Alive and kicking

Well Ford, don't worry too much. Just study. I passed the written test my first time, but it took me three tries to pass the driving test. Silly stop lights, I don't know why we have them anyway. Oh, and why in the world do they have speed limits on a driving range during a test. I'd think the testers would want to get out of the cars of testees' (is that a word?) as soon as possible.

As to Steve's comment about a cat and kicking. Well, we might have a cat and I might be kicking soon. The kids have befriended a stray and are trying to adopt it. It disappeared today, bummer:-)! It'll probably be back because its found food here. What's more, I'm wondering if its not pregnant. It looks a bit chubby around the belly, but not fat chubby. Everybody around here, almost, thinks its great. At first I was a little interested in the prospect, but the more we've been around the cat, the less interested I am. Of cours, the more we're around it, the more interested the rest of the crew is. Why did I ever even consider it?

Dave

Okay.....

Ok, I guess it has been too long since I posted an entry. So I am just stopping by to tell you all I miss your guts! Oh, and the rest of you too.
I know that life is crazy busy, mine maybe not as much as those of you with little ones, but still, it would be nice to hear from you all once in a while at least.
Thank you to all of you for the birthday wishes. Christi, Steve & Mom & Dad thanks for the cards. It is always fun to get cards/letters in the mail. This years birthday was a particularly good one for me. I don't even know if I can explain properly, so I guess I won't. I did make a blog entry on my personal blog at parkerspanic@blogspot.com I think this is the correct address, if any of you have time to go check it out, you're welcome to.
The one thing I did on my birthday that didn't really work out well, is I took Ford to the DMV to take his drivers test. I say it didn't work out to well, because Ford did not pass his test. He does have another chance to try to pass, but he decided he wanted to come home and study before he retested. I think that was probably wise on his part, considering the fact that he is 15 and thinks he already knows pretty much everything, including all the things that might be in the drives manual. So in the beginning he felt like he really didn't need the "whole" manual. So he just skipped (as he put it) half the manual. (Mother is smirking)
I just had to laugh, when he said that he had skipped half the book. Needless to say I think we will be going back down this week sometime for him to re-take his test. Keep him in your thoughts if you can keep them goo thought. Maybe the power of good thoughts will help him out. I hope this time he will take a couple more minutes to study the book. If he doesn't however, and manages to fail again, it will not bode well for him, as he will have to pay me back for the test. I think that is a good deal, if he passes I pay for it, if he doesn't he has to pay for it. Life comes at you fast, you need to be ready.
I am smiling right now, hoping that he really will pass this time. I would like for him to be driving legally.
All things considered, our family is doing well. I hope to hear something from you all soon. Just a note so that I know you are all still alive and kicking.

29 again?

Happy Birthday Janni, its not really fair that you are still trapped in the 20's and I have to go into the 30's. But I guess that's a woman's prerogative. Have a happy day.

meek and geeky

ha! ha! you should know that if you ask about words, i will always have plenty to say, so here goes. i am a true word geek.
contrary to popular opinion, humility and meekness are two very different traits. the "obscure" or original definition of meekness (from old Norwegian) is; "soft, mild, gentle, kind". so, if to be humble means (in my opinion) being willing to be taught and led by the Lord and not being hung up on getting your own way at all costs, then humility is about what motivates us to ACT. conversely, meekness is what governs our relationships with others, it determines how we REACT. meekness means being gentle and kind to others, and equally to ourselves.
the difference means that in today's world, where everyone values strength, power, victory and control, we have to get past that and in essence, embrace weakness. people who are meek are the ultimate good sports because they have no need to gloat when they win, and they can celebrate the victories of another without envy. it takes a great deal of effort to react with kindness instead of impatience and annoyance, especially when others don't do the things that we "think" they should, the way that we think they should be done, on our schedule. (insert parental guilt here, but that is a whole other story for another day)
cultivating humility allows the Lord to lead us and teach us in what we do everyday,and cultivating meekness teaches us to do the things we do with kindness and an awareness of others. as we work to be charitable to both ourselves and others it requires us to surrender our inherent need to "win". it is possible to succeed and have a good life without making someone else lose.
i know that the Lord doesn't want us to be wimps, but he wants us to be kind, to apologize when we make mistakes and to treat others as we would like to be treated, because we are meant to be governed by His love. letting someone go ahead of you in traffic is meek, but from personal experience, there aren't a lot of people even willing to do that.
i know, i know, enough preaching, but maybe that helps?
so now that i have vaunted my lofty opinions, i will thank you for letting me ramble. have a great day. geek on, or maybe that should be meek on! :)

Thanks to everyone

Thank you all for the Birthday wishes in cards, calls, and messages. It was a good day, but a great evening. The kids were excited enough about my Birthday to account for ten of me. Jennah made a wonderful cinnamon cheesecake for our treat. With a bit of rasberry and caramel sauce, it was heavenly. Jesse and I both have guitars now, so we are going to challenge each other to learn to play.

I have a question for you all and I'm hoping you can help me gain some wisdom and understanding. In gospel doctrine on Sunday, we read a scripture, Doc & Cov 88: 15-19. This is talking about the resurrection. But, to me its unique because I believe this reference is talking about a Celestial Resurrection because of verse 17. It struck me because a few weeks ago we had a lesson that hit on meekness. In vers 17, it tells us that in order to inherit a Celestial Resurrection, we have to be meek. Obviously, meekness is tremendously important.

So, here's my question. What does it really mean to be meek. Humility doesn't really cut it for me because too often, its spoken of in the scriptures as a stand alone attribute. I'm really wanting to understand this and I welcome all thoughts.

Love you

Dave

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday old man martin. Hope you got your card. We love and miss you.

I'm back.

I'm back! it seems like a year has passed since I last posted. . . well, i guess it really did.
hey! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID!! hope it is wonderful. did you change your phone number, cause i tried to call? maybe i just wrote it down wrong.
just a quick little update -- we are having a family gather on June 12 and 13th here at our house. PLEASE let us know if you can make it. so far, our family, the Davids, and the Parents are planning on camping out at our house. It's not Jana's yard, but we should all fit. i'm excited, and i really hope that everyone can make it.
so, after all that randomness, i will leave you with wishes that you will all see lots of reasons to find joy in your day.
love you all!

Funerals

Ok. Now I know that this subject is not one that is fun to talk or think about, but I need to make a memo if you will of how things went today. I knew that Ricks funeral was not going to be an easy one, and the only reason I went was to see his Mom & Dad. I will forever be glad that I did. It has been probably been Ohhhh, I'm gonna guess 10 years or so since we have seen Don & Judy Cleavenger.They have ALWAYS been so good to us and treated us like family. Today was no different. It did take Don a few minutes to recognize us. He hugged us both, but I held on for just a second longer and he hugged me tighter than I think I have ever been hugged, and he just flat broke down! Up until this point, I had fooled myself into thinking that I might get through this with just a few tears. HA! I was SO wrong! I promptly proceeded to cry with him. Then he grabbed Judy and the whole thing started again. They were so glad we had come! Judy asked if we had seen the program, and when we said no she got a little excited and said we "had to see it, cause it would make us laugh!" She was of course right. On the back of the program, was a picture of Rick taken right around the time that Chet and I got married. Sitting on his then truck, with his boots, levi jeans, bomber type jacket, his stunner shades and ball cap.( oh ya, we can't leave out the mullet ) WOW! Talk about a blast from the past! It was like I was there again, for just a mintue. The funeral over all was really good for what it was. It was different than any I have ever been to before. I have always been to LDS directed funerals, and there was none of that at this one. They didn't begin or end with a prayer, and when it was over it was like no one was sure it was over for just a few seconds. Very strange to me, and nothing I have ever experienced before. Ricks Mom did say at one point that she didn't know what she was going to do now. I was, at that moment so grateful to know that there is more than this short life time on this Earth to look forward to. I can also say that I hope I never have to go to a funeral like this one EVER again! Also I hope that Rick will now find the peace and direction that he never did find here in this life.

Just been thinking

I have just been thinking over the last few days, and I just thought I would share some of my musings. First , you need to know that a friend of Chet and mine, took his own life last week. You have all met him, he was the best man at our wedding. Anyway, since I got the call, I have done a lot of thinking. I have been pretty mad at him and the selfishness that I think it would take for someone to do that to the ones they leave behind. I talked to Dad and he reminded me that I don't know what his chemical state was at the time and all of the circumstances. He was right, but that just made me think even more. I just wanted to thank all of you for being such great people! I know that there will never come a time or any kind of obstacle in my life that if I needed, I know you wouldn't help me with. That in and of itself is huge to me! You never think as you grow up that the people you fight with and beat on the most will be some of your best friends when you get older. Also I am grateful to have to knowledge of the gospel. And how it applies to me in my life. Mostly though, I am really grateful for my little family! I am glad that they are my friends also. They bring me so much joy! And just think, I didn't want to have kids! Huh! Who would have thunk it?! I am just grateful all the way around. Thanks for loving me. Hope to hear from you all soon. And if anyone has any pull with Mindy maybe you should see if you could at least get her to come read even if she doesn't post! Maybe you guys would have better luck with her than I have. Love you, Jana