So it has been almost five years since I last posted. A lot has happened, of course, but just in case the two people who followed this blog were wondering, no, I am not dead. To be honest, in order to look after my mental health, I allowed myself to drop several balls that I had been juggling. One of them was blogging. Not that the blogs were being bad for me, I just found other things were a higher priority, so the blogging stopped and I did not feel too bad about it. At the end of the day, I am OK with that.
I think it is important that we look after ourselves overall; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. They are all connected, so I do my best to balance them all. It is challenging at times, but I have improved a lot in my efforts (and I have the brain scans to prove it!).
Today is just a quick update as to how things are right now and what I have been up to.
School/Work - July of 2020 saw a part of the school building be condemned. This necessitated a split of the high school into a north and south campus. I stayed north while many cherished colleagues and students went south. I was able to witness the construction of the new building, which we were allowed to move into Spring 2024. The building is great! I am grateful to finally be in a proper, state of the art building. Sadly, the split between campuses became permanent, and it happened out of the blue. Still a bit upset about that, but I choose to move forward and make the best of it. Our student population is growing, and with that comes new staff. In almost every case they are proving to be great additions.
Church - Shortly after my last entry I was called to be a counsellor in the bishopric. I stayed in that calling for a little over a year. I was then called as Elders Quorum instructor and Assistant Ward Clerk. A few weeks ago I was extended a new calling, but I have not yet been able to announce it. My favorite church-related thing was an assignment for Heather and I to be "parents" to a group of stake youth on a camp last summer called "My Quest". We had 14 youth, a few of whom we already knew, but all of them became dear to us quickly.
Family - Heather and I are quickly approaching our 15th Anniversary. The last few years have been tough, but we remain strong together. The girls are growing up. Barbara is in Grade 7 and Hope is in Grade 5. Dustin married his boyfriend of several years, Andrew, and they live in Devon. Dayton and his girlfriend, Kallie, bought a house and are doing well. Dayton is a nurse now, and Dustin continues to design beautiful homes. We sadly lost Grandma Violet a couple years ago. She and Dad were visiting in Australia. Her passing was very unexpected, but the family have tried to rally around each other. Dad had a couple of minor strokes last spring, but he has bounced back nicely.
World - Sad to say that global conditions seem to be at a tipping point these days. Russia invaded Ukraine 3 years ago and they have been at war ever since. October 7 2023 saw the Palestinian organization Hamas attack Israel, and there has been a brutal war in the Gaza ever since. Hundreds of thousands of civilian lives have been lost in these wars. Donald Trump lost the election in 2020. He proceeded to tell lies that caused thousands of his supporters attack the capital January 6, 2021. The US has been divided ever since. It is like there is a second civil war being fought with words. Each side refuses to see the other side as human beings. Trump was convicted of several felony charges, but somehow America elected him last November. I don't understand it. The man is a liar, a felon, and spit on the Constitution of the United States of America with his deceitfulness, and yet Americans still elected him.
The hardest part in all of this is seeing how good people are justifying their support, but he is quickly eroding decency in society. He has allowed an unelected billionaire to gut the government programs, firing thousands of people, mainly because they do not support him. He is threatening unfair tariffs on us and other close allies. He has repeatedly suggested that the US annex Canada. He is blaming Ukraine for their war with Russia and having peace talks with Russia only. Suffice it to say, he is the greatest threat to all that is good and free in the world right now.
Thankfully, there is hope. I am trying to find it, but I know it is there. I know that horrible things are coming in what we sometimes call "the last days", but I know that there will be peace, and all that was wrong will be set right. I just hope that the people I love and care about will be spared much of the pain. For me, I will just stay close to the Lord, listen to his servants the prophets, and trust in Him.
