Ooops!

The ax is going to fall. The post office put a certified letter notice in my mailbox, without even trying to ring the bell to see if I was home. The letter is from the college where Martin works, and I think it is the notice of termination. Now, we have to wait until tomorrow to find out what it says, and that is something to add fuel to the fire. I mean really, why not ring the bell?

Well, as I have been saying, I am calm and I know that no matter what, Heavenly Father will see to our needs. Yesterday, I got a rewards card for the amount of 87.00 from my light company. Today, I took it to Walmart and price matched some more items for my food storage. I got chuck roast, (which believe it or not, I am going to home can in mason jars) lots of pasta, and other stuff. It has been many long years since I have had to live to the bear bone, but if it comes to that, at least I have my own grocery store.

The reason I say that I am going to home can the meat, is because when I was praying in Sacrament meeting, the thought strongly came to me to use my skills to can some meat for my food storage. I haven't done this since the 70's, but I have a new pressure canner and plenty of jars. Home canned meat lasts at least two years or more, and looking at canned roast beef tonight, I saw that an 8oz can costs 3.99. Chicken is much more reasonable, but beef is outrageous! So, I will just do it myself. It is really easy, just put lean cuts of beef in the mason jar, add a bit of salt and cover with water. You then pressure cook the jars for an hour and 15 minutes and let them cool.

Thinking of this makes me remember something I forgot to tell you that happened on Sunday. To begin with, earlier in the week, the sweet little girls at church baked homemade bread to pass with the Sacrament. That was a lot of work for them and I was really proud to know that those skills are being passed on to our youth. Well, while the Sacrament was being passed, I began to pray, and got quite caught up in my thoughts. I should say, I was really going at it, with my head bowed and my eyes shut. My arms were crossed and for all intents and purposes, it looked like I might have been sound asleep. I promise I wasn't, but while I was communing with Heavenly Father, I felt a tap on my shoulder that startled me. My left arm came swinging up, and totally knocked the bread tray right out of the young man who was passing, hand. Dear, sweet, yeasty whole wheat bread cubes flew all over the aisle. See, these things happen in milliseconds, but seem to take forever. In slow motion, I saw the bread fly, the look of horror on the young man's face, felt the embarrassment of tossing sacred bread all over the place, and heard the gasps of surprise from everyone who saw the incident. At first, I didn't realize what had happened, as I was coming out of my self-induced prayer mode, but then I did realize what happened, and I didn't know what to do. What I did is gasp in surprise and shame, and throw myself on my knees, scooping up bread from around the young man's feet. I heard Aunt Cheryl whisper to Martin, "lookie there, she just knocked that whole tray of bread out of his hand and down the aisle". The poor young man looked on in confusion as I was scooping up the bread, and pretty soon I had a whole handful, with more on the carpet. I started squishing the bread in my hand to make more room, and then the sweetest thing happened. A young teen-aged hand from another young man gently reached out and took the squished bread, while he picked up the other pieces from the floor. He put all the pieces together in his hand, and then into his pocket, in one swift, smooth move and then gave me a smile. I was so impressed at his quick thinking and especially his concern for my situation. The other young men continued to pass their trays of bread, and Sacrament went on. I'll never forget the kindness of that young man. I feel tearful when I think of the situation, because it could have been an incident that people remembered with derision, but instead, it was no big deal, and I was able to see the pure love of Christ in the actions of one of tomorrow's leaders.

This memory will be added to the savings of love that will sustain me in the future. The winds will howl, the storm will rage, and the ground may shake, but I am safe within the coccoon of love, from those around me and from my Heavenly Father.