Well, I had my first “official” mormon visit (they called and apologized for standing me up). Elder Page, another elder who didn’t say anything and I can’t remember his name, and a Sister, who came along because elders can’t be alone with a woman. This visit proved to me one thing: you can read Mark Cares’ book, take notes, read it again, watch the video, mark your Bible and Book of Mormon, and still go around and around in circles with the Mormons!
At least it feels that way. It’s funny how they seemed to be one step ahead, almost as if they had read the book, too. I presented law over and over but it didn’t phase them, and they agreed it means be perfect now, not become perfect. They also said they know they can’t ever be perfect and that they don’t need to be because of what Jesus had done. We circled around their definition of forgiveness, and my definition, and even though they were completely different they agreed with me! Thankfully, the Holy Spirit does the work, or I’d be in trouble. They complemented me on my knowledge of the Bible and Elder Page said that in nearly 2 years of missions he hadn’t walked into a house and met with someone that knew their Bible so well. I replied that I didn’t, I was always learning something, but had a great foundation thanks to my parents. At the beginning of our meeting they wanted to open with prayer–I explained I wouldn’t because that shows unity of faith which we didn’t share. After the meeting they asked if I felt better about things and would pray with them. I declined for the same reason. Elder Page looked at the other elder and sister and said “This hasn’t happened before. What do we do now?” Sister ____ said, “We say goodbye, thank Rachel (I wouldn’t let them call me Sister _____) and be back next week!” It’s hard to speak the truth in love when they’re so stubborn! err…when I’m so stubborn!!
Tonight the Mormon elders were to come for our first meeting. They didn’t show up. I was really disappointed.
Tonight as I was driving home I noticed a sign in front of a church that read “Prayer–like having Trump’s credit card.” I pondered what could possibly be meant by that and came up with several theories. My two best explanations are:
1) There is no limit on how many prayers we can send up. This theologically makes sense, but doesn’t fit the whole “Trump’s credit card” analogy. But if it means there’s no limit on how many prayers we can send up, it would better read, “Prayer–like a roll of stamps that never ends” or something similarly cheesy. A credit card enables you to get stuff, and assuming Trump doesn’t have a credit limit, he can get whatever he wants. This leads me to my more disturbing theory:
2) We pray for stuff, we get stuff. There’s no limit on the stuff we’ll get when we pray for it.
What do you think?
…and thought I’d share it:
The Buffalo Theory of Drinking: A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo, and when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the culling of the weakest members. In much the same way the human brain can only operate as fast as its slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But it naturally attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That’s why you always feel smarter after a few beers.
I recently perused my friend’s Page Title books. These are my favorites:
Aunt I Sweet
A Real Page Turner
Kiss the Cook
I Love You Just Becousin
Udderly Adorable
Sick Chick
Planting Twolips
Men will be Boys
Treasure of Memories
Ready…Set…Wait
Pregnancy Wait
Sew Much Fabric, Sew Little Time
Why Be Normal
The Fourth Stooge
Going Undercover
I’m in a Jam
Bear-ly __ Years Old
Bear Necessities
Howdy, Pilgrim
How did it get so late so early?
Monkey’s Uncle
Sole Searching
Okay, so maybe it’s a little bit tongue in cheek, but last night and this morning we experienced signs of the alternator dying in the truck. My last experience with an alternator dying was on the way home for break during college, stranded on the road in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully my brother and his wife (girlfriend back then) were behind me and we somehow got it fixed and back on the road. This experience, we had a “sign”–the dimming lights when we reached 2500 rpms. We were very thankful that God let us know his alternator was going out in his truck and were able to get it fixed before either of us were stranded. Praise the Lord for those little signs!
I love Easter. I really love the hymns and choir anthems we sing during the service. Nothing better than those Lutheran Easter hymns! I love directing choir and leading them in the joyous anthems that proclaim a risen Savior. In the church I grew up in, every Easter my mom, who was the choir director, would have the sopranos sing the descant to “I know that my Redeemer Lives.” Even after we moved I could hear the descant in my head during that hymn. This morning was the first time I was actually able to sing it with another strong soprano for the service. Last year, I was the organist. The year before I was guest organist here, here, and here. The year before that we were newcomers to Shepherd, and so it goes. It was incredible to sing it, even more than it was to hear it.
Today the results came back from my latest blood test. My progesterone level was at 1.8. If I had ovulated, it should be around 10. Very disheartening. The doctor is hoping that by increasing the Clomid ovulation will occur. While not feeling hopeless, I can’t deny that I’m very, very disappointed.
We sometimes catch the late night CBS news after hubby gets home from work. Last night we only had it on for about 5 minutes and caught two sentences badly edited and, of course, immediately wrote them down:
“Nancy Reagan fell in her home and landed in the hospital.” (Wow! That’s quite the fall!)
“Memorial services were held for the 5 victims shot in 5 local churches.” (They were shot in the churches, apparently, not on campus in Illinois)
Tonight my heart is lighter than it has been in months. Our tests came back favorable for Clomid! I start tomorrow, take it for 5 days, and go back for tests again on March 3. Hopefully the progesterone level will show I’ve ovulated! But it’s taken us almost a year with this doctor to finally get to this point. She explained to me that each step has tweaked hormones and Clomid will be the final tweaking. We appreciate your continued prayers, and hope that soon we’ll be able to report that we’re pregnant!
What a weird morning. We had to get to the hospital lab across town for yet another fertility test and it was snowing with enough snow on the ground already to cover our feet. With our remote starter, we have about 20 seconds after unlocking the doors to get the key in the ignition and push the break to disable the alarm. Hubby did that, then closed the door to start brushing off the snow on the truck. As he was closing the truck door, the truck locked itself, keys inside. The house was locked as well. We have a pass code to get into the electronic lock on the garage door, but the house door was still locked. After panicking and trying to figure our how to get back in the house, my strong manly man of a hubby took a rubber mallet and started pounding on the locked door knob. Thankfully it was a steel fire door because about 4 swings later the knob was demolished but the door was just fine. I went in, grabbed my keys, and off we went.
When we got to the hospital, we got out of the truck and the alarm went off again! By the time we were done with lab work and back out to the truck, the psycho suburban seemed to have settled down and we didn’t have any more weird locking or alarms. We did laugh all the way to Lowe’s though to buy a new door knob–with an extra key!
No, I’m not early. My hubby surprised me this week with my valentine–tickets to last night’s opera to see Verdi’s Il Trovotore. He won a choice of three different packages in a drawing at the blood bank and chose opera tickets to take his voice teaching wife to the opera! The seats were second row mezzanine, regular price $95!! We both enjoyed the opera immensely. The main cast was superb, but especially Victoria Livengood, the Mezzo-Soprano who sang the role of Azucena. I know being a Mezzo myself I’m more partial to these “supporting” roles, but Livengood was amazing! Such a strong, incredibly beautiful voice. I’ve seen and heard other Mezzos from the Met, but she is by far my favorite among them! Absolutely brilliant!
I told my hubby that it was the most romantic Valentine’s Day gift ever, and was second only to our wedding!
If the Chargers couldn’t do it, so glad the Giants did! What an exciting fourth quarter. One of my students even called when the game ended shouting “Giants won! Giants won!” So much for the perfect season!
To my darling hubby. 33 years ago a little boy was born. I’ll let you know when he grows up! 
Oh the nostalgia this song creates! It’s my new country radio favorite!! I can almost smell the manure spreaders!
…especially after both the Chargers and Packers lose to inferior teams.
This is a question I’ve asked myself often the past couple months. My blog was called the moose report because originally upon moving to Anchorage I posted lots of pictures and “reported” on moose sightings by our apartment. I don’t do that anymore, mostly because I’ve lived here long enough that they’re not really a novelty anymore. I guess the posts I write now are mostly for family and friends interested in the happenings of our life in our Alaskan igloo. Occasionally I’ll write something relating to music or my struggles, but I honestly see it as a sort of online diary/scrapbook.
As I was searching for a great Jane Austen quote last night for a post, it dawned on me that “busy nothings” was exactly what I write about. For that reason, I’ve changed the name of my blog to one more fitting its purpose.
You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.
Take the Quiz here!
What an exciting 4th quarter of the Chargers/Titans game! Even for a nonfootball person like me. And, like any good wife would, I cancelled choir rehearsals until after the Super Bowl in consideration of my husband so he can get home and watch the games.
I’ve dabbled in basic quilts in the past, but nothing too impressive. That is until I got going on Christmas presents this year. I made five quilts in total, three by either creating my own pattern or making it up as I went along. I have pics of two of the three designs, but unfortunately didn’t take a pic of the one I made for my mom and stepdad.
The first is the Luther Seal quilted wall hanging I developed and made for my brother the pastor and my brother-in-law who could easily be president of the Luther Fan Club if it so existed. Although I haven’t heard from either directly, based on my brother’s post and an email from my sister-in-law, they loved them.
The second I made from a pattern I drew out on graph paper. My hubby requested a 3D nose and it kind of shows up in the pic. On both of these I quilted the background with a grid pattern my friend taught me.
My mom’s was a lighthouse which turned out really neat, but I forgot to take a pic before I sent it to her. 
I also made a moose quilt from a pattern (we’re in Alaska after all!) for a gift exchange but didn’t take a picture of it. I’m making one for us, though, so I’ll post that pic when I finish. I have others I want to do, too. I can’t believe how much fun I’m having!