Recognizing His hand -

A week ago, Craig told me about his dinner. He was traveling to Upland (just a day trip) when he decided he was hungry. He felt like he needed rice and beans and wasn't familiar with the area and the available restaurants. 

He saw a Cafe Rio and happily went in to feed his craving. As he was going out, he noticed two sister missionaries. He thought, I should buy their dinner, but then dismissed the thought and went out to the car. He got the impression again, and went back into the restaurant and waited at the cash register so he could pay for their dinner. 

He told me that he later was taught that was the reason for his craving, and he was scared that he almost missed it. He almost missed helping the Lord take care of His missionaries.

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Saturday Craig, Josh and I went out to eat. We came home with leftovers, enough for Sunday dinner. I had already bought a roast, and wanted to cook it. No hanging on to a roast for Sunday dinner for a whole week. Sunday morning I saw I had left the pan I needed to cook the roast dirty in the sink. Icky, I know. I thought about just getting it ready to put in the dishwasher and leaving it at that. But I found myself washing the pan and getting the roast ready and delay starting the oven because I was going early for choir practise.

In Relief Society it was announced that the missionaries needed dinners, in fact they needed dinner that day. There I was sitting in church with a big roast in the oven. So I claimed the elders for dinner and sent Craig a text about what I had done and to tell the missionaries that they were coming to our house for dinner. (We had just had them for dinner on Tuesday.)

I got home before Craig, and got started on the potatoes and had the boys set the table. Because the roast was in the oven, the missionaries were eating at a non-standard time. I apologized to them when they came over, and they said it was perfect, they were fasting that day and the timing was great. I was  grateful that I had listened and put the roast in and had dinner for two fasting servants of the Lord. They decided to fast, knowing they didn't have dinner scheduled.

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After dinner Craig took them home. They had mentioned that they didn't have their phone. They thought it might have fallen out of their pocket in the car. So I didn't really worry about it. 

Craig came home and said they hadn't found the phone in the car. He turned on his flashlight and looked under the  recliners, and searched the couch and love seat. The missionaries called and he said he had looked and didn't find it. 

I had changed seats to get closer to the light so I could read my book. I looked at my old seat and said, I was sitting in that seat when you were looking. He had looked under the recliner, but now he searched the cushions. He waited for about a minute before he called them which was a bit weird, but when he called them, they told him that after the first phone call, using the phone of another companionship, they had been discouraged and had just knelt in prayer to ask for His help. As soon as they said amen, the phone rang and it was Craig. 

I felt bad that I had not gotten out of the seat and looked the first time, but Craig said I wasn't supposed to find it then. This was a faith building moment for His elders, and He was in charge of the timeline.

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I am humbled by these  moments of seeing His hand in our lives.

What state are we in?

This is how the boys looked after school yesterday.

I had just wiped a water drop off his nose. He was soaked.

He had run in the rain.  We ended up turning on the gas fireplace to try and dry out his shoes.

Yesterday Southern California felt like Oregon. It was lovely.

Scripture - Luke 1

This scripture caught my eye. I thought about how both Zacharias and John died. This scripture seems a contradiction.

Obviously, we need to look deeper. They both served without fear. They both lost their life in His service. And in doing so, they gained their reward. 

We know that John was instrumental in the Restoration. He appeared as a resurrected being and bestowed the Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph and Oliver. Looking at what we know from this dispensation, he truely was delivered out of the hands of his enemies and he continues to serve. And no doubt Zacharias continues in service as well.

New neighbor

I saw a black shadow dash into the bushes and heard the leaves rattle as something passed.

First I looked under the bush. Nothing.

Then I looked on the wall.

I like him. He will be a good pest control agent living in my back patio. I hope he stays.

I have much better feeling about him than my last neighbor. Her web came down in the recent rain.

Cross Country Meet

Today was a meet. It was up at the park where Boaz rode his bike on Wednesday. We were told that parking would be crazy. We knew we would have to park at the college and there would be shuttles.

It took way longer than we thought. But because Craig came, we were very early and had time for the shuttle.

(I had dropped Josh off earlier while Boaz and Craig cleaned the church.)

Craig got a good lay out of the course and I rued my choice of foot wear. I wore closed-toe sandals and kept getting rocks stuck in my shoes.

I started my timer on my phone and we went staked out our vantage point where we could see three points of the race.

He was in the top 15 at the beginning. The second vantage point he was in the top 25. The third vantage point he was in the top 30.  He was close enough to get some pictures.

I took some pictures and hoped they turned out.

I love this picture.

He doesn't look too happy here.

And he was gone.

We rushed to the finish line.

He was 38th. I was worried about the time, so I didn't get the camera. He looked beat.

I got him at 17:34. I think I added 2 seconds to his time.

He got a medal - his second of the season.

In our back patio. (The spider is just off to the right.)

Wednesday night

Craig worked in Upland on Wednesday. He had a late meeting and hit the traffic.

Boaz had a bike ride for scouts from 5:30 to 7:00 at a park - a good 15j-20 minutes away.

Josh had scouts at his leader's home at 7:00. They were learning how to change the oil - definitely worth attending.

I had a meeting at the Stake Center at 7:00 for the Family History Library.

When you have to be three places at the same time - in all different corners of the county - something had to give. I missed my meeting.

Josh had a good time learning about cars. Still no movement on getting an instructor so he can drive.

Boaz was part of a group of 12-13 scouts on bicycles.

I told the leader he was going to be hearding puppies and bless him and his service. He smiled and said I was too generous. It was more like hearding squirrels. I waited with him until the other leaders showed. The boys were all over the park. I was surprised there were no bike crashes. They all had a good time. Thank heavens for the scout leaders.

My neighbor on the patio

I've been watching her since Tuesday.

She doesn't really like it when we look at her. Looking at her underside, like this picture, is fine. But when we look at her where she can see us she scampers to the safety of the tree. I've debated taking her web down, but it is so big, it must have taken her a long time.

She is right over the table and five of the chairs are unusable at this point. 

Her web is getting ragged, it won't last forever.

The boys are not too happy that I have allowed her to stay.