"Seek ye out of the best books" (D&C 88:118)

A couple of years ago I realized that some of the novels I was reading wouldn't pass muster as a movie i.e. I was tolerating language and other inappropriate behaviors in the books I read that I would have walked out of had it been a film.  It was then that I decided to upgrade the quality of books I was willing to read.  Consequently, I put several of my favorite authors on the "do not contact" list among them Clancy, Lincoln and Childs, Flynn, and Grafton, just to mention a few. 

After purging my bookshelves of these and other offending authors, I was at a loss as to what to read.  So, remembering the counsel of the Lord in D&C 88:118 I sought divine guidance in discovering authors that would entertain but not contaminate me. It took some effort and false starts but here are some writers that I have come to enjoy:

--Alexander McCall Smith:  wrote several series including the highly acclaimed "The #1 Ladies Detective Agency"

--Jan Karon:  well known for her delightful Mitford series which tell of the fortunes/misfortunes of Father Timothy Kavanaugh, an Episcopal priest, and his quirky parishioners

--Louis La Amour: best western writer ever

--Chris Stewart: one of the best LDS fiction writers in today's market, wrote the Great and Terrible series of six books dealing with the last days--riveting!

--Joel C. Rosenberg: penned a four book series, also on the last days from a Christian (non-LDS) point of view beginning with "The Last Jihad". 

Hopefully these and other authors will continue to publish so that I and others can continue to "seek...out of the best books"

Memorial Service

This morning we attended the memorial service for 15 year old Haley Nicole Moss, daughter of a soldier friend of ours.  Since birth Haley had suffered from congenital heart disease and over her life had had 8 procedures, 3 open heart surgeries and over 30 treatments for an accelerated heart beat.  The LDS chapel in Lakewood was filled with family, friends, students and soldiers.

My feelings and thoughts:
--So impressed with this young lady--she loved the Lord and had a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ
--One brother gave the opening prayer; her other brother spoke, sharing funny anecdotes that helped us through our tears
--Her father Dave, who had been part of the family home evening group we held each week in our home the two years we were in Korea, also spoke.  He talked of Haley's love of school, family and church, illustrating each with several touching and often humorous examples.  How he could get through that without totally breaking down, I'll never know.
--The ward Young Women sang Haley's favorite church song "I love to See the Temple"--that really cranked up the water-works as did a later song by a mother and daughter who sang "Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer"
--What impressed me the most, however, was the sweet, tender spirit that accompanied the entire service.  As sad as this was, it was in no way tragic.  Just the opposite.  Her family feels that Haley's life was actually extended through what they consider several miraculous incidents.  Plus, they have strong testimonies of the enduring nature of the family unit--that families really can be forever.  This gives them much comfort and solace during this difficult time.

I'm glad we went--I came away having been blessed, reassured and uplifted by the Spirit.

God's Building Plans

I've been thinking a lot lately about the trials, adversities and "speed bumps" that come to us on life's journey.  However, it hasn't been my difficulties I've pondered but those of my children and their families.  Like all of us some trials are self-imposed by our choices, and some by the choices of other people. And, like it or not, sometimes life is just really tough.  As the bumper sticker says, "Life is hard--and then you die."

But I also believe that at times our Heavenly Father, in His wonderful and often unexplainable way, will provide us personal tutoring so that we and our families might grow in wisdom and holiness.  The great Christian thinker and writer, C.S. Lewis, likened it to "God's building plan" for us.  Here's what he wrote (I apologize if this is a redo but it's been on my mind as I've read some of your heart wrenching blogs):

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on. You knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage, but he is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself."

Importance of Celebrating

I've been thinking about the importance in our lives that celebrations can play.  Celebrating is a way of:
--remembering as in birthdays and anniversaries
--rejoicing as in babies being born
--well wishing as in I gave my friend, Harry, a card and a balloon yesterday--the last day of his radiation treatment for prostate cancer
--starting something new as at weddings (one of Melba and my regrets is that we low keyed our marriage and didn't have any kind of celebration for our friends and family)
--thanking someone as in when your office mates take you to lunch for your retirement
--congratulating someone on an achievement such as our son or daughter's graduation 

Whether big or small I recommend we all look for opportunities to celebrate with our spouses, our children, our grandchildren and our friends.  It's a nice way to say "I care--you are important to me".

Out of sight but not out of mind

Almost a year ago to the day my sister Diane along with her husband, Sean, their son William and a cuddly black Labrador named Cindy pulled up to our house in their three cars.  The previous year had been really tough for them: Sean had lost his job as a patent attorney and after exhausting their savings were forced to sell their lovely home in a recessed market.  They had become part of the new formerly affluent homeless and we welcomed them into our home for as long as they needed to be here.
 
They really liked the wet, cool NW and for awhile it looked as though they might find gainful employment here but nothing worked out.  Finally, they decided to return to Fresno, CA to begin a new phase of their life.  Sean will begin a private law practice, Diane will find a job with benefits, and William will start college.

This past year has blessed us in so many ways.  Here are only a few:

--We got to know Sean in a new and deeper way and he us, too
--William became my own personal video master, fighting some of my more challenging boss battles for me
--Diane cooked most of the meals for her family and me (Melba has her own special regime of Crohn's friendly foods)
--Communal living worked well for us because everyone pitched in and really worked at accommodating each other and in being sensitive to everyone's space; mutual cooperation and consideration were our watch words and it worked well

I will miss having this part of our family with us.  On the bright side, we are once again an "empty nest" and that has it's benefits as well.

Birthday Reflections

I first saw the light of day 67 years ago today.  It was a Friday then, too, and I was born in the old Seaside Navy hospital in Long Beach, CA.  I have never had a problem with any birthday except when I turned 50--I was depressed for two years then snapped out of it.  Today I am at peace with my age and my place in my own life cycle.  Here are some things I like and dislike at this time of my life.

I LIKE:
--Being retired and not working for someone else
--Having a steady, secure income not dependent on the whims of the stock market
--Being married to my sweetheart and best friend, Melba
--Seeing my five kids succeed in their life goals
--The wonderful women my sons have chosen to marry
--Staying in touch with my 24 grandchildren--they keep me young
--Serving in the temple every Wednesday--it charges my spiritual batteries
--Working with our gardener to maintain and beautify our yard
--Serving as high priest group leader
--Trying to stay physically fit through exercising
--Practicing the guitar/banjo/piano
--The close relationship I have with my siblings--they are in the "inner circle" of my closest friends
--People who are incurable optimists even when carrying heavy personal burdens--they inspire me to do better with my own less heavy problems
--Doing family history and then taking my ancestors to the temple to do their work for them
--The richness of the spirit that seems to come more frequently as I pray, study the scriptures, serve others or attend the temple--it's more comforting than ever to know that God knows who Larry Barry is

I DON'T LIKE:
--Seeing my mother and my friends get older and some dying like Dick Russell and Gary Froseth and Richard Elliott
--Aches and pains that have no obvious cause but just come with the territory
--Seeing Melba suffer with the cancer she had (2xs), the Crohn's, the knee problem and the arthritis--if I could I would carry it for her
--Political fanaticism on the left or the right
--That much of our social life is comprised of medical personnel
--People who can only see life as "half empty"

Hope you all have a wonderful day today!

Graduation a time of reflection

Monday evening I attended my nephew, William's high school graduation. I sat with his proud parents and thoroughly enjoyed the festive evening.  Somewhere during the ceremony I drifted off into thoughts of my own high school years and senior graduation.  Some reflections:

--High school was fun for me--hanging out with friends, playing french horn in the orchestra, battling 4'11" Tony Betterton on the tennis court (truly Mutt and Jeff--I won the match)
--Family life chaotic at times--I gave my folks a rough go of it--sorry about that Mom and Dad
--Excited about attending College of the Sequoias, until I had my first course and realized they were serious about learning--who'da thunk?
--Losing touch with long-time friends as we went our separate ways into adulthood
--Gaining new friends--and then losing touch with them as well in the years ahead
--After two years at COS, departing for two wonderful and long years in Argentina preaching and teaching the restored gospel of Christ

As the song goes "Thanks for the memories".