Events that change us

So how does one change the every day get up, go to work, work and then go back home routine?  Day after day we go through life just like robots.  Just as if that is how life is.  Then bam something happens and it wakes us up and changes our pattern for a bit.

Our family had one of those changes.  First off I am ever thankful for Heavenly Father and his whisperings to me or someone in our family.  One of the dreaded parts of being  a parent is the call everyone will get at some point in life that says...  Dad or Mom I've been in an accident.  First- question back is always are you okay?  Second- is usually is anyone else hurt?  Then how does the car look?

It is interesting to note here that Mike is always the recipient of the I've been in the accidents calls.  I get all the other fun calls like Mom!  I'm in love or Mom today was a crappy day at work!!!  I have always like how that has been divided up.  I have however gotten a few of the crash calls.  I have discovered AFTER that I had a feeling something was going to happen.  Almost like it is hanging in the back of my head yet I haven't honed in on that feeling in time to call our kids and say...  Stay where you are for a bit.  One morning I awoke to the sound of heavy rain.  The thought came to me and I started to send out a text to the kids.  Alyse's went first and as I was typing one for Kristen when she called.  Mom I was just in a small accident.  Awe that familiar feeling was correct yet again.  I sure wish I could recall that BEFORE the calls come.

Mike has been flying to Ca every other week for the past year and a half.  So every other week I am pushed to the front of  "Everything is in your lap" line.  Upon reflecting about this now my mind is called up to the biblical story of David and Goliath.  I have learned a lot from that wonderful story.  David wasn't just thrown into the ring with Goliath but he was given smaller opportunities to practice and to succeed which in turn gave him confidence in his new skills.  David killed the lion and the bear before he got into the match with Goliath.

And so it is with us.  Heavenly Father gives us smaller opportunities to try our hand in life and to gain confidence for bigger things to come.  Kristen's accident was the lion or the bear for me.  And upon hearing from Mike... "you did exactly what I would have done" I unknowingly gained confidence for future life issues.

So came Feb 9th.  Michelle drove down to Shands for some tests and a chance of being admitted to the hospital for some issues she was having.  I told Bryan I would pick him up and take him to work (they only have one car.  We have been there ourselves with just one car many times so it was no big deal).  Mike was in Ca and I came up with the idea of getting Mike's car out of the airport parking lot.  I would drives the Highlander and I would let Bryan drive my car until the end of the week.  We had done that before a few times.  We both worked and I was on my way to pick him up from work.  The director of our center's husband is in the final stages of cancer and so on my way to get Bryan from work I called the temple to put their names on the prayer roll.  As I was doing that I added a few more names including Michelle's name.  Just as I said Ladle a thought came into my head to add Bryan's name as well.  So I did.

I picked Bryan up and out to the airport we went.  We found Mike's car and I said to Bryan I'm starving lets stop for dinner.  We did and had a great time talking.  I had purchased some curtains that needed to be hung and Bryan was going to spend the evening helping me do that.  So we left the restaurant and headed home.  Bryan leaving right before me.  I passed him in the turning lane.  The whole way home I kept looking for him and wondering where he was.  I would scan the cars looking for my car and to no avail I never saw it.   I got home and was greeted Alyse.  It was a bit of a surprise to see her but I am always happy when my children spend time with me and I thought great I have two kids to help me.  But I now know she was up at the house for a more important reason then to help me hang curtains.

The phone rang and Alyse answered and came running to me saying-  BRYAN'S BEEN IN A BAD ACCIDENT.  She gets her emotions from me and was very concerned by what she had heard on the phone and her big brother was in a jam.  She knew the questions to ask him... is he ok?  Yes, Is the other person okay?  He thinks so.  How's the car?  Not good.

As I drove away from the house I knew this was not the time to be emotional.  But I felt a heavenly calm.  Alyse was assigned to call people I thought needed to be there and to ask them to meet us at the accident.  First on the list Devin (Mike's brother), Kristen and Lance.  I knew I needed two priesthood holders there just in case.  She went to call Mike and Michelle and I said NO don't  call them right now, not until I know what is going on. 

She called Bryan again and he said I have to go they are trying to cut me out of the car.  Well that caused Alyse to burst into tears.  I said Alyse he said he was okay this will be just fine.

My mind raced to how would be the quickest way to the accident scene without traffic.  The accident happened in a very bad spot and those roads are always crowded.  I knew it would be hard to get there without traffic.  My mind was given the directions on how to go and I followed.  Devin was the first on the scene.  As Alyse and I parked and walked towards the red flashing lights Kristen and Lance joined us in our walk.  Alyse said... I see Bryan and he is standing on the side of the road.  As we walked up to the accident the air seemed to be filled with adrenaline and car crash smell. 

Since the car was flipped to it's side and  laying on the drivers side and he had been t-boned on the passengers side Bryan made his escape through the sunroof.  I was relieved to see my son with not a scratch on him. I felt as though I was looking into a miracle.  The car looked totaled but Bryan was safe.  I stood in amazement looking at my car.

It had been whispered in my mind at that time that he was not harmed because of the Temple Garments he wore.  I thanked Heavenly Father over and over again as I stood looking at the accident scene.   Bryan was told he could go so we all walked back to the cars. I asked that Devin and Lance give Bryan a blessing.  Once again heaven interceded and everything was made right again.  Devin took Bryan over to the Urgent Care.  Now the interesting thing is I kept wondering why Devin was taking Bryan and not me to Urgent Care.  But it seemed to be the right thing to do but odd.  Alyse and I drove back home and we weren't back to the house not even 15 mins when I received a call from the tow truck driver telling me that our sunroof was still open AND it was raining and it would rain all night.  If we wanted to spare any items inside I would need to come and close it.  I told him we lived 30 mins away and he said he would for me.  Alyse (by this time is my trusted wing man!) and I jumped into the car and drove down to the collision place to close the sunroof.  We grab all of the valuables we could see at that time. 

As my mind thought of Michelle who was down at Shands hospital dealing with her own issues and now Bryan who was just in a very bad accident, I said in my head...  Why can't these two seem to cut any breaks? To which I was told- "They were tonight.  I took care of Bryan during the accident."   I said OH-  repented for that thought and said another thank you!

The following morning as I was in the shower my mind was taken back to the previous afternoon as I heard myself calling the temple.  I was given a prompting by adding Bryan's name to the prayer roll about 4 hours before his accident.  I don't know if his name had made it to a prayer circle by then but I did know it was in the temple.  It was then that I cried at all the miracles that had taken place and how thankful I was for the sweetness the gospel brings!

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me- confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me- Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me- Oh, it is wonderful- Wonderful to me!

 

Epiphany happens!

One of the shows I enjoy watching is Dr. Drew Celebrity Rehab.  I have watched it for a couple of years now.  I watched it at first to see just what the spoiled Hollywood celebs were getting themselves into this time.  The best part is I have learned things and gained compassion by watching Dr. Drew.  Last night was the graduation of his latest group of addicts.  They are only with him about 3 weeks which prove to be the main with drawl period.   I have watched them toss and turn in their beds, throw up and act out in violence towards each other.  I have wondered many times why his employees haven't clocked some of those people when they become like spoiled brats.  But the longer I watch the show the more I begin to understand the staffs reasoning.  They were all drug addicts themselves so they understand the process these patients are going through.  Dr. Drew is always saying to them "You can't listen to yourself and take direction because it's your addiction speaking.  You are not well so you need to listen to people like me who know how to get through this stuff."  "It's your addictions speaking again."  Dr. Drew lets you see some of their therapy as he talks to them one on one.  I have watched his face as they speak to him and I have been touched with his kindness all of these people who aren't so kind or lovable.  He talks to them about issues in their lives and teaches them to move forward without addiction.

Last night as I watched the final season and it hit me that I am not so different then any of those people.  I to have an addiction.  My choice of addiction is food.  And just like them if I don't change it will kill me.  About 2 years ago I took the bull by the horns and went on weight watchers.  I worked so hard at it and after 4 months I lost 2 lbs.  Ya you read that right 2 lbs.  I came to a breaking point and quit.  I was done!  There were also other things going on in my life like menopause so my head was swirling about as well as my body.  When I went to visit the Dr. for something I wrote down everything that was ticking me off.  And when she got to the 2 lbs I lost it.  Broke down and cried.  Dr. Kelch did say to me, well did you know that women going through menopause usually gain 10 lbs so the fact you lost 2 lbs is pretty good.  That didn't help any as I was angry and ready to strike back.  I had worked hard and my result was 2 lbs???  I was crushed and I was not going to be told I had done okay and to keep going.

So here I am almost 2 years later and 20 lbs heavier.  I am finally past the don't care stage.  One day while at work Denise my boss told me she was going to go on the South Beach Diet.  I said "oh I have heard that it"s a pretty good diet to go on.  I had a teacher tell me she had lost 20 lbs on it."  She told me more about it and how it really wasn't a diet but a healthy way of eating.  There are 3 phases.  Phase 1 is the most restrictive and you cut out almost all carbs, fruit, and some veggies.  She told me it was hard in the sense that because it was so restrictive it becomes kind of repetitive if your not creative.  But that in reality there was LOTS you could eat.  So after a week of watching her and talking to Mike we both started on our diet or better eating plan the following Monday.  By not eating carbs, fruit any root veggies your body detoxes riding itself of all the sugars and carbs.  You are changing your inside first.  A person can move back and forth between the phases if they would like too as well. 

It dawned on me last night while watching that I can't really trust my thoughts yet either.  It's my addiction speaking.  Mike is great at pulling me along as we do this together.  We bounce things off each other and come up with things to eat.  I find it interesting that drug addicts are sent to a rehab for 3 weeks, phase 1 is for 2 weeks.  Drug addicts are encouraged to go to a sober house for I think a month or more where they can gain the upper hand on their addiction and phase 2 is for as long as you are losing weight.  I found that an interesting parallel between these two addictions.   My compassion has been enlightened by this discovery.   I don't think I can any longer condemn those who turn to drugs, food or any other addiction.  The trick is to detox and listen for guidance from someone who can get you through this. 

So I am here to say that on Monday (1/24) Mike and I will have completed our phase 1.  I have so far lost 7-10 lbs (I didn't get a starting weight so I am going on what I remember) and I am quite proud of myself as I hammer this thing out.  For the first time in a long time I feel great inside.  My body feels different and I LIKE IT.  I have many many pounds to go but that will happen I am sure and I look forward to the day I AM in control of my body and not food.  I chose to eat to live NOT live to eat. 

Cleaning!!

So I had a great mother who taught me how to clean well.  She is on my mind quiet often as I clean my house.  This morning I decided I needed to tackle our shower and bathroom.  Neither of which was a thrilling thought.  I hate scum!  Let me say that again... I really hate scum.  I feel last weekend and tweaked my shoulder and so to stand in the shower and scrub isn't working well.  So I lined up all my strong bathroom chemicals and off I went.  The shower is now almost done.  I will need to rub it down with one coat of lemon oil pledge so it I don't have to repeat the whole process as much.  I had wanted to add a picture of shower scum for fun but the ones on the internet are horrible....  wow they needed to be trained by my mom.  I'm feeling a whole lot better about my bathroom scum.

I found this interesting little tidbit about shower door scum-  Dryer Sheet: You may be surprised to know that the dryer sheets can also be used to clean soap scum. If the shower door is wet, then take a dry dryer sheet and rub it on the dirty areas of the door vigorously to get rid of the soap build up. In case the surface of the shower door is dry, then dampen the dryer sheet and rub it on the door. Both the methods are equally useful to solve the problem.

Now that the shower is done it should all be down hill from here!  That is until I open the cupboards under my sink and throw everything out.  Drawers be aware you are next.  I'm in a haven't used get rid of it mode.  Okay put off cleaning the rest of it long enough.   

Who AM I? Would you like to know?

I received an email from my sister who said it bothered her that she was getting older and forgetting the past.  She was going to write her life history and asked if we all wanted to join her in this process.  So my brother and sisters and I are giving it a shake.  I had to get a few things under my belt before I started this process.  I sat down last week and wrote up my time line.  We are suppose to work on a time line in Jan.  Well what I could think of took me about 30 mins to do.  I figured I was missing something so I called my sister Kathy up and we talked about this life stuff and how to go about it.

Janet made a good point that when we die the information about our grandparents dies with us if it isn't passed down.  So we are sending emails back and forth about grandparents and things we remember.  The interesting thing is when someone emails it jogs a memory and it adds another piece to the puzzle we had forgotten about.

As I sat down to do some more thinking and reading I was able to figure out how to do my history.  I had learned a trick at work called hyperlinking.  It was as if someone laid out in my mind how to set up my own story.  Ya have to love it when Heavenly Father does that!

Another thing that has been fun is seeing what was going on during the years my grandparents where alive.  My grandmother was 7 when the right to vote for women in Utah was brought about.  It was taken away and then given back around 1894 ish.  The constitution was amended in 1920.  My mom was born in 1921.  So my grandmother was 31 years old.  She grew up during a very interesting time.  She was quite the woman and my mother would tell me she was one of the first women libbers.  I now understand why she was the way she was.  She went on a mission to the Central States Mission where she met my grandfather.  Not many women were sent on missions in the early 1900's.  She sat on Hyrum City Counsel as well.  Not many women do that either.  All the sudden looking at what was going on in life during those times helps me to understand my grandparents better.

What life must have been like for my grandfather who was born in 1893 and died in 1983.  Just the mode of transportation alone changed like crazy during his life time.  He owned a coal mill and I'm not sure those even exist anymore.  And I can't wait to get to know 3 grandparents who I have no memory of. 

While Mike and I were down in Orlando for our anniversary, we talked about our first years together.  There were things we couldn't remember or the order of  what happened during those first years.   And that bothered me.  I am happy Janet brought this idea up.  So this is my journey back through life.  It's going to be pretty fun I think!  I can't wait to truly set sail.

When the Time is Right by Merrilee Boyack

When the Time is Right

by Merrilee Browne Boyack

November 17, 2010

I was reading a terrific book today, Life over Cancer, that has been amazingly helpful to me. As of today, I have officially survived two years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Wahoo! Only forty-eight more years to go to reach 100! (I am absolutely planning on that huge cake with 100 candles.) As I read the book, I thought, “Gee, I wish I had had this information a couple of years ago!” And then I stopped myself. I realized that that was not right. In fact, I was receiving this information at exactly the right time for me. I was now in a position to physically and mentally act on what I was learning. I have prayed diligently that I would be led to learning that I would need and Heavenly Father had answered that prayer over and over again. At exactly the right time. When I was ready.
Sometimes we beat ourselves up over things we don’t know. People comment all the time after reading my parenting book, “Oh, I wish I had this ten years ago!” Wishful thinking doesn’t change anything and just makes us feel guilty. Instead, we need to celebrate! Yeah! Wonderful, new knowledge exactly when we needed it!
All we have to do is to keep asking. Then we get to act on the information when we get it.
I was worried that my grandson, the utterly splendid and perfect Keaton Roger, wasn’t crawling when he was “supposed to.” Thankfully, I have a patient and level-headed daughter-in-law who assured me repeatedly that he would crawl “when the time is right for him.” Sure enough, he’s now a crawling machine.
But I am often gripped in the tentacles of “It needs to happen right now!” I want that extra weight to peel off effortlessly right now, ignoring the fact that I’m still recuperating from surgery. I want my children to behave flawlessly right now, ignoring the fact that they’re mortal beings. I want all of my financial woes to just magically disappear right now, ignoring the processes of life and savings and investment.
It will happen when the time is right. Or it won’t. All my fretting will not change a thing and will just give me indigestion.
But oh, when the time is right, it is a wonderful thing. People come into our lives at just the right moment to teach us just the right thing. Events happen just as easily and naturally as if we had orchestrated the whole thing. Things just flow.
Which leads me to realize something I have learned most pointedly in the last two years. The Lord is in charge. He is orchestrating when the time is right. He knows when the time is right for each of us.
And as I let go of the fretting and the worrying and the impatience and the puny attempts to control and orchestrate my own life, His will is manifest. And the beauty of His will is a wonder to behold.
So I’m glad He sent me this book right now. It sure was the right time for it. Go figure.

I was reading a terrific book today, Life over Cancer, that has been amazingly helpful to me. As of today, I have officially survived two years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Wahoo! Only forty-eight more years to go to reach 100! (I am absolutely planning on that huge cake with 100 candles.) As I read the book, I thought, “Gee, I wish I had had this information a couple of years ago!” And then I stopped myself. I realized that that was not right. In fact, I was receiving this information at exactly the right time for me. I was now in a position to physically and mentally act on what I was learning. I have prayed diligently that I would be led to learning that I would need and Heavenly Father had answered that prayer over and over again. At exactly the right time. When I was ready.
Sometimes we beat ourselves up over things we don’t know. People comment all the time after reading my parenting book, “Oh, I wish I had this ten years ago!” Wishful thinking doesn’t change anything and just makes us feel guilty. Instead, we need to celebrate! Yeah! Wonderful, new knowledge exactly when we needed it!
All we have to do is to keep asking. Then we get to act on the information when we get it.
I was worried that my grandson, the utterly splendid and perfect Keaton Roger, wasn’t crawling when he was “supposed to.” Thankfully, I have a patient and level-headed daughter-in-law who assured me repeatedly that he would crawl “when the time is right for him.” Sure enough, he’s now a crawling machine.
But I am often gripped in the tentacles of “It needs to happen right now!” I want that extra weight to peel off effortlessly right now, ignoring the fact that I’m still recuperating from surgery. I want my children to behave flawlessly right now, ignoring the fact that they’re mortal beings. I want all of my financial woes to just magically disappear right now, ignoring the processes of life and savings and investment.
It will happen when the time is right. Or it won’t. All my fretting will not change a thing and will just give me indigestion.
But oh, when the time is right, it is a wonderful thing. People come into our lives at just the right moment to teach us just the right thing. Events happen just as easily and naturally as if we had orchestrated the whole thing. Things just flow.
Which leads me to realize something I have learned most pointedly in the last two years. The Lord is in charge. He is orchestrating when the time is right. He knows when the time is right for each of us.
And as I let go of the fretting and the worrying and the impatience and the puny attempts to control and orchestrate my own life, His will is manifest. And the beauty of His will is a wonder to behold.
So I’m glad He sent me this book right now. It sure was the right time for it. Go figure.

Work and Miracles!

I should share with you my tender moments of last week.  A few years back I chose the greatest New Years resolution ever that was to have faith not fear.  So I worked on having more faith and less fear for a whole year.  It proved to be a touchstone in my life.  As you know I am down in Orlando testing.  The testing for the 1st graders is going very slow.  We were suppose to be done with our school on Friday but it appeared that we would be there until after Thanksgiving.

Another problem came up and I realized we were not going to reach our numbers of 100 children in 1st and 3rd grade.  On Tuesday my mind was called up if you will to this year long experience that I had a few years ago.  This wasn't the first time this had happened.  So I knew this was what I needed and it was a prompting from above.

I turned in prayer and asked Heavenly Father to enlighten my mind as to how I could accomplish this goal.  I set to work it out...  things were laid out in order for me.  I saw what needed to be done.  The goals were lofty and I wasn't sure if the would be attainable.  But I knew Heavenly Father knew what he was doing.  So on Wed I prayed that my abilities would be extended.  That his tender mercy would seek me out.  It was granted.

As the day went on I also saw I needed to pray that the Lord's Tender Mercy would fall on those who were testing with me.  Friday came and I asked my prayer that morning that not only would my abilities would be extended but my testers abilities would be extended as well and we would be able to accomplish the goals I had set.

As I went through the day I watched once again in amazement how even the slowest testers were working fast.  By the days end we had finished 38 1st graders.  I was given more permission slips for 1st grade that took us well over 100.  I was given 6 permission slips for 3rd grade bringing us to 93.  My Friday was a day of modern miracles.  I felt so in awe that thank you just didn't seem to be enough.  What a wonderful Father we have.   The words seem to lack adequacy to fully express what happened, how I felt and how tender those mercies were. 

Oh how great are the tender mercies of the Lord.  He is truly a kind and loving Heavenly Father who cares about what we care about and when we ask for his help he extends our abilities far beyond our abilities.

LeClaire Who??? LeClaire What? LeClaire Where?

So Bruce and I discovered that we love the same show called American Pickers.  He told me their place was only an hour or so away.  I said what are we waiting for ....  lets go!  Bruce looked up their website and got the address.  He did see their hours were pretty short...  12:00 pm - 4:00 pm but we decided to go check them out non the less.  We were not disappointed.  The American Pickers is located in LeClaire Iowa.  I said LeClaire what?  As we drove we discovered there is another famous American who also came from LeClaire. 

Buffalo Bill!  That info might win you a million dollars on a game show.  

115 1/2 Davenport Street Le Claire, IA 52753

I had the GPS plugged in but how do you put 1/2 into the address?  Fortunately as we drove up the street Bruce said.... I think I see it.... 

 We were just about to leave when Mike Wolfe pulled up in his old VW truck.  He was bring up the garbage cans for the store.  It was cool and he was soooo nice.  Someone left on their step these isle markers.  Mike's comment...  people are always leaving junk here!!  Anyone want them?  I of course never look a gift horse in the mouth.  Alyse had him sign it.  

He was so nice.  My camera was about to die and he took a ton of pictures with us.  I was so excited to see/meet him.  He said if he had keys to the store he would have let us in.  But he didn't. 

I know be jealous!