photo credit: smartcitymemphis.com

Today during my scripture study, I came across this scripture:
2nd Nephi 25:9
And as one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from generation to generation according to their iniquities; and never hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the prophets of the Lord.

I was struck by that last sentence:  and never hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the prophets of the Lord.

I realized that it is so very kind of the Lord to warn the people before they are destroyed.  He says, here are the rules, please do this, this is the way, you will be happier if you….  Then he says, by the way, if you don’t …. then …….  And He continues to seek after and plead for His people to be obedient to His commandments.  But then when things get to the point that He cannot allow them to continue, He says, through the mouths of His holy prophets, WE WARN….

In 1995, the prophets in our day issued The Family: A Proclamation to the World.  At the end, the Lord uses those infamous words.  Listen to what is said:

WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of
chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill
family responsibilities will one day stand accountable
before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of
the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and
nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern
prophets.

They used the same language as the prophet Nephi.  Calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets (destroyed); foretold them by the prophets (we, the prophets, warn).  If THIS, then THIS, a simple formula indeed.

Marianne Holman, in her report of BYU-Hawaii’s commencement exercises, quotes Elder Bednar:

“We live in a world that grows increasingly confused and chaotic, ever more evil and dark,” Elder Bednar said. “Nothing could have emphasized that truth more than the tragic events that occurred yesterday in Connecticut.” (referring to the December 14th shooting)

Elder Bednar shared the words of President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve:
“The world is spiraling downward at an ever-quickening pace. I am sorry to tell you that it will not get better. 

“I know of nothing in the history of the Church or in the history of the world to compare with our present circumstances. Nothing happened in Sodom and Gomorrah which exceeds in wickedness and depravity that which surrounds us now. Words of profanity, vulgarity and blasphemy are heard everywhere. Unspeakable wickedness and perversion were once hidden in dark places; now they are in the open, even accorded legal protection. At Sodom and Gomorrah these things were localized. Now they are spread across the world, and they are among us” (“The One Pure Defense,” address to CES religious educators).

See full text here. 

At this point, I think many of us would be tempted to either put our heads in the sand, so we do not have to stir up too much contention, join our neighbors in their revelry, or just completely withdraw from society in general.  But that is not our instruction.  What are we to do then??

I now quote from Elder Oaks in this month’s Ensign magazine (full text here) 

The kingdom of God is like leaven, Jesus taught (see Matthew 13:33). Leaven—yeast—is hidden away in the larger mass until the whole is leavened, which means raised by its influence. Our Savior also taught that His followers will have tribulation in the world (see John 16:33), that their numbers and dominions will be small (see 1 Nephi 14:12), and that they will be hated because they are not of the world (see John 17:14). But that is our role. We are called to live with other children of God who do not share our faith or our values and who do not have the covenant obligations we have assumed. We are to be in the world but not of the world. 

Because followers of Jesus Christ are commanded to be leaven, we must seek tolerance from those who hate us for not being of the world. As part of this, we will sometimes need to challenge laws that would impair our freedom to practice our faith, doing so in reliance on our constitutional rights to the free exercise of religion. The big concern is “the ability of people of all faiths to work out their relationship with God and one another without the government looking over their shoulder.”⁴ That is why we need understanding and support when we must contend for religious freedom 

He continues:

Our tolerance and respect for others and their beliefs does not cause us to abandon our commitment to the truths we understand and the covenants we have made. That is a third absolute truth. We are cast as combatants in the war between truth and error. There is no middle ground. We must stand up for truth, even while we practice tolerance and respect for beliefs and ideas different from our own and for the people who hold them.  

I love this clear picture, even though the implications are scary for me.  This means that I have a personal obligation to stand up for proper values in the face of those who openly oppose my views and will likely call me names and be mean to me because of my beliefs.  As Elder Oaks says, it is our role….it is what we were called to do and why we have been placed on the earth at this period in time.

Even though Elder Oaks expresses our need to be tolerant of others beliefs, he makes a distinction between being tolerant of their behaviors.  This next paragraph immediately follows the preceding paragraph,
Elder Oaks:

He then enumerates some specific less extreme behaviors and how we can manage our duty to truth and still express love to those who do not agree.

But I LOVED this paragraph:

And this one:

  
 Let me know what you think….but I think the stake president is right…..we all have difficult times ahead and we had better be making sure we have our spiritual and temporal houses in order.  We want to be on the right side of the warning equation.

I have been on a kick of de-cluttering my house, lately.  I have to seriously do it every six months, where I go through everyone’s clothes and get rid of anything that is too old, too stained, doesn’t fit, isn’t worn, etc….  I usually go through the clothing once a year, around August, before school starts, and other household items at various times in the year.  I get to this place where I feel like our space has been encroached upon and our stuff has exploded and I do a major purge of the house.  This wouldn’t be so bad if I was the only one bringing stuff into the house, but with all of these people and the people they talk to, without consulting me…..you get the idea.  Too.much.stuff!

In the last two weeks, I have purged six 13-gallon size garbage bags of clothes, thrown away more socks, jeans, pants, shirts than I care to admit (ones beyond repair or re-purposing), tossed unnecessary electronic wires/toys/papers/magazines.  I have four bags of clothing waiting to be taken to the goodwill, along with a stroller, box of books, a couple of pans.  I even had a cookie jar in the pile, but that got broken, and you guessed it….tossed into the garbage.  Oh well, it was leaving the house one way or the other.  And I am not finished yet!!!  I should have taken photos, but I don’t think anyone would have enjoyed photos of my junk!

This is how I felt:

Oh YA! Take that Clutter!

But here is the sweet, sweet story:
Last week, in my purge mode, I decided that an old, wardrobe trunk, used as a dresser for the baby clothes, had to go.  I was done with it.  I cleaned out all of the outgrown baby items, closed it up and thought, ‘well, now it is ready to go’.  I didn’t have any idea where it would be taken or how it was going to get there.  We have down-sized to one compact car, seats five if we squish.  The wardrobe was too big for the back seat.

However, I do live on a busy street corner.  I had the thought on a bright and sunny Wednesday morning, about 10:30, that I should put the trunk on the corner before 11.  That was going to be a feat…..it weighs a ton.  I enlisted the help of my almost 14 year-old, made a ‘FREE’ sign and we set out to moving it.  With a lot of maneuvering and strategically placing the baby behind the sliding glass door, alone in the house, we managed to get it to the corner.  Before Speedy got the sign on it, someone had stopped to pick it up and take it away.  SWEET!!  Less than 3 minutes!   Speedy helped her load it into her truck.

Then we got an old, gas bar-b-que and did the same thing.  It took a little longer, 20 minutes.  It too was GONE!  Hooray for easy!

I thought you’d enjoy that story!  And I wish you just as much luck in managing and disposing of your clutter!!  Now I’m off to dispose of those four bags waiting for their new home!!

A few weeks ago, we had a Relief Society Committee meeting to plan some of the activities we want to do over the next few months.  The sister I asked to give the spiritual thought, shared the title of this blog as her thought.  It is an expression her mother uses.  It is so simple and so profound.  I have thought maybe I want to have it up on the wall at our house.

With boys going on missions, coming home from missions, teething, getting ready to start and finish high school, one making summer plans and finishing out his degree, and our little daughter thinking about the beginning of middle school and young women, I have been “careful and troubled” (Luke 10:38-42) about many things.

As opportunities have presented themselves, I have spent much time thinking and pondering about what would be best for each and every one of my people.  As bits and pieces of information trickled in over several days, a picture began to form.  The picture is a different picture than what I had assumed and planned for.  I began to see that the Lord has other plans.

I don’t know about you, but this happens to me all the time!  I am a planner.  I don’t have to be in control, but I like to know what the map looks like.  As I get new information, I readjust the plan.  Sometimes I am a willing participant; other times, I fight the process.

When I first have that picture form, I am excited and willing.  Sometimes in my enthusiasm, I ask, if it is the Lord’s will, the picture/impression will come to pass.  After that initial enthusiasm passes, I think, “Oh goodness, what have I done?!”

Here is an example:

We had four children, the youngest was 2.  We were living in a two-bedroom, basement apartment.  I was saying my prayers one night and was falling asleep as I prayed.  I heard a little voice, quiet at first, then louder and louder, until it seemed to be shouting.  “Mom……..mom…….Mom…….MOM!!!”

I woke up when I said, firmly, “What!!?”  Looking around the room, I saw no one except my sleeping spouse.  I went to the children’s room.  They were all asleep.  As I pondered about the experience, I realized, “Oh, another baby wants/needs to come to our house.”  I told the Lord He could send the baby.  I thought I could handle it.

When I shared those thoughts with my husband, he said, “WHAT??!  WHY would you DO that ??  We can’t manage another baby right now.  We live in two bedrooms.  Where are we going to put him/her and how are we going to afford it?”

I have to admit, I hadn’t considered any of those things.  I just knew the baby should come and I thought emotionally and physically I could probably do it.  As the process began and the baby was on his way, I thought, “Whose bright idea was this??”  Oh ya, it was mine.

But it is comforting, when those ‘I can’t do THIS’ thoughts come, to know….don’t worry about tomorrow, God has already been there.  He knows what is ahead.  He knows what is required.  He knows where I am, emotionally, spiritually, physically, intellectually.  If He has asked me to do it, I CAN do it.  The question is what will my attitude be during it, and will I allow the experience to help me learn and grow.

Don’t worry about tomorrow….God has already been there.

Click here to read their story and blog

This post is for my son.  Slim’s team-mate’s wife Nattie, has been diagnosed with GTD (Gestational Trophoblastic Disease).  Slim asked us to share their story and invite your support…..

Go ahead and click the link above.
Good luck Nattie!  We’re rooting for you!

Now check out what the Knights did for her!

Sport turns 17 today!!!!  Yea!!!

Here are a few Sport stories to remember.

When I found out we were expecting Sport, I cried and cried—probably because I had a 4 and 1/2 year-old, a 3 year-old and a 1 year-old.  I was still in school.  I think Drew had recently started working full-time.  I was overwhelmed and just didn’t think I could manage having another baby.  Our first baby had four major surgeries and 7 minor ones within the first 3 years of his life, and had an anaphylactic allergy to nuts, the second one had a heart murmur and allergies, the third was allergic to corn–all corn, which was a major deal because he wouldn’t sleep if he had any.  I really thought my plate was a full as it could be.  So when I found out another little soul was on his way, I cried.  I poured my heart out to Heavenly Father and told Him that if he was serious about sending this baby, I needed some things.  I needed a baby who was happy, who made me laugh, who brought peace to my soul, who didn’t have a ton of allergies and who would sleep!!  He sent Sport.  He has been making us laugh ever since and has never given us a moment’s grief as parents, other than he would never take a bottle EVER and for about three years he lived on peanut butter and jelly…… not so difficult.

When Sport was 1 and 1/2, we lived in a two-bedroom basement apartment.  All of the boys slept in one room.  After I put them down for the night, I heard boisterous laughter and wondered what the heck they were doing in there.  I opened the door to find Sport standing on his head in the crib with both of his feet holding onto the rails.  His brothers were in hysterics.

Sport has the best one-liners in the family.  One night (he was probably 12) we were having a family home evening discussion about choices in mortality, the consequences, and the different kingdoms of glory.  When it came out that those who make and keep all of their covenants will be the only ones admitted to the highest degree of glory and the rest would be angels.  Sport then turned to another brother who had not been making such fabulous choices and said, “Then you’re going to be my ministering angel.”  The whole family roared, thankfully, including the brother singled out.

Sport is very sweet and sensitive.  He is concerned for others.  He bears a stirring testimony which carries an abundance of the Spirit.  He is pure in heart.  He loves God and His son, Jesus Christ.

We love you Sport!  Happy Birthday!

#1.  Still waiting.  Scuff is still waiting to receive the magical white envelope!  He expected it on Wednesday, Thursday at the latest.  We think it will arrive today.  We are all hopeful!

#2.  Laundry Soap…..I make my own.  We learned how one day in our ward.  Some of my friends love it, others hate it.  Personally, I love it.  It is so much cheaper and does the job.  At first it didn’t take care of many of our big boy odors, but I doubled the strength of it, made sure I added bleach for colors and that seems to manage all of it!  It costs me about $4.00 to make 5 gallons of detergent and lasts for about 2 months.

Here is the recipe:
6 Cups of water
1 bar of soap, grated (like cheese) [I use Fels Naptha because I like the scent and it is made for the laundry]
2 Cups of Borax
2 Cups of Washing Soda (not baking soda, washing soda–found in the laundry isle)

Bring the water to a boil, add the bar of soap, dissolve.  Then add the borax and washing soda, cook and stir until dissolved (5-10 minutes).

Add hot water until you have 5 gallons.  Let sit overnight.  Now it will look like a jello.  Use a whisk and stir it, pour it into containers.  Viola!  Laundry soap.

I use a capful (about 1/2 C.) per load.  Love it!

#3.  Table cloths.
Yesterday I read Cocoa’s blog about using table cloths.  I hadn’t ever really thought about it before.  We didn’t use them growing up.  But we are horrible table washers, here!  So after reading her blog and the comments from all of her readers, I thought, hey, let’s give it a go!  I have plenty of sheets and for what ever reason, we don’t use the top sheets at our house.  I was just keeping them so I could make them into fitted sheets.  (I can teach you how to do that later.)

Just to make the story complete, you need a little background.  When we were trying to pare down the budget, I started making more basic foods and whittled down the amount of meat and dairy we were eating.  We are allergic to dairy here even though no one will readily admit it and they all try to get away with it.  Sometimes I don’t have enough backbone and I let them eat their dairy and other times I just don’t buy it and I deal with the whining (what can I say, it is a work in progress.  We all have places where we are trying to make changes, right?)  The point is, I rarely buy cheese any more and I make homemade soups instead of buying them in a can.  My kids LOVE Campbell’s Ham and bean soup (which really doesn’t have any ham in it…just pieces of carrots–like maybe one per can–ridiculous!)  Anyway, last night, I made Campbell’s bean soup and grilled cheese sandwiches because my day was crazy and I needed something easy for dinner.

I also opted for the table cloth idea above.  You would have thought we were going out to eat.  My kids were so excited!!!

“Grilled cheese and bean soup??!!  REALLY???!!!  And a Table Cloth???”  They were all in such a good mood!  (Which made up for the grumbling I got when I cracked down on the ‘no privileges until AFTER chores are done’  afternoon we had.  Yes, making changes here too.)  Anyway, it was too cute to have them so excited and happy for such small things!

#4.  Trying to finish up my January to do items:
Taxes
FAFSA’s (Federal Financial Aid Stuff) for the college boys
The purge after Christmas
File all the paper work from 2012

#5.  Lofty personal goals:
Stick to my eating plan, easier said than done.  I am a carb addict!  I admit it!  I don’t like vegetables!  I would eat bread, grain, fruit, and sugar all day, every day!!!  I have to plan my vegetable and make something I like or I will not eat them, ugh!

Stick to my exercise plan.  The other day I was so excited because I had a goal to exercise 150 minutes a week, which is only 30 minutes/5 days a week.  Should be doable right??  Well I did it and I was so excited, until I realized that 150 minutes per week is the bottom of the ‘maintain your weight’ category.  Ugh!  Again!  But since I haven’t been doing that, I need to at least get there and then I can add time from there.  This week I’m not even close to there.  Baby steps I know.  I just want it all and I want it NOW!  I hate this slow process of weight loss!  Enough complaining.

This is the best goal and my personal favorite!  I learned last week from a fabulous family history sister that I didn’t have to make a HUGE block of time available for family history.  I always put it off because I think, oh ya’, I’ll get to that when I have more time.  Well, I never have more time.  It is never just going to be available for me to think, hey what should I do with this free three hours??  I know, Family History!  Not!

Her suggestion was to just spend 15 minutes on it a day or every few days.  Then put it away and pull it out later for another 15 minutes. Then put it away and go about your business.  I have been doing that the last couple of weeks and it works!  It is amazing!  Also, she said to only really focus on you and the last 100 years.  Put all of that data into the computer.  I find that I am usually having so much fun that I work on it for 1/2 an hour before I HAVE to put it away and take care of the family, but I have learned some amazing things!

I come from a long line of large families!  On my dad’s side, one family had 17 children!  Most of them have anywhere from 9-14!  Wow!  That made me feel better about my crew of 9.

My father’s line actually goes back to 1300!!  Another Wow considering that both sets of my grandparents were first generation members. 

My father has never liked his first name and always used his middle name.  His paternal grandfather has a brother right after him who shares the same name as my father.  It would appear that my father is named after his great uncle.  So then I wonder about the relationships between my grandfather and his uncle.  He obviously had fond feelings for him.  Those are things I cannot wait to find out after this life is over.

The families who go back far enough, are from England, Ireland, and Germany…sweet!  That explains the red hair in my son’s beard—a blonde, blue-eyed baby, brunette adult, with a RED beard.  Sweet!

My husband’s line actually goes back into the Vikings and royalty.  Who knew??  (That might explain our tempers and attitudes!!)

Anyway, it has been very enjoyable to learn a little more about who we are and what it means to be a part of our family!!

Check out Heather’s 52nd edition here!

photo credit: madeline-marie.blogspot.com

Sorry it has been a few days since I have posted. We have a sick baby–enough said.

Today we await the arrival of the big, white envelope from Salt Lake City, UT.  The contents and instructions inside will determine Scuff’s life for the next 24-30 months, depending upon the date they ask him to report to his Missionary Training Center.  He will put his academic and social endeavors on hold for two years as he immerses himself in the work of the kingdom and learns how to serve others and the Lord.

As parents, this is one of the moments we hope for and dream of.  There are others—for sure and more important ones, like the day they will take a companion of their choice to the temple to establish their eternal family, and then there are the grandchildren……………..(but I am getting way ahead of myself!!)  But the mission—-the mission prepares my boys to become men, righteous men who love and serve.

Think about it—most young adults between the ages of 18-22 are finally old enough to be recognized by the law as adults.  They are capable and encouraged to move out, go to college, get a job, drive/own a car, manage their own finances, medical, food, living quarters, laundry, and relationships.  But how many of them are actually mature enough to really handle all of that well???  (Now I am not speaking of the sisters, just the men.)  If a young adult male is going to get into some serious trouble and make mistakes that could be life-altering, he will usually do it during this time period.

So what does the Lord do??

He sends them on missions—where they have a constant companion 24/7 for two years, have weekly check-ins with their mission presidents, are given a monthly allotment to manage finances, have periodic apartment checks, may drive a car but aren’t responsible for maintenance or insurance, do their own laundry, and write to their families weekly…….. those are just some of the temporal perks.  Spiritually, they have personal and companion scripture study and prayer, go out to find people who would like to know more about Jesus Christ and His gospel, teach them true principles, ask for their commitments to live the principles, encourage them and serve them, pretty much on a daily basis….and then there’s a dress code….but we won’t go into that. 

They are so busy, if they are trying to be obedient, they would have to go looking for trouble before they could get into any.  (Now, I know there are those few who get into trouble and do dumb things….but those young adult who are trying to do what they were sent out to do learn responsibility, service, and love!) 

My boys who are serving or who have served say, “It is the hardest and best two years of my life!”  Isn’t that great??  The Lord takes boys who might otherwise have enough freedom and resources to get into trouble and turns them into men who love and serve God and others, who can learn to let go of self—an amazing process for sure!

So, tonight we wait, as one more of our sons approaches his rite of passage into manhood—-the opening of the Big, White Envelope!

Wish him luck!

photocredit: safetysupplywharehouse.com

I was reading in Jacob yesterday and I got side-tracked by this verse 1:8  :
“Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross, and bear the shame of the world….”

I started thinking…..

Believe in Christ:  Yep.  I do that.  I know He is my Savior and the Redeemer of the world.  I know (2nd Nephi 31:21) “….this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.”

View his death:  Since there are no footnotes, I have to use my intellect.  I think maybe this refers to the Atonement.  Yes, I believe in it!  I use it! I teach it!  I try to remember it every day—what He did and what I am to do about it.

Suffer his cross:  I was not sure, so I looked up the footnotes.  Footnote c takes you to Luke 14:27 and with the JST (Joseph Smith Translation) sheds significant light:
27. And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. (Wherefore, that ye will do the things which I shall teach and command you.) JST
Ahhhhh……light and knowledge……we are to do the things which He commands us to, which if we do those things will surely put us in a place to

Bear the shame of the world:  When we are obedient to His commandments and instructions, we receive (eventually) the mocking and scorn of the world.  We are to bear it, to stand tall, to continue forward in faith.  Not to shrink, as those partaking of the fruit of the tree of life (in Lehi’s dream 1st Nephi 8:28) did when they received the shame of the world from those within the great and spacious building.

Then I was drawn to this scripture:
“Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest…..” (Jacob 1:7)

Labor:  expenditure of physical or mental effort especially when difficult or compulsory (Webster’s definition #1) (Topical guide see also: industry, toil, work, value of work, wages)

So, Jacob worked, diligently (characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort) among his people to encourage them to do these four things:
Believe in Christ
View his death
Suffer his cross
Bear the shame of the world.

Then in Chapter 2:5, Jacob tells the righteous, temple-going church members (see Jacob 1:17-18) they are beginning to labor in sin…..(So you can labor in righteous things and you can labor in wicked things, or sin.  Hmmm)

Now this labor in sin that he is referring to is in the thoughts and intents of their hearts.
v. 6 “I must testify unto you concerning the wickedness of your hearts…”
v. 13 “…lifted up in the pride of your hearts….and persecute your brethren” (OK that is more of an act, but the attitude begins in their thoughts and hearts)….. 
v. 23 “…they (the people) seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms” (basically desiring many wives and concubines), which
v. 24 the Lord says is abominable before me  

Laboring in sin begins in the things we think about.

Then I wondered, ‘What other things do we labor in?’

Thes 1:3 refers to a …..labor of love (motherhood, for sure!)

Heb. 4:11 Let us labor to enter into that rest….(Oh you mean I have to WORK before I get to heaven?)

1st Nephi 17:41 the labor which they had to perform was to look (Seriously??!  Looking is labor??  I guess  it is when it requires FAITH.)

Jacob 1:19  by labor their blood might not come upon our hands  (So when the prophets give us counsel     and direction through their work, we then become responsible for our actions—we have been sufficiently instructed, even if we choose to only attend the Sunday morning sessions of General Conference, right?)

Alma 34:32 this life is the time for men to perform their labor (Our work, the work of change and repentance, needs to be done in mortality.)

D and C 18:15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days crying repentance unto this people (Wow–that seems like a long time to encourage people to come unto Christ, no vacations, holidays  or weekends…)

And then I had this thought:

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photocredit:  Del Parsons studio