Choice

Choice and freedom go together. We live in a great country where choice and freedom are considered basic rights. With choice comes accountability.

My daughter Anita, when she was just four years old was participating in a family meeting where I asked the question; "How long does it take to make a decision?", to which she answered: "A brain think". This is true, a decision only takes as long as it takes to decide.

Have you ever heard someone justifying a choice by saying, "It is my life, I can do what I want!", or "It is a free country".

April 20, 1999 I was at work at Martin Marietta just south of Denver. There was a buzz at work because there was something that transpired at the high school. Parents were concerned for their children. There were phone calls from students and family saying that there was a shooting at Columbine High. My home was just across Clement Park and Wadsworth Boulevard from the school. Two boys made a decision that they were going to enjoy killing people that had ostricised them. Commencing at about 11:30 the boys had placed bombs in the cafeteria set to explode during the first lunch hour. The boys carried an arsenal of weapons that included bombs and fire arms. 15 people died that day; more were injured and some were permanently disabled. I am glad that the boys were incompetent, but look at the damage they still inflicted.

The choice these boys made extended well beyond their own lives and their own families lives. The news media had views of Columbine High on the television while the young men were assailing the students and faculty in the school.

The choice of these boys came very close to home for me. I worked daily with two men that had children shot in the incident, one fatally, the other was paralyzed from the waist down. Several co-workers had children that were hidden in closets and other enclosed areas in the school during the incident.

Choices made by these boys affected the freedom of others and themselves and their families. I have made choices that have been good and I have made choices that have been bad. Our choices should be made with the understanding that our choices determine the road we take going forward.

There are a few things I am glad I have chosen to do. I served my church by spending two years in a foreign country at my expense. I went to school and earned a master's degree in engineering. I married a beautiful and wonderful woman that shares my values. I have seven children. I was free to have a family because of my choices. You too are free to choose.

I feel like Joshua of the old testament who said; "Choose ye this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord!

Morning or Night person?

For the last five years I have been teaching Early Morning Seminary for my church. I believe at first I had to change into a morning person. When the alarm goes off at 4:45 a.m. getting up early is a no duh. That means going to be early is a must. I am the kind of girl that needs those eight hours of sleep. So off to bed at 9 p.m., 9:30 at the latest.

Today as I was driving around running errands it occurred to me that the transformation has not really taken place as I thought it had. My evidence is: I am grumpy at bed time and grumpy at wake up time, I sometimes forget to say my prayers in the morning, I come home and need a nap at about 8:30, it takes a few hours somedays to get going on the days duties.

If I take that nap then I am ready to get going. But I usually wait until after I have eaten lunch. Then it seems I am go, go, go. The list is gotten to and I move along. My evenings are usually full of things to do and get done.

Morning or night person? I'm not sure anymore.

Almost Spring

I know it is a shock to some of you that Spring is almost here. I have evidence. The Ornamental Bradford Pear tree in our front yard has begun to bud out. Our only surviving apple tree has begun as well. See Spring is on it's way. The ground hog was right, six more weeks until spring. Enjoy the wait.

100 Years of Scouting

CONGRATULATIONS BSA

100 years of Scouting

I just want to say hurray! I am thankful for what I know about scouting and for what I believe it has done for the boys/men in my family. Hurray for scouting.

A book read

During the month of January I found a book to read. It was Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl. I have been aware of it for years and have heard people use lines from it. At my age I should have read it eons ago. It think it could/should be a to read for all High School students and those in the military. It was enlightening to me about people and their survivability in extreme conditions. I would never wish a concentration camp on any one. What a horrid situation. The insights of this author are magnificent. I found help and encouragement for me in my difficulties and I saw hope and help for those who are suffering in much more severe ways than me. I recommend this book to those interested in bettering themselves and learning to have more compassion for people who suffer much.

A Belated Major Award

While I was at work yesterday I received a phone call from D. Vandevelde and he told me that he had an award for me.  I was somewhat surprised to hear that he would have something for me.  I was even more surprised when I went to the lobby of building 7601 to meet him and get the award.

 

He handed me a folder and a little  case.  He told me, "This is a little old, but L. Edinburg wants you to have it.

 I opened the folder to find inside, not one, but two certificates with Tribute to Excellence awards.  One award from the Waco site, ....

 ... and one award from the L-3 IS group.  Too bad this was almost three years after the fact.  I wonder what could have happened to shake this out of the cobwebs at work.

 The coin is interesting.  

I would like to have been recognized back when this was awarded.