Gizmo's and Gadgets Galore!

 This week we put the final tweaks on the shop door and installed the lock. With everything being brought into the shop from about 6-10 different places in the house and yard, tools are not easy to find. The ones used most often are somewhat within reach, but last week when things were needed, things got stacked on top of other things, and that resulted in parts and tools going missing. Finding them always required reducing or moving piles. 

Well, Monday, we decided that we needed to get that problem in hand, so we started the morning hours of our holiday together in the shop. We sorted and organized for a couple of hours, and got the workbench completely clear. While I attended to some of my responsibilities, my husband was able to finish the door project and that felt great. 

When I got back, he was able to change the oil for Breanna before she had to go back home. Since that time, we have started populating the pegboard wall with the items that are frequently used. We have drawers to build, and shelves to put up before we finish organizing, but every little piece of organized space, adds a good feeling to the project.

Getting Together

Well, most of you know that we had a family gathering this past week. In fact, it was our first official family reunion in over 10 years! I will admit to some anxiety over being there, but my prayers were answered and I was blessed with the calm and peace that I needed n the very moment I needed it. All my grandchildren were in attendance. I found enjoyment in just watching them all play and enjoy themselves. It was particularly enjoyable snuggling the babies...

The kids played on a bouncy house, enjoyed water games, and the highlight was probably the pinata. They were all eager to take their turn with the bat, and when Everlee hit it and noticed a hole...

I think it surprised her! 

A family meal highlighting the patriarch and matriarch of the family's favorite foods was enjoyed together with fried chicken being bounteous, and a strawberry rhubarb pie made by Beth a popular dessert. There was also a pudding 'dirt' cake that went fast! The kids loved that one!!! Visiting ensued through the afternoon.

Attendance was pretty good, though there were some who for work or personal reasons were unable to come this year. Realistically, we will never have 100% attendance, we are a growing family and as generations pile upon generations, there will be more and more who won't be able to make the date, but it is still worth the effort to gather. I think we need the practice... I know that I do.

A New Journey

 Probably one of the most exciting things that I started this week, was the journey to additional education. You may wonder why a woman old enough to be the grandmother of 7 little ones would want to get more education... and I probably don't really have a concrete answer for you, but suffice it to say that I feel strongly compelled to get it and I am thrilled at the prospect of beginning the journey! I plan to go all the way to a bachelor's degree.

I am so blessed to be able to do this by distance through BYU-Idaho. That's my old college... years ago it was Rick's College but is now a university. The option to do this all by distance means my days will be fuller, but I can continue to work, serve, grandparent, and remain active in all the other things I have responsibility for and delight in doing! It does mean I need to be more accountable with my time, and hopefully, I'll still be able to do some blogging to keep my loved ones updated, but I am willing to sacrifice some leisure activities for this. 

Oh! ... "What degree?" you are asking. Well, to start with I will be working on just simple BYU-Pathways. I have yet to apply for my specialized classes, but I will start with the family relations certificate and move on from there. 

One other thing that I am super excited about with this course of study, is that I get to participate in weekly institute classes! I loved institute when I was in college and it thrills me to be able to have religious instruction become a part of my life again. Wish me luck!

Pouring on the Heat!

 We have had a LOT of HOT days this summer, but nothing can beat today! Here's why!

Being scheduled to work at the school this morning, and in an effort to beat the heat, I go early in the morning... in fact, the sun wasn't even up yet when I went this morning. When I walked into the school I was shocked at how hot it was in there, but I set to work. As I worked my way around the end of the hallway, doing walls, I actually had to set up a fan due to the excessive heat! Then I worked my way into the boot room and to my dismay discovered that the radiator was pumping out heat!!! In fact, it was hot to the touch! By that time my co-worker had arrived, so I notified her. We discovered that the boiler room felt like an oven - literally! I think that if we had put bread in there it would have actually baked it was so hot!!!

Well, I found another space to clean - a space outside of the school, in one of the portables, and blessed relief, this space had air conditioning!

I finished up my shift and touched bases with my co-worker once again. The school was still blisteringly hot! She told me that the temperature sensor had malfunctioned and was reading -48 degrees Celsius instead of the 30-plus temperatures that we were experiencing. Yikes! No wonder the heat was pouring out of the radiators!

In my experience, I have discovered that there are times in our lives when our sensors are out of whack - possibly even as bad as the school sensor was out this morning. I have witnessed so many times, people who have a malfunctioning sensor when it comes to the feelings of others. The variance in the reading is so far off that they are unable to recognize the unbearable discomfort they are creating for those who love them. I know that I have had to reset my own sensors from time to time. It takes a lot of effort and it also requires the attention of one who specializes in such things, namely my Savior, Jesus Christ. He is a God who resets malfunctioning spiritual sensors when we call in the work order. In a sense, we are the boiler that He is called in to work on, but in order for that to happen, we have to accept His instructions and seek a relationship with Him. As we build that relationship our sensors are more attuned than they once were.  And a better relationship with Jesus means better relationships with the people in our lives. There is such joy in the cool breeze of good relationships.

The Heart of the Storm

 We have had so little rain all year that whenever it does rain, we LOVE it! This past week we had our first big storm and it let loose! It turns out we were in the very center of it, and the direction of the wind changed several times before the rains and hail subsided.

I think it lasted about a half hour. The hail was on and off and thankfully never got bigger than peas and it didn't come down so heavy that it shredded everything. The garden even fared pretty well, though my poor corn, which was just tassling, is slightly askew.

There may be bruises on the fruit, and there are certainly more crab apples, plums, and regular apples on the ground than there were before, but the beauty that followed the storm was amazing!!! The rain came down so hard and so fast that it literally flooded our street. Charity waded out in gum boots, and couldn't go as far as the end of the street without the water rising above the boot level. The colors on that lake-like street were so beautiful as you can see in the photos.

The sunset was also amazing, and the light looked almost fiery as the sun set through the clouds and moisture that hung in the atmosphere.

I am so grateful for the moisture - we got all of 2 inches maybe more in that short time. I'm also very grateful that the hail didn't really do much damage. And on top of all that, there was such a neat feeling of rejoicing in the blessing of moisture and beauty that followed. It smelled wonderful and the nearby dill fields became ever more fragrant. 

This week I've been pondering a little bit on the storms of life, and when this storm rolled through I was reminded that though storms come, and each one is a little different, bringing with it different challenges and struggles, there is a beauty that can be found. For me that beauty is in discovering the hand of God guiding me, blessing me, lifting me, comforting me, and extending His precious grace. The storms of life don't always end with a sunset, in fact, there are some that don't seem to end... but the beauty comes as I am strengthened to endure the storm, and empowered to face it with faith and trust that God hasn't forgotten me. I know He lives and that He loves not just me, but everyone. I know that He is intensely interested in our success as we face those storms. This knowledge is the equivalent of a beautiful, vibrant sunset in my life. It brings me joy, even when there is commotion or unrest and I am so thankful for that peace that settles on my soul in the heart of life's storms.