Blog slogging again?

My current calling in the ward is to work with Mom and another sister in the Black Hole-known as the nursery.  We have a baker's dozen of 18 month to 3 year olds for two hours every Sunday-from 2 to 4 PM.  Otherwise known as nap time.  Or the Cranky Hours for most little knee biters.  We are responsible to provide spiritual Gospel instruction, nutritious and tasty snacks, model and teach acceptable social skills and be comforting and loving.  On my weeks to teach, we have a 27 second lesson, snacks often include Swedish Fish (fish is good, no?), acceptable social behavior is anything short of the sweet little hellions inflicting emergency-room level harm on each other.  I also try not to dislocate any elbows as I hurry the little stinkers to their parents when they become toxic.

Anyway, my opportunities to share my deeper Gospel thoughts with anyone older than 3 are now limited.  I have been in the routine of preparing lessons for young men, adults and somnolent old guys for a number of years, and my mind still kicks in to the "wouldn't that be a good thought to share and see what insights the class may have" mode.  My current class's insights are limited to such things as which is the fasted hot wheels (it's the purple modified model A), how much glue can I put on the page before one of the leaders steps in to assist, which of the little kids need a diaper change (or is it just a case of the toots) and if I can take my neighbor's Swedish Fish before he notices. 

So, as I have been thinking about this since last general conference, I have had promptings--at least I think that is what those were-instead of a bit of mustard-to find a way to share with family some of the thoughts I have had about life, the Gospel and what is important.  (this morning I have decided it is important for me to feed the birds and watch them for awhile).  So, short of trying to keep up on journal entries-the last one was about a dozen years ago-I am going to try to blog (just what kind of a proper verb is "blog" ?!) about some thoughts more often.  I can see the two family members reading this just jumping for joy!  I think this also counts as at least a token effort to contribute to my Family History Responsibilities.   Or, at least to assuage my guilty feelings for not putting more effort in searching out ancestors. 

We were at the cabin a few weeks ago-after Thanksgiving (thanks for having all of us, Meg and Reed).  We took the two older Tanners and the two older Rhodes with us.  We had fun sledding, looking for animal tracks and eating/drinking.  Grandma also had them make gifts for each other-this involved hammering nails, using the drill and some painting-for "Christmas", which we celebrated that night.  I cheated and magically drew my own name for gifting, so I didn't get to hammer, drill and paint.  I told the youngsters that my gift to me was a gift of time to spend with grandchildren-like having those four at the cabin with us.  I then took time to share with them some stories from my Christmases when I was growing up.  They seemed to listen-almost as well as when we made up the story of the Zombie Snowmen around the campfire the evening before. 

Grandma told me that I need to write some of those stories down so the kids, grandkids could have them.  Hence the Family History connection.  And the opportunity for me to inflict (voluntarily, of course, since one needs to read no more of these ramblings than one wishes) some Gospel related thoughts on those to whom I will be regarded as an "ancestor".  Remember-as you find mistakes in grammar, punctuation, syntax, structure and construction-they are the mistakes of man, or, of this man.  And I am man enough to own them.

OK-enough words for this time.  I will attempt an introductory entry regarding my Christmases Past-what a ghoulish thought-in the near future.  If I can figure out how to get into my blog again.

To my family members who may be reading this-know that you are deeply loved.