Life Lesson # 72,683

Ok, so I'm a VERY slow learner... but at least I FINALLY do catch on. Here's the story. I'm working very hard at getting myself in a better financial place.. as most of us are. I made a decision 2 weeks ago that will have a significant impact on my life for the better. Again, keep in mind I'm a slow learner.

Remember my car... the one I loved so much... yeah, the Malibu Maxx????One shouldn't "love" a car. I LOVE my children. I LOVE my sisters and brother. I LOVE some dear friends I have. I LOVE the gospel. I finally figured out I didn't "love" my car enough to continue struggling to make the car payment. (See the above comment on slow learner).

My brother-in-law saw my plight, and unfortunately, last Oct. his brother, Steve, had been killed in a freak accident. While cutting down trees at his girlfriend's home, one fell on him, leaving him with massive head trauma. He passed away while being prepped for the life-flight transport to the trauma facility here in York. As the executor of the estate, Keith decided to help me with my goal of becoming my financial stable (with the approval of his family). Steve had several vehicles, one of which was a 1996 Ford Windstar van. The Coy family generously agreed to give me the van.What a blessing this is. The van runs just fine. It's in very good shape in and out. Plus it's nice because of hauling kids and friends places (band, theatre, youth activities, etc... you get the idea). Here's the kicker, just the day before Keith told me about the van, I had contacted GMAC to tell them I was going to return the Maxx. I had until the 21st to do so and was calling around looking for a "cheap" car. Keith and Cindy brought the van over on the 19th. I took the Maxx back on the 20th and Keith and I did the title transfer on the 21st. How cool is that?! I couldn't believe what was happening. Well actually I could, but it still amazes me how blessings come when you least expect them. Isn't faith a wonderful thing!!! I'm so greatful I have a loving Heavenly Father who is ALWAYS mindful of me. He's ALWAYS watching out for me and blessing me in ways I haven't even started to figure out. Thank you so much Keith and the entire Coy family for your willingness to help me as I strive to do what's best for my family. It's truly TRULY appreciated. I Love You!

A Tribute To Our Prophet

I love listening to Glenn Beck. Here is a tribute from his show today. It was very touching. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I added the pictures.... they seemed so meaningful at this time. Oh, in case you didn't know, Glenn is a member of the church. His personal story is truly inspiring... where he once was, what he lost, and what he now has because of finding the gospel. Thus the reason for this tribute.

Tribute to late LDS President Hinckley
January 28, 2008 - 17:36 ET

Personal note, this is -- gosh, I hope this year gets easier for me personally. This has been quite honestly one of the most difficult years, and I know we're not even out of January yet, but this has been one of the most difficult months I have had in my life since, oh, gosh, it has to be back in my days of alcoholism or divorce. It's been a very rough few months and you know what -- or few weeks. You know part of that and I'm not going to go into it again because I can't take it anymore but there's another side of that that we're just having -- our family is working very hard together on some things that are happening and I ask for your prayers on. But last night it was about 1:30, none of us in our house had found a bed before 2:00 in the last few days and last night it was about 1:30, we all went upstairs finally, said good night to each other. My wife and I were in our closet and we were changing into our pajamas and we were chatting and there was a soft knock at the door and it was my eldest daughter Mary and she said, "Dad, I just checked my e-mail and President Hinckley has passed away." If you don't know who President Hinckley is, you are not in the minority. Most people have never heard of this man. You may have seen him on Larry King Live one time.He was on a couple of times. He is the president of the LDS church and he is a 97-year-old man, one of the sweetest men I have ever seen. I never met, I never met him. Larry King actually talked to me and said one of the most amazing men he's ever met, Gordon B. Hinckley and I said, I imagine. And he said, you haven't met him? And I said, no, sir. And he said, you want to? I said, no, no, that's okay. He said, no, I'll line it up; I'll call Gordon up; you two should meet. I said, no, no, that's okay, I don't need to meet him. It's not like I was a fan of him. I was in awe of him. And that's what Larry King said to me. He said, all you Mormons are alike. You are all in awe of that man. And I said, he is an amazingly sweet and powerful man. A few, I think it was three years or so ago his wife that he had been married to absolutely forever passed away and it was so sad when she passed away because he was lost without her. They were connected and they were one and they were a way a marriage should be and it was amazing to watch the two together. And last night I had wondered for a while, I had really, truly wondered for a while what it was going to be like when this guy passes away because honestly he was like, he's just one of the sweetest guys I had ever seen.

Well, last night I found out. Honestly I had thought in my head, because he had been sick for a while, I'm going to be devastated the day he dies. My daughter knocked on the door last night. She said, Dad, President Hinckley just died. My first thought, my very first thought in my image of my mind was him and his sweet wife arm in arm, together again at last. It was a happy moment. It shocked me. I knew he was back with his wife. We all knelt down around our bed and I have never in my life felt, I have never in my life felt what I felt last night in prayer. I just wanted to thank God for putting yet another amazing individual down on Earth. We're surrounded by amazing people. We watch people all the time. We are influenced by different people, just people who stand for something, just people who say, you know what, I'm going to be a decent human being. And you watch them and they affect your life. Gordon B. Hinckley affected my life. I watched him. I learned from him. He said one time, and I hear it all the time in my head: If what you're doing doesn't have eternal consequences, why are you doing it. I think of that all the time. I think of the way he just told the truth even when it was tough. For people who are of my faith today, today I guess people would think would be a sad day. For me it's a very, very happy day, a very happy day.

If you are not of my faith, I ask you just to reflect on one thing today. Who is that one person in your life that stands for something. Who is that one person in your life that you look at and just say, wow, I want to be a little more like that person. Ponder them before you lose them. Maybe call them and thank them for the influence that they've had on your life. And if you don't have somebody like that in your life, look for somebody today. They seem to become more and more rare. They seem to pass on far too quickly even if they are 97 years old.

Our Beloved Prophet

With sadness I write this entry. I just found out our Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley passed away today. Emile came running into my bedroom to tell me her friend, Logan, had just texted her to let her know the news. Here is some information I found. It's from KUTV News in Salt Lake City, Ut.


The 15th president of the LDS Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, passed away on Jan. 27, 2008 following nearly 13 years as the LDS church prophet. (Photo: LDS Church) SALT LAKE CITY - The president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints died on Sunday at the age of 97.

It was announced on Sunday evening that Gordon B. Hinckley, president of the LDS Church since 1995, died from issues related to his age.

Born on June 23, 1910, Hinckley ascended to the church presidency on Mar. 12, 1995. For years, Hinckley served as the 15th prophet of the LDS faith as a successor to Howard W. Hunter.

Hinckley became the oldest president in LDS Church history on Nov. 2, 2006 -- surpassing David O. McKay.

Hinckley might be best known for his aggressive attitude in building LDS temples around the world. As of an. 2008, 124 LDS temples were operating worldwide. Prior to Hinckley's presidency, there were less than 50.

On The Go

As most of you know, the girls have been involved with DreamWrights Youth & Family Theatre for nearly seven years now. Each has been in performances and here we go again.....

Both were cast with parts in the upcoming "The Secret School." It's a play based on the same titled book by Avi.

Some interesting facts about the story. It is based on two classrooms... one set in 1975 and the other in 1925. The 1925 class is based on a one-room schoolhouse in Elk Valley, Colorado. The world premiere of the theatrical version was at Highland High School in Salt Lake City in 2005 as part of the Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration, the 21st Century Play Festival, and the Homestead New Play Series. A special thanks was given to Lucille Wilcox Wimmer for sharing her accounts of teaching in the one-room schoolhouse in Utah's Nine-Mile Canyon.

I'm pleased that the girls are able to perform in a play based to a degree on their state of birth. Pretty cool I think. We're off to DreamWrights now. Gotta go.

Please Explain

OK, so it's been over a month since I've blogged. No excuses. I just haven't felt like getting on and "sharing" my life lately. Do I have a life again yet? No, not exactly... and Yes, of course. Don't we all? Refer to "My Many Colored Days" by Dr. Seuss. Enough said.

So anyway, two weeks ago I am attempting to wake up for the day. I've hit the snooze button a few times and promptly fallen back to sleep. Amazing how fast we can do that, isn't it? The last time I do it I'm abruptly awoken by a disturbing dream. It goes like this.....

I'm in a vehicle heading north on 83, just beyond the Emigsville exit. I'm not driving, in fact I'm a passenger in the back seat of a mini-van. As I'm looking out the back windows, I'm on a cellphone trying to call one of my clients to warn her of a HUGE tornado that is heading east thru West York on to who knows where. Let me tell you, this is theBIGGEST tornado I've ever seen.
The sky is mean and you can tell there's complete destruction in it's wake. As I'm talking to her I look out the front window to see two more tornadoes, side by side, heading directly toward us. Limbs from trees are falling all around us as we try to stay on the road. The next thing that happens is we're hit by another vehicle. I could actually hear the sound of the impact. I felt the van tipping and sliding sideways as we tried to stay on the road. We were just about to be hit again my a semi when I bolted out of my sleep. What a crappy way to wake up!


So here's the thing. I think it's a sign. Does anyone else agree? If so, please let me know what you think it means. I will provide you with a few clues.

1. I feel like I'm under pressure at all times.... and from every direction. I seldom feel "free."
2. I've been getting a lot of headaches lately. Some have woke me from my sleep in the middle of the night.... others have lasted for days.

I'll let you guess which type I've been getting. I'm certain you'll be able to figure it out with no trouble.

So what do you think? I'm pretty sure I have the answer, but I thought outside input would be helpful. Besides, it would be cool to get some "dream interpretations." Chow.