What Are You Reading?

James Patterson writes more books than I will ever have time to read, but I never miss an Alex Cross or a Women's Murder Club novel. I just finished reading "The 19th Christmas", and am anxiously waiting for his 20th Lindsay Boxer installment, "The 20th Victim", which will be released on May 4th. Currently, I am reading my signed copy of "Twisted Twenty-Six" by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie Plum never disappoints! 

But I still miss Kinsey Millhone. It is sad that Sue Grafton passed away before being able to complete her alphabet series. James Patterson explains it well when he said that "Part of the joy of writing a long-running series is the opportunity to watch the characters develop lives of their own." And that is so true! I feel like I know Alex, Nana Mama, Stephanie, Lula, Morelli and Ranger, along with Kinsey, Jane Rizzoli, Maura Isles, Sean King, Michelle Maxwell, Nicolas Fox, Kate O'Hare... 

Elvis Ponderings

Elvis would have been 85 today. The fact that he's been gone for over 42 years now only underscores how young he was when he passed away. I was 11, and can still remember where I was when I heard the news. I remember thinking how sad my Nana was going to be, as he was her favorite. She'd always dreamed of seeing him in person, but now that wouldn't happen. Sitting at her house I gained a true appreciation and love for his music, which is timeless. 

Now as I sit here and realize I've lived 12 years longer than Elvis, and think of all he accomplished in his short life, I guess it just makes me think of how much time I have left, and what I'd still like to be able to do and see. We are all actors in a three act play, where none of us have recollection of what happened in act one. May each of us give our best performance here in act two, and guarantee our starring roles in act three.  

Nixon

Although he wasn't the President when I was born, Richard M. Nixon is the first one I remember. I watched him resign on live TV in 1974. At eight years old, I knew nothing of Watergate or impeachment, but do recall being sad that we'd be getting a new President.  

I've been collecting and selling autographed books for some time now, and have sold a number of treasures in the past year. But this one which I found while thrifting tonight, rare and valuable as it is, may just stay in my collection!

Welcome Back!

Lori Prichard was back to work on KSL TV this morning after a four month absence. If I had gone through what Lori did, I don't know that four months would be enough time to recover, so I really admire her courage. Her life was turned upside down on August 16, 2019 when her husband took his own life. He was suffering from depression but hid it well and told no one. 

She has said "Someone told me my husband's death could make me bitter or better. I want to be better. I want to do better. I'm going to come back to work and I'm going to talk. I am going to talk about suicide and I'm going to keep talking about it. I want to reach that one person out there who needs help. Just. One. Person. You matter. You matter to me." 

"It's true. I don't really want to be the public face of my husband's death. But if I don't talk about suicide, who will? If I don't talk about what depression can do to a family, there remains a void. I'd much rather hide from my reality. But in the end, who does that really help? No one."

Welcome back, Lori, we have missed you! Our hearts still go out to you and your family. And thank you for being that voice!

More

While I haven't made any specific resolutions other than to attempt to write daily, most of what I've considered involves the word "less". Less debt, less eating out, less time spent on social media, less stress, less anxiety. But then our closing hymn in church this afternoon taught me about "more"...

More holiness give me,

More strivings within,

More patience in suffering,

More sorrow for sin,

More faith in my Savior,

More sense of His care,

More joy in His service,

More purpose in prayer.

More gratitude give me,

More trust in the Lord,

More pride in His glory,

More hope in His word,

More tears for His sorrows,

More pain at His grief,

More meekness in trial,

More praise for relief.

More purity give me,

More strength to o'ercome,

More freedom from earth-stains,

More longing for home,

More fit for the kingdom,

More used would I be,

More blessed and holy - 

More, Savior like thee.

Are You A Hurried Tourist?

Russell M. Nelson said that "as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day." That is an incredible promise, but made me think about what it means to immerse myself. 

The Oxford dictionary definition of immerse is "to involve oneself deeply in a particular activity or interest. With that in mind, I share how Neal A. Maxwell described the Book Of Mormon:

"The Book of Mormon is like a vast mansion, with gardens and wings. My tour of it has never been completed. Some rooms I have yet to enter, and there are more felicitous fireplaces waiting to warm me. Even the rooms I have glimpsed contain further furnishings and rich detail yet to be savored. There are panels inlaid with incredible insights and design and decor dating from Eden. There are even sumptuous banquet tables painstakingly prepared by predecessors which await all of us. Yet we as church members sometimes act like hurried tourists scarcely entering beyond the entry hall. May we go inside far enough to hear clearly the whispered truths from those who have slumbered, which whisperings will awaken in us individually a life of discipleship as never before!"

I've always loved and admired his way with words, and I feel the need to not be one of those "hurried tourists". 

The Christmas List

I just love books by Richard Paul Evans! He is probably most famous for his novel "The Christmas Box".

With ringing in the New Year, I thought about the premise of another of his books - "The Christmas List". As Richard says in the introduction, "As I began to write this book...I wanted to explore what could happen if someone read their obituary before they died and saw, firsthand, what the world really thought of them. Their legacy." 

I won't give away what happens in the book, but the concept is something to ponder. What if you were to read your obituary, and know what people really thought of you? Is there anything you'd be proud of? Anything you would change?