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. . . .
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Convincing Statistics
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.
"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.
Friday, June 6, 2008
God Loves Orchids Just As Much As Poppies
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.
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.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
A Memorial Day History Lesson
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.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
A Surprise for My Sweetheart
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 . . . .
Monday, May 19, 2008
. . . But God's Hand is Evident in it!
"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.
--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
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 . . . .
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