Sleep deprived and other interesting peeps.

Sleep deprived and other interesting peeps.

Having been a bit in need of sleep countless times in my life, I can see how crazy people can act at times in life. I add to that the sometimes effect of too large a dose of some commonly used allergy remedies. Knowing me to be at a time early in my life missing a few of my digits and being something rarely brought up in most conversations. Normally things said at late night or very early morning hours would be forgotten by most but I challenged a promise that it could very well find its way blogged. Of course I will in my own way tell about the event with some added coloring of embellishment.

During a late night at my in-laws around Christmas, the slightly older bunch were engaged in playing games. A sister in law having come in contact with something that her body deems bad, and thus partook of Benadryl. The comment was made that surely someone must be holding out on the playing of game pieces. I piped up let me see. Not playing the game myself I figured it to be safe. Nope! The sleep deprived and Benadryl impaired sister in law snaps out "don't touch it or you'll lose another finger". Shock filled the room and the shock was extremely viewed on her face. It was kind of sure embarrassment and she was red in the face. She apologized quickly for the rash outburst. To break the thickness of tension I joke of it and gave a laugh. It's all good with me because I know the feeling of sleep deprivation and the combined effects of your average allergy remedies.

Lesson of the story be as we often say things that cause us resentment in moments of anger, delirium, and pain. Remember we are human and we are striving for some day to find some degree of perfection in our lives. Asking for forgiveness for these moments is key. So forgive me for in some way using you (my sister in law) for this posting but it may be of use to some soul someday also. Be careful also as to the things you think someone may have said that are not meant as we take them. Never assume that it was meant as a dagger aimed to stab us and cause pain. Often if we want to be offended we look for things to claim. Always give the benefit of doubt and know that we don't have a full story to go on. Good to pray for understanding and let God. God loves us in spite of our character flaws, lack of sleep, lack of understanding, and times of failure. May we ever be blessed to be more understanding and forgiving of others.

Brown paper bags.

Brown paper bags.

I have been accused of being on one side or the other of the political debate but be it known that I side with none of them. Truth be told I consider politicians to all be in somewhat the same kind of packaging in one way or another. That is right call them what they are bags. Whether it is carpet bags, dirt bags, scum bags, brown bags, douche bags, free bags, dirty laundry bags, trash bags, flea bags, etc. I am kind of like one of those ancient Greeks that liked a show of fight to the finish in the old colosseums. I would of course prefer that none of them win or come out of it alive and it be a total elimination of the participants. Some would want to argue the point of this side is the best or this is the worst and to that I do not debate because they are all politicians. Some of histories finest leaders did so not for gain but to help the true cause of man and the need to be free. Be it as it is we do have possibly a few that start out to be on the right side of freedom but somewhere along the way find power and it grabs them and their egos and drops them in to dark thinking. Yes, there be few who try even at that to always do the right thing but remain the ever increasing few.

Be it to some that voting is of useless nature and that it doesn’t change the course of things I say not true. It is when good men do nothing that evil prospers. As told a few years ago a good religious leader was said to of told a friend that said he wasn’t going to vote. The friend said why vote for the lesser of two evils, because it is still evil. The good leader said vote for the best choice you can see and let God work his hand in making what he can. By not voting we thus allow the greater of evil to rein instead. Being a now constitutional right not seen in many days of past, vote.

 Although many claim that most religious organizations force their hand in the political arena, people still have their agency to vote accordingly. Many still forget that this country was founded on the basic freedoms we have driven by the desire for religious freedom. Don’t ever think for a minute that the drafters of the constitution believed that God did not have a part in their work. In a time when we as a people forget and throw out The Bill of Rights, The Constitution, and The Declaration of Independence and think that we can easily return to being free without the help from Devine intervention in any amount. The thought of repeating history when we either don’t know it or fail to understand it is a fact of the down fall of nations of greatness. We should in no way under estimate the powers of evil and to hold it can have on the hearts of men. Rome wasn’t built in a day but it fell within only just few days.

Remember that to denounce war is saintly but to shun those that stand for us should it be placed upon us is a disgraceful act. During the revolutionary war of the United States of America there were many that protested fighting from leaving the allegiance for the king of England. Many of them suffered at the hands of both sides and they were often considered deserters where ever they were by both sides. Many good people I know serve or have served in the armed forces. I thank you greatly and yes they are under paid and under appreciated by far.

 While I am here I will put it out there also that most if not all law enforcement get a bad rap from a few that choose to not act in a proper fashion with their jobs. For the most part all of them try to do the right thing and be as good as they can possibly be under the circumstances they face day in and day out. There are many that are close friends of mine. There are some people who would like you to believe they are singled out, but all lives matter to someone whether it is a parent, child, spouse, uncle, aunt, grand parent, grand child, or friend. We hope that each day they are safe from those with not so good of intent. There are many unsung heroes of every day to add to this like Fire fighters, nurses, etc.

Remembering the past should if anything helps us to not throw away our future. Stand for freedom and right but stand for a just cause. As Moroni of old said “In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and peace, our wives, and our children (Alma 46:12).

May we always cherish our freedom and work to stay free!

Hang'n with a one-year-old.

Hang'n with a one-year-old.

Challenging to some and not for others. Most toddlers have in their fuel tank enough energy at least twenty times of that of most adults. For a few of us it would be more like fifty times more energy. Hanging out with a grandson full of energy can of course be a challenge in keeping up with him but a blessing in keeping my mind in constant thinking mode of how to stay a step ahead of him. He has the built and mannerisms of a bit older and larger version with a Nick name of the bull Dozer. Yeppers if it crashes, bangs, beeps, or makes a big sound he likes it. A can with small tiles is more exciting to him then the contents with in. Whether he is eating a sandwich or pulling the longer whiskers on my face I relish the energy he has. One super proud papa that gets the opportunity to play, attend, watch, and hug him.

On some day in the near future we will of course have to write about the sister with the attitude. But for now it will be another day. They say hanging with your grandkids helps ward off dementia. If that proves true I should be sharp as a tac, unless dealing with our children has damaged my mind in other ways.

Bully and a rope.

A bully and a strong rope!

It is a rare thing when you get to assist Karma with her job but sometimes it does happen. For many years there was this troublesome soul that did his best to torment others and he left a few marks on me and a few rope playing jokers that I hung around with. He touted us often about being wimps and of course pansies. Being the tuff pansies (pansies are hardy flowers) that we were we dreamed up an ingenious plan to set him up with a scare of a life time. We took him along on a trip to our favorite rock location near Buckskin Charley picnic area. Nice big rock with a drop on to a picnic table and fire pit. We figured we had enough rope to for sure tie the end off at the bottom to the table when the time was right. The table was one of those monster forest camp tables made with deeds of this sort in mind. Made of heavy lumber and large blocks of concrete poured in place so they wouldn't grow legs and walk away. We figured a few times down the rope and he would not suspect a thing. We rappelled for an hour or two getting the bait lured in to the trap. Then we used the key words to start the big set up. Getting hungry for the drive in was brought up and then the victim was in the trap. About half way down the cliff we pulled the rope super hard and tight and made use of the perfect location of the picnic table by tying the rope off to it. By this time the bully knew he was in a rather pinnacle of a spot with no way up or down. We proceeded to ruff up the bully as he hissed threats and call us things as we readied things to go get a burger and return later from town.

 He reminded me of a cat hung up in a tree high on a branch to scared to fall or climb back down, arms and legs clinging to the rope. We went to the truck and made noises like we were getting in and leaving. We had been planning a great hiding spot to watch the fun and listen to him panic. The bully hung for a spell and started to plead that we would just please let him down. After a while we decided to give in and let him down but that he would promise everything to never bother us or anyone else ever again. By the time the school year started he had moved away and we hoped he wouldn't return any time soon.

Since then I have come to understand the things that drive some people to act out as a bully. Yes I would say it was a far too extreme away to deal with a problem. There may well be some better ways with less hazardous possibilities for disaster. Think for a bit about how we treat others or have. How do we go about fixing things we may have done to someone or others that we feel bad about. Yeppers I made good with this one but I have lots more to fix up, I'm sure. Some advice for the bullies of the world beware of peeps with long and strong ropes. Add to that peeps that geocache. Those are people that have the potential to assist Karma in some way or another. Please don't try this method of bully enlightening it could be hazardous in some way or another. I don't recommend fighting a bully but if it happens to you stand your ground or maybe run. If you’re that bully that goes to start something make sure you’re prepared to change your shorts things could get messy.

Things to think about...

Justification.

Roll with it!

Roll with it!

In twenty something years you come to know many people and have a hard time pulling up stakes and moving. Some people we have come to know by the way they serve others in their life. One family we came to know in that time because the kids of the family were good leaders in the area and had a way of making our family feel important to others around them. Add to that that the mother of the family can cook so awesomely that Martha Stewart would be an amateur. We had many a blessing of the bread and other baked goods of her hands. Great people that helped me to know that even the hardest times can be the best of times. Many of the people in the area came to know us personally and that we are just people trying to make it through life and see if we can understand how it all works. We had many great adventures with the people of the area. We do miss lots of those people greatly and they will always be a big part of our lives and the lives of our kids. May God ever bless the people of the City of Enoch of our day.

For the past few months we have been as a ship sailing around an island looking for the best place to drop anchor and venture a shore. We have met many good hearted people who would love it if we would stay in their neighborhoods. Of course our son is always wishing us just a bit closer to them than we are. I have to say the hanging with the grand kids is always fun and enjoyable. We are still trying to get used to the empty nester life. We get a good kick when we go to church and people wonder where are family is. Don’t worry they caught us long enough to get us to do the unthinkable and speak in church. I would say I’m set for the next five years and as far as that again (speaking in public is not on my list again anytime soon). I would just as soon fall in a freezing cold pool of water or face a rattle snake in a slot canyon. We are kind of keeping the door open to things over the next few months to see what the Lord has in mind for us but that is how we roll with it in life.

Don’t ever think when you’re planted some place that it is where you will be for the rest of your life or even die there because God has a way of making the wind stop blowing so to speak and having your caravan pick up and move on. We keep asking what it is he has in store for us and maybe we will get to see it soon enough. For now we will just have to have the faith of many an explore in the history of the world that push on knowing there is something more out there to see and do.