Tulips

I love tulips.

There isn’t a particular color that I fancy over others it is tulips.

The book Tulip Mania

(Tulipomania presents a fascinating look at the tulip frenzy that took place in Holland in the mid-1600s.) helped contextualize the global appeal of tulips and I enjoyed the historic read, yet mine is more personal affinity. . Though I always enjoyed them as a youth I think it was, no I am sure it was that May 1^st several, ok many, years back when I married Rindy in the Salt Lake Temple that linked my love of Rindy to my love of Tulips., My favorite piece of art in our home is an image of the Temple with tulips in bloom . not unlike his photo.

My favorite garden display is that of tulips.

And so I wasn’t surprised when Rindy, Brigham and Evan drove to Nauvoo for Ben’s wedding that Rindy would run into the grounds keeper as he was unplanting the tulips, getting ready to jettison them, that she would volunteer to take them and re-plant them at our home in Naperville.

Temple Tulips – how nice.

Endowment

The quote of the day

You don't take out your endowment
you take out Chinese

You receive your endowment

Wilderness Survival

Our Stake does some wonderful things - one of which is how they approach varsity scouts and the teacher's quorum. There is very focused monthly stake training and then there are the stake sponsored teacher's quorum camp outs. This past month we held one in one of the local reserves - it was great. The genesis was recent disasters in Haiti and Chile and missionary related stories and the need for preparation and training.

Varsity Scouts Survival Outing

We dropped the boys of just short of a mile from camp where they loaded up their gear, were given a new map and sent on their way. They found the site and set up their tarp structures to weather out the storm, and storm it did, Some stayed dry, some got wet, some got very wet. All survived - all learned.

The morning came and after spartan meals there were multiple learning stations:
1. water purification - multiple fashions and tastes
2. survival fishing
3. emergency shelter - with tarps and garbage bags
4. Emergency signaling with CDs/DVDs
5. Fire building - with a new trick with Vaseline and cotton balls
6. Rope chair rescues and knots

plenty of interaction, plenty of learning, plenty of fun.

A Project

I think that Rindy is happiest with her work gloves on and in the midst of a project. The project could be re-doing the stairs, building shelves, decorating a room, painting ; but bliss is reserved for the outdoors and garden related chores. Two truck loads of dirt signaled happy days ahead. New trees, new plants, new flowers.

Ode to the Porch

My grandmother Jackson had a delightful porch - an welcoming entrance to their home. We've never had a porch till now. We have a great porch with great furniture, with a great view. One can comfortably sit sheltered from the elements, enjoy a pleasant breeze, oddly unbothered by bugs, and smell the sweet aroma of the lilacs.


Out on the Porch

Come sit with me out on the porch in early morn,
And watch a new day struggle to be born.
A tinge of orange upon horizon's breast
And stars now tired--flicker low and rest.

Look through dark leaves to lighter skies in space,
At patterns that resemble finest lace.
So quiet hear the beating of our hearts
As slowly day arrives--and night departs.

The moon now pale high in the sky,
Watch morning birds as they begin to fly.
Tranquility abounds, air crystal clear,
A moment stopped in time, devoid of fear.

To feel the warmth of rising sun,
Another day for us begun.
Reach out your hand for me to hold.
Together, watch this day unfold.


--Written by Patrick Joseph Hubauer

Hong Kong Scone Sunday

Unfortunately, we were unable to make the trip to Minneapolis for her home coming; fortunately for us she was willing to make the trip to Naperville. We LOVE Mary and delighted in hearing her report concerning the culture, companions, the language, the food - the mission. Fun time catching up with her. Being it was Sunday, Mary and Parker did not take to the wrestling mats - that will have to wait for the Y.

Fried Froth

Sister Peterson, our most delightful of Sunday school teacher, pulled out a John Taylor quote that I didn't recall concerning 'fried froth' As I came home and googled and found this Elder Holland reference from the 1998 Ensign.

Are we really nurturing our youth and our new members in a way that will sustain them when the stresses of life appear? Or are we giving them a kind of theological Twinkie—spiritually empty calories? President John Taylor once called such teaching "fried froth," the kind of thing you could eat all day and yet finish feeling totally unsatisfied. 18 During a severe winter several years ago, President Boyd K. Packer noted that a goodly number of deer had died of starvation while their stomachs were full of hay. In an honest effort to assist, agencies had supplied the superficial when the substantial was what had been needed. Regrettably they had fed the deer but they had not nourished them


Theological twinkies, fried froth both clear metaphors. A cahllenge for teaching at home, work, school as well as church

Struggling with thoughts - acedia

Words and philosophy combine to make some of the most engaging reading. A recent post explored a not so new malaise - Struggling with a 'bad thought' - focusing on the term - acedia and its destructive impact on community and individuals.

The author describes in almost Packer-like terms how to dispel bad thoughts.

"A method that was recommended by a Christian monk in the fourth century, and is also a technique employed in current cognitive behavioral therapy, is to "think about your thoughts." When anger comes, or acedia, examine it dispassionately and try to figure out where it is leading you.

There is no blame attached to having a "bad thought," because they come to everyone. But we do have some choice in how we respond to them."

In the case of acedia it deals with disengagement to the extreme that can manifest itself in several non-productive ways. I found the article, by Kathleen Norris both engaging and insightful and an all too common concern.

Family Time

The work week is exciting, challenging, sometimes fun, never dull and allows me to spend wonderful time with the family I love. They are great to hang out with.

national geographic moments

if you know me
you know I love my national geographic moments
wherever i can find them
with a wide range of creatures