The Bell

Last night I was reading a spiritual book. I was brought to a fullness of emotion so much so that I was weeping so beautiful in its nature. All alone in complete silence by choice, in a large house. The woman I was caring for was sleeping in a room upstairs. I was so absorbed in the book and very clearly a single bell sounded from another room. I believe it came from the very old Grandfather clock that sits quietly and never has it worked or shown signs of working. I tried not to feel scared instead I was trying to keep focused on the moment and not be influenced by what I've seen on TV when such things happen unexplained. I wanted to ask for it to make the noise again, but I couldn't muster up the courage, after all, I was all alone! On the digital clock closest to me it read 9pm when it happened. Whatever it was, I don't really know, another entity of some kind letting me know they were present.... I then turned to write about my experience. I was excited to tell Logan and now I'm sharing it! I have had a handful of experiences like this, it used to be a doll would fall off my headboard (more than once) when I mentioned mom, way back when I still lived at home b/4 I was married, and now this. I regard it as something friendly and positive!

*UPDATE* I found out finally what the bell really was, the dryer in the basement, and it really doesn't sound like a bell I'd hear coming from a dryer!! LOL!! And it doesn't always go off when running the dryer, strange huh?

Our pets

Mertz got a fish tank for Christmas and in the following day or two later after setting up the tank, we then picked out the fish. We started out with two types of tropical fish of two of the same kind so that made 4 and then about a week later we got two black "cat fish". Right now they are all getting along. The two catfish swim upside down most of the time, which keeps us laughing! Sometimes they chase each other causing quite the excitement they absolutely haul! These tropical fish are like none than I ever had; they are much more animated and swim or they stay put in the same spot, how they do that I don't know. Another funny aspect of the catfish is we have this odd "conversational" piece in the middle that is a building and over the doorway it reads "The Church of Living Waters"--we got it at a yankee swap 2007--it was a hilarious gift! And now its being put to use as it was intended. The church is surrounded by the fake plants and the catfish either love to hang out inside the church or along its walls or they lounge around in the plant as if sleeping close to the tank floor with their tail and fins resting on the leaves, again unlike any fish I've ever owned, but they are Mertz's fish anyway, but they are all so fun to watch! We make funny jokes like the catfish are some black baptists, the other fish aren't as interested into going inside, occasionally they will they aren't as adventurous as the catfish!

Ice Ice Ice Everywhere

Fortunately we are safe and sound, heat, electricity and everything is running for us. However there are many in my state who didn't get so lucky! A highway, my dad said, was closed for most of the day cause trees fell and trapped even the biggest rigs along the highway. Power is out and won't be fixed for even perhaps a week for some! My dad's roof got hit with a fallen (huge) tree branch! Good Grief life is hitting him hard these days, as with most people. I'm praying for some kind of end in sight. I'm laughing my head off watching "Little Britain" Laughing like crazy!

Our offical papers came in the mail saying we are no longer members of the Mormon church. No lightening bolt hit me dead, imagine that! The feeling I have to live a decent life and never be cut down again is already wonderful. I won't be that "number" rather I can now be a person and serve the way I want to serve and not feel like I'm only doing it cause I have to as a part of some larger pretense. I've been sick of living in my hometown/homestate and live around an "out west" mentality, cause if I was from my own place it didn't matter, I wasn't good enough to be part of the built-in friendships. Everyone who lived in UT and moved to my homestate always stayed with their own kind and as the native of my homestate never felt like a part of that mold. I can now hang out with my own and feel a sense of pride of my heratige of my very own community of which I was brought up! I'm helping the poor, hungry just because I know its the Christian thing to do and cause there are hungry and poor out there that need my help, that's it! I don't have to answer any silly questions later about myself even if I should just be trusted, and many even lie about their life's work....its just wrong. I have a sister in law who has been prohibited from getting sealed in the temple because of her "file" from a few years ago even after she'd been thru a bishops court. I won't be a project, won't that be dandy! Once our names are off the charts, we have freedoms and that includes no more people stopping by to "check up" on us. That's great!

I'm NOT in a NICE MOOD

I'm MAD. Holy cow what a crazy few days its been around the US of A. Okay so I hear on talk radio this morning Glen Beck talking about the woman who got trampled in a WalMart and who afterwards had a miscarriage, that's just unwarranted! Secondly, Glen B. was praising the guy who died trying to save that very woman's life! Glen was all so glad for the guy; he called it good news!! AND he'd be getting a big welcome at the pearly gates for such a good deed! Glen just rubbed me the wrong way when he said "the good thing only one life was taken (on black friday)" AHHHH!!! The death of a human (or two if counting the unborn) is at ALL EVEN A GOOD THING? over a SALE????? I'm discusted that even ONE life was lost, these things shouldn't happen over a sale of the flatscreen or the next gamebox! Material things just aren't worth losing a life over and to be trampled to death by! I have a severe problem with accepting this kind of thinking. I am outraged! I had to turn off the radio. Another crazy thing I saw on the news is people giving up their guns for plastic! WTF??? Guns are a tool. Where are these people's brains? Guns are being handed over just so that the past gun owner can get holiday shopping money. I've never heard of such a thing. We are as americans willing to give up our right to bear arms over shopping for the holidays. My second amendment right will always be my pride and joy. I'll die first if ever anyone were to come and take away that god-given right to be my own protector. I have freedom and personal protection from the use of my beautiful tool! And people want to give their guns up again over some materiel possession. I am just shocked, utterly friggen shocked.

Being it this time of year

This is a great time of year to reflect on all that I'm thankful for. There is just so much that has gone on in my life this year which has stretched me and made me more of who I am! I have approached this time of year with reflecting on my past and of this year and am thankful for ALL that has come! I am thankful for many years of marriage to my extraordinary husband and knowing the people who I know and have known along this journey. I am thankful for my children who show me a great deal of love, forgiveness and patience every day!

There is a God and I am constantly seeing his work in my life, blessing me in many ways throughout this year! Jesus Christ is my Saviour....I do all I can to follow Him and His teachings. While I care for the frail and broken-hearted; those who cannot care for themselves I feel it is indeed an honor even to dedicate my work to Him! I love Him, I love his teachings and the wonderful sacrifce he made for me, for who am I to be so deserving?

I have so many ideas of what more to write but I'm short for time. I had an idea of something else to write but it left me. I hate that when that happens! One new set of news is Logan is finally getting his lap band Dec. 1st so this will be his last Turkey Dinner as he knows it and he'll be dropping the weight and hopefully relieve his backpain issues as time persists. One last funny note, when Logan explained he was getting the operation to the kiddies they said "oh so you'll be skinny?" meaning after the operation is over. Ummm no. "oh so in a couple of days you'll be skinny?" nope. Then Mertz resorted to "in a few weeks." Well, it will happen slowly week after week but in about a year or more, and to them that's just too long of a time to wrap their heads around right now. Logan and I plan on taking pictures of his transformation!

LG* Life is Good*

Besides being called fat, pig, homely, and other unwarranted verbal attacks by one of my clients, I'd have to say that I've found my dream job! No longer do I answer incessant call bells and deal with multiple needs of different people at once, running like a chicken with her head cut off AKA nursing home atmosphere, instead I'm more "at home". Quite like a home away from home, except I'm not paying the bills! I tend to needs of one client in all 8hrs and have little to no contact with anyone else except a phone call here or there. Its quiet and restful with little to no stress--just what I need!! Tonight was extremely laid back! My client slept most of the evening 4-11pm with two or three interruptions that only lasted maybe 20min altogether of talking with this person and helping with immediate personal care. This person didn't want dinner or a snack so it was a real easy, relaxing evening for me. My only complaint was I forgot the popcorn while watching TV! But this job does not come without its hangups, like should I read or should I do some emboridery instead, Haha!! Reading on Obama just makes me want to puke, why did people vote for this moron?

So to change the subject on what else is new in life, the religion thing. Dad gave us his blessing and told me that he never forced the LDS church on us, and he added that at the time it was what he thought would be the right thing to do. Uum, why did we have to get up for seminary all those mornings or church? Well I did skip out on many mornings of seminary but I remember the raging "get up", I mean seminary's timing couldn't have been any worse---I'd not get to bed until 11-12am after having worked and homework, then have to get up at 4 or 5am to do church stuff?? As a teenager it was so ridiculous with the sleep the body needs as a growing teen-the church is out of their friggen minds "oh, but it will make you strong, or I remember all the kids saying they had 'a better day' because they went to seminary! Wait, everytime I went to seminary it was the complete opposite, it was always a bad day and when I didn't go and got some decent sleep it was a more producive day for me, to me it makes perfect sense!! Okay so I don't know if I buy the whole "didn't force it" thing but its all behind me now and I'm who I am. I am very fortuanate to have a parent who "gets it" and I don't have to live my life as some ex-mormon whose family bombards me with saying "you didn't have a true testimony" or "you just didn't have enough faith" or "satan has grabbed a hold of you and led you astray" Ummmm that's just poppycock!! My Mother In Law totally believes it was the latter comment of why Logan and I have left. Typical reaction. Appearently there's a sin with questioning any doctorine that goes against any reasoning. One guy in sunday school class (prime example of a complete and utter lack of intelligence here) stated that if science said humans have 5 senses and the prophet said that we had 8 he'd listen to the prophet than listen to scientific fact!! WHAT!? Logan has told me of many instances while in the church of stuff like this coming up. Fact is fact and God deals with absolutes and absolutes alone, he doesn't change! And if God doesn't change than why has the church? Ask anyone who has been in a recent temple ceremony the past few years and in one before 1991, the ceremonies have changed!! I have changed and now, Life is Good, LG my initials hehe!!