My car was in the shop today and I took the bus to work. While waiting there a man and women, in their 20s I'd say, arrived with their young daughter and younger son. For the 5-10 minutes I was waiting it seemed that all the parents could do was criticize and chastise their children. I hurt for the children and for the family as a whole.

Why is it that the things we should love and cherish the most are treated so lightly? Why was it that these children, these gifts from God were so little valued? Where have we as a society gone that this is the daily behavior in so many families?

Let us remember Christ and how he loved little children and how He also said it would be better to be drowned than to offend a child.

Look at your children through the eyes of God, who was their Father before you were their parent. Love them even a little like He loves them, and like He loves you as well, for we are all children of God.

Maxim for Living

I just heard this maxim again on television. It was said in 2003, but bears repeating and repeating again.

From Elder Holland, Apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse."

In Ephesians 4:29-32, Paul reminds us of this as well.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

The Funnel

In attending church services I was impressed by the words of our speaker. He held up an ordinary funnel, one you might use for adding oil to a car, for instance. As expected this funnel had a wide end and a narrow end.



The world today insists that it is best to be allowed to do whatever you wish, that whatever is 'right' for you is what you should do. They advocate being able to choose from all the world offers, in effect to Enter in by the wide way. This philosophy seems to promise much freedom, but the end result is less and less freedom, and less and less happiness as people are squeezed into the narrow end of the funnel, the result of their choices earlier on.

Christ on the other hand asks us to Enter in by the narrow way. Satan wants us to think this is restrictive, that we are being limited in what we can do, that we are lacking freedom. Just as in the funnel, entering in by the narrow way leads to much more freedom in the future.

Obeying the commandments of God to love one another, to be chaste, to serve, opens up great vistas to us, great freedoms and great blessings. Choosing to be selfish, to violate the laws of chastity, to abuse body and mind wraps us in chains that will no longer give us many choices.

Life and Death

Today I had the opportunity to go with a number of my friends from church to visit a fellow sister who is only a few days or hours from death. Willa Ballard is one of my sisters in the Gospel who I visit teach. A convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of about 4-5 years, this tiny little sister was battling breast cancer at the time of her conversion. Everyone that met her was impressed with her great spirit and luminous smile.

For several years she had good health, but this year her cancer returned as well as a particularly fast acting form of lung cancer. It had been a month since I'd seen her, and her small body was wasted and she is unable to eat or drink and only somewhat aware of goings on around her. Even so, as we identified ourselves and expressed our love, we would see her beautiful smile.

When asked on Saturday what her happiness level was she said it was at a six. The thing she wanted that would raise her to a seven was to be at church. This wasn't possible so church came to her. We sang her favorite church hymns, Praise to the Man and Come, Come, Ye Saints and the sacrament was prepared for her by the Bishop and Ward Clerk, both her dear friends.

I may never see her again in this life, my friend Willa. But her impact on me is enduring. Strength, courage, beauty, and faith are but some of what I have learned from her.

Because Christ died and rose again, we too will rise again and all illness and infirmity will be vanquished.

Carthage - the Final Sacrifice

Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, were murdered by a mob at Carthage, Illinois on June 27th, 1844. They were guilty of no crime, but as with most of the Lord's prophets of any age were persecuted and killed for their obedience to the will of the Lord.


Joseph and Hyrum

The persecutors believed that by killing Joseph Smith, they would destroy Mormonism, but 163 three years later, it is strong, growing, and vibrant. The work of the Lord will not be thwarted by men.

Joseph knew that if he went to Carthage he would not return alive, but he also knew that all the keys and authority to continue the work had been given to the 12 Apostles. He fulfilled the work he had been called to do, and sealed his testimony with his blood, as did his brother Hyrum.

Other pictures of the day.

Nauvoo Historical Sites and Pageant

The first stop today was the Trail of Hope, the walk taken by thousands of Saints as they left their beloved city to cross the Mississippi to a destination out of the United States where they could find peace.


The Trail of Hope

We traveled to the Pioneer Burial Ground, a place where many of the people of Nauvoo were buried. Many were children and most of the markers have vanished.


A Grieving Family

We visited a number of sites owned and cared for by the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The home of Joseph and Emma, the Red Brick Store, the Mansion House, the Smith cemetery were all part of the tour.

I spent the majority of the rest of the day visiting the various rebuilt or restored sites in Old Nauvoo. Places like the Family Living Center where skills used in those days were demonstrated, the tinsmith, the Browning home and gun shop, the blacksmiths and other places.

In the evening we watched the Nauvoo Pageant - The City of Joseph. I was impressed and brought to tears as well.


Pageant Worker


Other pictures of this day.

The City of Joseph

We have a number of free hours, both today and tomorrow. I went to the temple in the morning with most of the tour, where we were able to serve in the temple for a couple of hours. It is beautiful inside as well as outside.

I was able to visit some of the historical sites in Old Nauvoo, but will take more pictures tomorrow. We watched a film in the visitor's center about Joseph Smith the Prophet of God. It brought forth some strong emotions as we watched events happen in places that we had been that day or mere days before.

At the Visitor Center there is a statuary garden, with bronze statues celebrating women and the organization of the Relief Society which occurred in Nauvoo. It is a beautiful place with beautiful statues.

     

Teaching With Love       In Her Mother's Footsteps

During the summer months in Nauvoo there are a number of young people called on service missions to perform in the town. We watched a production called High Hopes and Riverboats, which was very entertaining.

Tomorrow we go to tour some of the sites owned by the Community of Christ Church (formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), then will have some more free time. I hope to get to the rest of the historic places tomorrow.

Other pictures of the day.

Nauvoo the Beautiful

This morning we were able to see Far West, Missouri, the final gathering place for the Saints before Gov. Boggs issued his infamous extermination order. "The Mormons must be driven out.. or exterminated."

Because of scheduling issues we were unable to attend church with the local ward, so we had our own sacrament service. We had priesthood holders qualified to perform this sacred ordinance and it was beautiful and inspiring.

We traveled to see the millstone from Haun's mill and also traveled the dusty roads to Haun's Mill. There is nothing remaining to identify where the settlement was, other than in that area.


Millstone from Haun's Mill


We have arrived at Nauvoo, on the banks of the Mississippi. There is much to see and do here and we will be here until Wednesday.


The Nauvoo Temple

The way I've been feeling, I don't want to finish this tour and go back to the humdrum of life without the feast of the spirit being present every day most all day.

Other pictures of the day.

Independence and Liberty

St. Louis Temple

We departed St. Louis in the morning and drove west to Independence, Missouri after a visit to the St. Louis Temple. This is one of the settling places for the Saints during the Missouri period. In revelation God revealed that this would be the Center place for the Church. Currently the acreage is owned by three different churches who claim Joseph Smith as their founder, the Community of Christ, the Church of Christ, Temple Lot, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each has one or more buildings here.

Our next stop was Liberty, the place where the Prophet Joseph Smith and several associates were held while the Saints that were in Clay County were driven out. They moved to Caldwell County and Far West. In Liberty Jail Joseph Smith received some of the most powerful revelations and the experience made him both stronger and more empathetic to the distresses of others.


Liberty Jail

Other pictures of the day.

Zion's Camp and St. Louis

To follow the life of Joseph Smith in a semi-chronological way, we traveled from the Kirtland area to Missouri today. Joseph Smith and several hundred men from the Kirtland area traveled to Missouri to help the saints there who were being driven from their homes by mob violence. While the 'Zion's Camp' didn't fight once they reached Missouri, the hardship of the march forged strong church leaders. Nine of the 12 Apostles, the Seven Presidents of the Seventy and all of the Seventy were called from those men who were willing to sacrifice their all if necessary.


Words to Remember

We are staying at the Drury Inn in St. Louis tonight. We had a prime rib dinner on the Becky Thatcher riverboat and watched the fireworks from the boat, with the St. Louis arch behind us.


Old and New St. Louis

This hotel has broadband via a data line so I'm finally able to get caught up on loading pictures. It's late so I probably won't be able to caption many of them but I'll be able to insert links to this and earlier posts soon - so you can see selected pictures.

Other pictures of the day.

Quarries, Temples, Farms, and the Amish

Day 6 of the tour. We visited the stone quarry where the rock was cut to make the rubble stone constructed Kirtland Temple. We saw the Kirtland Temple, and a nearby cemetery where several prominent early Latter-day Saints are buried.


Stone Quarry

We traveled past the home of Lorenzo and Eliza Snow. The brother and sister were both significant early members of the church, Lorenzo became a President of the Church and Eliza was an historian and poet.

On the John Johnson farm we were able to see where Joseph and Emma lived for year. The Johnsons gave them the best room for their bedroom. It is a beautiful house and a beautiful farm, and the Johnson's sold it when asked to do so by the prophet. They helped finance the building of the Kirtland Temple and were given charge of the Johnson Inn in Kirtland.


John Johnson Farm

Our hotel for the night is Der Dutchman, in Walnut Creek in Ohio. It's in the midst of Amish country and is very beautiful. I don't think I could find any place modified by man that is more peaceful and lovely.


Amish Country

Other pictures of this day.

Niagara Falls and Kirtland, Ohio

Our first stop of the day today was Niagara Falls. It is a very impressive sight. You drive over the river that feeds the falls, and drive over it and over it. Compared to most of our 'rivers' it's huge. We took the Maid of the Mist boat ride with our blue raingear and were up close and personal to the falls.


Niagara Falls

From Niagara, we traveled to Kirtland Ohio. The members of the early church were told to gather to the Ohio, and this was the gathering place. Many were converted in this area, and the community became a thriving town, with industry and fine homes and prosperity. Many of the revelations in the Doctrine & Covenants were received here and God and Christ also appeared here. There are many sacred spots in Kirtland.


The Ashery in Kirtland

Tomorrow we see the Kirtland Temple.

Other pictures of this day.

Palmyra and Surrounding Places

The days are running together, but I believe this is day 4. We had the opportunity to visit the Smith farm and see both original and reconstructed versions of the homes they lived in and the farm as it may have appeared during the time they lived there. The Smiths had moved to Palmyra because of three years of crop failures. In the Palmyra area was a great stir of religionists - working for converts to their denominations. In this environment Joseph Smith could not tell which was right.

He was reading in the Bible, the 1st chapter of James, vs. 5. The scripture stated that anyone could ask God and God would answer. Joseph went to a grove of trees near his home and prayed. In answer to his prayer he received the 1st Vision, where God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ appeared to him.


The Sacred Grove

In the Palmyra area are many places of interest - the Martin Harris farm - he was the man who mortgaged part of his farm to pay for the publishing of the 1st edition of the Book of Mormon. The Hill Cumorah - where the stone box with the gold plates was. The Grandin Press Building - the press where the 1st edition of the Book of Mormon was published.


The Martin Harris Farm

We attended the Hill Cumorah Pageant - America's Witness for Christ. It rained the whole time of the pageant, but was still very much worth the attending.

Other pictures of this day.

Harmony, PA, Susquehannah River, and Fayette, NY

I did get all of yesterday's and today's photos uploaded, but I have not had a chance to title them or do any descriptions. We have free time tomorrow before the Hill Cumorah or Palmyra Pageant and I will get more done then.

We went to several locations in Joseph Smiths life today. Harmony Township where he met and married his wife, Emma Hale and where he had his first home of his own. It's also the site where much of the Book of Mormon was translated, with the aid of Oliver Cowdrey.


Original Foundation of Joseph & Emma's Home

Along the banks of the Susquehannah River, John the Baptist, and some days later, Peter, James and John, all resurrected beings appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdrey. They restored the authority to act in God's name and conferred upon them the Priesthood of God. We know the place and date of the visit of John the Baptist. He gave the power to baptize with water and Joseph and Oliver baptized each other following the instructions of John the Baptist.


The Susquehannah River

We travelled to Fayette, New York to the Peter Whitmer Farm, where the Church of Jesus Christ was organized on April 6th 1830 according to the laws of the State of New York. There is a reconstructed frame home on the foundations of the old house, built to be as accurate as possible.

Staying for 2 nights in Victor, New York to see many sites and events near here.

Other pictures of this day

Boston, Concord, Lexington, MA and Sharon, VT

This is the morning of the 3rd day of the tour. I haven't been able yet to get all the photos uploaded - the wireless connection seems to be slow. I will enhance the photos and get more uploaded tonight I hope.



We visited the Boston Temple, attended church services at the Belmont 2nd Ward and visited Lexington and Concord. Our tour guide reminded us of the great sacrifices made by the citizens of this new country. One signer of the Declaration had two sons captured and brutalized by the British. He was told he could have his sons back if he would renounce this revolution, but he refused.

Our final stop of the day was Sharon, Vermont, the birthplace of Joseph Smith. In 2005 we celebrated the 200th anniversary of his birth. In 1905 a single granite shaft was erected on the site of his birth, formed of one block of smoothed and polished stone - which may still be the largest uncut block in the world. It's 38 1/2 feet high, one foot for each year of his life.


Other pictures of this day

Boston, MA - The Beginnings of a New Nation

It was an early start today. Up at 3:30 am. to be to the airport at 4:30. It's been a long day, but a good one. We saw lots of things pertaining to the Revolutionary History of our nation, but also how Boston is significant in the history of the Church. There are also some interesting 'other' sites there, like a bicycle built for four?



This is the place where the Boston Massacre occurred.


Other Pictures of this day

The race to the start

Only two days till I start my Church History tour. I have made arrangements to visit with a friend while in Boston, one I've only known for years online and never met in person. She'll be going to church with me as well. Hopes for a long visit with another friend while in Nauvoo fell through, so I'm sad about that. The lists are getting finalized, I have a rough schedule for doing everything that needs doing tonight and tomorrow, then I'll be off.

Thought for the day: We don't plan to fail, but we do fail to plan.

Preparing to tour

I have many lists in the works to help me take care of everything I need to do before I begin my Church History Tour. Instructions on caring for the pool, the mail, the cats, the plants. Emergency contacts. Permission slips, and on and on. I'll keep the lists when I'm done so I won't have to do the same thing the next time I travel.

Soon I will be beginning a record of my travels here. I'll put up selected pictures here as well as providing links to additional maps and photos. I don't know how interesting this will be to many people, but it will serve as an online journal of the event for me if nothing else.

Being a Christian

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than sleeping in a garage will make you a car.

I've heard variations of this phrase from many sources so cannot give a definitive source, but regardless of who said it first or best it is still true.

Thought for the day: Christians cannot coast.

Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day in the United States. Originally a holiday to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country, it has also become a time to remember all those who serve in the armed forces as well as a time to remember those we love who have died.

I am grateful for the men and women who serve their country. It is a dangerous, sometimes fatal service, and often done in harsh circumstances and with little or no thanks and sometimes opposition to them directly.

While I doubt many will read this, I want to publicly thank those who defend us, who serve beyond what I can know, and who do so even for such a flawed and self-centered group of citizens as we sometimes are.

Thank you.

Thought for the day: Being happy is a choice. It is not given or imposed from outside ourselves.

People are Good

Most people are good. Most parents want the best for their children. Most children like their parents. Religious families have fewer problems than non-religious families. Sometimes we just need to remember that, as it's rare to hear it from the media. Good news doesn't sell as well.

Let us be grateful for the positives and learn from the negatives. Might it not become commonplace that we have confidence in our youth and optimism about life if that is what we focus on instead of the negatives. There is research that demonstrates that we constantly overestimate the problems of society - because we don't hear about much else.

Thought for the day: You are what you think, so think positive, think good, and think happy.

Words of a Coach

I was re-reading an email sent to me some time ago about coach John Wooden, basketball coach at UCLA for many years. He is the sort of coach and sort of man that we rarely hear about any more. Here are some of the things he taught his players and others during his career and still does.

Discipline yourselves and others won't need to. Never lie, never cheat, never steal. Earn the right to be proud and confident.

He also taught his players high standards and proper speach. If a player used profanity he was through playing for the day. All together, a great man.

Thought for the day: "The worst things you can do for the ones you love are things they could and should do for themselves." -- John Wooden.

Frustrations and spiders

I often feel like my brain is filled with trivia. Being one who works with books I've had much opportunity to accumulate all sorts of information in my head. After any particularly frustrating task, the tale of the spider will often come to mind. Because I don't always retain all the details I can't reference the story properly, or tell it properly either.

The tale had something to do with a great warrior, hiding after a bitter defeat, who was inspired to try again after watching a spider near the entrance of his cave. The spider was attempting to spin a web and the breeze kept tearing it apart. This spider eventually managed to make an excellent, well-anchored web because she never gave up.

Thought for the day: We've only failed if we refuse to get up when knocked down.

Speaking ill of others

I was reading in the Book of Mormon and read the words of Jacob as he quoted the words of Isaiah Isaiah 51:7-8 and 2nd Nephi 8:7-8. It came at a good time as one of the Presidential candidates, a member of the LDS Church was accused not being a Christian. The prophets of God in ancient times have warned about those who revile against those who have God's law in their hearts.

It is better to respect the beliefs of others and not demean them.

Thought for the day: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

How we see our world

This is a statement that makes a lot of sense to me. I don't know the author and this is a paraphrase:

We don't describe the world we see, we see the world we describe.

This explains why two individuals seeing the exact same thing will experience it and describe it in very different ways. One person seeing a sunset might rejoice in the beauty of the created world that God made, while another might just see sun on clouds, or an impending storm, or polluted atmosphere.

Thought for the day: Miracles happen every day, but we only notice them if we are in tune enough to see them as such.

The Devil

To paraphrase C.S. Lewis,

There are two trains of thought that the devil loves. To have a morbid fascination with him or to believe he doesn't exist. Either one serves his purpose.

The devil exists and his temptations are real. He cannot tempt us beyond our ability to resist, but he makes the enticements seem so nice and often good. He rarely tempts us with big things in the beginning, preferring to lure us away gradually, and like the traveller in the sandstorm who let his camel into his tent a bit at time, we will find ourselves out of the tent.

Thought for the day: Take time each day to be grateful for all things big and small.

Semi on Schedule

I'm not the most energetic of people, so I don't get done as much as many people, but I try to look at what I did do instead of what I didn't do. It's a lot less depressing to look at the positives rather than dwelling on the negatives.

Thought for the Day: Courage is not lack of fear, courage is doing what is needed even if terrified.

Blogging on a schedule

With a regular schedule I will blog regularly. We'll see. If I post nothing else but a few thoughts, the habit will begin to form.

Thought for the day: Those that want to live with God someday will need to form themselves, or rather allow God to form them, into the sort of being that would be happy in God's presence. Heaven wouldn't be heavenly if we aren't happy there.

Being Prepared

"If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." D&C 38:30 A good bit of counsel that can apply to many things.

1. If I have studied I need not fear the exams.
2. If I have saved I need not fear being broke.
3. If I have food and water stored I need not fear being hungry or thirsty
4. If I am out of debt I need not fear the creditors.
5. If I have gas in the car I need not fear running out.
6. If I pray, and study and serve I need not fear disappointing God.

Maintain a supply of food, water and money at home for emergencies. It can be acquired a can at a time and a dollar at a time. Aim for a weeks extra of food, then 3 months, then a year, and rotate it regularly. Then if there is a disaster, or you are out of work, or a neighbor or family member needs help you can give it, and rejoice that you can.

Pay back to God from each paycheck. Pay yourself (via savings) after that, then learn to manage with what is left. Get out of debt. One way to do this is to put any extra you may have towards paying off either the highest interest debt or the one to finish first. Then the money that was going to that debt is diverted to paying off the next debt and the pattern is repeated until you are debt free.

Stuff will not make you happy. Stuff never does for long.

Ten More Minutes

A parable of the cups. Sometimes when painting china and firing them in a kiln, the paint can come out chalky to the touch, and come off of the china. To a potter this is frustrating, but a mere ten more minutes in the heat of the kiln sets it properly.

We are like that in the Lord's hands. He is the master potter. He knows what we need to be all we can be. His timetable is not ours. Sometimes we might think we are all we can be, we have been heated and tested enough, but the Lord, the Master Potter knows more than we do.

Sometimes we need just ten more minutes.

Parable of the cat

I have a cat who likes to sleep on my chest. In order to allow him to do this I have a sash which I wear across my shoulder, over my head. When he is settled I knot the sash securely around him and he sleeps in perfect contentment.

Although he is perfectly secure and I add my arms to support him, as soon as I stand up he panics and will not remain within his safe wrappings, even though my arms are about him. I cannot compel him to remain and he leaves, unwilling to remain and go where I go.

How often do we do the same thing? We have come unto God and are wrapped in His arms, safe in his bosom, secure in His love and watchcare. Then God, still holding us close, desires to take us to another place and a different challenge, and we panic, choosing to leave the safety of His embrace.

God did not cease to watch over and care for us. He would have continued to hold us secure and safe, but we would not. We, like Peter, saw the place where we were and lost our trust in God's care.

Let us remember that His arms are always open to us. While we rest securely there we may still have challenges, but can always know that He is with us and we are His.

Already Getting Behind

There are a lot of things I'd like to talk about here but I seem to be slipping in posting regularly. General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is this coming weekend and I will be watching and listening. It's always inspiring to listen to modern apostles and prophets and know that God loves us in these times as much as in times past and he has once more given the world his messengers.

Think of what it would have been like to sit at the feet of Moses, or Isaiah, or Elijah or Christ. Just because they aren't dressed in robes and are clean shaven, doesn't mean their messages aren't just as authoritative. We're so conditioned to think of such men as things of the past that it's hard to get past it sometimes. Millions have done so however.

Responsibility and Rights

Which is more important, individual rights or personal responsiblity? Should they be connected, and if so how much?

Many voices in the United States and elsewhere in the world have become very shrill in defense of their rights. It is important to defend our rights because it is very easy to have them slowly slip away if we do not. Rarely heard, and rarely shrill are the voices for individual responsibility. It has become very easy to blame others, or expect government or others to do for us what we should be doing for ourselves.

Each of us can do our bit to return the principle of personal responsibility into society. I can accept responsiblity for the condition of my home. I can accept responsibilty for how I fulfill my church and work duties. I can be responsible for my actions and words. I can refuse to blame others for my own choices, or lack of choosing.

Why Rules?

A news article I read today about the body of a college student being found in a high-voltage room, electrocuted, reminds me of why rules are important. While how it happened that this young man got into the room that required passing through two locked doors is not yet known, it does serve as an example of why rules are important.

It is unlikely that any reasonable person would think that locked doors or high fences around high voltage transformers is an infringement of their rights of movement, yet these same people assert that such rules as chastity before marriage and fidelity afterwards are restrictive and can be disobeyed with safety. As surely as proximity to high voltage can result in electrocution, so can disobedience to Gods laws result in spiritual electrocution. Broken hearts, broken families, STDs, AIDS, reduced standards of living and many other problems occur when these laws are violated.

Just think, if I am chaste and faithful to my spouse and he to me, I am free to not contact any STD. I am free to have a loving companion through life. I am free to raise any children in a two-parent home. I am free to have an unbroken heart. I am free to trust my mate. I am free to go through life with no need to lie about my behavior, or who I was with, or what I was doing.

Really restrictive isn't it?

Gifts of the Spirit

While still erratic I am attempting a daily time to study scripture and gospel subjects. I am reading about gifts of the spirit. It is an interesting subject, talked about in the New Testament, Book of Mormon and the Doctrine & Covenants as well as in the words of modern-day apostles and prophets.

There are many different gifts, some more well known than others. The gift of faith, the gift of knowledge, the gift of wisdom, the gift of tongues, the gift of interpreting of tongues, the gift of healing, the gift to be healed and many others.

I particularly like one spiritual gift, talked about by Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He talks about the gift of discernment. How great a gift is this - to be able to discern the good and the evil in life and in ourselves. One with this gift will be less likely to be deceived by the philosophies of men or tempted to do that which is contrary to the will of God.

We can also ask God for spiritual gifts we desire and to know the gift or gifts we have been given.

Focus, focus, focus

Ever have so much to do that even when you are working on one task your mind skitters among all the rest? I've yet to learn how to stay focused on the job at hand, and instead of reducing the number of things I need to do I seem to be increasing them. Some are unavoidable, certain circumstances at work require that I add to my assignments, at least for a time. Some are just by inaction, a number of tasks could be done and out of my mind and hair if I'd just do them rather than thinking about doing them.

What About Prayer?

Why should I pray?
On the most basic level we pray because it is a commandment of God to do so. It is the devil who tells us not to pray 2 Nephi 32:8-9 We also pray because we need God's help. We should pray to give thanks for everything we have received from God, even the trials. We pray for the benefit of others, friend and foe alike. We pray because God is our Father and He desires to hear from his children.

When should I pray?
Once a day, twice a day, three times a day, continually. There should always be a prayer in our hearts. God has placed no limit on His availablity to us, only our own thoughts and actions will distance us. Satan is very good at convincing us that the Lord can't be bothered with our petty concerns, it's according to the devils designs that we break that communication link.

Are prayers answered?
Yes. Sometimes immediately. Sometimes not for a long time. The time and nature of the answer will be what is best for us. God sees the big picture, we are blinded by the trees. Don't be surprised if the answer is not what you were expecting either.

Cats With Agendas

Anyone who owns cats can probably attest to this. Cats have their own schedules and their own agendas. They know when I should be going to bed, and they know when I should be getting up, and rarely is it the times I have in mind. Now, I -should- be in bed around 9:30 pm and up around 5:30 am every work day, at least if I'm going to get 8 hours of sleep. Around 9:00 pm they start coming in and staring at me, which I usually ignore of course. If I'm not in bed when they know I should be they go there without me.

Morning time. Shadow has decided that if he knocks my glasses off of the headboard, or paws the clock radio out of its nook, that I'll get up. It often works. The radio turns on, and I hit the snooze button. Shadow isn't agreeing to that, so he pulls it out onto the bed. It would be interesting to see if I was more alert and healthy if I did sleep on their schedule for me.

C.S. Lewis and Rats

This is one of my favorite C. S. Lewis quotes:

"Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of a man he is? Surely what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth? If there are rats in a cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats: it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way the suddenness of the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man; it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am. The rats are always there in the cellar, but if you go in shouting and noisily they will have taken cover before you switch on the light." C. S. Lewis -- Mere Christianity

Understanding this would greatly reduce many of the violent responses we find in society today. A driver who cuts you off did not create your 'anger rat', it only exposed it. That fight you had with a loved one was not caused by their words or deeds, that only turned the light on the rat that was already there.

Those people I know who rarely if ever get angry are usually those who have achieved that most excellent state of being - a rat free cellar. They no longer have the 'disposition to do evil' that they once did. It's not about controlling your anger, it's about no longer even having it.

Television - Off - Worked

The television did not get turned on when I got home from work yesterday until I'd been home for an hour. In that time I got the floor vacuumed, the laundry folded and put away, the cats fed, the trash and recycling taken to the curb and phone calls made for one of my church responsibilities.

It felt good. I think I'll do it again.

Television - Off

Ever have so much to do that you end up doing nothing? I am in that condition often, so I sit and knit and watch television. Soon I think I will take wise advice and unplug the television. The few times I've resisted turning on the TV it's been a very odd sensation, because I didn't know what to do with myself.

Turning off the television will enable me to get some of the things done around home, because I won't be able to stand just sitting, so watch out clutter! Watch out cleaning! Watch out exercise! I know I can get things done because I have done so in the past, I just need to remove the reasons why I don't.

Becoming a Disciple

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I strive to be a disciple of the Savior, but what exactly does that entail? Certainly it consists of a number of things, but I would consider that foremost among them is the desire to become like He is.
A disciple is not just a mere follower, or one who verbally commits to a leader or teacher, a disciple is one who is seeking to be like their Master. A disciple of Jesus wishes to say and do and become like Christ. None of us can get there completely in this life, but each of us who call ourselves Christian can be progressing to that ultimate goal.
One of the things we need to learn to do is hearken to the Spirit, to the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is one of the major gifts from God to help us in our discipleship. The Holy Ghost can tell us the truth of scripture or counsel, warn us of danger, and also tell us when things are contrary to the Will of God.
How do we learn to hearken to the voice of the Spirit? We pray, we ponder and meditate, we study the scriptures and the words of the living prophets. We conform our lives to the teachings of Christ and gain confirmation of our behavior by the same Spirit. The more we strive to be in tune, the more we lose the desire to do evil and the more we become like Christ.

Other Laralees

Out of curiosity I search my name on Google or Yahoo periodically just to see what shows up other than my presences on the web. Years ago, when the web was still very young I could come up with 3, all in the same part of the country that I was raised in. I appear to be older than any of the Laralees I've seen so far so even if I'm not the first Laralee blogger, I may be the oldest with that name.

The spelling of my name is unusual and at times I wonder what the origin of the use is for the others I find on the web, if perhaps some of them were named, not after me, but because they saw my name and liked it as well. I may never know, but it's fun to speculate that it might be so.

Walking for Exercise

I'm an off and on sort of exerciser - mostly off. I splurged and got myself a nice treadmill in January, because of all sorts of aerobic exercise, walking is my favorite. I squeezed the machine into my small den and walk and watch television. Since my television watching time often involves doing very little else I figured that I could walk for 45+ minutes every night and not really be taking new time out of my life. So far that's pretty much the case, other than not doing quite as much knitting.

I like how I feel while exercising, and how I feel when I'm done, but that doesn't seem to make much difference when I'm actually getting ready to exercise, or deciding if I'm going to or not. Inertia is a big challenge for me. BUT! I've set myself a destination goal and that helps.

How it works is you pick a spot you want to travel to and get yourself a map. I use online tools like Yahoo or Google maps which not only lets me print out the maps but will give me the mileage from my starting point to my destination. Acquiring a pedometer is also useful, especially if you want to include in your mileage the walking you do throughout the day. Record your distance after every session and plot it out on your map.

In talking to others about this technique I've heard of a number of variations. You can research the places you walk to, learn about the culture and history, take a virtual tour of the place if one exists, and plot a new destination from your previous start. Eventually you could walk clear across your state, or country or continent.

On Taking Offense

One of the current most popular trends among people in the public view and also the media that covers their activities, is the eagerness with which they take offense. I can think of a number of reasons that this so common.

1. The culture of Political Correctness
In what was probably a sincere attempt to become more understanding of each other, the 'politically correct' concept has also managed to raise being offended to a fine art. Instead of individuals with disagreements talking to one another and explaining their point of view and why some word or idea disturbs them, they now jump to being offended immediately. So instead of dialog we get distance, instead of communication we have conflict, and instead of understanding we retain ignorance.

2. The zeal of extremist groups
Individuals or groups who advocate that their way is the only correct way, and their group knows what is best and therefore should be the ones making the decisions. When all that matters is their ideas and their way and their people in power, there is no alternative to being offended constantly. Power in the hands of anyone else will be offensive. Decisions made by any other group will be wrong by default. This perpetual state of offense precludes any attempt at understanding or negotiation.

3. The media
I am hopeful that the majority of the media still strive to be objective and report accurately. The necessity of the revenue stream often forces them to choose one viewpoint over another, or focus on one story or series and neglect something equally significant. In order to sell magazines, or newspapers or airtime the stories need to have an excitement factor and the spin that is put on a story can have a direct impact on how the audience responds to that story. This includes 'I'm offended' news reports and op ed pieces.

Now here is the big TA-DAH. Being offended is a choice. How about that. You cannot be offended by another unless you choose to be. You are an agent unto yourself and it's up to you how you react to the words or actions of another. Don't blame anyone else for how you choose to respond.

The Realities of Real Life

I guess you could say I'm one of the 'little people'. Someone who isn't famous or rich or particularly beautiful or powerful. So I'm in great company, since most of the world is also none of those things. In our Western society it seems we are almost constantly bombarded with messages that tell us we should be famous or rich or beautiful or powerful and if you just buy this product or go on that diet, it will come true. We really mess ourselves up with these messages.

To those who say it doesn't have an impact we only need to look at how we treat those who are the above compared to how we treat those who aren't. I believe it has a lot to do with the poliferation of online chat rooms and games - you can be who you want to be and no one will know you aren't, unless you reveal it in some fashion. This thought is nothing new or unique to me of course.

I participate in a number of online communities and find good and close friendships with people I would never have associated with in real life because they would not have fallen into any group or category that my reach would encompass. Perhaps at their best these online communities can teach us how to accept people without the baggage of the physical and other trappings of life in the real world. At their worst they provide an outlet for all sorts of anti-social behavior because the constraints that govern our lives may not exist. Also, while the feelings for one another can be very powerful they are not an adequate substitute for the associations we have in 'real life'.

Laralee @ Random

I'm sitting here listening to a song called "This is My Father's House" broadcast on BYU Radio and sung by the Mormon Tablernacle Choir. As the name of the blog indicates, I will be posting about innumerable sorts of topics that form how I think and feel and who I perceive myself to be. Expect to see posts on religion, politics, crafts, librarianship, cats, family, friends, emotions, life events, travel, and anything else I can consider.

While such a blog may not appeal to many, who knows but what there might be a following out there somewhere. If there is, that's great. If there isn't it's also alright.