75 Money to pay bills

My husband had enough work to pay his business creditors and to pay our bills and still have some in reserve!

I read today about the poorhouses in England, the whys and the wherefores.  I am so grateful to live in this day and age.

I paid the tithing and fast offerings yesterday.  My husband and I give a ride to a man who lives in a trailer park, and was going to be evicted if he didn't pay the rent.  After church, he told my husband that the church is helping him to stay another month.  My husband gave him $10 for the laundry machine, and the woman who we also gave a ride home offered to help him with his laundry, and would send her husband to help him get to her house.  I hope things improve for him.

72 Larry King's story

I'm still reading it. There's a discussion of wealth, and what it means to people in its pages.

We have money to pay our insurances, and to buy gas and food. Tithing, too!

55 Service

Today I decide to be wealthy.

My job at the school got cancelled.  The woman I was going to substitute for called, and said her flight had been cancelled, and the following flight was booked solid, so she's not going to be able to leave for another week-end or so.

Which was just as well, as I was to bring up two large serving trays full of au gratin potatoes to a missionary luncheon, and I hadn't noticed the part about needing 4 1/2 quarts of boiling water, each.  I had to measure out and boil the water twice, one for each pan.  The potatoes were sliced and dried, and in two boxes, both had two dried sauce pouches, and all that was needed was a stick of butter, each, which was provided when Jackie dropped everything off at my house.  Then Jo called, and she had some jam that needed to be delivered, that she had planned to help at the luncheon, and those plans went out the window.  So the potatoes, that I had planned to have nice and hot at a bit before 11 a.m. didn't get to the church until a few minutes after 12.

I stayed and helped with the dishes, and visited with Jackie, and the others, and the missionaries sang a thank-you song to us.  I  thought about their moms, and was sad to think of one missionary who had to be sent home from his mission, what he'd missed.

Afterwards, I went to Elk Meadow Elementary School and shelved books for a while. Toni was glad to see me, as she had a full cart. I managed to get half of it shelved before it was time to leave.  One of the students had a J.R.R.Tolkien book that puzzled her, and I explained that it was a collection of his writings that he was working on when he died, and that there were bits and pieces of where the elves came from and stuff, all jumbled together.  Another wanted to know where the mystery books were, and I turned her back to Toni and continued to shelve books. Toni seemed pleased with my actions.

Afterwards, I called Jackie and offered her a ride to Worksource. She couldn't go this time. However, when I got there, I saw a sign-up list for counseling, and she was happy when I called her again, and offered to put her name and phone number on the list, so that the office could call her and set up an appointment time.

Interestingly enough, one of the places I had the job posting number for was Touchmark, the same company that said it could only do 30-35 hours a week (this one posted that it was 40 hours), and the same one that sent me a rejection letter two days ago. The job was posted today.  I didn't take the referral, and I explained why to the clerk.

One of the books I read recently was "Five People You Meet When You Get To Heaven," a gentle reminder that heaven has a different measure of success than what we experience or expect in this life.  I didn't make any money today, but at least I'll have some unemployment money next week. And I did well today.  And I will do more tomorrow.

I had some fortune cookies tonight, and one of the fortunes was this: Enjoy the fine goods life has to offer & friends with whom to share it.

Today I decide to be wealthy.

49 Another step

Today I decide to be wealthy.

Finished reading "Children of Cambodia's Killing Fields." I noticed in the biographies that a number have lost their U.S. employment, too, so it's not just me.  It's too bad that, after everything that they've gone through, that it isn't all peaches and cream for them from now on. (Or mangoes and rice milk. My college associates from Asia didn't like cows milk.)

I read another article in the Bulletin newspaper about meditation, and how the subject makes ten minutes a day for it. The article reminded me of the need to just be still and listen when I pray.    Doctrine and Covenants 112:10: "Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers. And  Psalm 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God" 


So that is what I'll do this week. I'm grateful for the time this week to go through papers and get the mortgage verification papers pulled together, as I had to go through a lot of papers to find it.  

There are only eleven days left of the sixty.  I'll probably keep blogging.


Today I decide to be wealthy.

46 Another blank

Today I decide to be wealthy.

I practiced the piano today. I worked on some paper work for the house, for NeighborImpact and OHSI. I deposited my unemployment checks. I exercised.  I found myself grieving for the future loss of this house. The printer doesn't work anymore, and the other printer is not hooked to this computer. So everything either goes through the other computer or I'll have to go to the library to print stuff out. And the keyboard is acting weak, too.

I'm reading a book,  Children of Cambodia's killing fields : memoirs by survivors / compiled by Dith Pran.  

They lost their homes, their parents, their siblings, their families, their youth. They came to the United States and were serious about their schooling and their futures. Many report still having nightmares.

I found the church's employment handbook. I'll go through it better that I did last time.

Today I decide to be wealthy.

Day 43 Looking out around me

Today I decide to be wealthy.

Our friends went to church with us, and left after Sacrament meeting.  I have a church calling now, to help with visiting teaching as a supervisor.

It was Book of Mormon day in all three meetings.  The part that I want to hold onto the rest of the week is that the Lord will prepare the way for those who keep--or seek--to keep his commandments.

And I appreciate again the reminder that the current unemployment/underemployment is an affliction going on in the world, and not a character flaw on my part.  Though I have a lot of characters flaws and thought on them today.

Pam had an interesting story during Sunday School class, about the little things that we sometimes have to encourage us.  She was a single mom, divorced, with two teenagers she was raising, and barely making it financially.  She got engaged to Jim, divorced man in the church, with his kids, retired businessman.  And she found a picture of some lace in a bridal magazine that she would have liked for her wedding dress, but knew that she'd never be able to find it out on this side of the continent, and that she'd never be able to afford it.  She found it in a store that she rarely shops, and some celebrity had ordered a surplus for her outfit, paid for it, and the remainder was on sale, so Pam had it for her wedding dress.  

I had a similar thing happen, when I went to University of Oregon.  While I was in high school, we had "The Apollo of Bellac" in one of my English classes, and I liked the play and I wished I could be in it, playing Theresa.  I was in the cafeteria line at college, and saw the open audition flyer.  I thoroughly enjoyed auditioning for the role, nailed it, got complimented by my co-auditioner, but didn't get the part.  I did perform in it, and enjoyed it very much.

Our neighbors had us over for meatloaf tonight.  It was a very nice dinner, cozy and comfortable.  I tried to stay focused in the present, as the cars went by on the night street in the rainy dark.  I didn't want to think about us having to move away.

I watched and read a talk the author J.K.Rowlings gave, about her time of poverty, and what she learned from it. I need to reread it, as I felt that I only touched the very outer part, and have yet to incorporate any part of it in my being.   http://harvardmagazine.com/2008/06/the-fringe-benefits-failure-the-importance-imagination

Today I decide to be wealthy.

Day 43 Not skiing

Today I decide to be wealthy.

There was a night ski special today, and I went to it, but I stayed in the lodge and read a book while friends and my husband skied.  I don't have any insurance to cover me if I fell and broke my leg, and I'm not that experienced on skis.  (Last time I went, I had trouble getting off the chair lift, and it had to be stopped almost every time.)

So I read a novel about a girl who was a refugee from Viet Nam who moved to Alabama.  The scene outside the windows was very lovely, and skiers commented on how icy the snow was.


We have friends staying the night.  Being able to have friends stay comfortable in your home is a very  nice.

Today I decide to be wealthy.

Day 36. The Greatest Saleman in the World

Today I decide to be wealthy.

After yesterday's rant, I feel better.  I went to Sacrament Meeting, and enjoyed being there, knowing that if I have another job that requires week-end work, that it will be a while before I'd be able to be there again. I love being in Sacrament Meeting, and being able to take the Sacrament, and to sit with my husband, and know that my children are also at Sacrament Meeting, wherever they are.  I like feeling the fellowship around me, and to know that I'm part of something that goes back to other times, and other places, including sitting with my grandmother in her ward's meetings, and how happy she was that I was with her, and how proud she was of me.

In Relief Society, I went ahead and signed up for cookie donations for the blood drive and to have the missionaries over for dinner on February's Fast Sunday.  I'll make something ahead, like macaroni and cheese, and have some broccoli to go with it.  Linda Rau and I decided to go visiting teaching tomorrow. I paid tithing.  And I just stayed in the moment.  I didn't worry, but I did pray that I'll be able to pay off my medical bills.  I didn't feel stressed or panicky when I prayed it.

I saw Wendy after church, and thanked her for her Sacrament talk last year, and how I tried what she suggested, and the good results I got from following her direction.  She was happy for me, and glad that it helped me.

We had pot roast for dinner.  It was from the Bishop's Storehouse, in December or November.  I'm glad to have food in the house, and to have a house to eat and sleep in.  I feel wealthy.

Later tonight, my middle daughter called and told me about her not-so-great time at school.  She's a senior in a ward full of freshmen, and everyone is a bit disorganized, so she hasn't been able to work with a committee.  She has a rather negative attitude about the people around her, that everyone is "dumb."  Unfortunately, she's had the attitude for a long time.

I'm reminded of a book I read when I was a bit older that she is now.  It was "The World's Greatest Salesman," by  Og Mandino.  There was one part that sort of stuck with me, probably about the only one I used, and that was to think, "I love you," to people when I met them.  Don't say it, just think it.
I've got to figure a way to suggest it to her, so she'll want to try it.

I'm going to send her cards, too, while she's there, to encourage her.  I've talked to her about seeing a counselor, but she's heard other counselors gossip about the people they're supposed to be helping, so she's not going to, as she doesn't want that to happen to her.

I haven't worked on my books today, or on my computer area.  There is still time in this day to do something good.

Today I decide to be wealthy.

Day 17

Today I decide to be wealthy.

Today I had a job interview to be a server--a waitress--at Whispering Winds (an active senior "community").  I stopped by Worksource, told Deb how it went, came home and emailed Kathy (also at Worksource), and the phone call came that they'd chosen someone else, but would keep my application on file.

I don't think it helped knowing that my unemployment account at the state has only $17 left in it--I do have a paycheck coming Friday the 13th.

So I did research for an article I should have written two weeks ago, and ate food, and existed for a while, and then I decided that "wealthy" includes taking care of my body and I did my yoga exercises before bed.

I also started reading the 5 lessons for women, and the beginning of a book called "Getting Things Done" or something like that.

Today I decide to be wealthy.

Thursday

"Today I decide to be wealthy."  Repeat morning and night, and during the day, whenever.

Affirmations are nothing new.  The Greatest Salesman in the World was very popular in the '70's, and I think my dad even had a copy of it.  I got a copy of it when I was in Eugene or Logan, and tried doing it, and failed by the second chapter.  One of my friends, a former missionary, said that the affirmation sentences were all put together and was basically a mission chant.  She wasn't even aware that there was a book, let alone the preaching published for each affirmation.

Saturday Night Live mocked affirmations I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!: Daily Affirmations With Stuart Smalley, is still available on-line.  The author of that is now in politics; you have to believe in yourself pretty good to have that job.

But I'm still going to try this one--  Today I decide to be wealthy.  (Not become, but to be.)

One of the other things in the book was about "making money in the margins."  I'm a trained writer; I've sold a short story and a children's puzzle, so I'm also a published one, even though it was decades ago.  I should be using this talent to make some money.

And goodness knows, I still have Sister B.'s book to do, the family history books and the neighborhood newsletter, all today.