Monday, June 6, 2022

Gathering and Scattering Sunshine

Dear family and dear friends,

What a blessing to be reminded to gather and scatter sunshine in the month of June! 

My husband’s mother, age 92 has secured such as her mantra of living and it may just be what keeps her going strong. 

 Since I wrote last, a few highlights of sun rays have blessed us.  Early, early Tuesday morning (maybe 4 AM) our sweet wonderful visitors, Don and Pamela Davies let us host them while they finished some odds and ends on their home and attended a kind and generous block party with their neighbors. 

 

It warms my heart as I watch neighbors reach out and “take each other in.”  I feel grateful to be connected to such a neighborhood. 

Monday carried a happy and challenging event, in a search for “where in the world is Shirley Hillman’s sprinkler valve box.” Granddaughter in tow,  

clippers and loppers found enough work to conquer a thick branch jutting out from Mom’s arbor vitae.  In Latin, the word arbor vitae means "tree of life."  In reality, it was more threatening than it looked, when clipping an innocuous branch, I stepped backward into a three-foot window well.  The hole was less dangerous than Mom’s ornamental brick that jutted out to encounter an unsuspecting back rib on the way down. 

Last Thursday, following a suggestion of a kind temple worker (blessings of searching to find sacred space) 

an x-ray and radiologist were consulted.  Funny how “bruised” is so much more pleasant a description than “non-dislocated fracture!”  I am being instructed in Alma 43 and 44 of the blessings of preserving liberty.  

 What liberty it is to get in and out of bed with lessening difficulty, although sneezes are still channeled carefully!  

More help from more grandchildren.  And yesterday, my youngest brother solved the sprinkler mystery (a few twisted and broken heads, along with another lively tree growing in a wonderful watering space, diverting water from most of Mom’s back lawn.)  Thanks for brothers, strong and courageous in wrestling oxen in the mire! 

This past week marked Memorial Day

 and Dad’s birthday, Happy Birthday to Dad!  

Which we celebrated with decluttering, gathering branches, hiking at the Wilderness Park, 

and fasting with thankful hearts for a miracle in finding another house for our friends in central California.  

First, we recollect the joy of remembering the earlier miracle of meeting this little family, recently reunited from an 18-year separation, searching for a place to raise children away from San Francisco streets.  Sitting under an almond tree journaling, I looked up to find a family walking together.  Because of spider-webbed door, the family had decided our chapel had been abandoned.  Not so!  Though we had searched for months to help others with little success, within a few days, an affordable home was found for this family.  The branch showed up in full force in the rain to help clean, move and welcome the family.  The father now presides over our beloved Crows Landing Spanish branch.  His young adult son accompanies the congregation (how appreciated are apt students!) 

Earlier last month, we learned that their house was being sold.  The family was in need of another.  No affordable homes available.  Fasting, prayers, inquiry on every side and (in Red Sea fashion--in the nick of time) friends in the Crows Landing 1st  ward (English speaking congregation) remembered this family and successfully referred them to their landlord as the First ward family relocated to accept a gymnast invitation for their daughter.  God is good.  Prayers are heard.  God honors effort, even when it may not appear to be our individual efforts that directly effect the final outcome. 

Saturday, we were blessed to attend our youngest Archuleta grandson’s baptism, 

hear his older brother and sister speak and witness and accompany a delightfully memorized hymn, “Choose the Right.”  Afterward, we walked through a life sized tabernacle 

 

presented with interfaith effort in preparation to receive two temples nearly completed in Layton and Syracuse, Utah. 

We are grateful for good fruits and good friends.

 Thank you once more, dear ones, 

for your efforts to gather and scatter sunshine in your lives and ours!

Love, Val and Laurene Starkey

1 comment:

  1. I love the letter! Keep it up so I know what's happening: )

    ReplyDelete