the discontented pumpkin story, etc--ambivalent me

I need to do some follow-up.  Thanksgiving was spent at Angie and Mike's--everyone bringing dinner to her house.  All were there for dinner except Casey and Lena and John Atencio.  Casey and Helen came later to have pie with us.  I decided to tell the 1st thanksgiving story to the grandkids and then came across a story in my A Story to Tell book about a discontented pumpkin.  A cute little story and I had 2 pumpkins sitting on my porch that hadn't been made into pumpkin pie yet.  So I painted some faces on them and took them to Angie's too.  The story goes:   2 pumpkins riding along in farmer Jones cart as he is taking them to market to be sold for pie pumpkins.  The 1 pumpkin is very large and a fine specimen of a pumpkin--he thinks he deserves much more--to be taken to the county fair and be displayed with a blue ribbon.  The other smaller one is happy enough to be made into pumpkin pie.  As they go along the big one decides he won't go to market and trys to find a way to get away.  He rolls him self to the bottom of the pile so he can make an exit when they stop.  But the cart just then hits a hole that bounces the whole cart and the big pumpkin is thrown from the cart and smashed on the ground.  The end for the discontented pumpkin.  The moral:  be content with what role life hands you.  The dropping of the pumpkin off the deck was a last minute inspiration that everyone loved--a new tradition I think. 

                                     the remains of the discontented pumpkin from Thanksgiving 2012

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Maybe that story had the most meaning for me--helping me to get over my discontent with life the last while.  The looming retirement, the election, and just whatever has left me in the duldrums.  My health has been a reflection of my attitude with more arthritis in my knee and shoulder.  I know old age.  But I do need to get a grip and be happy.  I decided that doing some dreaming about updating the house would help so that set me on the quest to look at home furnishings and other ideas of fixing up the home.  Days were spent in front of the computer just looking at ideas, and then stops at furniture stores when I was driving by.  Of course that led to being more discontent in a way--but it did get me excited about improving the situation and seeing what could be.  That process finally led to purchasing a new sectional for the family room.  Maybe it will get here before Christmas.  And it has lifted my spirits a lot.  I'm more excited about life and its possibilities.  Buying anything new goes against the grain in a lot of ways.  I was raised by parents that through necessity had very few new things.  Our house was comprised of older furniture. When people tell me how they love antiques--I just say no way. 

the perfectly good red couch, that will now be replaced

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Another way to look at this is how the temples are furnished.  Beautiful places that when you go in you are inspired.  I guess I want to make my home a more beautiful place.  Creating beauty outside and inside--our temple.  So I am on a quest to do that.  I am painting works of art that can beautify a home and lift the spirit.  Maybe if I can walk into a room and be edified by the surroundings--that is what I am after. A little of what I felt when I walked into the Celestial Room of the Bountiful Temple--so uplifted. More refinement--how would God's home look and feel--surrounded by beauty in music, art, books, and learning.  I can improve in that and seek to refine myself more.   We had a dinner a couple of weeks ago at our Stake Presidents home.  The Stake President's wife had hosted a dinner for our new ward Bishopric (which Doug is now 1st coun.) in way of getting to know us and us them (the stake presidency and wives).  Sis Tate's home is a reflection of her--clean, orderly, simple beauty, peaceful--a lot to be admired.  It was good for me to see how I could change for the better and not just settle for comfortable.  God is always about expansion--nudging us upward to improve--so we can be comfortable in his presence.  And even when life beats us down, there are things we can do to keep that perspective--to seek the higher goals.  And I guess if a new piece of furniture can get me doing that it was well worth the price--to get me out of my complacency in accepting the status quo.  So the discontented pumpkin wasn't far off after all.  There is a place for wanting to improve ourselves, our surroundings and our lives.  What are your thoughts on this?


Doug, Sean, Me and the dogs took a trip out to the west desert on Black Friday--it was an exceptionally beautiful sunny day.  We just roamed the desert, letting the dogs run and enjoyed looking at the rugged beauty of the desert.  I am always at home here and loved looking at the plants, rocks, soil and the scenery--can see so far--ate a little lunch and then headed back home.  Felt all contented for being there in nature.  The simple things in life.