A vivid imagination

As long as I can remember my mind has always been out there on the brink of the edge in thought and sometimes in action. I am a prankster to a certain extreme and a storyteller to the consternation of many….but my children loved the weaving of tales as youngsters. Many a bedtime was spent in magical kingdoms and bounding over the western prairie.

You see with a daughter and a son I made sure that I told stories that intrigued them as well as interested their individual character. So, is this a gene pool mystery? (I remember vividly the story of “The Bear Went Over The Mountain” that my dad would read to me at bedtime.) Or is it a God given talent to recite prose spontaneously? My wish is that I had at least recorded some of these stories…I have tried to write down at least the main characters for future tales and possibly children’s books (short story series). I pray that the river of thought never dries. That I will be able to tell a tale or two till I pass from this earth. I have grandkids that enjoy being with ”Papa’. Better not waste any time or thought. Once upon a time….

What are your favorite story telling times? Remember the sound of your parents telling you a bedtime story? Your time to reflect

A glimpse was all it took….

I can still remember the first time that I saw my wife’s face. I was rounding the corner inside the southwest corner of the 13^th street church building. It was Stake conference and Pennie was helping her mom with the junior primary kids(when we still did that). I remember thinking how cute and then a flash of she must be married and then went on my way.
The next glimpse was at a stake dance and I made sure I had a dance with her…we danced to Color My World by Chicago, how prophetic…because from then on she has brought a rainbow of changes to my life. She was very, and still is, very instrumental in helping me becoming active in church after many years of inactivity. There was reason and purpose I had never had before….we dated, and saw each other (we both worked downtown and we car pooled) every day for the next year and a half. I finally asked her to marry me and she said…NO! What? She needed some time and space, so she moved to Logan, Utah and I stayed here…started preparing for a mission( I was 27 at the time)..lot of work and I stayed in touch with Pennie. I had prayed for an answer as to what to do next…go on a mission or ask Pennie to marry me one more time. I asked her and she said yes this time….and the saga began.

A glimpse was all it took for me to know happiness… and joy. Joy, such a small word for all it encompasses….but that will be another point of reflection in the future.

Ever had a glimpse into your future you want to share?

What are you reading? Kindle or pages?

So, I see the fascination with the Kindle or any digital book reading device…but I really worry about where we are headed in reading.

What about the sheer joy of going to your school library, or downtown, and seeing the mass of books and thinking where do I start. The first time you pick out a classic and feel the heft of the volume…wondering what it took to conjure this story of a Great White Whale… or where and when will we conquer space and Go From The Earth to the Moon….Authors that make us appreciate the turning of a page…not scrolling down.

And what of all the light in the face…don’t we get enough of that from TV…so pick up a book, put the Kindle away and support many people at the same time.

Take them into consideration…the artist and designers that come up with compelling covers and illustrations to help your imagination come to life. And all the librarians in the world…what will happen to them? And the book publishers and promoters and… you get the picture.

I love reading…the thought of being able to download hundreds of books into one device is a compelling thought. To pack all that literature in a small package that you can take anywhere, without breaking the back. Sit and scroll.

So, what do you say? The book or the digital device…which way do you turn, or scroll for that matter?

Serving our nation...and the world

This is on my mind constantly, what with my oldest son having just joined the US ARMY. I am humbled by his choice. Is it any easy one? Is it a difficult one? The answer to that has been manifest thousands of time over, ever since the first soldiers were called to serve in the Revolutionary War. Why did they step forward? To preserve their nations freedoms. A choice not to be taken lightly. But one to be applauded. Are their different reasons to serve? As there are different men and women that serve, yes. But the underlying truth in all their decisions is that they are willing to serve in what ever capacity is needed.
Now, in my day we had the draft. We waited to be called. I remember watching the TV in the ‘60’s waiting to see if my number was drawn. Lo and behold it was drawn...the last of the numbers at that time. I received my “Congratulations” letter and went and joined the USAF the next day. I made my choice then and served to the best of my ability for the next 4 years. It was basically at the end of the Viet Nam era, so most was a peacetime service.
The Eppersons and extended family have been serving our country for some time now. My father, father-in-law and many uncles and aunts served in WWII. I have many in laws, son-in-law, and cousins that have served from the Korean conflict to now in Afghanistan. 2 nephews, and at least one cousin now serve. And many friends. Friends have that lost loved ones.
I have letters from an ancestor that served in the Union army during the Civil War. I always thought that name ironic, because war is anything but civil. He talks through the letter about his experience in a prison camp, his love for his wife and family and concerns for them. Not once does he mention any regrets, only concerns.
I have often wondered what it was like for my own father as he sloshed through the jungles of the Pacific. Was he scared, did he lose any buddies, what he was thinking about back home. What were his dreams at that time as he sat huddled in a foxhole thousands of miles from home. Did he think of his mom...that I know at least. He turned down a Purple Heart as to make sure she did not know he was wounded. What about those that serve from my family now? Do they dream of being home with their loved ones...sure. So why do they do it?
The answer is different for all. What we need to be aware of is that they are willing to go forth to make sure ours, and the world freedoms are not tread on. Be proud. Be careful in what you say about their choice. And be grateful they are there.
Proud of my son, family and friends? Yes. So grateful for the honor they bestow upon me and the world. To them I will always salute.

Snow in Wichita, the cold and memories

Well we finally have some snow worth talking about…time to sled, and build snow forts and throw snowballs….

Big snow and cold in Wichita has always been fun. From sledding down the “original” Wichita hill at the now Indian Center site or ice skating at the frozen over “pond’ at the flooded parking lot at West Riverside Athletic Fields. To dad towing us behind the car on sleds…we lived through that….to building gigantic snowmen, having neighborhood snowball fights and just making snow angels in the front lawn of the house.

Now we have the hill near The Palace…what a blast that has been for my kids and hopefully grand kids soon…this video is of a young Spencer and friend Mike enjoying the hill at the Palace..

Now I can say that I did enjoy my winter times in NY and all the sledding and ice skating there…teenage years and a lot of Youth snow parties.. .fun times,,,cracking the whip was a blast on the ponds in the parks (cold enough to skate on ponds there).

Make your own snow memories and share some with me….enjoy the snow!

Children's first steps

Today I witnessed for the first time Lexie, on of my grand daughters, walk. And quite a walk it was...pretty fast and lasted for awhile. Of course she has 2 big brothers and needs to keep up...but to see this tiny little girl, so much on her own, makes me realize how fast our progression is on earth. Wasn't it just the other day her dad was taking his first step...those steps that propel us on a journey that will last an eternity. Try and remember what it was like for you at that time. If your parents are able, ask them to help you remember. Put yourself in your childrens steps and think of how much they depend on your guidance, balance and knowledge. Make their first steps memorable and in doing so you will see just how far those steps will take them. Their first ones will leave a footprint on your heart.

The Fallen Tree

In 1975 I was stationed at Ramstein AFB in Germany. I occupied a space in the NCO barracks with a friend named Rusty. We had many adventures, but the one I will share was a telling one of how darkness can obscure the obvious.

Rusty, Matthews and I always took a path from our barracks to a Chinese restaurant and the theatre on the other side of the base. We traveled this path at blazing speed at many different times of the day. This time was to be different. As we headed for a night out, we ran helter skelter down the path in the dark of night. This was a path surrounded by tall pines, with very little light from street lights or the moon. I was in the lead, Rusty just behind and Matthews pretty close to him. As I hit the middle of the path, I was knocked for a loop by a tree that had fallen across the path sometime that day. I did my best to yell to the other guys and warn them, but the next thing I knew they had both hit the tree and landed right on top of me...how many times we had run that path and never an obstacle in our way...just a simple act had made the difference...well we picked our selves up, banged up a little, dusted our selves off and went on our way. Did we give it another thought to warn others of impending injury...not then? How many times do we go through life, just walking the same old path, not paying attention to what can loom in the darkness. When those pitfalls are placed before us, to we blindly fall over, injure ourselves...spiritually and physically...do we strive to pay attention to the promptings of not just relying on what is always in our path, but to be aware of what can fall in our paths. Beware of your fallen trees....you will never know when they might trip you up.