Good Night Irena Sendler

Filed under: Achievement, Culture, Current Events, Inspiration, Religion , Christians, Ghetto, Glenn Beck, Hitler, Irena Sendler, Jews, Nazi, Poland, Warsaw

Mormon Conspiracy?

Filed under: Culture, Current Events, Religion , Conspiracy, Family, Michael Medved, Mormons, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

City Creek Center

Check out the City Creek Center in Salt Lake City. Already a wonderful city, Salt Lake is really becoming a masterpiece!  Be sure to watch the Conception Tour.

Filed under: Culture, Inspiration, Religion , City Creek Center, downtown, green space, Salt Lake City, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, urban development, Utah

Glen Beck’s Testimony

Filed under: Culture, Current Events, Inspiration, Politics, Relationships, Religion, Uncategorized , Alcoholism, church, faith, Family, Glen Beck, God, Latter-day Saint, Marriage, Mormon, Radio, recovery, Religion

Drawing Heaven Into Your Marriage

YOU COULD WIN A FREE COPY.  READ THE ARTICLE TOO DISCOVER HOW.

I don’t often review books.  I make exceptions only when the book is exceptional.  Drawing Heaven Into Your Marriage  by H. Wallace Goddard, PhD, is exceptional!

Casting off conventional “wisdom,” Dr. Wally gets right to the root of successful, happy marriages and for that matter, successful, happy lives.  His approach is based entirely on the Atonement, Merits, and Mercy of Jesus Christ.  No more tricks and techniques, no more fooling around with each other’s behavior or feelings, Wally teaches us the true nature of love and change.  The book is refreshing, motivating, readable and hits close to home.  Without being preachy, Wally teaches fundamental principles that are full of warmth, compassion and believability.  I wish every married couple had and studied this wonderful, bright work of love and testimony.

So pleased, am I with Drawing Heaven Into Your Marriage that I’m going to give away a copy on the 15th of March.  If you’d like to have your name entered into the drawing please indicate in the comments of this article.

 Booklogged and I enjoy and warm and joyful marriage.  We’ve learned many of the things Dr. Wally teaches, in the marriage school of hard knocks.  We affirm that the principles are true.  Oh, how I wish I’d had this book in the earlier moments of our marriage, where I could possibly have avoided inflicting so much pain on her.  I did have Wally in those days, though, (he’s a personal and very dear friend) and he was, even then, catalyst for much of the progress I was able to make.  Why?  Because even 20 years ago, Wally understood better than I, the goodness, kindness and love of Jesus Christ and the impact my Savior could have on every facet of my enormously imperfect life.

Filed under: Books, Culture, Inspiration, Parenting, Relationships, Religion , atonement, Behavior, Change, charity, compassion, divorce, friendship, hope, humility, husband, Jesus Christ, judging, love, Marriage, partnership, Relationships, wife

Dr. Wally

Before Stephen E. Robinson and Believing Christ, before James L. Ferrell’s, The Peacegiver, before serving at the county jail and later, at the juvenile detention center, before learning to engage, rather than merely reading, The Book of Mormon, before addiciton recovery and my connection with LDS ARP, all of which have taught me about the love and atonement and mercy of Jesus Christ; before all of that, was Wally Goddard.  I had grown up with lots of mistaken, mythical and nonsensical notions about God and my relationship with him.  Wally was the first to help remove the scales from my eyes.  This was long before he was famous.  He had not published; he had no PhD.  In those days the only thing I ever placed before his name was brother.

It is interesting though, that as I read his writings today, there is little that doesn’t echo from the days we pondered life together in our youth.  I rue that I wasn’t prepared to better understand what he was trying to teach me back then.  While it is clear I didn’t get much of what Wally had for me; it is also clear that he busted the first cracks in the crust of false notions that had me encased in fear, frustration and darkness.  Back then, Wally was to me, a  solitary voice in a culture of tradition, self sufficiency, anxiety and threat.  I, for example, subconsciously thought that God was holding me by the scruff of the neck, out over hell, just waiting for an excuse to drop me.  Had I ever articulated those words, I hope I would have recognized how foolish they are.  I never actually put it in those terms, though.  Instead, it was more like script silently written into the software of my thought processes.  Script, which I may have and often did disagree with, but script which still controlled my response to the circumstances of my life.  Wally initiated for me, the long laborious process of rewriting that script.

Wally is now more renown and has written several wonderful volumes that are as fresh and cutting edge as things get in Mormondom.  There is no heretical fringe type thinking, just honest, faithfilled truth that so many of us have missed in our lives.  You can read his Myth of the Month columns at Meridian Magazine or explore a collection of wonderful articles at his blog, Dr. Wally.

Filed under: Books, Inspiration, Parenting, Relationships, Religion , addiction recovery, atonement, Believing Christ, Dr. Wally, Drawing Heaven Into Your Marriage, James L. Ferrell, Jesus Christ, Meridian Magazine, Stephen E. Robinson, The Book of Mormon, The Myth of the Month, The Peacegiver, Wally Goddard

Approaching Heaven

“I don’t want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk’s lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor’s children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone’s garden. I want to be there with children’s sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.”   Marjorie Peay Hinckley

Read more about why this matters in Dr. Wally’s article on Personality and Perfection.

Filed under: Inspiration, Parenting, Relationships, Religion, Service , children, Dr. Wally, Gordon B. Hinckley, heaven, life, Marjorie Hinckley, Marjorie Peay Hinckley, neighbors, peanut butter, scout camp, Service, sports car, weeds

Thomas S. Monson Called as President of the Mormon Church

Henry B. Eyring, 1st Counselor, Thomas S. Monson, President, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 2nd Counselor

Filed under: Culture, Current Events, History, Inspiration, Religion , calling, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, First Presidency, God, Henry B. Eyring, leadership, Mormons, President, prophet, Religion, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Thomas S. Monson

Glenn Beck’s Tribute to Gordon B. Hinckley

Filed under: Culture, Current Events, Inspiration, Relationships, Religion , death, funeral, Glenn Beck, Gordon B. Hinckley, Mormons, passing, President, prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Thomas S. Monson

What I am about to say may be shocking.  If it startles or offends you please read on.  For I am not a heretic but a believer and have a faith filled observation to make: 

During my life I have always felt a bit squeamish when Thomas S. Monson comes to the pulpit.  He seems to have a tendency to “toot his own horn,” which has always put me off.  Had it been up to me, he might not have come to the position that is about to be placed upon him.

 That said, I am presently prepared to sustain him as the new President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with all my heart.  Let me explain why.

1. I am more fully aware of President Monson’s life, teachings, service and history (largely because of his tooting) than I have been with regard to any of his predecessors as they approached the office.  His life has been truly exemplary from a very early age.  He was called to be Bishop at the age of 22.
2. He is not the first of the presidents of the church, with whom I had personality conflict that put me off in some way.  Yet my experience has been that the conflict seemed to evaporate as I observed them accept the mantle of prophet leader of the church.  I don’t pretend to fully understand why this has happened in the past, but it has occurred often enough that I fully expect it to occur again this time.
3. When I filter out the horn tooting, there is nothing in the teachings of this great man that are not inspiring, uplifting, beneficial, plain, simple and true.  In all these years, he as taught only correct principles of life and living and the gospel of Jesus Christ.  His loyalty to the truth is unmistakable.
4. His reputation for kind, thoughtfulness is irrefutable.  He clearly walks the walk, not merely talking the talk.
5. His life is characterized by doing what God wishes, rather than what Thomas wishes.  I take that back, it is clear that Thomas only wishes what God wishes.  I just meant that he is careful to consider the wishes of God and then to do them.  He is clearly, long practiced in hearing and heeding the promptings of the Spirit.  And….it occurs to me that the Spirit has quite likely required him to “toot his own horn” on many occasions.
6. If God had not wanted Thomas S. Monson to be in the position he is presently in, that of soon being called to serve as Prophet and President of the church, he simply would not be here.  The system of succession in the church is flawless, entirely in the hands of God, consistent and confidence building.  None of these men have sought the positions in which they serve.  They simply lived worthy lives and answered the call.
7. I have no expectation that any of the prophets are, or will be, during their tenure, perfect human beings.  They are good, fine, loyal, righteous people, to be sure, but I do not expect them to be flawless and neither does God.  All that is expected is that they do their best and that they humbly rely upon God to compensate for their weakness.  Perhaps that is the chief characteristic that qualifies them to serve in such positions – they have learned humility, through which God is able to strengthen them sufficiently to make magnificent use of them.
8. Finally, and under-girding and overarching all the rest, I have prayed and asked God for a personal affirmation that this man, Thomas S. Monson, is truly Heavenly Father’s choice to lead His church through the coming years.  I have received that affirmation.  An undeniable witness in my heart that God continues to direct the affairs of His church.  That personal revelation is the rock upon which His church is founded.  In the present and coming days millions upon millions of Latter-day Saints (and any others who would) will quietly plead with their Father in Heaven to confirm in their hearts the witness that President Monson is His prophet, their prophet, and He will answer.

There is a fine biographical sketch of President Monson in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Filed under: Current Events, Inspiration, Relationships, Religion , apostle, church, flaws, God, Gordon B. Hinckley, Heavenly Father, humility, imperfection, Jesus Christ, kindness, love, Mormons, perfection, Power, prophet, Service, succession, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Holy Ghost, Thomas S. Monson

A Tribute to President Gordon B. Hinckley

Thank you James for showing me this in your comment on the previous post. 

Filed under: Culture, Current Events, Inspiration, Relationships, Religion , death, dying, faith, Gordon B. Hinckley, Inspiration, LDS, Mormons, President, prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, tribute

Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Mormon Church, dies

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the passing of it’s President.  Gordon B. Hinckley, 97, died today of circumstances incident to his advanced age.  He served as President and Prophet of the Church since March 12, 1995.

He has been a vibrant, inspirational leader of the church.  President Hinckley has lead and inspired those of us who follow him for many many years.

 I personally met him in 1969 at which time he was an Apostle of the Church.  Our meeting was impressive beyond measure.  I knew then and know now that he is a man of God.  He will be greatly missed.

We Mormons are not apt to do much weeping and wailing at his passing.  He has led a marvelous and wonderful life and has gone on to a glorious reward.  We will most certainly miss him and mourn his absence, but mostly we will celebrate his life, teachings and example from which we have all been richly blessed. 

As there is no politicking to determine his successor, we are not going to be found speculating or lobbying to determine who will follow.  God has established an orderly and careful plan for succession.  A system that rewards no ambition, allows for no intrigue or ladder climbing.  We already know Thomas S. Monson will succeed him as President of the Church.  God has selected him, prepared him and acquainted us with him.  We will sustain him as our new leader with confidence and love that already exists.

I have loved, admired and followed President Hinckley for many years.  I thank God that He gave this fine man to us, for we are all better for having followed where he has led.

Filed under: Current Events, Inspiration, Religion , apostle, death, funeral, Gordon B. Hinckley, leader, Mormons, President, prophet, Religion, Salt Lake City, Temple, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Thomas S. Monson

Bill Clinton has uh, dream!

 

Bill caught nodding off during a Martin Luther King Day gathering – watch the video

Filed under: Culture, Current Events, Politics, Religion , Bill Clinton, civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther King, Politics, Sleep, sleeping in church, spin

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy – An Environmentally Friendly Thing To Do!

I just read great article in the Christian Science Monitor that really opened my eyes.  Imagine the enormous good we would do the planet if we all observed the Sabbath!  Give the earth a rest every seven days.  It would be good for us and enormously good for the environment.

Personally, I don’t know how I’d survive if I didn’t observe a weekly day of rest.  It is not a hard concept, but greed and public demand have taken that away from many of us.  Recently, my sweet sister-in-law, upon hearing that the local Walmart was 200 people short of a full staff, suggested that they close the store on Sunday.  It was a brilliant idea!  The existing staff is stressed enormously to keep up a busy store.  A day off would reduce the time demand significantly, allow the staff to catch their breath and all without reducing the sales volume significantly at all.  People would just shop on the six remaining days.

I have a friend who moved from Brigham City, Utah to Evanston, Illinois, just north of Chicago.  I asked him what the biggest shock he experienced as a result of the move to a much larger city.  His reply shocked and shamed me.  “In Evanston, all of the stores are closed on Sunday!”

Many of our youth are kept away from church, family and much needed rest, on the Sabbath because the only entry level jobs around, require working on Sunday.  How much harm do we do them by this one solvable problem.

 We could improve life on so many fronts if we’d just keep this simple commandment.  Of course, the solution begins with each of us individually.  If we don’t shop, travel, and dine out on Sunday, the establishments that cater to us won’t be able to justify staying open.  It’s easy to think that my personal effort in that regard won’t make a difference.  Each vote does count.  And, we can do more, we can encourage others to join us.

This new environmental approach, gives me hope that we can gain some political clout in the quest for change, as well.  The environment is a big deal these days.  Simply keeping this one principle would do more for the environment than all the other efforts combined!  It would be healthy, inexpensive, realistic and would bring imediate results!  Let’s start pushing for it!

Big business will resist, of course!  Just like the wealthy plantation owners and shipping giants in Britain, in the 18th Century, resisted the abolishment of the slave trade.  But like the abolition of slavery, keeping the Sabbath Holy, is the right thing to do and it can prevail, if we insist upon it.

Filed under: Culture, Current Events, Earth, Health, Inspiration, Politics, Religion, Science , Christian Science Monitor, churches, consumption, day of rest, environment, environmentalism, environmentally friendly, green, polution, rejuvenation, Religion, resources, rest, save the planet

William Wilberforce

I am a history buff, big time, so I am much dismayed that I have never encountered the name William Wilberforce.  Wilberforce was the driving force behind the abolishment of the British Slave Trade.

This evening I watched the movie Amazing Grace about Wilberforce’s work in Parliament, to stop that horrible and inhuman business.  It was so inspirational and left me deeply humbled and appreciative of the devotion of such men, who through faith, integrity, determination and great sacrifice, change the world!

Amazing Grace is a must see movie experience!

Filed under: History, Inspiration, Religion , Abolition, activism, Amazing Grace, Great Britain, Parliament, Sacrifice, Slave Trade, Slavery, William Wilberforce

Fundamental Joy!

Not long ago I had a conversation with a close friend.  During our talk my friend complained that he wasn’t happy.  He went on to explain that he had been certain that when he’d earned his first million, he would be happy.  When happiness, didn’t come he set his sights on ten million. (We’re talking dollars here.)  When $10 million left him feeling empty and unsatisfied, he continued on, seeking happiness through the pursuit of yet more money.

By comparison, I have little money, yet I feel happy most of the time.  I’ve spent a good deal of time of late considering this situation and pondering the essence of joy.  I thought I might spend the next year or so contemplating, reading, searching and sharing my discoveries about the nature of Joy!

My quest is to understand what it takes to experience joy at it’s fundamental level.  I’m speaking of the kind of joy that under-girds and over-arches all else that transpires in our lives.  I’ve seen people in abject poverty in the Philippines, who radiated contentment and joy beyond my personal comprehension.  I’ve witnessed a very old man, living joyfully beside his invalid wife, despite unbelievable hardship, burden and lonely sorrow.  I have seen children in abusive homes, radiate joy, completely unreflective of the difficult lives they are compelled to live.  I want to know, what it is, that makes such joy, even in the face of hardship, so radiantly possible.

I don’t have all the answers.  I’m not writing here as any kind of authority on the subject.  As I blog about joy, I hope others will join in the conversation so all who participate in this project may learn and move toward that fundamental joy that seems impervious to the difficulties and sorrows that are so prevalent in our world.

Fundamental Joy!

Filed under: Health, Inspiration, Religion , age, blog, conversation, difficulty, hardship, Joy, money, Philippines, poverty, sorrow, wealth

Fellow Mormons! Before you vote for Mitt, you may want to consider these questions!

A Washington, DC. top congressional policy advisor who is also LDS, has said the vast majority of GOP congressmen are endorsing Mitt Romney.

He thought a Mitt presidency was no longer improbable, but, it is now something that ‘could happen.’

So…, if Mitt Romney became President of the US (code name POTUS) won’t we have something we’ve never had before — a president who goes to a specific church?

All other presidents belonged to religions that didn’t have tight congregational boundaries. Now, think about that:

What Ward would POTUS be in?

If you are his new Bishop, here are your top 10 questions:

1. Will you allow an inaugural ball to be held in the cultural hall? Do you mount security cameras on top of each basketball rim and have a secret service detail stationed on the stage?

2. Can you call Mitt and Ann as the Nursery leaders… even if you really feel inspired?

3. Who is going to home teach them? Will you call someone who needs activation but may not pass the vetting and national security screening?

4. If Harry Reid and Mitt Romney are in the same High Priest group, will you need to be there to keep order?

5. Exactly how will tithing settlement work? Will the Secretary of the Treasury come too?

6. Will you be inviting the new Romney family to speak in Sacrament Meeting… and if they go a little over at what point do you ask them to sit down?

7. Will the Secret Service do a sweep of the building before each meeting? And if the Romney’s always leave before Sunday School, will the Sunday School president need to interview them? If they stay, where will you hold the class?

8. Can you call the Secret Service agents to help out in Primary?

9. If you give Mitt a calling and the two Democrats in the Ward raise their hand AGAINST sustaining him – partly out of habit – does the Supreme Court need to be involved?

10. If you can’t give them a calling (job), and they don’t attend very often (for presidential stuff) will that mean they’re ‘inactive?’ If they’re not active, can you give them a Temple Recommend? And if you do, can they go? Will the Secret Service have to screen the temple too?

11. If the President wants to hold Sacrament Meeting at Camp David or the White House for security reasons, is that a conflict of Church and State?

If you’re assigned to be the Romney’s home teacher:

1. Can you just drop by, no appointment?

2. Can you even call them for an appointment or do you have to go through the Chief of Staff?

3. Can you bring by Christmas sweets and cookies? Will they be analyzed? And for how many people – family, secret service details?

4. If you don’t come can the IRS do an audit on you?

5. Will they want to do a national security background check?

6. Do you have to have a permanent companion who has been vetted? Can you just grab any teacher or priest to come with you? And what if that priest has been a little wayward? Do you need to search him first?

7. Do you have to help him move in and out of the White House?

8. If Ann Romney gets sick, are you allowed to bring in meals or at least tell the Relief Society about it?

9. What can you share with the Bishop about the Romneys?

10. Do you have to ask them about their year’s supply?

11. If you get a late night call for a blessing will reporters follow you around wanting to know what was wrong and what you said?

If Mitt Romney is assigned to be YOUR home teacher,

1. Is telling the group leader you haven’t been home taught a national security breech?

2. If he wants to come at the end of the month, do you accept his reason, “I’ve been out of town”?

3. Will he drop by unannounced or will the media crews give him away?

Grin!

(I wish I knew who to credit for this. If anyone knows please let me know.)

Filed under: Culture, Current Events, Humor, Politics, Religion , Home Teaching, Mitt Romney, Mormons, Relief Society, Secret Service, Security, Temple, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ward

The New Rexburg Temple

Filed under: Architecture, Current Events, Inspiration, Religion , BYU Idaho, Dedication, Idaho, Mormon, Open House, Rexburg, Temple, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

A Little Christmas Encouragement

Filed under: Art, Culture, Inspiration, Religion , Applicability, Christmas, Jesus Christ, Nativity, Scriptures, Star of Bethlehem, Three Kings, Wise Men

Christmas Parols

A Parol is a Christmas Lantern.  They are fundamental to the celebration of Christmas in the Philippines.  Having spent a couple of Christmases in that great land, these were favorites of mine.  I still miss the festive decorations that surrounded the season in the islands. 

My first Christmas there was a bit of a shock.  There was no snow.  There were no evergreens for Christmas trees.  But there were many many things about a tropical Christmas that I will always miss.

In many homes an entire banana stalk was set by the door and banannas given to guests as they ripened through the season.   Back then most of the Christmas trees were abstract art in some variation of a cone shape, often made of string and covered with more traditional ornaments.

There, as here, Jesus Christ, was central to the season.  There, as here, the warmth of love, family, giving and peace.  And celebration of the birth of the King of Kings, brought joy and happiness.

See more about Parols here.

Learn to make a simple Parol here.

Filed under: Culture, Inspiration, Religion, Travel , Bananna, Christmas, Christmas Lantern, Parol, Philippines, Tradition