Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

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

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

Thrilling Video on the Second Coming

The Battle is the Lord's

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

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!

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.