Sleep Deprivation

I know all of you practice this regularly and function just fine.  I, however, am NOT practiced at this and don't function well when it happens.  And I performed this activity to a new extreme for me this week.  I got up early on Wednesday in China and had long meetings at the factory of Ruking.  After 6 hrs of meetings I traveled to the airport to fly home.  I began to work on the flight and spent most of that time on working on pressing items for work.  It did not do well for resting.  I tried, I really did, but at best I had short of two hours.  It was an uneventful flight but I was really tired.  I got home around 11:30 and got to bed around 12:30.  Up for work the next day at 6.  So another short night for me.  Then after a long day at work (but needed since I left again the next day for youth conference) I did stuff at home and we went to bed around 10:30.  Seems great, except I woke up at 2:30 and could not go back to sleep.  I tried and tried but finally got up and worked on some church stuff, then mapped out how to get to youth conference.  I drive for many hours, stayed up until lights out, did my personal study, and at 11:30 went to sleep.  A fitful night due tot he heat and noise next door and back up at 5:30 and another day at youth conference.  By the time we got home it was 10 PM and I was plastered.  Up at 6 for bishopric meeting and I was grateful this week we didn't start at 6.  A great day at church, BYD, and now I am ready to CRASH.

How do you do this????????????

We had a great day at church, sacrament was all about the music of the gospel.  I had a missionary from the ward suggest that it was an important topic and after counseling with the ward council, we used it for sacrament meeting and will have a lesson day on it also.  Thanks Gavin!

Tonight's BYD was answering more of the youth questions and they helped to answer them.  They sure are smarter than I am.  It was an uplifting night of goodness.

Youth conference was wonderful.  We went to Kirtland and toured there plus had other activities.  I really liked the school of the prophets and the spirit there.  I did think of Kieren because the last time I was there, we met Kieren on her school tour and her group.

I love you all, so does He.

Dad

3 John 1:4

Peaceable Things

As I travel again and have myself amidst a strange land, I see again the the things that bring lasting peace are ones that are of eternal worth. I had a fantastic sabbath day here in China. I spent the morning seeing some new material on the church sites, then made my way to church on the other side of Shanghai. It is amazing to see quite a few faces that I still recognize and most especially to feel the peaceable spirit that domes from being in the Lords house for the day. Even when that house is a conference center in a business high rise building. 

I also had a wonderful trip to Suzhou after church where I had many revealed thoughts come to me as I prepared a talk for a few weeks from now. 

Finally I really had a few phrases from the last chapters of Jacob really stick out to me. I especially like when he encourages us to "feast upon his love". I have previously liked when it says to feast upon the scriptures, but I like this more as he says to feast on his love. What great peace that will bring to ourselves and those around us as we live like the Savior did. Full of love for all mankind. 

It has been really fun  talk with mom and others each day via FaceTime. It's nice to stay close when so far away. A couple of the days mom and I even "had" breakfast together as I ate while we talked. I know I have been to that hotel too many times when they bring me my bill and my room number is on it but they ever asked me what room I was in. It's getting embarrassing. 

I did experience quite the event this weekend. Super typhoon Chen-ham come to land right over Shanghai. My meetings were cancelled Saturday for safety and I just watched and admired the storm through the day. The wind was amazing as it drove the monstrous rain completely sideways. It reminded me of storms in Norway when the umbrella was straight as my back and not overhead because the rain was horizontal due to the wind. That is the times I poured water out of my shorts as we got home. I have ever been more water logged.  I am amazed my suit survived but it lasted like a champ. 

On Friday we had a celebration for the launch of our 2nd generation products (the China part). Traditional celebrations include dumplings (which were actually really tasty) so this is what they did. To capture the Chinese celebratory feeling. But to make it fun they had four teams compete to see who could make the most in 5 minutes. I got recruited ( because I am a guest, not that I had any talent) but my team won!  Then they took them all and cooked them right there. Afterwords everyone ate them along with other foods. It was a nice time that all enjoyed. And an experience I will sure never have again. To make dumplings and then eat those I made right there. Pretty neat. The nice looking ones are definitely not mine. 

This is an amazing life to be a part of. The plan is so perfect if we will just trust in Him and do our best to follow the plan. Challenges arise, troubles brew, but amidst it all if we build on the rock of our Redeemer then our foundation will never fall. 

Love you forever,

Dad

3 John 1:4

Rest and Weary

Now we know it is supposed to be no rest for the weary.  But this weekend had been rest and weary.

It was a wonderful extra day off work on the 3rd, since the 4th fell on Saturday.  Mom and I drove up to Tiffin to pick up Alysia at 7 AM so we went the night before, I traded hotel points, and we stayed the night.  It was a fun evening and it made it so nice to be only 5 minutes away.  After we picked them up (incl Sarah Emmaly's daughter that went to EFY with Lys) we went back to the hotel, ate breakfast, then left to drive home.  We got home too late for the parade but we did have time to drop them at the festival and I spent most of the day in rest.  It was really nice to do little.  I did run another HDMI cable to the TV, and we did some weeding and mowing.  I even picked poison ivy for mom since she is nearly paranoid of going even close to it.  

Friday the day off I did have a little fix it therapy.  The mower was "smoking bad" according to mom and I knew it had done that, but since it also had a flat tire it was in the garage.  It leaked and smelled sooooo bad.  We had to open windows etc in the house.  After some more digging I found what appeared to be a leak in the crank housing.  I ended up pulling the engine from the rider, and that made it easier to see.  I found it was leaking from the gasket that is between the oil pan and crank/piston side of the crankcase.  But with it off the mower, I found I could remove all the bolts, bought a new gasket, carefully pulled the pulleys and seals, and for a mere $2.16 was able to get it back together, adjust the choke and throttle better than ever, and it mowed wonderfully.  Add to that I just used "slime" in the tire and it sealed it up nicely.  Poof, great running riding mower for still ultra cheap.  It's old, but it works.  Now I just need to find a free seat so it does not make my rear wet every time I sit on it.

Enjoy the musical extravaganza of Kieren and friends from the branch on the bells.

Then Sunday was a great day, but given this is the first week we started at 9, I had to be at church at 6 and that caused me to be weary all day.  I had challenging but good interviews and I hope the people will take the council the Lord has for them and make small changes in their lives that will lead to big happiness increases.  It does drain me alot with some interviews and leaves my spirit tired, but happy.  It's an amazing thing to witness the Lord guiding my life.  Even amidst the turmoil around us, the peace is constant and the comfort is there.  I am so glad I can trust Him to be with me.

Pray for each other.  We all need special help in our own ways.  Family is the first line of defense after we petition God.  I am happy we all can know we have the opportunity to be together forever.

Love you forever.

Dad

3 John 1:4

Compression

So I work all day everyday on developing new compressors. We take a gas and compress it changing the composition so it can perform different functions to help heat and cool. I hear all day about the parts and features that help make compression efficient. 

Yesterday I had to use those skills in a way I have not for decades. I was assigned to speak at stake conference and so I got ready as usual. Now you know I usually don't have a problem filling the time given and usually have extra stories, scriptures, thoughts etc to fill the time. Well, welcome to the surprise!  There was a stake presidency member, and three others assigned. Stake for 20 mins, the rest of us 10. That left 45 mins for the visiting authority. 1st speaker' 30 mins. 2nd speaker, 15 mins. 3rd speaker 25 mins. That meat we were already about 15 mins past my end time before I even got up!  So I took my talk and compressed it into just 6 mins. A new personal best!  I had some great stories and examples that I just shortened and raced through. But I know it was the best to do, and after such long talks it actually was very memorable. So many, more than usual by a long shot, talked to me about it. And even today more people shared comments on it. I guess we can learn to just get to the point. 

I spoke on family councils and started off with the story of Skjelse and Koeren in the back seat with Barbie. Not having a "Ken" they started playing mom and dad, and when wondering about the father figure simply said "let's pretend he works at Taco Bell and is never home!"  That first "back seat" family council was the start of a major change for me. Thanks Skjelse and Kieren!

On Saturday Ty and I went and finished painting a barn for a guy I work with. 1800 ft2 of wall space, 2 coats, and it looks great. It was fun to work with Ty and has good memories for me of other times we have all worked together to "create" things together. Like you have been doing Skjelse!

Thanks for all the calls on Father's Day. It is a great thing to be dad. It was fun to hear from everyone. 

Gavin, you almost made me cry with your comments in your letter. Thank you for the tender comments and words that make me want to be better. 

I used some of Gavin's earlier letters in my talk as he has given us family council input even while serving full time. 

Love you all forever,

Dad

3 John 1:4

Epic Crash

I had a great birthday on a camp out with the priests. They were going on a high adventure but leaders had last minute conflicts and had to back out. So to fill in I took Friday from work and went with them. Their original plan was shortened and we went closer, but it was great. We had the traditional Ohio rain, but it worked out fine. We went out Thursday night and enjoyed being in quite cool weather. Friday morning we had rain nearly until mid afternoon. But in the morning we went off on the bike trails and had a great ride. Sloppy and slippery it was, but fun. We then spent some time at the bike "skills park" where I witnessed many crashes but none so epic as Ty. He went up the tallest ramp, and on the down side his tire went off the edge and he did an end over and it was so fantastic. He was not hurt too bad and I feel sad I did not get it on video. But you can see this one that was pretty good in a controlled crash in style type of way. 

IMG_1148.MOV

 

After this we played disc golf. They only had two holes installed, so we made outer own and used stumps. That way we could get 4-5 holes in a row. I sure am not consistent in any way. Finally we played ultimate in a new way called "box" that becomes more hectic and involved. Which was fun with only 7 of us. It worked out well. I had fun being with Ty all day. We relaxed in the afternoon when it stopped raining and then in the eve we had a campfire and had marshmallows plus mom had packed us apples and brown sugar cinnamon mix. So we stuffed the apples and baked them in the fire. They turned out fabulous. Many people wanted some and they smelled and tasted great. 

It started to rain again in the night and never stopped. Finally we packed up, ate breakfast at Young's Jersey Dairy and then came home around 11. Everything was totally wet and so it still hangs in the garage drying out. 

I am in wonder at the things in life we pass by because we do not give them a chance. I was talking today with a youth and they had never been involved in a certain type of event. They always say "next time" but let everything get in the way. And yet for all others this event is a highlight for them they will never miss. It made me realize how we pass things by, giving judgement, but never really try them to see how much we could gain. It would be like Gavin passing by all the Mango but never trying it, just saying "not interested."  

I had a good Father's Day. Call from Skjelse and Jeff, wonderful dinner and eve with those here at home, and a nice uplifting day. I had good interviews and it is pleasing how He puts into my mind the things to ask or say that can help each person have a unique interview that can help them each take steps closer to Christ. 

Ty put up the yard lights this week along the front sidewalk and they look great. I am so happy to finally have them up. 

Thanks for making me one blessed father. I hope you all will take the time to thank your Heavenly Father today for all he does daily for you. 

Love you forever,

Dad

3 John 1:4

So Little Time, So Much Help

This week feels like it has been sooooo long. But has gone soon fast. I have had much to do at work, and have had a number of things come out of nowhere as the Bishop. At work I have learned much about allowing others to have a plan and work it through. And to trust them to make it happen. And they are. To an extent that exceeds my expectation. I use that same approach at church. Trust the people will receive and act upon revelation and let them accomplish great things. I use church skills as I counsel to help others find their own solutions to their own problems. So in reciprocation I use the same at work. Instead of just saying what should be, I am trying to help them find the solutions to their own problems, and helping them be better along the way of their careers. It has been a nice give and give to the two sides of life outside the home. 

I also have had so much to do that I feel like there has been so little time to do anything. But I have seen so much help just come through blessings in my life. From spiritual help in challenges and questions, to clear impressions on how to handle situations, to others stepping up to help in various ways, to people getting things finished that contribute to the work that I had not even asked yet. It has been so much help in so many ways. 

We went to the zoo Saturday with mom, Kieren and Alysia. It was Emerson's work event. It was hot, fun, and learning. We saw animals in ways I had not before. Alysia got to feed the giraffes and so did Kieren. I think they both couldn't contain the smiles!  

Then we went to the birds and I saw Gavin and Ty together! 

 I hope you capture the photo references. 

The zoo also has a water park so after lunch we went there for a few hours and got lobster fried. As mom and I exited the lazy river I got a chunk of glass in my heel. So off we hobbled to first aid and they surgically removed it. Not too bad and it was fine once we got it out. 

Due to that I got zero accomplished on Saturday in the traditional sense. But it was a great day. On the way home we picked up Ty from mini-mission and heard all about it from him. He did the most fantastic talk during sacrament meeting. He even extended it to 13 minutes as the other speaker went short. And had such a marvelous talk of stories, scriptures and testimony of truths he learned last week. 

Skjelse made me proud as she is making he own coffee table and painting it. It looks cool and I am excited to see the finished product. She is doing so much DIY!  I wonder where she got it from?

We went to the temple Friday night and did family file names at the baptistery together. It was so great to be there together. We had such a great time. 

I am so ready for bed. I recognize daily the need for nightly rest. Then I am up and going for the day. But it is night and I am wiped. It was a long day today too. Lots of interviews before and after church. Then a great dinner by our master chef. And we finished off the evening with a wonderful BYD with the youth. Many indicated they learned a ton as we answered questions they had submitted last week.  So really good questions that indicate they are asking questions of the soul. Or deep questions that they are honestly seeking true answered to. It went very well with mom as the moderator. I just love being with her in anything we do. 

I hope you use prayer every morning and night this week. It's like air, we need it constantly. 

Love you forever,

Dad

3 John 1:4

PRO

Are you a PRO?  One who has a deep and abiding habit of Personal Religious Observance?  I have been tutored over these past few weeks about what a difference it makes in helping anyone be truly happy. Inside and out. 

Those I speak with that are happy, doing well, looking forward in life, seeing the best, and upbeat are having their daily scriptures and prayers in a meaningful way. Those that come with heavy burdens, sin, sadness, depression, or a lack of hope are not making these simple things a part of their life. 

It is just remarkable how by small and simp,e things great things are brought to pass. Even if someone has a hard life, and is in situations that are heavy to bear, their habits and outlook can make them see the miracles that God puts in their lives.

And then when others listen to the counsel given, and try it, they send me unsolicited notes explaining how much better things are and how much happier they are. God's plan is perfect!

I remember on my mission and being in Lillehammer (yep, the Olympics town) and being so down with the work, my companion, the lack of funds for decent food, the difficulty of the work since no one was interested and all.  It was a hard time. But when I look back now I realize that albeit weird then, going to visit a senior sister across the lake brought her so much joy, and really it did for us too. I realize that serving her with a simple visit also served us, and brought us purpose and happiness in seeing her joy. 

Even thinking back now I realize that one of the fun "world" times was after visiting her.  As I said she lived across the lake. The bridge was over a mile long and we would often ride bikes in decent weather (no snow, massive rain, or frigid cold) and would walk the other times. So this day was dead of winter and of course this is inland. So it was bitter cold. We walked over to her and had a nice visit.  Including smorbrod and saft (drink) that she always had. After an hour or so we left to return back. We just decided to do it the Norse way and did not use the bridge. The water always froze over for the winter and we had head it was think enough to walk on. So we trudged down the bank to the ice edge and just began the adventure. It was a nice day but really cold. We were a bit timid at first but gained confidence along the way. Before we knew it, and with lots of sliding and slipping along the way, we had made it nearly across the whole lake. It was so cool to look back nearly a mile, look up at the bridge, and just take in the wonders of the frozen beautiful land we were in. It brought a s,lie to our faces and our hearts. 

I reckon that Gavin, you will have no such opportunity with ice and lakes!

It has been a great week. This calling truly is a great blessing in my life. The eternal joy that comes from trying my best to help other in His way is pleasing, very pleasing. 

I had a good week at work, many significant meetings but each went very well. Smooth, good discussions and useful outcomes. Even at work He gives me help. I even was able to get a handful of things done off a long list I have not been able to get to. 

Saturday was a special day .......(did you hear the music in your mind?)

I got a ton of things fixed on the cars that had gone wrong. Even the Mountaineer had the AC stop working on mom. And it was not comfortable. But I did some digging, lots of checking, attached my diagnostic tools, and found it was equal pressures. A clue!  In the end it was only a blown fuse.  I got the scratches on Buzz buffed out and they look waaaay better. Not disappeared but nearly so. I also got the squeak gone that had been bugging mom. The Honda had been having issues on the front brakes. I replaced the pads and in only 2 days they had been cracked and bent. Very weird. I ended up replacing the pads, calipers, brackets and guide pins. For about the cost of a basic brake job at a shop I replaced everything in the brakes but the rotors. And now they work fantastic. And the gas mileage is up!  Bonus. I cleaned and waxed the Honda too since Ty had Buzz at some testing when I had the energy to do that work. I even find the antenna with lubing it up etc. 

I spent some morning hours weeding nearly the whole hillside from everything but the monkey grass and hostas. It looks so good. But my back was a bit stiff!

In honor of Gavin I attached some pictures of the flowers mom has been tending. Don't you think she is doing a marvelous job?

I continue to learn so much every day. I hope you learn from the spirit daily also.

Dad

3 John 1:4