Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Smoky sunrise.

"Those who read the Book of Mormon will be blessed with an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a greater resolve to obey His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God."

-President Gordon B. Hinckley

Happy Birthday to Max.

He's 11 years old today.

I was going to go for a walk this morning but I stepped outside and nearly gagged.  Smoke had settled in and so had the smell.

 Clouds and smoke mixed together.

More clouds and smoke.

I wish/hope those clouds have some rain in them.

Something strange is going on in the world of illegal immigration.  Somehow the word got out in several countries south of the border that if you send your kids to America they will get an education and be well cared for.  Since last October 52,000 children have come across the border illegally.  Recently they arrived in Texas only to be shipped to Arizona.  Governor Brewer is furious.  They tried also to ship them to California but the people in California came out in droves and wouldn't let them off the bus.  What is going on in our strangely sad world?  Wouldn't it be sad to be so desperate that you would send your children to a foreign country alone?

I made a trip to town today.  I got a call from UPS that they had tried to deliver a package to our house but they couldn't get through because the road was closed due to the fire.  They told me I could pick up the package at the UPS depot in Show Low.  The package is James's new glasses that he's been waiting for.  Frankly, I was expecting more.  I was a little disappointed in the primitiveness of the UPS depot but mission accomplished, I got the package.

 I made the mistake of going to Walmart to get some balloons for our Mutual activity tomorrow night.  We are playing water volleyball and since it was my idea Diana put me in charge.  I bought a huge container to put the balloons in but when it came to finding the balloons I was at a loss so I called Diana.  She suggested the Dollar Store.  Now why didn't I think of that?  I was so glad to get out of Walmart because it was a madhouse.  Diana was right, the Dollar Store had lots of balloons.  I got enough packages to do over 100 balloons.  

Today is the second day in a row that I have not had any diet soda.  I have a slight headache and I binged on snack sized Snickers and cinnamon roasted almonds on the way home.  

James told me a funny story about Joshua this evening.  He said Joshua came up to him and said:  "Grandpa, I have something serious that I need to talk to you about.  You know how you said no one should eat or drink on the new carpet.  Well my mom takes her drink in there even after I told her not to.  I don't know what to do.  I guess you need to talk to her."  Stacy busted by her own kid.

 

Monday, June 30, 2014

Sunrise

 

 Happy Anniversary #25 

Stacy & Paul 

There was an article on Facebook about how those who drink 2-3 diet sodas a day have a 30% higher risk of having a heart attack.  This was enough to convince me that I need to change this habit of mine.  It is interesting that I read this article on the same day I read about the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's buring their weapons of war.  Both were necessary sacrifices to greater serve him.

James and I left this morning for Globe around 9am.  We are meeting Adam and Alex there and they will take James back down to the valley.  We met and Burger House and had lunch together.  I forgot Max's birthday card but I remembered his birthday money and sent it down with James with instructions to go by a card and sign and deliver it with the money in it to Max.  

So proud of Chelsie Hightower, an LDS girl who has been on "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars." This is what she says about being a Mormon:

"My religion is what I hold closest to my heart and has made me happier than anything else in the world.  It is more than just a part of me but it has made me who I am."

Chelsie's caption under the above picture:

"These two angels were both tragically victims of sex slavery.  Living in that reality would be such a horrific nightmare that I wish no one had to ever go through, especially kids at this age.  Amazingly, they were saved by the charity that I am an ambassador for called OUR (Operation Underground Railroad) a little over a month ago along with 30 others.  But there are still over 2 million kids out there that need our help around the world and that's including the United States.  I am raising $25,000 with OUR charity to help save kids just like these from this awful reality and I'm asking for your help.  If you can donate please go to OUrrescue.org and or text the word "chelsie" to 71777 with your debit card with the amount you can give. Any amount is greatly appreciated!!!  Let's save these kids together!"

This charity is run by Brother Tim Ballard who wrote the book that James just read, "The Lincoln Hypothesis."

 

Sunday, June 29, 2014

"How tragic that God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, and the world is so blind and apathetic that it does not care.  It turns away from the gift as if it were of no consequence whatever."

-Elder Gerald N. Lund

A smokey sunrise.

Although James said he knew that our home would be okay and we would survive the fire just as a precautionary measure he went around yesterday and took pictures of almost everything in our house of any value at all.  

President Williams, our stake president, spoke to us in our sacrament meeting this morning.  He was there to bring comfort and lend his support.  He said that within just a few hours after the fire began on Thursday he received a call from Church headquarters in

Salt Lake asking him what could be done for the people of Vernon.  I have to say that really got to me.  I know that we are loved by a kind and gracious Heavenly Father and we are in His hands.  I know that He wants us to take care of each other.  What a comfort it is to know the Church has a system in place that makes this possible.  

Jordyn, Shelly, and Hope sang "Come Unto Christ" in sacrament meeting today.  They were accompanied by Elder Stott.  It was beautiful!  

Our home teachers, Chuck Crane and Collin DeWitt came by for a visit this afternoon.  The first presidency message was on family history work and Chuck shared some stories from his family regarding family history.  It was a nice visit.  

At 4pm James and I both attended the Book of Mormon class taught by Sean Hunsaker.  We read and discussed 2 Nephi 9:25-2 Nephi 11.  We met Juanita.  We had a discussion about suicide because of a question Ellen Kostusiak had.  Ellen comes faithfully but she is not a member because she has a word of wisdom problem.  

James went home teaching to the Hunsaker's and the Wilehelm's and then we went to watch the fire.  The back burn was like an early fireworks show.  James and I rode the Razr down and watched it for awhile.  It almost looks like they may have done too much. 

Saturday, June 28, 2014

As you do your very best in the most difficult of human challenges, heaven will smile upon you.

 So sad.

I am very sad today about the fire but on the positive side there is very little wind today.  The smoke from the fire is hanging all around us. We stayed home most of the day except for when James went in to Vernon to mail a letter and then attend the 6pm fire meeting at the fire station.  There were over 200 people at the meeting.  

The town of Vernon is filled with tents, trucks, port-a-johns and people to accommodate the firefighters.  There is a constant flow of trucks going up and down the road.  The San Juan Fire is one of the only large fires in the country at this time and has numerous resources available.  There are over 500 firefighters on the ground, five air tankers, and three helicopters working hard to contain this blaze.  The fire is still at zero containment and the infrared plane was able to do an accurate assessment last night, Friday, June 27th, of the burn area.  The burn area at this time consists of 3, 952 acres with the fire growing minimally today to approximately 4,000 acres.  Starting tomorrow crews will do 'burn outs' in the SW section of the fire near Vernon.  Fire officials expect full containment within 7-14 days but the fire will not be fully controlled until the monsoon season starts, then it could take 10 or more days depending on the amount of moisture received.

I felt better after this report from the meeting.  James seems to have more faith than I do.  He has said all along that we would be okay.

 One of the air tankers dropping slurry on the fire.

 The fire is on the trail we ride when we

go towards Green's Peak.

 

Friday, June 27, 2014

While you cannot change the past,

you can change the future.

Today is the 170th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum.  It just so happens that the conference talk I was scheduled to read today was Elder Corbridge's entitled: "The Prophet Joseph Smith."

 A plane dropping slurry on the fire.

I watched the slurry come down but couldn't get a good picture.

 

The skies are still dark and ominous

There was an elk cow and calf in our yard this morning.  I wonder how many animals have been displaced because of this fire. 

James went to town this morning.  He had to tear himself away from the book Jared gave him for father's day about the Book of Mormon and Abraham Lincoln.  He went to get the oil changed in the car and to get us some lunch.  I was so frustrated because Walmart did not rotate my tires.  Next time I need an oil change I'm going to Center Tire.  James brought me back one of my favorite lunches from LaCasita: a chicken enchilada with green sauce and a side of refried beans.  Yummy!  

James took this picture on his way back from town.

The road to Vernon is closed and there are firetrucks

and other vehicles and activity in town.

I listened to a video clip by Sheri Dew this morning entitled: "What do women in the Church get?"  I wish every woman could listen to this clip.  Sheri Dew is a great ambassador for the Church.

Stacy called me with some distressing news.  Adam cashed his paycheck and then lost his wallet.  A police officer returned the wallet but of course all of the money was gone.  Adam is our oldest grandson and he has been working with James in Chandler.

We were scheduled to have a ward party tomorrow morning at the park but it has been cancelled.  The grade school and the park are filled with firefighters their equipment and tents.  

Sean Hunsaker was on the news this evening.  What a wonderful person to represent the people of Vernon.  It is so sad that our beautiful mountains of Vernon are on fire.  I feel like Sean, I am staying here and not moving anywhere.  

James and I started another Julianne Donaldson book since we finished her last book Edenbrooke.  This one is called Blackmoore.

  

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart

and lean not to thine own

understanding.

-Proverbs 3:5

First smoke from the San Juan fire.

I first heard about this fire from a Facebook post by Lynda Tanner.  

She said a fire had been reported south of Vernon.  When I went outside this is what I saw.  James got a call from our elder's quorum president Wes Miller asking us if we needed help moving things out of our house.  James said we weren't going anywhere, at least not yet.  He and Chuck Crane went out on the Razr to explore the fire.

Too close for comfort.

I took a shower and got cleaned up just in case I had to leave.  I also did some light housework.  If I did have to leave I didn't want to leave behind a messy house.  Funny how my mind works.

The scary thing is that everything is so dry that this fire is going to spread quickly and everything in it's path will go up in smoke.

The Red Cabin Ranch and Whiting Homestead have been evacuated.  There were 300 boy scouts from Gilbert on an encampment near Greens Peak who were evacuated.  My endodontist, Dr. Cullimore was planning on coming up on Friday to join them as his two boys were already there.  These boys and their leaders had 30 minutes to evacuate and left behind thousands of dollars worth of supplies and food.  

According to the reports we are in no imminent danger so we decide to finish our book Edenbrooke to take our minds off the fire.

I got this text from my grandson Alex: "You should pack all of your journals and take pictures of all your belongings just in case.  It would be terrible to lose those journals because they can't be replaced."  What a sweet sentiment.  Someone who actually cares about my journals and their value.

On a lighter note, here is a picture of our Beehive advisor Randa Covert who went fishing today with her brother.

 

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

"Bearing a load is a necessary and essential part of the plan of happiness.  Because our individual load needs to generate spiritual traction, we should be careful to not haul around in our lives so many nice but unnecessary things that we are distracted and diverted from the things that truly matter most."

-David A. Bednar

James came home to take care of me and now he is sick.  I called and made him an appointment with Dr. Moffat.  

He has an extremely high white blood cell count.  He has a bladder infection and flu like symptoms.  It's a good thing I'm feeling good even without pain medication.  It's not fun when we are both sick at the same time.  

I spent the day putting ice packs on my face, working on my blog, reading and studying and watching BYU devotionals.  I also read to James from Edenbrooke.  

I missed a service project at Mutual tonight.  The youth helped clean Sister Marilyn Tice's yard.  Brother DeWitt told me that the young women were awesome workers and worked harder than the young men.  He attributed it to their leaders but I said we couldn't take the credit and that they had been taught well by their parents.

James's prescription wasn't ready after his doctor's appointment so we went back in to town this evening to pick it up.  As we were leaving there were two deer in our yard.  James was afraid for the little trees that he planted so he chased them away.  

After picking up the antibiotics at CVS we stopped at Sonic for something to eat.  I got a New York dog which has sauerkraut, grilled onions and spicy mustard on it and boy was it delicious!  Maybe I was just extra hungry but it really hit the spot.  

Back at home we watched Rizzoli & Isles.  They said goodbye to officer Barry Frost who was killed in a car accident on the show.  In real life the actor committed suicide.  The grief and sadness portrayed by the actors was real as they mourned the loss of their friend.