FOR TODAY...

I haven’t done a Daybook entry since last year. But, reading Emily’s prompted me to journal here once again.

For Today...May 6, 2010

Outside my window...It is unseasonably chilly with snowflakes and raindrops on the tail of two-week gales.

I am thinking...That balance needs to arrive. I am such an unbalanced person—relatively speaking—in particular areas of my life, that it causes quite the upheaval of mind.

From the learning rooms...Medical Coding…The Nervous System.

I am thankful for...The knowledge that my Heavenly Father is in the details of my life. Though, it is such a struggle to wade through, I am very aware of His watchings over me.

From the kitchen...Been soup with a ham-bone stock for this cold and wet Spring.

I am wearing...My night clothes.

I am reading...Anatomy and Physiology; Step-By-Step Medical Coding; some wonderful and wholesome blogs.

I am hoping...Very much to even out my work life and to also create a balance between it and home.

I am hearing…The furnace—I love the sound of the white noise of the furnace. It is such a comfort.

Around the house...DH is getting ready for bed; Dog is napping on his fluffy quilt. I absolutely love this time of day.

One of my favorite things...Peace.

A few plans for the rest of the week...Work; Watching DD drum at a belly-dancing show this weekend.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...



I end with a personal thought, procured from the blog, A Beautiful Life. The author, Emily, writes…

"Sometimes I feel like I am gripping the ground dragging myself toward the destination trying to fight all sorts of tempests and storms..... But I don't let go!”

I, too, feel as though at times…Many times…I am gripping the ground, DRAGGING myself toward my destination, as that is all I can do. It seems quite overwhelming…Overwhelming to be me…Overwhelming to attain the things—the goals—the peace that I so yearn for.

Emily’s example, in her Daybook, was Mary of old. I, likewise, have a great example but one of modern day. Her name is Sheri L. Dew. This wonderful accomplished woman, is a successful author and head of a large company. One would believe that she has it all, and by all outside glances, it would appear so to be. Sherri, however, was never blessed to be married…Never blessed in motherhood. She “hates”, if I am recalling her words from a tape just listened to, going home to an empty house.

The Lord has had other plans for her; she knows not whether she will ever marry. At 57 years of age, she is past child-bearing years. As marriage and family is a primary focus of our church, how very very hard this burden must be for her to bear.

I have listed below some biographical information on Sheri. Please be advised that this was obtained from Wikipedia, which is an encyclopedia wherein anyone may post. Therefore, the information may or may not be totally correct.

Sheri L. Dew (born November 21, 1953) is an American author and publisher, currently acting as president and chief executive officer of Deseret Book, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dew has also been a religious leader within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), an inspirational speaker, writer, and acted as a White House delegate to the United Nations. In 2003, she was described as “the most prominent single LDS woman right now”.

I do not have Sheri's specific trials, for I was blessed both with a husband and children and now grandchildren. I look to people like Emily and Sherri, as I make my own way through the stinging nettles of life...And...

My Heavenly Father gives me—here and there—tidbits of hope, as I try ardently to have a wee bit of faith. He lets me know that things are okay, that He is there. I am thankful for those times, and I am thankful for Him.

May you find mentors of equal caliber, to whom you may look, as you fight your way through the many trials of life.



Blessings to you all.

BLOWING DOWN THE STREET

Here's a bit of what has been happening in our little corner of the world...





A woman told me yesterday that she would be back to class on Thursday if she didn't get blown into the next state! DH said that he almost did what with the strong winds, being close to the state border, and struggling to keep his rig rolling straight.

Here were some headlines on our paper...


Power lines downed, tractor-trailer rigs toppled in strong windstorm

Trucks also were felled by the powerful gale. Semitrailers were reported overturned at the interchange on Tuesday. And on Monday night, the wind overturned a semi on [the] highway, while bedeviling efforts to rescue its driver from the cab for close to three hours. The wreck was such a mess that volunteer fire departments had to assist, along with other emergency responders.
“Both of his trailers were empty, so without that weight to keep them planted, they kind of acted like a huge sail.”

(Paraphrased)



We always have some wind in the Spring, but I’ve never seen anything like this and for this long! If you live here, don’t EVEN plan on having a good day hair when you leave the house!

Have a beautiful and (hopefully) calm Thursday! ;)

TEN LONG DAYS

Have I mentioned that I miss my boy…;)

Oh my goodness, how I miss my boy.

I tried very hard not to text or phone him…I wanted our communication to mean something, so I wrote a letter…Day by day, I would write my thoughts, my questions, and our goings-on…

I sent the letter.



Then…I started another letter…Day by day, again, I recorded my thoughts, my questions, and our goings-on…

I sent the letter.



Day after day passed…And no word came…

By day 10, I could handle it no more...I was understanding of DB not contacting me, as who wants to talk to Mom when you have a whole new world before you? But…I was oh, so sad…

He may not have needed me, but I needed him!

It has been such a transition, as I knew that it would be. I think what is hardest of all is that I don’t have anyone around me who can relate…No one with whom I may share my feelings. Mom commented that she thought I would do okay since I had seen what a wonderful environment he would be in. Of course, I am very thankful for this…

But…

I told her that I have had that boy for 20 years! He is my only son. We have shared and bonded over two decades! How could I not have an aching heart for the lad?

So…Came Day 10…

Midnight…

Entering Day 11…



I could handle it no more…I texted…

He has always been fairly prompt in getting back to me…So, after receiving no answer the next day or the next night, I began to wonder and even worry a wee bit.

The second morning came, and I got the text!

His phone has been on its last legs, and he has been inundated with homework…I didn’t say “I told you so” like I wanted to ;)….

Before he left for college, he had spoken of running, working out, teaching martial arts, riding his motorcycle, reading some novels that he had been wanting to read…And, of course, calling on some of the female sort…

I told him, “DB, you’ll be in college! When I was there, I didn’t have time to read so much as a magazine! My every waking moment was spent in homework and the scores and scores of reading assignments I was given.”

“Of course,” I said, I was a nontraditional student and always noticed that the younger people MADE time for fun, while we who were a bit older kept our noses to our books.” He agreed that, yes, he indeed would be making time for fun!



We shall see…;)

So…Though his car, parked at the curb, brings daily reminders…And the sound of certain motorcycles make my heart twinge…This mama’s countenance is a bit brighter with the receipt of a text.

Love your little ones, dear mothers (and fathers)…For all too soon do they go away.

RANDOM SHOTS

A few random pictures from a week or two ago…

A really nice 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A we saw along the way, in Idaho...







A Polynesian luau…





High-class college housing…;)



A very long boy…



Have a beautiful Tuesday, All…

ALL THAT IS REAL

Do you ever reflect on what makes you happy?







It is so very important, in this ugly and harsh world, to point our focus…



To that which is real…



Beautiful…



Uplifting…



And strong…



To children…





And family...



And all that is real…

A GOSPEL-ONLY MEDIA DAY

Tomorrow, Wednesday, DH and I are going to have a gospel-only media day. So, no TV other than the BYU channel, no CDs other than those preaching the Gospel, and no magazines or books other than the scriptures or the Ensign, etc. I think that this will help us spiritually as individuals, as well as a couple. It is also a lesson in self-denial.



It’s funny, because I am not a big TV watcher and generally only spend my fun online time (am on for work as well) in various wholesome blogs that I visit. But…I am having a little anxiety attack already! Ha! Is that pathetic, or what?! Well, that’s okay; I need to grow, but more than that, I WANT my Heavenly Father’s guidance in my life, and the more I turn to Him, the more I will be able to feel and hear that still small voice.



So, blessings to you this Wednesday; may you find peace in your day as you seek Him who gives it.

BE IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF IT

Romans: 12:2 (King James Version)

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We are taught to be in the world but not of it. To me, this is a very difficult thing to do. When we arrived home from the spiritual environment which we were in and came back to jobs, which we had been able to put aside for a few days, it became very difficult for me to not want to bury my head in the sand. It had felt so could being clothed in the spirit that I wanted to continue that.

So, today, I stayed at home and relished a bit more in the spirit before exposing myself to the world once again. I read some Ensign talks and watched some stories of interest on the BYU channel. Tonight, I read from Abraham 3, and I prayed. DH went back to work—back to the normal grind.

I now have additional goals to add to my list, as I NEED my Heavenly Father to help me in my feeble attempts at this crazy thing we call life. I have prayed; I have studied; I now go forward in faith.

I pray that you may find some inspiration for yourselves to also go forward, even in hard times, having faith that our Heavenly Father will guide you through.

Have a blessed and organized Tuesday, All!