After a very long time of trying, I finally received a link to change the password I couldn't remember for my journal. So here I am. Much to catch up on, much to record, much to set down. I'll begin with the Big Events of last year.

( Event # 1 behind this door )

Dad never went to basic training. And he never set foot in Texas (unusual for a flyboy). The slammed men into service as fast as possible, and then went back and trained them properly when there was leisure. Dad suddenly realized that he was in his 30s with several years of service and had no inclination to go back and train with slick sleeve 18- ( Read more... )

Dad and I did not get along for a long, long time. We are too much alike. All that changed a couple of years after I took over the Viewmont auditorium. I had a commission to build a very speacialized conductor's podium. I took it home to wuild outside in the sunshine. Dad came out to help, being the one that first introduced me to woodcraft. As we ( Read more... )

Mom served Dad a piece of pie. Instead of coming out the usual pretty picture of pastry perfecttion, it was crumbled and stirred and a disaster. It had stuck to the bottom of the pan. Mom was distraught. Dad picked up his fork and said, "it's okay. I've never been able to eat a whole piece of pie." We looked at him, dumbstruck. His food consumption ( Read more... )

Dad was touring a very old temple in China. He was watching the floor to keep from stepping in holes and falling through, and this strapping, six foot tall American GI kept banging his head on the rafters. The guide finally stopped and said, Mr. Binkerd, a tall man is like a house with many floors, little furniture in the upper story

When I started to work as a substitute teacher at Viewmont, Dad made a batch of cupcakes. He put one in a plastic bag and set it with my lunch for the next day. When I got last minute calls, he got up and put a cupcake in my lunch. One of my collegues asked if I had an unending supply of cupcakes. They were all jealous. Until this year, when he ( Read more... )

Lisa had a great idea. We met at Dad's bedside at 6:30, hymnals in hand. I brought Nathaniel. Jax, Lisa, me, then Jeff came to add a base note to our packsong. We sang Christmas hymns, we sang solid standards, we sang songs of comfort and hope in Christ. He turned his head slightly toward us. At "Silent Night" his eyes opened briefly. We sang loud ( Read more... )

My new year's resolution is posting more often. I feel safer with with y'all than with the facebook crowd, and so, like we always do with our loved ones, I ignore you. Lurking behind the scenes I am, somthing I seem particularly good at. I read what you have to say and appreciate that you are all in my life, but I'm not terribly good at letting you ( Read more... )

I have a testimony of tithing. My father instilled its importance from a very young age, and it has always been a principle I could keep. I had a "tithing miracle" once. I had not actually paid my tithing for six months. It during one of those times when employment was spotty, and at the time I was unemployed. I had diligently collected the money, ( Read more... )

I am being bad today. I am taking money I don't have and doing a quick and dirty trip to Cedar City. Gas for one direction. Half a cheap hotel room for one night. Breakfast included with the room. Three shows in the cheap seats at the last minute when they are throwing them out. No Amid Summer's Inn, no four star restaurant next door, but that's ( Read more... )