Talk in Sacrament meeting today on gratitude

My second talk in one year - I can't believe it. I spoke for about 12 minutes. Here are most of my words:

Unlike some people, I really LOVE to give talks, probably because my major in college was speech and drama. I got to give a talk in Sacrament meeting in April of this year, and I guess I will do anything to be able to speak, even move away from Plano!

I want to thank the bishopric for this opportunity, also to thank the youth speaker Sydney Lucero for her message, and the musical number by Callie Bateman. I also thank Brother Hamilton for creating such a great new word last week – gratituity. And with that word in mind, I will talk about the holiday we will celebrate on Thursday.

The Roman orator Cicero claimed the greatest of the virtues was gratitude. It is the trait that is found in happy people. It is the quality that makes a person more likable and more at peace. Alma 34:38 tells us that we should “live in thanksgiving daily for the many mercies and blessing which He doth bestow upon you.”

Think of how different the world would be if everyone lived with a thankful heart?

From September 2001 Ensign article entitled “Live in thanksgiving daily” by Joseph B. Wirthlin suggests three things that will help as we strive to live in thanksgiving daily:

Open our eyes - The beauty of the earth – because we see them so often, we see them less and less. Look around you – notice the people you care about and tell them how much you care. Notice and give thanks for the sights, smells, tastes, and sounds all around you. With my recent food sensitivities I can't eat some of my favorite foods, but I can smell of food.
Look for opportunities to uplift others – as a young mother I always felt great when some one told me I was a great mom, even if it was only for a moment. I tell total strangers that they are being great parents!

Open our hearts – Let go of the negative emotions, and fill our souls with love, faith, and thanks.
Cleanse your heart, repent of uncleanliness, pray with all your heart, feast on the words of holy scriptures, cherish the messages of modern prophets, forgive, and throw away self-pity, resentment, rage, anger. Fill your heart with things that ennoble, encourage, and inspire. This talk was my call to repentance as I tend to be negative sometimes and hold on to stuff that I need to let go. I have been working on that for the past week. I still have a long way to go.

When I first moved to Plano in 1980, away from family in Utah and Idaho, I attended a stake RS event in which a speaker challenged the sisters to “bloom where they are planted.” I took that into my life and I did that. I planted deep roots. Yes, I missed family but the ward became my family.

The members in this stake opened their hearts to our family on September 15th, 1989 when our oldest daughter Erlynne fell off the hood of a car and suffered a skull fracture, a subdural hemotoma, and was in a coma for four days. Bishop Passey came to the hospital and with Steve, they used their power of the Priesthood to bless her to get well. The stake youth had a dance the next night, and they opened and closed the dance with a special prayer for Erlynne. And they fasted the next day for her. Years later we learned of how much of a miracle was wrought in her life. All because people opened their hearts to us.

The third and final suggestion by Elder Wirthlin is to open our arms. He said we should bless the lives of those around us. King Benjamin taught us in Mosiah 2:20-21: “If you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you…If you should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.” When I was ill I knew I needed to serve others, and one of my pet peeves is people leaving their shopping carts in the parking lots, either blocking the empty spots or hitting your car when you are inside the store. This became my personal campaign in parking lots of grocery stores, etc. I call it Cart Care. I can’t describe the look on the faces of those who I help. I started with little older ladies, telling them I couldn’t help my own 86 year old mother who lives in Idaho, but would they let me help them with their shopping bags and cart. You can look for ways to serve others in your own way, because (and you help me with this scripture quote) “…when you are in the service to your fellow men, __________________________
(ye are only in the service of your God.”

In the conclusion of Elder Wirthlin’s address, he said: “Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t been an especially grateful person. Rejoice and think of what an impression you will make on those who thought they knew you. Think of how delightfully surprised they will be…”

The Doctrine and Covenants promises us in Section 78:19 that “…he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious, and the things of the earth shall be added unto them, even an hundred fold, yea, more.” I have been blessed more than a hundred times. I am so grateful. I am grateful for all the things in my personal life that help to make me a happier person. I am grateful for the ward family, for my extended family, for my five children, my sons-in-law and daughter-in-law, for my eight grandchildren, my wonderful and supportive husband of 37 years, for the many bounteous blessings from the Lord in my life. After 29 years of living in Plano, it is with a grateful heart that I express my love and appreciation to all of you for all the influence and examples of Christ-like living, and say “see you later.” Not goodbye, for we will return on occasion. I know the gospel is true. I know the Savior is my Redeemer. I thank Him for everything. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Open House in Plano to say farewell to us

These three pictures were taken on Sunday, November 15th at the open house for Steve and I, a way the ward said their good byes to us. Many people came to wish us well and tell us how much they are going to miss us. We will miss all of you, but we can still stay in touch, via email, FaceBook, or blogging. And that is why I am writing this - a picture account of this week.

Barbara was the host of the open house, allowing all our friends and ward members to come to her home, serving wonderful food and treats for them to enjoy as they visited together. It was a great evening. Barbara has been my visiting teacher (along with Kathy) for the past several years. We had great visits each month. They are more of my friends.

Shelley has recently been added to my best friend list. I got to be her visiting teacher this summer and our visits lasted longer than normal because we had so much to talk about and learn about each other. She and I will be keeping in touch via email. I value her friendship.

Mark and I go way back. Not only is he a good friend, but he was the high councilor advisor over me as stake cultural arts chairman for many years. We pulled off some amazing productions together. He has a fabulous tenor voice and a great kind heart.

This is Marjean, one of my Plano best friends. We have been on trips together, walked for miles together, talked for hours to solve all of our problems! Doesn't she look fabulous? I am going to miss her. Thank goodness for email so we can keep in touch.

These are my friends from PSHS library, where I have been volunteering since 1989, and subbing since 1997. They had a luncheon for me today and gave me the sweetest messages in a card and the nicest good-bye wishes and hugs. I am going to miss them very much. They made me happy when I was working and helping them. They are all such awesome women. Thank you Linda, Shelia, Peggy, Mary and Sally for all you have done for me.

The first truck to Las Vegas house

(Warning: this post is long - I am journaling, okay. Stop reading if you want)

It's starting to feel like our home! Steve took these two pictures of the new dining room set. As you can see in the background, the piano has a new home, though it might move into the family room, depending on the way the couch fits in the living room in front of the fireplace. But that will be determined when the second truck load arrives.

But let me tell the story: I got home from Boston/Framingham on Wednesday, September 23 and started sorting, gleaning, and packing 29 years of accumulated STUFF in the Plano house. We picked up the Budget rent truck on Tuesday, October 27th. The Plano Third ward high priests and elders came to help us load. We took one queen, one full, and two twin beds, with dressers, nightstands, the piano, and tons of boxes of books (for our future library upstairs), canning jars (I can finally start using them), and decorations and extra stuff from the attic. We decluttered the house and it filled the first truck to the back door, including the empty freezer and patio furniture.

Steve drove the truck and I drove my loaded Toyota Corolla with my clothes and food stuff to make the LV house functional. We left Plano Wednesday October 28th at 6:15 a.m. I followed the truck but the diesel smell was strong, so sometimes I pulled in front of the truck. It didn't have cruise so Steve had to constantly have his foot on the pedal. About Wichita Falls, TX, the engine started acting up - slowing down to barely 40 mph on slight inclines. We stopped for potty and gas fillups occasionally, including eating our lunch about noon. But by 2 p.m. it was obvious something was not right with the truck. We called the Budget road side assistance line and were directed to a stop just off the freeway in Tucumcari, New Mexico. At 4:00 p.m. the mechanic took the truck for a drive while we drove the Toyota around the town to the nearest Subway to buy our supper. The mechanic said he didn't have the equipment to help us, but Albuquerque, NM would, so we headed westward.

There are a FEW hills before you get to Albuquerque! The last 150 miles took forever. Steve discovered pulling over to the side of the road, turning off the engine for a few seconds and starting up again made it act normally until he had to use more gas, then the engine would cut out. He suspected a clogged fuel filter or a turbo charger problem. One hundred miles from Albuquerque, we had snow flurries, enough to pile up on the side of the road. We crept up the steep incline going 5 miles an hour, with 18 wheelers dashing past us, almost hitting us on several occasions. And it was night and dark - never my favorite conditions. At 10:30 p.m. we took the first exit off the freeway in Albuquerque to a motel, parked the truck across from our room, turned up the heat and climbed into bed. We slept well because we were so exhausted.

Thursday morning we drove the truck (which acted totally normal in the cold morning) to a truck repair shop on the north side of town. They didn't have an order from Budget - so we had to make a few phone calls. They pulled it into their shop, then came to ask us: "Is this a Caterpillar engine?" We didn't know, but they did. They couldn't touch it, they couldn't work on it or the warranty would be voided. So we drove less than a mile away to the Caterpillar business and they had an open bay, took the truck right in and hooked up the computers to run diagnostic tests. Three house later they still couldn't identify the problem. Steve kept telling them it was the fuel filter.

At noon, they switched out the old and outdated flash chip with a new and up to date model. The mechanic took the truck for a test drive and the engine acted up, showing the mechanic there was a problem with the fuel flow. So he ran more tests, switched out the fuel filter, and would have taken it for a test drive but there was a snow blizzard going through Albuquerque at the moment, so he had to wait another hour to make sure the problem we fixed. It was. We pulled out of their shop at 4 p.m., gassed up both vehicles and headed west.

We drove through more snow flurries as we got close to Gallup, NM. The sun was shining on the red cliffs, the snow was on the ground, and it was the most beautiful sight - but I was driving and we didn't stop to take a picture. Besides, it was 29 degrees outside! We stopped for supper in Gallup at the Applebee's, then back on the road. What a relief to drive at normal speeds. But we were both weary well before our target of Flagstaff for the night. We pulled into a Ramada Inn just off the freeway at Holbrook, AZ at 9 p.m., and got in bed. It was only 8 p.m. Arizona time, but our bodies thought it was 10 p.m. We slept like logs, and then were up and away by 7 a.m. the next morning. We had a great drive and warmer temperatures as we drove through Arizona.

We had to go through Laughlin, NV and north to Las Vegas as trucks are not allowed to cross the Hoover Dam. We arrived at the house at 2 p.m. We had time to start unloading the light and easy things at the back until our first high priest from the Beverly Glen ward arrived at 4 p.m. to help us. Another six or seven guys showed up and in less than one hour they had the truck unloaded, the furniture in the proper rooms in the house, and the piles in the garage. One brother, George, drove his truck home and came back with his mower and mowed the front lawn in 10 minutes for us. He promised he would come mow it again in two weeks. Such nice guys!

After they left, Steve and I got in my car and drove to Applebee for supper and then to Home Depot to order a new black fridge, an LG front loading washer and gas dryer (we got an incredible deal on all three). They will be delivered on December 3rd.

For supper, I had a grilled tilapia but the rice pilaf with red and green peppers I should have avoided. I had eaten a piece of chicken from my three days on the road cooler, and it could have been the problem also. But by 9 p.m. I had major heart burn, and as I was getting ready for bed at 9:30 p.m. I got weak and white, almost passing out. I couldn't decide if I was better to throw up or just have the intestinal cramps, but I was in pain and misery. I took some ginger in water and Steve said a special prayer that I get better and I went to sleep for a short time.

At 12 midnight I woke up with non-stop pain. I remembered that Staci had food poisoning while in high school and I was acting just like she did then. The pain would not stop. I had the dry heaves, I was groaning and moaning. The intestinal cramping was so bad, I almost wished it would be labor pains because they do stop for a few seconds! I managed to get into the kitchen and make some more warm ginger water and took a garlic capsule with it, and then I couldn't stand the pain any longer at 12:45 a.m. I woke up Steve. I told him he could take me to the emergency room or he could go across the street to our new LDS neighbors, the Heatons, and get Brother Heaton to come anoint me with oil and give me a blessing. Steve called the emergency room but they told him to take me to another place further across the city. Instead he came into the bedroom and put his hands on my head and gave me a blessing. I was curled up in the warm covers and in the fetal position. I didn't move. He finished his blessing. And within a short time I went to sleep.

It was a miracle but I did not wake up until 6:30 the next morning. Though my intestines felt like someone had hit me in the gut with boxing gloves, I felt okay. We got dressed, took the rental truck to turn it in, and unpacked boxes and bedding, made up beds, etc. At 6 p.m. we walked across the street to the stake center for the combined ward's Halloween Party. Lots of people came to talk to us and introduce themselves. My former seminary student and Staci's good friend from high school, Rachel Garrett Lippman, was in that ward. She came dressed as a "Mummy to Be." (They are expecting their first baby in March). We had a great time talking.

Sunday in our future new ward was a great experience. We had two dinner invitations for supper. We went to the Matthewson family - their son has to eat gluten free also. Peggy Matthewson has lots of experience cooking that way. We had a great visit.

Monday morning I started cleaning the house at 9 a.m. I finished at 4:30 p.m. I was deep cleaning - scraping paint off toilets, floors, sinks, counters, vacuuming window slides, the new carpet (three bags filled with fluff), and washing tile floors. Now the house is ready for the rest of the furniture. I did leave the house at 7 p.m. to drive our trash to a dumpster and to drive by the Las Vegas Temple, a mere 1 mile away. It is beautiful at night with the lights on the hill. I am so looking forward to weekly sessions inside.

We flew home Tuesday, November 3rd and we are preparing to take the second and final load from Plano on November 30th. But first, Thanksgiving here with Staci and Eric and Wesley as our guests. One last party in the Plano house!

While I was out of town...

While I was in Framingham, helping with the new baby grandson, Steve went to a trade show in Las Vegas, NV. He had a day to check out the depressed real estate housing. He looked at two houses, sent me pictures, told me to pray about it, and made an offer the next morning. We had seven other people behind us with offers in case our deal fell through. As you look at this picture, you will see why:
Four car garage, six bedrooms (one on the main floor for easy access by older visitors), five bathrooms (think of me cleaning those all the time?), formal dining area, huge room of family room, breakfast nook and kitchen with granite counter tops, gas stove, double ovens, large ceramic tile , large laundry room with a sink, den-office just to the left of the front door, master bathroom walk in closets (two) that are bigger than my current closet, and a "great room" (above the den-office) with the three windows, that will become my project/sewing room and the grand kids play room.

We flew to Las Vegas to close on October 6th, and found a consignment store and couldn't resist the eight foot dining table with eight upholstered chairs and a china hutch, never been used out of a showroom for $900. It is being delivered to our new house this week. My first ever formal dining room set!

Our Plano house has better quality of workmanship, especially in the kitchen (thanks to Len and our recent remodeling), but the Vegas house is twice as big. The first thing to be fixed in the new house is replacing the kitchen sink and faucet. That was one thing they didn't do in their remodel after buying it out of foreclosure. But that is an easy thing to do. Len what is your availability?

We have our Plano house listed "for sale by owner". We have had a few nibbles. It hit the MLS this morning. Hopefully we will have a closing on this house before we leave Plano the end of November.

Know of a young family who needs to buy? There is a current incentive for first time home buyers of $8000 tax credit. But hurry, this deal won't last long and our house won't either!

More pictures Steve took with his Iphone at: www.woolstenhulme.com/477

I am back and have gained three whole pounds!

This first picture was taken on the beach at Provincetown, MA on Saturday, Septemter 5th. It took 2 1/2 hours of driving to go see Dallin, who had flown in with some friends from Dallas.


The second picture, with the green shirt was taken two weeks later, after daily walks in the sunshine with Ben, enjoying farm fresh produce every day, and holding the baby for my daily fill of love.


This fall foliage photo was taken on Tuesday, September 22 in a botanical garden in Weston, MA. So pretty and fun with nature!
And this picture was taken on Sunday, September 20th in the evening. The colors were so beautiful and the family dinner we had just finished eating was so fun. It was the best of times, for sure.

This photo was taken on Saturday, September 19th in the apple picking orchards in MA. The most delicious apples I have tasted in years. I ate three whole apples! What fun we had!

Progress and Positive Points

I made a mind movie, as per my chiropractic doctor suggestion, and watch it first thing in the morning and the last thing before I go to bed. The mind has the ability to do positive things, especially for me, to heal, have continued good healthy and to gain weight.


(Sorry I can't upload it to blogger - I tried, but it said there were "errors" - it is very large and I can't get the music to be on the Power Point slide show yet. Dallin is going to come assist me on Saturday. I want my children to see it, because they are the main characters in my movie.!)

This photo of me was taken in 2006, when I was at my best weight, feeling great, etc. It is in my mind movie many times, so my "mind" can picture how I want to look again. It really is "all in my head," isn't it?

Now I know there will be some out there not feeling any empathy for me, but the same as a person who needs to lose weight, those of us who can't seem to gain weight have worries also. Whether you are over or under weight, your body could be affected by diseases and sicknesses that a normal weight person does not have.

I am getting so much better. I had my fifth session with Dr. Sue Hegel on Wednesday and she told me that I was getting my body back to normal with all the things I am doing. One factor she was concerned about had to do with IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1). "It plays an important role in childhood growth and continues to have anabolic effects in adults....In some experiments the amount of IGF-1 in the liver was positively associated with dietary casein (dairy) and negatively associated with a protein free diet...." The doctor said: "You must avoid all dairy until your body has healed properly and is not being affected by the casein in a negative way and eat plenty of protein to help your body grow."

Another interesting thing I read in a gluten free book, "infants under age 4 months should not be given any foods containing gluten as they may develop a sensitivity to gluten that could develop into Celiac or intolerance for gluten later in life....." I don't know if my father, mother, sister, or older brother stuck a piece of bread in my mouth before I was four months old, and it doesn't matter. What can matter to us - being knowledgeable about things like this can help our own children/grandchildren stay healthy all their lives. This article did say that breast fed babies are least likely to develop food sensitivities than bottle fed babies. So for you young mothers out there who give them the best stuff, I applaud you. It isn't easy but it is worth it!

I continue to eat gluten, dairy and soy free. Eating out has proven to be the hardest. I can't control what the cook may put on my fish or chicken breast. But my goal is to gain five pounds by the end of September.

Come on people, think your extra pound on to me!

I think we figured out what is wrong with me!

I knew I was "environmentally sensitive" based on a year and 1/2 of trying different things. But Wednesday morning, after a weekend bout of dizziness and lots of intestinal pain, I went to see Dr. Sue Hegel, D.C., a naturalistic chiropractor, recommended by my massage therapist. When Dr. Hegel listened to my long story, she put me on the table to see what was going on, and made a couple of observations based on my leg and arm movements for muscles and nerves and asked: "Do you live near a huge electrical power line?" No. "Because you are very sensitive to electrical currents, which are interfering with the brain's messages to your nerves and muscles and the whole body. You need to wear magnets, either in your pocket or on your person during your waking hours." She did some adjustments to my spine and various other points, and I am feeling better. This will still take a while until I am 100% back to normal, but at least I know that it was in my head (brain) and body, and that is why food was my enemy.

I went home and removed the radio/TV clock at the front of my bed, and put all electrical things as far from the bed as possible. I am limited to one hour total per day on the computer (which was the reason for my weekend upset-I was working on the computer for hours and hours each day to get my project done), TV for about an hour, and avoiding electrical things as much as possible! That is the challenge, isn't it?

I went for another session Thursday morning, more adjustments and getting things lined up. I can walk without a hitch in my left hip now. Just for the record, I thought I would never go to a chiropractor, having watched my father-in-law go through a treatment in 1974. But I changed my mind. This woman is a blessing to me. I will keep you posted as I progress, if you are interested. And thanks for the prayers on my behalf. I just wasn't smart enough to figure this out by myself.