First Friends

Tammy is my first friend. We were six-years-old and in first grade when we met. We went to school together until the middle of 7th grade, when my family moved away. But even though many, many years have passed since that time, we've kept in touch and remained friends.

This year her and her family were on the island for Christmas, so I went and joined them at their rented Ko'Olina Beach Villa--an absolutely gorgeous resort--for New Year's Eve. The buffet was fabulous, the opening musician wonderfully talented, and the atmosphere festive (well, the noise makers were a little annoying after a while). But when the featured band came on, and they weren't quite as good as their opening act, so we returned to the Villas to soak in the sandy-bottomed jacuzzi. We were pickled and returned to the condo with time enough to watch the festivities of Times Square on the television, and the many, many aerial fireworks being sent into the sky from the neighborhoods visible from the balcony. To top off the night, the resort itself set off a brilliant fireworks show from just off the shore.

It was wonderful to welcome the New Year with an old friend.

New Toy

I finally HAD to get a new phone.

Really! I had to get it.

I'd had my previous phone for about 6 years, and the battery was lasting only about a minute while using it. Having to stay plugged into a wall while using a mobile phone only defeats the purpose.

So I finally went a few days ago to the phone store, and came home with this:

Modern Testimony

Last Sunday was Fast Sunday.

Last Sunday I just had to wonder.

A young man, a returned missionary, got up to bear his testimony--with his dark sunglasses sitting on the top of his head, and his Bluetooth on his ear. Add to your mental picture that his head is shaved, so both of these items weren't exactly camouflaged by his receding locks.

Perhaps he was just prepared for revelation and vision?