Rejoicing In My Posterity (or, the Personal Reflections of a 21st Century Grandma)

Happy Christmas, Everybody!!! THANK YOU, 5th Graders and community of Quinhagak, Alaska!

2011-11-19T13:39:00.000-08:00

Is anybody out there LISTENING?

2011-08-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

The USGS has determined that the epicenter of the Va earthquake was in a graveyard just outside of DC. The cause appears to be all of our Founding Fathers rolling over in their graves.

Frank McCourt has nothing, and the Dodgers have it all

2011-06-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

Frank McCourt has nothing, and the Dodgers have it all

The Ultimate "Mother's Day" video

2011-05-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

(Sorry 'bout the ads . . . I'm not clever enough to know how to delete them!)

<br/><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/momma-and-kitten-sleep-in-blissful-cuteness/20j2428b?from=imbot_us_default&src=v5:embed::&fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="Momma And Kitten Sleep In Blissful Cuteness">Video: Momma And Kitten Sleep In Blissful Cuteness</a>

It is a RARE Song That Will Bring Tears to My Eyes

2010-09-26T20:53:00.000-07:00

Our Ward Choir sang this in church today, and it was the most glorious thing I've ever heard!

Put THESE words
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/o/o153.html

with the music in THIS video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbLO7_ZXolA

and see if you don't agree:

Soar Like an Eagle

2010-09-10T11:46:00.000-07:00

The Writing is On the Wall for All to See

2010-08-11T22:56:00.000-07:00

Steve Wynn, a casino resort/real-estate developer who has been credited with spearheading the dramatic resurgence and expansion of the Las Vegas Strip, talks about the Fall of America.

Still Popular, After All These Years!

2010-05-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

I was *thrilled* last week to receive my Mary Maxim catalogue and discover, to my GREAT delight, there on the COVER (!!!) NOW BEING ADVERTIZED FOR SALE AS A KIT for only $70 through a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ENTITY . . . .

MY $10,000 PRIZE-WINNING CATHEDRAL WINDOW AFGHAN!!!!

(My only regret is that folks seem to think the original color scheme isn't "good enough" for a "Modern" audience, and have chosen all shades of purple. Well, in their defense, it *IS* deucedly difficult to FIND yarn that looks like sunshine through centuries old stained glass!)

Which do YOU prefer?

I Know It's True -- You Can, Too!

2010-05-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

Thomas Jefferson couldn't have said it better!

2010-04-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

"Apologia"

2010-02-13T22:50:00.000-08:00

I have been told that I have strayed from the original purpose of this blog, which was to "Rejoice in my posterity.'

I have strayed into politics, and interesting U-Tube videos, and cartoons, and other things that have nothing whatsoever to do with my posterity.

In my defense, I wish to point out that my posterity has strayed away from blogging to Facebook, and everything of interest seems to happen there these days! Hence, MY BLOG has become, more and more, a place for me to observe the world around me, and comment on it, hopefully for the betterment of my posterity.

Hence, the new subtitle.

It began as a way for me to keep up with my posterity; it is now a way for my posterity to keep in touch with me, and for me to keep a record for future generations of the great and momentous happenings of my days.

And if that's not good enough . . . you can get your own Blog!!!

Simply Beautiful

2010-02-13T21:54:00.000-08:00

Too Funny Not to Share

2010-02-12T13:58:00.000-08:00

GREAT Idea!!!

2010-01-14T15:34:00.000-08:00

By small and simple means are GREAT THINGS brought to pass:

My New Year's Resolution: Drink More Water!

2010-01-03T18:49:00.001-08:00

RIGHT ON!!!

2009-12-26T16:11:00.001-08:00

Brilliant Commentary

2009-09-28T23:29:00.000-07:00

One of a Kind!!!

2009-09-16T13:59:00.001-07:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There is

person with my name in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

"Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it".

2009-09-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

Let the Buyer BEWARE!!!

2009-09-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

New Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Flavor

In honor of the 44th President of the United States, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream has introduced a new flavor: "Barocky Road."

Barocky Road is a blend of half vanilla, half chocolate, and surrounded by nuts and flakes. The vanilla portion of the mix is not openly advertised and usually denied as an ingredient. The nuts and flakes are all very bitter and hard to swallow.

The cost is $100.00 per scoop. When purchased it will be presented to you in a large beautiful cone, but then the ice cream is taken away and given to the person in line behind you.

You are left with an empty wallet and no change, holding an empty cone with no hope of getting any ice cream.

Are you stimulated?

Reason for Hope

2009-08-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

Pres. Obama was carried to victory last November on a wave of hope which has dissipated faster than any previous administration's.

Obviously, we cannot rely on politics or politicians to give us the hope we seek.

But, there is a source of Hope which has never failed, and to which both individuals and nations may look for answers to the problems which face us. That one, unfailing, unchageable Source is Jesus Christ.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are men designated as modern prophets, with the same calling and authority as Moses and Isaiah: to speak God’s will to His people, and to warn us and help us prepare for what lies ahead. One of these modern prophets was Harold B. Lee (1899 - 1973), who offers these words of hope:

"Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail. This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the new Jerusalem. This is the place that the Lord said is favored above all other nations in all the world. This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple. This is the favored land in all the world. Yes, I repeat, men may fail, but this nation won't fail. I have faith in America ; you and I must have faith in America , if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in a day when we must pay heed to these challenges.

"I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. This is the favored land. This is the land of our forefathers. It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through." (Ye Are the Light of the World, 350-51)
Our scriptures teach us that "When we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (D&C 130:21)

So, what is the law upon which this blessing of greatness, freedom, and hope is based?

A prophet who lived anciently in America said it best:

"And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity." (Ether 2:9)

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to compute the distance this nation and her laws have separated themselves from the Christian principles upon which she was founded. And when the elected leader of our nation travels the world, making a point of informing everyone that we are NOT a Christian Nation, one can only speculate how near we must be to enduring the wrath of an offended God.

But there IS HOPE! It is not too late! We can still turn it around, if we but choose to repent of our pride and wickedness, and return to our merciful Brother, who gave His Life for us.

We must be ready at all times to stand up for what we believe in; to defend the principles of truth upon which this Nation was founded, and which we know to be the only means of securing for ourselves and our posterity the blessings of freedom our forefathers died that we might enjoy.

This struggle will not be won in Congress, or the White House, or the courts, or the battlefields, or in foreign lands -- as important as all of those battlegrounds may be. Ultimately, the struggle will be won or lost in each home, as Americans choose whether to follow the Author of our liberties, or to adopt the secular humanism that is fast becoming the new state religion. May we choose well.

A Nation "Under God," or a Nation "Gone Under?"

2009-06-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

Congressman Randy Forbes hits the nail SQUARELY on the head!

Christ will NEVER turn away from us.

But if WE turn OUR backs on HIM, we can hardly expect Him to continue to LEAD and protect us as He has in the past.

Let us not make this mistake. As Pres. Reagan so aptly put it, "If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under."

PAYDAY!!!

2009-06-03T20:57:00.001-07:00

It just doesn't get any better than this!!

(I'm putting the baby picture here so you'll know which Daddy he belongs to)

But the REAL story of the blogpost is THE GRADUATES!!

Not to forget those who have already received their post-graduate degrees

and entered into the most challenging career ever invented!!

Are we PROUD of our kids???

YOU BET!!!!!

Susan Does It Again!!!!

2009-05-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

Mama's Panacea

2009-04-30T19:06:00.001-07:00

Would you believe, ANOTHER ONE???

2009-04-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

And this is TEN YEARS AGO!!!

WHAT were the idiots SMOKING, that they passed up talent like this???

NOT just a "one hit wonder!"

2009-04-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

GO, SUSAN BOYLE!!!

Who says there's no MAGIC in our modern world?

2009-04-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

Here's hoping we can see a LOT MORE of these incredible, MAGICAL MOMENTS everywhere in the world in the coming years.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, one and all!!!

"And I shall make weak things become strong unto them."

2009-04-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

What an incredibly beautiful love story!!

Amazing!

2009-04-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

Every one of these incredible performers is completely deaf.

It's PURE MAGIC!!!

2009-04-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to have flown beside Wilbur Wright in that VERY FIRST airplane?

Well, wonder no longer!!!

Thanks to a group of German documentarians in 1909, and some modern film archivists, this PRICELESS piece of film has been discovered and restored.

Go here to witness, FIRST HAND, a cockpit view of flying in the Wright airplane!

http://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/PY/322/see-the-film-wilbur_wright_and_his_flying_machine

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, one and all!
To the filmographers, who took the movie in the first place;
to the people who carefully preserved it through all these years and at least two devastating world conflicts;
to the dedicated technicians who have restored it and posted it so that everyone, everywhere can enjoy it and benefit;
THANK YOU!

This is one you have GOT to see!!!

2009-04-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

I fear I got there too late to imbed the video (DRAT!!!), so you'll just have to follow the link. but, believe me - - - it's WORTH IT!!!!!

What do you title this one?

"Dreams *DO* Come True!!!"

"NEVER Judge a 'Book' by Its cover!"

We all have a gift as an inheritance from our Divine Father, if we will but look deep enough to find it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Susan Boyle, may ALL your dreams come true!!!

I can't *wait* for your first CD!

OK, I'll Bite. Sounds like fun.

2009-04-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done withing a year. [ie - before Easter 2010]
4. You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a song. It may be a [comic collection] or maybe even some creation I haven't yet dreamed up. I may draw. I may bake you something and mail it to you. It may not be big or impressive. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure! But lets be honest here. This is me and I will likely do something amazing. =) So come on, sign up!
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!

The *other* catch is: I need a way to send you whatever it is I dream up for you. But, we can work out that out once I see you've re-posted this offer on YOUR blog!

How Can I Thank Him?

2009-04-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

BE THERE!!!

2009-03-31T23:21:00.000-07:00

What Does Your Favorite Dessert Say About YOU?

2009-03-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

If each of the eight desserts listed below were sitting in front of you, which would you choose? (Sorry, you can only pick one!)

Pick *your* favorite dessert, and then look to see what psychiatrists think about you.

Here are your choices:

1. Angel Food Cake
2. Brownies
3. Lemon Meringue Pie
4. Vanilla Cake With Chocolate Icing
5. Strawberry Short Cake
6. Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Icing
7. Ice Cream
8. Carrot Cake

My problem is, I don't have just one *Sure Fire,* pick-it-every-time winner!

I'm very fussy about my brownies. I want them chewey and nutty and melt-in-your-mouth. And I've *never* succeeded in making any that turned out that way!

My favorite birthday cake is vanilla cake, but I don't want chocolate icing! I want a vanilla butter cream icing, or, better still, a whipped cream icing - - - still vanilla - - - like wedding cake.

I absolutely ADORE strawberry short cake!!! But, not ALL THE TIME!

If it's a real, German milk chocolate cake, that's not too dry, with a lovely fudge icing, there are times I would do almost anything for a piece of chocolate cake. Pepperidge Farms makes a particularly nice, albeit rather small, chocolate cake. . .

Do this mean I'm schizophrenic?

Well, here's what Your Favorite Dessert is *Supposed* to indicate about your personality:

1. ANGEL FOOD CAKE -- Sweet, loving cuddly. You love all warm and fuzzy items. A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice cream cone at the end of the day. Others perceive you as being childlike and immature at times.

2. BROWNIES -- You are adventurous, love new ideas , and are a champion of underdogs and a slayer of dragons When tempers flare up you whip out your saber. You are always the oddball with a unique sense of humor and direction. You tend to be very
loyal.

3 LEMON MERINGUE -- Smooth, sexy, & articulate with your hands, you are an excellent caregiver and a good teacher.But don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A bit of a diva at times, you set your own style because you do your own thing. You shine when it comes to helping others and have many friends.

4. VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING -- Fun-loving, sassy,humorous, not very grounded in life; very indecisive and lacking motivation.. Everyone enjoys being around you, but you are a practical joker. Others should be cautious in making you mad. However, you are a friend for life.

5. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE -- Romantic , warm, loving. You care about other people, can be counted on in a pinch and expect the same in return. Intuitively keen. You can be very emotional at times but a true person in every way. You like to do things for yourself and help others learn about themselves.

6. CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING-- Sexy; always ready to give and receive. Very creative, adventurous, ambitious, and passionate. You can appear to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside. Not afraid to take chances . Will not settle for anything average in life. Love to laugh.

7. ICE CREAM -- You like sports, whether it be baseball,football,basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate, but you enjoy watching sports. You don't like to give up the remote control. You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance.

8. CARROT CAKE -- You are a very fun loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you. You are a very warm hearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal friends. You were meant to lead and teach others. A wonderful role model.

Well - - - what do you think? Any truth to this theory?

Why Socialism Will NEVER Work

2009-03-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

An economics professor at Texas Tech said he had never failed a single student before but had -- once -- failed an entire class. That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism." All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.

After the first test the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. But, as the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too; so they studied little.. The second test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around the average was an F.

The scores never increased as bickering, blame, name calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else. All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because WHEN THE REWARD IS GREAT, THE EFFORT TO SUCCEED IS GREAT; BUT WHEN THE GOVERNMENT TAKES ALL THE REWARD AWAY, NO ONE WILL TRY OR WANT TO SUCCEED.

Could not be any simpler than that....
'nough said

GREAT video!

2009-03-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

You have GOT to see this CLEVER, *funny* spot ad for Famiy Home Evening!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

2009-03-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

My son, Derrill, just posted this on Facebook. But, since my husband can't access Facebook, and he's GOT to see it, I'm gonna swipe it and re-post it here. . . .

This is GREAT!!!!!

NEW CELEBRATIONS

We normally get together with some good friends to watch a movie (Darby O'Gill and the Little People with a very young Sean Connery) and enjoy some Irish food. We can't get together today, so I was pondering how to celebrate St. Pat's. Last night, as part of our retroactive celebration, Joy learned that Harry Potter is a Parseltongue. Here are some ideas for anyone still stumped:

Food:
Corned beef and cabbage (boil together with salt and pepper - done)
Dubliner coddle (potatoes, onions, sausage, and bacon steamed together. We're having that tonight)
Green eggs and ham
Anything with potatoes
Go to Rodizio Grill and eat snake

Movies:
Darby O'Gill; Happiest Millionaire; Finnian's Rainbow
Or any of the 275 films mentioned here: http://www.irishfilm.net/index-2.html
Snakes on a Plane (turn off the volume and read the lines in your best Leprechaun)
Wizard of Oz and celebrate being over the rainbow with the little people in the shamrock city.

Rip off Talk like a Pirate Day:
Spread some blarney
Greet people: Top o' the marnin to ya
Respond: And the rest o' the day to yourself
Say me instead of my
Add an O' in front of every name. "I'm going down to O'Binghamton to visit me brother, O'Charlie."
Other good phrases for wannabe leprechauns: By the powers; Sure'n; Faith an begorrah (note: it means By my faith and by God).
Refer to your favorite demographic as "the wee folk."
Yes, you can call people lads and lassies, but be careful you don't do it in Scottish.

Wackyness:
Run up to someone randomly and say, "They're after me lucky charms!" and run away again.
Do something violent to an orange
Wear a Leprechaun hat your mother crocheted for you

Thanks, Grandma!

Assume all stop lights are green today
Cover any LEDs that aren't green
If anyone asks where you're from, the answer is County Cork.
Equip your fighter/cleric with a shillelagh.
Photoshop your favorite TV series or sports team and give em some green. (I'm envisioning Picard as the Green Lantern, myself.)
Read the Guinness Book of Records.
Tag people with Green, Mc, Mac, or a starting O in their name (My favorite is Curtis O'Scarson) in a Facebook note.

Sure, anyone can listen to Enya, Celtic Women, or the Chieftans. Music by not very Irish tenors is also pretty cool though: Bing Crosby (1/4 Irish), Perry Como, Roger Whittaker. I'm waiting for Neil Diamond to do Christmas in Killarny in his next Christmas album.

Another "Must See" Video

2009-03-15T23:07:00.001-07:00

"Validation" -- You have GOT to see this one!!!!!

2009-03-10T13:32:00.000-07:00

Thrilling Video on the Second Coming

2009-03-03T15:46:00.000-08:00

The Battle is the Lord's

2009-03-02T22:32:00.000-08:00

A local church leader was visibly moved, Sunday, as he thanked us all for our overwhelming response to his call for support of Proposition 8. He cited scriptural incidents of when a few wicked men tried to overthrow the lawfully appointed government. Such is the case here, as the California Attorney General is arguing that there are some things that are so fundamental the people *shouldn't* have the right to change them at the ballot box (NEVER MIND that the State Constitution says we HAVE that right). The California Supreme Court will hear arguments on the case Thursday, March 5.

We believe that the Lord, Himself, caused our Constitution to be written, and our Nation to be founded upon the principles it sets forth, and we believe we will each be held accountable for how we support our Constitution. Yesterday, our local leader ended this remarks by saying in effect "This week, and particularly on Thursday, as the Justices of the Supreme Court meet to decide this issue, I ask that each of you will pray that the Lord will touch the hearts of those Justices: that they will be blessed with courage to uphold the oath they took to sustain the Constitution, and with the wisdom and integrity to honor the voice of the people. We have done all that we can do. The battle is now the Lord's."

And he quoted Goliath taunting little David, and David's response, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied." (1 Samuel 17:45)

Our God has all power, both in Heaven and in Earth. He lives; He loves us; He hears our prayers.

Please join us in beseeching the Throne of Grace to intercede now, as He has so many times in the past. We HAVE done all that we can do. Now, it is up to our All-powerful God to bless Ken Starr (who is presenting the case on behalf of Proposition 8) with abilities beyond his own as he argues on behalf of marriage and family before the California Supreme Court, and to soften or otherwise touch the hearts of those judges, that they will remember the oaths they have sworn: to uphold the constitutional law of the land, and render a verdict in favor of Proposition 8 and the will of the people of California.

Prophecy Fulfilled

2009-02-27T23:43:00.000-08:00

It gives me goosebumps every time I watch this video, and realize that I am witnessing, largely in my own lifetime, the fulfillment of the prophecy recorded in Daniel 2:44-45.

It is thrilling to know that I and my family have been a small part of this great work from the beginning, even as my family had a small part in the founding of this precious Nation, and in the settlement of this promised New World.

One does not have to be rich or famous or popular to have a significant impact on the world. Usually, as the prophet Alma taught us, it is through small and simple things that God chooses to accomplish His great purposes. (Alma 37:6)

As Gandalf says to Bilbo Baggins at the conclusion of "The Hobbit," "Surely you don't disbelieve the prophecies because you helped bring them about?"

Let us not make the mistake of denying that the ocean exists because, as a drop of water, we cannot see the ocean around us; nor the opposite mistake of taking credit for the ocean because we are a drop of water within it's vast boundaries. But, let us do take joy in being part of something wonderful.

Disney Magic is Life as it Should Be!

2009-02-14T14:41:00.000-08:00

Disney World as a ProtoType of the Plan of Salvation

The Great Creator has designed a place carefully tailored to suit every souls’ needs and desires. Ranging from the elegance of the Grand Floridian to the simplicity of the Wilderness Lodge, you can find a home here where everyone can feel comfortable. All you have to do is: CHOOSE!

Do you want to live the Palatial life of the Rich and Famous? Then, the Grand Floridian is for you.

Do you prefer comfort, with all the conveniences of home, in a relaxing setting at the heart of the action, with superb dining at your beck and call? Then you should choose the Beach or Yacht Club.

Is your dream an exotic get-away to extraordinary locations? Choose The Polynesian or the Animal Kingdom Lodge, where you can look out your bedroom window and see wild African animals roaming free!

Would you rather "rough it" and save a few bucks? The All-Star Resorts or Fort Wilderness were created with you in mind.

They even have Pleasure Island, for those who want to do nothing more than abandon themselves to hedonism.

You can spend your vacation, just as you can spend your eternity, in whatever setting you feel most comfortable in!!!!!

And another perfect parallel: You don’t just get to sit on your overstuffed couch and dream and wish about it an expect it to happen. If you want to spend a week at the Grand Floridian, it’s going to take most people YEARS of working and saving, and maybe just a little bit of luck or some Disney Magic, to pull together the funds to afford it!!!

The Beach or Yacht Club are more reasonable, but still not something you can do on a burger-flipper’s salary!

The higher your dreams, the more work you are going to have to put in to achieve them.

It is all here for us. God has "many mansions" in His house. He has prepared wonders great and small for those who love Him and who keep His commandments. He is *eager* for us to come home and choose a place to live for all eternity. And we qualify for that by the things we do here, in this life.

Will we choose to follow Jesus, even though it may be difficult, and earn a prime location in God’s mansion; or will we choose to focus on ourselves, our own wants and pleasures to the exclusion of everything else, and find that we haven’t earned enough "credits" for more than a tent in a field?

Or, worse still, will we choose to attempt to force our will on others, and demand that everyone cater to our whims and opinions? I hope not, for I fear such folks will find themselves banned from the Magic Kingdom, and sent to live in Death Valley, where they may scream and protest all they like without disturbing the enjoyment of those who have earned a vacation.

Of course, it takes more than our choice and earnings to come to the Disney World resorts. A lot of very talented people have worked long hours and invested vast sums to build up this world and make it a place of magic.

Even so, our work and choices would be meaningless without our Savior, who has bought us with the price of His precious blood. But with all that love, with all those gifts He has uniquely given us, one of the greatest remains the recognition of our agency to choose, by our faith, manifested in our works, whether we will enjoy what He has provided.

The Psalmist wrote: "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." But we may choose whether we would be found on our Lord’s right hand.

And just as Disney sets the price of its resorts, so our Savior sets the price for us. It isn’t the cost of building the resort. That great price has already been paid. But we must choose to come and bring the price He has set.

Part of Me!!

2009-01-25T19:18:00.000-08:00

I have some of the GREATEST kids!!

Talented, clever, successful, brilliant, happily married in God's Holy Temple for time and all eternity, independent (!!!) . . . and our friends!!!

They are such wonderfully gifted people!
Joy and Steve both are excellent singers;
Derrill is an outstanding keyboardist;
Emilee has returned to the flute after setting it aside for many years, and she sounds WONDERFUL!
Derrill just received his Doctorate Degree from Cornell;
Emilee just completed her Bachelor's Degree from Brigham Young University;
Steve will shortly complete his Bachelor's Degree from Brigham Young University;
Joy received her Master's Degree from Edinborough University several years ago.

But, you don't have to take MY word for it! Click on this link to hear Steve sing a song he wrote. As Steve notes on his blog: "At last, mixing/mastering is done on my song! Affectionately referred to as Steve's Song by Impact, my official title is Part of Me. Head on over to this link to have a listen!"

Once you're finished being blown away by Steve's Song, remember: That's Just ONE of MY KIDS!!!

The Rule of Law . . . or Chaos & Anarchy

2008-11-21T17:29:00.000-08:00

What is it that separates human beings from animals? More than anything else, it is that we have within us a spark of the divine:

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy!
(William Wordsworth)

That divine spark gives us the tremendous capability to organize ourselves as a society simultaneously dedicated to freedom and order. In such a society, each is free to choose within broad parameters how to live, how to love, how to work, what to say, what to do, what to be, and how to worship.

But that free society is possible only because there is order. Thus we have civilization, which affords a degree of peace and security to society. Otherwise, there is chaos and anarchy, for when people do not feel bound by the rule of law, there is nothing to restrain or prevent them from doing whatever comes into their mind to do.

We have traffic laws to keep people safe: drivers must stop at stop signs, and obey posted speed limits. It is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level above a given point. If everyone suddenly decided that traffic laws were inconvenient, because they interfered with a person’s freedom to have a "good time," get plastered, and then race home as fast as that person dared to drive, imagine the condition of our roads and freeways! No one who wasn’t plastered would dare to drive, because everyone on the road would be going 60 -80 mph, weaving from one lane to another, IF they stayed on the roads to begin with! No one could get anywhere because, without traffic signals, it wouldn’t be long before two freedom-loving people would insist they had the right-of-way at an intersection, and there would be an accident, which would tie up traffic for the rest of the day.

Nor does it work for SOME of the people to obey the law, and a privileged few to be allowed to live "outside" or "above" the law. Then, you wind up with the type of Gang Society Chicago witnessed early in the last century, with one lawless group after another fighting for supremacy, and the poor, law-abiding citizenry left in the middle as pawns.

Which is why I am so troubled now, weeks after the election is over, to see organized groups seeking to harass and intimidate peaceful, law-abiding citizens with the goal of overturning the results of a free election. Free speech is fine. Continuing to speak after an election is lawful. Harassment, bullying, disrupting church services, attacking the elderly, are threatening bodily harm, are not. I don’t care who they are or what their "cause" is; anyone who participates in this type of harassment and persecution is a barbarian, and should be arrested and sent to prison for disturbing the peace, inciting to riot, and in some cases, like the one shown in this video, assault.

http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?u=13671&RID=18317573

The election is over. The people have spoken. Not everyone is happy with the results. That goes for ALL the races and ballot measures, not just any one proposition. But that does not give ANYONE the right to go on a rampage and destroy someone else’s rights.

I Voted - - - Have YOU?

2008-11-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

I just got back from voting, and I am happy.

That’s not to say that it was the quick and easy experience I have come to expect on Election Day.

But, it is a testimony to me that God lives; that He not only loves us, but that He is mindful of us and the circumstances in which we live; and that He is still in charge.

It has been raining on and off all weekend, and the clouds were dark and threatening all day yesterday. I worried about how that would affect voter turnout. And then it began to rain, and it rained all night long. And I feared that only the truly committed would turn out to vote.

And then I woke up to the most beautiful fall day imaginable! The sun was shining, the sky was blue with only wispy white clouds high in the sky, and the temps are abut 70 degrees here in Goleta as it nears noon.

We left to cast our votes a little over an hour ago, and drove to the location where we have been casting our votes for something like 10 years . . . only to find that they weren’t doing it this year. But, as we walked past the office, I glanced over and saw a sign in the window:

"Memo from God: Today I will be handling all of your problems."

I’ve seen the whole memo before, and I stopped reading there and hurried to catch up with Derrin, but as I got to the car, I felt this little tug on my heart, like a special chime had just sounded to tell me "You’ve Got Mail!" and I knew that I hadn’t read that memo by chance.

I paused, and offered a prayer of thanks.

Unfortunately, our Sample Ballots had grown legs and wandered off, so we weren’t sure WHERE we *should* go. But, we saw a sign, "VOTE," with an arrow, and followed it to a nearby location where a bus from a neighboring retirement center was parked by the door. A good sign!

Unfortunately, they couldn’t find us on any of their voter rolls at that location. But a helpful voting assistant person approached us, and said she was a MAP, and would find out where we belonged.

She did, and after giving the Map a hug, we were on our way to our THIRD ATTEMPT of the morning to cast our ballots . . . this time at the correct voting location!

It seems like this happens every time there is an important issue on the ballot. Someone neglects to mail out the absentee ballots for the conservatives in the county until it’s too late to get them mailed back, and/or they change the voting locations. But NO ONE is going to take away my right to vote! I don’t care what kind of hoops I have to jump through, or what kind of silly maze they make me run . . . I shall persist until I arrive at the correct destination!

It felt SO GOOD to sign my name as a voting citizen of this free land; I was proud to receive my ballot; and I was filled with joy as I marked my choices and participated in the democratic process.

As I usually do, I checked over my ballot before turning it in to make sure I had marked everything the way I wanted to. And it was probably that small delay that was responsible for the segment of music that began playing on the radio as Derrin turned the car on to return home. Maybe . . .

The reason I had to sit down as soon as we got in the house and post this blog is because, as we started the engine, the radio was nearing the end of Sibelius’ "Finlandia," and I heard

"Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last."

Followed by some of the grandest, most triumphal music ever written.

I am at peace. I have done all that I can do. The rest is in God’s capable hands. He will take care of us, whatever the outcome of this election.

"Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve"

2008-11-03T17:48:00.000-08:00

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'

''This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.

"Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.... Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat."

--- Elder Neal A. Maxwell
(Excerpts from A More Determined Discipleship - Feb 1979)

It's The Same Thing All Over Again -- Yes on Proposition 8

2008-10-31T19:44:00.000-07:00

"And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it -- "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children" --
VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION 8!!!

"(and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land --"

"Woe to the generation that understands the Book of Mormon."

Hugh Nibley, 1957

Become Part of Something Important -- Vote YES on Prop 8

2008-10-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

In 1620, a brave group of Pilgrims left their homeland, their friends and family, and virtually all their worldly possessions and ventured into the unknown. Why? Because the King and his handful of advisors were forcing these people to teach their children concepts contrary to their own religious beliefs. The Pilgrims, and those who followed after them, came to this land to found a nation where the people could worship according to the dictates of their consconince, and NOT be dictated to by a handful of self-appointed rulers.

In 1776, the hand of King George III and his cronies in Parliament was growing ever more restrictive. Burdensome taxes were being levied without regard to those affected by those taxes; private homes were being invaded by soldiers; free citizens were being jailed for voicing opinions contrary to the King’s established rules. Our forefathers fought a great war with the then-most-powerful nation on earth for the right to determine our own laws BY THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE, and NOT to be governed by a few self-righteous princes.

In 1860, another great war was fought in this land over issues of freedom and rights. The issues were more complex; it was no longer about freedom of worship, or freedom of speech. The issue was freedom itself — who had the right to be free, and who had the right to decide? It was a bitter conflict, and we still feel the repercussions of it today. But, in the end, it was determined that, in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, "government OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE would NOT perish from the earth." We would NOT be a land where a handful of passionate zealots could break away and change the law for everybody else.

And now, it’s 2008, and we face another conflict just as momentous as those that have heretofore shaped this great land. In less than a week, we will decide whether WE, THE PEOPLE of this nation will allow a small minority of loud, overbearing bullies to redefine the foundation of civilization. Make no mistake! That is what Proposition 8 is all about. If we redefine "marriage" to include anything other than "one man and one woman," we remove the underpinnings that hold civilized society in place. No longer will "family" have any meaning; "mother" and "father" will become obsolete words, if not outright outlawed by these crazed few, who have already managed to remove those references from California school books!

Do not be fooled into thinking that this is just another proposition, or that your vote won’t make any difference. EVERY VOTE IS IMPORTANT!!! PLEASE - - - on Nov. 4, Remember the sacrifices of those who have come before us, to make possible our privilege to make OUR voice heard.

On Nov 4 – Vote FOR PROPOSITION 8.

Save Traditional Marriage. Save Society. Save the World.

Preserve Our Religious Liberty -- Yes on Prop 8

2008-10-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful program in church today. It was the Sabbath set aside for the children age 12 and under to gain their first experience with public speaking as they present, for their parents and the congregation, a summary of what they have been learning.

The topic of today’s Primary Presentation was "I Am A Child of God."

I listened to the older children give talks based on "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" which states, in part:
"We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
"All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. . . .
"The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity."

I listened to the younger children talk about "Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so." And "Heavenly Father knows me and loves me. He wants me to be happy."

I thought about the sweet innocence of these tender souls — and how all that will change unless Proposition 8 passes. At best, should Prop 8 fail, these young kids will be taught one thing at church, and something completely different, and wrong, 5 days a week at school; at worst, we could see the type of persecution here that some Canadians now face, as their religious liberties and freedom of speech has been suppressed in the name of tolerance. What a contradiction!

Don’t risk it!! FIRMLY enshrine marriage and family where it has been since before there were politicians. VOTE "YES!" ON PROPOSITION 8!

http://www.preservingmarriage.org

King George III or Abraham Lincoln?

2008-10-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

That’s the REAL question behind Proposition 8: Who Rules America? The PEOPLE? Or a small handful of self-appointed Magistrates?

In 1776, This nation fought a war with the then-greatest nation on earth for the RIGHT of THE PEOPLE to establish the laws of this land through the election process.

Now, that RIGHT is being taken away from us, state by state - - - in each case by a few elitist judges (lawyers) who have decided that THEY, not THE PEOPLE, should establish the laws of our land.

What will they decide to take away from us next?

On Nov 4, Vote for Abraham Lincoln – for government "OF the people, BY THE PEOPLE, and FOR the people!" VOTE FOR PROPOSITION 8!

Keep Your Parental Rights -- Vote "YES" on Prop 8

2008-10-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

When I was in Jr. High, we had an annual assembly where all the girls in the 9th grade were shown a Disney cartoon describing how puberty affects females. No boys allowed!

When I was in High School, my parents had to sign a permission slip, indicating their desire for me to attend a CO-ED sex-education class, or a waver, indicating to the school that they would prefer to teach me the basics of sex education themselves. They were my parents. That was their right.

When my own children were growing up, we were granted similar options, although the grade levels at which the sex education was being offered got progressively younger. In addition, if the school wanted to show a "R" rated movie to our children, they had to notify us ahead of time, and either get our permission for our under-age child to see the program, or allow us the option of keeping our child out of class that day. We were the parents; that was our right.

But now, all that is changing. . . unless we act IMMEDIATELY to protect our rights as parents.

Click on this link to see the TRUE STORY of one Massachusetts family, where homosexual marriage is already legal, whose father was dragged to jail in handcuffs because he wanted to keep his parental right to decide what his KINDERGARTEN-AGE child would be taught about sex and family life in school!!!

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1815825713/bctid1819819843

Don't think it can't happen here! If we do not pass Proposition 8, we forfeit our rights to object to anything the State decides it wants to teach our children, whether we like it or not.

Please - - - On Nov. 4 - - - Cast your vote FOR Proposition 8!

Save the Family -- Vote YES on Proposition 8

2008-10-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

There is a TV ad currently being run in California showing a triumphant Gavin Newsom, current mayor of San Francisco, loudly proclaiming "This door's wide open now. It's gonna happen. Whether you like it or not."

I don't know how people can just sit there and accept it when any public figure figuratively spits in their face and says, "LIKE IT OR NOT, YOUR'E GONNA DO WHAT *I* WANT!!"

I thought bullies were frowned upon in this country.

I thought this was a democracy. I was taught that we VOTED on important issues, and the majority WON.

When did we become a nation of bullies, where the "tough" who screams the loudest can enforce his will on everybody else?

That's not the America I grew up in; that's not the America my ancestors fought to create and preserve; that's not the America I want to leave to my grandchildren.

We already decided this issue when 60% of voters chose Prop 22. Apparently, the rule of law and the voice of the people isn't enough for some people. Let's make it clear ONCE AND FOR ALL that WE WILL NOT BE BULLIED!!!!!

CALIFORNIA - - - VOTE FOR PROPOSITION 8!!!

"When We're Helping We're happy"

2008-09-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

I was very interested in this article that came to my inbox today. I have certain found the principles it discusses to be true in my own life, and wnated to share them with you.

Altruism Benefits Everyone- -Here's How!
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com

It’s often been said that it’s better to give than to receive, but did you know that this cliché is actually backed by research? While many of us feel too stressed and busy to worry about helping others with their burdens, or would like to think about doing good deeds when we have more ‘spare’ time, energy and money, altruism is its own reward, and can actually help you relieve stress. Altruistic acts can improve your quality of life in several ways, and are absolutely worth the effort. Here are some ways that helping others helps you:

Altruism and Psychological Wellbeing -- Studies show that altruism is good for your emotional well-being, and can measurably enhance your peace of mind. For example, one study found that dialysis patients, transplant patients and family members who became support volunteers for other patients experienced increased personal growth and emotional well-being. Another study on patients with multiple sclerosis showed that those who offered other MS patients peer support actually experienced greater benefits than their supported peers, including more pronounced improvement on confidence, self-awareness, self-esteem, depression and daily functioning. Those who offered support generally found that their lives were dramatically changed for the better.

Altruism and Increased Social Support -- Studies also show that what goes around generally does come around. More specifically, when people make altruistic personal sacrifices, they end up reaping what they sow in the form of favors from others. These individuals earn the reputation as altruistic people and end up receiving favors from others who they may not have even directly helped. The favors and social support you ‘earn’ through altruism, combined with the good feelings you get from helping others (see above), more than make up for sacrifices made in the name of altruism.

Keeping Things In Perspective -- Many people don’t realize the strong impact that their comparisons have on their outlook. However, your expectations of life and the people you compare yourself to can make a real difference in your level of life satisfaction. For example, your home may seem shabby to you if you’re comparing it to the living rooms you see in the pages of decorating magazines, or it may seem palatial and opulent compared to the structures inhabited by people in impoverished countries. Helping others in need, especially those who are less fortunate than you, can provide you with a sense of perspective on how fortunate you are to have what you do in life -- be it health, money, or a safe place to sleep, and help you focus less on the things you feel you lack. Helping others with their problems can also help you gain a more positive perspective on the things in life that cause you stress.

Building a Better Community -- When you do something nice for someone else, often the positive effects go beyond just you and that other person, influencing your whole community. One of my favorite illustrations of this phenomenon is in the movie Pay It Forward where one boy’s good deeds have far-reaching positive consequences. When you do nice things for others, you often enable them to do nice things for others, and the phenomenon grows. Your children and your friends may see your good example and behave in more altruistic ways as well. As Ghandi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world," and you can contribute to a more positive community.

Altruism and Stress Relief -- When you feel stressed and overwhelmed, you may feel like you’re least able to give. However, acts of altruism can be a great form of stress relief. Studies have shown that the act of giving can activate the area of the brain associated with positive feelings, lifting your spirits, and making you feel better the more you give. And given that altruism can lead to lasting emotional well-being, a more positive perspective, a positive effect on others, and better social standing, altruism certainly does the job as a healthy means for relieving stress and increasing life satisfaction.

Sources:
Brunier G, Graydon J, Rothman B, Sherman C, Liadsky R. The Psychological Well-Being of Renal Peer Support Volunteers. Journal of Advanced Nursing. April 2002.
Schwartz CE, Sendor M. Helping Others Helps Oneself: Response Shift Effects in Peer Support. Social Science and Medicine. June 1999.
Harbaugh WT, Mayr U, Burghart DR. Neural Responses to Taxation and Voluntary Giving Reveal Motives for Charitable Donations. Science, June 2007.

Updated: November 24, 2007
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Steven Gans, MD

Welcome Christina C. Cat

2008-09-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to Grammy's new kitten, Christina, or, as she is currently known, Krissy Kat. Isn't she adorable???

But, to really appreciate her charm, you must see her in action. (Since she never stays in the same place for more than a few seconds, a still photo cannot BEGIN to do her justice!)

It Is FINISHED

2008-08-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

IN A SCRAPBOOK OF POEMS
By Richard Realf

Here: gathered from all places and all time,
The waifs of wisdom and of folly meet.
High thoughts that awe and lilting words that chime.
Like Sabbath bells heard in far valleys sweetly;
Quaint fancies, musical with dainty rhyme
Like the soft patter of infant’s feet;
And laughter radiant as summer skies,
And giant hopes looking out from human eyes.
With thrilling hymns that make the quick tears start.
And here, in garlands of strange fantasy
To catch the careless passer’s casual look,
And show, within the limits of a book,
Unto him his life’s own large epitome.

I started copying these quotes, poems and stories when I was 13 years old. I can’t remember now if it was this poem, or a lesson somewhere (which I have since heard on several occasions) that said "A good speaker is always on the look out for good material. Begin early in life, and collect every story, poem, quote, article, or thought you see, read, or hear that makes you think or touches your soul." I remembered getting Dad’s old Missionary I. P.* Book off the shelf from time to time to find a poem for a Primary talk, and there were LOTS of good things in it. So, I decided when I was 13 that I wanted to start my own IP book by copying everything in Dad’s IP Book.

I spent one whole summer carefully copying one or two pages a day on an old manual typewriter - - - which probably didn’t hurt my typewriting skills, either! But the project bogged down largely after that, and I didn’t make much progress with it over the next 10 years.

25 years ago this month, Dad died, and I managed to talk my brother into letting me have the IP Book "just until I can finish copying it onto computer. Then I’ll give it back, you can keep the original, and I'll make a CD for all of Dad's descendants." And I really *MEANT* to get it done soon . . . And I *did* work on it sporadically from time to time, making intermittent headway.

And then, Sherm was called to the High Council in his Stake, and I told myself, "I have REALLY got to get on the ball and get that book back to him." So, I made a SERIOUS PUSH to get it done, and I *think* he’s only been on the High Council for 3 years . . .

So, when Mom had to undergo some major surgery, and I was the only one who could spent 4-6 weeks with her nursing her through the rehab and therapy, I decided it was the PERFECT opportunity to get some of these long-term goals FINALLY accomplished.

During Mom’s first surgery, I took a tape recorder and a PILE of cassettes, and a book of questions, and got nearly 15 hours of recorded interviews with her, talking about her childhood, memories of her parents and grandparents and siblings, her courting years, me and my brother as babies - - - stuff I’d never known before. I guess my NEXT major project can be typing all of THAT up . . . !

During Mom’s second surgery, I took the last half of Dad’s IP Book, and I sat there, day after day, copying and typing, and sometimes categorizing while Mom watched one news report after another. And by the time I came home just before Christmas, I was close enough to finished that it only took a few more days to complete the task.

I shipped the Original IP Book, with Dad's handwritten notes (which was what he was really interested in having), off to Sherm with my blessings and thanks, and in February began the NEXT task: organizing the contents so they would be usable.

That has kept me occupied for the last 6 months, mostly on Sundays. This last Sunday, when I went to polish off the last 25 pages, I discovered, to my shock and horror, that the file had become corrupted -- I had lost 9 pages of material, and I had no idea whatsoever what was on it. But, God blessed me to be able to find one of the documents I had typed in St. George in my recycle bin that appears to have 90% of what was lost on it, and I found the other half of one corrupted poem online, so if I am missing anything, it isn’t much.

This afternoon,40 years after I copied my first quote from it . . . .
25 years after Dad died and I took possession of it . . .
5 years after I said "THIS is the year I FINISH IT . . ."
I truly completed copying Dad’s I. P. Book.

Now all that remains is to have Derrin turn it into a searchable book-on-CD so that our posterity can actually get some USE out of, so all my work doesn't just sit on a shelf.

(He says that’s EASY to do . . .)

* I. P. = Instant Preparation. The idea being, if you keep this book with you, you are ready at a moment's notice to stand up and give a talk on any subject at any time, complete with humorous stories, poignant poems, and scriptural references.

Like Father, Like Son

2008-08-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

The older Hyrum gets, the more he looks JUST LIKE HIS FATHER!!!!

See if you don't agree!!

Doesn't look like the apple fell very far from THAT tree!

Comin' Home

2008-08-12T23:10:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful experience last week. We took our annual "Anniversary Honeymoon" Trip. But, this time was special in a number of ways.

We've now been married for 31 years, and while we are not usually able to take time off ON our anniversary, we have always been able to find a few days sometime within a few weeks on either side of our wedding day to "escape" from the demands of life and go away together to some designated "vacation getaway." I heartily recommend it as a time to find each other again through all the clutter of life, and rediscover your love for your spouse.

One of our favorite get-aways has come to be the Hilton Torrey Pines in La Jolla. So, when Derrin was asked to speak at a breakfast meeting there last week, we were *delighted* to accept. And as we drove down, we reviewed all the wonderful things we enjoy doing while we are in the San Diego area. There is never enough time to do half of them!

But, I have been suffering from some serious migraines again, and didn't feel up to a lot. So, our first day we chose to take it easy and just wander around our all-time favorite site: Sea Port Village -- a beautiful, romantic little treasure right on the ocean with over 50 marvelous little shops and a very inviting park.

When we were first married, Derrin and I started collecting music boxes on our annual anniversary trips. But, we kind of got out of the habit, first because we stopped being able to find something we really liked when we went on the trip, and then later, because it became more and more difficult to find a song we didn't already have. So, we haven't done an "anniversary music box" in AGES! even though we ALWAYS go into the music box stores (force of habit . ..)

But, this year, the music box store was the first store we visited, and there were these INCREDIBLE music box clocks!!! They had the most BEAUTIFUL sound, played 12 popular or 3 Christmas songs (you choose which) at the top of the hour, and the face of the clock splits, opens up and dances around, and there are hot air balloons underneath it that spin, and there's a CASTLE at the bottom of the clock! But, it's smart, so if it's night, it shuts up so it won't disturb you! It is SOOOOO COOOOL!! You guessed it - - - we got one in honor of our 30 years of married bliss!

We had all kinds of plans for our next day, but ultimately decided that what we would enjoy the most was staying at the beautiful hotel, enjoying it's amenities, taking a walk along the world-class golf course, and playing games together - - - in short, just spending time together - - - something that has been in rather short supply over the last year! It was the most wonderful, restful day I think I've ever had!

The next (and last) day we had scheduled a visit to the exquisite San Diego Temple, and it is really this which has prompted this blog entry.

As we came up the path to the front door of the temple, there was no one else there. No one going in; no one coming out. But while we were still 30' away (much too far away to trigger an electric eye), the doors opened in greeting, as if the temple itself was eager to see us and couldn't *wait* for us to come in! I felt SOOO welcome!

I admit, I've had a love-affair with this particular temple ever since we were driving to San Diego for some other business event, and saw it there by the freeway, not knowing what it was. It was so breathtaking, we simply *had* to get off the freeway and wander around until we found it so we could learn what it was . . . . And then, to find out it was OUR temple!!! WHAT a thrill.

As we handed in our recommends to gain entrance to the main body of the temple, I felt such gratitude that, with all my faults and weaknesses, I can still be counted worthy to enter His House. And as we rounded the corner and began to ascend the stairs, a feeling of "home" came over me that I find difficult to describe. This place was my home. It is where I belong.

Now, I must do what I can to get my own home to more closely resemble that one . . . .

Political Musings

2008-08-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

I'll be perfectly honest with you here: this election terrifries me.

I mean, I've been increasingly worried about every election since Nixon faced McGovern in 1972. The stakes get higher and the issues hotter with every passing decade. And now, here we are, having somehow survived into the 21st Century, and everywhere I look, I see madness. Men marrying men; women murdering their unborn children; parents who just can't *wait* to dump their little ones into state-run institutions so they can pursue dreams of wealth; and now school books that, by LAW, are forbidden to MENTION "father," "mother," and "family;" birth certificates required to list "parent 1" and "parent 2" - - - it's a genealogists' nightmare!!!

Pres. Reagan quoted an anonymous source in two separate speeches, which have since been merged into the following quote: "A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.'

"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

1. From bondage to spiritual faith;

2. From spiritual faith to great courage;

3. From great courage to liberty;

4. From liberty to abundance;

5. From abundance to complacency;

6. From complacency to apathy;

7. From apathy to dependence on government;

8. From dependence on government back into bondage."

Depending on whether you count the beginning our OUR Republic as 1776, when we officially signed the Declaration of Independence, or 1787, when the Constitution was finally drafted and approved, we crossed that 200-year line while I was in college or when my children were young. I can't see that we've made any progress in holding the line since then . . . except perhaps during the Reagan years, when, for a brief time, we could be proud to be Americans again.

And now we are embroiled in another election, and this time it seems our whole way of life is at stake. . . perhaps our very survival as a nation and a civilization. And I am terrified.

I am not a political person. I am not married to a particular party. . . although I *do* tend to vote for candidates from one party, it is because I feel they best represent my views and will do the best job of representing me on the State or Federal level.

An email has been making the rounds lately in response to Barak Obama's recent visit to Iraq, talking about how he brushed off the soldiers and only "made nice" when there was media present. I also received an email from a former Marine, commenting: "McCain did the same thing in Iraq (protected visits, etc). Obama did speak with soldiers in Iraq. These political types have tight schedules. I wouldn't make too much of this. I think the issues facing our country are far too important to let something like this make our decision for us. For once, we have a real choice!"

This has weighed on my mind, and this evening I sent him the following email:

I think it is a serious mistake to vote for someone - - - anyone! - - - based solely on their campaign rhetoric. Both parties will say and do *anything* to get elected. And what we hear them say in sound bites more accurately represents what their campaign managers feel the public wants to hear than it does the core beliefs of the candidates. To know what kind of person we are voting for, what kind of choice we are making, it is FAR more important to look at the man, his history, his stated public opinions when the cameras *weren't* on him, than to make a big hullabaloo over who he did or did not shake hands with on a big publicity-stunt tour.

And, frankly, Sir, *that* is where this election really scares me. I don't care for either one of the major candidates. So, I'm not here to ask you to vote for either man. My only hope in writing to you is that, before you cast your vote, you will look at who the candidates are when they are alone at night, after the cameras have turned off for the day --- who they pray to - - - what their experience demonstrates their character to be - - - and consider who you want sitting in the oval office WHEN, not if, the terrorists make their next successful strike on mainland USA."

I did not include anything else, because I know I'm not going to persuade anyone of anything. But, here is what I am most concerned about re Barak Obama: Read what he has to say about and for himself:

From Audacity of Hope: 'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'

From Dreams of My Father: ; 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'

I don't care that the man is half black. Heck, I'd vote for Alan Keyes in a heartbeat!! Race is unimportant to me; who the man is loyal to is what is important to me; who his heroes are are important; what he stands for and his vision of America is what is important.

I also find these arguements persuasive:

Obama's 143 Days of Senate Experience
Posted by Cheri JacobusMay 5, 2008 at 5:35 pm

Just how much Senate experience does Barack Obama have in terms of actual work days? Not much.
From the time Barack Obama was sworn in as a United State Senator, to the time he announced he was forming a Presidential exploratory committee, he logged 143 days of experience in the Senate. That's how many days the Senate was actually in session and working.
After 143 days of work experience, Obama believed he was ready to be Commander In Chief, Leader of the Free World, and fill the shoes of Abraham Lincoln, FDR, JFK and Ronald Reagan.
143 days -- I keep leftovers in my refrigerator longer than that.
In contrast, John McCain's 26 years in Congress, 22 years of military service including 1,966 days in captivity as a POW in Hanoi now seem more impressive than ever. At 71, John McCain may just be hitting his stride.

Now, I know a man should not be judged by his wife. But, I think you can tell a lot *about* a man by the kind of woman he keeps company with; the kind of woman who stands beside and inspires him. And, while the First Lady has no official power, there is no question any more about her power and influence. When we choose a President, we also choose a First Lady, and we would be wise to consider our options there carefully, as well.

But, I think I have probably pontificated long enough. You can look up the achievements of these two women for yourself and decide who you would rather have beside the most powerful man on earth when you stand in the voting box this November.

Who most nearly represents your views, hopes, and dreams for this country?

Speaking of Books . . .

2008-07-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

C. S. Lewis once wrote: "If good stories are comments on life, good novels of fantasy are actual additions to life; they give, like certain rare dreams, sensastions we never had before, and enlarge our conception of the range of possible experience. Specimens of this kind will never be common. . . . Tolkein's "The Lord of the Rings," David Linday's "A Voyage to Arcturus," Melvyn Peake's "Titus Groan" -- and William Hope Hodgson's "The Night Land," from the unforgetable sombre splendour of the images it presents."

Based on this "recommendation," I read all of those above-mentioned books (and every book in each series, when one was more than a single volume), and I agree that they each have a special charm. EAch does, indeed, give sensations never experienced before. But, I would not recommend Lindsay or Peake to the casual reader. (Nor, truth be told, would the average reader appreciate Hodgson!!!) They are simply too far "out there." But, I *DO* recommend "The Night Land," even if it *is* hard to reach.

And thus we come to the purpose of this blog post: I have heretofor listed various and sundry other's people's "Best Of" book lists. I shall now present a VERY BRIEF list which I think of as my "C. S. Lewis Books-That-Changed-My-Life" list. I can and do heartily recommend each and every one. They are not all fiction; not all the fiction is fantasy; they are in no particular order; but each has touched me and changed my life. A day does not go by that I do not find myself thinking about a lesson I learned from one or more of them; certainly a month does not go by that I do not reflect on each of them. Perhaps I should post future blogs reviewing each book and explaining it's influence on me . . . .

In any event, here is my "Essentials" List:

C. S. Lewis -- The Screwtape Letters

The Book of Mormon

Ester Rasband -- Confronting the Myth of Self-Esteem

Stephen R. Covey -- The Divine Center

Dallin H. Oaks -- Pure in Heart

Agatha Christie writing as Mary Westmacott -- Absent in the Spring

Paul Dunn -- I challenge You/I Promise You

Richard Eyre -- The Discovery of Joy

Cheiko Okazaki -- Lighten Up!

William Hope Hodgson -- The Night Land

Madeleine L'Engle -- A Wrinkle in Time

Madelein L'Engle -- A Swiftly Tilting Planet

Ayn Rand -- Atlas Shrugged

Ayn Rand -- Anthem

J. R. R. Tolkein -- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

The list is not a complete list of my favorite books, for i have not included ANY of the "Dragon Riders of Pern" series, or any Harry Potter, or any of Elizabeth Kern's wonderful dragon trilogy . . . But they do not belong on this list. For, although I THOROUGHLY enjoyed them, and many of them were a "better read" than some of the titles in the above list, none of them made me a different person when I finished, and THAT is my criteria for this posting.

Bookworms . . . Then, and Now

2008-07-11T22:03:00.000-07:00

THE BIG READ TOP 100
1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. The Harry Potter Series JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare (well, maybe not absolutely EVERY work . . .)
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown - - - Nope. Not gonna. Seriously
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert -- In fact, read the ENTIRE DUNE SERIES!!!!
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce - - - (Didn't have to . . . I read Homer in the original Greek!)
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - read the COMPLETE WORKS, actually
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

So, let's see - - - on Today's List, I score 20.

Now, compare this with Eaton Press' list of the 100 Greatest Books Ever Written and see how you do:

1. A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe
2. A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man by James Joyce
3. A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens
4. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Twain
5. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by A. Conan Doyle
6. Aesop's Fables
7. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Carroll
8. Anna Karenina by Tolstoy
9. Billy Budd/Benito Cereno by Herman Melville
10. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
11. Candide by Voltaire
12. Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky
13. David Copperfield by Dickens
14. Don Quixote by Cervantes
15. Euripedes by Euripedes
16. Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev
17. Faust by Goethe
18. Great Expectations by Dickens
19. Grimm's Fairy Tales by Grimm
20. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
21. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
22. The History of Early Rome by Livy
23. Ivanhoe by Walter Scott
24. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
25. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
26. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
27. Little Women by Alcott
28. Lord Jim by Conrad
29. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
30. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
31. Oedipus the King by Sophocles
32. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
33. On the Origin of Species by Darwin
34. Paradise Lost by John Milton
35. Plato Dialogues on Love and Friendship by Plato (in the original Greek, no less)
36. Poems of John Keats by Keats
37. Politics and Poetics by Aristotle
38. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
39. The Rights of Man by Paine
40. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
41. She Stoops To Conquer by Goldsmith
42. Short Stories by Oscar Wild
43. Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Stevenson
44. Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Poe
45. The Federalist by Hamilton
46. The Aeneid by Virgil
47. The Alhambra by Washington Irving
48. The Analects of Confucius by Confucius
49. The Arabian Nights by Burton
50. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Franklin
51. The Birds and the Frogs by Aristophanes
52. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
53. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
54. The Comedies by Shakespeare
55. The Confessions of Jean by Jacques Rousseau
56. The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine
57. The Decameron by Boccaccio
58. The Descent of Man by Darwin
59. The Divine Comedy by Dante
60. The Essayes by Francis Bacon
61. The Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson by Emerson
62. The Flowers of Evil by Charles Baudelaire
63. The Histories by Shakespeare
64. The Iliad of Homer by Homer
65. The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling
66. The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
67. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Stern
68. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
69. The Odyssey of Homer by Homer
70. The Oresteia by Aeschylus
71. The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
72. The Poems of John Donne by Donne
73. The Poems of Robert Browning by Browning (not all, but a goodly number of 'em)
74. The Poems of W.B. Yeats by Yeats
75. The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
76. The Prince by Machiavelli
77. The Red and the Black by Stendhal
78. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
79. The Republic by Plato
80. The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy
81. The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne
82. The Sea Wolf by Jack London
83. The Short Stories by Dickens
84. The Tales of Guy de Maupassant by De Maupassant
85. The Talisman by Scott
86. The Three Musketeers by Dumas
87. The Tragedies by Shakespeare
88. The Way of all Flesh by Butler
89. Three Plays by Henrik Ibsen
90. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
91. Treasure Island by Stevenson
92. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
93. Two Plays by Moliere
94. Two Plays for Puritans by George Bernard Shaw
95. Two Plays The Cherry Orchard/Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov
96. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
97. Vanity Faire by William Makepeace Thackeray
98. Walden by Thoreau
99. War and Peace by Tolstoy
100. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Of THIS 100, I score 25.

And then, there's the 100 Favorite Novels of Librarians - - - they should know a thing or three:

1. Pride and Prejudice by Austen
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Lee
3. Jane Eyre by Bronte
4. Gone with the Wind by Mitchell
5. Lord of the Rings by Tolkien
6. The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger
7. Little Women by Alcott
8. A Prayer of Owen Meany by Irving
9. The Stand by King
10. The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald
11. Mists of Avalon by Bradley
12. David Copperfield by Dickens
13. Kristen Lavransdotter by Undset
14. Beloved by Morrison
15. Age of Innocence by Wharton
16. The Shell Seekers by Pilcher
17. Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Hardy
18. The World According to Garp by Irving
19. Catch 22 by Heller
20. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Auel
21. The Horse Whisperer by Evans
22. Pillars of the Earth by Follett
23. Prince of Tides by Conroy
24. Possession by Byatt
25. Rebecca by DuMaurier
26. Follow the River by Thom
27. My Antonia by Cather
28. The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway
29. The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne
30. Sophies Choice by Styron
31. Snow Falling on Cedars by Guterson
32. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez
33. Name of the Rose by Eco
34. The Giver by Lowry
35. Cold Mountain by Frazier
36. Cold Sassy Tree by Burns
37. Atlas Shrugged by Rand
38. Bridge to Terebithia by Paterson
39. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Tyler
40. The Hobbit by Tolkien
41. Les Miserables bt Hugo
42. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by Lewis
43. Wuthering Heights by Bronte
44. A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens
45. Huckelberry Finn by Twain
46. Alice in Wonderland by Carroll
47. The Wind in the Willows by Grahame
48. The Bean Trees by Kingsolving
49. Ben Hur by Wallace
50. And Then There Were None by Christie
51. The Secret Garden by Burnett
52. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Taylor
53. Busman's Honeymoon by Sayers
54. Schindler's List by Keneally
55. Emma by Austen
56. The Color Purple by Walker
57. The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas
58. Charlotte's Web by White
59. Anne of Green Gables by Montgomery
60. The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Wells
61. Lady Chatterly's Lover by Lawrence
62. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Smith
63. East of Eden by Steinbeck
64. The Once and Future King by White
65. Enders Game by Card
66. The Fountainhead by Rand
67. A Patchwork Planet by Tyler
68. Gaudy Night by Sayers
69. Shogun by Clavell
70. Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck
71. Handmaid's Tale by Atwood
72. Lonesome Dove by McMurtry
73. Outlander by Gabaldon
74. Pigs in Heaven by Kingsolver
75. Slaughterhouse Five by Vonnegut
76. Jude the Obscure by Hardy
77. Time and Again by Finney
78. Misery by King
79. A Christmas Carol by Dickens
80. The Accidental Tourist by Tyler
81. Giants of the Earth by Rolvaag
82. Persuasion by Austen
83. Fried Green Tomatoes by Flagg
84. Tisha by Specht
85. The Thornbirds by McCullough
86. Christy by Marshall
87. Lost Horizon by Hilton
88. The Little Princ by St. Exupery
89. Fahrenheight 451 by Bradbury
90. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Hemingway
91. Frankenstein by Shelley
92. Bleak House by Dickens
93. Boy's Life by McCammon
94. Chesapeake by Michener
95. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Adams
96. How Green Was My Valley by Llewellyn
97. Howard's End by Forster
98. I, Robot by Asimov
99. Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck
100. A Passage to India by Forster

(When *I* was a librarian in Jr. High, we pretty quickly figured out which were the best books!)
Let's see . . . of *those* I score only 17! $:-(

I've been searching for days for the 1975 BYU Honors Program List of Books Every Educated Person Should Read. That was my "Lifetime Goal List" as I graduated from College. Unfortunately, so far, I haven't managed to lay my hands on it. So, you'll have to tune in again later to see if I've come across it in my travels.

Well, I'm getting autosave failures, so I'm guessing this blog is already too long. So, I'd best post it while I can . . . . (Although I *really* wanted to do a comparison study of these 3 lists to see which books appear on each . . .)

Emergency Preparedness

2008-07-09T11:55:00.001-07:00

I know, *EVERYBODY* and their small dog is harping about preparedness, thanks to the Gap Fire! (Thank you, Santa Barbara Independent, for this STUNNING photo!!!)

Sometimes, it takes a real emergency to get our attention and focus us on what really matters. So, I hope you will bear with me as I reminisce for a moment.

As I sat here alone last Wednesday, waiting for Derrin to return from Florida, and watching the flames creep ever closer, I began considering what I would grab should I have to evacuate - - - a very real possibility.

Of course, living creatures first, and I thanked God that all I had to worry about THIS time around was cats; with the Painted Cave fire, we had small children as well.

Then, grab the computers!! If we lose them, we're sunk.

After that, it used to be a toss-up: do we grab all the handwork I have spent my life creating, or do we first grab the family history and journals? With several people at home, that's not an issue, because everyone can be sent to collect some of each. When it's just me . . . .

And then I realized that things are different now than they were 20 years ago.

I have spent the last 20 years (well, 15 at least!) transferring all our genealogical data to . . . COMPUTER!!!! Including scanning in all the proof documents and precious family photos I could get my hands on.

I'd *rather* have the originals. But, as long as I had the computers, I had the genealogy. And all the pictures of Baby Hyrum. And a good piece of our music collection.

As an added bonus, when Derrin got home he reminded me that we also had off-site backup for everything. So, should the worst happen, (which, Praise God, it didn't!) our most important files are being preserved elsewhere.

What a wonderful day we live in! Computers allow us to access information of all kinds at the touch of a button (or click of a mouse); the gospel has been restored to give purpose and meaning to our lives and to allow us the opportunity to bless our kindred dead; with cell phones and blackberries we can keep in touch with worried relatives, wherever they may be, and get virtually instantaneous fire updates to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.

Now, as the fire moves away from us, let us not forgot to offer prayers of thanks as earnest as were our prayers for protection last week. And let us remember to GET that "Emergency Evacuation Closet" (that we TALKED about 20 years ago - - - with the list of "What to Grab First" on the door) FINALLY pulled together, so we won't have to go running around the house grabbing stuff next time we have an emergency. And, let's make it a higher priority to get the rest of our family history digitized, with a copy someplace else, so that if our house burns down while we're out of town, we won't have lost the work of a lifetime.

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-06T20:58:00.000-07:00

For the second year in a row, I have had the honor of riding in the Santa Barbara "Spirit of 76" 4th of July Parade down State Street representing the Mission Canyon Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Last year, we rode in a horse-drawn "school wagon." This year, we were hoping to have 2 decorated convertibles loaded with Daughters, with several younger girls walking ahead of the cars carrying our big banner . . . but it didn't work out quite that way. On the other hand, last year it cost each participant $40; this year we didn't wind up spending much of anything on what we DID have, and folks who came were very enthusiastic, so it turned out very well indeed.

I thought I had about 10 folks who were going to participate, until the Gap Fire hit Goleta, and suddenly folks didn't dare leave their houses because of the poor air quality, or because they weren't sure they'd be able to get back home again if they came down to be in the parade, or because they had already evacuated! But, my #2 Vice Regent had a daughter, and a granddaughter, and a son-in-law with his own convertible who was willing to let us use it, and my dear friend, Marie-Louise, pointed me in the direction of a lovely woman who wanted to be in it with us, so in the end we had one classic car full of Daughters, and enough decorations to make a good presentation.

Last year, we felt quite honored to be placed #6 in line; this year, we were #4!! But, I think 2 of the first 4 entries never showed, because we never saw anybody in front of us except some folks dressed in Revolutionary War costumes!!! What a fabulous (in my *humble* opinion!!) way to kick off an Independence Day parade!!! Dig out the Costumes, remind folks of the origin of the celebration, then show off some of the descendants of those who gave their lives to make it possible. Then, go ahead and show off the High School Marching Bands and the military helicopter and stuff . . .

The little 6-year-old girl sitting on the back of the car was a HUGE HIT! AT first, it was hot, and she wasn't having much fun. But, when she saw her Great-Grandmother had come up to see her in the parade, and then started noticing some of her school friends in the crowd, she became a LOT more animated, and was smiling and waving to everyone, which really got the crowd cheering back for her! I'm hoping we'll get a pic in the DAR newsletter saying "3 generations in 1 car represent the Mission Canyon Chapter"

And everyone was SO CLOSE you could really talk to them! It's really amazing how "up close and personal" this parade is - - - more so than any other parade I've ever been in, and more so in the small car than last year in the school wagon. I was thanking one of the officers who was directing traffic, and he wandered over to the car and said, "I'm of German extraction, but my Wife has revolutionary war ancestry. Boy, I can hardly WAIT for my daughter to join you guys!"

It's a wonderful feeling, driving down a flag-lined street, with hundreds of people lining both sides of the road, many of them families with small children, lots of people waving flags, sharing greetings of "Happy Independence Day" or "Happy 4th of July!" To see the parents tell their little children that OUR great-grandfathers fought with Washington gives me hope that something of our noble heritage will be passed on to the next generation.

And that's what the DAR and celebrations like Memorial Day and the 4th of July are all about.

Proud to be an AMERICAN

2008-06-25T20:58:00.001-07:00

Not a Norwegian-American; not an English-American; not a German-American - - - although I *do* descend from immigrants from all of those countries. All of whom came to these shores with a dream of a better life, and a determination to work hard to make their dreams come true.

But, because all those diverse peoples came here with the same goal, they set aside the past, and became ONE NATION, even as the original 13 colonies, despite their differences in culture and economics and belief systems, worked to come together as UNITED STATES.

You can make a beautiful building with stones of all sizes, shapes, and colors as long as they are all united with the same mortar. But, when the stones begin taking honor unto themselves, and working themselves lose from the wall in an attempt to prove that they are better than the rest of the wall because they are green or blue or have yellow specks in them, the wall will quickly crumble. We can, and should, honor our heritage; we should always remember the wonderful blessings we or our forefathers came here to realize. But, now we are here, it is time to put the past aside and be AMERICANS. Because we cannot effectively be loyal to more than one country/cause/conscience at a time. As Pres. Lincoln so eloquently put it, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

At the risk of letting on to how old I am, I must confess to having sat with my grandfather's arm around my shoulder watching TV when I first heard Red Skelton give this moving presentation:

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands; one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

"I - Me; an individual; a committee of one.
"Pledge - Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity.
"Allegiance - My love and my devotion.
"To the Flag - Our standard; Old Glory; a symbol of Freedom; wherever she waves there is respect, because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts, Freedom is everybody's job.
"United - That means that we have all come together.
"States - Individual communities that have united into forty-eight great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that is love for country.
"And to the Republic - Republic--a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern.
"For which it stands- And government is the people; and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.
"One Nation Under God - One Nation--meaning, so blessed by God.
"Indivisible - Incapable of being divided.
"With Liberty - Which is Freedom; the right of power to live one's own life, without threats, fear, or some sort of retaliation.
"And Justice - The principle, or qualities, of dealing fairly with others.
"For All - For All--which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine.

"Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country, and two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance: Under God. Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from schools, too?" - Red Skelton

I remember the sense of peace and security I always felt near my grandfather; I remember the feeling of joy and pride in my country, the greatest nation on earth, as I heard Red recite and explain those stirring words.

I can't help but wonder if our current national climate of appeasement will leave anything for my grandson to find pride in. . . .

Convincing Statistics

2008-06-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

From Top MSNBC Headlines: "If you smoke, start thinking of yourself as a decade older than you really are. A 55-year-old man who smokes has almost the same chance of dying in the next 10 years as a 65-year-old who's never smoked — a stark example from newly published charts that aim to put some of Americans' biggest health risks into context.

"The charts — intended for posting in doctors' offices — stress age, gender and smoking status, not more personal risk factors such as a history of cancer in the family. Among the charts' bottom-line messages:
"Risks change with age. Accidents, for example, are the single largest cause of death for men who don't smoke until age 45. Then, accidents are tied with heart disease until 50, when heart risks take over.
"Smoking overwhelmingly worsens chances of survival. For example, 7 of every 1,000 women will die of breast cancer between ages 60 and 70 — but 14 of 1,000 will die of heart disease in that period, the charts note. Among smokers, however, the charts show 31 of 1,000 women will die of heart disease between ages 60 and 70, and another 41 of 1,000 will die of lung cancer."

To read the whole article, go to: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25083233/

Which all goes to show . . . well, several points:

1. Isaiah 55:8, 9

2. We need God's guidance as much, if not more, today than at any other time in the world's history.

3. Amos 3:7

4. Joseph Smith was a true prophet of a Living, Loving God, Who knows all things and cares enough to warn us in advance so we can be prepared and/or avoid today's pitfalls. In 1833, he received this revelation, known as The Word of Wisdom:

" Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—

" That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.

" And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.

" And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.

"And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.

" And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—

" Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.

" Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;

" And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.

" All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;

" And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

" All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—

" Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

" And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

" And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

" And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

" And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen. "

The more time goes by, the more science "catches on" to the wisdom declared here.
This new "Headline News" is just the latest example.

God Loves Orchids Just As Much As Poppies

2008-06-06T15:28:00.000-07:00

My dad used to scare the hell out of me by quoting scriptures about the direst prophecies he could find relating to the Last Days. And then, when I was a blubbering puddle of goo, terrified out of my mind, I would say something like, "You make me feel like the vilest creature that ever walked on the face of the earth." And he would inevitably reply, "Well, there's no smoke without a fire." And then he would turn and walk away, leaving me to try, somehow, to pull the pieces together.

I guess he was trying to "toughen me up." Because when I left for college, I heard him tell my mother, "She's a hot house flower that's been coddled and protected all her life. The first cold wind that blows is going to shrivel her up and destroy her."

Well, Dad, I'm afraid it didn't work. But, I've now lived longer than you did, and I haven't shriveled up yet, either. But, I'm about to.

I've had to give up watching daily news broadcasts years ago. The Top Stories of man's inhumanity to man (and woman) began to so disturb me that I was unable to sleep at night, and when I did sleep, I would have nightmares. The only solution was to stop exposing myself to the source of my stress.

But, I *would* follow stores of natural disasters, because I find that floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc. always bring out the best in people as they are moved with compassion to help those whose lives have been devastated.

But, even that has turned into a mixed blessing.

Perhaps part of it is because of our greater ability to get news quickly with our modern technologies; perhaps part of it is the tremendously increased number of news agencies, each vying to be the first to report something new; I tend to believe it's because we are seeing the fulfillment of all those prophecies Dad kept quoting at me . . . . As I have followed the stores of typhoons, earthquakes, mudslides, hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, tsunamis, I have noticed a geometric increase in the number and severity of these incidents. (Outside of history books, who had ever HEARD of a tsunami 10 years ago??? Last fall, one of our favorite TV shows was interrupted by a tsunami warning!!!!! Here in California!! We don't have tsumanis - - - we have earthquakes!)

And now, the California Supreme Court, in a 4 to 3 decision, has chosen to open Pandora's Box and destroy civilization as we know it. Despite clear evidence that their flagrant disregard of the will of the people will not be allowed to stand, and in a rude gesture to half the Union who have already put Marriage Amendments in place in their Constitutions, and 10 states who begged them to hold off until an election could be held because of the legal catastrophe this will unleash throughout the country, these 4 judges have placed their opinions above law, above reason, above sanity, and have opened the door to chaos.

Well, Dad, I guess you were right. I must be a tender plant, because this has done me in. For the sake of my health, my blood pressure, and my sanity, I'm going to have to stop reading my email alerts, stop signing petitions and stop contacting senators. I've tried so hard to do what I can to support the causes I believe in. I will never give up my right to vote! And I will continue to pray that God will open the eyes and hearts of people throughout this state and this nation, that perhaps we may turn our feet aside from this disastrous path before it is too late.

But, I've been doing a lot of thinking, and I've come to the conclusion that God doesn't want a garden full of nothing but poppies and dandelions. Even in the gardens of men, there are beautiful, tender flowers that require care and protection, which some men are willing to pay vast sums of money to obtain and to care for. Some of these rare blossoms will whither if you touch them, but their beauty and fragrance is, to these collectors, worth the effort required.

If even men can find such value in a rare and tender plant, then surely God, also, has a place for orchids in His garden. And, if all the use the masses can find for flower blossoms is to strew them along the road so they can dance on them on their path to the cliff, then it becomes the duty of the flower to remove itself from the reach of the masses.

When the boys were young, and the world would begin to press a little too closely, we would "put our shields up," and play nothing but Sabbath appropriate music, and do other things to drive Satan and his minions nuts so they couldn't stand the atmosphere around here and would leave us alone. I have decided it is time to do that again, for my own protection.

Two years ago, Elder David R. Stone of the Seventy gave a talk in General Conference which resonated with my soul. I heard his words again today as I contemplated this posting:

"My involvement with the building of the Manhattan temple gave me the opportunity to be in the temple quite often prior to the dedication. It was wonderful to sit in the celestial room and be there in perfect silence, without a single sound to be heard coming from the busy New York streets outside. How was it possible that the temple could be so reverently silent when the hustle and bustle of the metropolis was just a few yards away?

"The answer was in the construction of the temple. The temple was built within the walls of an existing building, and the inner walls of the temple were connected to the outer walls at only a very few junction points. That is how the temple (Zion) limited the effects of Babylon, or the world outside.

"There may be a lesson here for us. We can create the real Zion among us by limiting the extent to which Babylon will influence our lives. . . .

"Wherever we are, whatever city we may live in, we can build our own Zion by the principles of the celestial kingdom and ever seek to become the pure in heart. Zion is the beautiful, and the Lord holds it in His own hands. Our homes can be places which are a refuge and protection, as Zion is."

(For the full text of his remarks, go to: http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=d61ae2270ed6c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

My home needs to be such a refuge. I need to build my own "hot house" so I can become the beautiful orchid God meant for me to be.

Sorry, Dad. I was never intended to be a poppy. Throwing dirt on a rose won't turn it into a dandelion. It's not easy, being an orchid. But, God has a use for me, as an orchid, which I could not fulfill were I a daisy. And so I shall retreat now into my Mountain Monastery to listen to the monks chant, to take the cooling waters, and to refresh my soul, and to try to ignore the raging fires burning down the forests around me.

A Memorial Day History Lesson

2008-05-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

Did you know that 52 of the 55 signers of The Declaration of Independence were orthodox, deeply committed Christians? The other three all believed in the Bible as the divine truth, the God of scripture, and His personal intervention.

It is the same congress that formed the American Bible Society. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of scripture for the people of this nation. Patrick Henry, who is called the firebrand of the American Revolution, is still remembered for his words, "Give me liberty or give me death." But in current textbooks the context of these words is deleted.

Here is what he said: "An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle sir, is not of the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death." These sentences have been erased from our textbooks.

Was Patrick Henry a Christian? The following year, 1776, he wrote this "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here."

Consider these words that Thomas Jefferson wrote on the front of his well- worn Bible: "I am a Christian, that is to say a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope, to the pure doctrine of Jesus also."

Consider these words from George Washington, the Father of our Nation, in his farewell speech on September 19, 1796: "It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are the indispensable supporters. Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

Was George Washington a Christian? Consider these words from his personal prayer book:

"Oh, eternal and everlasting God, direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the lamb and purge my heart by the Holy Spirit. Daily, frame me more and more in the likeness of thy son, Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time obtain the resurrection of the justified unto eternal life. Bless, O Lord, the whole race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of thy son, Jesus Christ."

Consider these words by John Adams, our second president, who also served as chairman of the American Bible Society. In an address to military leaders he said, "We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and true religion. Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

How about our first Court Justice, John Jay? He stated that when we select our national leaders, if we are to preserve our Nation, we must select Christians. "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian Nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."

John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, was the sixth U.S. President. He was also the chairman of the American Bible Society, which he considered his highest and most important role. On July 4, 1821, President Adams said, "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity."

Calvin Coolidge, our 30th President of the United States reaffirmed this truth when he wrote, "The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country."

In 1782, the United States Congress voted this resolution: "The congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools."

William Holmes McGuffey is the author of the McGuffey Reader, which was used for over 100 years in our public schools with over 125 million copies sold until it was stopped in 1963. President Lincoln called him the "Schoolmaster of the Nation." Listen to these words of Mr. McGuffey: "The Christian religion is the religion of our country. From it are derived our notions on character of God, on the great moral Governor of the universe. On its doctrines are founded the peculiarities of our free institutions. From no source has the author drawn more conspicuously than from the sacred Scriptures. From all these extracts from the Bible I make no apology."

Of the first 108 universities founded in America, 106 were distinctly Christian, including the first.: Harvard University, chartered in 1636.

In the original Harvard Student Handbook rule number 1 was that students seeking entrance must know Latin and Greek so that they could study the scriptures: "Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life, John 17:3; and therefore to lay Jesus Christ as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning. And seeing the Lord only giveth wisdom, let everyone seriously set himself by prayer in secret to seek it of him (Proverbs 2:3)." For over 100 years, more than 50% of all Harvard graduates were pastors!

It is clear from history that the Bible and the Christian faith, were foundational in our educational and judicial system.

However in 1947, there was a radical change of direction in the Supreme Court. Here is the prayer that was banished: "Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence on Thee. We beg Thy blessings upon us and our parents and our teachers and our country. Amen."

In 1963, the Supreme Court ruled that Bible reading was outlawed as unconstitutional in the public school system. The court offered this justification: "If portions of the New Testament were read without explanation, they could and have been psychologically harmful to children." Bible reading was now unconstitutional , though the Bible was quoted 94 percent of the time by those who wrote our constitution and shaped our Nation and its system of education and justice and government.

In 1965, the Courts denied as unconstitutional the rights of a student in the public school cafeteria to bow his head and pray audibly for his food.

In 1980, Stone vs. Graham outlawed the Ten Commandments in our public schools.

The Supreme Court said this: "If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments were to have any effect at all, it would be to induce school children to read them. And if they read them, meditated upon them, and perhaps venerated and observed them, this is not a permissible objective." Is it not a permissible objective to allow our children to follow the moral principles of the Ten Commandments?

James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution of the United States, said this: "We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."

Today we are asking God to bless America. But how can He bless a Nation that has departed so far from Him? Most of what you read in this article has been erased from our textbooks. Revisionists have rewritten history to remove the truth about our country's Christian roots.

Credited to Mary Jones, who designed the email I copied here. She encouraged all who read and agree with the words herein, to share it with others, so that the truth of our nation's history may be told. This is my way of doing so.

A Surprise for My Sweetheart

2008-05-24T00:35:00.000-07:00

Turnabout is Fair Play, I've heard.

Well, this time it's Derrin's turn to be one the road almost continually for a couple of weeks (I will actually get to see him for SEVENTEEN WHOLE HOURS!!! between trips because it wasn't economical to change his flight reservations so he could stay in New York . . .) giving Pension Seminars in Syracuse and Louisville, and spending time with our new grandson while *I* stay home alone.

While I was gone, Derrin spent his time remodeling the house . . . .

Well, I don't have the kind of time he had . . . but I've done what I could to make a few improvements.

The most noticible one is the completion of our new "Library."

I took everything off the floor, cleaned the wall, swept, mopped, and then went over the area with Orange Glo Wood Restore.

Once it was dry, I opened our new Persian Rug and put it into position;

Found the rocking chair and dragged it over to its new home;

Unplugged the Tiffany Lamp from my office and hefted it into place;

And then created a "reading and snack table" to complete the look.

Less noticible is the THOROUGH cleaning I gave my office, which, in addition to picking everything up and removing anything that wasn't nailed down included a THOROUGH sweeping, SOAKING the floor with Doo Doo Voo Doo, Letting 'Beca-The-Scooba-Robot scrub it until she ran out of cleaning solution, AND going over everything with Orange Glo Wood Restore.

Just that has taken the better part of a week.

And *then* I discovered that I was going to be invaded by hoardes (4?) of Latino workmen, who were going to put a new vent (or something) behind the toilet in our new bathroom - - - at 7:30 AM this morning!!! So I also cleaned both sinks and toilets and dusted out the new tub.

Got a couple of other minor things I hope to do before I see him, but that's a pretty fair beginning.

Check back later (next week) for further news and updates . . . .

. . . But God's Hand is Evident in it!

2008-05-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

"The Lord gives us a spirit of hope and a feeling of comfort and confidence that we can overcome the obstacles we face. He has shown the way to gain strength during our struggles. With His assistance, we have the ability to succeed."
--L. Lionel Kendrick, "Strength During Struggles,", Ensign, Oct 2001, 24

My kids think I'm nuts, too . . . but they know me WAY better than Woo does!!!

So, I got up on Monday planning to spend most, if not all, day slogging through the piles and PILES of DAR materials, figuring out just WHAT it is I've gotten myself into . . .

And, as usual, I went to turn on the CD player. . .

But, I hesitated for a moment, because sometimes, instead of soothing my agitated soul, the music can be an irritant or a distraction, and that was the *last* thing I needed!

I weighed the alternatives . . .
Music . . . . . soothing
vs
Noise . . . . . distracting
And I turned on the CDs

And what should start playing but

THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR
singing
THIS IS MY COUNTRY!!!

And I sat back, and thought about all the effectual doors that have been opened (nay, say, rather, the skids that have been GREASED!!!) to put me where I am today, and I have to admit, there is no doubt that the Lord's Hand is clearly discernable in all this.

Was it just a coincidence that Woo had just returned to the position of Registrar with the DAR shortly before I sent my initial query in on the website? Others before her had dropped the ball on people who were earnestly seeking to join the organization - - - I was just curious. But, her active interest and tireless efforts to help me really greased the skids right from the start.

Was it a coincidence that Derrin found a newly-created Porter Family website, where I was able to obtain several books of information about my Pioneer/Patriot line?

The day those books came in was rather amazing, too. . .
We were about to leave for an extended trip, so I brought the box into my office and jotted a quick note to Woo to tell her I had gotten this GREAT source . . . and then I realized I couldn't just leave it there. I *had* to open the boxes and say *something* about their contents. So, I quickly popped off the strapping tape, grabbed a book at random, and let it fall open somewhere in the middle - - - where I saw " . . . and this is the lineage, just as I used it for my application for membership into DAR and the Mayflower Society. And if any of my relatives wish to join, they may use my membership numbers, which are . . . ."

After I picked up my eyeballs and teeth and put them back in my head, I spent another moment scanning those pages and emailing them to Woo, and left for that trip in HIGH spirits!!! And by the time I got back, she had tracked down, not just one, but THREE colateral relatives I could link to to ease the application process.

It was serendipity when Steve and Emilee decided to get married in Salt Lake, and I asked Derrin for ONE afternoon to spend in the Genealogy Library to see what we could get to fill in the last gaps. Which Guardian Angel do I have to thank for having"Batgirl" on duty at the desk when we wandered in with my pedigree chart and half a dozen families circled? (That was her nickname - - - and her log-on ID. And she was wearing a watch with a bat on the face.) She took my annotated pedigree chart, called up and printed out several cemetery records, pointed us in the direction of a couple of Pioneer History books, gave us the name of the person we needed to see in "the basement" to get a copy of my great grandparents' marriage certificate from the Endowment House, and by the time we left a few hours later, I even had a photocopy of a handwritten list of my Patriot ancestor's children!

I wrote exactly ONE LETTER requesting information from a state archive, and even *that* came back with butter and jam. Not only did I get the death certificate I was looking for, but the kind archivist also included copies of newspaper writeups about the fire my great-grandmother had died in, and an obituary.

And, when I was about to give up on my last missing document, and say, "Can we get away with them being listed as her parents on that birth certificate?" I just *happened* to glance through another Book of Remembrance I had been given 20 years ago and never had time to open, and there was a photocopy of the marriage certificate in question!!!

I swear, I didn't do anything but show up. Everything has been handed to me on a silver platter.

It's been great fun attending the lunches these last couple of years, and I *loved* being in the 4th of July parade last year. I feel like I've found a whole new group of fascinating friends. And I've been looking forward to assisting several church members who have started the application process to get into the "club." I never imagined a person could go from "new convert" to "bishop" in just one year!!! That certainly was never part of MY plans!!! I figured I'd become webmaster, and find out how things ran that way - - - behind the scenes, like I always do . . .

Apparently, God had other ideas.

But, as I stood there taking the Oath of Office with my new Board, I took comfort that each part of the oath ended "as God is my Helper." Because, I knew, however inept I might be, with God as my Helper, and a few good friends to back me up, we WILL be able to pull it off!

And, as if as a sign, in the not-quite-a-week I've been Regent, my "telephone allergy" has not been in evidence - - - I've been able to make the phone calls I've had to make, without the old trauma getting in my way - - - my mind has been clearer than usual so I can think and, more importantly, LEARN (or, at least, BEGIN to learn) some of the stuff I need to know.

I recognized that "feeling of comfort and confidence" that Bro. Kendrick spoke of, and when I read that quote, I knew I had to record these thoughts, and testify to the Hand of God moving to direct my life in MOST unexpected ways.

In Memoriam

2008-05-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

Brrryanna D. Watson

Jan 1 1992 - 16 May 2008

Faithful Companion; Loving Friend

"World" Traveler

You will be missed.

Our Favorite Memories of Bree:

Dad (Derrin):

"I think my favorite memory of Bree was the way she reached out of her cage at the shelter and grabbed Derrill. She had him wrapped around her tail from Day One!

"I shall also always remember what a Good Little Traveler she was, as we three drove from Santa Barbara to Ithaca when Derrill was accepted at Cornell."

Mom (Julene):

"I had just lost my first "very own" cat, Samantha, when we adopted Bree, and I clearly remember how her kittenish antics cheered me up! I think one of my favorite memories (albeit with a certain amount of angst) will always be the times I found her poking her little head out of the middle of the Christmas Tree, pretending she was one of the ornaments.

"I also appreciated her for teaching Derrill to keep his clothes and important papers off his bedroom floor! &:-)

"One of the most remarkable things about Brrryanna was her ability to ride on Derrill's shoulders, like an extremely large parrott or living fur collar - - - most of the time standing up!!

"Since Derrill got engaged, and Bree came home again, she has become my office cat, and we have shared many, many hours together. I have appreicated her companionship. It's awfully lonely in there now without her."

Joy:

"My favorite memory of Bree was when I visited Derrill maybe the first or second time, and she cuddled up to my shoe (I don't think I was wearing it at the time.)

"I felt that meant she knew I would be an important person in Derrill's life."

Steve:

"I'll never forget the day when Brryanna reached out of her cage and grabbed Derrill by the arm. And the one time she was united with Katrina in standing guard against letting Q into the family."

Emilee:

" One of the first times I met Bree: Dad put ice cubes in her water bowl! Imagine that! A cat that won't stop crying until someone gave her ice cubes! Silly cat!"

Her Last Day (don't read if you don't want to get sad):

Brrryanna was 16 years old on Jan 1. Ever since I got back from New York, I can only think of maybe three times I've seen her leave her Cat Basket - - - which was unusual. On Friday afternoon, May 16, I went to pet her, and decided she felt *awful.* She really hadn't been cleaning herself very well for some time, and I had put it down to being so chubby, and her probable arthritis making it difficult to reach everywhere. I decided I *HAD* to give her a bath IMMEDIATELY - - - but when I put her in the sink and soaped her up, and she just lay there in the water like a rag doll - - - completely unresponsive!! After I got her out, bundled her in towels, and took her to the warm living room to dry her off and called Dad in. He held her and soothed her, and she began to purr.

Once she was more or less dried off, we let her go and went to call the vet. She stumbled a few steps toward a sunny spot and then sort of tripped and sat down and didn't even try to get up. The vet took us in immediately.

After running some tests, it was determined she had diabetes, kidney failure, severe dehydration, and a bladder infection. The only curable problems were the dehydration and possibly the infection. Treating the diabetes would mean giving her 2 insulin shots every day and bringing her back to the vet regularly for additional blood tests - - - which would run into thousands of dollars - - - and we wouldn't even know for a week if there was *anything* we could do to treat her kidney problems.

Under the circumstances, we chose to have her put to sleep. The vet agreed it was the wisest decision.

But, even though I have cleaned the office, and it now smells of Orange Glo, and there's no water fountain running, I still find myself looking for her when I come in . . . .

In WAY Over My Head

2008-05-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

About 3 years ago, my dear husband, who was then the Leader of our High Priests' Group at church, and therefore responsible for temple work, suggested to the Bishop that he knew someone who would do a GREAT job of exciting people about doing their genealogy - - - me! The Bishop agreed, and I was extended my 5th concurrent church calling: Family History Consultant.

"All we want is a cheerleader!" I was told. "Just someone to light a fire and get people enthused about doing their genealogy." I commented at the time that I feared I smelled "Camel's Nose," but I was assured that, no, I would *not* have to teach genealogy classes, or anything like that . . . . even though that *was* part of the job description in the instruction manual . . .

Well, I believe in being prepared, and I have never been content with my understanding of how to do genealogy research. So, with the impetus of the new calling to inspire me, I took a "Beginners Genealogy Class" through City College with a friend 3 years ago this coming Sept. - - - and it was WONDERFUL! I no longer feel like a complete idiot.

One day during class, our fabulous teacher, Patsy Brock, mentioned that anyone lucky enough to join the Daughters of the American Revolution would have access to an incredible store of records available nowhere else, but that their entry requirements were exceedingly rigorous. And I remembered that my grandmother had said she had been a member . . . but I never followed up on it. So I decided to set myself a "Final Exam" and see if I could pull together the necessary documentation to join the DAR. I figured, if I could do that, I would learn enough in the process to tackle anything that might come up during my tenure as Family History Consultant.

So, I went to the DAR website http://www.dar.org/ and left my name and email information.

Boy, oh, boy, did they see me coming, as my dad used to say! Within a couple of weeks, I had an invitation to come to the local Chapter's monthly luncheon, where I met my now-GREAT-friend, Marie-Louise, who was and is our Registrar. Talk about a CHEERLEADER!!! That lady is indefatigable! With her tireless aid and some INCREDIBLE luck, I found myself being sworn in as a REAL Daughter just over a year ago!!!

I have found the most incredible group of women in the DAR. As might be expected, most of them are older at this point. But each one I have had a chance to talk to has had the most fascinating stories to tell; each has achieved the most spectacular things - - - it is an honor to associate with them. And during the past year I have enjoyed participating in very small ways --- as befits my brand-spanking-new status ---in their meetings, reading various reports by assignment from time to time, etc. So, when the opportunity came up several months ago to serve the Chapter as Webmaster for our fledgeling website, I thought that would be just about perfect. I've been Assistant Webmaster for the ward website for several years now -- this would give me a chance to get involved, find out and keep up on what was going on and where, and really get my feet wet.

And *then* I went to New York to help with Hyrum, and my *dear* friend, Woo, phoned me in the middle of the night while I was watching him and, on behalf of the nominating committee, asked me to be REGENT!!!!!!!!

I was *sure* she was joking - - - how can someone only a year old be Regent?!

But she said, "No! We seriously want you and ONLY you to be Regent for the next 2 years. It's a lot of fun, and I'll help!"

Well, I read the job description, and I can conduct meetings and turn in reports. . . . So, I agreed.

And last Thursday, at our luncheon, SO DID EVERYBODY ELSE!!!

I arrived at the luncheon a Lame Duck Insginia Chairman and Prospective Webmaster, and left with a gavel and a van full of boxes and treasures and the Regent's Insignia that had been worn by our Chapter FOUNDER, Miss Jameson!!!!

(. . . and the start of a migraine, brought on by too many hours in a room with no ventilation and the temperature well over 90 . . .)

I was still stunned by it all the next morning at 9 AM when my phone began to ring, and I discovered that I was not going to have a couple of months to figure things out, as I had hoped, before we began our regular meetings again . . . but I would first need to get Good Citizen Awards ready to present to half a dozen local schools in about 2 weeks, none of which I was aware of before that moment.

Plus, I find out I don't have the software to run the webpage; can't buy it because it's not being made anymore; don't want the "upgrade" they *are* selling because it's WAY too expensive for what I want to use it for. . . . . Derrin *could* translate everything into the software he uses for HIS webpages, but it, too, is old and no longer supported; and if he bought an upgrade he could only install it on HIS computer, which wouldn't do ME any good . . . . . So, we're up a creek with no oars and a leaky boat!! Fortunately, the designer of our website (whose wife is on my new board) has kindly consented to upload everything so we can get going, and somehow we'll work this out between us.

Of course, I knew when I took the gavel that the out-going Regent hadn't made any preparations for our Chapter to take part in this year's 4th of July parade, and my new Board had decided we needed to correct that ASAP, so I had *thought* THAT would be my first order of business . . . along with finding a new, cooler, roomier place to hold our meetings.

So, as I'm unloading boxes and BOXES of materials from the car and trying to find a safe place to store them, and beginning to sort through the Regent's Book and divine all the appointments and expectations that are already set up for "me," I suddenly realize, I'M IN *WAY* OVER MY HEAD!!!

Thank GOODNESS I'm not planning to go anywhere for awhile, and (if I can just figure out who they are!) I had so many kind offers of help as our meeting last Thursday adjourned!

Success!

2008-05-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

Today, I finished organizing all those beautiful new bookcases my Sweetheart so lovingly built for us. Now, when you come into our house, instead of seeing right through into our eternally cluttered (because that's where we live and work) Famly Room, you are greeted by an antique tredle sewing machine that belonged to my great grandmother, where we organize things that need to go to the post. But your attention is immediately drawn to our beautiful new "Library," with it's lovely (soon-to-be) Persian rug, Tiffany Lamp, comfortable reading chair, and bookcase after boockase of organized wisdom.

I have a WHOLE BOOKCASE of Scriptures;
a WHOLE BOOKCASE of Commentaries, Concordances, & Reference Works;
a WHOLE BOOKCASE of books by or about our Modern Prophets;
a WHOLE BOOKCASE full of the writings of Apostles and other G. A. s;
a WHOLE BOOKCASE of the works of "Wise Guys" (like Nibley and Stephen R. Covey);
a WHOLE BOOKCASE + for Church History/General World/US History;
a WHOLE BOOKCASE devoted to Speakers' References/Resources --
"How To" books, Inspirational material, Poetry, Jokes, etc. --
and finally a bookcase filled with MUSIC.

This exquisite "wall of books" replaces the old "half wall" you see pictured here on the right of our former "No Room" . . .

QUITE an improvement, wouldn't you say?

The Best Christmas Present Ever

2008-04-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

This is an attempt to do something I don't know how to do . . . upload an audio file so I can preserve and share the most magnificent present I ever have or ever could receive.

It all started . . . well, 30 years ago, when I met a knight in shining armor, who treated me as his Dulcinea, and would kiss my hand when we met, and bow to me in public, and everyone thought we were wierd, and I was enchanted.

And then we each joined God's Army, and were posted to locations on opposite ends of the earth -- Derrin in Iran, and I in Chicago - - - and I was carried home wounded from the battle, and my love returned with a thorn in his side which continues to plague him from time to time.

But we survived, and after a 37 month engagement, were married, and blessed with 2 gifted sons. And they grew, and their magic grew within them, and they were kind and loving men.

They, too, served in the ranks of God's Army, Derrill in East Germany and Steve in Guatemala. And each, in turn, came to bear the scars of battle. And the struggle refined them.

Eventually, after a long and arduous quest, Derrill found his True Love, and not long afterward Steve discovered his One-and-Only, and both Fair Maidens had also served their time in the ranks - - - Joy in Costa Rica, and Emilee in California. And they married.

And now it is a year ago, and Derrin is our choir director, and has selected a beautiful new song to sing for Easter. I cannot tell you why this song affects me as it does; I can only tell you that singing it fills me with a love and strength that is impossible to describe. And when I was called away into the desert to care for my mother after a major surgery, it was this song that lifted my spirits and kept me going.

I cannot tell you how badly I wanted . . . . how badly I NEEDED . . . . a recording of this song, to listen to as time went by, and my memory faded. But, it didn't work out, and no recording was made. And time passed, and I began to be unable to call forth the magic of this music to lift my soul, and I grieved.

And then, my children came home for Christmas. And they got together with a dear family friend, Janice Tate, and Derrill used his special magic on the keyboard, and Steve, Joy, Dad and Janice joined the wonder of their voices to make this recording for me.

I don't know if I will succeed or not, and I know the music hasn't touched anyone else as it has me. But, I hope I can get this to work so Hyrum will know the story of The Most Wonderful Christmas Present Ever as he grows up, and be able to listen to his family create it.

30 Years of Wedded Bliss, and STILL FULL of Surprises!

2008-04-23T18:02:00.000-07:00

Just before I left for NY, we found the most BEAUTIFUL set of cherry bookcases and decided to remodel our front "hall" and make it over into a library with a Persian rug, a tiffany lamp, a nice reading chair, and this "wall" of bookcases.

Derrin has spent the 6 weeks I've been away building the bookcases and moving them into place.

And he spent the hours of our drive home apologizing for all the things he hadn't been able to get done that he had been planning on doing before I got back. . . .

What he *didn't* tell me was about all the EXTRA remodeling he had had done while I was away!

So, we head up to bed, and at the top of the stairs I discover that the old black window/screen has been COMPLETELY REPLACED with a BRAND NEW, double-paned unit like the ones in our new bathrooms!!! (He'd been threatening to have someone fix the screens that I've never been able to adequately repair since Q clawed them to pieces several years ago . . . .)

I open the bedroom door, and WHAT do I find, but a BRAND NEW WINDOW in the upstairs bedroom, too!!! PLUS a hole in the wall where I used to have some artist's renderings of me and Derrin in our younger days which has been filled with . . . . .AN AIR CONDITIONER!!!!!! A BUILT-IN AIR CONDITIONER!!!!!!

And, of course, as long as we're replacing ruined windows and screens, we can't stop until we've done the same treatment in the upstairs bathroom . . . . .

WOW!!!

I can't say I'd been dreading the coming of summer, and being unable to open the windows and get our lovely cross-ventilation (due to Q's uncanny ability to rip apart or break out of every screen we've ever put up in those windows) . . . but that's only because I left when it was too cold to be thinking about summer heat. WHAT A BLESSING!!! THANK YOU, LOVER!!!!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jog

2008-04-23T15:55:00.000-07:00

It's good to be home again! When I left, it was still looking like winter: the roses were pruned down to stumps; there were no flowers to speak of in my garden; the trees had virtually no leaves. And while I was in NY, it snowed several times, and I was reminded how much i enjoy watching snow fall from the comfort of a warm house, and how much I hate having to walk or drive in the stuff.

When I got home on Monday night, it seemed that every flower had heard I was coming back, and made an extra effort to put forth colorful blooms to welcome me home.

And the cats were overjoyed to see me, too!

Q spent the ENTIRE NIGHT curled up between our pillows.

Even little Molly came out from under the bed to traipse happily across my body, tail waving like a flag, before she settled down next to me and wouldnt' be budged.

And terrified Tribble parked herself on the end of the bed and purred LOUDLY for TWO SOLID HOURS. I haven't heard her do that since she decided we weren't going to take her back to the pound!

Didn't get a chance to see Brrryanna until the next day, but she hasn't let me out of her sight since.

I think I was missed!

Dreams DO Come True!

2008-04-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

In Relief Society a week or two before I left Santa Barbara for New York, our new RS President posed the question: "What were some of your childhood dreams, and have any of them come true?" Several sisters commented that they had fulfilled their dreams of becoming mothers, or graduating from college, and I shared with them my dual childhood dreams of living in California (formed with I was 6 and my family made its first visit to Disneyland) and becoming a Grandmother (made when I was 12). I remember watching the sun setting in the West from my bedroom window and thinking, "You are shining on California now. Is my chosen love there, and does he wonder about me - - - who I am, and where we'll meet? I wonder how I will know him?"

I have now been a Californian for 3/5 of my life, and the past 6 weeks I have had the privilege of fulfilling my other childhood dream: On March 11, our children, Derrill and Joy, presented us with a beautiful grandson, Hyrum Spencer. On March 13, I flew to New York to render whatever aid I could - - - which mostly meant washing dishes and laundry, and taking the baby at night so mom and dad could get some uninterrupted sleep!

Little Hyrum Spencer had some SERIOUS problems nursing, and had a VERY difficult first week of life. Spent the first 4 full days screaming every time Joy would attempt to feed him. I cannot BEGIN to describe it. If you put every exhausted 2-year-old temper tantrum thrown at Disneyland in a WEEK together, and then multiply it by 3, it *might* come close. He was screaming so long and so hard, I was convinced he was going to rupture something. And mostly it was when Joy would try to nurse him!!! He lost a frightening amount of weight (15%!!!) and folks were talking about putting him in the hospital . . . but we got a 2-day reprieve, and Joy started expressing like a mad woman, and we hand fed Hyrum with a medicine dropper . . .

It was everything we could manage between the 3 of us just trying to get enough milk into the baby, but he *did* catch up, if not catch on! He gained 7 oz in those 2 days! The doctor was THRILLED, and we felt encouraged knowing that we *could* get enough milk into him one way or another.

Well, it took a solid month, and some inspiration on the part of Joy's grandmother, who sent her a special nursing aid, but Hyrum is finally able to get his nourishment from Mom, in the manner the Good Lord intended. And when he is full, he is a VERY delightful little fellow, who will sleep for 6 and 7 hours at a stretch, who enjoys rides in the car, long walks so he can enjoy the wonder of God's creations, and being held and cuddled.

Given the difficulties everyone faced because of Hyrum's inability to learn to nurse properly, I am particularly grateful that God has placed us in favorable circumstances, to enable me to run off for that long a period of time, to allow Derrin to come and visit us, with technology that allowed me to keep up with my various church callings even at that distance, and with the love of family & friends who did so much to help us.

Even though it was out of his way, Derrin was able to fly to LA and escort his mother to Ithaca this past weekend for Hyrum's official "Naming and blessing." And Aunt Virginia flew to New York City and then drove to Ithaca so she could be there, too.

While waiting for one of our flights home yesterday, Grammy asked me what was the best part of my visit, and I really had to think, because there were so many wonderful, choice memories. The one I came up with that I shared with her was cuddling with Hyrum in bed, when he was

full of milk and sleepy but fussy. It was wonderful the way he responded to the warmth and close contact of cradling and rocking.

But I have come up with another one today - - - and it is one that I first realized when Derrill and Steve were born: it is the wonder of looking into the eyes of a new spirit so clean and pure

and trusting, and wondering what incredible things he might say if he were permitted to.

Derrin's response to Grammy's question, with moisture in his eyes, was "holding him in church."

Yes, dreams *do* come true - - - you just have to hang in there long enough!

Welcome to My Blog

2008-04-16T15:51:00.000-07:00

We've done a pretty good job (up to this point) keeping in touch with our kids, but recently when we ask them "So, what's the best thing that's happened to you this week?" the answer we get is "Haven't you read my latest blog posting?"

Well, no, actually. We may be savvy, computer-age parents who couldn't live without our PDA's and cell phones, but the world of blogging as a primary means of keeping up with friends and relatives is a whole new universe . . .

So, in a major concession to 21st Century communication styles, the Brand New Grandma is hereby inaugurating her VERY OWN BLOG so she can keep up with the antics and achievements of her WONDERFUL family.

Rejoicing In My Posterity (or, the Personal Reflections of a 21st Century Grandma)

Happy Christmas, Everybody!!! THANK YOU, 5th Graders and community of Quinhagak, Alaska!

Is anybody out there LISTENING?

Frank McCourt has nothing, and the Dodgers have it all

The Ultimate "Mother's Day" video

It is a RARE Song That Will Bring Tears to My Eyes

Soar Like an Eagle

The Writing is On the Wall for All to See

Still Popular, After All These Years!

I Know It's True -- You Can, Too!

Thomas Jefferson couldn't have said it better!

"Apologia"

Simply Beautiful

Too Funny Not to Share

GREAT Idea!!!

My New Year's Resolution: Drink More Water!

RIGHT ON!!!

Brilliant Commentary

One of a Kind!!!

"Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it".

Let the Buyer BEWARE!!!

Reason for Hope

A Nation "Under God," or a Nation "Gone Under?"

PAYDAY!!!

Susan Does It Again!!!!

Mama's Panacea

Would you believe, ANOTHER ONE???

NOT just a "one hit wonder!"

Who says there's no MAGIC in our modern world?

"And I shall make weak things become strong unto them."

Amazing!

It's PURE MAGIC!!!

This is one you have GOT to see!!!

OK, I'll Bite. Sounds like fun.

How Can I Thank Him?

BE THERE!!!

What Does Your Favorite Dessert Say About YOU?

Why Socialism Will NEVER Work

GREAT video!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Another "Must See" Video

"Validation" -- You have GOT to see this one!!!!!

Thrilling Video on the Second Coming

The Battle is the Lord's

Prophecy Fulfilled

Disney Magic is Life as it Should Be!

Part of Me!!

The Rule of Law . . . or Chaos & Anarchy

I Voted - - - Have YOU?

"Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve"

It's The Same Thing All Over Again -- Yes on Proposition 8

Become Part of Something Important -- Vote YES on Prop 8

Preserve Our Religious Liberty -- Yes on Prop 8

King George III or Abraham Lincoln?

Keep Your Parental Rights -- Vote "YES" on Prop 8

Save the Family -- Vote YES on Proposition 8

"When We're Helping We're happy"

Welcome Christina C. Cat

It Is FINISHED

Like Father, Like Son

Comin' Home

Political Musings

Speaking of Books . . .

Bookworms . . . Then, and Now

Emergency Preparedness

Happy 4th of July!

Proud to be an AMERICAN

Convincing Statistics

God Loves Orchids Just As Much As Poppies

A Memorial Day History Lesson

A Surprise for My Sweetheart

. . . But God's Hand is Evident in it!

In Memoriam

In *WAY* Over My Head

Success!

The Best Christmas Present Ever

30 Years of Wedded Bliss, and STILL *FULL* of Surprises!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jog

Dreams *DO* Come True!

Welcome to My Blog

In WAY Over My Head

30 Years of Wedded Bliss, and STILL FULL of Surprises!

Dreams DO Come True!