Last night in the temple

I began learning one of my favorite ordinances from the business end, as it were; it’s significantly different to experience it as a patron, serving as proxy for a departed loved one, than it is to be in charge of making sure that all the ecclesiastical I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed. I am learning so much in these quiet hours in the temple, and so grateful for the opportunity. Heaven was very near last night.

I am finally starting to feel like myself again, about the normal level of tiredness for a Friday morning (they don’t call it temple work for nothing). All the various bits are reporting in. Ankles a little swollen from too much salt and too long a day yesterday. A non-embarrassing degree of appetite for breakfast. The chili I had for lunch is grumbling in the background. My head is mercifully, blessedly clear. Unlike last Friday, I do not feel as if I had been hung, drawn, and quartered. This is progress!

I would really like to stay home and sleep. I woke up at least twice during the night. Not the stirring, rolling-over, and going back to sleep kind. The get up, walk down the hall with knitting in hand because we’ve swallowed the 1812 Overture kind. Followed by a nice drink of water and a catnap until it starts again.

So, I am officially tired, but it is officially payday, the one where, after I have paid my tithing and the bills, there is actually something left for non-essentials like food and gasoline. I am just *that* much less in debt, which makes me smile. I was pondering on the drive into work the other day. I’m currently paying several times the amount I’m obligated to, to get this debt retired all the faster. When I am done, it will be like getting a whole extra paycheck every month. Some of which will go into regular savings, and some of which will go into my 401K.

When I was noodling about with investment amounts and percentages the other night, I found the theoretical point at which my 401K earnings would significantly eclipse Social Security and my pension. Just a few simple tweaks took me from “oh no! you need another $350,000 in savings in order to eat something other than cat food” to “you are going to have enough, and to spare”.

Enough to buy a house. Enough to serve a mission.