church callings and other ramblings...
Shawn's dad was called to be bishop of his ward today. I wasn't going to tell Chance why we were going to grandma and grandpa's ward, so I just told him we were going because something special was going to happen to Papa Bryan. "So, he's going to be the new bishop?" Chance replies. "Uh...yes," I respond, "but don't tell anyone." So during the entire first part of sacrament meeting, Chance is continually asking me, "Is grandpa bishop yet? When is he going to be bishop?" I'm hoping no one around us can hear him, as Chance lacks the physical ability to whisper! Finally, Bryan is sustained as bishop. Chance leans over to tell me, "from now on, I'm going to give my tithing to Grandpa Bryan instead of our bishop." Then he asks, "how do I become a bishop?" It's crazy the questions I have to try to answer for this kid! In family home evening we were talking about apostles, and Chance asks, "how do I become an apostle?" Seriously, how do you answer a question like that? We just told him to keep being a good kid. He is so funny.

I can't imagine being called to the bishopric. Of course, I will never have that opportunity, but the weight of the ward on my shoulders would be something I don't think I could handle! When the bishop was released, he bore his testimony and mentioned that as he was released, he felt, physically, as if a vest or coat was lifted from his body. Bryan now has that weight, or coat, put upon his shoulders, but I know he will do the best job he possibly can. Right now I am serving as a teacher in the Relief Society. It is very, what's the word...humbling. I enjoy the call because I have learned a lot, but I always feel most comfortable hiding behind the piano! Oh well.

My friend Lori's dad passed away this last Wednesday. He died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack. He was the coach for Bonneville High School's football team for over 30 years, so Friday night they had a game at Bonneville in honor of him. We went to the football game and it was a lot of fun! It was so neat the way they remembered Coach Budge - after half-time all of the fans watching the game who had ever played football for Coach Budge went out to the field to welcome the team back to the field. Shawn and his brothers went out on the field, along with a bunch of other guys. Just last week at Chance's football game, Shawn was reminiscing with Coach Budge about some of his plays/interceptions that he had while playing for Bonneville. It's hard to believe the number of lives this man touched. I was reading the blog comments in response to an article about Coach Budge on ksl.com, and not one person who commented had a bad thing to say about him. I've read a lot of blogs where comments have been ruthless - mean comments have been made about people who have died. This was not the case with the article about Coach Budge, and it was quite touching.

Coach Budge's death, in close proximity with the unexpected death of another friend's father, has me thinking about being prepared for the day when I will leave this earth. I only hope that I will be as prepared as these two great men were, because I do not believe they had an indication that their lives would be cut short. I am going to rededicate myself to making an effort to living each day to its fullest, and serving others, including, most importantly, my family. After all, that is what life is about.