Something Extraordinary

I just read one of the best books I've read in a long time!"Summer of Light" by W. Dale Cramer. In fact it's on my list to buy. I'm not sure what drew me to this book at the library, except that it was on the shelf of LDS and Christian writers. I always know I can count on them to be clean fiction and I wanted a light, quick read, a page turner that hooked me from the first page. So I read a few pages, and was quite certain this book wasn't going to be my cup of tea, though I was struck by the honest writing style. But after starting the other four books I'd checked out, in frustration I started reading this one again. Then I got busy and thought I'd take them all back to the library.

Well, Ron works a lot of evenings and I get lonely, so I picked it up again. After a few chapters I realized I'd found a real gem! I'm impressed how this author wove his honest faith and down to earth wisdom into and around the humor that still has me smiling. It's a well written charming book, perfect for discussion at a book club! I'm not going to give any more away except to share a few quotes from the book:

"I believe every one of us was designed---in his mother's womb, before birth---to do something extraordinary. The trick if I may call it that, is in avoiding all the distractions, learning to hear and recognize the voice that guides you into your gift. God designed you and he had something in mind when he did."

"Yeah, well I wish he'd let me in on it."

"Oh, I expect he has. You just don't see it yet."

And, Barbara (just a little hint) you will love finding out what this mans gift is! It was described this way: ". . . my pictures were gut-wrenchingly real, starkly beautiful."

Ordinary People

I had the most extraordinary dream last night. It seemed to last for hours and in such great detail! Ron and I were visiting Aunt Mame’s house after it had been restored and opened to the public. It was so large, and we marveled at the changes. It was just filled with memorabilia and at the end of the tour you could buy copies to help offset the cost of the restoration.

The extraordinary thing about the dream, was that as the tour guide moved us from room to room she taught the values of hard work, honesty, etc. of the couple who had built the home. In the dream they began to blend with Ron’s other grandparents the Fairbourns and some of the rooms looked like their house. But, then the entire church was celebrating these people. In all the wards they were having anyone who was descended from them speak in church. I marveled because these people were not prophets or famous public servants, just good ordinary people. Ron, Krisiti, Brian, Julie and Becky as well as little Becky and Ammon all participated and they were each amazed that they would be asked to do this.

The amazing thing about the dream was the feelings that it left me with. This morning I still feel a sense of deep gratitude that my husband and children are descended from such a noble family! And, I am a little amazed that these people were being so honored not for some extraordinary large scale public achievement, but for simply being good!

I am reminded of Elder Packer’s last conference talk when he said that the common good people in the church are the same in the Lord’s eyes as the highest leaders! I need to read this talk again, because most of the time I feel so insignificant! I wish I could express the profound feelings of honor and respect these people and “our family” were receiving for simply being good honorable people!