Tawnya an email commending her for dealing with the CTR class on a weekly basis.  She wrote back to say she would be absent yesterday as well.  I forwarded the message to Bess and let her know that it was highly probable that I wouldn't be there yesterday either.  I wasn't. I've been fighting a cold and did not wish to discipline primary students at the same time.  Thank you very much.

          Today is Corey's birthday.  He is not feeling well, either.  What a lousy birthday present!

How do you feel?

          Imagine your childhood.  What did you dream about?  Becoming a firefighter? ballerina?  traveling through space?  Imagine what your interest was when you were in your teens?  Did you set goals for a particular profession?  Did you develop a talent such as dancing or playing the piano? 

Did you learn skills that would steer you in the direction that you were seeking to go?  How did you get there?  What do you do?  Did you fulfill your dream?  or did you settle? 

            Let's just say (for example) that you may have studied the stars and dreamed about traveling through space. You studied science. 

You didn't apply to work at NASA for whatever reason.  Instead, you became a teacher.  You love your students.  You love sharing your knowledge with them.  Your desire of space travel has been left on the back burner.  Now imagine it's 1984 and Ronald Reagan has made the announcement of the "Teachers in Space Program".   How you might feel if you were told you had an opportunity to train for a childhood dream?

                Imagine being one of 114 candidates selected out of over 10,000 applicants.  You have the opportunity of participating in a one week workshop in June.  How do you feel?  Excited? Apprehensive?  You go through extensive training with those who share your profession.  Only one of you will be picked to advance to the space station with six trained astronauts.  How do you feel? Determined? Competitive?  Are you a team player?   When you go before a committee from NASA to answer questions, how do you feel?  Are you confident? Prepared? nervous? anxious?

Now, imagine that it's July 19,1985 and Ronald Reagan is announcing who will be the first teacher in space and it isn't you?  How do you feel?  Happy for the one chosen?  disappointed in yourself? resentful? 

Now imagine it is January 28, 1986.  You have turned on your TV to watch the liftoff of the Challenger space shuttle.  Within seconds after take-off, the shuttle explodes.  You see fire in the sky.  Everyone on board has died.  You were not chosen. How do you feel?

               I'm not really certain what triggered this post - except for I had written "Challenger: those that hadn't made it".  I had read an experience in one of many "Chicken Soup for the Soul" - I don't remember which one.  He went into more detail about the hard work and how he felt - before the announcement, before the explosion, and after the explosion.

       I think because sometimes we will see ourselves or our children or someone else that we know work so hard at something, persistent even.  And even with all the hard work, the study, the prayer, the dreams . . . there are several emotions that go on when we didn't get picked.  When we didn't get the approval.  When we felt we weren't chosen. Do we feel like failures when that happens?  Maybe there's a reason we didn't get "chosen".  Perhaps Heavenly Father has something else in mind.  And sometimes we have the advantage of saying, "Oh, I guess it really wasn't meant to be".  How great it would be if we were able to put our faith in Heavenly Father to begin with.

      

            There are hundreds of examples of things that went wrong that prevented something even more devastating - like oversleeping, car accidents, power failure - all interferences.  And yet what worse thing did you miss?  A woman living in Oklahoma was already late for work at the Federal Building when she experienced car problems on April 19, 1995.  She may have thought her situation irritating at the time.  She was still stranded on the highway when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building (where she worked) was bombed.  And what feelings must have gone through her mind.

     I have been in enough frustrating situations that turn out for good that I try to keep it with me that "this may be a blessing" and try to be thankful before I know the end results.  (see here) My situations have never offered as much drama.  I do have quite a bit to be grateful for.

No Elbow Room for Sardines - the last three Concepts

            I was late getting to the next class called "YW are Essential Participants".  I sat in the back - uncomfortable in the folding chairs provided.  I don't think it would have been so bad if there had been any amount of elbow room.  I felt like if I had taken notes, I would have ribbed the sister sitting next to me. 

           What is up with the RS chairs having to be smashed so close together that there is absolutely no breathing room?  Who's idea was that?  Don't the people who set up chairs realize that there are several overweight sisters who might enjoy having a space larger than even elbow room would allow?  I think I would have found more elbow room in a refrigerator box. I was actually quite uncomfortable about the seating arrangement for the most part.  I have made it no secret that I enjoy having space.  I am NOT a sardine.  Perhaps I should be more vocal about that. 

               I must have missed the very mention of young women.  When the instructor concluded her class she said something about Priesthood 101.  That is what it felt like.  I did not take notes nor get much out of her class.   

        The next instructor is in the stake young women's presidency.  I probably enjoyed her class the most.  Her part of Bonnie Oscarson's talk was "Gospel Living can Influence Others".   "Your personal example of faithful living can influence your family and friends . . . (even if your home is less than ideal)" 

            She started out by introducing a marriage that came with a four-year-old.  I can speak from own understanding that becoming a mother and wife on the same day was not "ideal".  Not the "ideal" we had planned.  She than shared a book with us called "The Uses of Adversity" by CarlFred Broderick - a book still in publication because she buys and shares so many copies.

            Many of our life experiences are not only not ideal, but often seem unjust.  We have to go through trials.  People watch how we react.     We don't have insurance against our pain, but rather resources to deal with the pain.  She read a few examples from Broderick's book.  The first one was an illustration of the Yellow Brick Road leading to Oz.  It reminded me of the New Beginnings that had taken place to welcome Jenna (see here)

There was no wicked witch portrayed, and yet we encounter representations of Satan or "wicked witches" everyday.  We need to become "steadfast and immoveable"  which means solid and firm, unshaken and resolute. 

             Instead of "steadfast and immoveable" , our next instructor used the term "Bedrock" fundamental principles on which something is based also SOLID.  Her subject: "Women must Raise Sin-Resistant Families"   She talked about "sin proof" vs. "sin resistant".  In the council in Heaven, Satan's plan was to "sin-proof" us all - which would have taken away our free agency.  Sin-Resistance is a choice.  She then played a piece of Patrick Kearon's talk (here) when he decided to wear flip flops instead of shoes, and how the flip flops were able to protect him from the stings of the scorpion.  Often times we allow ourselves to fall into temptation because were either lazy and/or rebellious.  Disregard always brings consequences.  A person can choose his or her actions, but he or she may not choose the consequences of those actions.

            We need to give our whole heart in order to be cleansed from sin. She referred to Todd Christopherson's talk (I think he was quoting Robert D. Hales) about not being able to pray another's agency away and how we need to prepare ourselves to watch our children fail at things - just as we may  have failed at certain things because we exercised our agency and had to face consequences.  Our children will have the same opportunities.

             We are all still learning - though we may be experienced at many different levels, we can offer guidance to those who see corrections.  We don't fertilize plants with candy bars.  Sometimes something as to go wrong in order to grow.

Okay.  I realize that last line doesn't make sense.  It did at the time that I wrote it down.  And if I could have written and posted my blogs at the time all of this was fresh in my head, it would have made more sense.  I would also understand my wandering mind and other notes that I made. 

            The final class that I went to had been given by the wife of the mission president.  The name of her class we "Boldly Take on the Name of Christ".  She talked of a zone conference and about how the mission president had passed out priesthood lineage to all of the Elders - and how their roots could be traced back to Peter, James and John.  She had prepared a talk to give but changed it when she noticed the sisters glancing over the Elder's shoulder to see what had been in the envelopes that the sisters themselves had not received.

             Some may see Eve as weak as she gave into temptation and was the first to partake of the forbidden fruit.  In doing so, she made it possible for each of us to come to earth, to make choices, and to fail but to press on. 

             It's quite obvious that there is a difference between the way a man thinks and how a women thinks and feels.  She gave a demonstration on how the man has a box in which he puts all his thoughts and emotions.  A woman may get upset with a man because he didn't take notice that his dirty socks had fallen on the floor (for instance) When he leaves the house, he leaves his concerns at home or in his box.  He goes to work and focuses on work.  When the woman stays home she vacuums the floor.  She is angry (not so much about the socks as her husband's lack of acknowledgement) and does a fantastic job because she is metaphorically sucking away whatever's bothering her - or trying to.  The woman holds the emotions and builds on them - so that when he comes home - perhaps in a happy mood even - she just lets into him.  And he still has absolutely no clue what may be bothering her.

            Or, the next example she used, a man and a woman may be at the movie together.  The woman is only half focused, as she hears a screaming child in the background and wonders how her own children are doing, or perhaps triggers set in because of a certain focus.  Yes, the woman came to watch the movie, but she is not 100% there and never will be.  The man, on the other hand, came to watch the movie.  His only focus IS ON the movie.  Earthquakes happen.  Bombs go off.  The man doesn't pay attention.  He is there to watch the movie.

             I laughed even though I know not all men or women fit in that stereotypical mold.  I know at my house, Roland and I have the roles pretty much reversed on some things - though he does focus on the movie and I actually don't care.  He is the observant one, who notices when clothes don't match, have holes or are dirty.  He notices if the child's hair isn't combed or if they're acting up.  I am not so observant.  I am ignorant.

             But for the majority who do fit into the stereotype - where the woman may automatically straighten the collar of the sister sitting ahead of her, or have automatic radar senses for "fixing situations" The mitochondria is what powers the cells.  That is what can be traced back to Eve.

             I actually did not take good notes during her class and am having a hard time remembering things on the few lines I do have.  I asked Jenna for her input (because she actually remembers things better than I do) but couldn't remember the exact word that we're looking for. 

             I think as a whole woman are more compassionate than men.  I think overall, many men just seem oblivious to certain situations.  But Roland has compassion.  Sometimes I call him "Mother Hen" as he seems to be better at "mothering" than I am. Regardless of our role, we are all unpolished and need to listen to the still small voice.

             She shared a familiar story about a famous pianist (Paderewski) and a little boy who went onstage to play a song (some legends say it was "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" others say Chopsticks.  The point of the story was how the famous pianosit reached out to the little boys and encouraged him to "keep playing" and "Don't Quit" You can find a version of the story here, or an updated commercial of encouragement here.  And whether the story is accurate or not, it's still a good message.  One we can definitely learn from. 

She also talked about staying focused on the positive.  If you get 49 compliments but only one negative reaction - stay focused on those compliments - not the one things you may have disagreed with.  Jenna does that A LOT.  I find it quite annoying actually.  She had fun in Salem.  She rode the carrousel in Salem.  She played the Ukulele.  I guess Roland won the game they had played together - but still, she did quite well for not knowing the area.  She walked away with a bunch of prizes.  She had fun on the playground that she was really too big for.  And then she gets upset when people (including us) leave because of the rain.  That was her focus.  Really?  I have to constantly remind her.  But I don't suppose I've been a really great example for her and so we're both trying together.