Celebrating DAD

 My sweet dad has been gone for 9 years.  We will have a big 10-year DEATH-a-versay celebration next year with all the fixins and family, but this year we celebrated with siblings and a BBQ dinner at our home. 

wayne made delicious smoked ribs-- that he basically prepares and fusses with all day...but they turn out so delicious and fall off the bone it's worth it.  Plus he made his sourdough bread!  Others brought fruit and salads and beans..and a fresh peach cream cheese dessert.  All so good.  Our activity was portrait painting!  We drew names out of a hat, then that's who he got to paint.  None of us are very good at this, so it turned out just as "awesome" as predicted.  I ended up painting two-- because Guy decided he didn't want to "play."  I say be a participator.  Life is too short not to just jump in and do things, whether you are good at them or not!

Liz painted Christine

Angela painted Liz

Gary painted Allison

Wayne painted Melinda

Melinda painted Gary

Melinda painted Angela

Christine painted Wayne

Adam painted Guy

Al painted Adam.

Stay Spiritually full

 Our spirits need to have daily feeding and care of the soul to stay in tune to spiritual things.

Pay attention to the feeding of your spirit or it's easy to experience Spiritual Anorexia where you become ....numb to the spirit..... You have spiritual anorexia when nothing feels good at church, or start to tune out and play on your phone more in church, or feel negative about whatever is said in a talk over the pulpit, or find other things to do on Sunday and stop going to church, or believe you're smarter than everyone else in the church, or stop listening to scripture type podcasts and tune in instead to questioning LDS podcasts about what's wrong with the church.    When you are  Spiritually Anorexic and you’re sitting in church and someone stands up to testify it is easy to pick it apart and say, "That’s crazy. That’s not true. I don’t believe that."

Spiritual Anorexia is a spiritual blindness of the mind, and difficulty feeling and hearing the voice of the Prophet or what the spirit is telling you to do. 

How do we stay out of Spiritual Anorexia and instead Feast on the spirit and seek spiritual things and work on God-like qualities? 

Remember that you get to be in charge of the relationship you have with God.  

So get yourself in a place where God can speak to you.  I love the temple.  I couldn’t always say this. Now my temple time is about building a relationship.   Now it’s a place to totally unplug and talk to God.  You can do this inside or outside of the temple.  Go to the grounds..they have been dedicated as well.  Keep your phone in the car..and sit and pray and talk to God.  Feel the spirit and Fill your spirit.  

The more time I spend at church or in my calling— I feel like I'm giving something to God…. Feels like I'm building a relationship.  High demand religion is good.

Decide where you want to spend your time?  What type of person do you want to be?  What thoughts do you want to have, and what conversations do you want to engage in and what types of people do you want to be around?

Then.... if decide you want to stay in the church and have a relationship with God,  STEEP YOURSELF IN SPIRITUAL THINGS.

This is what has served me and my thoughts and the way I go about my days the last eight years of my life. I read or listen to a chapter in the Book of Mormon every single day.  I listen to uplifting spiritual podcasts and share and discuss these with family and friends.  I read LDS books and books on Faith from other religions.  I talk to faith-filled friends. When I have questions about church policies or conference talks... I zoom out, I take it to God.  I've chosen to be here for the long haul. 

I heard this and I think it's good advice for those questioning their faith...."How long were you a believer going to church?   Take that same amount of time with your doubts still going to church.   Then if you still want to, you can leave the church."  But don't throw away a good thing until you find something better.  Take some time.    You don’t have to know as much as you think you need to know, to stay here.  

I know it is possible to be happy outside of my religion.  There are many beautiful things in this world God has given us.  Heavenly Father loves all his children, not just members of the LDS church.  He’s filled the world with good things that bring joy like music, art, theatre, hikes, nature, flowers, ripe tomatoes, family game time, beaches, lakes, eating out at restaurants, sunsets and sunrises, singing with a band, hanging out with friends, good food, … 

We have many good/ fun/ joyful mortal things....but there will come a point where they cannot satisfy the deeper needs that we have.  I  am always searching for light and truth.    

So many people ask what’s the point of this life?  Why are we here? Where’s the peace?  Because of my religion, I have the answers.  I believe the Teachings of Christ are of eternal nature.   His reach is beyond our mortal world.  Beyond our time and space.

I believe we were built for Joy!!  Joy and grief are inextricably connected.  Life is hard and it’s heavy and trials are an essential part of our progression.. and the end goal is still Joy!

Trials that we have in life can really affect and color how we view life itself and the choices we make.  It's so important to know how to navigate moments of uncertainty and hurt.  The value of the teachings of Christ help me exist in the moment of trial…which are devastating at times..but also how to navigate after.  I noticed this so much when my dad, mom and Marcie died.  It was devastating and sweet because I have a belief in a wonderful afterlife and progression past this life.  I can stand in present day uncertainty and still feel hope and trust.  The teachings of Christ give me an eternal perspective. This helps me.  I like living in this space and going throughout my day and interactions with this as my foundation.

No spiritual anorexia for me... I'm feasting. 

Sidetracked band in Jackson

Jackson Hole with the band was a riot. 

Wayne, Melinda, Rob, Garth, Nick, Angie, Heidi, Kimi, Bob

We left early Monday morning and drove with Rob Nisbet in our car.  Rob is an awesome person and he shared his life and talked with Wayne and I all the way there.  ( He’s almost 80) Handsome Rob is one of our guitar players and music historian extraordinaire.  7 out of 8 of our band members came- no Maren Thomasma–it was her 50th birthday celebration so she was doing that.  We recruited Heidi Bingham to sing back ups with Kimi and Angie. Heidi was such a good sport and her and Lance hauled all the way up to Jackson from St. George.  What a trooper.   

We loaded into the Jackson Hole Playhouse stage and practiced there for a couple of hours, before heading to the town square and playing for the people.  We all wore cowboy hats and boots and looked like a country western band, which we are not, but we did add a few country-type songs–Country Road and God Bless the USA.

All ages stopped to listen to our hour-long program on the corner on the town square.  We had littles dancing in the street and a Chinese tour group taking pics like we were famous..we had many people singing along with us. Singing on the square in front of the big antler arch was great!  It was hot, but we were in the shade. 

We all went for dinner at the Silver Dollar Grill and Garth and Anne Marie treated us.  Everyone was still in their cowboy hot and boots and just fit right in.    We stayed in the rustic Stage Coach motel–  rustic is short of no amenities and a bad mattress.  

AnnMarie and Garth Oborn

Heidi, Melinda, Kimi, Angie

I had an unfortunate hair clip placement on my dress.... yikes...I'm so embarrassed.  We laughed about this til we cried. 

The next morning we went to a Senior Center in Jackson to a small audience..then they treated us to a trout and cheese risotto lunch there.  Then off to an Assisted Living center to a very appreciative audience. ( Except for one lady who plugged her ears the whole time, had a scowl and when I went up after to greet her, she folded her arms and said, “I don't have a name.” )  

Garth shared this from Amber of the Sage Assisted Living Center.  She was thrilled to have us.  She met Garth in the Hallway and…” with perhaps three feet between us, slowly nodded her head up and down and said nothing, just stared at me, with tears running down her face.  In a world mixed with emotions, she knew it and I knew it that we had touched hearts, ‘lifted hands that hang down and strengthened the feeble knees.’”

We loaded up and drove home- with Rob Nisbet- and stopped in Afton at Shumway Farms for delicious ice cream and the creamiest yogurt I have ever had.  It was a good trip. 

"C" date

Wayne and I did a “C” date on Saturday night. 

We went to the temple for the Celestial Room- I love being in the temple... I have come to realize it's because I'm unplugged, not by my spouse, or anyone I really know, and it's just me and God. It's a meditative time. I talk to God and work on my relationship with them. I contemplate and go over family and my issues, and seek revelation and seek peace, perspective and power for my life. You can do this in the temple or on the temple grounds. Taking time to build a relationship with God is really important to me.

While there we saw my Uncle Steve and Cousin Stevie Jo in the celestial room–so that was a real treat to visit with them. Steve is one of my favorite people in this world! 

Then off to Culver’s for Custard– and while going there, we got an SOS from Truman so Wayne decided Charity fit with the C theme- and he headed up to the Cabin to deliver a new generator.  

We were going to go buy me a Cross-necklace–but that will have to wait.  I love the thought of the cross now so much. The image represents God’s love on the vertical axis and how we should reach out and love our neighbors on the horizontal axis.  I loved Jared Halverson’s talk on Contraries at the Restore Conference and I really want a cross necklace now as a reminder of this.

Grand kid Game night - Sept.

We did it again!  Grandkid game night.  We started at the $ kids school Carnival.  (The $ kids-- are Tayla, Lady and Elsie-- they are Money Monsons' girls)   We got faces painted and did all of the bouncy/slide houses.   Alfie HAD to purchase a Spongebob Beanie.  He's in love with it. Then to our home for pizza and cheese sticks in the backyard along with trampoline jumping.  Wayen got the trampoline finally put up on Sept 10th-- just so we can take it down and put it away on Oct 10th..but for a little while the grands are thrilled.   We will miss Andrew and Sophia for now and next month because of the Viewmont HS band -- and we miss them a lot.  The littles are awesome-- we say this is the night where cousins become friends.  

"B" date

 Labor Day Wayne and I went on our second alphabet date.  It was the letter B...So we had Bread for Breakfast, then loaded our Bikes up and went to Bark City (Park City)  to Bike around there. It was a gorgeous day.  I took my e-bike and Wayne was on his bike and we rode some great trails around the city starting in Kimball Junction.  

We took up clothes to change into-- and went over to the outlets to get cleaned up and then we had Birria tacos from the Border taco truck.

This sign was perfect for our "b" day

We went shopping, but only in stores that had a B in their name.... well I was shopping for Boots...so we did have to sneak into Merrell to get my hiking Boots.

Then home to watch movies in Bed, and more delicious Bread that Wayne makes.  He's working on cinnamon swirl and Jalepeno and cheese bread.  It was a great day! 

Savannah gets married

Savannah Bentley got married to Andrew Ormand and it was a glorious day.  Laila came into town for it!  We had our first Layton Temple wedding experience. It was in sealing room 6 which has the giant cherry blossom stained glass windows in it and plenty of seating.   I like how this temple has a north door and space dedicated to Weddings and pictures and all the things… The bride garden is gorgeous. Savannah was so lovely and excited to have all of the support.  Savannah had 11 bridesmaids– 5 of which are her cousins, Laila, Abby, Karissa, Anna and Becca. It was sweet.  

 

Hunter, Laila, Becca, Karissa, Savannah, Abby, Anna, Alex

We had the rest of the festivities, including a taco truck at the Arbinger building in Farmington right by the Red barn, so the outside pics feel very country.  Sandy and Clark had ALL of their family in attendance, with 8 kids and spouses and grandkids…that’s a lot.   Laila got to be with all of her Welch cousins for most of the day, especially with Becca Welch.  I love watching Laila be Laila. She is so interested, a great listener, kind, empathetic and loves people. 

Alex and Landon with the happy couple.