1 Jan 2023, Sunday

*To print 2023 Journal go to Blog2Print using the web address,  Blog address jlmcalpinjournal2023.blogspot.com.  The Blogger data is converted to PDF so Phil Davis at Alpha Graphic here in Lehi can print it in one book.

1 Jan 2023, Sunday

Prioritized Daily Task

12 Noon - Church Lehi 7th Ward

5:30 PM - Blake Creamer, Beth's friend, comes over

Note:  The Bridge Builder

BY WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE

An old man going a lone highway,

Came, at the evening cold and gray,

To a chasm vast and deep and wide.

Through which was flowing a sullen tide

The old man crossed in the twilight dim,

The sullen stream had no fear for him;

But he turned when safe on the other side

And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,

“You are wasting your strength with building here;

Your journey will end with the ending day,

You never again will pass this way;

You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,

Why build this bridge at evening tide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head;

“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,

“There followed after me to-day

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been as naught to me

To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;

He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;

Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!”

I would like to think this old man is me.

William Wordsworth, Ode Intimations of Immortality                            “Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:  The soul that rises with us, our life's Star, Hath had elsewhere its setting, And cometh from afar: Not in entire forgetfulness, And not in utter nakedness, But trailing clouds of glory do we come  from God, who is our home:” 

I slept in, Debbie and I had prayer.  I showered, shaved and had my personal prayer.  I started my fast last night so I did not eat any breakfast before church.   We did not have an assignment at Abbington Memory Center for church today.  Beth met us at 12:00 Noon at Lehi 7th Ward.  She attended sacrament meeting with us and then went home.  Debbie and I stayed for Sunday school before going home.   It snowed from 12 to 18 inches last night in the mountains.  Matthew, Melodie, Madeline, Bella, Ava, and Vickie went to Park City to ski today.  Vickie and Melodie waited in the lobby while Matthew and the girls skied.  I talked to Michael and Rae Lynn yesterday.  Beth invited Blake to come by and visit.  He is 50 years old, born on 11 Feb. 1972.  He is very nice and polite.  Beth showed him the vibrating massage chair downstairs.  He enjoyed the massage.  Beth had him come over for us to give our approval.  I have been editing my 2022 book on my thoughts and quotes from 2022.  I had just been reading the part on Charles C. Rich and Sarah Pea.  (Journal entry Wednesday, 9 March 2022) Sarah and her family were introduced to the gospel by a couple of traveling missionaries. ....Sarah receives by mail this invitation to be married to Charles C. Rich, a complete stranger.  She did not know what to do; how do I respond ...... who is this stranger?  She did what she always did when she needed help, she prayed.  The Lord impressed her to go to the Bible for an answer.  She took the family Bible and randomly opened it to a random page.  She took her finger and randomly pointed to a place on the page that was open,           Since I was fasting I thought the Lord would be guiding me so I went to the scriptures.  I first randomly opened the Book of Mormon, D&C, and Pearl of Great Price.  It opened to 3 Nephi 27 and my eyes fell on verses 12 and 11, Christ is speaking.  To confirm I randomly opened the Bible.  I opened to Psalm 7 and my eyes fell on verse 14.  This is a test for me to tell Beth.  Blake, a 50-year-old, is congenial enough.  His intelligent and successful enough in business to take care of Beth and the children.  I enjoyed meeting him but in some ways, he reminded me of Ernie Brown.  Now, it is my duty and responsibility to tell Beth.  (I have not even told this to Debbie.  I think Debbie has her misgivings about Blake and Beth.)  Jared came about 8 PM. Debbie and I watched Chosen, a movie series about Jesus, we had prayer, and got to bed before 11 PM.  I set the alarm to wake at 6:30 AM to take to collect the garbage in the house and take trash and recycle containers to the street.