The Joys

Ahhh..... The joys of being Gammie

And the joys of being Potts!

What can I say?

Ouch!

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For the first four days after hyper-extending my knee at our family volleyball game my left knee puffed up about twice the size of my right, and most days since Memorial Day I've had difficulty with it. Intense pain some days, not so bad others. I have waited to see the doctor hoping that it would just fix on its own. I've iced it and babied it, but it didn't seem to be getting much better AND I leave for tour in less than a week.

Two days ago, I had a VERY bad day and finally gave in. Thought I'd better find out what in the world was going on before next week. Dr. Bourne said he was 90% sure (without doing an MRI) I had torn the medial meniscus. If it is torn on the outside edge where there is a blood supply, there is a chance it could scar over on its own.  If in 3 weeks, the swelling hasn't gone away, then I will have to have the MRI and surgery.

As far as tour goes, he suggested I take an ice pack, ibuprofen, and a good book. I might want to forgo most of the sight-seeing. (There isn't a time for much of that anyway.)

Funny thing is - It hasn't hurt half as much since the visit. I don't think it wants to see THE KNIFE. :o)

Of More Value

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In less than a week, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square will embark on an East Coast Tour performing in Virginia, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, New York, and up into Toronto Canada.  Seven performances in just eight days.

A story was shared at our pre-tour meeting on Sunday:

Widowed Anna and her two boys lived in Trondheim, Norway. She maintained her independence by living in a rented apartment, where she eked out a living as a seamstress. 

One day when her son, John’s, repaired shoes were delivered from the shoemaker, Anna found a Latter-day Saint missionary tract tucked inside each shoe. The tracts sparked her curiosity, and when another pair of shoes needed repairing, she took them to the shoemaker herself to find out the meaning of the tracts. After finishing her business with the shoemaker’s wife, Anna was told that the shoemaker would explain what the tracts meant.

“You may be surprised to hear me say that I can give you something of more value than soles for your child’s shoes,” the shoemaker boldly declared to Anna.

She was perplexed and told the man that he spoke in riddles. But he pleaded with her to listen and said that he could teach her about the Lord’s true plan of salvation for His children.

Anna couldn’t forget her conversation with the humble, courageous shoemaker. And as other tracts came from the shoemaker, she struggled mightily... But after attending meetings with the missionaries and other Saints over the next two years, she accepted the gospel and was baptized.

We have something of far more value than the songs we sing. We have more than just the opportunity to perform beautiful music, we can help those who listen feel the Spirit of the Lord and thus the Spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. People will be watching us to see what the Church is all about. We can calm fears, cheer hearts, and prepare people to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

It is an amazing opportunity!

At War!

The magpies and me --- We're AT WAR!

This morning they pulled the seedlings out of my vegetable garden and had the audacity to just leave them lying there. And this was the SECOND time I have planted!

AND they stole my not-quite-ripe strawberries!!

AND they dug a hole in my bag of charcoal and strewed them all over the patio!!!

AND they stripped my first trampoline of its threads and left the springs dangling!!!!

AND they tease my dog!!!!!

AND they leave their messes on my patio furniture!!!!!!

AND they sit outside our bedroom window LAUGHING at me!!!!!!!

Randy suggested I kill one and leave it hanging there for all the others to see.

Me? I just strung CD's in the yard to glisten in the sun and hopefully intimidate them.

Do you think that will keep them away?

Today, He Shook My Hand

• He is called of God.
• He is the only man on earth who speaks for the Lord.
• His words are as vital to us in our day, as Moses' and Noah's were in theirs.
• He will never lead me astray.
• I have held my right arm to the square and sustained him as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator.

And this morning, he shook my hand.

After our Mormon Tabernacle Choir pre-tour meeting, I made my way down the stairs to retrieve my violin, turned the corner, and there President Thomas S. Monson was... shaking the hand of each and every musician and choir member as they walked by.

I have been hoping for this for a long time.