2023 journal

 30 Apr 2023, Sunday Priorit ized Daily Task Melodie McAlpin's 42nd Birthday Our boat docks in Port Canerval Florida 10:30 AM - The Knutsons or Brother Meeks is covering for us to provide church services at Abbington Memory Center 5;51 PM - Melodie, the girls, and Vickie depart Orlando for San Diaago  9:58 PM - Debbie departs Orlando for SLC We were up early, had prayer, and went to breakfast.  We put our luggage in the hall last night to be taken down to the meeting area on the ship on deck 4.  After breakfast, we all met and deboarded, picked up our luggage, and met our tour bus that took us to Kennedy Space Center.  Our tour of the space center was very interesting and educational.  They had so much for children and adults there was not enough time to see all we wanted to see.  I told Debbie this would be a good place to bring Mrico and Ljubica when they come to see us in a few months.  Our tour bus took us to the Orlando Airport at about 3 PM.  Debbie checked her bag on Delta a

 29 Apr 2023.  Saturday Priorit ized Daily Task 10:00 AM - Coco Cay Water Park Island Debbie and I had prayer, showered,  and met the family for breakfast before going down to Guest Services to get our luggage tags exchanged for an earlier checkout tomorrow.  All of us, Matthew, Melodie, Madeline, Bella, Ava, and Vickie went with us off to the ship to walk to Coco Cay Island Water Park.  We rented a cabana for 8 people before coming on the cruise.  We were provided bottled water, beach towels, a Bluetooth speaker, and two floating mats.   The children played in the water park and at noon we ordered lunch that was served in the cabana.  We rode on the open-air shuttle bus around the small island before getting on the Wonder of the Sea.  The Liberty Cruise Ship was docked next to us.  When we got back on the ship we all played laser tag.   When we finished we went next door and saw the play with the tap dancers again.  We all got together for dinner and celebrated Melodie's 42nd birt

 28 Apr 2023, Friday Priorit ized Daily Task Note: Come Follow Me, Taylor and Tyler:  C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity near the end of chapter 3: Christ says He is humble and meek, and we believe Him, not noticing that He was merely a man, humility and meekness are the very last  characteristics we could attribute to some of His sayings.                                                                                                                     I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Heck. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman

 27 Apr 2023, Thursday Priorit ized Daily Task 7:30 AM - 2:30 PM Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas Island  I woke at about 5:30 AM, had my personal prayer, and listened to scriptures using my computer and ear connector.  Debbie got up at about 6 AM and we had prayer together and listened to Jared Halverson, Unshaken, Come Follow Me, part 2 of John 7-10.  At 7:30 AM we met Matthew, Melodie, Vickie, Madeline, Bella, and Ava for breakfast.  Afterward, we got off the ship at Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas Island.  We caught a 35-minute taxi ride to Coral World Ocean Park.  Debbie, Vickie, and I took Ava and went through the park to see the fish and mammals in the aquariums.  We watched one of the employees feed the Marcow and tell us their story.  One of them could talk a little.  Matthew, Melodie, Madeline, and Bella went snorkeling in the sea.  Our ride back in an open bus was an experience.  There was a carnival in town and many of the streets back to our ship were blocked.  We were stressed

 26 Apr 2023, Wednesday Priorit ized Daily Task Visit St. Marrten Island divided, part Dutch and part French, Airport runway starts at the edge of Maho Bay Beach Debbie and I were up at 7 AM. Had prayer and studied the scriptures. 7:45 PM Dinner 8:45 PM - show Tap Factory We were up at 7 AM.  The ship docked this morning at Philipsburg, St. Maarten.  Debbie and I had prayer and studied scriptures before meeting Matthew, Melodie, Vickie, and the girls for breakfast.  We got off the ship and caught a Taxi to Maho Bay.  We rented lounge chairs and umbrellas and spent about 4 hours on the beach.  Debbie, Matthew, and Vickie got messages from a local lady working on the beach. We had lunch there before our Taxi picked us up and took us back to the ship.  The temperature got up to about 90 degrees F.  Everyone got a lot of sun today.  I stayed under an umbrella with my hat and covered with a shirt, pants, and shoes and still got a slight sunburn.  We went to dinner and later Debbie and I saw

 25  Apr 2023, Tuesday Priorit ized Daily Task Note: Alura cruise ship in 2020, same as Wonder of the Sea but not as long or as wide Debbie and I slept in until about 7 AM.  We had prayer and studied scriptures in John and Mark, Come Follow Me schedule for this year in the New Testament. Showered, shaved, and got ready for the day.  Debbie went to aerobic exercise and I walked around the track and did some weights in the gym.  Later we had breakfast with a couple from Long Beach, Matt, Melodie, Vickie, and the children, Madeline, and Bella.  Ava went to the youth center to play with other children in a supervised controlled area.  Later we had lunch at the pool and water slides.  We had a late lunch at 3 PM near the pool at the Mexican buffet.  In the evening we had dinner reservations at the restaurant we went to the other night but it was much better seating than we had before.  After dinner, we all went to a show in the Royal Theater and was Voices, a dance and musical presentation.

 24 Apr 2023, Monday Priorit ized Daily Task We slept in, had prayer, and Debbie went to the pool to do aerobic exercises.  Later we ate breakfast and spent the day doing things with the children.  Matthew and Melodie took Ava to the children's center where she played with other children her age, they had supervised games, movies, etc.  Madeline and Bella went rock climbing and then we all went down the dragon slide.  Matthew and Melodie went to dinner at a specialty restaurant.  Vickie took the girls to the restaurant where we have reservations, the same place as last night.  Debbie and I dressed up and went to dinner and then to the water show.  There was 3, 10, and 17-meter tower/platforms the acrobats dived off into 4 meters of water.  They were on wires just over our heads some of the time.  We got a little wet; I could stand on the seats and just about touch them when they would go over our heads.  We got back to our room at about 9:30 PM.  We studied scriptures and had praye

 23 Apr 2023, Sunday Priorit ized Daily Task Call Frank Powell Cruise, Royal Caribbean to CocoBay, Bahamas; St. Maarten and.  We were up at 6 AM and had prayer.  I showered, shaved, and ate cereal with Almond milk for breakfast.  I met Matthew and followed him to Fox Car Rental near the Orlando Airport.  I turned the Toyota 4-Wheel SUV back in.  I forgot to give them the key and after we picked the girls up and packed the Wahoneer all 8 of us got in and Matthew drove to Port Canerval.  We dropped the girls off at Terminal 1 where our boat was docked.   I rode with Matthew back to Fox Rental in Orlando.  He turned in his Wagoneer and I gave them the key to the Toyota.  Matt called for an Uber pickup to take us back to Port Canerval.  The girls had already checked. in and were on board.  When Matthew and I got on board we ate some lunch with the girls.  When we were allowed in our rooms before 3 PM I got on the WiFi and tried to put some pictures in my journal from yesterday and today wi

22 Apr 2023, Saturday Priorit ized Daily Task Matthew McAlpin 46th Birthday Westgate Town Resort, 7700 Westgate Boulevard, Kissimmee, FL NOTE:  “Jesus Christ lived in the midst of his enemies. At the end, all his disciples deserted him. On the Cross he was utterly alone, surrounded by evildoers and mockers. For this cause he had come, to bring peace to the enemies of God. So the Christian, too, belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes. There is his commission, his work. 'The kingdom is to be in the midst of your enemies. And he who will not suffer this does not want to be of the Kingdom of Christ; he wants to be among friends, to sit among roses and lilies, not with the bad people but the devout people. O you blasphemers and betrayers of Christ! If Christ had done what you are doing who would ever have been spared' (Luther).”  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together. (Dietrich lived what he taught.  During Hitler's reign of terror in Germany.  W

 21 Apr 2023, Friday Priorit ized Daily Task Call and check on Frank Powell Westgate Town Resort, 7700 Westgate Boulevard, Kissimmee, FL We slept in this morning, had prayer, showered, and shaved before going down for breakfast provided by the Residence Marriott Inn and Suites.  Vickie and we checked out and put our bags in the SUV.  We waited in the lobby where we had WiFi access until about 1:30 PM when we drove down to the Embassy Suites.  I parked the SUV and met Matthew, Melodie, and the girls, and at 3:00 PM we went over to the Tampa Convention Center for the Cheer competition.  Madeline's group tied with another team for 3rd place.  All the little girls were incredible in their performances but the group, Ruby Red, from Louisiana won first place.  We ate at the Embassy Suites where Matthew, Melodie, and the girls had stayed.  We drove up to Kississie, FL, and checked in at the Westgate Resort.   Debbie and I stopped at Public Grocery Store and picked up an angel food cake, i

 20 Apr 2023, Thursday Priorit ized Daily Task Pay the parking ticket we got yesterday.  4/19/2023 14:3:21  Meter Violation  #61590752  License Plate NWDQ52         Success! 4 PM - Madeline Cheer World Competition at the Tamp Convention Center Debbie and I slept in, had prayer, showered, shaved, and went downstairs for a breakfast of oatmeal, fruit, nuts, and seeds.  Debbie went to exercise in the pool here at the Residence Marriott Inn.  I paid the parking ticket we got yesterday.  The Tampa Parking app did not download properly.  I studied scriptures; Debbie read and studied scriptures earlier this morning.  Later I took Vickie and Debbie to watch Ava and Bella while Melodie took Madeline to the Convention Center to prepare for the competition later this afternoon.  Matthew went over to see one of his old friends he went to school with at Rollins College in Winterpark.  I came back to the Residence Inn.  I walked down to Madeline's competition and took some pictures.  All the you

 19 Apr 2023, Wednesday Priorit ized Daily Task 6:00 AM - Have breakfast and check out of the Ramada Inn 6:30 AM - Met Matthew, Melodie, Vickie, and the girls at the Fox Car Rental 10:00 AM - Check-in at Marriott Residence Inn in Tampa Note: The 4 "C" to avoid,    comparing, competing, complaining, and criticizing.  Comparison leads to competition, often leading to criticism and complaints, leading to contention.  If we don't overcome the 4 "C" then will come upon us  condemnation .  Who is the GOAT , the Greatest Of All Time?  This question can lead to pride and divide us causing contention.   Jared Halverson, Come Follow Me, Unshaken, Matthew 18 and Luke 10 Part 1 Debbie and I had prayer together, showered, and had breakfast at 6AM at the Ramada Inn and Suites we ate breakfast, checked out, and drove over to Fox Rental Car about 8 minutes away.  Matthew, Melodie, Madeline, Isabella, Ava, and Grandma Vickie flew in from San Diego at about 6 AM but it was after

 18 Apr 2023, Tuesday Priorit ized Daily Task Pay Shanna $4,000 for Ethan Citi Bank Visa Card 559-327-9225          support@usaepay.com We are sending this receipt on behalf of the merchant. Please reach out to the merchant for any questions. Your card has been  charged by Comm Sports and Rec. Below is your receipt of payment.   Transaction Details ----------------------- Date:        04/18/23 14:19:27 Merchant:    Comm Sports and Rec Type:        Credit Card Sale Invoice #:    Amount:      4,000.00 Description: Over the Top VB Ethan Hobbs Card Holder: James L Mcalpin Card Number: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx1526 7:05 AM - Depart SLC for Orlando.    DELTA 1087 Main Cabin (K) SALT LAKE CITY 7:05am ORLANDO INTL, FL 1:24pm  1:30 PM - Pick up a rental car   Standard-Size SUV from Orlando Intl Airport (MCO) [VENDOR] [CAR_TYPE] Pick-up: Tue, April 18, 2023 - 12:00 PM Drop-off: Sun, April 23, 2023 - 12:00 PM Rental Location: Fox Rent-A-Car Orlando Intl Airport (MCO) 5757 Semoran Boulevard, Orlando, FL 3282

 17 Apr 2023, Monday Priorit ized Daily Task Anndalyn Hobbs' 41st Birthday 8:00 AM -Zoom with Mirko, Ljubica, and Bojana Jelicic Get 2022 tax returns mailed by post or sent by email with checks Make an appointment at Quest Lab to have Inside Tracker blood work done  801-631-5470 for a blood test again.  The last time  The two time I have had blood  drawn was on  4 Oct 2022, Tuesday and 6 Jan 2023, Friday at  Quest Diagnostics Lab,  424 E 12300 S, in Draper, UT 84020-9503,   10:00 AM -  Dr. John Wells MD, Orthopedic Surgeon; 1184 E. 80 N., American Fork, UT;  phone: 801-763-3885 Chuck Bergestrom and crew is starting today.  chuck@grestore.com; Quality Restoration, mobile 801-592-5846 or office 801-922-9130;        1195 Spring Creek P 1, Suite B, Springville, Ut 84663 Go by Matt McCleary's CPA and sign the 2022 tax document Mike Robertson has completed and mail a check and voucher to the State of Utah, for taxes for 2022.  Pay King and McCleary $800 for their work. find some sung

 16 Apr 2023, Sunday Priorit ized Daily Task 10:30 AM - Church at Abbington Memory Center 12:00 Noon - Church at Lehi 7th Ward Note: ..... it is  .. a matter of doubt and uncertainty in their mind; and where doubt and uncertainty are, there faith is not, nor can it be. For doubt and faith do not exist in the same person at the same time. Lectures on Faith 6:12. -  An example of this struggle in a man is when a father came to Jesus bringing his son with a dumb spirit.  Nine of Jesus' apostles could not heal him .  In Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." 24 "And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief ."  Eventually, one side or the other, faith or doubt, is going to win the tug of war in a person.  We get to make the deciding choice.  Practice the pause.  When in doubt, pause.  When angry, pause.  When tired, pause.  When stressed

 15 Apr 2023, Saturday Priorit ized Daily Task Debbie and I were up before 7 AM, had prayer, read scriptures, and worked on getting information to Mike Robertson, Accountant, for 2022 tax returns that are to be filed next week.  Rae Lynn called; she was on the way with Owen to his ball game.  She will be in SLC with Ethan for his volleyball tournament the first of July.  Later Debbie and I went to see Autrey play a flag football game.  Anndalyn was they.  We were not able to see Braddock play.  Later Debbe got her nails done.  While Karlene was at Gerald Searle's office, she was able to get in touch with Jan Parker from the Merrell Lynch Idaho Falls Office.  Jan was in Florida.  She went to a Bank of America Office. (Bank of America bought Merrell Lynch). She sent Karelen 1099-Rs for her, Reed, and Debbie.  Debbie sent me a copy and I sent the 1099-Rs to Mike Robertson, with King and McCleary CPAs.  Debbie went over to Laura and George's to measure the white paints she bought f

 14 Apr 2023, Friday Priorit ized Daily Task Tate Hobbs' 12th Birthday Call Mike Robertson, accountant, at Matt McCleary's office Debbie was up early and went to her aerobic class at the Legacy Center.  I got up later, made the bed, had my personal prayer, and read scriptures and some in Elder Hollan's book, "Our Day Star is Rising".  When Debbie got home we had prayer and started our day.  I tried to call Mike Robertson.  I had to leave a message I was calling him back from last night.  He returned our phone call and Debbie and I gave him the information he needed to complete our 2022 tax returns.  Debbie talked to Jordan with Liberty Mutual and got Shelton's quote with Quality Restoration approved.  Later Chuck Bergestrom, with Quality Restoration came by and Debbie signed the agreement for them to start Monday the 17th to start working.  They should have it finished by the time we get back from our trip to Florida and Georgia.  Chuck worked for Jon Travelle

 13 Apr. 2023, Thursday Priorit ized Daily Task Brody Hobbs' 9th Birthday  Lele Ruth Markey 1st Birthday Debbie and I slept in, had prayer, showered, and studied scriptures together.  I called Bordy and wished him a happy birthday.  I tried calling Allie, Lele Ruth's mother, but there was no answer.  I sent her a happy birthday text on Allie's phone.  Our stick handheld vacuum has gone out.  We ordered a new one this morning.  It should be in tomorrow.  I went to Costco and checked on a prescription for Metformin but did not have a refill.  They are requesting one from the doctor.  I told them I am leaving town early this coming Tuesday morning and will not be back until next month.  I did buy a new electric razor.  The two I now have are so dull I cannot get a decent shave.  This evening Debbie and I went back to the BYU Music Building to see Alex Gourley perform in the band.  We were running late.  I let Debbie out at the concert hall and I drove and parked the car in a v