Quotes from The Mortal Messiah,by Bruce R McConkie.
     Providentially a gracious Father endows all his children with the Light of Christ, that righteous power and influence which proceeds forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space.  Part of this enlightening spirit is the universal gift of conscience; it causes unlearned and untaught people to do what is right by instinct.  But a gracious Father has also sent noble spirits and good men among all peoples to teach that measure of truth which they are able to bear, and to set such an example as their fellow mortals are capable of following.  These are the prophets and seers, the poets and philosophers, the sages and wise men, the leaders and influential persons found among all nations and kindreds.  And a gracious Father sent one Supreme Pattern and guide to be a light and an example for all men of all ages; he sent his Son.  Christ is our Pattern, our Exemplar, the great Prototype of all that is good and right and edifying.
     "What manner of men ought ye to be?" So asks our great Exemplar of his Nephite disciples.  His own answer:  "Verily I say unto you, even as I am." Manifestly, if we emulate him so that his way of life becomes ours, we shall qualify for the same glory and exaltation that is his, for "when he shall appear, we shall be like him."
     Can we present the best role models by exposing & feeding our children the likes of Homer Simpson, etc?  Whose example are you giving your children and yourselves today?  Please consider  your responsibility for the feeding of your children's souls carefully.  Whose example are your giving them to follow?

Finding Solutions

I have found two articles published in the Ensign magazine, our church's publication, that have addressed two issues near & dear to my heart.  The first, "Questions and Answers", is about becoming 'cycle breakers' in our own family lives.  This is and always has been one the most important focuses of my life.  This is an issue I have struggled with all my life.  I recognize that we are all products of our environments, but I've always wanted to have an effective change not only in attitude, but also in execution of day to day life patterns.  This first article has given me hope.

The second, "Conversion is the Key," is about the effect of positive pattern setting; the 'ripple' effect of our lives choices.  It more or less dove-tails from the first article.

I highly recommend them to any/all who are struggling to make effective changes in their own lives and the lives of their families.
Happy Reading!
http://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/06/questions-and-answers?lang=eng

http://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/06/conversion-was-the-key?lang=eng

Heaven

HEAVEN

I had the sweetest experience this week in a dream. Dreams are so subjective & therefore meaningless, I think, in sharing with others that I hesitate to even try. However, I have something of value to share with those who have ears willing to hear.

They say that 'everyone' you encounter in a dream is really just a facet of your personality, but I say, how can a dream evolve if all the actors are just you? It would be impossible to have a dream without interaction to move the story along! The story line isn't important in this dream, but I hope to be able to convey the message and the feeling my dream.

I found myself outside in a place of huge, natural beauty, similar to the Pacific Northwest but magnificent in beauty beyond description. There was much construction activity all around me. I, myself, was 'shopping' for items to give to my daughter for her new home. However the setting, while opulent, was outside! I found a lovely inlaid lamp table, several fine china serving platters and fine crystal flutes. I was assured by the lady who helped me, and adored all that I had bought(?), that they would be delivered to my daughter's new home. I was then walking about this massive construction site (still all magnificent & huge) on my way to my daughter's to enjoy the new gifts & view her new home. Some of my extended family members & I were walking alongside a flowing creek as we carefully picked our way through the construction to my daughter's home.

I first experienced the home from the interior. The walls I saw were constructed of red brick, but laid in a curving, fairy-tale like way. It reminded me of the homes lived in by the Hobbits in The Lord of the Ring, or Kincaid paintings, but a LOT more spacious! Now that I think about it, it seemed alot like a Kincaid painting, but the home and the surrounding scenery were ginormous!

We all then found ourselves outside gazing at the scenery all around us, in this woodsy, watery, mountainous, BEAUTIFUL place. And everyone there (as there were small crowds of people about) were all singing the same song. I realized that the whole time I had been in this dream, that all the people in the background were singing the same song all the time. It's melody was simple and I only heard one phrase being sung over and over again, "We just left yesterday. We just left yesterday!" That is when I realized the full import of the dream. I HAVE NEVER FELT SUCH PEACE & JOY AS I FELT IN THIS PLACE. And everyone there was so overjoyed to be BACK, that the song in their hearts was, 'We just left yesterday!' It seemed to mean that we were NOW back to a place that we had left only the day before, but now we all returned to the place from which we all came-a place where we belonged-home.

How does one describe a feeling? Love, peace & joy literally FLOWED through this place & through everyone's heart. I woke up literally singing the song. I even woke up Tony and tried to tell him about the experience and sing him the song! Even with my sorry singing voice, I could repeat it perfectly, for the music pitched up on the second phrase to make it slightly different from the first. I can remember now, days later, but as dreams often fade, I don't know how long I will be able to hear the tune and repeat it?

I prayed to ask my Heavenly Father if I had experienced a little piece of Heaven and He confirmed to me that I had. I was in a place of beauty with my loved ones where love constantly, naturally, flowed unheeded.

It was an experience of blessing. I will pray that I can regain that same sense of Heavenly existence at will in the future.

The question that had been flowing through my mind weeks previous to this experience was, "I wonder what Heaven looks like?" I have an answer that was even better than my question---now I know what Heaven feels like! I want to go there with all my loved ones. I look forward to us all sharing this wonderful place one fine day.

Merry Christmas!

Ernie Smith's Baptism

This is an email I received from my daughter, Patti Sue. On Friday, Nov 4, 2011, she, with her children Jake and Jane, traveled to Rexburg, ID, for a speaking assignment Patti had with EFY, Especially For Youth---a youth centered organization supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Patti has a presentation that she shares with the youth of the Church wherever and whenever there is a need and she has the time and availability. I have never been able to attend her presentation so I know only that it is centered on Rob's (her late husband) life and passing. I have been told, however, that she provides a moving & memorable experience that leaves a profound impression on the youth.
The LDS Church purports the practice of the ancient teaching of baptizing for the dead. My children, John David and Patti, have been planning and preparing to perform this Gospel Ordinance for my dad, Ernie Smith. Since J.D. and his family live in Rexburg and there is a Latter Day Temple in Rexburg, they determined to go forward with the Temple Ordination for my dad. It works by a male person acting as proxy for my dad (females act as proxy for female persons) being baptized in his name by one having the ancient Priesthood authority. You may enter a Temple and perform proxy baptisms for the dead when you reach the minimum age of twelve and have been interviewed and pronounced worthy by your local Bishop to enter the Temple. I am proud to say that my grandson, Jake Epperson, is such a youth and my daughter and my son also are Temple worthy individuals. The three of them went to the Rexburg Temple (while sweet daughter-in-law, Tasha, stayed home with Patti's baby Jane) to perform the baptism for my dad Friday evening. J.D. did the actual baptism and Jake acted as proxy for my dad.
We firmly believe that this life on earth is a step in the evolution of humankind throughout eternity. We believe that we are expected to perform all the Gospel ordinances while in this earthly stage of our existence. We also subscribe to the ancient practice of performing proxy ordinances for our dead progenitors, who did not have these ordinations performed for themselves while living on earth. We feel that we are performing a service for them that they cannot now do for themselves. And since we feel a love for our ancestors, we love to do what we can for them that we believe will aid them in their eternal progression.
I cannot express or contain the love, pride and appreciation that I have for all my children and grandchilren. ALL of them are jewels in my crown---they each bring us all joy! My family is simply The Best! Enjoy Patti's message.

Mom,
Last night was so amazing. Jake only wanted to come up here to do
grandpa's work. We got there early (the Temple) and sat in the chapel and talked to Jake about memories we had of grandpa. We told him different stories and just gave
Jake a closeness to his great grandpa. Jake of course remembers his funeral and
still has the bullet shells from the military salute. A member of the temple
presidency came in to talk to the youth and he talked about how this youth is
continuing the missionary (work) their dead ancestors are doing in the spirit world. I
told Jake there was no doubt in my mind that his dad taught grandpa in the
spirit world and that is why now grandpa was excepting the gospel and how great
it was for Jake to continue the work for his dad. The spirit was so strong and I
could not control my tears of joy. Jake said to me afterwards that he always
want(ed) to be at the temple. He is such a great boy with a strong testimony. It was
a beautiful experience and (I) was grateful to be a part of it.
Love Patti sue

Never Too Old to Learn

I had the opportunity to sub teach in Sunday School this last Sunday for the 16 year old class of boys & girls. Goof that I am I prepared all week Lesson #32 for the Primary age children. I didn’t realize my mistake until 10 am Sunday morning while doing my last ‘run through’ of the class material. No wonder the notes the teacher sent me didn’t match the lesson material?? So through gritted teeth and with flying fingers put to my keyboard, I dove into the correct lesson material with only a couple of hours prep time!
They were prepared and very well behaved students who wanted to be in Sunday School that day. I had a great time & sincerely hope I had a positive effect on them! If I did, it was because at the very beginning of my class prep in the lesson material, I was presented with this thought, “Will you work to teach this lesson or will you work to change lives?”
OhMyGoodness!!! That thought burned right through me!?! In an instant I realized that my approach with assignments to ‘teach a lesson’ clearly lacked this needed imperative! Previously I was obsessed with becoming well acquainted with the lesson material; with investigating every part & extension of it. I always felt driven to examine all possible sources & anticipate every possible question & prepare an answer to it. When I completed all that study, I would then go back to the lesson directive & review all the material & finally design my outline for my presentation. I thought, ‘Perfect!’ What more could one do?
With this new awareness I approached the lesson material. I came away with a different understanding of how to present ‘the lesson plan’. I viewed the material with a new insight; one that looked further, beyond the mark of the facts. One that would help me present new values to the full measure of the principle. It changed my whole perception of presentation. I moved from details to concepts. I spoke of interfacing values that included interesting points of fact. I scooped up their minds & swept them along in a voyage of discovery … one that allowed them to place themselves inside the picture & choose action. I gave them opportunities that they previously didn’t know that they had. I gave them tools to ‘change their lives’ if they wanted. I taught precepts, not only facts. It was a wonderful, teaching experience for me.
This morning my sister called me to discuss her frustration in family metrics. She is raising her three grandchildren as wards of the State of Oregon. The State was placing her in the position of having to choose between grandsons. They threatened to revoke her state license if she did not separate the two boys based on treatments each was receiving which were diametrically opposed programs in the eyes of the State. To say that she was frustrated & fighting mad would be an understatement.
I was able to introduce to her my new discovery in correlation to her situation. I said that the State attorney, which she was working with, seemed more intent on running the program than in meeting the needs of the children. She took great comfort & hope from that understanding! It gave her verbal ammunition with which she could argue her status with the State agencies. It empowered her to see the full picture, the true concept of her battle & renew her commitment to the health of her family!
Serve the One. The Ninety and Nine. The Prodigal Son. Conversion (change of heart) is active & nurtured in each heart. It is personal … the most intimate action capable. If the heart cannot be reached, there is no change. Do not waste your allotted time in worthless activity … touch people’s hearts always. To affect hearts, one at a time, is to affect the world, one heart at a time. Who within your influence needs to have their heart touched? What can you do to change the heart of the world?
“I am only one, but still I am one,” Helen Keller.
"Example Faith, Spread Hope, Practice Charity … you can touch hearts," Sande Mitchell.

Deep Thoughts

I don't usually read a newspaper, but occasionally they accumulate in my drive & if I don't toss them quickly, my hunny will bring them inside. So, while paging through the first one of the new year, I found & read a wonderful piece about love, loss & life.

A man, named Dean Martin as luck would have it, woke up Memorial Day 2009 to a normal day filled with anticipation for the upcoming birth of his first child, a son, within the week. He & his wife had planned a fairly simple quiet day & began it by reviewing & discussing baby boy names. At the top of the short list that day was 'Austin'.

By early afternoon, his wife was suffering abdominal pain that didn't seem anything like labor that sent them scurrying to the emergency room. As the afternoon wore on, the tests and the pain increased without relief or explanation. By early evening, as Dean watched in horror as his wife's life essence relentlessly slipped away, tiny unborn, unknown Austin began showing signs of distress. Though emergency surgery was performed in an effort to save Austin, he survived only 51 hours and l5 minutes to later die in his father's arms. Dean's wife died before midnight that same day. The culprit was found to be a benign tumor on her liver that had burst.

All these facts I read with mounting anxiety as they presented Dean's story to me. I didn't ask for this mental trauma that morning. I was after-all just paging through an unwanted newspaper because I truly had nothing other to do and his unusual name drew my attraction to the piece.

I was in the end, grateful for the interruption of my peaceful Saturday morning. Dean turned out to be quite a teacher of emotional insightfullness. To quote Dean as he was quoted when asked 'the why of it all?'

"Maybe this happened because I was in a position to show people how to keep going,"he says. "I don't know that I have any answers or that I am doing it the right way." The things he's learned:

You never really get back to normal. It is with you always. A diaper commercial on TV can be like a punch in the gut.

You can never have enough life insurance.

You have to put one foot in front of the other, even if you don't know where you are going.

Mmmm. Put 'one foot in front of the other -- even if you don't where you are going.' I'd say that's about the best piece of advice I've ever heard from one of the 'Walking Wounded', as I like to refer to those of us who have survived life traumas. And really, who hasn't?

So, if a man who arose one peaceful morning in May only to have his family, his life, his world in shreds by day's end to admit & counsel such simple, wonderful words of wisdom, then I'm oh so happy to have taken the time and effort to read, no, to relive his story & learn what he learned. And I'm grateful to have taken the opportunity to share it with you all on this wonderful first Sabbath Day in the New Year 2011.

Gratitude is the Attitude of Charity. May we all practice more gratitude this year for all our blessings, but especially our blessings of family and loved ones. And if we can't feel an attitude of gratitude, then may we at least, "...put one foot in front of the other, even if you don't know where you are going," until you reach the Godly Grace of Gratitude. May God Bless you richly in this new year.

"

Thoughts on ....

So, I had a birthday. It was a landmark birthday. I didn't care for that too much. And it made me uncomfortably aware that time passes only in one direction - forward.
But it is through living life that we are taught the lessons of life; thus the blessing of this unique tool, time, is revealed.
Time is the gift that our Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ provided for us by planning & executing the Plan of Salvation that sent us to earth to gain physical bodies, make sacred covenants, and prove ourselves worthy.
I have learned some truisms. It is my scared trust to pass along to my family some of the lessons that my 'time' on earth has taught me.
Gratitude ... practice gratitude for all things, all people, all circumstances.
Discipline ... practice discipline for yourself in all areas of your life.
Trust/Faith ... cast away fear & give faith a chance to grow in your heart.
Love ... unconditionally or you're wasting God's gift of Time.
Service ... you will always receive more than you give in each circumstance.
Look for opportunities to serve & never refuse a chance.
Loyalty ... the most cherished trait a friend could share.
Enough for now. Please ponder these of 'my scared trust'. These are not new words. These are not new thoughts, not even original thoughts. They are simply my thoughts and experiences. And I am still working at perfecting these, also. Just thinking of you all this wonderful Sunday.

Hey! Does Anyone Read This??

I know we don't get out much & I know we don't have cute little kiddies to show you pictures of or to tell you stories about, but HEH! could somebody at least read & comment here, OK? I mean these antique pictures are pretty cool!!!

Fine......they're gone. You had your chance.......

Really, seriously, our life is pretty darn boring. Work, fight over dinner, fight over TV, bed-fight over light on/off, TV on/off, then it starts all over again, except for Sat & Sun when we throw in a cooked breakfast for Sat morning & early Church on Sunday! YEAH for SUNDAYS! SERIOUSLY I love Sundays. Now if I could convince Tony that he only needed to eat just twice a day on Sundays, I would never turn the calendar over to Monday........ever.

Oh, we worry a lot. We worry about our parents. Are they healthy, are they happy.....do they even care if they're happy? SERIOUSLY. We worry about our grandkids. Are they safe? Are they careful? Are they hangin with the right crowd? Are they doin their homework? Are they brushing their teeth (or in Ava's case, their hair)? We sorta worry about our kids, but between worrying about our parents & grandkids, there is only so much worrying room left to go around. I mean, who wants worry wrinkles......not me!!!

We sorta worry other people in the Ward. We're the Ward canning specialists. We annoy every one every Sunday by standing up before every class (& I do mean every darn class) & waving the inevitable clipboard (with attached pen) in front of their faces & pass along our beloved Bishop's message of hope/fear that their very lives depend on attending the Stake Cannery each month & canning every imaginable food available to be vacuum sealed with a sustainable shelf life of five years to Kingdom Come for a time of need! I can't believe we haven't been stoned in the parking lot by beleaguered ward members overwhelmed by guilt. (It will probably happen one evening when we switch to the late schedule & have to slouch to our car leaving Church under the cover of darkness.) SERIOUSLY

So please, if you happen to stop in & visit with us some time, just leave a comment & try to be kind. We're old now, & do not tolerate fools well. We may take you off our email mailing list!! (I can hear what you're thinking.....remember I have MOM radar!! & it still works!!)

BLAST TO THE PAST

Patti Stowell sent a website to me that featured the place that we all frequented for our regular date nights every week of our lives, or so it seems! It was The Armory; the local Armored Guard Station that a local promotor, Bob Dye, would rent & stage teen age dances. It was just about as regular as the sunrise during my teen years, every Saturday night.


When I was very young, I went with my brothers, then later I went with my girlfriends. Later I went with dates. It was so fun to get ready for 'the dance'. As a girl in the 60's you would have to spend all of Saturday & probably part of Friday night (to wash your hair so it would be dry by Saturday night). We would agonize over make-up...was this too much? too little? was this too much ratting our hair? too high? not enough? too much hair spray (it would make your hair stick to your dance partners' face when you slow danced if you used too much)? We had to take turns at the bathroom mirror doing our hair & make-up, but I don't remember any arguments over that. We did argue over clothes, though.......always!

Anyway, here are a couple of pictures that included some family members from our youth that I wanted you all to see. Show the grandkids so they can be shocked!

This is a fun, fun, fun site that Tony & I had a blast reviewing! I included the montage so you could get an idea of the dress, hair, etc of our times. When did we become 'The Oldies'? I don't remember voting on that?!

Thoughts of 2008

I was drawn recently to the quote from Quentin L. Cook, “Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time,” from his Conference talk and just wanted to send/share this with you all today as we all share in the same family spirit of unity in love and loss. It’s been a great comfort to visit with you each individually & discuss with you how your lives have been impacted by the immeasurable loss of our Rob & the affect it has had in our day to day lives.

Patti’s house was so beautifully decorated for Christmas, that I didn’t even notice until she pointed it out to me, that she had not decorated her Christmas tree. The children had each put up of their own ornaments & it was lovely, yet Patti’s heart just wasn’t capable of ‘decking the halls’ as far as the tree went. I, too, had only managed to add ten mementos to our artificial pre-lite tree. I just couldn’t find joy/energy to ‘deck’ my halls beyond that. Maybe next year……

John David & I had a few moments to visit while he was here in Mesa work assignment. We shared some thoughts & experiences of the time we spent together at the Epperson home in Rob’s final days. Even living in the same house at the same time, we each had additional experiences that we had not had the opportunity to share with each other.

The grieving process is on-going & seems to have a life of it’s own I recognize & respect that. I’m grateful that, for me, it’s moved from having to cry at least once each day to a sort of emotional dull ache. How else would I be able to go to work every day?

There are times of sweet remembrance, also. Times I can absolutely fill my head with Rob’s voice & enthusiasm! Times I can be very thankful that my life was once blessed by his presence so that my tomorrows can be graced by his remembered essence. I know & love Rob Epperson. And when I see him again, I will know & love him still. Though he was all too mortal, his godliness well covered any failings he might have had. He is one of the most unselfish people I have ever met. That is a Christian characteristic. That is being like Christ. In that, Rob excelled.

Friends & Family,

It's a great day to sit & spend a few minutes with you. The weather has changed finally from 100+ straight days of 100+ degrees to the lovely 80's. The 'snow-birds' are returning from the north & making the working people of Phoenix insane as we try to navigate through them to & from work, shopping, etc. They tend to drive like people on vacation (read as slow & gawking) & completely disregard all traffic rules. They turn whenever & whichever way & from ANY lane when the mood hits them. Ah, yes, the return of perfect weather also means the return of the dreaded 'cotton-top' motorists. Gotta love them.

Tony is playing Randy Travis singing old time hymns on his super charged computer with a six-speaker system & we've got front & back doors open with the sun shinning in & cool breezes shuffling through. Life just doesn't get much better than this.

I just came from our jetted hot tub to soothe an aching back & we're headed to the AZ State Fair later today.

This was the first time I've been in the Jacuzzi since the day I heard Rob, Patti Sue's husband, was ill last Dec. It's been a tumultuous year filled with pain & longing. We lost Rob to the other side in March, but I still hear his voice every day. As I was sitting in the tub, I was wondering if I would be able to always hear him so clearly in my head. I thought of others that I had lost from years ago, & the answer is, 'yes', I can still hear them if I want & so I expect that Rob will always be that clear & alive to me.

Tasha, John David's wife, discribed Rob as ' a force of nature' and I think that describes him well. He made life happen. He always picked the most quiet person in the room & got them moving! Rob was Life in capital letters. He was always in motion or planning to be in motion! And planning to put everyone else in motion, too.

I miss him, but I have him any moment I want.

Life is bittersweet that way.

So, we are learning to live without his actual prescence, but reliving moments of pure joy when his presence made all the difference in any setting.

Little steps....I'm taking little steps of doing normal things again, like the Jacuzzi, like the State Fair. And I'm feeling Rob's wonderful essence whenever I want.

I know Heavenly Father has a plan for us all, especially Rob & his family. I'm trusting Heaven to carry us forward without that bright light of human energy that Rob was in our lives. I'm trusting Heaven to ease his loss to his young family & widow. Rob's energy spans the veil between Heaven & earth. Thank our God for that.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Josie Holloway!!

Josie Holloway turned 12 on August 2, 2008. She is the oldest daughter of the oldest daughter of Sande Mitchell & John Griffith, Janet, and her husband, Brian Holloway (ages omitted). Josie has one younger brother, Zach, and one younger sister, Lucy (Lulu). She lives in Bremerton, WA. For some reason, I can't get her picture to download, bummer, so you can all see what a lovely young lady she is (I'll keep trying).

We Love You!!

Happy Birthday Josie Happy Birthday Josie

Visiting Granddaughter

Tony & I had a wonderful visit with Tony's granddaughter, Christina Mitchell of Nampa, ID, who had come to Phoenix for a month of sun & fun. Teresa Weingart, Tony's daughter of Cave Creek, AZ, brought Christina over to Mesa.....an hour commute via several freeways...and the three of them had lunch together at Tony's favorite (& Christina's) feeding trough, the Golden Corral. I don't know if they walked over or not cause I was at work at my great new job, but Tony & I often do when we go, as it is that close to our home (as is Chili's, McDonald's & Taco Bell). At the time the three of them went it was 110 degrees in the shade & no breeze, so they probably drove.



When I arrived home, Tony was holding them hostage to his computer cache of his extensive music library which he was loving & Christina was tolerating. It was easy for me to move her over to my computer to my you tube page where I had my own music which Christina liked a bit better. I had some Country.....her favorite. Score one for grandma.



They had to leave soon after that, but we were tickled to spend some time with her. She's sixteen going on 25 (of course) & anxious to get back to her ID boyfriend. Some things never change.



We never seem to get enough time with our ID (or any of our) grandkids. I'm hopeful retirement will change that! :) Wait!! Do we get to retire? Quick, somebody grab a "Magic 8 Ball"!!

Answered Prayers

Wa Hoo! I am employed...happily, I might add. It's a simple job in a mushrooming company that needed me as bad as I needed a job! I am working as a payroll tax specialist (can you say boring?) in a company that processes payrolls (only) for families hiring care-givers for disabled family members. It's a nation-wide operation. So that's payrolls, only, for families of disabled family members, only. Very highly specialized. Then you specialize further to the taxes, only, portion of that operation, and you have my job. It's not boring at all. The volume alone keeps my dept hopping. I've already had to work overtime in my first two weeks.

I'm trying to download John David's picture slideshow from the family reunion they attended in Riggins, ID. So far, I've failed miserably, but I'm going to keep trying. You can view it, however, if you click on his link on this home page or below under the name Griffith Fam Summer 08. It looks like they had a wonderful time. I would love to be able to hear the karoke session! They obviously had a blast!

We had a micro burst blow through here Monday night. That's a horizontal tornado. We were right in it's center. We don't have trees in our back yard, but just over the fence, I was watching those trees whip over & back up to ninety degrees at times. It was magnificent and scary. We are in a very safe & secluded building, however, our power was clobbered.....probably downed poles, and out from 7:30-10:30 pm. When we went to bed, I had a spray bottle of water in hand in case I had to spray my sheet in the night to keep cool. Even with the wind and heavy rain, we get no relief from the high temps.....it was probably 95+ that night.

Post a note or a comment when you drop in to read. Drop over to Patti's page to see her most recent news on her family's saga. Again, Johnny's picture show is well worth the browsing, especially if you're the Grandma!!

Catch you all later. May God Bless & Keep You.

Scripture Thought

When I was feeling discouraged; that happiness seemed unattainable in this life, I read this scripture. It was a blessing for me & perhaps can help you in a time of discouragement.

"But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions." (italic added)
Alma 34:41