Take me home, country roads...

I was born and raised in Ohio, but when I come to Kentucky I feel like I'm coming home.

I left church a bit early today to meet Fern and Jim and Betty, who were waiting in my driveway for me to arrive. It was time for a genealogy trip. Due to illnesses with ALL of us, we have not been able to go on one since almost exactly one year ago. Fern and Betty's husbands have not had the best of health in the past few months, so we bring Jim along and Pete stays at home, where Justin is close by to help when needed.

It's much different than when we used to take 2-3 trips each year. But, things change, and we just have to do the best we can do.

So tonight, Betty and I are in a hotel room in Ashland, KY. We had a good hillbilly dinner - I had salmon patties, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, pinto beans, cornbread, and peach cobbler. The others had various meals of chicken and dumplings or hot roast beef sandwiches with gravy and potatoes. No one knows what low fat dressings or egg beaters are down here.

Years ago, Kerry and I brought our kids down here to my mom's only living brother - my uncle Dick and his wife, Aunt Betty. I could never figure out how she could have a spread on the table within minutes - including things like jello. That always fascinated me, for it takes some time to make jello.

We stayed all night, and breakfast was at 5:00 am. She hollered up the stairs and wondered when we were all going to get up and moving. We came down to a table laden with ham, pork chops, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, fried apples, juices, etc. Kerry just about fell over, and asked if they ate like this every morning. Uncle Dick, a tobacco farmer, just looked at him and said, "You can't go out and work the farm on a bowl of Cheerios."

A true statement.

This week was good. There was one day I heard from three of my four kids. They usually call late at night when Kerry and I have already lapsed into a coma. Peter had gone into the hospital again last Sunday evening, but is now out. Harmony wanted to know if Kerry and I were going to go to California for a visit anytime soon (we went three years ago - we tend to go every 8 years). Erik came up to Mansfield to return some things he had borrowed and stayed for awhile before going home. It was good to talk with all of them.

Kerry worked at the temple Tuesday night, the first time it was open after being closed for a two-week break. It was very busy that night. I worked Friday and nearly met myself coming and going. I have never seen the temple so busy. Many stakes (like a diocese) are having celebrations commemorating the tenth anniversary of our temple, so we have been extra busy. Extra sessions were added, and there was a feeling of joy and gratitude everywhere - for we are very thankful to have a temple this close to us. We used to have to travel to Washington, DC - an 8-hour trip.

That evening, Kerry and I went to the Bellville Street Fair - an annual event. We LOVE to go, and always run into people we know. We parked and began walking over to the festivities - and the first thing that hit us was the smell of the food. Oh, my! There's no smell like it on earth!!!

The next day found me running errands and going to the farmer's market. Eddie knew something was up when he saw my suitcase come out. He began to get into a snit.

I don't care. He's just a dog, so he'll get over and be jumping for joy when I get home.

Thanks for all of the positive comments you have sent to me for the past few newsletters I have sent. Y'all have really seemed to enjoy the pictures. I did make an error last week, though. I inadvertently put down 2001 for the year Kerry's sister, Gay, passed away. It was actually 2000. I knew it the minute I sent it. And I'm a genealogist!!! Imagine that!

Till next week!
Miss P

"In a world filled with much laboring and striving in parliaments, congresses, agencies, and corporate offices, God's extraordinary work is most often done by ordinary people in the seeming obscurity of a home and family". By: Neal A. ...Maxwell (The Collected Works of Neal A. Maxwell, 1974)

Influences That Erode Faith
Posted: 14 Sep 2009 12:00 AM PDT
“First is doubt. . . . It comes from a lack of confidence in one’s self or abilities. It is inconsistent with our divine identity as children of God. “Doubt leads to discouragement. Discouragement comes from missed expectations. . . . Discouragement leads to distraction, a lack of focus. . . . Distraction leads to a lack of diligence, a reduced commitment to remain true and faithful and to carry on through despite hardship and disappointment. . . . This path ultimately leads to disobedience, which undermines the very basis of faith. So often the result is disbelief, the conscious or unconscious refusal to believe.”
Kevin W. Pearson, “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 2009, 40
“There is no infirmity, affliction, or adversity that Christ did not feel in Gethsemane. . . .“President Howard W. Hunter said: ‘If our lives and our faith are centered on Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right’ (The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, ed. Clyde J. Williams [1997], 40).”
Rafael E. Pino, “Faith in Adversity,” Ensign, May 2009, 41–42