The Worry Wart

My mother was a worrier....

So, it is natural that the trait would be passed on to some of her posterity.

Some have it worse than others.

Some don't have that trait at all.

But, it's an interesting thing to witness

WORRY

in a person who is obsessive.

It's hard to imagine living in one's body when the person is worried about

EVERY LITTLE THING.

This person in my family needs help,  badly.

(Hey, I am a worrier, but I'm not nearly as bad as this person in my family.)

It's an illness and it affects every thing in this person's life in a negative way.

She/he is practically paralyzed by worry on so many levels:

Health,

Home,

Children,

Driving,

Etc.

Sometimes it's hard to be in a situation with the person because of the worry tendency....I want to be sympathetic, but the worry factor is beyond comprehension unless you are with the person.

In fact, it would be great fodder for a skit on SNL, but it is NOT funny; it's serious, it's real, it's crippling.

However, I do feel sorry for the person,  as I see how the worry factor shapes his/her life.

The irony of his/her situation is that the siblings are the polar opposite; the siblings live adventurous and engaging lives.  They seem to have no worries or cares.

Who knew that WORRY could be so debilitating?

"It Is Better..."

"for us to pass through the sorrow..." Eve said in the Garden of Eden.

And, oh what sorrows there are to pass through:

my neighbor is still in shock after learning she has breast cancer and her lymph nodes were cancer riddled.  She was diagnosed with a serious form of cancer, and she will be undergoing both chemo and radiation; then she will be on pills for five years as she battles this.

My college roommate had terrible back surgery and then was dropped by hospital personnel, requiring more surgery.  She is beyond in pain.

Our neighbors from Idaho had a 34 year old son and father of two commit suicide after suffering from debilitating depression.

Someone we care for and love deeply just had her husband say to her, "I don't love you anymore, and I'm not sure I ever did.  I'm outta here!"



To each of these - and all others facing such sorrow - I can only say what we have been taught -

Now is the time to reach out - even more than ever before - for the Power of the Atonement.

Only when we turn to God can we find solace, comfort and a measure of peace.


I've never understood why some families have such sorrows and then have it again and again.

On the other hand, some families seem to bypass horrific sorrows and seem to sort of float through life not touched by the blows of deep suffering.

But, I do know this, no matter what our sufferings or challenges, 

GOD CAN HELP HEAL US....

IF

we turn to him.

Of that, I am very sure.

THANK YOU!

Just two little words.

Words that can mean a lot.

Words that show a person has appreciation.

Words that, Unfortunately, so many people forget to say.

And, here's the sad part....which doesn't speak very highly of me.

But, when I give, share, make, sacrifice, and I don't hear those

two little words.....

I'm not very eager to share again.

And, maybe that makes me not very good-hearted either.

I hope I always remember to say

THANK YOU.

Because I have lots to be thankful for.

And, I hope that I don't let the lack of someone saying those two little words to me, influence my treatment of them.

I don't want to be as closed as they seem to be.

So, I guess I need to learn a few things too...as always.

If You Climb In, You Gotta Climb Out!

Several years ago, our daughter went on an outdoor adventure class...

Part of the adventure included hiking in and out of the Grand Canyon.

When the group arrived at the bottom, one of the park rangers told the students that

SLYVESTER STALLONE had once hiked down into that incredible canyon, but he didn't want to hike back up.  He told the park service he  - the great ROCKY - would hire a helicopter to lift him out...

The ranger said, "Not possible.  If you climb in, you climb out!"

I thought of that today on a wonderful hike we went on in Snow Canyon.

When we got to the half-way mark and I was sitting under some hard-to-find shade, I wanted RAH to get the car and come get me and drive me out (which was impossible, of course!).

NOT because it was hard going; it was a fairly easy hike; nothing rugged or overwhelming.

NOT because it was too long; only a mile or so...

NOT because I was too tired to make it back.

So, here's why I didn't want to hike back.

On Sunday evening, RAH and I decided we would go on some hikes in Bryce Canyon - 2 hours to the north - and several feet higher than our elevation.

I got up early and dressed in appropriate hiking gear to wear in a higher elevation, cool climate.  Long pants suitable for cold weather; long sleeved shirt that is designed to keep one warm in cool weather.

When RAH got up this morning, he didn't want to go all the way to Bryce; too long a drive and he had some other things he was planning on doing during they afternoon....maybe we should do ZION, he said...it's closer.

Then, about 11, as I was packing some snacks, he

CHANGED his mind again and thought we should just go to Snow Canyon...a 15 minute drive.

So, he CHANGED his mind, but I did NOT CHANGE my shirt and pants.

NOON in SNOW CANYON today was mighty HOT, HOT, HOT.

And, that is why I wanted some one to come and rescue me!  My clothing was just way too hot!

So, I was suffering mightily from the heat; my hair was sticking to my face, sweat was dripping from the tip of my nose, my pants were hot, hot, hot, my shirt was stuck to my back.

I had made a big mistake by not dressing for hot temperatures.

But, just like SYLVESTER STALLONE,

if I walked in, I had to walk out.

Which I did.  Thank you very much.

Why It's DANGEROUS to Give to Deseret Industries or Goodwill

Hey, I said to RAH recently, let's get a bag of things to take to DI...we really need to downsize and get rid of some "STUFF."

1.  Back of closet I find a navy blue blouse with white trim.  "Good grief, I haven't worn this for 13 years!  We wore these to sing in stake conference....I haven't even had it out of the closet since then."  

IN IT GOES!

2.  RAH is going through kitchen drawers to find a lid..."What in the heck is THIS?" he asks.  "Oh, it's a special rutabaga peeler that I bought when your Uncle Horace came to visit us and he wanted rutabaga soup."  "Well, my Uncle Horace has been dead for 15 years and you've never made rutabaga soup since....I think we can get rid of this!"

IN IT GOES!

3.  "Look at this," I say to RAH going through his closet...."You have this incredibly ugly set of orange socks and orange tie that you were going to wear to the Jones' Halloween party five years ago.  You wouldn't even take them out of the package they were so horrid....and it seems like they cost us $10.00! "  "Yeah, I'll never wear them...even on Halloween because they are so UGLY...they are good to go!"

IN IT GOES!

And, we're off to the DI on a Saturday afternoon!  Oh, it just feels so GOOD to downsize!

Now, here's the part where it gets dangerous......

A.  Sunday during Relief Society announcements:  "We have been asked to sing in Stake Conference in 6 weeks.  And, guess what?!?!??!  They've decided to wear those navy blouses with white trim again.  So, get them out of the back of your closet and come join us for practices starting tonight!"

B.  Wednesday email:  Hey, Loni, I guess you heard that we are in charge of the soup kitchen next week.  And because Brother Smith donated 50 pounds of rutabaga, we are serving rutabaga soup.....AND, since you have nothing to do  - being retired and all - AND, since you mentioned at a trivia party in the neighborhood that you had a rutabaga peeler, I've put you in charge of preparing the 50 pounds of rutabaga for the soup.....Thanks for your help.

C.  Phone call early Friday morning from Grandson:  Hey, Gpa and Gma, guess what?!??!  Yep, you guessed it, we are finally getting married, but here's the kicker....it's in 6 weeks.  I know it's kinda fast, but we had to squeeze it in between finals and our new jobs.  Since it's fall, our colors are bright orange.  GPA, please be a good sport and wear an orange tie with matching orange socks.  They are actually on sale, RIGHT NOW at Nordstroms for $45.00 - quite a bargain, eh?  But you have to act right now or the sale will be over and then they'll be $75.00...well, gotta go!"

And, that friends, is exactly WHY it's so dangerous to give away your STUFF!

Even the Best Intentions....

"gang aft agley..."

This was a week of good intentions gone wrong.

We wanted to spend pleasant lunch with a younger couple and have them enjoy a meal sans children.

Well, as it turned out, school was out for fall break, so she had to get a babysitter, feed everyone, etc.  So, the pleasant lunch - which did eventually happen - turned into being rather stressful for her.

Then, today, I decided to bake bread for our neighbors who have some serious health issues due to a biking accident.  The bread came out of the oven; gorgeous, lovely, but the neighbors were not home, nor are they now.  Bread is long since cold and it's just not the bang I had hoped it to be....

Then, since we gave away a lot of the loaves of bread, we decided to make another batch this evening.  LOTS of time, energy, ingredients to make freshly ground whole wheat bread.....

New yeast;

Didn't rise.

Pan full of lumpy unrisen dough on the kitchen counter.

So, as I said,

Good intentions went awry.

But, Monday will be another day to try.

Ha Ha Made Me Laugh!

I love a good laugh...

And, this totally made me smile!

Equality - Not Possible - YET!

There is much talk about equality among men and women these days....

It is serious and invades religion, business, private sectors, family life....

There is much that could be said about inequality, but

I just want to add my impassioned reality to this debate...

MEN AND WOMEN will NEVER be TOTALLY EQUAL

until

All WOMEN'S CLOTHING has pockets in it like MENSWEAR does!

Imagine making a suit for a man without pockets in his pants, or pockets in his jacket; why men even have a hidden pocket in the inside of the jacket!  A perfect place to put important items.

Women have no such luxuries; why there are hardly ANY pockets in women's clothing....where are we supposed to put our keys, phone, grocery lists, children's toys, kleenex, hand cream, lip moisturizer, receipts, money, breath mints, gum, and now our guns?

Ah, purse, you say.....well, we don't WANT to lug around a purse.  We want to stuff this stuff inside our pockets like men can and do!

We want pockets; we demand pockets.

Anyone who would like to join me in fighting this inequality - which has gone on for years - please meet me at Christopher & Banks, Dillards, Chico's, J C Penney, Old Navy,  Sears, Deseret Industries (wherever women's clothing is sold!) some time this week.  We will voice our demands for them to sell only clothing with POCKETS!

We must stand united in this fight for equality.

WOMEN WANT POCKETS...or WWP for short.

Women, arise and join with me in this important crusade.  You will thank me when you no longer have to lug around a heavy purse, but can put your stuff in little pockets in the seams of ALL your clothing, just like men do....

WWP...our time has come!

In the Genes???????

Cancer they say can be in the genes.

Heart problems they say are in the genes.

Diabetes - genetics.

Depression - runs in families.

But, what about D.I.V.O.R.C.E.?

It seems to be in our genes.

And, I HATE it!

Doing What You Say You Will Do

Twice this week, RAH has called some service people to drop by and give a bid.

Twice the men said they would be here.

Twice the men have not shown up, even though they arranged a second time to come.

So, really, two men didn't show up four times.

It's disgusting; really.

If a person doesn't want to do something, they should just say;

I can't or don't want to do it.

But, they should NEVER say;

I'll drop by after work, or I'll come by at 11:00.

JUST DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU WILL DO!

And, that is my rant for the day.