I am a bit behind in my notices about my columns. I have had three that have come out since I've sent out the word. Sorry about that! Life gets crazy and busy sometimes for all of us.

We were in Texas in May for our son's wedding, which was a fun adventure. We had all six of our children, spouses, and our one little granddaughter there. Unfortunately we will all look like drowned rats in the family picture we had taken. I think we got in on the start of what was to be the Texas floods.


My latest column is called "A Good Heart." It is about my stepson's coach who has made a difference to so many people and who is now struggling with his health.

http://www.ldsmag.com/beacon/070710heart.html

This next one is called "Tender Mercies of the Lord."

In the stories behind the stories, my new friend Mercy, in addition to helping me pick up coconuts, engaged our elderly neighbor in an interesting conversation about death by coconut, of which he is certain he is to be a victim, courtesy of our trees which refuse to stop making coconuts.

"How about dese coconuts?" she said, as he appeared on his porch.

"No, don't bring up the coconuts to him," I thought to myself. (Who else do you think to?)

Doing his best impression of Sam, the Eagle: "I'm very worried about these coconuts. Every week you read in the paper about someone being hit on the head by a coconut and dying."

"I've lived here all my life and I never hear of nobody killed by one coconut fall on his head. Not unless he is stupid and stand under one coconut tree wait for coconut hit him on da head. You say you stupid, you goin' stand under one coconut tree til one coconut hits you on da head?"

"I'm thinking of reporting these coconut trees to the county."

"Yeah? What the county goin' do? Go tell all the trees no make no more coconuts?"

I finally dragged her inside the vacation house to help me make some beds to avoid further confrontational coconut conversations.

"It looks like this bedspread has faded a bit," I commented.

She countered. "I'll call the county and tell dem 'turn down dat sun.'"

http://www.ldsmag.com/beacon/070626mercies.html


This one is called "More Gratitude Give Me." I am reminded of the need for gratitude every time a cute little Japanese lady smiles at me at church and thanks me for the umpteenth time for some little stuffed bears I gave her.

http://www.ldsmag.com/beacon/070612gratitude.html


On the homefront, we just found out that our daughter, Becky, is going to have a baby girl. She is due in early November. The females are taking over this new generation so far. Grandma Susan is lovin' it.

Cheerio!

Susan

P.S. Once we finish a busy August, our family-friendly vacation home,Hale Hanai, is wide open for the fall season. Can't you almost feel the ocean breezes? Check it out at:

http://www.vrbo.com/109651

Mention you heard about it through my newsletter and receive a 10% discount through the end of the year, and maybe even a tour by your favorite Big Island author. Sorry, but Christmas is already booked.