MaeLyn's Musings

On Sunday I checked my email and was reading through the headlines of the local newspaper when I came across the photo of someone very familiar!  Customers Alfredo Torres, left, and Steven Hiatt fill up with gas at the Valero gas station at West 88th Avenue and North Pecos Street on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Thornton. (Timothy Hurst, The Denver Post) Rising gas prices put Colorado Republican congressmen on the defensive as midterm elections approach Four years ago, stickers of then-President Joe Biden began proliferating at gas stations nationwide as the cost of gasoline soared. Featuring an image of the 46th president pointing at the price displayed on the pump,  they were captioned with the words, “I did that!” Gas prices  are once again on the rise  a month after the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, resulting in a severe crimp in the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. And fingers are once again pointing at the party occupying the White House, n...

 When a member of the bishopric sent a message to my husband several weeks ago asking if we both could meet with him, I was mystified. Usually that kind of invite suggests a major calling, but we both currently have stake callings, so that wasn't likely. The call ended up being an invitation to plan the ward Easter party, and they wanted something more Christ focused than bunnies and egg hunts. A week later, we found out that it would be a combined activity with another ward, and that a representative from their ward would assist us.  I'm not usually a party planner - one of my kids got one birthday party growing up. Thank goodness that Steven loves to plan and organize. He was the one who came up with our overarching theme. In the end, I think the activity turned out really well. Here are some of the features: The Garden of Eden This area was a reminder of how the Savior created the world, with an opportunity to create a simple banner that people could bring home and use to...

(Here is the talk that I gave today in church.) Image by ChatGPT, a person using instructions to build a model airplane. I love to make things. I like to sew, knit, crochet, bake bread, put together puzzles and LEGO sets. Some of you may like to do similar things. Maybe you like to do carpentry or make fly fishing lures, or build models or whatever. Something that I have learned over the years is that when I make something new and complicated for the very first time, it is a good idea to follow the instructions. Some instructions, patterns, recipes, blueprints, and tutorials are better and easier to follow than others.… but the best instructions are made by an expert: someone who has experience. They’ve done it before, they’ve done the measuring, they know what materials and tools are needed, they’ve experimented with different ingredients to get the best flavors and textures. They’ve figured out the best way to get the best result. And then these experts kindly made the instructions t...

 How long is the ideal length of time between when you are asked to give a talk in church, and the day that you give the talk?  3 days? 5 days? A week? Two weeks? A month? On Tuesday evening I received a text from a member of the bishopric asking if I would be willing to give a talk in church this Sunday. I said yes. I don't mind giving talks, and our ward has so few active members that those of us who are willing get asked about once a year. What I do mind, however, is the short notice. For me, the ideal amount of time is closer to two weeks than the 5 days or less that I've been given the last few times I've been asked to speak.  Imagine a world famous chef is asked to cater a dinner party. Imagine the exquisite meal he could prepare - the freshest vegetables, the tenderest meats, everything perfectly seasoned, and each dish complimenting the others in a feast for the eyes as well as the palette.  Now imagine that same chef is asked to cater a dinner party - that e...