Inspiration and Blessings

         The counselors from the Elder’s Quorum and Relief Society are asked to attend the huddles of either family history or meet with the missionaries.  As both RS counselors have been involved with another class (which happens during the time of the huddle meetings) the president and I have filled in for the last three weeks or so. And then Richard was called to assist in the missionary program (which he has pretty much been doing anyway).

In our last huddle the missionaries presented a list of some inactive members they had contacted and told us that each had expressed interest in returning to the fold.  Each of us were assigned a few names from the list.  Richard felt impressed to bring goodies – cupcakes or cookies.  We settled on chocolate chip cookies and Richard and I visited two households yesterday. 

The first house we drove to was in the country.  50 Acres.  Nice couple.  They used to raise llamas but have only two left.  The next house was much closer to civilization and with the most awesome view.  That was a totally unexpected chain of events.

When we first arrived the member seemed put off and indicated that she was in a meeting and “didn’t have time for us” which was okay – we had just showed up without an appointment but did wish to leave the cookies.  At that she asked, “Are you from the church?”

She then asked if we could sit for ten minutes while she finished her meeting.  We told her we could come back but were invited in and talked with her husband briefly until she returned.  She gave us a tour of her house.  We were awed.  I took a couple of pictures of the view – which Jaime and I had both seen but from the opposite angle.  I couldn’t believe that I was actually in the house that I had seen several times from the outside. 

I didn’t look at the clock before we arrived but would guess our visit was at least an hour.  We have two more visits to make but needed to come home to eat.  Our son called Richard with a job assignment – which is generally completed in less than 24 hours.  We are blessed that we will be getting some extra income.  

That address doesn’t even exist . . .

             Lately Richard has been receiving several calls from home warranty and mortgage places wanting us to refinance or invest or purchase or whatever.  He’s had enough calls – some from companies we have already dealt with – that he now gets rid of the caller by stating, “Oh, we have decided just to sell” 

            We did look up the address that was given - or tried to.  There is no street bearing that name in Myrtle Creek.  It isn't even a house number where we have lived or looked at.  It would be nice if we could sell just to have money in our pockets – but it is a bogus address.  

            We’re stumped at where the address materialized and how Richard’s phone or name got attached to this bogus address.  Seems like all these companies were scammed.  Just to make things clear:  WE DID NOT INICIATE THIS!

frustration

 

Ever since we moved to Oregon members of our ward have indicated that finding jobs comes easy to those in the Church.  Maybe before 2020.  I didn’t get a job right away with the school system – but I did get a job.  Haven’t found another.  But I have put in MANY applications and have had interviews.  I didn’t think I was being all that picky.  Maybe.

The most frustrating thing was having Richard get on my case – also believing that it would be easier to find work than it has been.  Now (with on bachelors and two masters) he’s the one putting in applications and interviewing and not getting hired.  I feel for him – I do.  He wants to work.  I wouldn’t mind working part time somewhere.  I’m okay with volunteering at the library – though just a bit of extra income would help financially.  A lot of extra income would help keep Jaime in school.

I’d like Richard to be working again.  I am sorry he has to play the game of job hunting.  But at least he has a better understanding of how it really is and not the painted picture we led ourselves to believe.

Mostly Because I Miss Those Days

                I was volunteering at the library the other night and was given the assignment to find some missing books.  As I was searching the shelves I came across Heather Vogel Fredrick’s book – Pies & Prejudice from The Mother Daughter Book Club series. I grabbed it for the series title.  One of the books that Jaime and I had read at the library mother daughter book club was Pie by Sara Weeks (here). I did not see it as a play on words from the title “Pride and Prejudice” until later nor a book series.  Nor do I understand why something in the Juvenile section would have such a tiny font.  I have seen bigger fonts in the young adult.  So for the most part I have been reading with a magnifying glass.  That is getting tiresome.  Thus I may not finish.

            I was also reminded of the Beehive Award when reading that this particular book is an Oregon award finalist.  Jaime also loved reading and voting on Beehive books. The characters in this book are older than Jaime and targeted youth of the book club as the reading material suggestion was made for ages 8 to 12.  Jaime and I both LOVED the book club.  For me it was an opportunity to read together and explore the pages in a creative way.  Though I’m sure she enjoyed reading with me she also enjoyed getting together with girls near her age and engaging in some kind of craft.  It was fun and meaningful all at the same time.

            The characters in the book have just started high school – I’m guessing their freshman year.  But nowadays it’s hard to know what age starts at which school as the age groups are different across the nation.  I had gone to sixth grade my last year at the elementary school where I had started kindergarten.  My mom had gone to a school that went from 1^st to 6^th grade and completed her 7^th and 8^th at a school that went from first to 8^th. I was in my last year of junior high as a ninth grader and hadn’t been referred to as a freshman.  Jaime started 6^th grade at Middle School – the equivalent of my junior high and completed four years of high school as freshman to senior.

            The book club takes place not in the library but in each of their homes.  Thus far I have only been introduced to three characters – each telling a chapter in first person.  I do like that.  Thus far I haven’t relived any of the nostalgia I had with Jaime.  I don’t really expect to but did think it would be fun to try.  Mother Daughter high schoolers . . . I guess it's possible.  

            If I don’t finish the book it will be because of the font size more than anything.  But I may take up reading books that are targeted to the 8-12 year old to act as a guide for the librarian who would like to start some kind of book club here.  I’d like to see that event unfold.  I don’t know if it will though.  Happy to see that it is still a part some libraries across the nation. 

I Am an Oddball

                During the course of our blogs, my brother and I have both mentioned how our growing up years may have seemed idealistic – how our share of problems pale in comparison to countless others.  I don’t relate to dysfunctional families and am highly grateful for that.  As I looked around the room during Relief Society yesterday I noticed each one of the sisters (or most of them) had been a part of a dysfunctional family either in childhood or parenthood – sometimes both I felt a sense of sadness.  I don’t/didn’t wish to appear like I was boasting with my “unexpected answer to prayer” example compared to great struggles and hardships of others. 

       I am GRATEFUL to be an oddball.  The closest I have come to experiencing the dysfunctional thing has been on the outside seeing a glimpse of Biff’s challenges and his in-laws.  I hadn’t thought of them as dysfunctional but there are some definite issues there.  But we all have challenges.  Mine have always been financial – a worldly matter. At least that is how I’d like to view it.  I have had great respect for my parents and sibs – especially with age.  I don’t know that I receive the same respect from my boys as I gave my own parents – but they came with baggage.  All three have some form of ADD or ADHD and often (or perhaps always) offhand behavior displayed (if any) is not their fault. 

      I believe that Jaime and I have the same kind of relationship as I had with my mom.  My mom was a great friend and nurturer to all four of her children.  We all seem to have married well and have carried the torch into our families – or tried to.  One brother has four children in the same order as me and my sibs.  My sister has a girl and two boys.  My other brother has cats who are loved every much as the biological children of the other two.

     Two of us have married spouses who don’t necessarily come from dysfunctional families but have in-laws with dysfunctional issues – unglued for whatever reason.  We pray for them that their hearts will be softened – that they may return to a life without so many complications. I’ve met all of Richard’s sibs, two of the spouses, some of the cousins – just a handful.  It’s strange. 

How Well Do You Know Your Scriptures?

             When I was in seminary each student received a package of 40 scripture cards for at least three years. I managed to save 120 of the cards.  The red cards were part of a package I had received in my freshman year, green doctrine and covenants cards recived in my sophomore year and blue Book of Mormon cards in my junior year.  I don’t have old testament cards.  That doesn’t mean that they didn’t exist.  I really don’t remember one way or the other.

            Cards offered key words for reference and memorization.  I hadn’t memorized them all.  There are some I still remember.  Sometimes we were challenged to carry our scriptures to all of our classes.  Sometimes we were told the scripture cards would be sufficient.  Thus I started punching holes to carry on a large ring binder.  I don’t know how I was able to save them all of this time.

It’s Been Almost Ten Years

           I continue to receive emails from a booster program that prepares young mind to navigate into the real world.  I created a post for it 10 years ago and notice that some of my links are now obsolete. Our time spent at JA City (here) took place approximately six months before our move to Oregon.  Thus not only do I live in another state than the said activities but my child is now 20 years old.  I finally hit the unsubscribe button.  Hopefully it worked.