Speak Up

You have a responsibility to yourself to ask for what you need and  to say what you really mean.

Enough

"The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are
tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

Margaret D. Nadauld Young Women General President

I am not insulted by Hanukah.

The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday !

...

anonymous from Karen Collins

Clothing for those who need it.

"All the clothing we need for the poor is in the closets of the Saints". I am sure they will give If we can just get the message to them. (the last part isn't exact)

This quote is why I normally don't do garage sales, and have saved my major clothes sorting for the end of this month instead of for the garage sale. I think we all have too many clothes. something about shopping for them is a balm. (I have some kind of clothing issue I guess I can hardly stand to hang up my clean laundry.)
I guess I will start mentally preparing now for the sort. Connie, where are you when I need you! Ha ha.

Don't forget to give to Deseret Industries. Don't just let things sit in there til they are out of style. Give ,em out now to someone who can really use and appreciate them.
Every one piece in - means two out.

More Trains

Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time
running around shouting that he’s been robbed.

The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise.

Life is like an old time rail journey…delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.

The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.

Jenkins Lloyd Jones

Thoughts

Asking for help doesn't mean you are weak it means you are smart.

A Hero is someone who gets up every morning and does the right thing.

It is called The Doctrine and Covenants not the D and C.

Overheard" If you truly want to make an impact, be a really good Scout Master."

Decision making tip; Do the right thing. Why? Because it is the right thing to do.

How are we doing on our test today?

"A man's got to know his limitations". Dirty Harry Callahan

Snowball?

Carpet cleaning can create a "snowball effect" in cleaning.
I know, a good title but a boring blog.
I am tired but can't seem to settle down to sleep and tomorrow is no snoozer either.
Speaking of work-Why is it I can't seem to tackle big jobs by myself? I am a hard worker, I just seem to work better with company. And getting started is at least half the battle, especially when I feel overwhelmed, or it is a job i have a hangup with/about.
But-- it is late and I am even boring myself, maybe I can sleep now.

A Ward Visited

It was a fairly isolated ,unchanging Ward, and I made some observations. (The Speakers were really good, some of the best ever, even.) Those observations are the topic for todays Dinner table.
Observed in Sacrament Meeting;

No one singing
teenager studying for the Drivers Test
reading a novel held up high in front of face
drinking from a water bottle pulled from a brown paper bag (full of food too?)
ipod earphones in
doing hair
leaning forward with ears covered
sleeping
back massages- the distracting kind
preparing a lesson
serious snacking

I did not see any texting or hear a phone ring.

These were not little kids either.

I really was trying to listen to the great speakers.
It took some effort to keep from being distracted.
How did the speakers feel I wonder, was anyone even looking at them?

What if we had been investigators?

How am I in my ward?

Rants Much Better Than Mine

I have been interested in the Republican VP nominee.
The immediate uproar was astounding. So she must be good.
If it couldn't be Mit, (yes, I like to consider myself on a first name basis with my favorite) then I quite like McCain's choice of fellow Idahoan and Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin. It has brought his image back up a few notches in my eyes. I was worried about him there for a while.
Here are a couple of articles I really liked. They are funny, articulate and right on. (everything I wish I were).

I found(actually Keith found) an article by David Kahane at National Review Online:
Click here to view the article: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=N2YzODI3MGE3OTU0Yjg5ZDY5YmFjZmE3MmFiOWE4ZjQ=


an article by Rich Lowry at the same place:
Click here to view the article: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MjExNmM3ZmJiNGJmMjYyZGMwODdlMTkwMWUwODJmNzc=

Opposition in All Things I Guess

There is a beautifully simple chapel built high above Sedona. It seems to almost grow out of the rocks and mountains themselves. Candles are lit and prayers ascend, people ponder and meditate there, and the views are beautiful, except for one thing--Someone is building a horrendous mansion right across the way!
It is gaudy and ostentatious in the extreme. The contrast is like day and night, good and evil, and it is blatantly worldly like a "great and spacious building". It is not quite completed, and no one lives in it yet, but the architect has a sign up procaiming his ownership in the creation of this folly, this blight on the landscape, but, it is also sure that someone will soon move in, oblivious to the insult.
This is beyond one of those "McMansions" I dislike so much. I was appalled at its "grotesque audacity". (Okay, now I am stretching.)
I know I am ranting, but I couldn't help myself this time and it is my blog, perhaps I will start using this forum more often. I do love to climb on the old soap box once in a while.

If we become aware of this frightening trend, we can battle it in our own way. I don't know what that way may be but I hope we find it. I know awareness is the first step toward change.

Here is a photo in one direction from the courtyard entryway of the Christian chapel. ( I think it was Catholic) I did not take a picture the other way. I could not bring myself to do so. Maybe I should have. No, I don't think so, that might have given it some sort of perverse recognition "it" somehow craves.

My Desert

Giant Saguaro
Ocotillo

Cholla -Staghorn

(Teddybear) Cholla

cute little prickly thing!

mammillaria Hedgehog?

Barrel Cactus

Yup, this is just higher in elevation than where I live in Gilbert.

More on "Blooming Where You are Planted"

Doctrine and Covenants 51:16,17

And I consecrate unto them this land for a little season, until I , the Lord, shall provide for them other wise, and command them to go hence;

And the hour and the day is not given them, wherefor let them act upon this land as for years, and this shall turn unto them for their good.

Yet Never too Late...

Other Things I hope I Have Taught My Offspring.(O.T.H-H.T.O.)

Use a wet, hot, soapy wash-rag to scrub your body all over when you shower or bathe particularly behind your ears, and your neck and elbows, even in your ears. Consider taking a bath once a week to really get clean not just rinse off.

Use the dish-rag only on dishes and counters- not the floor or noses.

Change your sheets once a week. okay, twice a month.

Weighed Down

Our Deepest Fear
by Marianne Williamson

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

This photo is from FHE when David was weighed down by things hard to carry, ie wooden basket full of magazines(vain materialism) bag of garbage(imagined injustice) vacuum cleaner (anger)bag of books(revenge) hat over eyes(prideful indiferance) etc. etc.

I want to start keeping my quotes from"What I think About Sometimes.." so I am putting them here.