March 3, 2015
Re: Letter 16 of 3
Dear Riley:
Wow! Another week....Gone! I think I've discovered that packing your days with more than you can humanly accomplish makes the time pass at an alarming rate. All the same, I feel satisfied with what was accomplished. The weather continues to be unseasonably warm for our area while back East they're stuck in an eternal winter. We took advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday to make good headway with the yard. Working together we cleared the flower beds, mowed the lawn, pruned the Red Delicious apple tree, picked up four yards of composted horse manure, picked up 2 yards of fill dirt, planted the peas, and restocked the patio planter with organic matter. In addition to all this, I also baked sourdough bread, and went to the temple. Needless to say, I was going to bed at 11:30. (I'm still planning on spraying my dormant oil early Monday morning so as not to lose my window.)
I had something interesting happen while I was preparing for planting. It's been nice enough that I could have planted cool weather crops back in February so I've felt pressured to get something into the ground. Last week I pulled out my box of seeds and was shocked to see that some of them dated all the way back to 2006. I wondered whether they were still good and didn't want to plant them in the ground only to find out 14 days down the road that I needed to replant. All the information I could find suggested that the peas and lettuce would likely no longer be viable after three years. I opted to buy some new seeds but couldn't bring myself to discard the old seeds. What if they were still good? I opted to soak them in water overnight and keep them moist to see what happened. To my surprise and delight, nearly all of them swelled up and began to sprout. Now I have more seeds growing than I know what to do with, but the coolest thing was the contrast between the good seeds and the few which were no longer viable. A small percentage remained small and wrinkled and did nothing even though they had been soaked in the same water for the same amount of time. The metaphor in Alma 32 took on new meaning as I watched a good seed enlarge and begin to grow. Usually I just considered the seed good if it poked up through the soil and bad if it didn't. I had never paid attention to the early signs of a seed being good or bad, but this simple germination test told me within three days what would have taken two weeks to figure out if planted in the soil. I'll let you draw your own life lessons from this, but I considered all the gospel seeds planted in my own life which I can say for certain have swelled, sprouted, grown, and borne fruits which are delicious. I love how the scriptures can take on new meaning given circumstances. This was a profound truth played out in vivid detail and I will never read Alma 32 without thinking back on this experience.
Well, I'm truly committed to the bee project. I purchased a used hive last Friday and a flow hive which allows me to harvest the honey in a revolutionary noninvasive way. It's sort of funny that this whole thing has caused me to consider flowers in a new light. I see flowers and think “HONEY” and wonder to what extent they will determine the subtle complexity of the final product. I'm not getting my bee package until April and I look at the flowering trees of Spring as opportunity lost, at least for a season. I don't even have much of a sweet tooth, but the thought of having this source of food available for our own consumption, gifting, or barter makes me feel empowered. There are also real heath benefits to locally produced bee products and I feel this has the capacity to bless on many levels. It should be well established by the time you come home.
Friday evening the girls had a recital in preparation for the piano festival coming up this Saturday. I had the wrong information on the location, so I missed Aleah's performance but was able to see Elise play. Neither of the girls was pleased with their performance. I felt badly for Elise because I've heard her play her pieces beautifully at home. I'm not sure what happened, but it looked like Elise was just along for the ride while she watched her fingers forget what they had practiced for so long. It wasn't terrible, but she knew she hadn't performed to her potential and was a little embarrassed. Anyway, I think your mom was inspired to spontaneously go straight from the recital to see Disney's new Cinderella movie. The girls loved it and Josie was transported and mesmerized. She was asking questions and commenting in such a way that it was clear she had a good handle on what was going on. Okay, so she's just a few years ahead of her age. This was a great way to take the girl's minds off of the recital performance and create a magical memory.
On a sad note, GM's doctors recently told him they had done everything they could for him. Even though his liver numbers are holding and the tumor is not progressing, the prognosis doesn't look promising. They gave him 3 to 6 weeks which was quite a shock for him. He's asked for us to plead with Heavenly Father that his life be prolonged, or at least for peace and reassurance that it's his time to go. I hope and pray for his life to be prolonged. He has been such a blessing in our lives. It's difficult to imagine his passing. The truth remains that any of us could be called at any time and will be when our time on earth is completed. Just this morning a friend of ours in the second ward attended a bishopric meeting, went home, and died. One minute he was here actively participating in building the kingdom on earth, the next he is called home. The key is to be doing the right things when God calls us home. I have no concern over G's standing before God.
Well, got to go. I sure do love you and consider just how extraordinary you are. Thank you for faithful, obedient service. Don't get discouraged. The sons of Mosiah and Alma the younger had some really tough times before the amazing miracles and conversion of thousands materialized. Shoulders back, socks on, chin up!
Love,
Dad
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