Beezley Hill - Ephrata, WA

This is the first time that I have ever lost a whole post.
I honestly don't know what happened, but when I tried to Publish it.  It went blank and did nothing.
I think it was because I left it and came back to it later and hadn't saved it all along the way.
  Well, now the post won't be so great, but I'll hurry and try to re-coup part of what I said.

I climbed Beezley Hill last week and quite enjoyed it.  I have gone with friends a few times over the years, but this time I went alone. This is a picture of looking down about 1/2 way up:

Here's some pics of the new Breast Cancer Awareness memorial that's part of the way up, too:

Then right next to it - is the Autism Group's special spot:

Really nice, both of them.  I can't find the pictures I thought I took when I reached the top, but I do have a few of the lights that are up there. Depending on what time of year - they either have a cross, a flag, or a star.  I think that's it.  I don't live in town, so I don't see the hill every night.

Yes, it looks kind of dry and desolate.  That's why I like to drive to Wenatchee and walk the river.
But I think I'll try to walk this more.  It's nice to look down on the town of Ephrata. It's a nice town to be from.
Oh, and I almost forgot this picture.  It's one that I stole off of the Ephrata town website. Cool, huh?

Quote of the day - Helen Keller

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched.  They must be felt with the heart.

-Helen Keller

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.

-Helen Keller

The story of Helen Keller always reminds me of how important each one of us are.

I'm sure that it was very hard for her to keep her face to the sunshine, since she was both deaf and blind. But yet, she still said that quote.

Today I had lunch with some friends and I noticed that we had a hard time dwelling on positive things - when there is so much negative that we can talk about.

 One friend just found out that her Mom has breast cancer, so you know that we all have plenty to say about that. Then another has a lot of pain with her back and she is much too young for that. (I know she is at least 10 years younger than me.) She's been having a very tough time finding any relief .   Another had just got her daughter out of the hospital and had a very big ordeal with that.

Her daughter was there and I was amazed at how great an attitude she(the daughter) had. She said that she really had a life changing experience (spending a month in the hospital and almost dying). 

 I realize now that she was the one that was looking at all the positive around her, even though she couldn't walk very well yet.

Now that is putting your face to the sunshine and not dwelling on the shadows.

I hope I can do that more.

Quote of the day: Neal Maxwell

Time isn't your natural dimension.  There are days when you wish that time would pass quickly, and it won't, and there are days when you wish you could hold back the dawn, and you can't.  A fish is at home in the water, but we aren't at home in time; we belong to eternity.  If we were really at home in time we wouldn't wear wrist watches and have clocks on the wall.   We have to function in time, but in those moments when life presses in upon you,  remember you are struck out of eternity."
- Neal Maxwell

Time is a thought-provoking subject. I've thought about it alot.....:)
I worried about time a lot when my kids were young.  I was always in a hurry.
 I felt like I never had time to do all that I wanted to do.

I still worry about time, but I feel that I have more of it now that I'm older and don't have so many jobs to do.  And I have noticed that always worrying about time and having the frantic lifestyle leads to all kinds of problems.  Some of the symptons ( or problems) that showed up for me were:  Poor health, frustration, confusion, always losing things, chaos (no order), and loss of personal peace. These are just the few that I can think of right now.
 But I've realized over the years, that I'm not one to handle a chaotic lifestyle. I do have some friends that seem to thrive on it and do very well with a lot of things thrown at them at once.  Infact, I feel like my husband is pretty good with handling a lot.  I've just found that I'm not very good at it.  So I'm trying to do the best with this realization and handle my life accordingly. I know I'm not a lazy person.  I always find or have something to do.  But I also know that I'm not one to handle a whole lot. Yep, it's a fact.  I hope I don't get worse with age on this problem.
So for right now, I'm very happy with the life I have and I'm trying to manage my time to the best of my ability.
I'm so happy today that I had time to go walk the river in Wenatchee again. It was a nice fall day. It is feeling colder, but still nice walking weather.  I did do a little running, but I'm kind of slowing down on that.

 Life is good.

C.S. Lewis Quote

I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun at noonday-  not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else.
- C. S. Lewis


   Yep, I really like this quote and I like C.S. Lewis. I've read a few of his books and have been very, very impressed.  I especially like his book  'Mere Christianity'.
 In fact, I'm pretty sure that is the book that this quote came from.
In 'Mere Christianity' he explained why he came to believe in Jesus Christ. He was an atheist before that. I wish I could put into words the way he explained it, but all I can say is that it made my testimony of Christ stronger. He really laid out the case that this explanation of Christ and his dying for our sins makes more sense than anything else.  Why else could we be here? Being the imperfect human beings that we are - this is a way for us to become more perfect.  Repentance makes sense.......Forgiveness makes sense.
And a God that loves us unconditionally makes sense.


On another note:
Today I saw some news on Mitt Romney.  They said that the poor guy has the plague of being a 'Mormon'.  They just won't let him hear the end of that.   I will be very surprised if he does get the Republican nomination next year, because they keep on bringing up his Mormonism as a problem.  And people say it is "A cult".   Now you know I'm a Mormon and I can assure you that our church is not 'A Cult'.
We are Christian. We believe in the Bible.
  Christ and his teachings are the basic foundation of our religion.
I guess they keep getting us confused with the 'fundamentalists' that are not members of our church, and they practice polygamy- which our church has not practiced in over a 120 years.

I really feel sorry for Mitt. They bring up this Religion Issue constantly with him. I guess they can't find any dirt - so they are trying whatever they can.
 I really loathe politics anymore.  I'm really surprised that anyone even wants those jobs.  I guess you have to get use to critics every where you turn and can you really trust anyone??    I can't ( in politics that is).

Laughter

Laughter is to life what shock absorbers are to automobiles.  It won't take the potholes out of the road, but it sure makes the ride smoother.
-Barbara Johnson

- Yes, don't we all love laughter? I tried to pick a picture that kind of shows some laughter in my life.  I always feel laughter and fun when I'm around my grandkids.  Wish I was around them more.

Quote of the day - God's answer to prayers

We ask for strength and God gives us difficulties which make us strong.  We pray for wisdom and God sends us problems, the solution of which develops wisdom.  We plead for prosperity and God gives us brain and brawn to work.  We plead for courage and God gives us dangers to overcome.  We ask for favors....God gives us opportunities.   This is the answer.

-anonymous

Yes, I finally got a chance to walk the river. (yesterday)
I had a harder time, because I haven't done it in awhile. For some reason my ankle was bothering me.
go figure.......
As we get older, things start hurting on our bodies that we have no explanation for.
 I've always been told this, but now I'm experiencing it.  I hope I can learn to be one of those old grannies that doesn't complain about every ache and pain.  I can see that will be a challenge.....:)
    Anyways,  it was  still a nice day.  It was overcast and the wind was around, but it still felt good to get out and walk.  I feel so blessed.

Today there was evidence of someone piling rocks for some reason.  It reminded me of a recent trip that we took to Oakland to see our son and daughter-in-law. (Greg & Heidi).
We saw a guy piling rocks on a waterfront in Sausilito, CA.  I have one pic of it, but you can't tell how good he was at it by this picture.

Here's a classic picture of the Golden Gate bridge, of course.   We really had a great time visiting these kids. And what a fun and exciting place this area is.  There is always something to see and do.

So that's all I've gotta say today.

Honesty Quotes-

If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything   - Mark Twain

Who lies for you will lie against you.  - Bosnian Proverb

No Man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar.  
-Abraham Lincoln

A half truth is a whole lie.   - Yiddish Proverb


Ok. okay,  that's probably enough quotes on honesty.  But this is something that I've been thinking about, lately.  My mother lost her check book in a grocery store in Salt Lake City, Utah.
She was so worried about it, but got a call the next day that some one had turned it in and all the checks were there.  How nice.....that was a good example of honesty.
Unfortunately, I've had a bad example of honesty show up in my life this last week.  My credit card was compromised on-line.  Some how somebody hacked my # and started charging things on-line.
Luckily the credit card company caught it right away and had my # cancelled and changed.
But the damage is done in my trusting the security of using my card on-line.   I had that card and the same # for the last 20+ years.  I used that for everything.  Now I have a new # and I'm afraid to use it.
Oh, well......life goes on.  I still like the convenience  and ease of ordering things on-line.

Quote on Time

The assumption of time is one of humanity's greatest follies.  We tell ourselves that there's always tomorrow, when we can no more predict tomorrow than we can the weather. Procrastination is the thief of dreams.   

- Richard Paul Evens (The Walk)

I've been procrastinating my walk/running workouts.

Quote of the Day - Professor Edwin Conklin

The probablility of life originating by accident or chance is comparable to the probablility of the unabridged dictionary resulting from an explosion in a printing factory.

- Professor Edwin Conklin
Princeton U. biologist

I really, really believe this with all my heart.

Amazing Grace - words by John Newton, 1779

Amazing Grace  how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!

Thro' many dangers, toils and snares - I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,  I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon disslove like snow,
The Sun forbear to shine;  But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise  than when we first begun.
- John Newton, 1779

I've always loved this song. There are so many versions of it done by all kinds of musical artists.
And I haven't heard a version of it yet that I don't like.
I just reread the story of the author - John Newton.  It's a very inspiring story.
If you've never read or heard it before - look it up on Wikipedia.

Quote of the Day - The hand that rocks the cradle

Blessings on the hand of woman!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled.
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

- William Ross Wallace

Quote of the Day - Failure

Failures are divided into two classes:
Those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought.

- John C. Salak

   I like this quote, but now I'm not sure if it's positively true.  There are times that I've thought I totally failed at something - but it really wasn't classified as failure. 
If I learned from it and it made me smarter about things-
 and what I should do and not do in the future  -
Is that really failure??   hmmmmmmmmm.......something to think about.