tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370962502024-03-13T03:38:00.157-07:00barefoot in heavenkick off those shoes and lets chatUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger260125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-70317289760606972992016-09-29T12:19:00.001-07:002016-09-29T12:19:35.984-07:00Shall we be cast off?<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: red;">18 And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red;">19 And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.</span></i></div>
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In Alma chapter 24 we find this powerful testimony given of the Anti-Nephi Lehies, that they would rather die than to risk sinning again is one of the most beautiful scriptures in the Book of Mormon. This group of Lehi's descendants was perhaps the most acquainted with the Atonement and the power of repentance and forgiveness. They had repented of the worst of sins, the shedding of blood. They had been "convinced of [their] sins, and... many murders". Through the teaching of Mosiah's sons they had come to understand the covenants of God and his goodness and mercy. Lamoni further proclaims in Alma 24:<br />
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<i>10 And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son.</i><br />
<i>11 And now behold, my brethren, since it has been all that we could do (as we were the most lost of all mankind) to repent of all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to get God to take them away from our hearts, for it was all we could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take away our stain--</i><br />
<i>12 Now, my best beloved brethren, since God hath taken away our stains, and our swords have become bright, then let us stain our swords no more with the blood of our brethren<span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></i><br />
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This story powerfully teaches us the power of Christ's redemption through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This knowledge has been lost and perverted by the religions of the world. They do not understand the Atonement nor the power of faith that comes from knowing and obeying the commandments of God. They do not understand the process of repentance and because of this the true depth of God's mercy. Nephi saw the reason for this loss of knowledge. He saw that "<i>the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God--because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.</i>" (1 Nephi 13:29)<br />
Today's world stumbles around in thick darkness because they have lost the covenant and doctrines that lead them to the tree of life and the precious fruit of mercy, redemption, and peace that come from the Atonement. God knew this situation would come to pass. How was he to honor the agency of his children and yet rescue them from the mistakes being made? We learn from Moroni that the Book of Mormon was prepared for this purpose. According to Moroni's Title Page, its purpose is "that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever."<br />
Repeatedly the prophets writing in the record say that they don't expect this record to benefit their own people so much as a their descendants. The Words of Mormon records "<i>But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren. And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will." Nephi describes the lengths he went to to avoid the future conspiracy to confound the translation when Martin Harris will lose the manuscript. "Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not."</i> (1 Nephi 9:5) One of these purposes was to thwart this conspiracy. Repeatedly the engravers say they are doing what they have been commanded and do not know why. Always they ascribe it to the wisdom of God.<br />
Yet the wisdom of God goes much further than just thwarting a conspiracy of lost pages. The book itself testifies of many things related to the book itself and how it will be brought out of darkness. It is repeatedly described as a testimony and compared to a voice coming forth from the dust of the earth. I find this imagery intriguing. Once I realized that these men were literally now the dust of this continent I could understand this image. They literally do cry from the dust.<br />
The prophet who abridged much of the record and also witnessed almost the entire destruction of the Nephite people understood the need for these writings in the future. He explains his motivations for the future inhabitants of the world, "<i>And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may once again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.</i>" (Mormon 1:8) Mormon had a unique perspective, as he had compiled the history from all of the Nephite records and was extremely familiar with the details of the Nephite and Lamanites interactions for the last thousand years. He lead and fought during the decades of the battles leading to the utter destruction of the Nephite tribes, witnessing their wicked descent. But he also had visions of future conditions in order to create the most useful abridgment for future generations. He worked for the future redemption of his brethren. Perhaps the story of the brave converts who submitted to death rather than submitting to sin gave him hope for future generations, who might have the same redemptive experience and not be "cast off forever."<br />
This record is a testament to the love of God for all of his children everywhere and in every time. He prepared the Book of Mormon to counter Satan in the latter days of this earth's life. We live in a most remarkable time on this earth. One that many prophets foresaw and contributed too through their prophecies and writings. The divinity of the Book of Mormon can not be successfully disputed. And those who seek to know for themselves if this is true with a desire to let that knowledge determine their actions in faith and devotion to God and his purposes, can know in remarkable ways the truth not only of this book but the work of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is a window to the world to clear the dark fog of deception that we live in today. I know that this book is as Joseph said "the most correct book" for I have become "closer to God" every time I study it. I love to dive into its depths because it clears my mind and vision and brings me peace. It shows me the traps Satan has set for us so that I can avoid them and avoid the sorrow that comes from them.<div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-3011730008704706172016-05-18T17:40:00.000-07:002016-08-28T19:12:49.328-07:00We Believe in RevelationMormons believe in <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/revelation?lang=eng">revelation</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.</span> <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1?lang=eng">Article of Faith</a> #9</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What is revelation? </i></span><br />
Revelation is the means by which God communicates with us. It can take many forms. Joseph Smith was prompted to pray about what to do. He read the Bible, specifically <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/james/1?lang=eng">James 1:5</a>,<br />
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.</span></span> </blockquote>
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He experienced revelation as he turned his questions to the scriptures and was led to James. He again experienced revelation when he felt a prompting to ask God in prayer about what church he should join. Not until he had responded to these strong revelatory promptings did his famous vision of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ open to him.<br />
Elder Bednar described two types of revelatory experiences this way:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">A light turned on in a dark room is like receiving a message from God quickly, completely, and all at once. Many of us have experienced this pattern of revelation as we have been given answers to sincere prayers or been provided with needed direction or protection, according to God’s will and timing. Descriptions of such immediate and intense manifestations are found in the scriptures, recounted in Church history, and evidenced in our own lives. Indeed, these mighty miracles do occur. However, this pattern of revelation tends to be more rare than common.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God “line upon line, precept upon precept” (<a class="scripture-ref" href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/28.30?lang=eng#29" old-href="../../../scriptures/bofm/2-ne/28.html?verse=30&lang=eng#p30" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.3s; box-sizing: border-box; color: #147ea7; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s;">2 Nephi 28:30</a>). Most frequently, revelation comes in small increments over time and is granted according to our desire, worthiness, and preparation. Such communications from Heavenly Father gradually and gently “distil upon [our souls] as the dews from heaven” (<a class="scripture-ref" href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/121.45?lang=eng#44" old-href="../../../scriptures/dc-testament/dc/121.html?verse=45&lang=eng#p45" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.3s; box-sizing: border-box; color: #147ea7; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s;">D&C 121:45</a>). This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare.</span><span style="font-family: "open sans" , "zoram" , "noto sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> "<i><a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/the-spirit-of-revelation?lang=eng">The Spirit of Revelation</a>"</i></span></div>
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I find that I have experience both and some in between experiences. Often I don't realize that I have had a revelation until something happens that verifies the truth of the thought that was presented to me. Often they come as I open my mouth and testify in a meeting about the topic being discussed. Always at times like this, the words just fit and seem to create a complete picture or idea and they feel satisfying to me. Often they stick in my mind for some time while I roll them around and examine them from all sides.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Who receives revelation? Does this only happen to Saints or Prophets? </i></span><br />
We all receive revelation from time to time. My guess is that it most often happens to us as parents. We just know things. Maybe we know that our children are lying to us, or we suddenly wonder where a silent child has disappeared to. We often don't realize that we are having revelatory experiences. Since we are all children of God and He wants to help us in all area's of our life, we will use revelation to offer that help. Everyone who is open to that direction will receive it.<br />
Why do we need revelation? Well unless we feel like we know it all, and can manage all the balls we juggle in our lives, we need God to help us. He won't do everything for us because it is through our efforts that we grow into the kind of person he wants us to become. So he uses his wisdom and ability to communicate with us to help us know what we need to do. If we can be humble and seek His aid we will find that aid as we ask for it. If we are proud and refuse to ask or seek, it will not be there for us and we will be left to our own strength and wisdom.<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Do we only receive revelation in holy places?</span></i><br />
We can receive it when and where ever we need it. However, if we purposely put ourselves in a situation contrary to what we know is right, we may find ourselves alone and left to our own devices.<br />
I am utterly amazed at the power and wisdom of God to know just what I need, when I need it and how He communicates with me in the best way for me to understand it. I am often impatient for more knowledge before I am ready to receive it. I had an experience recently in which I felt a rush of revelation and I was overwhelmed. I felt like a sieve that could not hold it in. I think the Lord was humbling me and reminding me that I could not handle all that I desired at this time and that I need to receive line upon line and act on what I receive. This is how these revelations become a part of me. My focus since then has been to spend time writing my thoughts as I study or as I go throughout my day and recognize a particular thought has been on my mind.<br />
God wants to teach us as fast as will will learn and act. We are here for experience because that is the master teacher.<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-91731312750459467892016-05-15T16:15:00.000-07:002016-09-13T10:29:51.285-07:00Deeply, Strictly Obedient vs Moderation in All Things<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a recent conversation I was again reminded of the phrase "moderation in all things." This phrase has always bothered me. As I pondered on this feeling I realized that this was the opposite of being strictly obedient. Immediately, a favorite quote came to mind:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">"When obedience ceases to become an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power." - Ezra Taft Benson...</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">quoted by </span><a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1998/04/obedience-lifes-great-challenge?lang=eng" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Donald L Staheli</a></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> titled "Obedience- Life's Great Challenge." </span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love the imagery evoked by this quote. I thought of Helaman's stripling warriors who were strictly obedient to the commandments and were greatly and miraculously blessed for it. I want to be strictly obedient like that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Recently, I have been changing my eating habits to become more in line with the "do's" in the Word of Wisdom. I had read it many times looking for what I should be eating to be healthy. I have tried so many diets trying to protect myself from diabetes, which runs heavily in my family and has always been my fear. But all the information was conflicting. I finally got fed up with the obviously manipulated theories and decided to once again turn to the source of all truth and study the Word of Wisdom. I had just seen the documentary <i>Forks Over Knives</i> again and it struck me that this was in line with the Word of Wisdom. As I began to reread <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/89?lang=eng">section 89, </a>I discovered a line that changed my entire perspective.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">"12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."</span></blockquote>
And it is PLEASING to me that they should NOT be used?? Wait a minute! It says I can please the Lord by simply not eating meat? No mysteries or vague instructions? (Mind blown!) I thought about how I disappoint the Lord in so many ways, and rejoiced that in this one area I could please Him! "I can do that!" I thought. This was a black and white, do or don't do task that I could perform. I began to look up all the verses that referenced meat or grain or food. My thoughts began to be opened to all the subtleties that I had completely missed or discounted. I had often countered that line with <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/49?lang=eng">D & C 49</a>:18.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="chunk 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray hl-id-26305635 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170001" node="170001" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="1">"And </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170002" node="170002" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="2">whoso </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170003" node="170003" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="3">forbiddeth</span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170004" node="170004" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="4"> to </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170005" node="170005" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="5">abstain</span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170006" node="170006" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="6"> from </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170007" node="170007" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="7">meats</span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170008" node="170008" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="8">, </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170009" node="170009" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="9">that </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170010" node="170010" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="10">man </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170011" node="170011" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="11">should </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170012" node="170012" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="12">not </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170013" node="170013" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="13">eat </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170014" node="170014" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="14">the </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170015" node="170015" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="15">same, </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170016" node="170016" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="16">is </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170017" node="170017" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="17">not </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170018" node="170018" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="18">ordained </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170019" node="170019" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="19">of </span><span class="chunk hl-u-red 3654D94E-8D01-48C9-AA89-7CB3E9DC2CED hl-id-26305635 hl-u-gray 58E2F190-15A7-46D9-8B41-DA79C396FC70" id="chunk170020" node="170020" paranum="17" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="20">God;"</span> </span></blockquote>
As I pondered and studied, I realized that the Lord was not saying that eating meat was sinful or evil, nor was he forbidding it. He plainly says that there is a time and season when we may need to eat animals. (Winter, Cold, Famine, Excess of Hunger.) Yet when had I ever been in that much need? NEVER. EVER. I went on to read about Daniel and the Kings diet of meat and wine. Daniel asked for a ten day trial. So, I decided to give it a ten day trial too... I didn't even realize the days had passed... I have never felt better since giving up meat and dairy (another story).<br />
It's now been about 6 months of varying strictness. I can feel the difference. But the change has benefitted more than my health. It has benefited my sleep, my ability to breathe, my grocery budget, my food storage planning, and my spirituality. I feel that I am more able to receive revelation, I have a greater desire to learn, and a greater sensitivity to the presence of the Holy Ghost. I have felt warnings and direction for upcoming events and decisions in my life.<br />
<br />
What does this have to do with obedience? It is one example of strict obedience that is often greeted with the line "moderation in all things". Another scripture points out the falsehood of this phrase. <span class="verse" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/rev/3.16?lang=eng#15">Revelations 3:15</a>-16</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="chunk" id="chunk140001" node="140001" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="1">I </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140002" node="140002" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="2">know </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140003" node="140003" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="3">thy </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140004" node="140004" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="4">works</span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140005" node="140005" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="5">, </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140006" node="140006" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="6">that </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140007" node="140007" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="7">thou </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140008" node="140008" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="8">art </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140009" node="140009" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="9">neither </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140010" node="140010" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="10">cold </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140011" node="140011" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="11">nor </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140012" node="140012" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="12">hot: </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140013" node="140013" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="13">I </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140014" node="140014" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="14">would </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140015" node="140015" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="15">thou </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140016" node="140016" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="16">wert </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140017" node="140017" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="17">cold </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140018" node="140018" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="18">or </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk140019" node="140019" paranum="14" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="19">hot.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150001" node="150001" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="1">So </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150002" node="150002" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="2">then </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150003" node="150003" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="3">because </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150004" node="150004" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="4">thou </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150005" node="150005" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="5">art </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150006" node="150006" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="6">lukewarm</span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150007" node="150007" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="7">, </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150008" node="150008" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="8">and </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150009" node="150009" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="9">neither </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150010" node="150010" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="10">cold </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150011" node="150011" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="11">nor </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150012" node="150012" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="12">hot, </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150013" node="150013" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="13">I </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150014" node="150014" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="14">will </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150015" node="150015" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="15">spue</span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150016" node="150016" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="16"> thee </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150017" node="150017" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="17">out </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150018" node="150018" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="18">of </span><span class="chunk" id="chunk150019" node="150019" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="19">my </span><span class="chunk hl-id-64598323" id="chunk150020" node="150020" paranum="15" style="background-color: white; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" wrapper="20">mouth.</span></blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I don't want to be moderate. I refuse to be lukewarm.</span></h2>
Yesterday I found a 2011 BYU-I devotional by Kim Clark called "<a href="http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/transcripts/devotionals/2011_04_19_KimClark.htm">Deep Obedience</a>". There is so much food for thought, but here are the five things he advises us to be deeply obedient with.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1. Love God with all your heart. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">2 Walk in the strait and narrow path. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">3 Bring to the Lord a sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">4 Keep the Sabbath Day holy. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">5 Do all these things with gratitude and a cheerful heart.</span></blockquote>
Each of these five things could be a separate essay, and I intend to take the time to ponder them and how I can better apply this advice in my life. Let me share with you this thought from his talk. Ask yourself if this describes the often cited (but non-doctrinal) "moderation in all things".<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">"Our Heavenly Father wants </span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">all we have to give</span><span style="background-color: white;">—our physical and mental capacity, our attitudes and desires—</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">totally committed</span><span style="background-color: white;"> to serving Him in the name of His Son. He wants to write the gospel covenants in our hearts so that the promises we make to Him become our </span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">deepest desires</span><span style="background-color: white;">, our </span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">most important commitments</span><span style="background-color: white;">." </span></span></span></blockquote>
Elder Clark's phrase Deep Obedience is as penetrating to me as the imagery of a Quest for Obedience. Take the time to ponder just where you can improve your own obedience because we have been warned:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Our time is a dangerous time—a time of great evil and temptation, a time of confusion and commotion. In these perilous times, the Lord’s prophet on the earth, President Thomas S. Monson, has called us to rescue the wounded in spirit, to stand for truth with courage, and to build the kingdom of God. <u style="background-color: yellow;">Whatever level of spirituality or faith or obedience we now have, it will not be sufficient for the work that lies ahead</u>. We need greater spiritual light and power. We need eyes to see more clearly the Savior working in our lives and ears to hear His voice more deeply in our hearts. Kim Clark "<a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/eyes-to-see-and-ears-to-hear?lang=eng">Eyes to See and Ears to Hear</a>" </span></blockquote>
I know hard times are coming. I also know that to be prepared I need to be more deeply and strictly obedient in all things.<br />
PS <a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/stay-by-the-tree?lang=eng">Stay by the Tree!</a><br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-17841795950782875322011-10-20T16:04:00.000-07:002011-10-20T16:04:37.716-07:00Musings of a Zealous Woman<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Hello. My name is Nicole Prasch and I am <span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">stubborn</span>. (see i even put it in my favorite color!) I don’t have a problem with that <i>demonized</i> trait. In fact, I feel that it is a gift from God that I am stubborn. Stubbornness allows me to get things done as well as stick to my principles. I may be dead wrong about a thing, but I will stick to it until I believe otherwise. Luckily, I was also given another gift, the gift of a brain. I think and reason and therefore learn truth. Once I perceive a principle is true I act on it and I will stick to it. Calvin Coolidge, who was a President of the United States, said:</div><div class="MsoNormal">“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men of talent. Genius will not…the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”</div><div class="MsoNormal">The ability to press on has been a blessing in my life. You see I am constantly opposed. Most of my siblings have all rejected the belief system we were taught. My husband also does not embrace my beliefs. As a result my children struggle with accepting them as well. Children struggle with that anyway, so that is to be expected. Many times I have found myself alone in leading the way to a happy, fulfilled and productive life. It is so enticing to follow the crowd, please yourself, and never go outside your comfort zone. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Nevertheless, I do it regularly. I can’t help it. I can’t be happy sitting back and watching the world head for a brick wall. I love the curiosity that afflicts my brain driving me to learn new things. I can’t help that I see consequences that others don’t yet see, and I cannot refrain from jumping out with a caution sign. I love the enlightenment that shows me connections between destructive behavior and miserable conditions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those light bulb moments are precious to me, but annoying to so many others. I’ve learned to be careful how I share those thoughts. People don’t understand the love that drives me to speak up.</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s not politically correct to point these things out these days. I am my family’s crazy zealot. But you see, I looked up that word the other day. I am on a kick lately about dictionaries and thesauruses. Zealous is like being persistent, stubborn and devoted to a cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I used the word zeal in a facebook post that was not about religion, but mentioned religion, my normally quite intelligent sister went on a rant about religion. I suppose she only thinks of that word as referring to a religious person who is unreasonably tyrannical to others, like Saul was before he became Paul. (Which is not true since he was far more zealous <i>after</i> his conversion experience) Most people who oppose me assume that all my opinions stem from religious arrogance and or an inability to think logically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find that these people are quite sensitive. I wonder if it is because they are so pricked by conscience and aware of what I stand for in my own life that they just assume that I am saying what their conscience is saying. Maybe I should take it as a compliment that I am on the right track! </div><div class="MsoNormal">I find myself unable to quit, give up, surrender or resign my loved ones to the chain of destruction that I see surrounding them. I don’t feel it is a sacrifice to raise my voice, but I am puzzled when I get so much close-minded resistance from people who are so quickly defensive and hostile. I struggle to quietly stand by while others make poor choices. It is hard to watch someone with a <b>lead foot</b> heading for a brick wall. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ought to remember that <span style="font-size: large;">I also make poor choices and I learn best by experiencing the consequences of those choices</span>. The trick of a stubborn person is to wait for others to see what we see, or for us to see what others see. Maybe zeal is so often perceived as religious because </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><i style="background-color: yellow;">religion seems to be one of the only things that evoke it</i>. </div><div class="MsoNormal">I am a persistent zealot, a devoted disciple of truth, right living, or the path to happiness, and peace. Do I have a lot to learn? You betcha! But I love learning it and I love being in </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>God’s University of Experience</u></b></span>, </div><div class="MsoNormal">because this zealot learns best that way! I fully realize that I am far from perfect, yet I am ok with that. I understand that we all share that common condition. Which is why I <i><u>need</u></i> this stubborn zeal.</div><div class="MsoNormal">God is so patient with us all. He is the ultimate zealot. <i><u><b>He is stubborn, persistent and devoted to the cause of our happiness.</b></u></i> Yet he is also kind, tolerant, steady and firm in truth and happiness because <span style="font-size: large;"><i>He knows</i></span>. And knowledge of that kind begets persistent, loving, immovable, determined women who will press on to lead and guide families and societies victoriously back to the God who designed this mortal labyrinth. I aspire to that club of women!</div><br />
<img align="right" src="http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv353/momnmb/madebynicolesignature.jpg" style="border: 0;" /><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-58249656167637649882011-06-21T23:16:00.000-07:002011-06-21T23:17:18.906-07:00Chicks update and other stuff that keeps me busy!My word! The chicks are growing so fast! I can hardly keep up the food and water fast enough. We made a cute coop that looks like a covered wagon without wheels. I added my BFF's three chickens too. Nine is too many so I will soon be advertising the presumed rooster on craigslist and at least two more. <br />
Just to add another project we have good news to announce! <br />
We are adding another daughter to our home! Our new foreign exchange student, a 16 year old girl from Kuwait will be joining our family in August! Are so excited we can hardly stand it! I will be updating with more information after she arrives later this summer! I am also now working as a YES cluster director which means I am looking for host families for three students who will be attending Kennewick schools. This is going to be a busy and exciting year!<br />
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</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-66210718836300969822011-05-02T14:37:00.000-07:002011-05-02T14:37:47.967-07:00How Osama Bin Laden Affected my Life: Good Riddance from a Navy Wife<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">On a Tuesday morning in September</span>, I prepared to drive my kids to school. We had to go on base to retrieve my son's backpack from my husband's car. As I drive through the gate to enter the base as I had done hundreds of times before, the guards were different. They had large guns slung across their shoulders, <span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>with their fingers on the trigger</i></span>. </div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div>They were visibly alert, <b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">nervous</b> and active. They actually stopped the car, asked to look at my military ID, scanned the car with their eyes, and then let me go through.<br />
I retrieved the errant backpack thinking<i style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">that was weird</span></i>. On the way out of the gate, more guards on the other side inspected me closely as I drove slowly through. On the way to the school I decided to turn on the radio. The people said that what had happened was<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> <i style="color: orange;">like Pearl Harbor</i> </div>for our generation. They did not say what was happening, just that it was life changing. At home again, I turned on the news. This was sometime around 8am Pacific time, after the second tower fell. As I watched the news show what was happening, and listening to the announcers tell what little they knew at the time, along with how many people worked in those buildings. I was paralyzed. I called my mother two states away <u><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;">what was going on</span></span></i></u>?<br />
She didn't know much either. Called my husband. He didn't know much either, just that it meant something serious and life changing. By this time it was obviously terrorism. We all knew who was behind it......<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Osama Bin Laden.</i></div><br />
In the hours and days following this moment in my life I began to see just how much this would change my life in ways both small and large. I vividly remember my husband saying that this was when <i>he wished for sea duty</i>. He wanted to go take down the enemy.<span style="font-size: large;"><u style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i> </i></u></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><u style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i>This was why I had married him</i></u></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">.</span> </b></div>I remember being horrified at the possible number of dead, praying for the rescuers to find <span style="font-size: large;"><i>someone</i>..... <u><i><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="color: red;">anyone</b></span></i></u> </span>alive in the rubble. I could not go to bed because my heart was so intimately involved in the search for life. It was as if I had loved ones inside.......My husband finally dragged me to bed.<br />
We lived in a housing neighborhood beside the gated off area of the base in Fallon NV. Immediately the base put up cement traffic dividers in a zig zag pattern in order to<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> slow down cars </span>both entering and exiting the gated off portion of the base, but <b>also</b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> at the entrances <i>and</i> exits to our housing neighborhood. </span>Armed military police<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"> <i>with fingers on triggers</i> </div>were stationed at each spot closely inspecting us. Although we never before had been required to show our military ID at the gates, were we were now required to stop, show ID, answer questions, and consent to searches each time we came home. Our home teachers could not drive to our home. <u><i><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">No one</span></i></u> without ID could enter our neighborhood. We had to meet them, have them leave their car outside, and bring them through. Once, I counted how many times I had to show my ID just to go grocery shopping (at the commisary on base).<br />
1. At the gate entering the base<br />
2. At the entrance of the commisary (grocery store)<br />
3. At the time I paid the cashier <span style="font-size: x-small;">(typical they only serve military but still I'd already showed it twice~ I think by now they can establish I am allowed to purchase milk here!)</span><br />
4. At the exit of the building<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">5. At the entrance to my neighborhood</div>All this to drive two blocks to the grocery store to buy milk. This remained the situation for the year we lived in that home. Nothing said we were a target like that.<br />
During that year, I remember my antenna going up when I saw a car stopped at the road that ran alongside the airfield, with someone watching the planes fly over. I told the guard at the gate. He immediately radioed in while I waited and he asked questions of me.<br />
At this time, my husband was on shore duty. In the Navy, troops rotate between sea duty, where they are stationed in an actively deploying command such as a squadron or a carrier, and shore duty where they do not deploy. They may still travel from time to time but they do not go into combat or out to sea.<br />
He had one year until he rotated back to sea duty and we immediately knew he would be involved in one year. Sure enough we moved one year later, having our household goods delivered on 9/11 2002 to our military house in Whidbey Island. By October, my husband was gearing up with short trips to sea as they prepared to leave on a long cruise. In January 2003 he left for what would be almost 9 months at sea on the Carl Vinson. If you are tracking the time line this was as we were gearing up to rid the world of Saddam Hussein. There are so many other things that were caused by these events that it would be a book to list them. But this is my memories. <br />
Today, almost 10 years later, I had pretty much accepted that Bin Laden was going to die of natural causes, an old man. I knew and accepted that his death would not be a strategic victory and that we needed to pursue the movement as a whole. When I saw on Facebook that he had been killed. I needed proof so I went to Drudge. Yep, it was there. We turned on the news. Yep there too. We listened to the President give his statement. Silence. It's true.<br />
Immediately the images from 9/11 of Palestinians dancing and celebrating sprang into my mind and I felt like dancing in their honor. So I did.........<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="color: red;">I danced with my kids on my porch.</span></span></u><span style="color: red;"> </span></div><br />
I didn't worry if it was the right thing to do. I just did what I felt like doing. I don't take that luxury often.<br />
<br />
I feel good that Bin Laden has met his 72 "<strike>virgins</strike>." <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sorry, none where you are headed :-)</span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Good riddance!</span> </div>I give him over to God. Let God decide his eternal fate.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> Let him </span><strike style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">brag</strike><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> about his actions...... to God.</span> This. world, no. longer. cares.<br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv353/momnmb/madebynicolesignature.jpg" style="border: 0;" /><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-74981644663160320342011-04-21T22:20:00.000-07:002011-04-21T22:20:27.964-07:00My Peeps... or the Chicks with the Chocolate Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vikt-5rYY4Q/TbELmldYhII/AAAAAAAAAgg/C1e0YnrouZs/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vikt-5rYY4Q/TbELmldYhII/AAAAAAAAAgg/C1e0YnrouZs/s400/004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Im egg-cited! I am now the owner of 6 chicks! <br />
The four larger ones are Cuckoo Marans and they will lay a light chocolate colored egg. They are pullets which means they are <i>supposed</i> to be all hens. The little black one is an Australorpe renegade that showed up in a batch of Delawares (the little yellow one). I bought the Marans for $16, or $4 each, and the other two were $5 for the two. The Delaware wasn't one I wanted but I needed a buddy for the Australorpe~ that I REALLY wanted. Australorp's lay large, light-brown eggs, and have a reputation for reliable egg laying, and friendliness.<br />
Next week I will go to Milton-Freewater, Oregon for a flock of strait run (boys and girls) Black Copper Marans. They will lay a dark chocolate colored egg. Well, the hens will, the roosters will go in the freezer. (I might keep one rooster so I can make babies though....)<br />
The light keeps them warm. Each week the light is raised higher to lower the temp a bit, as they are able to keep their body heat. that's why the little ones (which are younger than the big ones) are up closer to the bulb.<br />
I showed the dogs what was in the tub. Mollie was apprehensive, but jumped into the tub to get a closer look while I wasn't looking. After I fished her out she kept hiding behind me. She has taken to whining when I am in the bathroom without her. George wanted a closer look, but not so bad that he jumped in. They are curious. I really hope they can get along. I just really want to let the chickens in the yard during the day. Sigh....Just a nice picture in my head....Especially, since I am going to have so many! (So much for starting small...)<br />
So, yes, we have no chicken coop, but we have chicks!Cheep, Cheep Cheep!<br />
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PS I think I want a duck.....<div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-47135088347347736002011-04-19T11:19:00.000-07:002011-04-19T11:19:54.823-07:00Chicken Season?Who knew there was a season for chicken? Well tis the season! Our local feed stores are advertising that they have baby chicks! So hubby and I went to see the chicks at our favorite store..... But they were sold out. Bummer. I even had him talked into having chickens...that day....<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/CHICKEN-CROSSING-signs-rancher-farmer/dp/B0019YFPEM?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="CHICKEN CROSSING Sign xing signs rancher farmer gift" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B0019YFPEM&tag=momnmb-20" /></a>.<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0019YFPEM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><br />
Although I knew I wanted chickens and hubby seemed to be on board....mostly...I haven't yet figured out how to do it. I guess getting some chicks will force me to figure it out. And how that spring is here, well I guess its the season to try! Good thing I have the books for that...<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=momnmb-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0715333100&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-67820471615138744182011-04-19T10:45:00.000-07:002011-04-19T10:45:34.106-07:00Canning VS Freezing: It's a TieWhen it comes to how to keep food so it is safe and convenient most Americans will opt for a trip tot he grocery store for a prepackaged mix of "food" that is highly processed, laden with chemicals, and fat, and tragically lacking in nutrition. For many people ignorance is bliss, but for others the knowledge of what they are doing to their body leads them on to find better ways to feed and nurture themselves and their families. Many budgets won't allow for this expensive grocery store option either. What to do? There are a few options out there to to both provide for your families future and have fast convenient food ready to go for those times you just don't have the time or energy to spend cooking meals. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RAfb84yToPY/Ta3FB5E-ltI/AAAAAAAAAgM/TUztKFXXhsM/s1600/bulgarian+stew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RAfb84yToPY/Ta3FB5E-ltI/AAAAAAAAAgM/TUztKFXXhsM/s200/bulgarian+stew.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />
My journey to find a better way has led me to a few options. A couple years ago we got a freezer. A big freezer. Against my better judgment we bought a huge chest freezer. I promptly loaded it up with boxes and bags of food from Costco. We made freezer jam and added it to the stash. (Heaven on earth! If you've never had freezer jam, find your nearest Mormon and ask her to make you some!) We bought lots of meat too. Frozen juice went in. A few (unlabeled) leftovers went in. (not a good idea).<br />
But just like I had feared the chest freezer design made it impossible to find what I needed before frostbite set into my fingers. Sometimes it didn't get shut all the way and the frost began to build up. Finally I located the knob that would turn it down of off and I turned it off to get rid of the frost. I figured it would take a loooooong time to thaw all that frozen stuff in that insulated freezer. Wrong. It was all soft by the third day. So I hacked at the frost (which was only slightly softer) until I could properly close the freezer and promptly turned it back up to refreeze everything.<br />
This experience got me thinking though.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> What if we had an ice storm or other storm that took out our power for a few days? </span>Doesn't seem so unlikely these days....<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mDsVTslSd1s/Ta3B-ZM0GyI/AAAAAAAAAf8/Ex3sHSrPRxE/s1600/canned+tomatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mDsVTslSd1s/Ta3B-ZM0GyI/AAAAAAAAAf8/Ex3sHSrPRxE/s200/canned+tomatoes.jpg" width="200" /></a>Enter canning... I have been experimenting with my mother's old canner the last couple years. I canned peaches, pears, apple pie filling, and lately salsa and beans. We have been including more beans in our diet the last five years or so, especially refried beans. Over the last several months I have been using more black beans. We love chili with beans (with or without meat) over Fritos! The peaches were mushy, the pears were good, the apple pie filling was good but not often used, the salsa was not good, and the beans have been used regularly. I found that the beans did <span style="font-size: large;"><b>not</b></span> have to soak before canning them.<span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-size: xx-small;">Hurray</span><span style="color: red;">!</span>I also found that if you put too many beans in the jar you end up with soft mushy beans at the bottom ~ like refried beans! But the beans usually end up perfectly cooked and not salty! I put some garlic, onions and spices into some of the jars. Turned out great!<br />
Last night, I made a big batch of spaghetti sauce, cooked up a bunch of ground meat and stew meat, and packed some raw pork into pint jars. Unfortunately, my mom's elderly canner turned in her notice. I burned my finger a bit on the steam when it wouldn't seal and I said<i><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="color: purple;">no more</span></span></i>! Time for a new canner. (I'd been thinking I needed one anyway.) I borrowed a canner from a canner extraordinaire and got at least one batch done last night. As I type my second batch is jiggling away.<br />
<i style="color: orange;"><u><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What has worked the best and proved most useful?</b></u></i><br />
Well the biggest hit of the list was freezer jam. My kids are already worrying because they can see that we are almost out. After one year they can't seem to handle a future without freezer jam. <br />
The beans all ready to go and without worry about salt and chemicals, has also been extremely useful. Besides eating less meat, I love having beans ready to throw into salsas, salads, burritos, soups and all kinds of new things I hadn't thought of before. I love black beans and so does my picky boy! Now I'm excited to have spaghetti sauce ready to open. We tried it for dinner before I put it in bottles and<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> almost</i></span> everyone really liked it. It will be used for spaghetti, and lasagna.We don't eat alot of spaghetti at our house because hubby can't handle the tomato at dinner time, but when he's not eating it will be a quick fast meal that <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">almost</span></i> everyone likes. <br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3tB9DPUZm4/Ta3CFKWpijI/AAAAAAAAAgA/PcQH57hO6s0/s1600/PBJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3tB9DPUZm4/Ta3CFKWpijI/AAAAAAAAAgA/PcQH57hO6s0/s200/PBJ.jpg" width="200" /></a>The conclusion is that I think I don't need this huge freezer and that canning regularly would be a more useful method for having healthy, precooked, easy to fix meals on my pantry shelf. My freezer will still have its uses, for freezer jam, bread, frozen juice, and other miscellaneous tidbits, but I think I'm going to sell the treasure chest that wasn't such a treasure after all. The canner would have been much cheaper!<br />
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Here's some of the places I've found inspiration<br />
<a href="http://canningusa.com/">canningusa.com</a><br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=momnmb-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0778801314&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><a href="http://safelygatheredin.blogspot.com/search/label/Self-Reliance">safely gathered in </a><br />
<a href="http://www.mynewoldschool.com/">Old School Self Reliance 101<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=momnmb-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0972753702&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></a><br />
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Now time to clean up....:-(<br />
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PS I think I will do some posts on my different adventures with freezing and canning..... <br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv353/momnmb/madebynicolesignature.jpg" style="border: 0pt none;" /><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-54956837544025601412011-04-13T14:57:00.000-07:002011-04-13T14:57:03.712-07:00Breakfast Burritos in the FreezerI found a great idea on The Simple Dollar for making <a href="http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/02/20/bulk-breakfast-burritos-convenient-cheap-healthy-and-easier-than-you-think/">breakfast burritos </a>that can become a quick, cheap and nutritious breakfast for those who never have enough time in the morning for breakfast. (Those like me who are not morning people.) My kids are forever skipping breakfast and even lunch even though all it takes is grabbing something off the shelf. These burritos have a good protein boost for jump starting sluggish brains!<br />
This combination of eggs, black beans and salsa appealed to me, but I could see that it might cause a revolt at my house if it was the only option. So I also cooked some cubed hash browns and chopped some bacon for half of them.<br />
I broke 24 eggs and mixed in a little reconstituted dry milk, (What! I was almost out of milk....) and a dash of chili powder. After a quick whisk I dumped it all in my largest pan to scramble. I decided to keep the rest of the ingredients seperate for customizing later. I also cooked about 16 oz of Southern Style Hashbrowns (cubed rather than shredded). I found that by putting three tortillas on a plate with a small plate upside down on top for 30 seconds in the microwave made the tortillas nice and warm for manipulating. I opened some black beans that I canned in January, (Yikes! I need to do some more!) a bottle of homemade canned salsa, and shredded about one pound of cheese and got ready to roll.<br />
Now I am not that good at rolling burritos because I always over stuff them. But I followed the method on the website and found that it worked better. (I still have to work on over stuffing them though.) I found that having them warm enabled them to stretch a bit and hold their shape better on the cookie sheets. I made 20 with the beans and salsa and then mixed the hash browns into the remaining eggs with the chopped bacon, stirred it up and made 12 more. I ate one that had split open. So I now have 31 breakfast burritos! I figure each burrito is about 250 calories. <br />
It was a bit bland so next time I will work on adding more flavor ~ maybe make a white sauce to give it some goeyness and fat to balance the protein or use refried black beans. I only used a pinch of cheese, but I think I'll be more generous next time and maybe mix it in while the eggs are warm so it melts just a bit. I packaged them up with a paper towel wrapped around each one nestled in a baggie. They fit perfectly in the little snack baggies that I bought but no one uses. :) Why the paper towel? The Simple Dollar instructs that the burritos be nuked for two minutes on defrost and then warmed up for about 1 1/2 minutes all wrapped in a paper towel to keep it from drying out. It will also make a nice drip absorber. I like that idea.<br />
Maybe next time I will make them into quesadilla's instead since I like more stuffing and less tortilla.<br />
But that's just me.....<br />
<img align="right" src="http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv353/momnmb/madebynicolesignature.jpg" style="border: 0pt none;" /><br />
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Of course, I won't make them again if they just sit in the freezer for lack of flashy packaging. Hump!/:(<div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-25352975709230185592011-03-01T20:45:00.000-08:002011-03-01T20:55:07.237-08:00Eve And The Choice Made Eden by Beverly Campbell<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=momnmb-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0032CVAPW&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Beverly Campbell has some insights into what happened in the Garden of Eden. She shares them poignantly in her book <i>Eve and the Choice Made in Eden</i>. The first night I read this book I found myself in tears at the imagery. Beverly understands how misunderstanding Eve's choice has caused the women of the world to suffer both internally and externally. But through careful research and study she exposes just how misunderstood Eve has been over the centuries. She shows how Eve made a noble unselfish choice to fulfill her mission as the Mother of All Living. Beverly touches on many topics in her book from scientific DNA to meanings of Hebrew words from the account of the Garden in scripture. I always knew that Eve made the right choice but now I have a deeper understanding of how, why and what our first mother did.<br />
<img align="right" src="http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv353/momnmb/madebynicolesignature.jpg" style="border: 0pt none;" /><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-86840719416717870432011-02-21T12:33:00.000-08:002011-02-21T12:33:24.774-08:00The Silence of God by Gale SearsThe <i>Silence of God</i> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=momnmb-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1606416553&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>is a novel centered on the lives of one LDS family who lives in Russia. The family is historically accurate with the father, Johan, mother Alma, and eight children. The Lindlof family is the first LDS family in Russia.<br />
The Prologue, set in 988AD, tells the story of Prince Vladimir who marries a German Christian princess, is converted to Christianity, is baptized, and replaces the Paganism of the nation with Christianity. This sets the stage for the story which begin with LDS Apostle Elder Francis Lyman dedicating Russia to the preaching of the Gospel with the Lindlof family witnessing the 1903 event. Two years later we see one of the sons who is being persuaded to march with workers as they seek to present a petition to the Tsar. The next several chapters bring in a neighbor girl Natasha who grew up with Agnes Lindlof. These two characters form the main characters of the story. Natasha, an only child, is raised by a religious mother and an atheist father who is a fervent Bolshevik. Natasha becomes part of the workers who are producing propaganda for the Bolsheviks witnessing the night of the takeover in Petrograd. Agnes is not into the political movement and begins to rebel against the constant talk of politics, yet their friendship is still maintained.<br />
This story is engaging and the footnotes offer clarification on which circumstances are fiction and which are historically accurate. It is disappointing to find at the end that the story deviates quite dramatically from the reality. In reality only one of the Lindloff's six children who were sent to a prison camp in Siberia survived. Two daughters died there and the fate of the others is unknown. This story shows some of the brutality and religious hatred that occurred showing it in a personal context rather than a national context, although Ms Sears does not skip over significant historical events. The descriptions of the locations of significant sites such as the Winter Palace, several gardens, and cathedrals are well described. This book will leave you wanting more.<br />
<img align="right" src="http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv353/momnmb/madebynicolesignature.jpg" style="border: 0pt none;" /><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-33625302797457552782011-02-15T15:17:00.000-08:002011-02-15T15:17:59.880-08:00Tinkering With the Three Month Plan<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><i>See the previous post on how I came up with <a href="http://momnmb.blogspot.com/2011/02/preparing-for-three-months-of-regular.html">a plan for storing three months of regular family foods</a>. </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">After planning three menus for my family, I decided to give them a try. I knew I needed to see how the plan I had made would work and not wait for the stress of and emergency to test it. I also don't have time, money, or pantry space to waste on untested planning.</span></span><u style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<u style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Maintenance of the Plan <span style="font-size: x-small;">or Practice Makes Perfect</span></span></u><br />
I decided to try the first menu the next payday, so I took my list and went to the grocery store. I was surprised by how little I needed and how little I spent. I didn't buy what I already had, and I got a few extras that were on sale but I only spent $115. I began my preparation for the week by cooking the stew meat. The next day I soaked and cooked the beans and made refried beans for enchiladas. I found that the schedule for the first day was too much. And since we had a Birthday coming up we got off the schedule (we always go out or have a special request on birthdays). After less than a week we decided we had too much stew beef in this menu. It was hurting our gums because it got stuck in between our teeth. So I took off the stew beef sloppy joes and decided the chili could be just beans without meat. I also decided that buying a whole turkey breast for turkey sandwiches only was a bit much and I added a turkey dinner into the menu. I've decided to redo the breakfast menu also since the kids only want quick stuff that they can eat quickly or take with them. Same for lunch. I decided to space out my preparation tasks more evenly and try to make some of the items that appeared more often such as burritos and quesadilla's in larger batches to freeze for more than the week. These are items my kids love to have for snack and in lunches. I also decided to be more vigilant about freezing leftovers, since I always seem to make too much food.<br />
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I tried to keep in mind that I may not have any money for fresh items and I may be making homemade items when money is tight, like bread, from my long term storage. Wheat, beans, oats, and other regular baking ingredients are not added to the grocery list, so I need to remember to keep these items stocked. I should start a list.<br />
On my grocery list I also indicated the items that were <u><b>perishable</b></u> and which were <b><i>homemade</i></b> since I can not very well stock them. I can keep these in mind when planning a garden, or planning to cook ahead.<br />
Overall it has been a good experience to think through this plan. I see that I have a lot of work to do to acquire these items, but probably more important to organize them so I can find them, use them, and count them.<div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-27901364334577691612011-02-15T15:15:00.000-08:002011-02-16T12:54:32.372-08:00Preparing for Three Months of Regular Family MealsThe LDS church advocates that its members <a href="http://providentliving.org/content/list/0,11664,7445-1,00.html">prepare for family emergencies</a> such as unemployment, illness, or natural disasters. As my Ward's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator I have been encouraging my flock to prepare. The Church put out new guidlines a few years ago that specified that we should first prepare three months of regular meals, then we should move into a years supply of "keep your family alive" food storage. I will talk about the three month supply since that is the one that gets some people overwhelmed.<br />
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<div style="color: #783f04;"><u><span style="font-size: large;">Menus, Groceries and Plans <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Oh My!)</span></i></span></u></div><br />
One of the many preparedness blogs, <a href="http://safelygatheredin.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-toplan-your-three-month-supply.html">Safely Gathered In</a>, published a good idea on how to plan for the three months of regular meals. It got my brain spinning. Basically it was based on something I and many other freedom loving people hate- Menus! Although the blog focused on dinner menus I decided that to be precise I needed to know what to plan for all meals. So I made three week long menus. I planned breakfast lunch and dinner as if all family members were going to sit down and eat a home cooked meal. I knew this would be overdoing the amount of food, but I wanted to see if I could come up with enough variety to satisfy my family. (Well mostly my hubby since he is the pickiest.)<br />
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<u style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">My Name is Nicole and I Love Spreadsheets </span></u><br />
First, I just wrote it out on a notebook page, but then decided to put it into an Excel spreadsheet. I then made a complete grocery list of all the items that would be needed for the weeks meals.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pQ_7kAuc10E/TVr-I9_27II/AAAAAAAAAeU/rhs2yNqrrUs/s1600/screen+shot+menu+B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pQ_7kAuc10E/TVr-I9_27II/AAAAAAAAAeU/rhs2yNqrrUs/s320/screen+shot+menu+B.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After I put it into Excel I could see a bigger picture and began rearranging the meals into groups that could be prepped together, such as three meals using beef stew meat (hubby just gave up hamburger :-/) or meals that needed beans such as burritos, enchiladas, nachos and quesadillas. Many of these items could be doubled and frozen for easy meals too. I regrouped and planned what I should do the first day of the week to make other meals later in the week a snap and minimize dishes. I also noted what bread stuffs needed to be prepared and included that on the first day. If I didn't have time but had money I could always buy these items (or store a little of them ready to bake).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YTGruMFRhdI/TVr-3F8coxI/AAAAAAAAAeY/xJ-_W7owRDA/s1600/groceries+menu+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YTGruMFRhdI/TVr-3F8coxI/AAAAAAAAAeY/xJ-_W7owRDA/s320/groceries+menu+b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When I was done I had three complete menus with minimal duplication, complete with instruction for groceries, and things that could be planned ahead. I labeled the menus AB&C. With three menus to rotate, I figured we could be fairly satisfied with the variety. I printed it all out and but it in a binder.<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> (yes I also love binders) </span></i><br />
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<u style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Extreme or Not Extreme? </span></u><br />
Also on <i>Safely Gathered In</i> they planned for the extreme situation of not being able to cook. Since this adds to the complexity I decided to start by NOT assuming life would be much different, except that I would need to rely on my pantry. I have even assumed that some money would be available for fresh items like tomatoes, lettuce, and milk. This would be a mild emergency like a job loss that still allowed unemployment income where money is tight and the need for lowering my spending would be high. However, thinking about what I would change if I had no power to my oven didn't really require much change because we have a propane grill that would do nicely for almost everything on the menu. Besides if the power is out for three months we will have more to worry about than how to cook our food (<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">riots, freezer/refrigerator spoilage or freezing to death</span></i>). So, I think I'll add some extra propane to the list of preparedness items and call it good. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Course I could make plans to feed my neighbors.....</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Part two found here <a href="http://momnmb.blogspot.com/2011/02/tinkering-with-three-month-plan.html">Tinkering with the Three Month Plan</a> </i></span><br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv353/momnmb/madebynicolesignature.jpg" style="border: 0pt none;" /><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-20979265991188621542011-02-15T13:29:00.000-08:002011-02-16T16:52:27.339-08:00Oldies But Goodies: LDS Power WomenI ran across a passage in the comments at a feminist mormon website, that sparked a response in me. The discussion was commenting on an article that referenced <a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/25?lang=eng">D&C 25</a>:7 , “And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit.” The comments about this topic seemed to veer off into a discussion of the (lack of) power of women in the LDS church. I wondered if the women who commented on this issue were mis-defining the words exhort and expound. So let’s define the words for use here. Encarta defines exhort as “to urge to do something” or “give earnest advice.” Exhort is defined as “describe and explain something.” Synonyms are “urge, press, push, encourage, insist, pressure, and explain, expand, on, talk about, give further details about, develop, illustrate.” Clearly these are teaching activities. The discussion points out correctly that the majority of the teachers in the church are women including Gospel Doctrine, seminary, Primary, etc. But some of the comments seemed to think this was an activity that involved power. Thus the discussion seemed to veer of into a discussion of female power within the church. I see this type of thing pop up once in a while and it puzzles me. For instance, Sonnet says:<br />
<blockquote>When we “expound” upon something, our mastery of an idea grants us the authority to experiment with, redefine, and reshape that particular idea. It’s a creative act. In the official structure of the church, we grant this kind of authority to very few.</blockquote><br />
First, many teachers have commented that they have benefited more from learning about a topic in order to teach it, than they expected. If we assume a teacher first has “mastery” of the topic we are way off base. And if we assume that we have mastery because we are called to teach, we need some humility. Second, the only one allowed this kind of “creativity” is God. We teach what the Lord wants us to teach. As a RS teacher I find that I “expound” regularly regarding the text but so do the others in the class who have their own uplifting experiences to share. I urge, encourage, explain and illustrate but I don’t redefine, experiment or reshape the topic to fit my own personal gospel. Our creativity comes into play when we are trying to find a way to reach our class members. But it should never reach the point of redefining or reshaping doctrine.<br />
Lulubell commented about her experiences:<br />
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<blockquote>I was more often than not disappointed with the messages and activities– homemaking, staying virtuous, preparing to be mothers and wives. What I really wanted to do was get to college, graduate and find my way in the world, not sure if that would be motherhood, a career, or a combination of the two. While I, too, have been a teacher, let’s face it– we have very little power or authority in the church. Even our 12 year old boys have more power than we women do.</blockquote>I take issue with her characterization of the power women have in the church. I wonder what kind of power she is looking for? I was Primary President for a little over two years and had so called “power” as the world may see it over the direction of our ward Primary. But it was far more work and stress than that little bit of so-called power was worth. Sure I could have done what I wanted but that isn’t the way things are supposed to work and I think the Lord (through the Bishop) would have yanked me out quickly. But I saw first hand that the Bishops and quorum leaders were in similar situations. The real problem of power in the church, for many unhappy women, is actually a problem of dominion. How much power do we want? Do we want to change doctrine? Do we want to extend callings? Do we want to arrange sacrament meetings? I always wonder just what kind of power these women want? Satan wanted God’s power and look what happened to him.<br />
Do we think the Bishop or Stake President or Elders Quorum leader has power? Ha! He is a servant not a master. He deals with the rancor, pettiness, counseling, gossiping, people who want to criticize but not help, unrepentant sinners who must be removed, and –oh yea- weddings. He hunts for cooperation and planning in carrying out the programs of the Lord, as well as trying to serve the needs of others around him. He sometimes sets a calendar item. The only real power the priesthood has is priesthood functions, such as blessings, which by definition only operate on God’s will, not the desires of the one pronouncing the blessings( see D&C 121:37). As the saying goes, it’s a dirty job but somebody has to do it. Where’s the “power”? His only real power is in righteousness. And that is available to us all male and female.<br />
I would suggest to any LDS women who feels slighted and that they have no power, to study D&C 121: 36-46 thoroughly. It does not just apply to the men. It gives the Lord's definition of real power and is not gender specific. Apply it to whatever role you find yourself in.<br />
<blockquote>36.That the rights of the<strike> priesthood</strike> (motherhood, wives, women in general) are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.<br />
37 That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the <strike>priesthood or</strike> the authority of that <strike>man</strike> (woman).<br />
38 Behold, ere (s)he is aware, (s)he is left unto (her<strike>)him</strike>self, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God.<br />
39 We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all <strike>men</strike>,(women) as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.<br />
40 Hence many are called, but few are chosen.<br />
41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the <strike>priesthood</strike> (womanhood, femaleness, motherhood, wifehood), only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;<br />
42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—<br />
43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest (s)he esteem thee to be his enemy;<br />
44 That (s)he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.<br />
45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all <strike>men</strike> (humans), and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God;<b><u><i> and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul</i></u></b> as the dews from heaven.<br />
46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.</blockquote> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(My changes to gender and emphasis added for clarification) </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-13181785342911144882011-02-04T10:59:00.000-08:002011-02-04T10:59:58.365-08:00Purple Passion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8golfhrbyu8/TUxK73TCQOI/AAAAAAAAAdM/nM7BfdfS6b8/s1600/my+button+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8golfhrbyu8/TUxK73TCQOI/AAAAAAAAAdM/nM7BfdfS6b8/s1600/my+button+copy.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">I like purple. My drapes are purple. My clothes are mostly purple. I have a purple purse. I have a purple pen. I have purple lap blankets. My mouse is even purple. My front door and shutters are painted purple and I have a beautiful dark purple (Raisin) wall around my back yard slider. I'd say I love purple.</span></i></div><div style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">But my car is NOT purple. My hair is NOT purple. My couch is NOT purple. Yep, Im pretty balanced.</span></i></div><div style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"What is it with you and purple?" a friend once asked me.</span></i></div><div style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Let me explain.....Purple is a rich luscious color. Purple is noticed. I get complimented when I wear purple. People like it! Purple is the color of royalty for a reason. It is striking. It draws people in. You can't not notice it. But I have learned a valuable lesson. Purple can't be the only color you use. It works best when it is paired with colors like light yellow, chocolate brown, black, or gray.It is like a frame around a picture. My husband likes orange and he wanted to paint a wall orange in our living room. Orange is on the opposite side of the color wheel from purple. It has NOTHING in common with purple. But it works! I have orange on my dining room wall, and my couch cushions are orange.Our desk even has orange in the wood. (right next to my purple wall.) My purple wall and lap blankets look great with orange too!</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8golfhrbyu8/TUxLgg70M8I/AAAAAAAAAdQ/L9mA3laZaMo/s1600/Chrysanthemum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: purple; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8golfhrbyu8/TUxLgg70M8I/AAAAAAAAAdQ/L9mA3laZaMo/s200/Chrysanthemum.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: purple;"> So you see purple IS the best color in the world. There's just nothing that isn't improved by being touched by this lovely rich color. No wonder it was loved by royalty!</span></span></i> </div><img align="right" src="http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv353/momnmb/madebynicolesignature.jpg" style="border: 0pt none;" /><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-32603281322840158392011-02-03T20:12:00.000-08:002011-02-03T21:46:35.671-08:00Old School Skills by the DamselI found a blog that I just LOVE! She calls herself The Damsel and she is a fabulous writer. Her goal is to bring back old school tricks in order to be more self reliant. She has a fun whimsical and humorous style of writing about the funny things she finds.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/trekkyandy/275114903/" title="Select Your Poison by trekkyandy, on Flickr"><img alt="Select Your Poison" height="175" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/102/275114903_90851402af.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
For instance, I feel like such a fool for buying dryer sheets all my adult life. Did you know you can<a href="http://www.mynewoldschool.com/2010/07/01/make-your-own-dryer-sheets/"> make your own dryer sheets</a>? Simply soak a washcloth in fabric softener, wring it out, let it dry and you have a dryer sheet that you can use for months! What a fool I've been!<br />
Another example is<a href="http://www.mynewoldschool.com/2009/06/17/term-research-project-buttermilk-and-other-cultured-thingies/"> buttermilk.</a> Yes buttermilk. I never buy buttermilk. It seems odd and foo foo to me. (not to mention expensive to use in an odd recipe I come across) Besides almost nothing calls for buttermilk anymore. But she shows how to keep remaking buttermilk from a sample indefinitely- like sourdough.<br />
She found a handy tip to get your <a href="http://www.mynewoldschool.com/2010/08/18/how-to-sharpen-a-disposable-razor/">disposable razor cartridges </a>to last oh so much longer (like 2 years)! (Enjoy the shirtless stud who demonstrates!)<br />
And her no worry pressure <a href="http://www.mynewoldschool.com/2009/08/21/pressure-canning-salsa/">canning salsa</a> that I can't wait to try!<br />
Can I just say, Damsel, I LOVE you!<br />
<br />
PS the <a href="http://www.mynewoldschool.com/2010/12/28/caramel-popcorn-lazy-man-style/">popcorn idea</a> is also appealing. And I don't like popcorn.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rumble1973/3386176275/" title="sugary corn by CGehlen, on Flickr"><img alt="sugary corn" height="200" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/3386176275_15336943a6.jpg" width="175" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-61220751439272310452011-02-03T08:30:00.000-08:002011-02-03T08:31:32.197-08:00More Mormon Conspiracy EvidenceThis video is evidence of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Book-Mormon-Another-Testament-Christ/dp/038551316X?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Mormon Conspiracy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=038551316X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> to change the world!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WbgpLqNTKSI?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-67047858111900883922011-02-01T15:26:00.000-08:002011-02-01T19:44:12.831-08:00Best 100 Books To Read Before You DieAnyone who tries to compile a book list is doomed to failure. But I must do it. I think I have a good mix of fiction and non fiction here. There is all levels of reading on this list from Dr Seuss and Beverly Cleary, to The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire and Aristotle. Some have multiple volumes. Some should be reread continually, like the first four on the list. After you read through this list you can consider yourself fairly educated.<br />
<ol><li><a href="http://lds.org/scriptures?lang=eng">The Holy Bible</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Book-Mormon-Another-Testament-Christ/dp/038551316X?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Book of Mormon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=038551316X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament?lang=eng">The Doctrine & Covenants</a></li>
<li><a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/pgp?lang=eng">The Pearl of Great Price</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revised-Enhanced-History-Joseph-ebook/dp/B004C05A2C?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The History of Joseph Smith By His Mother, Lucy Mack Smith</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004C05A2C" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/History-Church-Volumes-Index-Mormon/dp/0875794866?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">History of the Church, Joseph Smith</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0875794866" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/1776-Illustrated-David-McCullough/dp/1416542108?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">1776, David McCullough</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1416542108" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Real-George-Washington-American-Classic/dp/0880800143?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Real George Washington, National Center for Constitutional Studies</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0880800143" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Real-Thomas-Jefferson-American-Classic/dp/0880800062?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Real Thomas Jefferson, National Center for Constitutional Studies</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0880800062" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Real-Benjamin-Franklin-American-Classic/dp/0880800011?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Real Benjamin Franklin, National Center for Constitutional Studies</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0880800011" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/John-Adams-David-Mccullough/dp/B000YBVET6?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">John Adams, David McCullough</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000YBVET6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Languages-Secret-That-Lasts/dp/0802473156?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0802473156" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Smith-Rough-Stone-Rolling/dp/1400077532?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Joseph Smith Rough Stone Rolling, Richard Lyman Bushman</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1400077532" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Narnia-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060598247?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Narnia Series, CS Lewis</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0060598247" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Great-Divorce-C-S-Lewis/dp/0061774197?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Great Divorce, CS Lewis</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Screwtape-Letters-Proposes-Toast/dp/0060652896?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0060652896" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Other-Survival-Signals-Protect-Violence/dp/0440508835?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Gift of Fear, Gavin De Becker </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0440508835" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-Your-Doctor-About-ebook/dp/B000FA5SKW?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About..., John R. Lee</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000FA5SKW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pioneers-Vintage-Classics-Willa-Cather/dp/0679743626?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">O Pioneers!, Willa Cather</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0679743626" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/story-liberty-Charles-Carleton-Coffin/dp/1149556943?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Story of Liberty, Charles Carleton Coffin</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1149556943" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Splendid-Suns-Khaled-Hosseini/dp/159448385X?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Communist-W-Cleon-Skousen/dp/1568493673?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Naked Communist, Cleon Skousen </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1568493673" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph From The Frontiers of Brain Science, Norman Diodge</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0143113100" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Burning-Within-Ranelle-Wallace/dp/1882723058?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Burning Within, Ranelle Wallace</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1882723058" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Everlasting-Definitive-Study-After/dp/0882908006?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Life Everlasting, Duane S. Crowther</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0882908006" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Monkeys-Wilson-Rawls/dp/B0011WH5Q8?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Summer of the Monkeys, Wilson Rawls</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0011WH5Q8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tuck-Everlasting-Natalie-Babbitt/dp/0312369816?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Tuck Everlasting. Natalie Babbit</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0312369816" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird-Mass-Market-Paperback/dp/B003SOMYNQ?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003SOMYNQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Book-Virtues-William-J-Bennett/dp/B000212NS4?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Book of Virtues, William Bennett</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000212NS4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hawk-That-Dare-Not-Hunt/dp/0890843686?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt By Day, Scott O'Dell</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0890843686" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wrinkle-Time-Madeleine-LEngle/dp/0312367546?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A Wrinkle In Time, Madeleine L'Engle</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0312367546" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Eyre-Charlotte-Bront%C3%AB-ebook/dp/B002Z13TR8?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/America-Last-Best-Hope-Volumes/dp/1595551255?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">America, Last Best Hope Vol. I & II, William Bennett </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1595551255" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Three-Pillars-Zion-Five-Books/dp/B002OKV2W4?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Three Pillars of Zion, Larry Barkdull</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002OKV2W4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Women-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199538115?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Little Women, Louisa May Alcott</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0199538115" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-2000-Years-Cleon-Skousen/dp/B0007EQCQU?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The First 2000 Years, Cleon Skousen</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007EQCQU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Third-Thousand-Years-Cleon-Skousen/dp/B0017OD4VK?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Third Thousand Years, Cleon Skousen</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0017OD4VK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Thousand-Years-David-Christ/dp/B0025VTMB0?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Fourth Thousand Years, Cleon Skousen</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0025VTMB0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/5000-Year-Leap-Original-Authorized/dp/0880801484?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The 5000 Year Leap, Cleon Skousen</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0880801484" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/History-English-Speaking-Peoples-Volumes/dp/B000MXMIYQ?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A History of the English Speaking Peoples 5 Volumes, Winston Churchill</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000MXMIYQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=The%20Decline%20and%20Fall%20of%20the%20Roman%20Empire,%20Edward%20Gibbon" target="_blank">The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire 6 Volumes, Edward Gibbon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
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<li> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/South-Beach-Diet-Arthur-Agaston/dp/B000K3XOQ4?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The South Beach Diet, Dr Arthur Agaston, MD</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000K3XOQ4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Key-Science-Theology-Parley-Pratt/dp/1163314803?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Key To The Science of Theology, Parley P Pratt</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1163314803" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Totally-Miserable-Self-Hinder/dp/1590387430?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">How to Be Totally Miserable: A Self hinder Book, John Bytheway</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1590387430" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Three-Against-Hitler-Rudi-Wobbe/dp/1591560268?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Three Against Hitler, Rudi Wobbe, Jerry Borrowman</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1591560268" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1591560268" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Communist-W-Cleon-Skousen/dp/1568493673?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Naked Communist, Cleon Skousen</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1568493673" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Let-Your-Heart-Troubled-ebook/dp/B002NOGEAG?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled, Boyd K. Packer</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002NOGEAG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Story-Science-Aristotle-Leads-Way/dp/1588341607?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way, Joy Hakim </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1588341607" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Covenant-Willie-Handcart-Companies/dp/1590384113?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Fire of the Covenant, Gerald Lund</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1590384113" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/WORK-GLORY-Complete-Set-1-9/dp/B00171D3BO?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Work and The Glory, Gerald Lund</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00171D3BO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Plato-Republic/dp/0872201368?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Republic, Plato</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0872201368" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nicomachean-Ethics-Aristotle/dp/1557427704?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1557427704" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Fish-Blue-Read-Myself/dp/0394800133?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Dr Seuss</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0394800133" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Four-Loves-ebook/dp/B003ZYETP0?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Four Loves, CS Lewis</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003ZYETP0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whatever-Happened-Explanation-Economics-Investments/dp/0942617622?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Whatever Happened To Penny Candy?, Richard J Maybury</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0942617622" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0942617622" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trumpet-Swan-full-color/dp/0064410943?ie=UTF8&tag=momnmb-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Trumpet of the Swan, EB White</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=momnmb-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0064410943" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li>
</ol>Now, I know I will not have included every good book, but that should keep you busy for a while! Several of these authors have many good books, and if you get especially intrigued by one chase down others. Good luck with these 100 books to read before you die! What would you add?<div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-42639212436510338282011-01-30T14:09:00.000-08:002011-01-30T14:09:00.955-08:00Feel Good Songs: My New GenreListening to Positive Life Radio, a local radio station that covers a large area on different frequencies, has really made a difference in my days. These are the ultimate feel good songs! I found some videos for the best feel good songs they have been playing. Enjoy!<br />
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The Afters: <i>Light Up The Sky</i><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8LQH6UDi15s" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Mercyme <i>Beautiful</i><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1vh7-RSPuAA" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Third Day <i>Cry Out To Jesus </i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">This one is dedicated to my brother who died too soon from leukemia almost a year ago now. I think he would have liked this one.</span></span><i></i><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JmVxRl5bc4Y" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Mercyme <i>I Can Only Imagine</i><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/N_lrrq_opng" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Francesca Battistelli <i>Beautiful, Beautiful</i><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CUyR4-2g68M" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Jeremy Camp <i>There Will Be A Day</i><br />
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<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/le-TG4sRRiQ" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe><br />
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Third Day <i>Revelation</i><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6u0P9kwfF4s" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="480"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-32025439576846849552011-01-29T20:11:00.000-08:002011-01-29T20:11:00.143-08:00A Few Nifty Potluck Ideas: Time for a Party!<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A potluck is the oldest type of party. Anyone interested in having a party but doesn't have money to spend just needs to announce a potluck. Mormons are especially known for having potlucks. Here are some yummy and fun potluck ideas!</div><br />
<u><b>Crockpot Potluck Ideas</b></u><br />
God bless the inventor of the crockpot! It is the perfect appliance for a potluck loving family. So many dishes can be made in a crockpot. Have all your friends bring their favorite dish in their crockpot and pass around the recipes! What could be better than having a taste test of a recipe before going to the trouble and expense of preparing it first?<br />
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<u><b>Ideas for Potluck Dinners</b></u><br />
If it's dinner your arranging try assigning different parts of the meal to each guest. One could bring a salad, another the rolls, another some baked potatoes. Choose monthly potluck ideas and farm out the different elements of the meal. Pass a sign up sheet around your group with each element of the meal listed. If you know the guests well enough to know what they make well they will feel flattered if you ask them to bring the dish they make the best. Potluck dinner ideas could even be themed around a certain ingredient or color. <br />
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<u><b>Low Calorie Potluck Ideas</b></u><br />
After the New Year everyone is looking for low calorie foods. How about a potluck spotlighting low calorie foods like salsa, sugar free desserts or a high fiber homemade bread? Find a good cookbook such as Weight Watchers recipes, or South Beach recipes, and have everyone bring something to try from the book. <br />
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<b><u>Ideas For Potluck Themes</u></b><br />
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Holidays provide the perfect theme for potluck parties. You could also spotlight a specific culture or have everyone bring a heritage dish. Have everyone try a different cooking method like a waffle iron (but not traditional waffles) or a dutch oven dish. That would certainly provide some conversation starters! How about spotlighting what is currently being harvested locally, or the hottest sale item from your grocery store? <br />
Choose a dish like freezer jam, lasagna or chili and have a contest to vote the best one? <br />
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Whatever you decide to do, having regular potlucks allows friends to get together, talk and of course exchange tested recipes! You will certainly have no trouble coming up with more easy potluck ideas!<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I think I'll throw a party now!</span> Potluck anyone?<div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-88036640032190160062011-01-28T21:15:00.000-08:002011-01-28T21:15:00.505-08:00The Mormon Conspiracy This World Needs More Of!This is an example of the extremes of the Mormon Conspiracy theories. Michael Medved accurately exposes the real conspiracy of the Mormons!<br />
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<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BtXY4FBTsDc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BtXY4FBTsDc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-42750058642993875002011-01-26T13:15:00.000-08:002011-01-27T07:58:45.716-08:005 Most Beautiful LDS Temples<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">See the poll at the left! If your favorite temple is not listed select other and leave your favorite temple in the comments section! Enjoy these awesome temple pictures!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">#5 Hawaii, USA</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/4178576782_9c25ea5b80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/4178576782_9c25ea5b80.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">#4 Nauvoo, Illinois</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/New_Nauvoo_Temple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/New_Nauvoo_Temple.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">#3 Dallas, Texas</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Dallas_LDS_Temple_by_David_B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Dallas_LDS_Temple_by_David_B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">#2 Hong Kong China</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/118/276501218_44e39e741d_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/118/276501218_44e39e741d_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">#1 San Diego Temple</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/San_Diego_LDS_Temple,_twilight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/San_Diego_LDS_Temple,_twilight.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.world66.com/sa/n_/di/san_diego_lds_temp_galleryfull" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37096250.post-41927844809352383002011-01-21T21:08:00.000-08:002011-01-21T21:08:59.874-08:00Extreme Self Reliance?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8golfhrbyu8/TTpmTFc9b5I/AAAAAAAAAbw/mHHd2mfnG6M/s1600/thomas_pix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8golfhrbyu8/TTpmTFc9b5I/AAAAAAAAAbw/mHHd2mfnG6M/s200/thomas_pix.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I want to raise chickens. I don't know why really. I want to gather eggs. We don't really eat that many eggs. For a while I couldn't eat any. But since we have moved onto this half acre I have thought I needed to raise chickens. <br />
When I was about eight-ish my family went to my Grandpa's house and watched him butcher a few chickens. I vividly remember the chickens flapping around headless. I think my mom and her sister picked the feathers off. I don't want to do that ~ that's what butchers are for. I just want eggs. Maybe I'm being to extreme?<br />
I called my city and asked if I was allowed to have chickens. They said I could have 20 chickens! Now we are looking for plans for a chicken tractors, that's a mobile chicken coop, deciding where to put them and how to take care of them. I am fantasizing about an abundance of eggs, and watching my chickens do whatever chickens do all day.<br />
All because I want chickens. But I don't know why....<div class="blogger-post-footer">post feed footer</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com