8 January 2017 - In the Beginning....

On the highway in Oregon.

   A wonderful week at the Ralph House. Sunday, the first, found Stephen, Kathleen, Rebekah and Samuel driving back from Meridian, Idaho where they spent a lovely time with family at Cory and Susan's home. The drive back was made safe with prayer and the steady hands of Stephen through the snow coming down and 10 cars that had slid off the road. Stephen was very tired when he finally was able to relax at home.
   Monday was a day off from school so Samuel, Kathleen and Stephen were able to unpack bags, clean rooms, mop and vacuum and just clean up the house. Cleanliness is imperative for the spirit and it really made a difference. Vinay was able to care for things at home while everyone else was gone but Jersey enjoyed having people back in her life.
   Tuesday was a school day. Kathleen was at Seminary but didn't have to teach the lesson. Stephen picked up a teaching job at Soos Creek Elementary. He was to do a half day of working with Special Education kids but they asked him to finish the day working with the 1st graders. He was very tired when he got home but he enjoyed the experience. Kathleen prepared her lesson for John 7 - To know God's will and the truth of the Gospel, you must live it.
   Tuesday night Samuel played in his first game of basketball for the season. They played Kennedy Catholic and had a decisive win. He stayed for the varsity game and watched them lose but he played in the Pep Band, so he has an A in band this quarter.... Go Samuel. Stephen and Kathleen didn't make his game because they were at the temple to witness the sealing of Br. Tom Manning to his wife and young son. Many of the ward members were there and it was a special sealing. Br. Manning's mom and grandmother were there and two ward members were witnesses. Going to the temple is always a special experience.
   Wednesday morning all the Christmas decor was put away except for the lights on the house. During the dark time of the year, it's nice to see the twinkling lights on houses. It makes the darkness seem less encroaching. After Samuel came home from school, he complained about his foot hurting. He enjoyed the stretches that Carli and Ben put him through in Provo and at Susan's place but the top of his left foot started to hurt and had been getting worse. We tried some ice alternating with heat and it seemed to help. He had a basketball practice late on Wednesday so Kathleen picked him up and took him home for a quick change and then he went to YM at the Stake Center for their combined activity. Stephen has meetings every Wednesday so he was already there. The weather was dry and cold so at night the fire was started in the fireplace. The blower works well to keep the downstairs warm.
   Thursday Kathleen had a physical therapy appointment. Her knee is doing better but her left hip is causing more and more problems. They worked on the hip while her knee was getting some electrical stimulation therapy and heat. It was a work out. Stephen had another teaching assignment at Neely O'Brian Elementary teaching half day music. This elementary is down in the inner city of Kent and a rougher crowd than Soos Creek. He's not sure he'll go back there.

Martial Arts trainers....

   Thursday night Kathleen had a self-defense class put on by the RS. It was nice to mingle with the sisters but some of the moves they taught were rather impractical for a 60 year old with lots of lower extremity problems. The instructors were serious and informative and they brought hand mitts that the sisters could practice hitting. Stephen spent the evening doing church work and catching up on some things that needed to be done in his calling.

Kentlake pep band

Friday was extra cold outside but no snow. Kathleen had prepared her lesson on John 9 - the Healing of the blind man and how we can use our own adversity to bring glory to God. There was also time for a little doctrinal mastery so Sr. LeDosquet used a scenario of a family attending another church and the older sibling partaking of the wine used by the church for their sacrament and then after how the sibling who partook of the wine berated the younger sibling who was upset by the experience. Several basic doctrinal passages came to the minds of the students. Commandments, Priesthood and Priesthood keys, the Atonement, the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation and how all men will be judged by their actions. The students brought up some good ideas of the basic doctrine and the next step will dig deeper into the scriptures and what the prophets counsel.

Samuel in his new suit.

   Friday night Samuel had another basketball game against Hazen. His team won by one point so Samuel didn't get to play but the varsity actually played really well and won by 24 points. They really looked good against a bigger, taller team. Samuel played in the Pep Band for varsity and Stephen and Kathleen got to see the whole thing from the other side of the gym. It brings back lots of memories of all the other kids who played sports or band during their KentLake years. Such fun!
   Saturday Stephen went to the Priesthood session at the temple. He came home after 10:00. There was work to be done around the house and football games to watch. The Seahawks beat the Detroit Lions which was the highlight game of the day.
 
   Samuel wore his new suit for the second time on Sunday. He wore it last Sunday at Susan's house but this was the first time members of our ward were able to see him in his new suit that he got for  Christmas. He looked very sharp.
Fast and Testimony was nice. Kathleen wanted to bare her testimony but didn't get the time. She was reading this morning and saw a phrase that really struck her. Grace is to be used Daily. It was like a bolt of lightening. She had always thought that grace was a one time deal made available through the atonement of Christ but the spirit spoke to her today and bore witness that Grace is a daily power to change. At this time during a new year while people are making new goals and commitments they can use the power of the Atonement to make the important changes, the eternal progress, the repentance that matters. It was a very enlightening experience to feel the spirit bear witness.