A poem I wrote in 1989

1989

Unfulfilled Aspirations
December 28, 1989

Unfulfilled aspirations,
Trial runs and desperations;
Failed dreams and plastic love,
Is what my soul is sickened of.

It's time for love, and loyalty,
It's time for one to settle down;
A patient confidante for me,
And I will give her all I own.

Umbigoelefante

That's Portuguese for "elephant navel."

My You Tube site.

LDS Church News

Cool site.

My desire to unleash

Why Mormons Build Temples

Facebook

Yeah, I have a Facebook account. I got it a few weeks ago. At first I was on it a lot, but then it just got overwhelming. So many strands and offshoots. Interesting, but took up so much of my time. I'm probably going to let it alone.

But I am gonna stick with this blog.

And I may fiddle a bit with my You Tube account.

Toodles!

Elder Bednar visits Portugal

One of my dear friends in Portugal, Sandra Ribeiro, and her husband Ed (who is currently serving as the stake president in Coimbra, Portugal) just had the opportunity to spend time with Elder Bednar over several days as he visited the Church in Portugal.

Following are her words, which I think you will find edifying:

Dear Friends and Brothers,

I am too happy and need to share what is in my heart.

After a weekend enjoying the presence of Elder Bednar it is impossible that such a thing did not change our lives.

I am so happy that all I want to do is cry, mixed with happiness and sadness for his visit being so short.

Whenever I recall his words I feel the Spirit confirming that he is a true Apostle of the Lord, and how blessed we are for living in these days in which we can have the Lord's words inspiring us and giving us the strength that we need each day of our lives.

I feel now, more than ever, the great responsibility that we have as members of the true Church, to share our message of truth with everyone, and to be our best in everything. We are children of a marvelous God.

These are my feelings, and surely each of you felt the presence of Elder Bednar in a personal way, and I needed to share this with you.

Thank you for being my brothers and sisters in Christ, and may we remember this always and do what we can to merit the wonderful act of the love of our Savior who gave His life for each of us.


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(her original letter)

Queridos Amigos e Irmãos

Estou demasiado feliz e preciso partilhar o que vai dentro do meu coração.

Depois de um fim-de-semana a desfrutar da presença do Elder Bednar é impossível algo não mudar na nossa vida.

Estou tão feliz que só me apetece chorar, misto de felicidade e tristeza por ter sido tão pouco tempo.

Sempre que relembro as suas palavras eu sinto o Espírito confirmar que ele é um verdadeiro Apóstolo do Senhor, e como somos tão abençoados por viver nestes dias em que podemos ter suas palavras inspirar-nos e dar-nos o alento que necessitamos para cada dia de nossa vida.

Sinto agora, mais do que nunca, a grande resposabilidade que temos como membros da Igreja verdadeira, partilhar a menssagem da verdade com todos, e sermos os melhores em tudo, somos filhos de um Deus maravilhoso.

Estes são os meus sentimentos, e comcerteza cada um de vocês sentiu a presença do Elder Bednar de forma particular, e isto precisava de partilhar com vocês.

Obrigado por serem meus irmãos em Cristo, e possamos sempre lembrar disso e fazer por merecer o acto maravilhoso de amor de nosso Salvador ao dar Sua vida por cada um de nós.

I lost a friend

Sides declared, darts were thrown,
and now each one is left alone.

I am sad, my friend, that you took offense when I explained my beliefs. Why did you pry them out of me and then attack? I let you have your beliefs.

But you were right about my not loving enough, and Christ-like enough. I want to; but loving unconditionally has always been a challenge.

I wish I could talk with you, but I am afraid you would attack me again. Perhaps if you read this blog you will realize that I mean no harm, and we could reconcile, and this stone in my chest would dissolve.

Quem é?

Quem é aquela pessoa da Vila Nova da Gaia que lê o meu blog semanalmente? Que ela se anuncie! (Manda-me um e-mail: elephantnavel@gmail.com).

Dolores Malaschak

2/5/09:

I found an interesting little book (only 70 pages) of poems at D.I. last week, entitled Run In The Morning, by poetess Dolores Malaschak of Cahokia, Illinois, and published in 1968. Interestingly, the inside cover has her name and address written in it. I am pretty sure this was her own copy of the book! I found many of the poems intriguing, and powerful in their images. Here are a couple (perhaps I was meant to find this book):

"A Time for Growing Up"

The iron of protocol stamped atoms of being
in that cataclysmic time
when worlds as I had known them
burst into shredded thought
with every tatter caught
on leopard winds
and dragged through fiery catalysts
where childhood liberties
were pegged and spun and purged
and pulled to neatly narrow lines.


"Ides of March"

March morning
electric with promise
calls the jonquil eastward
strokes the mockingbird throat
and spills a nectarine flavor
through greening pavilions.

Furrowed fields
squirm with worms uprooted,
while sheet and blanket sails
fill with a southerly wind
as hope galleons forward
to quicksilver summer seas.


"Scavengers"

Men gather like vultures
at the imminent demise of reputation,
their black words flapping
above the remains,
their sharp innuendoes
tearing away the breath
of explanation.
Unhappily,
talons may slip, leaving
jagged outlines on a brother,
and, vulture-like,
men turn on their own
their black words flapping
in ever tightening circles,
for food is food
and vultures will be fed.


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I like these poems.

Has anyone heard of Dolores Malaschak?


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2/7/09:

Dear D. Deles,

What a wonderful coincidence! I am tickled that you knew her. Do you have any pictures of her? Any other poems you could send me?

And why on earth would her book be found in a thrift store in West Jordan, Utah? How did it get here? If you feel comfortable e-mailing me, it's elephantnavel@gmail.com.

Three Amusing Videos

Disco Couple




Break Dancin'




Olympic Hopefuls

ABC News report on Mormons

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6616644

Still water

I don’t think I want my river to have too much still water. It leads to complacency, and lack of trust in Heavenly Father.

I am excited to see where the river leads. Trust, brother of Jared. Throw it out to sea, Nephi. A promised land awaits.

Jim Ruesch

One of my buddies died recently. Here is his obituary:

"James Jerold Ruesch 'Gifted Teacher'

James Jerold Ruesch, age 46, passed away Jan. 11, 2009, at his home in South Jordan, Utah, after an eight year battle with brain cancer. He accepted this trial with strength and grace and was an example to all who knew him. He was born March 12, 1962, in Flagstaff, AZ, to Burdell and Verla Ruesch. He married Marne' Cazier on Sept. 14, 1984 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.

He taught history for 16 years at West Jordan Middle School and was Assistant Principal at Eastmont Middle School for the last six years. He was a faithful member of the LDS Church and served a mission to Portland, OR, and served in many callings. Teaching the gospel was his passion.

He is survived by his parents, his loving wife, Marne', children: Daniel (Jessica), Nicole, Ciara, and Madison. Also by three brothers and four sisters. Preceded in death by his brother Doug. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Jan. 17, at 12 Noon in the South Jordan Parkway Stake Center, 9894 S. 2700 W., where friends may call Friday 6-9 p.m. and Saturday from 10:30-11:45 a.m. Interment in the South Jordan Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family will welcome contributions to help with medical and burial expenses."

Attending his funeral destroyed me. I sobbed when his casket was wheeled into the chapel, and I saw his family, including his wife and 10-year-old daughter, entering behind.

He and I had a few interesting things in common:

• Our entire teaching careers were spent at West Jordan Middle School
• We both acquired our administrative degrees through BYU's Leadership Preparation Program
• Our entire administrative careers spent at Eastmont Middle School (for me so far)
• Our fathers worked together in food services in the 1960's

Even though I saw his body (not him -- his body), I can still barely believe that he is dead. But for me he is not dead; rather, only without a body. I know that I will have a chance to see him again, and that is merely a time of separation. I am also somewhat jealous of him. I can't wait to see/experience the other side.

I will miss playing basketball with Jim. He's a stud.

New everything

New home. New ward. New job. New everything.

The white water of our river should soon be calming.

Homosexuality

I am suprised by the way gay supporters have treated my religion (LDS, Mormon) regarding the Proposition 8 debate. We have been singled out and ripped on because of our stance on marriage. Unfair!

I personally disagree with the practice of homosexuality, because of the negative psychological and social repercussions such a practice promulgates.

For milennia, marriage has been a legal and/or religious tenet to channel sexual practice and thus maintain social order. Over the last 25 years, however, that tenet has been challenged with the ever more prevalent promotion of homosexuality.

Homosexuality encourages two individuals to engage in practices that their bodies are not intended to do. It is contrary to nature.

It is deleterious to our very civilization because it prohibits the reproduction of our race; it confounds gender identity; it spreads disease, and is closely linked to the spread of the HIV virus; and yet our society has recently come around to deeming it as an acceptable practice.

I recognize that some are born with homosexual tendencies, just as others are born with other tendencies. But not all tendencies are to be succumbed to; rather, they are to be combatted against, because we recognize that giving in to such impulses will bring nothing but destruction to self and others. The same could be said of those who have tendencies to rape, kill, steal, etc. Just because you have an urge to do something doesn't mean you should.

If homosexuality gains nation-wide or global legal acceptance, it is taking us one step closer to legalizing marriages of adults with children, and adults with animals, because the reasoning would be the same: if both parties are consenting, and profess love to each other, who's to stop them? Such a mentality would be a wide-open door for pedophiles, bestiality, and any other sexual practices.

And that's bad.

My 112th Post

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I went to a carwash place today, called the Gator Wash. They run a good business. Friendly. Excellent product. Willing to work for your business. They got mine.

Rehabbing the knee.

Still living in the in-laws' basement, all five of us in one room. We go to bed in phases.

Silence can be death; silence can be heaven.

For the most part, cell phones are totally ridiculous. Electronic leashes. For me it's nice to get away when I'm away. Cell phones don't allow that. I can only see a reason for them if you're stranded somewhere.

I rush too much.

Our new home in Daybreak will reportedly be done before Christmas. That would be awesome.

Space.

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Lots of new

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New ward.

New job.

New living conditions (all 5 of us in one room in my parents-in-laws' basement).

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New blog entry

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I know that some of you have a program on your computer that will signal you if someone you're watching, like me, has posted a new blog entry.

So here's one.

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The right family

For the past few months Karin has often prayed that the right family for this home and our ward/neighborhood would purchase our home. This evening Karin and I met the buyers, because they wanted to show their home to their relatives. The things they have in common with us are uncanny. They are LDS; he speaks Portuguese (mission to Brazil); they have one daughter, and the wife is expecting their second child, just as Karin and I were six years ago when we bought this home; he is an 8th grade English teacher (in fact, he taught Karin’s half brother Jordan); and he is currently attending BYU, getting his master’s degree in education administration.
I think we’ve found the right family.