• Satan in Church‏

From:	Sherilyn Kent (skent@utah.gov)
Sent:	Mon 12/31/12 8:42 AM

A few minutes before the church services started, the congregation was sitting in their pews and talking.
Suddenly, Satan appeared at the front of the church.
Everyone started screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away from evil incarnate.
Soon the church was empty except for one elderly gentleman who sat calmly in his pew without moving, seemingly oblivious to the fact that God's ultimate enemy was in his presence..
So Satan walked up to the man and said, 'Do you know who I am?'
The man replied, 'Yep, sure do.'
'Aren't you afraid of me?' Satan asked.
'Nope, sure ain't.' said the man.
'Don't you realize I can kill you with one word?' asked Satan.
'Don't doubt it for a minute,' returned the old man, in an even tone.
'Did you know that I can cause you profound, horrifying AGONY for all eternity?' persisted Satan.
'Yep,' was the calm reply.
'And you are still not afraid?' asked Satan.
'Nope,' said the old man.
More than a little perturbed, Satan asked, 'Why aren't you afraid of me?'
The man calmly replied,

'Been married to your sister for 48 years. '

MASS KILLERS

I was listening to a talk show on KSL. It was the Doug Wright Show but there was a guest host. I don’t know who he was. I came in, in the middle of the broadcast. He was talking about these killings. Then he quoted an expert. I don’t remember his name or credentials but he had the following information that “every” person who does these mass shootings. There was a study done. They even interviewed at least one killer that didn’t kill himself. And they learned the following:

1.       None of the killers were loners but they were all failed joiners…i.e. they tried to be accepted but were constantly rejected.

2.       It was not spontaneous but was well thought out and planned out.

3.       They all gave warning signs, things they said etc.

4.       They all had a mental illness…no exception

5.       There was probably more but this is what I remembered.

GAVIE WAVIE AGAIN

Thursday, November 22, 2012 a couple of Gavinisms
The other day, Gavin and I drove to the airport to pick up the gang from Minnesota. Grandma Bev Dean age 84 is dying or so it seems. Judy has been spending much of her time back there. Chris and Lyn along with Sierra, Niki, Alexa and Gracie went back for a few days to see her too. Gavin and I had time to kill and had a lot of conversations before we got the call from Niki saying they were ready to be picked up. As we were driving to the airport I kept singing a song that was going around and around in my mind. Finally Gavin got tired of it and said “stop singing”. I laughed. At that he said “stop singing and stop laughing. It is noisy”. The song was still stuck in my head and after a few minutes I started singing it again and again Gavin reminded me to stop singing.
After that he got on a wanting to drive to Minnesota thing. I tried to explain to him that it would be a long, long drive and we would have to get a hotel room. He said “Can’t we sleep in the car?” I told him we needed to wait and get his mom and Alexa and Gracie and Sierra. That didn’t seem to sink in or make a difference; he kept up the “let’s drive to Minnesota” thing.  After that Gavin said “Grandpa, text a girl but don’t tell her I said to do it.”
Finally Niki called, we drove up into the parking structure and parked.
Gavin and I jumped out of the car and ran for the bathroom as the girls got in the car.

How old is Gavin, four?

ODE TO THANKSGIVING

Thursday, November 22, 2012
I woke up at 10:00 a.m.this morning with the following, running continuingly through my head.
I gave it the following name.
Ode to Thanksgiving by Fred Jepson
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble Turkey Day
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble Turkey Day
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble Turkey Day
Moo, I’m going to eat some hay!

AN INTERESTING old Book if you're not prone to Migraines

The Triad of Lazarus – The Three Councils of Lazarus;
“Believe in God who made thee
Love God who saved thee
Fear God who will judge thee”
From the Triads of Primitive Britain page 76
as quoted in the book
St. Paul in Britain…
R.W. Morgen 2011 11^th printing
A reprint of 1860
He quotes the Celtic and Latin much of the time

GAVIE WAVIE

Monday, November 05, 2012
          Yesterday we had family over to celebrate Chris’ 44^th birthday. Corey and Stacey took care of most of the food though Chris, as he always does, pitched in, in the kitchen as well as bringing brochette. He said that the mozzarella was in his fridge and would be bad by the time he got back in town. Niki has been sick as well as her kids though the kids are pretty much over it. Greg was in St. George on a golf trip and he is sick. In fact if I understand it right he stayed over another night there because he didn’t feel well enough to drive home. Judy and I picked up Alexa and Gavin on our way home from the airport; Judy had been back in Minneapolis to be with her mother. We visited a while then the four of us, Judy, Alexa, Gavin and I drove to our house. As a side note, Alexa is so good with Gracie that I think if she had to she could take care of her on her own.

          We hadn’t been home long when Stacey and Corey and Bailey and Jayden showed up and Corey went right to work making dinner.

          Gavin is terrified of our cat jasmine and not too nuts about Lily. I think he would have been all right with Lily if he hadn’t had so many run-ins with Jasmine. Gavin who is a Grandpa’s boy anyway insisted I hold him when I was sitting and carry him when I was up and about. I’m afraid I wasn’t much help getting dinner ready.     
For a long time Gavin was holding himself the way kids do when they need to go to the bathroom. I kept trying to get him to go to no avail. Finally he said “OK, if you will go with me.” We went in the basement bathroom and shut the door behind us. At that point Gavin said “Don’t Look” so I turned my head to the side and closed my eyes. He kept repeating the “Don’t look” thing over and over again. Finally I could no longer hear him peeing and I was about to open my eyes when he said, “Don’t look; I’m still shaking (my penis).” That cracked me up and of course I had to discreetly tell Corey and Stacey and I think, Judy.

FROM A MIA LOVE FOR CONGRESS ADD

You're going to love this.
Pat Boone, music legend, had a lot of wonderful things to say about Mia today.
"I'm still singing at concerts, but today I'm singing the praises of Mia Love," Boone said. "Seniors can depend on Mia Love."
Boone presented Mia with the 60 Plus Association's Honorary Guardian of Seniors award. It's awarded to candidates based on their "senior friendly" views on issues that matter most to seniors.
These words of support from Pat Boone speak to the enthusiasm and momentum people across the country have about Mia.
Pat knows we need leaders like Mia in Congress—and we need your support to win this election.
Please do your part by telling a friend to also vote for Mia this Tuesday.
Thank you,
Matt Holton

IS THERE A CHOSEN PEOPLE?

IS THERE A CHOSEN PEOPLE?
W.j. Cameron, Dearborn, Michigan
1933 – does not state what his religious (church) leanings are.
Subtitle: A distinct People, a Divine Vehicle
                “…Someone may ask, 'By what right does God choose one race or people above another.’ …God’s grading is always upward. If he raises up a nation, it is that other nations may be raised up through its ministry. If he exalts a great man, an apostle of liberty or science or faith, it is that he might raise a degraded people to a better condition. The divine selection is not a prize, a compliment paid to the man or the race—it is a burden imposed. To appoint a Chosen people is not a pandering to the racial vanity of a ‘superior people,” it is a yolk bound upon the necks of those who are chosen for a special service…”
                It reminds me of the saying, “Of whom much is given, much is expected.”
GCR300-301

SCARY

"I DID not make this up....................I'm merely passing it along!

25% of women in this country are on medication for mental illness!That’s scary as hell, because it means 75% are running around with no medication at all."

RIP...Oups

Monday, October 29, 2012
Today I drove to Provo Town Centre Mall to check out my new favorite bookstore. It is on the upper level of the mall near Dillard’s. I can’t remember the name of the bookstore but it is run by a high priest. In fact he taught the lesson in Priesthood Meeting yesterday. he has a lot of good deep-thinking type books including the ones I bought while back and today. The last one is Spiritual Vision by Cohan and Cohan. The first Cohan was a Jewish rabbi who converted to the LDS Church while serving as a dentist in Korea during the war. The one I bought today, God’s Covenant Race was written by or a compilation of church talks by James H. Anderson the second edition was printed in 1938. He was called as a member of the General Board of the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association in 1907. He was born in Salt Lake City 11 February 1857.
The book is pretty deep…the kind I like. I am just getting started…we shall see.

The reason I started this entry; before I got distracted is to tell you I got a text from Corey while I was in the mall. It reads, “You should come out to JC Penney and buy me some new jeans since I just ripped the butt out of mine and don’t have any money to buy myself some.”

When I was deciding to go to the mall, I was thinking I should go to Southtowne Mall but I decided to go to the other one instead because that is where my book store is. I texted him back and told him I was on my way. The “RIP” (rest in peace?) was huge, maybe eight inches long.

CATCHING UP

Sunday, October 28, 2012
Judy has been in Minneapolis for a week or so being with her mother Bev while she is in he hospital. She had a disc that they worked on because leg problems; collapsing etc. today supposedly the were to a CAT Scan on her brain to see there are problems because some of if not all her symptoms are still manifesting themselves. She is wearing a catheter and hasn’t had a bowl movement the last I heard. The last I heard they are going to put her in a facility where they will help her get up and around and with any other needs.
At that point Judy will come at least for a while. She is hoping that will be tomorrow; Monday.
I have been spending a lot of time with Corey and family. We had lunch together Friday (?) at Joy Luck or Sum Dum Luc as I call it. Last night Corey and Stacey went on a date. I don’t remember the name, but it sounded like a lot of violence. Jayden and Bailey stayed over a my house while they were at the movie. The intent was that they would sleep over.
We watched funny You Tube movies for a long time laughing. At first it was funny cats like cats falling in the water and running away. One cat climbed into a small garble ball; stuff like that. It went from cats to dogs or cats starring down dogs and the like. Finally I put in ear plugs and a mask over my eyes and fell asleep. When I woke up it was dark and quiet. The kids had gone to bed in the small bedroom.

After while Bailey came into my bedroom and asked if she could sleep with me…she said that “Jaden won’t stop talking.”

Jay said that he would sleep for a few minutes and then wake up…over and over again.

After their movie was over, Stacey texted Jayden to see how they were doing. Jayden said that he couldn’t sleep. She asked him if he wanted to go home. He said yes so then swung by our house and got the kids and took them home.

Today Bailey was supposed to say a part in the Primary Sacrament Meeting today. She was well prepared though she hadn’t gone to any of the practices. This morning Corey was hoarse and generally feeling bad so none of them went to church. Good thing they told me so I wouldn’t drive up there for nothing. I got dressed and was to our church in time for choir practice. It turned out that my bedroom clock was an hour show. It is old and programmed to change time automatically for Day Light Saving Time each spring and fall. The problem is that they decided to make daylight saving to last longer in the fall and start sooner in the spring.

I got to church fifteen minutes after the meeting had started. I got the water but not the bread. The choir sang after the first speaker; Scott Johnson of the bishopric. At that time the choir sang. Even though I had been to no practices and had never seen the music I went up and joined them. The music was easy and I had no problem with it. In the last couple of years or so I have gotten to where I have no problem finding the bass notes and usually the tenor. I sometimes can sing with the altos with my falsetto. After the choir, Bishop Hanson spoke and was followed by Brother Gonzales who is in the high counsel and from our ward. He is quite the wit. They are from a small city (I think) in Argentina and he was made a bishop when he was very young. He said that his ward was very poor and that he made the people promise to pay a full tithing and told them that if they needed help after paying their tithing they would give then whatever assistance they needed. They all accepted the challenge and none of them ever came back for assistance.
As a side note; I was speaking with his wife a few weeks back and said something about her husband’s sense of humor. She laughed and said that when they were dating, she almost didn’t marry him because he was too funny.
He is a super funny-nice and their three sons are just like him.
Tonight Jayden invited me to their house for dinner at seven. Corey made an excellent white bean and chicken chili. It was excellent and I brought some of the leftovers home with me.
Bailey and I played catch with a 5-6 inch orange soft plastic ball. After that Bailey got Corey’s i-pad (probably a different brand) and we played games and such on a Disneyland app. When I was getting ready to leave for home, Bailey said “It’s so much fun when Grandpa comes over!”

I was—flattered of course.

HELL; THE INCAPACITY TO LOVE

http://feeds.feedburner.com/typepad/RmPw
The Gospel of Thomas reads: ‘‘The disciples said to him, ‘When will the kingdom come?’ Jesus said, It will not come by looking for it. It will not be a matter of saying here it is, or there it is. Rather, the Kingdom of the Father is spread out upon the earth, and people do not see it.’’ Koester notes that ‘‘Thomas sees this coming of the kingdom primarily as an event that takes place as the disciples gain a new understanding of themselves.’’

In this respect, the Gnostic view and understanding would be similar to what Jean-Yves LeLoup has written concerning this parallel with saying 113 and Luke. ‘‘ It is a matter not of searching here or there for some special manifestation, but of opening our eyes to what is already before us, here and now and caring for all that is. Yet one place where God is prevented from manifesting is in the heart that is closed to love, the heart that refuses forgiveness and revels in bitterness. Hell is truly the incapacity to love. Another place from which God is banished is the intellect that closes itself off from the light of its source.

SNOW WHITE and The SEVEN DWARFS; and Other True Stories

To start with; some people believe that after his resurrection, Jesus visited a lot of different peoples on this planet and established his church including the Celtic peoples. Some historians have shown that their ceremonies reflect what has been discovered about the rituals the original Christians practiced in and for a while after Christ earthly ministry. When others invaded their lands years later, the true Christian beliefs and rites had either been altered or lost completely and the invaders assumed the Celts (and others of that time period,) were practicing pagan beliefs and ceremonies. Thus the following:

Joseph Neil Fairbanks

I sometimes wonder at the light and knowledge we have lost because of our own intransigience, ignorance and disobedience. I utilize the example of the children's fairy tale of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". Clearly a Kabbalic tale, one of the Celtic verities told as a parable to preserve its meaning against the persecutions of the self-righteous and the religiously intolerant, not to mention the wiles of the adversary (Satan). Clearly Kabbalic, you say? Indeed. Snow White, the virgin spirit sent forth from her Father's realm (Heaven) finds herself trapped in the fallen physical world, where she is taught, nurtured by seven dwarfs. Seven Dwarfs, the Seven Spheres below the veil...miners because they dig up truth in this dark and dreary world of Assiah (see the (Kabbalic) tree of Life diagram below). Along comes the serpent, ummm, I mean evil step-mother, and tempts her with the fruit of the tree of the science (knowledge) of good and evil, which she consumes, and in that day "surely" dies ["surely" is an aphorism for "spiritually", the whole statement being "In the day thou partakest thereof, thou shalt surely die." By understanding the aphorism, we resolve the paradox, remove the distortion and see that we do not have to stretch to know that God is not a liar]. Hmmm. I think I have read this story before! So the omniscient father sends forth his true prince to overcome the serpent, and cast it into the abyss, and rescue the virgin called Ziyon. The parallels are so clear as to defy logic in a tale meant to hide the story from the religious inquisitors. Yet I daresay that almost no one considers this tale to be of eternal worth. I do not want to get into a full-blown discussion of philosophy, or literary theory, but some of their modern statements are apropos here. The chief point of most discourse: obfuscation. Jacques Derrida posits it thusly: "A text is not a text unless it hides from the first comer, from the first glance, the laws of its composition and the rules of its game." Jacques Lacan further notes: "One of the prime functions of speech . . . is not to reveal thoughts, but to conceal them, especially from ourselves." (Things should always be read with the Spirit/Holy Ghost)my insertion!

·                     The myth is the foundation of life; it is the timeless schema, the pious formula into which life flows when it reproduces its traits out of the unconscious. Certainly when a writer has acquired the habit of regarding life as mythical and typical there comes a curious heightening of his artistic temper, a new refreshment to his perceiving and shaping powers. --Thomas Mann

Beneath the hierarchy of communication there lies a mythological foundation that antecedes the communication and from which flows its primal, creative energies. Organizations will generally propagate a conscious myth to justify their entrance into the social scene. In addition to the conscious myth there are subconscious myths that usually are not even evident to the founders. It seems to be common that we can see the mythological basis for religious beliefs, and additionally see the utilization of those myths in religious organizations, but for some reason, we have difficulty seeing the same mythological basis for the organization of religion, or for other organizations in society. Adrian Cunningham introduces the subject as a topic which not only occupies a central role in the study of religion but which, especially under the impact of the work of Levi-Strauss, has provided a focus for methodological debate in various sciences, and raised, at least for response, the possibility of a unification of sciences, centered on the study of communication and meaning as the central human fact, rendering problematic many accepted procedures of description, objectivity and explanation.

 
From a definitional standpoint, one finds oneself in a quandary to define myth because of its elusively. Many people subscribe to the notion that myth is simply stories that are not true. Myths are constructs related to the subconscious, the unconscious and the conscious interpretation of society, usually beginning at the body, and its extension into the physical world. In many modern secular and religious circles, myths are seen as having no relationship to reality. Most people find their own myths to be "reality," and those of others to be false. I find myself constrained to accept Claude Levi-Strauss's definition of myth as "consisting of all its versions." ...

UPDATE

Sunday, October 21, 2012
                Jayden is texting Skyler (sp) now that he and Kate broke up or rather since Kate broke up with him. Skyler is supposedly “dating” Jayden’s friend Gage. (I still suspicion that Kate will be back though I don’t know if Jayden’s pride will allow it or if he will be strong for someone else or whatever. I also wonder if Kate’s parents insisted she break up with Jayden, though Jayden said it was for another boy.)
                Today in sacrament meeting, Jayden was the youth speaker. He did a really good job albeit he read most of it. He said that he wasn’t asked until Friday (in the evening I assume) and we were busy with other family things yesterday including going to Bailey’s swim meet.
                Jayden showed no fear. He was calm and collected, smiled and looked at the congregation as much as he could. He was the one who apologized to me about having to read most of it.
I think we have all, including Bailey, decided we don’t like swim meets. It is mostly wait and wait and wait and swim eight laps and then wait and wait and wait then swim another eight laps then go home.
                After she finally got to swim the first event; the breast stroke, the one she hates the most unless it is the butterfly; we all went to lunch. We ended up at the Pizza Pie Cafe at the bottom of the hill below the University Mall not far from Lavell Edwards Stadium (BYU Stadium). It has a very good Italian buffet.
                Grandpa Wayne (Bingham) was there. He is really good to support his grandchildren and I suppose that since he lost his wife Ginnie to cancer it gives him something to do on Saturdays. I ask him about what he does to occupy his time and he said that he does a lot of yard work.
                Bailey decided she didn’t want to swim the last event and we finally went back to the Provo Recreation Center pool and got her stuff.
                When she did swim her first event (only event) it turned into a joke. She had broken her good goggles so she put on her other pair. Somehow that pair got lost and she put on a third pair that didn’t fit right. They were too loose. (I think Stacey bought the third pair at the concession stand.) Also Bailey wouldn’t dive off the platform like everyone else; she just dove off the end of the pool.
                Almost immediately after she dove in, her goggles fell off of her eyes so she stopped and put them back on. A couple of strokes later they fell off again and again she stopped and put them back on. Also I don’t think she thought of it as a race and swam like she does in practice pacing herself. At one spot she turned her head to the side and was looking at the people standing on the side of the pool.
                When she finally got to the end of her second-to-the-last lap and turned around, everyone else was done and hanging onto the end of the pool waiting for her to show up. For me (Fred) at least, it seemed that that last lap would last forever.

Here is Jayden’s talk:
“Hi. My name is Jayden Jepson and I have been asked to talk about Go Forward with Faith. Like Elder Norman I hope to be a full time Missionary some day, however I can prepare myself until that time comes.

“In Alma chapter 37, verse 6 it reads (READ THE SCRIPTURE)… [6 Now ye may suppose that this is ^afoolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by ^bsmall and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.]
“What Alma is teaching us is that no matter how small the things we do to prepare ourselves now, they can prepare us for great things later in life.
“What are some of the things we can do to prepare ourselves for our missions and other callings in life?
“First, we can kneel each morning and night in prayer to our Father in Heaven. Thank him for the blessings we have received and ask him for the things we desire. He is the source of all wisdom. He will hear and answer our prayers.
“Second, we need to study the scriptures each day and apply what we read to our lives. The scriptures are a powerful source of personal revelation and guidance and a constant strength to help us build our testimony.
“Third, we need to try to be obedient. We need to remember and live by the covenants that we made and that we have the opportunity to renew each week when we take the sacrament. Try to keep these covenants. If we make a mistake, don’t give up. Our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to seek His help and keep trying.
“Fourth, when possible, we need to attend the temple and feel the joy and peace that doing so gives us.
“Fifth, we need to follow the teachings of the prophets, the other authorities of the Church, and our local leaders.
“Sixth, we need to be humble and willing to listen to the Holy Ghost and respond to His promptings. The Lord is wiser than we are and will not lead us in the wrong direction.
“When we do these things, the Lord will make much more out of our lives than we could by ourselves. He will increase our opportunities to grow and strengthen us. He will give us the help we need to handle any trials and challenges we may face in life. We will gain a stronger testimony and find true joy as we come to know our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, and feel Their love for us. I know these things to be true and I share them with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”

                Corey said they got a lot of it out of one of the church pamphlets. He didn’t say which one.

WINGERS

Wednesday, October 17, 2012
                Tonight Judy and I met Niki, Alexa, Gavin and Gracie at Wingers on 136^th and Bangerter for dinner. Niki’s three especially Alexa and Gavin were their usual noisy silly selves.
                When it came time to order dinner Niki started to tell the waitress what Alexa wanted. Alexa shouted out, “I want to tell her” and repeated “I want a grilled cheese sandwich.” Audrey, our waitress was very cute about addressing Alexa and repeating back, “You want a grilled cheese sandwich.”
                A little later, Niki called her friend Gail whose birthday is near Christmas so everyone calls her, Noel. Alexa asked her mom, “Who are you calling?” to which Niki replied, “Saint Nick,”
                Alexa didn’t hear her well and asked in a loud voice; “Satin; your calling Satin?”
                We all got a good laugh over that one.
                That reminded Niki about a conversation she had with Gavin the other day in the car. She asked him, “Are you going to go on a mission?” or maybe it was, “Where do you want to go on a mission.”
 He started bawling, “I don’t want to go on a mission.” Niki asked him why he didn’t want to go on a mission and he said; because when I get home I’ll have to get married and I don’t want to get married.”
                Niki said he repeated it over and over again; “I don’t want to go on a mission because I don’t want to get married.”
                Tonight at dinner she asked him again and got the same response. She asked him what he wanted to do; “Stay home and live with us?” to which he laid his head on her shoulder and said, “Yes, I want to stay with you.”
                For a long time Gavin and I have been playing the game of me saying I am Gavin and him saying he is Grandpa. I brought it up again tonight to which he said; “I don’t want to play that anymore.”
                Gavin is three and Alexa is six.

I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED

Saturday, October 13, 2012 -
                A few years back; it was after we moved to Saratoga Springs in 2000; I went for a drive out in the West Desert or at least that is what I usually call it. I took SR 73 west past Cedar Valley, Fairfield etc to Highway 36, the road that goes south out of Tooele and connects with U.S. 6 which comes out of Eureka and continues south to Delta Utah and beyond.
                Shortly after I turned south onto Highway 36 I saw an old man walking south on the west side of the road. I don’t remember that he was hitchhiking though it would make sense if this were an ordinary situation.
                I stopped and offered him a ride and asked him where he was going. He told me that he left Montana and was heading to the outskirts of Ely, Nevada to herd/tend sheep. I don’t remember his exact words. He said that that was what he had been doing in Montana also.
                I asked him when he had eaten last and he said, “A couple of days ago.” I apologized for not having anything for him to eat but handed him a bottle of water I had with me and told him to drink as much as he wanted.
                He drank it all down in short order.
                At this point I decided to take him all the way to Ely, thinking we would stop in Delta and get something to eat.
                At that, I instinctly reached for my wallet. It wasn’t there; or at least I couldn’t feel it. I really believe to this day that it wasn’t there.
                I apologized to him explaining my intentions and explained that without my wallet I would have to turn around and go home. I didn’t have enough gas.     He said that it was all right.
                I told him that I would take him up a little farther to where Highway 36 converges with Highway 6 out of Eureka explaining that there would be a better chance of him getting a ride since there would be cars coming from two directions. (Even at that, it is a lonely stretch of highway and one can go quite a distance without seeing another car.)
                I took him a short distance beyond that point and let him out still apologizing.
                I turned around and started up Highway 6 intending to go home along the west side of Utah Lake.
                I reached around and checked for my wallet again. It was right there.
                I immediately turned around to pick him up and do as I was originally intending.
                It had only been a minute or so since I left him, but when I reach the place I dropped him off , he wasn’t there. I drove on a ways looking for him but I couldn’t imagine he could have gotten that far walking.
                Maybe he quickly got another ride but to this day I have wondered if perhaps God was testing me to see what I would do and when I showed that I would have taking this “angel” or whoever he was to his destination he made my wallet disappear forcing me to let him out and turn around.

"THIRTEEN YEAR-OLD LOVE"

Saturday, October 13, 2012
                Today Corey called and asked if I could take the back seats out of my van and meet him and family in Orem. They had sold the massage chair that was in their bedroom; rather the seating area of their bedroom on the other side of the fireplace wall. For nearly the same price they found a nice (used I’m sure) brown leather couch with end pieces that recline.
                We ate lunch at Café Rio on State Street Orem just north of Center Street.
                After eating we went next-door (nearly) bought the couch and had them load it into the van. It fit just right. I drove it to their place and backed into their driveway behind them. They pulled all the way into the garage ahead of me. Before I could come around to help, Stacey had hold of one end of the couch and Corey reached through the back door grabbed the couch and lifted it to help push it out the other end.
                As he did so he pulled something in his back.
                They still managed to get it through the front door of the house and into the living room.
                At about that time, their next-door neighbor lady knocked on the door and asked if they could give her a ride to the Jordan Valley Regional Hospital. She said her husband had had a heart attack and she didn’t drive. I think they are from Eastern Europe or something.
                I don’t know how that all turned out. I drove home shortly thereafter.
                I guess my whole point of this is to say that Jayden was lying on the couch in their family room talking to Kate. Jayden was given his cell phone back and since his parents insist they get to read all his text messages he has gotten really open about him and Kate. I guess they have even said “I love you.” When Stacey “teased” him about it he replied, “It’s only thirteen year old love.” (She’s only twelve.)
                I understand they have talked about meeting at lunch time at school and kissing.
                Personally I think it is a hoot and secretly want to encourage it. There is no doubt in my mind that it will not get overly serious. They don’t “plan” on getting serious until they are sixteen. I would have to assume that that would be age seventeen for Jayden since he is a year older than her.
                That takes me back to the one girl in his class a year ago that enter in her blog about liking Jaden and even used the “F” word. The using the “F” word in her blog was meant for her girl friend to read. Jayden found out about it from another girl in his class and he told Corey and Stacey about it.

                That relationship ended real soon!!!

MEOW-or WHY I WENT to ASTRO BURGER for LUNCH

Friday, October 12, 2012

                 Just before 11:00 this morning, Corey called me and asked his usual, “Can you do me a HUGH favor.” Or “Can I ask you do me a HUGH favor?”

                (Sometimes I wish he would just say “Dad, I/we have such and such a situation, would you/or would you mind helping me out with...?) Just kidding, but it has gotten to be a joke with me.

                This time it was, “The kids just called. They went upstairs to watch TV and let Buddy go up with them…”

They thought they had locked the two cats in Jayden’s room so they went in to Bailey’s room with Buddy in tow to watch TV. Mia, one of the cats was in there and Buddy jumped at her barking. It gets a little fuzzy from here, but, I guess Mia jumped over the big doll house Grandpa Wayne had made for Stacey when she was little, and Ginnie later updated and gave to Bailey. Anyway, the kids said that Mia bounced back and forth between the dollhouse and the wall several times then fell over one eye open and one eye closed and her tongue sticking out of one corner of her mouth. Bailey carried her out from behind the dollhouse and laid her on the floor. I don’t know if she was dead at that point or shortly thereafter. Jayden checked for breathing and a heartbeat and announced that she was dead. (I just talked to Jayden. He said that he poked her, she stood up and fell back over.)

                They were bawling and blaming themselves for what happened; for instance Jayden blamed himself because it was his idea to let Buddy go upstairs.

By the time I got there, Buddy was in his kennel in “timeout” and Bailey and Jayden were in the room crying.

                Mia was dead but still warm. For a second I thought she was a little rug on Bailey’s bedroom floor.

Bailey said that in the past, Mia has sat on the couch with Buddy sitting on the floor by her with no problem.

Before I got there, Bailey said a prayer and that made Jayden cry.

Later, Jayden made some jokes about it to make Bailey laugh, but it was too soon and it made her cry more. Later she would joke about it and laugh and then start crying…this went on for some time…laugh then cry, laugh then cry.

I asked Bailey to get me a garbage bag. I put Mia in it and Jayden put it on the floor of the garage.

I asked if they wanted to go to lunch with their dad. They said yes and decided on Astro Burger. Actually Jayden decided on Astro Burger. Bailey and I didn’t care but Jayden called his dad on my cell phone, and told him that the three of us wanted to go to Astro Burger. Corey said “fine” and that he would meet us there. We called him again when we were close. Jayden thought Corey said that he was already there. He wasn’t but showed up soon after we got there.

(Jayden is grounded from his phone for not turning in all in homework papers.)

Corey called Stacey and told her what had happened and invited her to go to lunch with us. Astro is just across the street from her work. I guess she was in bad shape worrying about Bailey and Audrey, her manager told her to take the rest of the day off.

We ate and visited. The kids felt better and even Bailey was cracking jokes intermingled with sad looks and a few tears.

They decided that after Corey got off work, they would take Mia to the mountains and bury her. It is raining. That should be some fun. I just as soon they don’t invite me but I don’t think they will anyway.

 

Just a side note, Kate has called Jayden and they have talked. She put her cousin Trace who was at her house on the phone and he and Jayden talked for a while. Jayden said that he is nice/cool. He also said he talked to Kate’s brother Max and Jayden likes him too. I think Kate is just as infatuated with Jayden as he is with her. I think I told you that Bailey has “talked” to Kate (texted) and that Kate wants to get together with Bailey so they can get to know each other better.

BAILEY AND JAYDEN

Wednesday, October 10, 2012
                Corey called me and said he was going to forward something that he was sure I would want to put in Jayden's and Corey’s and Bailey’s journals. He gave me the following preface information.
                Corey said that Jayden is doing well in school except math and except turning in all his papers. He said that he turned in two papers to two different teachers and upped his grades in those classes to an A and a B respectively. (I hope I got that right.)
                That leaves math. He is behind quite a few pages in math that haven’t been turned in. Corey found out about it last night and really chewed Jayden out.
                Later the following occurred:
Stacey to Corey: Seriously how cute is are (our) daughter, I found it sitting in front of Jayden’s door this morning with a controller on top of it
Thank you,
                                              (In Bailey's handwriting.)

Dear Jayden,

I am sorry I yelled at you. I was just upset with you cause your failing your classes.
            Now I know it’s been ruff on you lately. It was hard enough when I was thirt-teen so I decided to write you a note and I am giving you my most priced (prized) controller I have had it since I was four and I want you to have it. It may look like the one that Bryce gave you. But it’s not. Now I love you.
Love your Father
Corey dean Jepson
                                    Family is forever (in a big heart)


http://fredandjudy.blogspot.com/

Yea, Well

Sunday, October 07, 2012
Yesterday Greg and Niki with the kids came over to eat and work on the basement bedroom; preparing and painting. Judy had picked out a light yellow which appears; to me at least, to have a hint of lime green in it.  Greg did most of prep work including taking Jim’s rustic shelves down, patching holes, taking stuff off the top shelf in the closet etc. He taped around the edges so we wouldn’t get paint on the ceiling or baseboards.
                Corey and Stacey and their two came before Greg was quite finished and he and Stacey took over the painting. Bailey loves to paint and she and; I think Jayden; maybe Alexa painted the walls in the closet. They also painted stars and other designs on one wall in the main room which of course got painted over later.
                Did I mention that Alexa and Bailey and Jayden slept over Saturday night?
                I think I got a little confused on what happened on which day.
                Jayden’s cell phone kept announcing when Kate had sent him another text message.
                Kate is twelve years old and in his school. They are both in the seventh grade. She lives a couple of blocks away from Jayden’s (and his family’s) old house in Eagle Mountain Town Center.
                Bailey told me that she has used Jayden’s cell to text Kate also. She said that Kate wants to meet her.
                I guess the other day Jayden was going to meet up with Kate at school and “hang out” for a while, but Jayden got a white paper (?) from one of his teachers so they didn’t get to do it.
Kate’s parents think she is texting one of her girl friends. Corey had to promise his parents that they could read his and Kate’s texts so he has gotten pretty open about their relationship. He sometimes gets a little red (embarrassed) but not bad.
Saturday after they were finished working and eating, Judy and Corey and his family went cloths shopping. Niki had given them some (strong) suggestions as to what she thought they should be wearing for picture taking. Today, Corey and Stacey and Jayden and Bailey; all decked out in denim and blues and yellow went looking for just the right setting; in the shade for picture taking. I guess Niki took a bunch of them. As of tonight she had one of them published on her facebook and, I think on her blog. It really turned out nice.
Gavin was clinging to me much of the time he was here. He is frightened of Jasmine one of our two cats. She hisses at the kids and reaches out to claw them; good thing we had her and her nice twin sister Lily declawed when we first got them. Part of the time at least, Jasmine was locked up the little; upstairs bedroom.
Anyway the paint job turned out really nice, though we need to buy another gallon and do some touchup and finish the inside of the closet.
                I ended up with three batches of dishes to take care of and I cleaned the paint brushes, pans and rollers.
I never feel well so I just did what I could when I could. Funny, Jayden and Bailey took turns sitting with me much of the time. I feel we are really close; like Gavin and me.

KIDS MOSTLY

Friday, September 28, 2012
                Wednesday on our way to swim, Bailey said “I going to start concentrating. I get distracted.” This is talking about swimming, listening to the coach, trying harder etc. I told Corey about our conversation and he said that they had a talk about that. She did better at swim that night.
                Last night we ate at Café El Lago. While we were there Jayden was texting on his cell phone. Either Corey or Stacey asked him who he was texting. He started to deny it then blushing he said something about, “You know anyway, I was texting Kate.”
                This afternoon Jayden and I went to Game Stop to trade in some old video games for a newer one. We got back on the subject of Kate and texting. He told me that they agreed not to date until they are sixteen, then if she is not “engaged”; I think that was the word he used, they will get together; date or however he worded it. In the meantime they will keep texting.
                Tuesday at my session, I told my therapist’s (and buddy by now) Jay about my keeping journals for my children and grandchildren. He said wow; I’m going to start doing that.
                He was especially impressed when I told him about how many hundreds of pages they each have.

TODAY'S JOURNAL ENTRY

Friday, September 21, 2012
                Corey called at around 9:00 this morning to ask me if I could help him out. Bailey doesn’t have swimming because there is a meet at the Legacy Center when she would have had her practice. But; her school is going to have a carnival and Bailey was asked to help set it up a half-hour after school. She is going to stay at school for that half hour. She told her dad that she “would feel better if Grandpa was with her for that half hour.”
                I am flattered of course.
Update: I was at Bailey’s school before the bell and was waiting for her as she came out the front door. When she saw me, she grabbed my hand and led me upstairs. Part way up we met Mr. Gallegos, her main teacher. He is a very cool man with a strong grip; handshake. He assumed I was Bailey’s grandpa and we visited for a minute.
                The second level opens up to the back of the school yard. The school is on a hill.
                I finally convinced Bailey to let me put her school backpack in my van. She showed me around explaining what’s what. We bought her a $5.00 pass which was good for twenty things to do. With me in toe she went around trying out the different things like throwing balls at three pyramids of six full pop cans each. The first time she did it she hit the cans with each of her six balls. She is pretty good shot.
                I met some of her friends including “the other Bailey.” Rebecca, a cut girl with railroad tracks in her mouth who came and sat down next to us later after we tired out and bought a two hotdog meal deals each and sat down at the tables they had set up for that purpose.
                Finally Corey showed up after work but by that time Bailey (and I) were tired and wanted to leave. Later they and Judy and I met at Red Robin at the District for dinner. While we were eating, Bailey said, “Grandpa” then went on to talk about bacteria and a couple of other things. Then went on to tell us about how well she is doing in science and how she and Mr. Gallegos interchange talking about science things in general. I mentioned before about when I asked if she was going to be a math teacher and she said “If it includes science.”
                Later at dinner tonight Jayden was talking about math and the Order of Operations. Stacey and I looked at each other like, "Huh".
We didn’t have any idea of what he was talking about. Corey said that he knew about it but didn’t know how to do it. When Jayden explained it I knew what he was talking about. I just didn’t know how to do it either.

From Math.com:

When expressions have more than one operation, we have to follow rules for the order of operations:

1. First do all operations that lie inside parentheses.
2. Next, do any work with exponents or radicals.
3. Working from left to right, do all multiplication and division.
4. Finally, working from left to right, do all addition and subtraction.

Gads, I didn’t learn that until towards the end of high school not the beginning of seventh grade.