We Have to Seek the Lord to Find Him

Sometimes, the circumstances and trials in our life leave us feeling quite isolated and alone.  We believe that God lives and have a testimony that there is a Gospel Plan and yet, we stumble.  We feel lost when things don't quite measure up to what we think of as our ideal life.



Why?  What is it that we are supposed to learn from failure, disease, new situations and the surprises that is our path?!!

Just listened to a talk from a young woman on BYU television in a devotional address that she made regarding just this topic!  Though her disappointments were not mine, it is sure that we have all had disappointments.

I loved the quotes that she used.  Be sure to look for them in the transcript link above.

In searching for that transcript, I discovered the website : BYU Speeches.  Thankfully, I now have a source for many other inspirational talks.  An Easter gift that I can really use, right now.  Remember, Christ perfectly knows our burdens; look for His comfort, His understanding His empathy!

Renewal and Thoughts of Easter

“We shall rise from mortal death to have life everlasting, because of the atoning sacrifice and resurrection of the Savior.”

My dad with his mother, my Grandma Hall.

Easter Bonnets:  In first grade, the teacher set out crepe paper, cardboard, crayons, and scissors.  With her help and the help of a teacher's aide, we made our hats and adorned them with bows and thought them beautiful.  I'm not sure what the boys did; maybe they got to make Easter baskets?  I love the idea of an Easter Parade, a show of hope and celebration.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_bonnet)

Hot Cross Buns:  I left home at the age of 17.  During those first years away, responsible for setting up my own household, I begin to experiment with recipes and cooking.  I read magazines and became inspired and educated by the presentation of food on Easter.  I had never heard of hot-cross buns.  I knew about Ham, Potato Salad; I had grown up with that fare.  I determined to add making the yeast buns to Easter Dinner preparations.  (http://people.com/food/best-easter-hot-cross-buns-recipe/)

Easter Chicks:  I'm not sure that I understood the spiritual significance or connected the significance of little new-born chicks at Easter.  They had been dyed different colors and were furry and warm and chirping a lot.  I don't remember what we did with them after Easter.  We didn't live on a farm, really, though Mother did raise chickens for a while.  We had a garden, too, in the Spring.  I remember a summer of picking beans.  The rows had been criss-crossed, so that we could pick in the shady tunnels, from the inside.

As a young child, I may not have realized the significance of all the trappings of Easter, but as I grew older, I began to associate the gift of new clothes (pastel colors) with the idea of the Resurrection.  And as the years passed, I realized that my Mother, who had lost a child before I was born, who had lost her mother in a car accident...that Easter, though a time of hoping to be reunited with loved ones, down the road, was also a time of sadness and loss, for her.  One Easter morning, she was on her way to Church and just down the dirt road from our house, she saw my sister's dog, runned over and stretched out in the middle of the road, dead.  Her heart was softened, the tears hot and bitter.  She never did make it to church; the grief and loss had completely overtaken her.

  “It is our firm belief that [the Atonement] is a reality,” he testified, “and nothing is more important in the entire divine plan of salvation than the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We believe that salvation comes because of the atonement. In its absence the whole plan of creation would come to naught. … Without this atoning sacrifice, temporal death would be the end, and there would be no resurrection and no purpose in our spiritual lives. There would be no hope of eternal life.”^{2 (President Howard Hunter)}

^{Read Also: Why We Wear New Clothes at Easter}

Saturday is a Special Day

There is a children's song that we used to sing in Primary; it goes like this:

Saturday is a special day, It's the day we get ready for Sunday.  (Primary Children's Songbook)

 So, Sunday is the sacred day.  But spiritually and physically it is more than okay to start preparing on Saturday for the "Holy Day" of "peace and rest".  

Put your house in order, at least to the extent that you know you have something ready to wear for church and you know where your shoes are.  I even dumped my purse out on the carpet last night and only put back in, the things I would need in my purse to attend church.  Maybe that seems a little weird, but it's a woman thing to do.  As I left this morning (Sunday), I also threw in a Rice Crispy Treat and a cheese stick in case my blood sugar started dropping.

"Peace and rest":  Rest from your normal routine, from loud television shows, from conflicts and stress.  Rest from the "everyday", worldly cares.  It actually is a relief to not have to go shopping!

In Sacrament meeting today, someone was bearing their testimony and in her words, I could feel the effort she was making to drop her burdens at the feet of the Savior.  She had had a busy, crazy, stressful week; she had ended that week in tears and I could feel her searching for peace as she spoke.  

It is the Savior who can pull us through those hard times, through adversity and troubled waters, through grief and pain.  We (I) so need a day to be reminded of this, to be reminded to look up to the Heavens for strength, inspiration, and rest. 

Here is what I jotted down on my church bulletin as I listened to the soul's plea as the sister worked through her grief and came out on the other side.

I wrote, "Things to do on Sunday":  

• FamilySearch indexing 
• Write a missionary
• Scan family pics to put on FamilySearch
• Read the scriptures or talks from conference
• play uplifting and joyful music 
• Write in my journal (I don't have a journal, but I have a booklet that could become a journal.
• Pray for our soldiers and sailors (my granddaughter is in the Coast Guard.
• Pray for those who weren't able to make it to church this Sunday
• Send someone in the ward a birthday card or an inspirational happy card or whatever kind you feel like they need.
• Make a plan to do your visiting teaching.
• Touch bases with family.  If they are far away, call or Skype.  If they are closer, eat a meal together.  Reach out to family members or those who live alone.

This was fast Sunday and since I'm a diabetic, I don't fast the 24 hour way.  Someone suggested that I fast in other ways.  For example, I thought about not watching any television that would detract from the spirit.  Not go out to a store or dine out.  (I don't usually do this anyway on Sunday, but sometimes I do, so I guess I am still needing to work on that goal as well as others).

After writing these thoughts down, I will go back and put in a few pictures so as to make it more vibrant and shareable.  Hope you have a Happy and Fulfilling Sunday. 

Remember, if you need to take a nap or have some private time, add that type of goal on your Sunday To Do List, too!







 

Dated but Timeless "How to LIve a Successful LIfe"

President Tanner is deceased, but he had a great sense of humor; spiritually, he was a giant whose words can touch hearts in every dispensation.

https://youtu.be/7xIvFgRhI10

Scriptures: Search, Read, Ponder, Pray...and SHARE!

How do I feel right now, tonight?  

A moment of panic when I found out that not only does my daughter has Type A influenza, but her baby girl also has it.



 

An evening of feeling very tired, exhaustion of a spiritual or physical dimension? 




A desire to feel better tomorrow, a hope for strength (mental and physical), the belief and growth of belief that my Father in Heaven will not fail me.  

I looked for scriptures in the Topical Guide using the phrase "living water".  Here is the first one that caught my eye.

John 7:37:  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 

Christ is the living water!  The source that never goes dry.  I was thirsting this evening for relief, for peace, and for strength, also.  By turning to the scriptures, I asked and received the reassurance that God is in His Heaven, that "all is well".  God loved my children first,  and perfectly.  He does not expect me to be in all places and be all things to all people.  

 STUDY QUESTIONS
1.  What do the scriptures have to say about fear, depression, and other negative feelings that are part of our current experience ?
2.  Did Christ experience thirst, exhaustion, rejection, disappointment, and concern?  When and Where?  
3.  Is disease a physical malady or a mental and spiritual unwellness?  Or both?
4.  What part does hope play in our healing?  Is it enough to believe in Christ's power to save?  Where does faith come in? and Why do we want to develop faith?  

Other living water scriptures:

• 1 Nephi 11:25
• Revelations 21:6
• D & C 63:23 

A New Way to Look at the Book of Mormon

I think I want to begin a new project as pertains to my Book of Mormon study:  Read it as if it were the first time that I ever put my eyes on it.  (In some parts of the Book of Mormon this may be true, though I believe that I have at some time or another, read it through at least once--but do we read/inhale every word, normally----or do we "scan" through some passages, quickly, already)?

Is it even important to read every single word, or rather to just pick and choose themes?  So what I am desiring, is this:  I want to see the words, the intent, the spirit of the book, as if I were a non-member and see how it affects me.  I am sure, or fairly sure this is impossible, as I have been steeped in the gospel for nearly my whole life.

Maybe what I want to do is just get a fresh look.  "Dig About the Roots" and TRY to imagine the import the message of the Book of Mormon for me and for mankind and womankind, in general.  I need oxygen and I need to refresh or even re-set my relationship with the Book of Mormon.  My spiritual relationship with the gospel of Christ needs fertilizing, sunlight, the "Light of Christ", and in general, a fresh perspective.

We say in the Genealogical Society board meetings, sometimes, that we need "fresh blood" in the membership.  We talk of how we can attract those people that will come into the leadership and "stir things up" a bit--bring new ideas, new ways of looking at things.

I do not plan to discard the knowledge and relationship that I've already acquired with the Book of Mormon--I just plan to give those roots, a bit of oxygen and search them for ways to refresh my testimony...search in ways that will lift me to new understanding.

The best way of course to accomplish this is to apply the discoveries of disciple-ship to my daily walk.  Bring the principles forth and liken them to my situation.  Example:

And we will nourish again the trees of the vineyard, and we will trim up the branches thereof; and we will pluck from the trees those branches which are ripened, that must perish, and cast them into the fire.

"Trim up the branches" = pruning.  Right?  So I can eliminate from my life those things which are less useful in obtaining spirituality, yes?  Cast into the fire those practices in my life that impede my spiritual progress.  Sometimes I practice this principle by self-correcting my course.  For example, I am partially successful in not reading a novel when it begins to go into way too much detail about the love life of a couple.  I just toss it in the trash bin if the language is too salty, the scenes too hot and steamy...etc.  What about my own language?  Is it appropriate and meaningful in good ways?  Or do I occasionally sink to promulgating confidential information?  Am I a gossip?

So application of the principles of righteousness in the Book of Mormon have to be customized to our particular personality and challenges.  That is why we have to read the scriptures over and over and over; we change, we forget, we need new experiences to understand the import of the revelations that await us in the teachings of the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and other sacred writ.

So my plan is both to approach the Book of Mormon from "where I am coming from", but also from the "where is God coming from" and how the Book is a "shaker and mover" in the lives of investigators.

Links:

• How to Study the Book of Mormon

• Blessings Resulting from Reading the Book of Mormon

•  http://religionnews.com/2015/06/15/how-to-read-the-book-of-mormon-s-l-o-w-l-y/

• Ways to Study the Scriptures

• Book of Mormon Study Guide

• That Good Part

• How to Effectively Study the Book of  Mormon (9 ways)

I hope that one of these links will help you and me to accomplish our study and build our testimony of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Christ.  

I'm feeling discouraged about the political scene right now.  From the media I get the impression that it is a foregone conclusion that Hillary R. Clinton is considered to have the best chance to be elected President.  She and her husband and associates have put in years of work and effort and chicanery to cultivate the place that they are in today.

They represent the "one-world" viewpoint.  However, I don't just hold them responsible...(Former) Governor Jeb Bush and others in the Republican Party let their party down this time because they didn't attend the Convention and they haven't supported the people's candidate, Donald Trump.  I they will be sorry.  We only have 99 days left in this campaign.  Where are there voices for "less government", now?!!  Senator McCain can be forgiven; he isn't a spring chicken after all.  However, there are so many who failed the RNC in their attempt to produce support for...(Not for Donald Trump, but for the party in which we had put our hopes, for the platform that represents

an option

to the left wing, liberal, socialized viewpoint of Hillary and her Crew (pirate crewe, that is)!

No Christians Allowed: 100% Muslim Syrians Admitted Since June

No Christians Allowed: 100% Muslim Syrians Admitted Since June



This is pretty incredible!

The True Nature of Anger

Here to Help | Mormon Channel

Here to Help | Mormon Channel



I plan to read one account each day, just to remind me there is hope on the horizon when someone reaches out a helping hand.  I hope to be in some little way that person who helps someone, even a little.

FHGuide: Get Started

FHGuide: Get Started  



This is an amazing resource for those of you who have never used a guide for your research.  But if you need a plan or would like a review, then this is for you.

In addition, it is FREE.  Since this is one individual's "baby", he has provided a place for donations, if you find the guide useful or want to encourage efforts like this one.

Take a look and let me know what you think.  

Responses to the President's Arguments for the Nuclear Deal | RealClearPolitics

Responses to the President's Arguments for the Nuclear Deal | RealClearPolitics



I found this article to illuminating and useful.

There Will Come A Day in Your Life

Hopefully, more than once this will happen to you, and you will wonder if the dews of heaven have distilled upon you:

You will be listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on BYU TV, (after all you missed church and you are trying to feel a little bit better about yourself), and this does help...

You will find you are wanting greater spiritual strength as you listen to the program and realize that there is a part of you that really is hungering for greater truth and light...

Not even a sweet potato biscuit will taste as good as knowing that you have been fed by the Spirit.

But, I do believe that first, you have to "hunger and thirst after righteousness"; [for they who hunger and thirst], those are the ones who shall be filled.  (Matthew 5:6, Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are they who...").

The only thing in this world worth striving for, the treasure that we should be seeking, the sweet invitation of the Spirit to partake of Christ's love and light--HOW ARE WE SEEKING IT?  Or rather, how are we not seeking it?

Where is our faith?  Do we focus on our weaknesses to the extent that we forget there is One who is stronger than us?  That's my tendency.  I concern myself with so many things and distractions, that I forget that it is in my weakness that I need the Savior.  When I wake up with insufficient strength, spiritual and physical,  to get ready for church, do I just give up, or do I kneel and ask the Savior to assist me?  I need to seek His help, His strength.  Faith will take me there.  

What is your counsel, your ideas, that will lead you to having faith,  and lead me to asking for help when I need to ask for help?  

When there is a cloud hanging over your head (of any type), what leads your vision to be directed toward Heaven and Divine Help?!!

The answers are in part, timeless, well known to all of us.  But, there are other answers that must come from reflecting on our unique challenges and reviewing what actually happens when we feel unable to move our spiritual feet.  Gathering both kinds of answers are something that we can do to move forward.
------------------
Links:

•  https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/robert-e-wells_christ-focused-beatitudes/

The Many Reasons We Rely Upon Our Clutter : zen habits

The Many Reasons We Rely Upon Our Clutter : zen habits



I especially need to read articles like this and/or follow some of the suggestions, here.  I'm torn between dealing with one item at a time and just chucking the whole bit.  Clutter is Me.

The Resonant Words, and Wisdom, of "Silent Cal" | RealClearPolitics

The Resonant Words, and Wisdom, of "Silent Cal" | RealClearPolitics

"... the accumulation of wealth cannot be justified as the chief end of existence.”  So said Calvin Coolidge. 

Chief Justice Roberts said this, 

 "If you are among the many Americans—of whatever sexual orientation—who favor expanding same-sex marriage, by all means celebrate today’s decision. Celebrate the achievement of a desired goal. Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it."LINK

Use the Internet to Learn and Refresh Your Bank of Knowledge

Knowledge is Money?  Right?  Actually, knowledge is a lot of things. 
You never know when it's going to come in handy.  Maybe learning the
geography of the world isn't what you'd call essential knowledge, but I
really don't want to call it trivia, either.  You see, I'm very poor in
my knowledge of the geography of the world.



I'm good at word games, less adept at jigsaw puzzles, and more challenged by math and science than any other subject.  So, to release my stress, once in a while, I decide I'm going to learn something about this world we live in.  Learning where places are is interesting and gives me the smallest edge when I'm watching world news or reading online.  I'm not out to impress someone and I learn by rote, mostly.  Maybe I won't be able to recall everything, but if my mind needs sharpening, I know right where to go.  

Links:

• 10 Top Reasons- Why Geography?
• Value of Learning About Geography
• Learn Anything

Time to Let Go a Little and Relax!

Why the Confederate flag won't come down in South Carolina anytime soon - LA Times

Why the Confederate flag won't come down in South Carolina anytime soon - LA Times



This issue is being revived as a way to assuage the feelings of folks who are angry.  Yes?  No?  The issue being revived to remove the flag from the property has become a point of political correctness.  Yes?  No?



The fact is that the flag doesn't fly over the South Carolinian statehouse.  It flies over a Confederate Memorial.  Does the flag represent a real historical context with the Memorial?  Yes.  Should all Confederate Memorials everywhere be denuded of the Confederate Flags?



Now, no doubt there are some South Carolinian's who wish that history could be changed.  There are some of us who regret that the War Between the States was fought.  But we cannot change history, or if we do, the lessons of history will be lost and forgotten.  



Real families suffered.  Real people died.  Real blood was spilt.  Studying the history will disturb you.  As it should.  Hopefully, by studying the history, you will realize what a horrible thing war is.  Hopefully, you will discover that sometimes it is difficult to say who the good guys are.  War is a complex issue and happens when a set of circumstances and actions come into conflict and remember the phrase, "Follow the Money"--it really applies.  Money = Power in the small minds of those who are in positions of influence, sometimes.

Every GOP Candidate Who Called for the Confederate Flag to Come Down Showed They Can’t Win the Election

Every GOP Candidate Who Called for the Confederate Flag to Come Down Showed They Can’t Win the Election



Here's a ploy that the Democrats utilized to show the inability of Republican candidates to engage in politics in a positive manner.  The issue is not the South Carolinian Flag.  The issue isn't South Carolina and the issue certainly isn't how flying the flag connects to the atrocious act of a 21 one year old radical.



The issue is:

• The history of the Democratic Party in South Carolina and how it has nurtured a climate of division.
• The history of the Republican Party in Southern politics.

 My own personal belief is that Mitt Romney did, indeed, make a gaffe by taking the bait in the ploy.  As have others.  We (conservatives) have no cause to be defensive.  See also:

• American Thinker blog article: The Democratic Party's Long History of Rascism
• A Brief History of the Democratic Party
• The Rascist History of the Democratic Party

President Clinton sent 20, 000 troops to protect the white citizens of Europe's
Bosnia, but sent no troops to Africa's Rwanda to protect the black citizens
there. Consequently over 800,000 Africans were massacre

During the 2003 Democratic Primary debates, the Rev. Al Sharpton, said the
Democrat take the black vote for granted and treat African American like a mistress.
They [Democrats} will take us to the dance, but they don't want to take us home
to meet mama."

- See more at: http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/3554#sthash.JeDNXQxK.dpuf

President Clinton sent 20, 000 troops to protect the white citizens of Europe's
Bosnia, but sent no troops to Africa's Rwanda to protect the black citizens
there. Consequently over 800,000 Africans were massacre

During the 2003 Democratic Primary debates, the Rev. Al Sharpton, said the
Democrat take the black vote for granted and treat African American like a mistress.
They [Democrats} will take us to the dance, but they don't want to take us home
to meet mama."

- See more at: http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/3554#sthash.JeDNXQxK.dpuf

Sultan Knish: Whatever Happened to John Kerry

Sultan Knish: Whatever Happened to John Kerry



This column echoes some of my thoughts re Kerry.  Is he still a key player in the Democratic scenario?  Is he going to frame his service as Secretary of State as a peacemaker and man about Europe?

Two Memorial Day Weekend Books for Busy Latter-day Saints | Meridian Magazine

Two Memorial Day Weekend Books for Busy Latter-day Saints | Meridian Magazine



I am blogging this so as to remember that I want to read these two books.   And here is why:

New perspectives can be self-perfecting, leading to heightened understanding of our own obstacles.

Or so writes the author of this brief, but not short,  review, Ashby Boyle. 



I am all about looking for new perspectives. 



One book is about the Apostle Paul or else a delivery of two diverse attitudes about Paul's theology.  Salvation with or without works?  I wonder if the treatise includes the amazing works of Paul and his mission?  Will have to read the book to find out.



The other recommended read is regarding the late scientist, Mormon educator, and theologian, Henry Eyring, Sr.'s book, Reflections of a Scientist.  Did Eyring come to his faith through intellect, despite intellect, or because of intellect?  A question I will consider when I have read the material. 



One thing is for sure, I will be glad for the day when our latter-day faith takes media from the foreground of its concerns as if millions were asking us to explain, defend, or justify our beliefs.  Who is the target of that media buzz?  The membership themselves?  Thoughtful, sincere individuals will seek the truth and we will not hide it from them.  The light on the hill is not the press, the Internet's light shining through the night, nor the didactic tweet of member trolls.  That Light on the Hill is Jesus Christ, our Savior, as represented by our example and our living of the basic truths of His gospel.

Microsoft Word - Why Should I Visit the Family History Center.docx - Why-Should-I-Visit-the-Family-History-Center.pdf

Microsoft Word - Why Should I Visit the Family History Center.docx - Why-Should-I-Visit-the-Family-History-Center.pdf

This is an excellent article!  I think even a family history consultant on the Family History Staff would agree with my estimation.

If you do choose to read this article, expect to learn more than you expected about research, about having a dedicated place to go and do your family history, (dedicated times, as well), and about the value of having other people listen to you talk about your genealogy.  Not just your challenges and brick walls, but they will listen to your triumphs and care!  And then there's the old maxim about: "Two heads are better than one".  

Butterfly Laughter by Katherine Mansfield

In the middle of our porridge plates
There was a blue butterfly painted
And each morning we tried who should reach the
butterfly first.
Then the Grandmother said: "Do not eat the poor
butterfly."
That made us laugh.
Always she said it and 

always it started us laughing.
It seemed such a sweet little joke.
I was certain that one fine morning
The butterfly would fly out of our plates,
Laughing the teeniest laugh in the world,
And perch on the Grandmother's lap.

» The TPP Will Make You A Debt Slave Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!

» The TPP Will Make You A Debt Slave Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!



Making cash extinct is a way for government to tract what you spend, where you spend, etc.

Not exercise, but movement

Health and Mobility are my desired companions.  I want to be able to get about, just in case there is a good reason to do so. 

For example, tonight I am catching a ride to an activity in a city 40 miles away.  My fifty-year old son and his younger wife, along with my grandson, Torin, are in a one-act play.  The event is actually a series of seven, one-act plays.  You will laugh, perhaps, that I consider the ride over, the time I spend there, and the ride back to be an exertion that merits any consideration in my daily list of challenges.

Getting out of my current domicile is essential to my goal for mobility and at the same time, I must have mobility to get out and about.  "Get out"? you ask.  As if someone is holding me prisoner.  I hold myself prisoner, sometimes.  Tonight will be a "leave", a "pass", that I will award myself.  I will enjoy the plays.  I will enjoy the company; I will not miss my Monday night TV shows. 

In preparation, I have run a couple of errands.  Reasons to get up, get dressed, not sit on my bum all day or take a nap.  The errands are exertion, this morning.  The walk out to the car, getting in and out of the car, going in the K-Mart and picking up a necessary medication, acquiring a smattering of snacks for the "trip" tonight...these are all exercise to me.  Mobility choices. 

I "made" myself go to Chick Fil-A, after the K-Mart jaunt; I needed protein, after all.  My first meal of the day is consumed after noon, but then, as my friends who know me well, will tell you, I slept in this morning. 

My final stop is the produce market where I spend $5.67 for 4 pieces of fruit and a tray of blueberries (not yet in season for our local area, but available through the auspices of Dole and their tropical reach, maybe).

For many years, my mother didn't have to attend exercise classes.  She was a busy bee at home and in the community.   She hung her clothes out on a clothesline, she worked in the yard, she fed the family, mended and sewed and in general, kept herself fit because she was raised/reared to be this person.  Then she "celebrated" a birthday that put her over the hill.  We kids left home and there wasn't as much to do that engaged her attention.  And pounds were threatening to decimate her wardrobe.  My mother was nothing if not well dressed (at least when she went out in public).

So mother and dad purchased a membership (lifetime) at the local YMCA, (now defunct).  Mother, true to form, wasn't really into exercise per Se, but she was interested in dancing.  She faithfully attended Libby McSheehy's aerobic dancing//jazz-er-size and fought for the rest of her life the battle of the bulge.

I'm not my mother's child in energetic first responding to weight gain and mobility.  I realize that it cost her something, that she displayed courage, was the original commitment maker, and that she was so far beyond me in self-discipline it makes my feeble efforts to keep moving, pale beside her example. 

Iranian ship convoy moves toward Yemen, alarming US officials | TheHill

Iranian ship convoy moves toward Yemen, alarming US officials | TheHill



The Iranians are sending America a message.  A bold and open action that says, "We are calling your bluff, America".   

Sultan Knish: The Deconstruction of Marriage

Sultan Knish: The Deconstruction of Marriage



It is Satan (and those who get tricked by his lies) who want us to become slaves, ideological dummies, with our souls a clean slate that can be imprinted upon by others. 



WE should support those who believe in family, in the institution of marriage, and in the right of the individual to not only have religious beliefs but be able to express them and live them without fear of recrimination or persecution.

Baking Liberty of Conscience into the Cake

Baking Liberty of Conscience into the Cake



When the shoe is on the other foot, or should I say when the potholder is on the other hand?  The whisk, whatever.

Freedom of Association Is Burned at the Stake in Indiana

Freedom of Association Is Burned at the Stake in Indiana



First Amendment guarantees freedom of association, right?  Read this article and see how that God-given or "natural" right might be compromised by those who are protesting the law that is already in place in 18 states and that Obama voted for in Illinois.

How movies move us...

I recently re-watched a couple of movies that I enjoyed the first time I had seen them.  I wanted to see them again and see if I could squeeze a little more out of them, a little better understanding of the story and more enjoyment.

Movies are not like books.  A physical book that we've purchased or borrowed, is like a deep pool that will wait on us to discover and/or re-discover.  We can stop reading, turn back a few pages and review, if we don't quite see the scope of the story.  If we don't "get it", we can read more carefully or choose to read another book.

With a movie, the story plows on, cutting a trail through you, proceeding merrily along its way and you hope you caught the dialogue.  You can go to the theater and see the movie six times or whatever if you have the money or a copy of the movie.  I choose carefully, what movies I watch, knowing that the images and "FX" are likely to imprint themselves on my mind in ways that a book can't do. 

Keep this thought in mind as you conduct your personal pursuit through the amazing wealth of entertainment offerings: What deserves your attention, time, and commitment?  Will the ride be so remarkable that you will want to read a book twice or watch a movie again?

I'm sure that part of the answer to that query depends on what your are looking for when you reach for external sources of entertainment.  Do you want relaxation, stimulation, political commentary, or just a good, well-written story that is crafted to make you suspend your reality?

I'm not a movie watcher in the sense of seeing a lot of movies; it's difficult for me to sit still unless I have traveled to a dedicated place, such as a movie theater.  Sometimes, there's no one at home and a movie comes on television and I'm ready to dig in for the entire time, with a snack nearby...

Such was the case when I settled down in my recliner and watched those two movies (on different days).  First movie I re-watched was "Julie and Julia". 

I can't believe that the movie came out six years ago!  When I am watching, I often have my computer in my lap (a laptop) and if I have a question, I can zip over to Wikipedia and read that Meryl Streep and Amy Adams had co-starred in two other movies.

The other movie that I recently watched was "Seabiscuit"; it is a story set in the relatively recent period of time and don't let it fool you into thinking it's just another horse story.  Horse lovers will enjoy the movie, I think, but the courage and grace of "Seabiscuit" rubs off on the people, too.

What's a movie you'd like to watch again?  What movie makes you want to go and read the book?  What movie inspires you write in your blog or rethink your dream?  Which character do you admire? 

Are movies always true to the story?  Enrich your life and have some fun.  See a movie soon! 

Movie Issues and Recommendations, Movie Reviews, etc.:

• No rated "R" for me

• The LDS Church and "R" rated movies: another view.

• Fifty Best Movies for Kids

• Mormon Guy Movie Reviews

• Movies That Stand the Test of Time?  You Decide.

Enjoying TV

The Mentalist

The Pursuit of Liberty

People who do violence, who terrorize those that are unable to defend themselves, need to know the following with certainty:

1.  They will be tracked down and found.
2.  They will face the rule of law, or the law of the land.  They will be held ACCOUNTABLE.
3.  The hope that their sentence will be commuted when they get old and sick or that they will have a hope of being set free through a prisoner exchange should be crushed by knowing that those who love peace and value freedom will not ever let it happen.

Insult to the United States?

What a horrible shame it would be if ISIS gains control of Kobani and is allowed to be just 8 miles from Baghdad Airport! This is a slam against the United States, no two ways about it. Did we really send our troops to fight and some of them to die or be seriously injured so that ISIS could rule that part of the world?

I can't believe what is happening. It's not like we don't have interests in that part of the world. It's not like many of our countrymen and women aren't from that part of the world. It's not like we haven't already invested our blood and money in that part of the world.

 Someone knows the answer to this puzzle, but my heart breaks for those who must live under tyranny for our lack of action.

Tell me that all will be well.  Tell me that evil has had its day, that we have reached the red line and protect it from being infringed upon.

• Fox News Today

• Bloomberg

• Voice of America 

• Obama's Feckless Strategy

 "If this falls, the 700, plus perhaps the 12,000 people, apart from the fighters, will be most likely massacred," de Mistura said. The United Nations believes 700 mainly elderly civilians are trapped in the town itself and 12,000 have left the center but not made it across the border into Turkey."  (REUTERS)

We are grateful for the words of a living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. #ldsconf pic.twitter.com/x2VguzHfOJ

— Mormon Times (@mormontimes) October 5, 2014

Hundreds of Besieged Yazidis Evacuated in Northern Iraq - WSJ

Hundreds of Besieged Yazidis Evacuated in Northern Iraq - WSJ



I gather that the evacuation and the humanitarian efforts are somewhat complicated by Syrian Kurdis soldiers who are designated by our country as terrorists.  What's the story there?

Genealogy Roots Blog: Online Indexes for Death Records, Cemeteries and Obituaries - Latest Additions

Genealogy Roots Blog: Online Indexes for Death Records, Cemeteries and Obituaries - Latest Additions



Thanks, Joe Beine!  If you were my teacher I'd bring you an apple.  Attention Beginning Genealogists:  Need a clue where to find records.  Check at this blog and follow "Online Indexes".

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino:

I am on vacation to visit family and enjoy a break from my routine and from the humidity and heat of Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  My dau-in-law has a book club meeting coming up soon and she asked if I wanted to read their monthly selection.  That's how I began a journey into the mind of Ishigami, an unassuming individual who just happened to earn a living teaching math.

In the book are some situations and events that stimulated me to review the current moral standards I adhere to as opposed to the standards that Ishigami chose to follow.  A different time, a different clime, and a faraway nation with a culture unlike any other on the planet is the setting.  I can't really say much more than that without revealing the plot and story that is Ishigami's life.  I think you might find it worth reading.

I have to thank my sweet daughter-in-law for directing me to this book.  She is a hardworking person at two libraries, right now.  Libraries are amazing places and the people who work there are, often, the very person who can help you find the reading material you are looking for. 

What to Do with Those Old Family Photos, Letters, and Documents

What to Do with Those Old Family Photos, Letters, and Documents



This news reminds us that having a dedicated time and place to scan our documents will help us carry through with our goals.  Scanning your documents and photos straight to your FamilySearch account makes the chore a one-step process.  

Baker forced to make gay wedding cakes, undergo sensitivity training, after losing lawsuit | Fox News

Baker forced to make gay wedding cakes, undergo sensitivity training, after losing lawsuit | Fox News



I was under the impression that if the product or service was one not essential to life as we know it....



Stand the issue, the specific issue, on its head.  Turn it around.  While wedding cake is possibly considered an essential part of the revelry following the marriage, does it really matter who makes it?  I guess if you want the best possible wedding cake, you go to the top baker, right?  Or maybe the only one in your town who makes wedding cakes?  Would you really want to have the guy bake the cake if he didn't want to?



There are all kinds of ways to look at this.  Personally, I am not sure I would care who was ordering the cake, but then again, I might want to preserve my right to refuse.  I wouldn't be excited to be doing business with an abortionist, for example.

Because of Him

Because of Him



As many of you did, today, I attended church.  Sometimes, people who don't regularly attend every Sunday, come out on Easter.  It is always good to see old friends.  I've been "subbing" for the pianist. only right now we don't have a regular pianist or organist.  It's difficult for me as it has been many years since I had practiced my skill and I don't have a piano, right now.  I get a little nervous (stressed).



However, what a privilege it is to play the Easter anthems or maybe there just plain hymns, but to me they are anthems!  I really look forward to celebrating Christ's triumph over sin and over the grave, and from what I've heard on the news, I'm not alone.  People in the Ukraine greet each other, "He is Risen!" and I hope for them a peaceful resolution to their current challenges.



Because, Easter is all about Hope, isn't it?  Jesus Christ, we believe, gave Himself, a Sacrifice, that we might be triumphant over sin and over the grave.  Hosanna! they shouted when rode through Jerusalem.  Hosanna!  May we hold onto our faith with even greater vigor than in the past!  We are not alone and there still are thousands, and tens of thousands that Believe, all across the world.  Let that be our strength in the unity of the faith.

FGS 2014 Conference Home

FGS 2014 Conference Home

 What a wonderful way to beat the summer doldrums!  Wish I could go; I've been to one FGS National Conference and is was full of wonderful surprises.

In the wake of Kathleen Sebelius’s ouster from her job as secretary of Health and Human Services, there has emerged a debate about what the Los Angeles Times calls “Obamacare and the Sebelius legacy.”From a moral perspective, th...

In the wake of Kathleen Sebelius’s ouster from her job as secretary of Health and Human Services, there has emerged a debate about what the Los Angeles Times calls “Obamacare and the Sebelius legacy.”

From a moral perspective, th...



I find this very interesting.

What is Russia doing to Ukraine?

What is Russia doing to Ukraine?



If you want to know more about the Budapest Memorandum,  click the link.  Russia (Putin) is not abiding by the agreement.  Very subtly, for a number of years, they have been trying to undermine the agreement.  Now, it isn't so subtle anymore.

What is really happening in Ukraine (daily updates) from Nazar Bartosik

Family Before Phone – Behaviorally-Sound New Years Resolutions | Mormon Life Hacker

Family Before Phone – Behaviorally-Sound New Years Resolutions | Mormon Life Hacker



This article is worth reading.  Don't you think so?

How net neutrality fight may change your internet - CNN.com

How net neutrality fight may change your internet - CNN.com



The proposed change means that POSSIBLY, big companies will have the money to pay for big access.  Web based ".org" concerns may not be able to pay the bill, nor would state and county generated sites be able to compete.  This means that some of us who are enjoying the wide range of access currently available on the Internet, might not have the luxury of accessing our favorite, albeit, modest, non-profit sites.



Am I getting the gist here?  I am a genealogist.  The sites I love to access are not limited to Ancestry.com or other large corporations.  I frequently make use of the dot org sites or dot com sites that literally were start-ups at one time, plus other sites like FamilySearch, USGenWeb, Findagrave.com, Cyndislist.com, and so forth.  I depend on access to archival web sites often sponsored by genealogy and history societies and even by individuals.

Okay, I want to be distracted, sometimes.  Jigzone.com is one of my favorite distractions; at the same time, it is an awesome way to keep my brain active.  I don't usually use the timer function, or rather, pay attention to it.  But if you want to compete against yourself or others, go for it.  My aim is all about recreation.

Is the Internet Eating Up My Time, Energy, and Soul?

Here's a link to an article that I half read this morning:

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s42/sh/b9ccb799-9bc0-4486-b84b-3968c88bc9f9/06709efc60595c6a3a066413b238c6fb

Some very thought provoking statements are made in this article.  In short, I encourage you to read and highlight those that make an impact on you. 

Is it the nature of social networking to distract us from reality?  Is social networking bad in and of itself?  How should we use social networking to complement our lives?  What other Internet activities might be more worthwhile?

I often have to limit my time on the Internet as I do "have a life".  So, what time I do spend on social networking should be limited, also, right? Making a plan for my day and assessing my priorties should come first and I can consciously make a decision of how much time to spend "sharing", reading posts on Facebook, tweeting, etc. 

Family History is one of the things I enjoy doing on the Internet, but is it a replacement for me actually getting things done in my life that are just as important? 

Visiting with a neighbor, calling an old friend, cleaning my house, taking time for prayer---these are worthwhile and consume time and effort.  I think sometimes that the more I watch television, the more I read a book on Kindle, the more time I spend on the Internet, the less time I'm actually moving around, the less time I'm becoming who I want to be and the less time I'm serving the Lord.

Re-Seasoning Old Iron Skillet

 This one has an "engraved" name on it.  All I can read is Gidney.



Pans of the "cast-iron persuasion" can be hand-me-downs, right?  Here are some pics I took of the ones that have been in my family for generations.  Not sure if they are are from my paternal line (Grandma Hall made cornbread in a similar pan), or from my maternal line, (I'm not sure if I can remember mother cooking in these or not).

I have looked up articles having to do with cleaning and re-seasoning an old cast iron skillet that has been in my family for generations.  If you have a similar challenge, you might want to explore the links below.

• CHOWHOUND: Use cheap oven cleaner!

This is a small pan.  Perfect for an egg or two!

•  What's Cooking America:  This article is very comprehensive! Thorough, etc.; No oven cleaner used.

•  I Believe I Can Fry: This article recommends using oven-cleaner?!

I just looked these links up on Google and there are many more.  Some recommend high heat for seasoning, others say low-heat.  I'm not sure which is best.  Guess I will have to try or experiment with one or the other of these options.  I'll let you know how it turns out, but it would seem that there's a science associated with not only cleaning, re-seasoning, and cooking in cast iron, as well as storing it.  The one common piece of advice that I encountered was: NEVER BOIL WATER IN YOUR CAST IRON PAN.

RNA's Secret Life Outside the Cell - Wired Science

RNA's Secret Life Outside the Cell - Wired Science

I love living in an age of scientific discovery.  I'm not sure I understand it all, but I do try to read and understand as best I can, what lies beneath or outside or inside of me!

Buns In My Oven » Sweet Potato Cookies with Browned Butter Glaze

Buns In My Oven » Sweet Potato Cookies with Browned Butter Glaze

I'm featuring this web site and the recipe because I enjoy the commentary that goes along with the blog, as well as the yumminess of the recipes.

Sweet potatoes remind me of fall, harvest, pumpkins, squash, orange and yellow veggies and warm, mellow times.   As for scary movies, I try not to watch them! 

Today, I went to a genealogical seminar in Pensacola, Florida.  It was held at the auditorium of Washington High School and the speaker was Megan Smolenyak.  For the better part of the day, I got my head stuffled with super wise information, inspiration, and my stomach wasn't neglected, either.  The West Florida Genealogical Society welcomed us with an array of refreshments that stayed out on the table during the breaks as well as for a "continental" breakfast.  I seriously love Megan (a derivative of my own moniker, "Margaret"); she is my heroine.

For lunch, us girls who traveled together forty-something miles to attend the seminar, visited Panera's at Cordova Mall.  I had the Autumn Squash soup and it is to die for!  I loved it!  Just put me in the mood for Thanksgiving and all healthful delicious stuff!  

A plan for 2014 - Tea Party Nation

A plan for 2014 - Tea Party Nation

I don't think a lot of Republicans are aware that there is a fierce battle about to take place in the 2014 Vote between moderate and "tea-party" Republicans.  I am very fond of some of my friends who belong to the Tea Party.  It truly is a grass roots organization.  Are there rogue elements?  Perhaps, but for the most part, I think it has been (the tea party) has been a balancing influence in the Republican party.  What is a moderate wing correlation?  Where do the grass roots go, if not to the Tea-Party?

If only Glenn Beck could galvanize his following!  Some of us have not given up on the Republican Party, but some of us are tired of the friction and fracturing.  Why can't the Republican Party represent both conservatives and moderates.  Some issues could be compromised on; some cannot.  Republicans, even moderate or liberal Republicans, should embrace grass roots as a valid part of the party.  Those of us who are sick of the non-accountability of Democratic politicians in economic matters, need a voice.  Those of us who fear accomodation in the cultural fabric of society as governed by the feds, need a voice.

Who voted for Health Care Reform, yea or nay?

Who voted for Health Care Reform (Obamacare) is laid out plainly, here.  Is that going to be a watermark for who we vote for in 2014?  It could be one of them.

About the Midterm Congressional Elections

About the Midterm Congressional Elections

It's not too soon to start the education process for the 2014 elections that will change (or not) the face of our representation in Congress.

2014 Senate Elections: Here is the Republican Roadmap to Victory - PolicyMic

2014 Senate Elections: Here is the Republican Roadmap to Victory - PolicyMic

Senate’s pivotal 2014 races take shape - Elections - The Sacramento Bee

Senate’s pivotal 2014 races take shape - Elections - The Sacramento Bee

We, the people, need to be watching the 2014 line-ups in every state, but especially the one we live in and where we can make a difference.

United States Senate elections, 2014 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

United States Senate elections, 2014 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Educate yourselves. 

November 4, 2014 is the Day you can Speak Your Conscience.

Is Kerry Setting Up Israel as the Fall Guy in the Syria WMD Deal | FrontPage Magazine

Is Kerry Setting Up Israel as the Fall Guy in the Syria WMD Deal | FrontPage Magazine

I've read now, a couple of thoughtful reviews of last week's events and the way they played out.  

Legal Dictionary | Law.com

Legal Dictionary | Law.com

I looked up "chancery" and also got a definition for "equity".  This web site or one like it will help you when you are doing research and come across a legal term you don't understand.  Examples of stuff that my dad found when he did research on the Givens family at the courthouse. 

Now, I just have to read those records (or search in my dad's stuff), to get the details!  A trip to the courthouse may be the faster of the two options.

Hatch, Colleagues Call on White House for Details on Obamacare Implementation at 21 Federal Agencies - Press Releases - United States Senator Orrin Hatch

Hatch, Colleagues Call on White House for Details on Obamacare Implementation at 21 Federal Agencies - Press Releases - United States Senator Orrin Hatch

How can I find out exactly which federal agencies are included in that 21 that were redirected from their regular mission to help implement Obamacare?  And by what authority were they redirected or rather whose authority and how much is all this costing over and above what was originally earmarked for Obamacare?

Sultan Knish posts "The End of Control"

Here's the link for the article: The End of Control.

Here are some of my comments:

Article says, "Increasing control is the only solution of the system to failure."

• Margaret  says, "This is patently obvious, now that think about it.  Look at the history of the government's attempts to fix and/or cover every expediency.  Look at the regulations, the addendums, the twists and the turns of federal law.  Where is the humility?  Where is the honesty, the common sense?  We send people to Congress to make laws, but perhaps we should send them to do away with some laws, especially as pertains to the laws that have no semblance or appearance of constitutionality."

GOP Widens Probe of Sebelius Fundraising for Enroll America

GOP Widens Probe of Sebelius Fundraising for Enroll America

It seems that someone else has questions about the Enroll America crew. 

Board of Directors - Enroll America

Board of Directors - Enroll America

This is the group that will be "educating" Americans in their enrollment process for Obamacare.  I intend on checking out the Board of Directors--do they have something to gain for their trouble?  If so, what?

A Scary Superbug, Caffeinated Bees and More - NYTimes.com

A Scary Superbug, Caffeinated Bees and More - NYTimes.com

A rare sunstone?  Tags: science, archaelogy, religion?

Gov. Christie’s $32.9B Budget Expands Medicaid, Increases School Aid « CBS New York

Gov. Christie’s $32.9B Budget Expands Medicaid, Increases School Aid « CBS New York

It's called a compromise and in some situations, it's what you got to do!

Teaching Students to Feel Guilty about Financial Success

Teaching Students to Feel Guilty about Financial Success

Brainwashing is all about mindset.  Trends.  Trending.  Indoctrination.  It takes bright, clever, liberal brains to craft a society that is based on destroying American dreams, American ingenuity, American values.

Hamburg resident Dr. Evan Calkins writes family history | Scene |News Classifieds Events

via thesunnews.net

Age 82, Young at Heart, Dr. Calkins pens his family history! Three cheers for the Doctor! Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurrah.

Posted via email from Margaret's posterous

2012 Featured Collections - Ancestry.com

2012 Featured Collections - Ancestry.com

Does anyone know how long Ancestry will keep its door open on the free access to these collections?  

Fold3 - Historical military records

via fold3.com

I will begin the new year with no subscription to either "fold3" or ancestry.com. I don't have a subscription to company that archives and makes available the historical newspapers.

This next year, I will still have plenty to do, plenty of resources to check out. For example, I've hardly begun to skim the surface of www.findagrave.com or www.familysearch.org. I have access to Heritage Quest through the local library. There is Rootsweb, the "free arm" of Ancestry, and also www.usgenweb, where many volunteers have posted information.

When I'm not looking at the Internet at free resources, I can always tidy my "papers". I can scan photos and original documents, as well as notes and maps. I will aim to collaborate with family, get closer kin to take part of the load, and make memories with grandchildren.

All of the subscription services will still be available down the road, should I decide I can't live without them. I marvel at the giant companies that have managed to gather and make accessible, wonderful historic records and genealogy databases. I just choose do something else for now, for my own private reasons. And there is a ton I can do, for free! Maybe I'll even re-learn how to write a letter or a query.

Posted via email from Margaret's posterous