Center Pieces

 

“Abiding in Christ isn’t an occasional, casual act. It’s a constant, conscious and sacred choice. It is allowing His holy teachings to abide in us, elevating our thoughts and governing our words in every setting, purifying and consecrating our actions unto Him.” – Elder Ulisses Soares

"To the Savior, we’re never lost in the crowd. He knows how to reach us — through a hymn, a smile, a kind word, and sometimes through people we least expect. – Elder Clement M. Matswagothata

“Discipleship was never meant to be a comfortable circle of familiar friends focused on their own interests. Rather, our congregations are a beautiful mosaic — enriched by diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences.” – Elder Gérald Caussé

“I wonder what it’s like for a loving Heavenly Father to send His most precious belongings, His children, away from their heavenly home, knowing they must pass through challenges of mortality. I suppose His comfort is knowing they do not travel alone.” – Elder Gary E. Stevenson

Five Chains

 

Last night we watched the crew of the Artemis II return to earth after eleven days in space. It was a lot like watching paint dry, which is exactly how I remember the Apollo moon missions some 50 or 60 years ago. That’s kind of how NASA rolls. If absolutely nothing has happened for two hours or more, things are going well. If things go badly, they go badly pretty fast. Just like with the Apollo missions, I’m obsessing about the onboard menu. Only this time, it isn’t Tang and Space Food Sticks. The crew of the Artemis II enjoyed BBQ beef brisket, mac & cheese, and broccoli au gratin. Because stored water still tastes stale, they had several add-water-and-stir beverage options. They ate lots of tortillas, because other breads leave crumbs floating around. The crew tasted and approved all the dishes before they left, which is probably another big improvement over the Apollo fare.

Gold Star

 

Odd facts to keep you up at night:

In spite of its name, the strawberry isn’t a true berry. Neither is the raspberry or blackberry. On the other hand, the banana is scientifically a berry. So are oranges, eggplants and grapes.

The moon is slowly moving away from the earth, at just under four centimeters per year. Coincidentally, that’s roughly how fast your fingernails grow.

Froot Loops come in different colors, but only one flavor. It’s a combination of orange, lemon, cherry, raspberry, apple, blueberry and lime that’s called tutti frutti (meaning all fruits). If they taste different to you, your eyes are fooling your tongue.

Flamingo legs look like their knees are bending backwards. But what look like knees to us are actually their ankles. Flamingos’ knees are tucked up under their bellies.

Octopuses have three hearts. One heart circulates blood around the body, while the other two pump it past the gills, to pick up oxygen.

Pink Bunny

 

Chances are, somewhere on your car’s dashboard, there’s a little icon that looks like a gas pump with an arrow. The arrow either points to the right or the left, showing which side of your car should be nearest the gas pump when you go to refill your tank. The guy you should thank for this: James Moylan. James was an engineer working for Ford Motor Company in the 80’s. He came up with the idea after a frustrating experience at a gas station. He realized lots of people – especially those in borrowed or rented vehicles – have to guess which side the gas cap is on when they pull up to the station. If they guess wrong, they inconvenience everyone to reposition. The 1989 Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer were among the first cars to feature the helpful little icon. Today, gas tank indicators are standard in nearly every new car worldwide.

Snail's Trail

 

In 1846, an explorer collected a desert snail in Egypt and sent it back to London for the museum's collection. Presumed to be just an empty shell, it was mounted on a piece of cardboard for exhibition. It sat there, apparently lifeless, until 1850. One day, a curator named William Baird noticed something odd. There was a bit of moisture on the cardboard near the snail's shell, suggesting it might not be dead after all. Baird carefully removed the snail from the card and placed it in a bowl with a little warm water. To the astonishment of the museum staff, the snail slowly emerged from its shell. It had survived the entire time without food or water in a state of deep torpor. The snail was given a new home in a glass jar and became a minor celebrity. It lived for another two years on a diet of fresh cabbage leaves.

Thirty-Five ABC Blocks

 

Our daffodils bloomed early this year. They were lovely in late February, but they’re long gone now. The tulips we bought three years ago have been fruitful and multiplied, and they’re putting on a really impressive show. That’s surprising, because I know squirrels LOVE to munch on tulip bulbs, and we have so many hungry squirrels. The tulips may have survived because we planted them side by side with flowers the squirrels don’t like. Daffodils have lycorine, a toxin that squirrels tend to avoid. Allium – those tall flowers that look like balls on sticks – aren’t toxic, but they have a bitter taste and pungent aroma that squirrels dislike. Other flowers that drive away squirrels are hyacinth, anemone, Dutch iris, star of Bethlehem, lily of the valley, winter aconite, grape hyacinth, snowdrop, Siberian squill, glory-of-the-snow and fritillaria. I'm told onion and garlic will keep the squirrels away, too. It's worth trying.

A New Turning Point

 

“In moments of pain, loneliness, or confusion, we know that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son are aware of our circumstances and that They yearn to bless us.” – President Henry B. Eyring

"From the beginning of time God has taught his children to put him first in their lives. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of how to put God first in our lives.” – Elder Jorge T. Becerra 

“In a spiritual context, enduring is far more than merely persevering tenaciously to complete demanding duties or challenges.” – Elder David A. Bednar

“When we minister, we are helping to answer each other’s prayers. We are the Savior’s hands.” – Kristin M. Yee

"It isn't really where we serve, but how, that matters to the Lord. He needs you, and He needs me. Life is better, everything is better, when we are about His business.” – Elder Patrick Kearon