Life Insurance
Dear Family and Friends,
Welcome to this week's "Thoughtlet."
These words are my personal diary and a weekly review of ideas,
beliefs, thoughts, or words that will hopefully be of some
benefit to you: my children, my family, and my friends.
"On November 20th I outlined the 12 thoughtlets I was behind in writing (../0547.html). The good news is that as I start writing this thoughtlet I only have one more and I will have all 12 of those thoughtlets written. The bad news is I'm still 12 thoughtlets behind, counting the two that have yet to happen. And the really bad news is my note taking has not been so good over the last 10 weeks. Oh well! Maybe they will be shorter because I don't have the notes to fill up my diary. See there is always a positive side to everything. Sometimes we just need to look a little bit to find the pony in the pile. Anyway, as a view into the future of what will be written, the following are upcoming themes:
Monday, the 23rd of January, was Andrea's birthday. We didn't have a surprise party this year (../0504.html), and as near as I can recall she still had a good day. Even when I told her that Jay Leno says the 23rd of December is the most miserable day of the year for most Americans (they start to get Christmas bills, and the weather outside is cold), she just responded, `That's why I was born on this day, to bring happiness to the world.'
There was a surprise at work. There was material passed around that said the company is now providing life insurance for all salaried employees. The life insurance is two times the annual salary plus $2,000. up to a maximum of $200,000. I have had a $300,000. life insurance policy for years through the AAPG. And it was a nice surprise to learn that Geokinetics is now providing this at no cost to employees. Not that I plan on dying, but it is a nice security blanket for Andrea. Of course, it brings up issues I need to resolve. I have never rewritten my will from when Ed Roger's assistant worked it out for Marti and myself. I did go through and cross out Marti's name, replace it with Andrea, and initial each change before Andrea and I went to Nigeria (../0237.html). Andrea and I have intended to get Chris Schmidt to put together a will for each of us, and we haven't done it because of cash flow and no significant assets. One of the additions that will be put in a new will is that any cash disbursements, like from a Life Insurance policy, will first go to Andrea, and if she dies at the same time, will be divided equally among the 10 of you. So assuming $200,000., and dividing this by 10, it gives each of you an inheritance of $20,000., which is hopefully not enough for you to want to knock Andrea and me off. (Just kidding!)
Of course, I still have my big plans, like John Benard's well (../0536.html), Chris Singfield's Full Spectral Imaging (../0526.html), Red Cove (0604.html), An Open Mind (../0544.html), commissions on business GDC does with China (../0416.html), etc. And any one of them could generate significant amounts of cash, which will need to be addressed when we get Chris to write our wills.
As I think each of you know, inheritance is a big issue for me. I have seen families torn apart because they are playing fixed-pie games (../0341.html) about who gets what. To give another perspective, let me quote from the first chapter of Henry Thoreau's 1854 "Walden":
<![CDATA[`I see young men, my townsmen, whose misfortune it is to have
inherited farms, houses, barns, cattle, and farming tools;
for these are more easily acquired than got rid of. Better if
they had been born in the open pasture and suckled by a wolf,
that they might have seen with clearer eyes what field they
were called to labor in. Who made them serfs of the soil?
Why should they eat their sixty acres, when man is condemned
to eat only his peck of dirt? Why should they begin digging
their graves as soon as they are born? They have got to live a
man's life, pushing all these things before them, and get on
as well as they can. How many a poor immortal soul have I met
well-nigh crushed and smothered under its load, creeping down
the road of life, pushing before it a barn seventy-five feet
by forty, its Augean stables never cleansed, and one hundred
acres of land, tillage, mowing, pasture, and woodlot!
The portionless, who struggle with no such unnecessary
inherited encumbrances, find it labor enough to subdue and
cultivate a few cubic feet of flesh.']]>
I do love each of you, and I strive to share this love in the best way I know how to. Hopefully at some point in your lives, these Thoughtlets will show you the depth of my love. Of course, with as many words as I write, and as blunt as I am, some of you will probably never get past comments that offend you. Oh well! That is not my problem. I do love each of the 10 of you, and I do not want to burden you with an inheritance of $100,000., nor with a barn to push down the road of life. Rather, I have said I will provide each of you an education and a Ken Turner painting (../9725.html, ../9846.html, ../9910.html, ../9922.html, ../0010.html, ../0244.html, ../0343.html, ../0510.html, ../0524.html, and ../0543.html). This surprise life insurance policy at GDC has got me thinking about this topic again.
The first thought is that all of the big plans are nothing more than potential. So if Andrea and/or I were to die in a car accident on one of our trips, nothing would probably come of the big plans. If something more than a life insurance inheritance became available - something like John Benard's well coming in, and if it generated a bunch of cash - then I would hope the ten of you would not fight about the inheritance.
The second thought is that since Melanie lives in Texas, and is the closest child who has settled down with roots, Andrea and I have agreed to name her the executor of our estate, with the responsibility to push Walden 3-D, Inc., Dynamic Resources Corporation, HyperMedia Corporation, the John Benard wells, FSI ownership, and all related barns until she can close them down or dispose of them. Ed Rogers, our lawyer, and Merril Littlewood, our accountant would do the legal and accounting work, and would end up taking their fees from any residual. This is a tough responsibility, as shown by all of the issues my sister faced with getting rid of Mom and Dad's assets after their death. Hopefully the books can find a nice home, the rocks can be dumped in a dump, and all of the history boxes in the garage can be burned, or donated to SUU where the Willys Whippet went.
The third thought about the life insurance is to specify I do not intend nor plan to die anytime in the next few decades. However, neither did Todd nor Michelle Staheli, and hopefully writing these thoughts out will help things if there were a tragedy. None of us want a tragedy, and all of us should have plans in place in case there is a tragedy. Andrea was talking to Aunt Sara and learned that Bridget and Justin were driving back to Salt Lake from a law school interview in the Midwest and got caught in a blizzard. They were pulling off the road and were sideswiped by a large semi-tractor-trailer. They had to hitch a ride back to Salt Lake. Rachel was not with them, and they are going to be OK. This happened the last week of March, and I mention it here because of the relevance to a discussion about life insurance.
Monday night, Rob came over for Family Home Evening and Andrea's birthday. We played chess. Rob looked at all of the photos I had taken at Christmas (http://www.walden3d.com/photos//Christmas/051225_Christmas), and at Roice and Sarah Elizabeth's wedding http://www.walden3d.com/photos/Family/01_RoiceSarah/060106_Roice+Sarah_Wedding). It was a nice evening, and thoughts were a long way from life insurance.
Wednesday I finally made it to see Dr. Ramon Solis about my left hip. He has too many patients, and only spent a little time with me. He had them take an x-ray of my pelvis, did a quick exam, gave me an anti-inflammation prescription and told me to come back in a month (0609.html). One sad thing to note is that carrying my journal and some other papers and with my shoes on I weighted 264 pounds on his scale, where as it had been 260 at home. This means I've gained back almost all of the weight I lost counting swallows the last three years. Oh well! I went right over and got the x-ray. They wouldn't show it to me, probably not wanting to embarrass me about my manhood. Then I went and got the prescription filled. Because my hip hurt so much over Christmas, I had convinced myself that I was facing a hip replacement like my Dad had. Based on the few comments from Dr. Solis, ended this day convinced this was going to be my next trial. Oh well! On the way home from these errands I stopped and saw Jared Davis and Nathaniel Wilson (who has never been to primary class since I've been the teacher) about the `8 is Great' fireside.
Thursday my notes say Andrea and I watched Smallville. I got a very nice e-mail from Rick Hawthorne, which I later got permission to include in this Thoughtlet:
<![CDATA[`Roice, my dear friend,
How are you, Andrea and family doing? Thank you for the Christmas
card, it was comforting to hear from you. Pat and I are doing well
on our own, with the dog, in Titusville and both have lots of
responsibilities in the ward. Pat was called as YW's President,
and you know she's a busy as can be, with an 'annual event' every
month for the young women. I'm busy working with the geriatrics
bunch in the HP group and we are enjoying living and settling in
this part of Florida.
I continue to draw inspiration from you.
I must confess that yesterday, for the first time in months,
amounting in perhaps years, I revisited your Thoughtlets. I've
learned that when I do that, amazing emotions pour over me.
Always positive in some way. As if I was one of your kids,
gaining from the experience.
I'm sure I've conveyed to you that once, while in Huntsville, AL,
on a slow day, I read while at work, your Thoughtlets...all
afternoon, for hours, while drawing a paycheck. It made me feel
guilty, but rationalized away by thinking there wasn't much work
on that project at that time, if any and I had to be there for
the week, regardless.
You should know, again, your Thoughtlets are inspiring and
motivating.
I guess I'm so overwhelmed by these Thoughtlets because first,
you are an amazing writer, with an amazing gift of correlating
these experiences with your own life and family, neatly tying
them together each week. And second, because I can so relate
to my own experiences and family with my own short comings
rising to the surface.
Yesterday I read one from [11] Sep 05, the one where you kicked
the basketball through the window while running the lawn mower,
reminding you of when you tossed the crowbar through the
television set! (Maybe we are related, because that's something
I can relate to!)
Maybe that was anger at the kids, or perhaps it was more of a
form of righteous indignation! I expect it will be a lesson your
children won't soon forget and as they get older, I'll bet they
will relate more to your motivations that precipitated your
actions through their disobedience -- because you love them and
only want their lives to be successful, faith-based and happy.
Sometimes, I think that type of anger does serve a purpose.
(Yesterday, the news reported a father walked into a classroom
and confronted a teacher's assistant that his 15-year old daughter
had accused of molesting her and punched him square in the mouth,
in front of the whole class. He was arrested for felony assault,
but a local radio station named him, "Father of the Year" and are
providing him and his family tickets to the Daytona 500! The
teacher assistant has been suspended with pay, while the school
interviews the daughter and now, other girls claiming the same
thing.)
Sometimes, the 'exercise in theatrics' IS the lesson and not the
action sponded by it!
There have been times my own anger has either caused me to say
things I wished I hadn't or I've acted irrationally because of it.
No exercise in theatrics, just spontaneous, unproductive anger.
That's the difference.
Some years ago, I had a full size, video camera. It was really a
nice one, a full size, streamlined Panasonic model, called a
'switch hitter' because you could switch it from shoulder to
shoulder because the eye piece would simply swivel, allowing the
user, whether left or right handed, to use it. Being left handed,
made it quite nice. We made lots of home videos and had lots of
enjoyment from it.
One afternoon, I was copying a video tape from a television
interview of mine; a local program, to send to a promotional
company in Nashville, called "The Ambassadors Agency" which I was
desiring sponsorship, with respects to book promotion and speaking
engagements. I was declined, as it turned out. (Everything possible
with the book has been declined, which I guess had only heightened
my frustration to that point, and even still.)
I had the camera for years and knew its operation well. In the
process of taping from/to the camera to the VCR, I ended up taping
over part of the tape I was supposed to be copying from. (I still
don't know how I botched that simple procedure. It may have been
the cheap, VCR and not the nice camera.) I got so mad, even with
Pat sitting there next to me, and with all the disappointments
after disappointments experienced with the book seemingly rising
to a head, I slammed the camera down on our bedroom carpet.
In an instant, the fine, working components ended up all jammed
together, forever ending the camera's working functionality. I
ended up being unable to copy the tape and sent the remaining
portion of the original, leaving me with no copy at all of the
interview. When I was declined by The Ambassadors Agency, they
did not send back the original, so it was also lost, another
repercussion of my impulsive act. Now, no camera, no tape,
no contract.
Having not purchased another video camera, not another video was
made in our house, even to this day, unless it was on someone
elses. Cameras have gotten smaller; technology, supposedly has
improved, but none of the cameras I've seen since, were as
attractive and practical to me, as the camera I destroyed.
(The steadiness the shoulder provided in filming far exceeded
the new, shaky, mini hand held, digital cameras of today...
(even with built-in, steadying gyros) or so I have continued to
convince myself..., perhaps as continued self-imposed,
punishment for breaking the one I had.)
Life is full of lessons like that, it seems. And on scale, our
experiences on a human family level, all seem to be pretty similar.
We advance when we learn from our mistakes.
All families have their challenges, difficulities and tragedies,
which sometimes compound, lumped upon other circumstances that
extend the bad things happening.
Perhaps you can respond when finding the time.
Best Regards,
Rick
P.S. Today, I went back and read another one from 2002, when you
picked up the book, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" from, I think, Sara's
book shelf. You said you were going to start "paying yourself
first". As a follow-up, how's that going?']]>
I responded with:
<![CDATA[`Rick,
You are too kind to me. Especially since I never responded to a
question you sent me, almost a year ago. Your note comes at an
opportune time, as I don't have a commitment tonight, and so I
will start by responding to your question. To remind you, the
three questions you sent me on April 28th were:
1. "Explain how it is possible for us to already be here
to look back (through our most powerful telescopes) on
light that is just now arriving from the most distant
(hence the oldest) galaxies in the universe. That is,
how could a multi-generation star like the sun have
already evolved at a distant outpost of the universe,
when we are just now receiving the light of distant
early galaxies that evolved very early in the life of
the universe?
2. "How could the interstellar gas for the galaxy's
development have beaten the light from the Big Bang?"
3. "Specifically, doesn't our existence imply that we beat
our own (stellar) ancestors here, and can now look
back at their development and evolution?"
I didn't answer because the question is beyond my knowledge.
Also, I got it while I was in China, I have been quite busy, and
once I delayed responding, it was hard to get back to it. There
are 901 e-mails in my in-box waiting to be filed or responded to.
Oh well! And yet, having studied physics some, it will be fun
to attempt to make sense of the questions. Here are some thoughts:
The big bang assumes all the matter we can observe started at a
point, and for examples sake, this position in time and space can
be named "The Word of God." Especially since this point was not
constructed of something which could be seen (Hebrews 11:3
"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the
word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things
which do appear."). Matter coalesced as it was thrown out into
the void from "The Word of God." The physical expansion out
from this position occurs at a range of velocities. Matter moves
very slow compared to the speed of light. So for matter to move
millions of light years from "the word of God," it took trillions
of years. This movement is like a series of nested expanding
balloons, each balloon representing a different velocity for the
matter along the surface of the balloon. The matter at each
nested balloon surface cooled and coalesced into universes,
galaxies, solar systems, suns, planets, asteroids, comets,
meteors, dark matter, black holes, etc.
The suns and galaxies give off light. This light leaves the
relatively slowly expanding balloon surface and spreads out in
all directions. The amount of time this light has been traveling
creates another set of nested expanding balloons. In geometric
terms, earth sits at the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is
on a slowly expanding balloon surface. The stars and galaxies
we observe at night could be on the other side of "The Word of God,"
or they could be anywhere on the surface of any of the nested
expanding balloons. We can be looking at stars and galaxies which
are expanding parallel to us, and thus are the same age, or we
can be looking at stars and galaxies which are moving away from us,
and thus are very old. These very old stars and galaxies are very
old because they are on the outer most nested balloons. However,
they did not only send light when they were first created. They
have continued to send light since they were created. We observe
light that was created billions of years after the Big Bang, and
we recognize the light of these distant early galaxies is from
galaxies which evolved very early in the life of the universe
because of the physics of light (red shift, etc.). The biggest
issue associated with the first question is the enormity of the
numbers; i.e. how much physical expansion of the nested balloons
went on before the light from these stars and galaxies and universes
left on it's way to reach us. The numbers are so large, we do not
have an intuitive way to calibrate and comprehend them. So we ask
questions, like question 1.
In regards to question 2, we can never see the light from the Big
Bang. It passed the earth long-long ago. The closest we can get
to the big bang is to see the light from galaxies and suns which
have been physically moving away from us for a very long time,
at a relatively slow speed, and sending their light to us at a
relatively fast speed.
In regards to question 3, No. We can look back and see the
evolution and development of some stages of the development of
stars and galaxies, and in theory of planets and inhabitants of
other worlds. And this is because every world and every star and
every galaxy on every nested expanding balloon is always developing
and evolving. We can not see the beginning at the position of
"The Word of God," except in our minds and by using mathematics.
Maybe someday we will be able to step outside of time, which is
where I believe the scriptures teach us God lives (for example,
Alma 40:8), and then we will be able to see "The Word of God,"
if the original word can ever be seen.
In regards, to today's e-mail, I was very touched by your reaction
to my Thoughtlets. I do hope that one or more of my kids has a
similar reaction. Actually I hope that the writing proves helpful
to each of my children and to each of my stepchildren - who, in
my mind, are now as much my children as my biological children.
There are a couple of the kids who have expressed sincere thanks
for the effort, and so I keep working on it. In fact, I'm almost
11 weeks behind right now. I have spent time this last week
restarting work on getting caught back up. Since I make each
Thoughtlet so long, catching up ought to keep me out of trouble
for several weeks.
You pointed out an interesting coincidence. The 5th of September
was the day Marti and I were married [Rick was referring to the
Thoughtlet written on 11 Sep 05]. The day I attacked the
television was after Marti had moved out, the day one of the kids
had a sleep-over, and the day one of their friends brought over an
"R" rated movie, which I found they were secretly watching in their
bedroom. It happened to be the same "R" rated movie Marti went to
see right after her final decision and firm announcement she was
going to divorce me. In many ways, her decision to go see that
movie seemed to be her justification to proceed with her threat of
divorce. I was angry and hurt when I saw this movie in my house,
and I sent the friends home. Later that evening, when another
child ignored me telling them to turn the television off, I lost
my temper and attacked the television. It was wrong, and there
is no justification. I am definitely one who has offended my
children. An easy excuse is I did not harm any of them as bad as
I was harmed. And yet, who am I to judge how bad I harmed them,
for I know I did. I have kids who want nothing to do with God
nor the church, and who are messing with addictions, and I am
part of the reason. It is sad how the family traditions you hope
will disappear are the ones which seem to be repeated. When I
think about these things, I feel it would have been better for me
if a millstone had been hung around my neck and I were drowned in
the depth of the sea (Matthew 18:6). And then I tell myself to
stop crying and feeling sorry for myself and I attempt to make
amends with things like my Thoughtlets. Who knows how it will
all turn out. Maybe the fact this effort has been of some benefit
to you means it was worth the struggle. Maybe not. Certainly,
time will tell.
I found it flattering a real author, with a real book under their
belt, tells me I am "an amazing writer." I have always struggled
with words. For instance, I don't do telephones well. I never
seem to be able to remember names. I'm pretty good with images,
pattern recognition, and visual queues. And so one of my reasons
for doing the Thouhtlets has been to exercise the left side of my
brain. I have always struggled with my writing, and it is very
rewarding for me to read how a writer and a friend whom I admire
likes my efforts. Of course, one of the things I do is use the
same stuff multiple times. For instance, I will probably include
this response to you (or at least part of it) in a Thoughtlet
about 11 from the most recent posted. And, with your permission,
I would like to include the words you wrote to me, although I
would be glad to omit your name because of the personal references
you make. Please let me know.
Regarding your questions, which I finally got around to commenting on,
I will use the concepts you got me to explore in my Open Mind project]]>
(http://www.walden3d.com/openmind).
<![CDATA[ I don't know if you have come across this yet through a reference
in the Thoughtlets]]>
../0451.html, ../0521.html, ../0542.html, and ../0544.html?
<![CDATA[ If not I would be very interested in your edits and comments about
this effort. I am just about finished with Chapter 2, which is
titled "The Framework." As soon as I have this chapter posted, I
intend to link the book to pages where search engines will find it,
and then see what, if anything happens.
In regards to Rich Man / Poor Man, I'm too far in debt to pay
myself. Maybe after we get out of debt. The debt is the main
reason we have not yet taken the kids to DisneyWorld. There are a
couple of things working which will hopefully help with this
issue. Then we will be able to come and see and spend some time
with you and Pat.
Thanks again for your kind note. I apologize for not responding
to your e-mail question sooner. I look forward to your comments
about this e-mail. However, I definitely understand if the
response is in 2007.
Best Regards and with Love,
Roice']]>
A couple of weeks later (one of the advantages of being behind), Rick replied with:
<![CDATA[`Roice,
I'm at work right now, so you may just get short responses to
thoughts as they occur as I consider your email. In fact, I've
had this email saved as a draft for about 2-weeks, hoping to get
back to it, as I'm doing today, the 22nd of February.
Sure, you may use my email for a future Thoughtlet if you think
it is of any value.
Also, breaking news; Melisa, our youngest daughter, Jeremy our
son in law and youngest grand baby, Dylan are flying to New York
today and will be on the Martha Stewart show (Is it even called
that?) this Friday, the 24th. I think it's going to be a
surprise for Donny and Debbie, set up by the producer of the
show, since they were going to be talking about his first
grand son.
It appears I nipped in, just under the wire, on the 2007 deadline
you extended to me. With the way time seems to escape us, my jest
is not that far from the truth. I am thinking 2007 will be an
historic period in our world's history and of course, 2006 in
leading up to then.
Is it possible that from now, through 2007 that we will see a
temple built in Jerusalem? That would make it most significant
on several levels. Anyway, that's something I've been considering
since the late 90's and do tend to relate, at least for me, to
the subject of graven images, etc.
Your responses to the 'ancestral light' questions are very
intriguing and warrant several readings on my part for it to
sink in and I'm still working on the subsequent readings.
(Yes and as of today, the 22nd, I'm still working on that.)
I think a Thoughtlet needs to be written about "Oh Well" responses.
It was most kind for you to consider me a real author. I don't
really feel quite real, though the story premise I've always felt
has merit of some sort to some degree. It's extraordinary to me
how things related with the premise aren't becoming less pertinent,
rather more so, with the development of new technologies and new
paradigms in research I see just over the horizon and occurring
right now, particularly with embryo, stem cell research being done
outside the U.S.
I still would feel quite vindicated through all of my failings with
the book if Hollywood follows through with the effort to modify the
story into more of an 'adventure story-with hidden secrets revealed'
with the whole mess related to the infidelity/abortion removed but
keeping the Book of Jasher, factual premise part in tact. We'll see.
I don't want to have just one more failure with this, without a
success because "Oh well" will be an unacceptable result. The
working title is: Graven Image: The Final Commandment. Problem
is, little real work has been done in preparing it for
pitch-presentation to the studios. But, my backing is strong:
President of Thornbush Entertainment in Beverly Hills, Harrison
Payne, still plans to pursue the pitch to that end, hopefully
sometime soon this year, to the major studios where he has some
level of influence. Coming up on 3-years with this though...
So, I wait.
Kids. I know well of the problems we parents suffer because of
them. The heartache, disappointment, the sorrow and self-blame.
Also, the parental failings we can feel when things don't work
out to be perfect, like we expected. I think we are too hard
on ourselves, mostly due, I expect, to not fully understanding
thoroughly, how each one of us are agents unto ourselves/themselves,
whom all signed up to this plan independently, thoughtfully and
accountingly, as individuals.
I mean, the Lord made it clear, through each step of the Plan (of
Salvation) that we had to choose everything ourselves. Nothing
was forced. The Lord knew we'd make choices that would lead to
sorrow, that was part of the plan. That's why, from the beginning,
the Godhead planned on a Savior to atone for us, because it was
going to be required, after keeping our first estate, that we would
stumble. Since they love us, and want us to return, a Savior was
provided to map our way back: Not as an after thought, but a
necessary, integral part from the very beginning. Brilliant, really!
So, don't worry. We will all get opportunity enough to return to
from whence we came -- without forcing the issue with 'millstones'
and the like. When school's out, I think there will be much
appreciation for us from children, as parents, not that we look
for or require that, it will just be.
We trust in the Lord, do our best to keep covenants, serve as best
we can and the rest, I have to believe, will be sorted out for us.
We just need to be loving, prayerful and patient.
Our children, who choose (there's that choice thing again) not to
recognize the blessings inherent in living a Gospel-centered life
will suffer for it...in this life primarily, because the Gospel
brings happiness, peace, comfort and contentment not found
anywhere else in any other thing. Our children who walk away from
that in this life, will still be sealed by covenant to us, (See
Brigham Young Priesthood manual quote) but will suffer more so,
through the difficulties, challenges and general life setbacks
because of their choices not to choose a gospel
centered life, while here in mortality.
Yes, all can be lost, but not without trying ever so hard, I
believe, and probably not by covenant children. Anyway, I don't
want to think about that. With our faith, our families will not
be excluded from our eternity.
Write when you can. I'll always look forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
Rick']]>
In my response to this I pointed out that Thoughtlet #0210 is titled `Oh Well!'
At work I was doing additional interpretation work for the Ji Dong Oilfield. My notes mention Friday was the day I worked up the CDF Prospect. This has the probability of being a very large field.
Later we found out that this was the night a boy rolled his jeep in the snow taking Rachel home. He was showing off and going too fast. She wasn't hurt, just shook up. It turns out the company life insurance includes payment for dependent children, which are children we still claim on our tax return and who are under 25, and covers Rachel and Matt. I do not want to exercise this policy! Be careful!
Saturday I spent some time putting together a PowerPoint presentation as a birthday present for Jim Siebert (../0537.html and ../0539.html). Jim the father of one of my primary class members, Ashley, and his wife, Debra, had a surprise birthday party for him Saturday night, to which we were invited. The party was a lot of fun (see http://www.walden3d.com/photos/NottinghamCountryWard/060128_Siebert_40th). It was especially fun to watch all of my primary class running around the house and jumping on the furniture and having such a good time. One would never think any of them would ever need any life insurance.
Sunday morning a friend of an investigator Andrea had met with the missionaries with came over to talk through some issues. His name is Chris Lawrence, and he is a very likable person. It was gratifying to learn over the next few days that he followed our advice, and that he was able to work things out with his father and move back into the house. There is no question in my mind, family is the best kind of life insurance."
Since the 38th week of 1996 I have written a weekly "Thoughtlet"
(little statements of big thoughts which mean a lot to me).
Until the 43rd week of 2004 I sent these out as an e-mail. They
were intended to be big thoughts which mean a lot to me.
Over time the process evolved into a personal diary. These notes
were shared with my family because I know how important the
written word can be. Concerned about how easy it is to drift and
forget our roots and our potential among all of distractions of
daily life, I thought this was a good way to reach those I love.
It no longer feels right to send out an e-mail and "force" my kids
and my family to be aware of my life and struggles.
Everyone has their own life to lead, and their own struggles to
work through. I will continue this effort, and will continue to
make my notes publicly accessible (unless I learn of
misuse by someone who finds out about them, and then will
aggressively
pursue a legal remedy to copyright infringement and I will put the Thoughtlets
behind a password).
The index to download any of these Thoughtlets is at
http://www.walden3d.com/thoughtlets,
or you can e-mail me with
questions or requests at
rnelson@walden3d.com
(note if you are not on my e-mail "whitelist" you must send 2 e-mails
within 24 hours of each other in order for your e-mail to not be trashed).
With all my love,
Dad
(H. Roice Nelson, Jr.)