February reads

I read 4 books in February & have 7 books that I am reading.

1. American Sandwich, a cook book, 3 stars, 2/28/10. It has a sandwich recipe from all 50 states in the US. I especially loved that the Arizona sandwich recipe for Navajo Taco is from Monument Valley, Utah. Utah's sandwich was an Italian sandwich & Idaho's was a trout sandwich. Did you know that Idaho has a LOT of trout farms?? I didn't.
2. Climbing the Mango Trees, a memoir.
3. The Language of Baklava, a memoir.
4. Choice Cuts, an anthology.
5. The Book of Mormon
6.  Mormon Women: Portraits & Conversations, another anthology.
7. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
8. And there's a text book at work, Creative Typography

Not one of them is for pleasure.

I finished THREE Dewey Decimal books this month, only have 7 more to go for that particular challenge.

Reading The Book of Mormon

So why am I reading The Book of Mormon when I should be reading the Old Testament?? Why am I observing Lent anyway? It's not something The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "does".

Well, for one reason, I've almost always marched to my own drummer. I'm fascinated with other religions. I studied for a year with the Jehovah's Witnesses. The bishop knew Mother & I were studying with them. Jehovah's Witnesses are more like us than different. I've since wondered if they aren't an off shoot of Mormonism.

In the 13th Article of Faith we read:

... If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Is Lent "praiseworthy"? A habit is supposedly created if we do something 21 times. Some studies show that it can take up to 2 months to create a habit. So, 6 weeks is a good stretch. By the time the 40 days of Lent, plus 6 Sundays, or 46 days is over, I should be well on my way to having scripture reading become a habit.

Now, how come I'm not following this year's course of study for Sunday School??? Well, that's simple. I hold the keys to the library, LOL. Don & I both do. We spend our Sundays in the library & do not attend Sunday School. Frankly, my dears, I forgot that was the course of study.**blush**

One day at one of my cancer check ups, Dr. Broadbent & I were talking about scriptures. I don't remember now what it was, maybe I blogged about it. But he said the only thing he remembered about Primary was when he was 8 years old, his teacher asked the question what "keys" Joseph Smith held. It was multiple choice & one of the choices was the "keys to the library", which he chose. He said the other kids snickered & the teacher had a hard time holding her face straight at his answer. He was embarrassed & still remembers it 60 years later. I told him I hold the keys to the library.

So, when the booklet for reading the BOM came in to the bookstore & I saw it, I snapped it up. I have a booklet like that floating around here somewhere, maybe, but I knew I wouldn't find it. I also have one of those Sunday School booklets with the reading assignments for the Old Testament floating around somewhere. I would be more apt to find it, than my old copy of the 100 days of BOM. But why would I want to do something so easy? LOL

Lent update

I couldn't post without at least tooting my own horn. I have read out of The Book of Mormon every night since Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17. I know that Janelle is reading with me. I know Sheila & Janene are also reading daily AND rooting for me. There are 8 days down & 32 to go.

Now, what should I fix for supper???

Another chance for SMA

I follow several blogs, one of them is the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation. I've blogged about Gwendolyn & spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the wicked disease she has. Now there is another chance to raise more money for SMA research

Tomorrow, February 26th, is the LAST DAY to vote for Gwendolyn's mother Victoria Strong as Hero Next Door. Victoria says it much better than I can:

Please, please take a few minutes today to help us reach first place and win $5,000 -- all of which will go toward SMA research and awareness. I know many of you have already voted and I want you to know how much it means to me to see your vote, to see the wall postings on Facebook, to see people tweeting the link and rallying for us. I can't do anything to stop SMA from ravaging my sweet baby's body. Raising money to fight for a cure is all I can do. So thank you for fighting with me!!! It truly helps.

BOM reading schedule 2/21-27

Remember I have a nifty little booklet from the YW program, "Read the BOM in 100 days"? Well, the booklet I copied did not have days 5 through 12. Those pages were lost. My co-worker gave copies of them to me when she got them & I don't know where I put them. I'm sure they'll show up sometime, probably not today.

Sundays aren't counted in the 40 days of Lent. I haven't discovered if those are "free" days or not. But my goal for Lent was to read the scriptures DAILY!  Yup, daily. With this schedule I will be behind for Day 13. The assignment for Day 13 is 2 Nephi 8-9. I may read an extra chapter or so a day

Here is my reading schedule for Sunday, 2/21, through Saturday, 2/27:

2/21 - Day 5: 1 Nephi 11-12
2/22 - Day 6: 1 Nephi 13-14
2/23 - Day 7: 1 Nephi 15-16
2/24 - Day 8: 1 Nephi 17-18
2/25 - Day 9: 1 Nephi 19-20
2/26 - Day 10: 1 Nephi 21-22
2/27 - Day 11: 2 Nephi 1-2

Janelle did not commit to reading the BOM in 100 days, just to read her scriptures daily. I want you to know Janelle, that it helps me to know I have someone to be accountable to. I read the scriptures online from LDS.org. I know that before I turn the computer off for the night, I HAVE to read my scriptures, because you'll be reading yours.

Avoid contention

On Wednesday I posted a quotation from Elder Groberg about avoiding contention, specifically:

"... avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others."

Today has been a contentious day. Tonight I read about Laman & Lemuel assaulting their brothers. Nephi & Sam had angels come to their rescue. I don't know who came to Don-Mike's & Nick's rescue. Nick came in the house & called his counselor & he told him to go over to his office. And he did. This is a biggie. Just a few years ago, someone would have gotten hurt. Of course, there were hurt feelings & tears. Days like today I try to stay away from Mother so she doesn't hear about what's going on. What's going to happen when the house is finished & she comes home? What's going to happen when these 2 young men are living under the same roof again???

Laman & Lemuel, even Sariah murmured.  I did some murmuring today too. Days like today I wonder why I ever cried because I couldn't have children. The Lord knew what he was doing when he gave Don & I only 2 children. I can't imagine having 4 more children.

Tender mercies of the Lord

Today's reading assignment was 1 Nephi 1-2. The question is: How have you experienced the tender mercies of the Lord?

My aunt Luana has been wanting to type her life history. She started typing it & lost her file AND her handwritten histories. I told her that I would be glad to teach her how to use her computer. So, two weeks ago we started. Her first assignment was to learn mouse control. Now, the best way to learn mouse control is to use the mouse. I assigned her to play Spider Solitaire. She hates it. One of the first things she said today as I walked in was how she hates the game.

We didn't have a class last week because she had some things to do. She played Spider Solitaire for 2 weeks. Instead of going over after Mother & I had lunch today, I asked if I could go over before I took Mother to have her hair done because I wanted to attend the hospice conference this afternoon at 1. I didn't get out of bed until 10:45 & I was supposed to be to Luana's at 11. I made it at 11:15. I was running late & forgot, until I got there, that I was going to take a box of papers. We used to do that when I worked for ISU teaching Monsanto employees. I used it when I taught outreach classes for Success Institute too. It's just a really good visual to have a box of loose papers & you can't find anything because they're not sorted or filed. Computer files can be like that too, unless you file them in folders.

I decided I'd just use a shelf of her computer desk to illustrate my point. I asked if she knew what was on the shelf. She said no. She got up & started sorting through the papers there. She found her histories!!! She said she has looked all over for them.

We were both excited over that find. Her assignment this week is to read about file management, computer terms AND to type on her history.

RS special interest group

"Filled with his love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others."
--Elder John H Groberg, "The Power of God's Love", November 2004 Ensign pg. 9

Another quote from Read the Scriptures.com

I'm off to another reading group. This time at a neighbor's house. They're reading something about Abraham Lincoln. I didn't read the book, just found out about the group at the first Let's Talk About It.

Fat Tuesday 2010

"Ours is the responsibility to show our gratitude by the actions of our lives." 

-Thomas S. Monson, "Gifts", Ensign, May 1993, 59

Today is Fat Tuesday, the end of Carnival or Mardi Gras & Lent begins tomorrow on Ash Wednesday. My decision was to read the scriptures daily for Lent. My cousin Janelle said she would read the scriptures with me.

Our bishop has challenged us to read The Book of Mormon by Memorial Day. OK, I checked that out, it is 104 days. At work the other day the bookstore had a project from one of the LDS wards. They had brought in a booklet, "Read The Book of Mormon in 100 Days" & wanted it copied & stapled to give to their Young Women. The new value of Virtue's Value Project is to read the entire Book of Mormon. I have a booklet somewhere that our ward Relief Society did a few years ago, but I can't find my copy. I took one of the booklets back to the copier & copied it for me & a coworker.

So, Janelle, Lent begins tomorrow, Feb. 17.

Reading schedule for the first four days for the BOM follows:

1. Read Preface (Title Page), Introduction, Testimony of Three Witnesses, Testimony of Eight Witnesses, Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith
2. Read Brief Explanation, 1 Nephi 1-2.
3. Read 1 Nephi 3-5
4. Read 1 Nephi 6-10

There are also thoughts & questions to ponder & places to write your responses.

Still reading

I blogged about signing up to participate with the reading program at the Larsen-Sant Library here. The program is sponsored by the Idaho Commission for Libraries & is appropriately named Let's Talk About It. The theme this year is "You Are What You Eat." The committee chose 5 out of a possible 8 books to read this year.

The first one was Choice Cuts by Mark Kurlansky. Interesting non-fiction book. I had a hard time reading it. I am not even halfway through it. I've still got a month to read it though.

Dustin Crawford, a professor from Utah State University, led the discussion. He said this is not a book to read page by page, but to skip around in. If I skip around in it, can I say I read it?

There is a recipe is for Chicken Intestine Omelet. It even tells you how to prepare the chicken guts to make it.

Crawford is originally from Paris, Idaho. His mom was there that night & I discovered she was with Don's Grandma Mildred when she died. I've heard of Jeri Crawford for years. G-ma Mildred used to take care of Jeri's handicapped daughter.

The next book is Climbing the Mango Trees, a memoir.That discussion was held Wednesday night, Feb. 10. I didn't finish this book either. Another fascinating discussion, this one led by a lady prof, also from USU, I think. I had a hard time relating to this book as I don't have lots of "close" relatives. And, again, the foods are not something I would eat.

I do enjoy the discussions though. I feel like I've come a long way to be able to attend these discussions without having a panic attack. I even participate in them. I have to sit on the back row though, so I can "escape" if I need to. I like to get there early so I can sit where I want to, LOL.

I ran out of fingers

When I came home tonight, I went to Don-Mike's computer, as I usually do, to unload my stuff, but Don-Mike wanted his computer, he did NOT want me to unload my purse, personal DVD player & drink. Nick wanted me to come here NOW!!! I told Don-Mike just to let me put my stuff down & to go see what Nick wanted. Man, I was wishing I hadn't even bothered to come home.

Anyway, Nick was irritated at me. All he'd wanted to say was good-night. But I'd made such a big deal out of it, he didn't. So, I said good-night anyway, told him I loved him, picked my way back to Don-Mike's computer chair &, sufficiently chastened, picked up my belongings &went to the bedroom. I picked up a Sheri Dew book, "Saying It Like It Is." I had borrowed this book from The Citizen quite a while ago & had forgotten about it. I was actually trying to find the envelope to mail a Netflix movie back & found the book.

I sat on the bed reading through it & Don-Mike came to tell me he was going home. Don then came to tell me I could use Don-Mike's computer. I was still reading the book, but by then I had run out of fingers to mark places.

Saying It Like It Is, Sheri Dew (2009), Christian Life
Inside the front cover, the synopsis of the book begins:

Sometimes one little thought is all it takes to get you through a complex day, to give you the energy to try a little harder or keep at it, to help you remember why you're here ...

It was just the thing to pick up when I was feeling so deflated, defeated, if you will.

• We are here on earth now because we were chosen to be here now, page 32 
• The only way to be happy is to live the gospel, page 53 
• You are here now because you were divinely elected to be here now, page 69 
• The Lord has set no limits on what He is willing to teach us and give us, page 89
• Ultimately we will become what we give our hearts to, ... page 97
• Read D&C 138 & Abraham 3 about the noble & great ones, & ask if these verses have anything to do with you.

And last, but not least,

• While life is meant to be a test, ... it is an open book test. 

If we're trying to do it alone, we are doing it wrong. Well, I do a lot of incoherent praying, LOL.

More books to read

Don-Mike took Mother & I to Ogden today for audiology appts. Mother has very waxy ears. She had an 80% wax buildup in one ear.

My hearing aids are FIVE years old. No wonder they are not working as well as they should. Well, the right aid hasn't worked for a couple of years, so I don't use it. The 3 programs on my left aid don't work. The button is stuck. The main one still works. The feedback I was getting is from the ripped mold that goes into my ear & the hard tubing that conducts the sound. I got a new soft tube today & the aid is working 100% better!! I have a new mold on order. The new tubing & mold will help the aid work better, not as hard as it has been working. The new mold & tubing cost 72$. Repairs to fix my old hearing aid would be almost 400$. I will need to replace the current aid in a couple of years to the tune of 2 grand. I need to remember that is what I am saving for.

Amanda, don't remember her last name, showed me the difference between the "dead" eardrum in my left ear & the eardrum in my right ear. The eardrum in the left ear looks just like any other skin. You can tell there is nothing behind there but air, as Amanda said. I corrected her & said there was belly fat back there, LOL. A live ear drum is moist & glossy, with kind of a red hue to it.

When the new mold comes in, I will have to go back down to have it fitted. Another trip. It started snowing in Willard on the way home. Don-Mike said he'd never driven on a freeway in a snow storm. He said it snowed all the way to Richmond, 14 miles south of here. I fell asleep soon after we got in the canyon.

After the appt., we went & picked up Mother's friend Melba & went to Chuck-A-Rama for lunch. I walked up to the cashier & said I wanted 2 seniors & 2 adults. He rang it up & it was about 20$ cheaper than I expected it to be. After the others left the cash register, I thanked the guy for not including me as a senior. He hurried & checked the receipt. I said I didn't want to be a senior, but the last time I had eaten there, I had been given a senior discount & it upset me to think I looked old enough to be eligible for a senior discount, LOL.

I didn't even make it out of the restaurant before I had rented my dinner. We dropped Melba off at her house & drove out to Janene's. I had texted her & asked if she had any anti-diarrhea pills. If she didn't, I was going to have Don-Mike stop at one of the grocery stores on the way to Janene's to buy some. Mother keeps telling me I need to carry some in my purse. I forget until I need them.

Janene let me borrow 4 books to read. They sound really good. All 4 are by Cameron Dokey, an author I had not heard of.Winter's Child, A Retelling of the Snow Queen; Wild Orchid, A Retelling of The Ballad of Mulan; The Storyteller's Daughter, A Retelling of The Arabian Nights; and, Belle, A Retelling of Beauty & the Beast.

It was fun to see Tamina & her kids, Adam, Ari & Sara; Kim & her kids, Isabel & Ben; & Grant Douglas, his wife Kelli Ann & their son Noah. Noah is 7 now!! I cannot believe it. He still looks a lot like Grant did at that age. He remembered me & came up & gave me a hug. He hugged Mother too. Don-Mike was so cute, he was reading books to the little kids.