Familial Research and Development

Choices! I love having them. I love a smorgasborg just because it's full of choices; and I wanna try a little bit of all of it. I want and feel I need a new car. I want a crossover SUV. I know that if I wanted to, I could easily refinance the house and have enough from the equity in the home that I could go buy what I want and have no payments. I could... If I chose to. However. We only have 8 years left on this mortgage. And I know that if I were in an accident my new car could get totaled and I'd be walking and have no options. So, I choose to just limp by with what I have for now. But at least, it is by choice!

We both took today off work. That meant we would be together the greater portion of the day. I know some people, as they age, grow apart and are content to have very busy lives independent of each other and so have a hard time spending time together. That has not been our problem. We LIKE each other and we LIKE spending time together. Talking or not. Watching a movie or the news or not. So when my hubby said, "The Temple closes at noon on Wednesday and since we both have the day off, let's go!" I said, OK! When we got there (on the way we stopped and got my Driver's License renewed-there really should have been a Staples button there because really, 'That was easy!') we decided to do Sealings. So who was in the room with us? Couples by the last name of Hill, Bill and the Sealer was McCoy. Old feuds in the hills of Kentucky went on for generations between the Hatfields and the McCoys. All hillbillies. The commonality of this all? Though I am now and forever wil

I love jewelry. I just do. The more real it is, the better I like it. I like the sparkles. I like the attention it draws. I like feeling ritzy wearing it. Somewhere along the line I learned that I would NEVER be able to afford the biggest, the bestest anything. That's a pure truth. I've come to terms with that. I accept it. I've also learned that I may have two or three items that go nicely with a certain color, or outfit but I can only wear one of the necklaces, or one of the earrings, or one of the rings. That's a pure truth. I've come to terms with that. I accept it. I've also learned that just because I have, I own, it's in my possession, doesn't mean that somebody else somewhere along the line won't say they want it more, worse, more strongly than I do and just take it. That one's a little harder to come to terms with and accept. But it is a pure truth. So, this all makes me wonder... In the hereafter... For those who make it to the Celestia

Her vehicle sustained some damage. You'd think with how much and where the damage is, it would be obvious that she should have seen us. But evidently not. Which leads to the next question, why didn't she get a ticket when she was going around a curve, through an intersection, in heavy traffic (all of which according to the speed laws in the Utah Drivers Handbook say you HAVE slow down to do)? She was, according to both her insurance and ours, found 30% at fault. It's obvious from the damage we incurred that she hit us pretty hard. It spun our car 180 degrees. My tire is popped and sits at an angle to my car. Debris from my car was found in the road. Undercarriage structure was broken. That's the rear passenger door and tire she hit-so quite a bit of me was showing and past her range when she slammed into me-yet for her rate of speed she didn't see me. I was found 70% at fault-according to Utah laws, because I was making a left turn across her path to travel-outsi

They're in their late 70's and mid 80's. They are sisters. Both live in the same community, not more than 3 miles apart. Both are now widows. They do stuff together. They don't just say they're too old to do things, to go out, to be part of society. They get together and go do stuff together. Shopping, Temple attendance, Relief Society activities, you know... Things like that-simple things-life things. Life begins and ends with families. You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your siblings.

So the Republicans in power and authority have decided to not 'fight' with the Democrats so will be letting the Bush tax credits expire. Hence we will go into elections in 5 weeks time with the Bush tax credits on our pay checks, vote for the bums that are not doing the job they were hired to do, and four weeks later we all get a pay cut (as the tax credits expire) and they, the bums, continue on with business as usual-like nothing ever happened-like what they're doing (nothing) is okay-like we are all okay with it and that we APPROVE of their continued out of control spending and taxing. And you wonder why the 'tea party' makes sense. 'I tell you what!' -Bartok, Anastasia.

Sure. We're out of the recession, according to Obama's Economic Panel. In fact we're so OUT of the recession, AND so blind to it that it's been over for a year and three months. Yip! I'm telling ya, that's what they said. It ended a year ago last June. Sounds like the Pinnochio effect here. Else why are banks still failing? Why does California have to make employees take unpaid days off work? Why do car dealerships continue to offer 'great' deals? Why are large companies holding back on hiring even though they know they're over working and over stressing their good employees? Why have so many 401k stubbornly bottomed out without recovery? Yeah, go figure-the recession's been over for more than a year. Riiiight! Ya think maybe the recession is over? Who are they trying to fool anyway? Oh the fools that want to believe their lies! I get it!

When my babies were babies a new invention hit the baby aisle at the store. It was called infant car seats. You weren't required to have, own or much less use one. That was back when seat belts became standard in all vehicles and most states didn't require you to use them. Somewhere in that time frame I made a decision to wear a seat belt. Not due to laws-there were none governing it-but rather due to the 'smartness' of wearing them. It stood to reason in my young mind, that I should also put my babies in car seats. Again, no law, just smart. Now, not everybody saw it that way. There were a lot of people who didn't think it was necessary. Two things happened as a result. One there were a LOT more available transplants AND two, people had more freedom. Today however, because some people had the 'poor me's' following the 'poor judgment calls' and rather than accept responsibility had decided to join the Sue-happy tribe/trend and yeah-you guessed it

I've often asked myself, as I read and think upon the Book of Mormon, why? Why did the Nephites again and again fall into wickedness? Why did they have to have so many prophets coming and telling them the same thing over and over? Why did they believe it for a year or two and then fall away again? Why? Answers have come to me that indicate their life was more challenging to exist-no modern conveniences-no easy money (credit cards)-no grocery/convenience stores... The cycle of pride-fall into wickedness-calamity of one sort or another (2" x 4")-listening to prophets/repentance-blessings of abundance-and then back to pride again. These all explain part of it. But what was really behind it all? Your personal relationship with God. Not just the prophet to have one, but each individual. Each person must have that 'image' in their heads and hearts, that God the Father is the Father of their spirit-that He hears and answers their own personal prayers-that He lives-that H

Between today's Sunday School Lesson and this month's Relief Society lesson, I'm starting to put something together-an overview that I hadn't been able to define before now. Point one: We have been told by Latter-day Prophets that the Book of Mormon is written specifically for our time. It spans a long length of time where many generations pass away. One generation holding firm and fast to the gospel principles and another who has chosen to no longer believe. Point two: In the Relief Society lesson this month Pres. Julie Beck says: "Without nurturing, our rising generation could be in danger of becoming like the one described in Mosiah 26. Many youth didn't believe the traditions of their fathers and became a separate people as to their faith, remaining so ever after. Our rising generation could likewise be led away if they don't understand their part in Heavenly Father's plan." Point three: Hosea speaks of the same issue in his day: "For she

I really like this love song I've been hearing on the radio. So much so I had to buy it. As much as I relate to the song (often I was called a child bride at age 18-still a teen ager and still knew it all), I feel it has so much truth in it (now that I've been married 37 1/2 years, I can see it), that I have to share it. Lee Brice and Love Like Crazy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0f5g18EbG4 They called them crazy when they started out Said seventeen's too young to know what loves about They've been together fifty-eight years now That’s crazy He brought home sixty-seven bucks a week He bought a little 2 bedroom house on Maple Street Where she blessed him with six more mouths to feed Yea that’s crazy Just ask him how he did it; he'll say pull up a seat It'll only take a minute, to tell you everything Be a best friend, tell the truth, and overuse I Love You Go to work, do your best, don't outsmart your common since Never let your prayin' knees get lazy A

I was six months old when my mom was told by the pediatrician to start feeding me rice cereal. It was one of those things that mom and dad probably hadn’t talked about. Boy oh boy. When he came home from work for lunch and caught her feeding me baby rice cereal he had a come apart. He pounded the solid oak table while yelling and screaming at her. The table leg broke off and he picked it up and hit her across the back with it. He slapped her around some I’m sure because she later told me that after he left she told her dad-who lived in town-when he came over and saw what daddy had done he said he was going to kill him. Like most victims she talked her dad out of it, forgave my dad and kept on taking the abuse. For 42 years she took it. During the 40th year of ‘taking it’ she was in a car accident which jarred her spine pretty severely. She laid on the ER gurney moaning and complaining and begging to be allowed to lie on her side and get off her back. They finally noticed her pleading a

Pride! Pride is what keeps us from repentance. Pride is what keeps us ensnared in the natural man. Pride is what keeps us from thinking of letting go of self-will and adapting to and embracing ‘Thy will’ attitudes. Somehow pride and fear are intertwined. Fear of being less or less capable than one thinks they are is fueled or hid by pride of thinking you are great and capable.* I know this last sentence sounds confusing but really it has something to do with 'mans blindness'- which is our not being able to see ourselves as we really are (either our weaknesses or our strengths). But back to the pride/fear intertwining with our sense of capable/incapable. This is represented as the ‘little child’ syndrome of recognizing that just as a little child must put their faith and trust in the hand of an adult-we must put our faith and trust in the Hand of our Savior and let Him lead us whither-soever He will, whensoever He will, howsoever He will; without doubt, without fear, without pri

My mom came to live with us. We had been baptized just minutes apart from each other. I was 16 yrs old. She was 44. I know how she must have felt. 'There's nothing wrong with you, it's all in your head.' 'You just want people to feel sorry for you.' 'You just want a vacation and to make everyone else do everything for you.' 'You're lazy.' But we weren't on the same spiritual plane. I held fast to the iron rod for I had sought truth and light all my young life. She had him to deal with and wasn't holding fast to much of anything. My biggest concern was what was my responsibility to the Lord with and for her. She hadn't had her Endowments. Was it my job to teach and exhort and 'missionary' her to that point so she too could enjoy that sweet fruit? So I prayed and pleaded. Not often when I ask an open ended question do I get an answer. This time I did. "What would you have me do for her? What is my mission with her?"

I recall the days when as a mother the Spirit would work on me or trouble me throughout the day over one child and then would teach me as I would think/ask, ‘what is it?’ about what that child was struggling with. This morning I found the scriptural reference for that-of course I’ve read it dozens of times but here it is: But behold, hearken ye unto me, and know that by the help of the all–powerful Creator of heaven and earth I can tell you concerning your thoughts, how that ye are beginning to labor in sin, which sin appeareth very abominable unto me, yea, and abominable unto God. (Book of Mormon | Jacob 2:5) This tendency doesn't just go away either as your children become adults. You still have the Holy Ghost troubling you and there's less you can do or say about it, but you still know. For some of your children you can only pray, some you can talk to-but they might not be ready to talk about what's troubling them, some you can only cry for.

I am not a goal setter. Well, I wouldn't classify myself as one. A former co-worker would have a year-at-a-glace calendar by her desk. Every payday was circled in one color. Every unpaid holiday was circled in another. Every paid holiday (all three of them) was circled in another. AND she knew how many hours (to the minute) of PTO she had at what point and when she was going to take which day(s) off for the whole year. Nope. I am not a goal setter-well by those parameters. That said, I know that since this week began with an unpaid holiday, I will have to find a way of making my 40 hours up (as much as is feasible) within the allotted four days left of the week. But wait, Friday, the day before the big move, will be a half day. Therefore I have 3 1/2 days to work my 40 hours in, or use PTO and then either not get paid for or not take vacation in July. Today, and now is when and where I have control. So I get there as close to 7 a.m. as I can and work until 6 p.m. Three days of this

I have not felt this pain for such a long, long time. I have not cried with such a depth of feeling for an even longer time. The tears used to be for me, myself. Now they are for all the little children. I remember. I remember getting beat in the head. Whipped with a 1" wide leather colt training strap. Beat with open hands-my head as a ping pong ball. I remember feeling like I had little to no clothes and less toys. I remember being hungry-hurting because I was so hungry. She said listen to this song. I know you'll like it. She knows. She knows my history AND she knows how much I love little children. She knows how I have sobbed over Ethan Stacey's murder. So I listened. And I sobbed. Not for me this time. For Ethan. For the children trapped in poverty and abuse throughout the world. I sobbed. I now sob. Father protect them. Father I wish I could rescue them. Prayer of the Children by InsideOut Can you hear the prayer of the children?  On bended knee, in the shadow of an

I liked the movie. It got me thinking. I could really feel Shrek's pain. The same old thing happening again and again. Same routine. Groundhog day scenario. The rut of life, of raising a family. The frustration and anger building. Poor Shrek. He needed to learn to placate himself-self soothe. I'm sure if the story were written from Fiona's perspective there would have been times and moments her emotions went that way too. That's just the way it is. That's the way we are. Like pendulums. Our lives. Our emotions. Where we're at in our lives, in our jobs. Although she did indicate that she had come to terms with the whole 'rut' thing when she said told Shrek he had everything he wanted: a wife who loved him, a family, three children. I'm speaking of dreams and aspirations we have. What we want in life, from life, throughout life; these are our dreams. They are dreams we feel we can and will realize. Which is probably true (if they're realistic and a

I'm not so sure it's quite cracked up to what it's supposed to be. I was told to set goals-some long some short range. But seriously what's long and what's short? Remodeling our bedrooms and front room of our home. Long or short? Perspective. Supply/demand issues. Marketing/color scheme by major manufacturers change-dramatically about every 10 years. That's an industry standard. Last October/November (2009) I had made decisions for color schemes for our bedroom, office, craft room and living room. I had paint chips. I had made the decision to pay as we go. Painting, ripping out carpet, laying wood laminate flooring, installing new moulding (baseboard and around doors) AND crown moulding takes time... and money... So here we are about six months later. The office is done. The bedroom is almost done. The craft room is almost done. The hall is almost done. And... When I stopped at Home Depot during the week to pick up some more painting stuff for the hall I found t

I can't believe that fell out of his mouth. There. Of all places, there ! He was praying for all of us. I can't believe he just said that. What? you ask... "Please bless the leaders of this nation that they will see our needs and fill them." Say what ! I have read this scripture before and heard and thought of many applications for it, but I think it applies here too: "O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe." (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 1:13) Last time I checked when God 'helps' us, He expects us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and dig in and get to work. He teaches us how to fish and expects we catch the worm (bait), put it on the hook, go to a stream and fish-then clean it, cook it and eat it. Gone are the days when man

He is a big fat liar. He says that it's delicious to the taste and very desirable. He doesn't even have a body so he can't taste. He's a liar. He says that he rules this world. That no one can usurp him. Another lie. He can't even rule himself. He influences-as people allow him to-for they have such a need for greed and power over others too. Go figure. Birds of a feather. God has said: "And worlds without number have I created..." (Pearl of Great Price | Moses 1:33) You know, I believe that. I feel there's evidence of that as well. The Hubble telescope (1" in diameter) was pointed at an area of space known to be dark-nothing in it. The shutter was left open for an extended period of time. When the image was finished downloading they found hundreds of galaxies in that tiny 1" of darkest space. I highly doubt that the creation of 'worlds without number' was done all at once. I think the worlds have different start dates. I think this s

Yes. Yes they are. She was speaking of the home remodeling progress. But as I was saying my prayers this morning it dawned on me that although the remodeling job is important to me, a much greater dream is coming true. A fulfillment of eternal value. She's part of it. To see my posterity hold to the iron rod, the word of God and to each other-that is my fondest dream. Yes. My dreams are coming true. Little bit by little bit. The rest is just frosting!

As a tween (that being somewhere between a teenager and a kid) there were mornings I did the 'normal' kid thing. I'd get up, take care of bodily needs, clothe, eat and then find something to do to play. Well.... One of the 'bodily needs' that my parents were trying to teach me (I guess) was the need to brush my hair, do something with it (take responsibility for it) and make myself presentable (for others to look at). I just didn't do anything about it. My bad. Their bad? They would try to 'shame' me into taking responsibility rather than teach me into it. I didn't brush my hair. Okay. So help me develop the habit by: 1) Teach me that others have to look at me and though I only see out through my eyes so I don't have to see what I look like, doesn't mean that's so pleasant for others if I don't brush my hair. 2) Like putting clean clothes on, brushing your hair is done regularly, first thing in the morning. 3) Provide for me implement

Dove donated blood at the ARC center today. I got there to pick him up just as he was through with his treat and was ready to go. I love perfect timing. I was naughty (again). I hadn't made dinner. I was too busy crafting a card to give to the ladies I visit teach. I enjoy doing that-being crafty-visiting teaching. As I was feeling guilty about not being a very good wife, I noticed on the Arctic Circle billboard, "$5 Buck Bag of Burgers Triple Berry Shakes" I can afford that much. So we splurged and got burgers, a triple berry shake to share and an order of fries to share. Where's all this leading? Nowhere in particular-just down memory lane. My dad used to drive 20 miles south to Ventura and buy, from a mom & pop hamburger stand 20 cent hamburgers. AND this place had a gallon jug of banana peppers on the counter-have all you want with your burgers. For some reason that used to taste so good. I thought that was a great deal. Then a couple years later I was in Salt

I believe that if you set specifications on a request, you have set limits to that request. I said my prayers. I asked to help me be more patient with my husband. Is that what I got? No. Asking for such a thing I know means that I will be given an 'opportunity' for growth. I figured growth with my husband is a good thing-and one that I am still working at. Is that what happened? NO! After he left for work this morning I haven't seen or spoken with him; haven't interacted with him; and nothing has gone 'wrong' that I can blame on him. On my way home from work I was going to stop and pick up a new table cloth, but couldn't find a close/easy parking spot so decided I didn't have time to waste. I did stop at the bank and made a deposit-this was time I knew I had, the wait was not long. Then I stopped at the store. I had promised to take half a dinner to a family and was assigned a salad and a dessert. I shopped quickly and got to the check stand. I did NOT h

They moved them. I'm sure they did. We were just here last night and... and... they were just right there, weren't they? Maybe I was just distracted with the company I was with this morning so I just missed them. Maybe I was distracted because I was hungry. But really, I'm sure they just moved them... We wandered for nearly an hour and were almost back where we begun so I had to ask someone. I certainly didn't want to sound stupid, you know. You don't speak Swedish and everything is titled with a Swedish name. So I experiment with a slight risk. I walk up to an employee in a yellow with blue shirt and say, "I'm speaking in IKEA. I'm looking for a set of six, two of each, (my hands are demonstrating the sizes) and, komplement, and..." Before I finish my sentence she says, "There right over here and do you want it in white or black?" If you speak IKEA to a person who understands IKEA, you won't sound crazy, you risk little to nothing an

Oh well it will grow back, right?! I was burning some of the grapevine clippings in the burn barrel. It was still wet from the winter and from yesterdays snow/rain. I've always associated grapevines with Jesus. Something about treading the wine press alone, righteous wrath (The Grapes of Wrath), turning water into wine at a wedding (love alliteration) and so on. Being so wet there was a lot of white smoke, little flame and not much heat. Until I thought of trimming the branches off the Christmas tree and putting them in. Man did that ever get things going (hence the singed hair). He was hung on a pole, from a tree. Christmas is man's puny excuse to celebrate His birth. Interesting, it took the Christmas tree to get the grapevines burning. Then once the grapevines (only the ones in the barrel, I have lots more where those came from) burned down I could see what was in the bottom of the barrel... wait for it... wait for it... As I was turning the compost pile so I could be nearby

I cruised into the Distribution Center, picked up new undergarments, renewed my Ensign subscription AND bought Dove 2 new white shirts and then hit the freeway about 2 minutes later. Arrived at my destination in SLC about 10 minutes before I HAD to be there (which translated correctly means I sat and waited for 10 minutes) and then I made Dove give me directions to some place (any place) where we could grab a quick bite to eat. No repeat of last week. We sat down to eat, missed the next session and had to wait 40 minutes-that was one late night! After we ate we headed for the Temple and were concerned with only 10 minutes before the next session that we might not get changed in time and make it. But-we did. After the session we're heading to the freeway and are playing with the idea of stopping at IKEA to get some more cabinets for our favorite (for now) project-remodeling the bedrooms into a master bedroom, office and craft room with sufficient storage space in each room for all o

"If we do not have a deep foundation of faith and a solid testimony of truth, we may have difficulty withstanding the harsh storms and icy winds of adversity which inevitably come to each of us." --Thomas S. Monson, "On Being Spiritually Prepared", Ensign, Feb 2010, 4–6 When I first read this I read the 3rd to last word as teach. Then I realized, that is what challenges do-teach us. Sometimes learning comes through seeing others experiences(either the challenge happening to someone else and we learn from it-as in dad’s case). His brother Joe went skiing on Sunday, despite parental advisement to not, and broke his leg in 13 places. Sometimes we’re given multiple ‘opportunities’ to be ‘taught’-we do something we know we shouldn’t and the earth did not come crashing down on us (yet) so we go along being good (for awhile) and do it again (with all sorts of reasons why we were justified in breaking commandments) and maybe again this time the world didn’t come crashing do

A couple Sundays ago the Bishopric played a CES talk by Pres. Uchtdorf about dating. Discouraging 'all-day' dates etc. I kind of have to chuckle about that. Youth (ages 16 to married) tend to have a hard time realizing what they're really doing when they're dating. My opinion and I'm sticking to it. Based on my emotions as a youth, I believe the desire is to spend as many seconds with your date (person of interest) as is possible; hence the 'all-day' date syndrome. After 37 years of marriage, yes, we still date; I have found an interesting situation about our dating habits. We 'dated' going to the Temple one night a week and out to dinner if we could afford it for a lot of the years our children were growing up. We still try to squeak that in. The youngest has been an adult for a good eight years and with all the hopes of being able to go on fun dates together I still find my plans shifted. I may be in the mood to go to a movie, but if the Stake or s

May 23, 2010 Post #6 Individual Worth Additional Value no. 1 I read the assigned scriptures and came to a conclusion that probably the most important thing the LDS Church is doing by making assignments like these for our youth is to give them the opportunity to stop, think, look, introspectively evaluate, and then develop-their own testimony. What they feel, how they feel, why they feel about themselves-specifically with this assignment. I read through and used these scriptures for our FHE tonight. (Psalms 8:4-6, Jeremiah 1:5, John 13:34, D&C 18:10, Abraham 3:22-23, and Joseph Smith History 1: 1-20). I remember a time in my young motherhood life period when I was feeling pretty much like nothing. I spoke with my great Aunt Piney about it and she said that I should always remember that man is but a little below the angels. I felt such hope when she said it and I felt the Spirit testify it is true. She said it was in the scriptures. I remember finding it and feeling sad because the s