Molly Mormon Democrat

Love is a Many Splendored Thing

2012-02-14T09:27:00.002-05:00

I know, I know. Todayis the day I’m supposed to fit the stereotype of a shrewish, bitter singlewoman simply because I’m single.* It’s the day when I’m required by every movieconvention to drown my sorrows in chocolate. But in reality, for today at least, I think it’s wonderful that we havea whole holiday celebrating love. Toquote from South Pacific, one of my favorite Broadway musicals, “love is agrand and beautiful thing.” Love isgreat, and you don’t have to be “in a relationship” to give or receivelove.

True story: one day I was carrying in some heavy groceries,and thinking to myself, in a self-pitying kind of way, “I wish I had aboyfriend/husband to carry these in for me.” Literally at that moment, a friend came up behind me and started to helpcarry the groceries. I’m grateful forthe love of my friends and family, who help me carry burdens even though I amtoo independent to ask for help. I’mgrateful for the love of my Heavenly Father and Mother. I’m grateful for the ultimate love of JesusChrist and his self-sacrifice for all of us.

So, I wish you all a very happy Valentine’s day! If you are in a relationship, do somethingkind and loving for your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife. If you’re not, take time to tell your friendsyou love them! And remember, the grassis always greener on the other side of the fence – we single people long to bemarried and some married people long to be single:

Love who you are! Be happy and have JOY J

*Actually, I’m shrewish and bitter 365 days a year, ‘causeI’m a feminist – ba doop ching! Kidding! Mostly.

Molly-ness

2012-02-11T22:16:00.000-05:00

On this blog I've blogged about being Mormon, and a Democrat, but I don't think I've blogged about my "molly-ness" before. Urban dictionary defines a "molly mormon" thusly: "A female member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) who fits the stereo type of the goody-goody Mormon. She's very devoted to the Church standards. Can be used both negatively and positively."

Sometimes the term really denotes a goody-two-shoes type of Mormon who is self-righteous. When I chose the blog title "Molly Mormon Democrat," it wasn't because I am particularly righteous or because I think myself better than the average Mormon (those of you who know me, know the contrary is true). I think of a molly Mormon more as a "average" Mormon. Garrison Keillor likes to joke that in Lake Woebegon "all the children are above average." Yet I've met many average Mormons, and I love them.

Average Mormons, are the salt of the earth. They can (and often are) typical, normal people who can also be extraordinarily kind and giving. That's the type of "average" Mormon I want to be. Being that type of Mormon has nothing to do with political affiliation, and everything to do with the great "change of heart" that is required to move aside our selfish selves and love others sincerely.

Reminds me of a scene from my favorite TV show, "The West Wing." Some presidential staffers are arguing about a poll question which labels the person taking the poll as "average:"

JOSH LYMAN:"When making policy decisions, do you think that President Bartlet puts the needs of average people first?" "Average people" is a pejorative phrase and occurs about six times in the polling model.

C.J. CREGG:This may come as a shock to you, but 80% of the people in this country would use the word "average" to describe themselves. They do not find the term deprecating. Indeed, being considered an "average American" is something they find to be positive and comforting.

Indeed, being an average Mormon is something I find positive and comforting. It doesn't mean we are perfect, but it does mean we have good company in our quest to be better.

To Dream The Impossible Dream

2012-02-05T09:19:00.001-05:00

Each of us has dreams - unfulfilled wishes and hopes for the future. So here's my inspirational thought today: keep dreaming that "impossible dream"!

Hold Fast to Your Dreams
Hold fast your dreams!
Within your heart
Keep one still, secret spot
Where dreams may go,
And, sheltered so,
May thrive and grow
Where doubt and fear are not.
O keep a place apart,
Within your heart,
For little dreams to go!

Think still of lovely things that are not true.
Let wish and magic work at will in you.
Be sometimes blind to sorrow. Make believe!
Forget the calm that lies
In disillusioned eyes.
Though we all know that we must die,
Yes you and I
May walk like gods and be
Even now at home in immortality.

We see so many ugly things—
Deceits and wrongs and quarrelings;
We know, alas we know
How quickly fade
The color in the west,
The bloom upon the flower,
The bloom upon the breast
And youth's blind hour.
Yet keep within your heart
A place apart
Where little dreams may go,
May thrive and grow.
Hold fast—hold fast your dreams!

- Louise Driscoll

Gollllllllllllll

2012-02-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Don't you love the Spanish soccer announcers' enthusiasm when someone scores a goal? If only we could have enthusiasm for our goals like that. Too often it seems like goals are prosaic and dutiful, but not quite exciting. I thought I would report to you (yes, all two of you) on my progress on my New Year's resolutions that I made all the way back in January.

Turns out, probably the easiest one was the exercise - I am pretty good at getting up early in the morning once I have the habit. Plus, I'm a cheapskate, and once I pay for a gym I want to use it.

It was harder to actually find the time to watch a movie I hadn't seen. It wasn't til late in the month that I got around to seeing "The Iron Lady" in the theater. Margaret Thatcher was one tough cookie! I also managed to squeeze in "War Horse" - a good sappy movie.

By far the hardest goal is my one of daily prayer. I need to work on it.

Really, Republicans?

2012-01-27T20:49:00.000-05:00

Now I'm no Republican (shocking, I know, considering the title of my blog). But, REALLY, Republicans? Newt Gingrich? It reminds me of a funny segment on Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" where Seth Myers and Amy Poehler where they ask: REALLY?!?!

One of the segments is available on Hulu:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/96392/saturday-night-live-update-thursday-really

I think what irks me about Gingrich is his personality. I disagree with all the Republican candidates, so it's not surprising that I would not like Newt. Gingrich has all the downsides of Republican policy positions, with the added non-bonus of being a real jerk and a terrible leader. I feel like in both his personal and political life, he treats people with contempt, and I think those are qualities that make him unfit to be President. His demeanor towards others says "I am better and smarter than you, and you are the dirt underneath my shoes." I think his treatment of his first and second wives is a symptom of this ego-centrism.

So, Republicans, really? Newt Gingrich?!?! You are all insane.

I Shall Not Pass

2012-01-21T21:19:00.000-05:00

There's a book of poetry (very old) that my parents have two copies of. It's called "The Best Loved Poems of the American People," and I'll admit, some of the poems are corny and sappy and full to the brim with groan-inducing rhymes. Nonetheless, I love to read it and re-read it. I was having a terrible, long day yesterday, and towards the end of it, a co-worker showed me great kindness when she didn't have to. It was just a small and simple act of kindness, but it made a work day of 12 hours seem less terrible. We have so many opportunities to NOT do kind things, but we should take as many opportunities to do kind things as we can find!

I Shall Not Pass This Way Again
Through this toilsome world, alas!
Once and only once I pass;
If a kindness I may show,
If a good deed I may do
To a suffering fellow man,
Let me do it while I can.
No delay, for it is plain
I shall not pass this way again.
- Anonymous

A Political Parable

2012-01-13T15:42:00.003-05:00

Two people went up to the National Archive in Washington, D.C. to view the constitution, the one a Democrat, the other a (re)publican.

The Democrat stood and looked at the constitution and she said to herself, I am thankful that I am not as other men, voodoo economists, despisers of undocumented immigrants, haters of the EPA, or even a global warming denier, as this (re)publican is. I protest twice in the week, and pay taxes of all I possess.

And the (re)publican, standing afar off, would not so much lift up his eyes to the constitution, but said to himself, Oh founding fathers, in your wisdom, be merciful and guide me to your original intent. I say unto you, this (re)publican went down to his house a truer American than the other, for everyone who is overly certain of themselves should be voted out of office.

The above is a political version of one of my favorite parables in the New Testament, that of the Pharisee and the Publican, told in Luke 18:9-14:
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

It would be easy to glean from this a lesson I have talked about on this blog before, that we need to respect one another and not look down on those who disagree with us. I think that is a good message, and a valid way to look at this parable in a political setting. However, I think there is more political moral to this story.

If you look at the Pharisee (the democrat in the above version), he is actually doing the right things - he is not participating in extortion, being unjust, or committing adultery. In politics, this is akin the the rare "valid point" - when you are technically correct about something and have the facts on your side. Note that for each of us, this probably occurs less often than we think it does - we tend to believe we are absolutely "right" about many things for which there is a compelling argument to be made on the opposite side. But, even in the cases where we are--objectively speaking--right, we still can't be arrogant and mean-spirited. There is an essential element of humility missing from our ego-charged political punditocracy.

I may have plenty of data to show that the earth is warming, but if I am an arrogant jerk about it, I have gone too far. I may be able to point to many great things the EPA is doing, but if I am unwilling to admit that it is an organization run by imperfect humans, I may miss ways to make it a better steward of our national resources. So, my point is this: humility in politics is a good thing. Even when you're right, be gracious to those who are wrong about something. So, I guess this does go back to my original moral after all: we need to respect one another and be civil in our political discourse.

Thievery!

2012-01-08T18:19:00.002-05:00

The New York Times stole my headline from my Jan 1st post! They have an article called "Be It Resolved." I am going to sue them for intellectual thievery!

Actually their article is very good, also about New Year's resolutions and how to make them more effective. Read it here.

Week One!

2012-01-07T19:14:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not going to bore you with a post every week about my New Year's resolutions. This post is just to encourage those of you who have made resolutions this year to stick to them. You can do it!! It's easy to get depressed, especially when you read articles like THIS ONE, about how hard it is to lose weight once you've gained it. That may not be your goal or your struggle, but each of us has the habits we strive to overcome. We each want to be better. Many resolutions are hard - so if you've made it through one week, good job! If not, you have 51 weeks to start afresh in 2012. Don't give up!

There was a motivational speaker at my work Christmas meeting/party. He quoted a little Chinese proverb* that went something like this: "Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those doing it." I really liked the emphasis on "can-do" attitude in that saying. There are plenty of people to tell you it cannot be done, that your goal is silly or impossible. But you CAN do it.

We each have a moment in our past when we did something really hard - something we thought, for us, was impossible. For me, it was learning Russian and being able to understand those speaking it. I don't make a claim that I was fluent, but I did something that seemed really hard in the weeks of the MTC where I could barely say three sentences in Russian. I was able to say what I wanted and needed to say - I even reached a point were I could understand the fast Russian of my friends there. My point is not that I'm awesome or something, but that each of us has a "watershed" moment that we can look back on with pride.** We can say "If I could do that (and I DID!), I can do THIS." You can. Your past achievements can help you remember that you have the power - you can change, you can learn, you can grow.

Here are some inspirational things for you to ponder -one of my favorite poems and a great little video of a kid trying to be inspirational.

"It Couldn't Be Done" By Edgar A. Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn’t," but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

*Do the Chinese really have these proverbs? Sometimes I think they're all apocryphal...
**I'm going to go with President Uchtdorf and say there is such a thing as "good" or righteous pride, even if President Benson disagrees.

Be It Hereby Resolved

2012-01-01T20:41:00.000-05:00

Americans and Mormons are both groups of people that believe in self-improvement and goal setting. We laud people who are "self-made," who dream the impossible dream. This can run amok at the beginning of a new year. In sitting down to determine what my resolutions for 2012 should be, I came up with more than a dozen possible goals in just five minutes. These goals range from physical (exercise, lose weight), spiritual (attend institute, read the scriptures consistently), social (spend more time with family and friends, have more dinner parties), financial (bring lunch to work, save more, follow my budget) to political (getting involved with President Obama's re-election campaign, reading more political articles).

Would I like to achieve all these goals? I would LOVE to! Completing all of these things would make me awesome and well rounded. I would be more interesting, kinder, better looking, and politically astute. The trouble is, I don't have time to do all of these - I will burn myself out and just get down on myself. You may be a better resolver than I am, but I simply don't have the resources to do all of them.

Generally I have trouble following New Year's Resolutions. The years in which I have been most successful are the years when I have had only one resolution or when I have written down the resolutions. In 2011, I did fulfill two of my resolutions: I read one "free reading" book per month (well, almost - I skipped August because I was working 70-80 hours per week) and I also bore my testimony in sacrament meeting once. I have decided this year to only have three resolutions, and to share them with you. I have picked resolutions with specific timeframes and measurable outcomes. I will then periodically follow up with you, my reader (note the lack of plural). What are your new year's resolutions?

Here are my resolutions, in no particular order:
- Physical: Exercise at least 4 times a week for at least 45 minutes.
- Spiritual: Pray every day, both morning and night.
- Entertainment: Watch one new movie per month, either in a theater or on DVD.

Maybe I should just make a resolution to be as cool as my friends who helped make this video?

One Last Charity of 2011

2011-12-31T12:29:00.000-05:00

Far be it from me to fall into cliches, but I can't believe we have already reached the end of 2011! That's crazy. So, end the year well - donate to Partners In Heath. PIH was founded by a doctor and is one of the most effective charities fighting poverty in Haiti. They do some really great work - so on this last day for tax deductible donations, try donating to Partners in Health.

Visit the Partners in Health website.

Wiki! Pedia!

2011-12-31T00:07:00.000-05:00

This one's for you - you know who you are. Donate to Wikipedia, the world's online dictionary. If you've ever used it, stop being a freeloader and contribute.

Read more here.

Books are Mightier than the Sword

2011-12-28T20:59:00.000-05:00

The days of giving continue! I'd like to feature a charity that advances a cause near and dear to my heart: childhood literacy. First Book is a charity which provides books to children in poor communities. I have blogged about it before here. Here's a link to their website:

http://www.firstbook.org/

You should support them - literacy is a very important gift!

Give Local

2011-12-27T22:25:00.000-05:00

So my first "Day of Giving" advice: Give local. Find your local food bank and donate to them - whether it be money, food, or time. You may not be able to feed millions, but that doesn't mean you can't make an impact. With the current economic environment, many people need assistance with the basic necessities. Food is a basic need that you can help provide. Find a local food bank that serves needy people in your area. You can often donate money online. Even if you don't have money, you probably can buy an extra can when at the grocery store, and donate that. If that is beyond your means, then you still have time to give - donate some of this very precious resource. Food banks need people to help pick up donations from local grocery stores, organize the shelves, and take care of back office needs.

Get on the mailing list for your local food bank so you can find out what their needs are- they may surprise you. My local food bank has asked for computer programmers, accountants, chefs, and drivers over the past year - your specialized skills may be needed and you can give those. Use the website below to locate your local food bank. I truly believe this is an urgent need for so many of our brothers and sisters who are going hungry right here in America. So my simple advice is: Give.

http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx

Navigating Charity

2011-12-26T10:09:00.000-05:00

As your friendly neighborhood tax accountant, let me inform you that you have only six days left to donate to charity and deduct it on your 2011 tax return! In honor of that, I'm going to feature some of my favorite charities over the next few days. Even if you don't itemize deductions (and therefore don't get a tax benefit from charitable donations), you can still donate to awesome charities and help save the world.

Before we begin, here are some tips from the IRS about gift giving. Also, I generally like to make sure that my charity dollars are effective. I like to donate to charities that spend a small percentage of their money on administrative tasks like fundraising, etc. I personally don't like to donate to charities that pay a bloated salary to their CEO. Sites like Charity Navigator, GiveWell, and GuideStar provide information about charities and ratings to help you donate to the most effective charity for your dollar. Over the next couple of days I'll feature charities I like and provide links to their sites.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T12:03:00.000-05:00

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." - Luke 2:11

My Mom's outdoor manger scene, lit up at night

Merry Christmas Eve, 2011

2011-12-25T00:03:00.000-05:00

So this is an epic scripture post - just a bunch of scriptures about light arranged in rough (and overlapping) categories. I picked those I liked from my scripture study on this topic. Feel free to add any I've missed!

Light is righteousness!
Proverbs 13:9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

Psalms 37:6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Psalms 97:11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Matthew 6:22-23 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

God is light
Psalms 4:6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

Psalms 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

Psalms 104:2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

Isaiah 60:19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Mosiah 16:9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

Blessings Of Light
Psalm 36:9-10 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see a light. O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

Isaiah 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.

Isaiah 58:10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Alma 19:6 Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame, and he was carried away in God—

Alma 26:15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:67 And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.

Light- Way, Truth, and Knowledge
Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalms 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

1 Nephi 17:13 And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

2 Nephi 31:3 For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.

Alma 32:35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect?

Doctrine and Covenants 50:24 That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:45 For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Christ’s Light
Luke 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

John 5:35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Alma 28:14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life.

3 Nephi 18:24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.

Doctrine and Covenants 34:2 The light and the life of the world, a light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not;

Doctrine and Covenants 45:7 For verily I say unto you that I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the light and the life of the world—a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:7 Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:8-12 As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—

Doctrine and Covenants 93:9 The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.

Light as an Example
Luke 8:16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.

Luke 11:36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

John 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Light Isn’t Always Easy to Follow

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

2 Nephi 26:29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion

Moroni 7:18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.

Light’s Effects on Us
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1 John 2:9-10 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

Mosiah 27:29 My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.

Alma 5:7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them.

Because I’m Immature, I found These Funny
John 11:10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

John 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

In Thy Dark Streets

2011-12-24T00:04:00.000-05:00

Of course, with my blogging theme this year, these lyrics from "O Little Town of Bethlehem" stood out to me:

Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The Everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

In what is probably an understatement of the effort required, Luke 2:6-7 records Mary's contribution to this everlasting Light: "And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

On a young woman rested these "hopes and fears of all the world." Eve, a woman, had been the first to partake of the forbidden fruit and bring sin and death into the world. By doing so, she also gave all of us a chance to come here. Mary, also a woman and descendant of Eve, had brought forth the everlasting Light that would shine in dark places and redeem us from the effects of that Fall. Thank you Eve, Thank you, Mary. I don't know if "silently, silently" is how this "wondrous gift" was given, but I am grateful for it nonetheless.

Full Lyrics (only the first three verses are in our hymbook, but I like the rest):

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.

O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep the Angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.

How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given;
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His Heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy
Pray to the blessed Child,
Where misery cries out to Thee,
Son of the Mother mild;
Where Charity stands watching
And Faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
And Christmas comes once more.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray!
Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels,
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!

Happy Winter Solstice!

2011-12-22T15:50:00.000-05:00

Yep, today is solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. This means this is the day with the least light - so from here on out, more sun! Hooray! Around this time of year, I become seriously grateful for the sun - grateful for its warmth and its light. Here's to you, Sun - I hope you'll stick around for a long time!

This is a really cool set of pictures of the sun throughout the year:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/12/photogalleries/101228-sun-end-year-analemmas-solstice-eclipse-pictures/

Let Your Light So Shine

2011-12-21T17:06:00.000-05:00

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

Sometimes I am vaguely uncomfortable with this scripture. It seems to say that we should puff ourselves up, showing our good works before mankind. Generally I prefer to do good things anonymously. I think it's probably connected to my inability to take compliments or thanks well. I want to do good works, but do not want to have my inevitable social awkwardness intercede in the giving of the gift. It's also probably connected to this scripture:

"But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." (Matthew 6:3)

Those two scriptures seem to contradict each other, but I think part of the answer to this apparent contradiction has to do with this scripture:

"Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye should hold up - that which ye have seen me do..." (3 Nephi 18:24)

When we are letting "our" light shine, it's not really our light - it is the light of Christ. We are not glorifying ourselves, and saying to the world "Hey, I'm awesome, worship me." Instead, we should be saying, with our works, "Christ's grace, love, and mercy are awesome! Worship Him, our Savior." Every person lets this light shine in a little different wavelength or shade. We each have unique "lights" to shine, we each have that divine spark within us.

I think that is connected to why church leaders have asked us to create profiles on mormon.org - to show the light of Christ in its multitudinous forms. Sometimes that ad campaign seems to be proclaiming "Mormons are awesome, therefore you should be awesome too and join the church." However, I think it is actually trying to portray the diversity of Mormonism. While it's not the most diverse religion, there are many different people from many different countries who worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and come to know him better through the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If we all add our voices to the internet conversation about the church, the quality of that conversation can only improve.

So, here's my profile on mormon.org. I believe in Christ, and I'm grateful for the light and knowledge that comes to me as I continue my membership in this church.

Happy Hanukkah!

2011-12-20T09:47:00.000-05:00

Yep, I'm not Jewish, but I can sympathize with them during this holiday season - it's gotta be hard to see Christmas decorations everywhere, hear the schmaltzy Christmas music everywhere you go, and know that even when people are wishing you "Happy Holidays" they're really just saying a politically-correct Merry Christmas. So, tonight is the first night of the Festival of Lights, which celebrates the miracle of the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem, when oil intended to burn for only one night lasted for eight nights. So, Happy Hanukkah! (Which as it turns out, is spelled with two k's and only one n! Who knew?)

The classic holiday song celebrating Hanukkah with much reverence:

Help Us Find Our Way

2011-12-19T23:20:00.000-05:00

What do we follow? Two millennia ago, wise men chose to follow a star. Today the verb "to follow" often refers to a Twitter feed, but that is a much more passive activity than actively seeking wisdom. Who or what are we following? What are we seeking?

The Light of Personal Revelation

2011-12-18T23:17:00.000-05:00

Elder Bednar says it much better than I ever could, so I'm just going to share from his talk in April 2011 General Conference, "The Spirit of Revelation":

I invite you to consider two experiences most of us have had with light.

The first experience occurred as we entered a dark room and turned on a light switch. Remember how in an instant a bright flood of illumination filled the room and caused the darkness to disappear. What previously had been unseen and uncertain became clear and recognizable. This experience was characterized by immediate and intense recognition of light.

The second experience took place as we watched night turn into morning.Do you recall the slow and almost imperceptible increase in light on the horizon? In contrast to turning on a light in a dark room, the light from the rising sun did not immediately burst forth. Rather, gradually and steadily the intensity of the light increased, and the darkness of night was replaced by the radiance of morning. Eventually, the sun did dawn over the skyline. But the visual evidence of the sun’s impending arrival was apparent hours before the sun actually appeared over the horizon. This experience was characterized by subtle and gradual discernment of light.

From these two ordinary experiences with light, we can learn much about the spirit of revelation. I pray the Holy Ghost will inspire and instruct us as we now focus upon the spirit of revelation and basic patterns whereby revelation is received....

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.

The gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God “line upon line, precept upon precept” (2 Nephi28:30). 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” (D&C 121:45). This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare and is evident in the experiences of Nephi as he tried several different approaches before successfully obtaining the plates of brass from Laban (see 1 Nephi 3–4).Ultimately, he was led by the Spirit to Jerusalem, “not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do” (1 Nephi 4:6). And he did not learn how to build a ship of curious workmanship all at one time; rather, Nephi was shown by the Lord “from time to time after what manner [he] should work the timbers of the ship” (1 Nephi 18:1).

Let There Be Christmas Lights

2011-12-16T12:38:00.000-05:00

I'm going to share with you some pictures from that series-of-tubes known as the interwebs (or is it internets?). Click on the links to see the Christmas craziness.

I like this picture of Christmas lights! And this one and this one. This one is also cool. And if you think that you've seen a house with too many Christmas lights, you should see this, I bet it's worse. Enjoy!

P.S. Don't tell my brother (who's a computer engineering major and therefore gadget geek), but I am getting him this for Christmas.

Loverly

2011-12-15T23:09:00.000-05:00

This is beautiful.

I love verse 3, here are the lyrics:
Find him at Bethlehem laid in a manger: Christ our Redeemer asleep in the hay. Godhead incarnate and hope of salvation: A child with his mother that first Christmas Day.

Sorry for the lame posts - I'm trying to make it through Monday night - if I can make it to that point, I promise to have lengthier (and possibly better?) posts!

Light in Your Eyes

2011-12-14T23:11:00.000-05:00

This post was going to be so much more awesome, but oh well. I was up late last night making Christmas decorations. Here is a song I like. We'll discuss later.

Decorate!

2011-12-14T01:17:00.000-05:00

So...our office is having an office decorating contest, and I may have decided to get creative. Here are the pictures of my decorations.

Charlie Brown (in case you couldn't tell)

Snoopy, rocking the Santa hat!

Lucy!

I will also have a branch from my Christmas tree as the tree from the Charlie Brown Christmas special with some lights on it and blue fabric wrapped around the bottom to be Linus' blanket. I want to add Schroeder and piano, Snoopy's dog house, and Woodstock, but the contest is Monday so I don't know if I'll have time. We now know that I am dorky enough to make these decorations. The question remains: am I dorky enough to put them up? Should I be dorky enough? I do want the people I work with to take me seriously. What are your thoughts?

Be Thou Humble

2011-12-12T21:07:00.000-05:00

I have never been a science geek. Let's just say that I took the minimum requirements for science classes in both high school and college, struggled with all of them, and never even considered a science-based major. One thing that I do manage to find fascinating about science is the science of light. Since Aristotle, scientists have debated the nature of light - is a wave or does it have substance as a set of particles? Okay I'm now going to oversimplify the whole debate.

Scientists in the 19th century thought they had it figured out through a set of experiments that proved that light had wave properties. But then another set of scientists proved that light ALSO exhibited properties associated with particles. These discoveries led to what is called the "wave-particle duality" theory of light. This means that light is both a wave and a particle. I like this story because it shows that scientific pursuits contain an essential element of humility - you have to be willing to be proved wrong. You have to be open to new ideas that partially or completely negate ideas or tenets you have held your entire life. I also like the dual nature of light - it isn't necessarily one side or the other, it is both! We tend to think in black and white too much - so often life is not in the neat little boxes we like to think it is. So, be thou humble in thy lightness - be willing to accept new ideas :)

A Christmas Carol!

2011-12-11T23:05:00.001-05:00

Tonight some friends invited me over to read "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens - we read an entire play version and it was a really fun experience. Actually, the sad part is that I kind of identify with Scrooge.

Here is how Dickens describes Scrooge's manners toward others:
"Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, 'My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will you come to see me?' No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blind men's dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, 'No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!' But what did Scrooge care? It was the very thing he liked. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance, was what the knowing ones call 'nuts' to Scrooge."
Generally I like to "edge my way along the crowded paths of life." When in a large group of people, the deep introverted person inside me wants to edge along the wall and out the door, or fall through the floor. I tend to overcompensate for this by being incredibly awkward, so hopefully I'm not as misanthropic about it as Scrooge, but I can empathize with the desire to "warn all human sympathy to keep its distance." I like being alone.

Here's another quote that ties in with the "light" theme. The words are from the ghost of Jacob Marley:
"At this time of the rolling year...I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me?"
For me it is easy to walk with my head turned down - I kind of prefer it. It takes courage to ask for inspiration to know which "poor abode" we should visit to help. It takes even more courage to actually do it - to raise people to the blessed Star. But that is a marvelous light to follow - and we should look up and be inspired by it!

Here's a great hymn about the wise men (although it does have perhaps the strangest lyric ever about Christ, calling him the "wondrous little stranger"!)

P.S. You can (and should!) read the whole text of A Christmas Carol here.

Christmas Cheer

2011-12-10T23:42:00.001-05:00

It would always seem to hit unexpectedly. Suddenly there would be mounds of delicious rolls, ziploc bags, Christmas bows, and a delicious smell of baking bread emanating from the house. Our kitchen would take on an assembly line mentality. It was time to deliver Christmas rolls! My mom makes the best homemade rolls on this planet (I know this with every fiber of my being). As long as I can remember, there would be a night of deliveries of a dozen fresh homemade rolls each to friends and neighbors around Christmas time.

In the house that I grew up in, there was a holly bush, and I remember standing in the cold with scissors to snip bits of holly to adorn the deliveries. When we were littler and cuter (and terrible singing was therefore more easily forgiven) we got to carol amidst our deliveries. We delivered to neighbors, ward members, piano teachers, and my dad's co-workers. There's something about it that feels so home-y and warm, even though it's organizational chaos coordinating who is going to which houses and deciding who makes the cut - we can't deliver rolls to everyone! Although sometimes it feels like we try.

So anyway, I love that about Christmas - the deliveries and sharing that take place! In a small way I got into the Christmas spirit with a meager three pans of rolls today (chump change). I hope someday to be as awesome as my mom and as generous with my time and talents.

Come Darkness

2011-12-09T22:30:00.001-05:00

When I lived in California, there was a bike path that wound through the town we lived in. On this bike path was a tunnel, and it was kind of creepy. As I recall it from my 13-year old memory, it was dank and wet and there were no lights (I make no representations that my teenage memory is accurate, btw). But on the other side of this tunnel was a gorgeous California hillside, to my mind one of the world's prettiest places. I knew that I had to just keep pedaling through the tunnel and I'd get to the end. It sure was a lot less scary when biking with someone else, who could go ahead and report that the tunnel was clear.

I really like this song (random pictures alert!). In order to appreciate the light, I think we all need moments of "darkness." There will be times when we aren't happy, or aren't sure that we're in the light. There will be moments of doubting. When we feel dank and a bit hopeless. But we need to hold on to those bright shining "Alleluia" moments from our memory, and have faith that there's a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. It helps when there's someone else who you can lean on. But even when there isn't, we can just come. Sometimes it's all we can do to just keep pedaling.

Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-08T22:24:00.001-05:00

Tonight I spent some time wrapping Christmas presents. I really do like finding things that I think will be the perfect gift - it's so fun to anticipate the recipient's joy! Hopefully as we get older, Christmas becomes less about what we GET and more about what we GIVE. I wanted to share some really good quotes I heard tonight about the Spirit of Christmas and giving.

"True happiness comes only by making others happy--the practical application of the Savior's doctrine of losing one's life to gain it. In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind deeds of service. It is the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ, obedience to which will bring "peace on earth," because it means--goodwill toward all men." - David O. McKay

This quote is much longer, from Hugh B. Brown's Book, The Abundant Life:

Christmas time with its cargo of love is the greatest of all anniversaries for those who worship the God of love. It brings peace of mind to millions who, for one day at least, think more of others than of selves; more of giving than of getting.

This is the secret of the popularity of Christmas. It is the best day of the year, the most joyous because we seek the happiness of others rather than of ourselves. It is the day when love takes command, and men, women, and children, by losing themselves, find joy and peace. For one day, at least, Christendom practices Christianity.

For fifty-one weeks most men desire to wring personal profit, economic, social or political, out of every situation, often without regard to the effect on the lives and happiness of others.

The Yuletide is to many people an annual seven-day Sabbath. It is a holy season when men rest from the agitating business of getting and relax into the serene joy of giving.

The spirit of Christmas creates interest in others, minimizes self-serving interests and activities, and searches for opportunities to make others happy. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world's busy life and become more interested in people than in things. We see people struggling and competing with each other and wish we could somehow touch their lives with the joy and gladness of Christmas. The Spirit whispers, "They are your kinfolk, and their happiness is your concern."

During this joyous week we apply the brakes to the driving power of self-interest and, like the propeller on an airplane when its blades are reversed, the pull is in the opposite direction. When speed and altitude are reduced, the details and beauty of life refresh the soul and inspire gratitude and a desire to serve and partially repay our debt to the Giver of life.

And after the Christmas season has passed, we discover an amazing paradox. We ourselves have experienced more joy while seeking to bring happiness to others than we have known during all the other weeks of the year when we were so selfishly seeking it. How strange it is that, despite this annual lesson, men continue to try to find joy where it has never yet been found--in self-aggrandizement, the gratification of appetites, following after pride and vain ambition, or attempting to snatch some advantage from others. During this one week when we lose ourselves we really find ourselves as the Savior promised, and in this discovery we find enduring satisfaction. We become servants, voluntary servants, and thereby find a joy we have not known through the balance of the year.

The compass of the spirit of Christmas points constantly toward others, never toward ourselves, except to beckon us into the realm of service and comradeship. The spirit of Christmas is ever buoyant, never earthbound or grounded by accumulated mundane things. It soars by the lifting wings of love and distils its blessings, even as the dews from heaven.

This richest of all seasons extends its joy into the New Year but is sobering and humbling; it causes introspection and self-analysis which result in resolutions for future conduct, especially toward other people.

To catch the real meaning of the "Spirit of Christmas" we need only to drop the last syllable of the word, and it becomes the "Spirit of Christ." It beckons us to follow Him and become worthy of the blessedness which He promised to the most unlikely people--the poor in spirit, the sorrowful, the meek, the seekers after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peace makers, and even the persecuted and the oppressed.

It is a blessed spirit and is available to all, not alone to the rich, the influential, the heralded or popular. It may pervade the humblest cottage or the palace of the king, but only when it is in the hearts of men.

Let each man examine his own heart as he gives thanks for the peace of this Christmas and try to discover his true feelings toward his fellow men, toward those who are his neighbors, his brothers in the Church, his new friends of an allied country. Let him vigorously weed out all envy, jealousy, greed, and hatred and undertake to radiate the spirit of goodwill, of love of fellow men, not for the season only but throughout the year.

If this formula for happiness--love one another--is effective for one day, may it not work at other times, at all times? If by giving we receive, and by dividing we increase, why not make happiness permanent by carrying the Christmas spirit throughout the year? May we all enjoy the spirit of Christmas for the next 365 days. (The Abundant Life, p.305-307)

Words of Light

2011-12-07T22:45:00.001-05:00

Isn't funny that, when you are thinking about a topic, you start to see it everywhere? Such is light!

I like this poem by the Persian poet Rumi (of the 13th Century!!!). I found a couple of translations online, and since I doubt any of my readers understand Persian, I thought I'd pick my favorite English translation.

There is a candle in your heart,
ready to be kindled.
There is a void in your soul,
ready to be filled.
You feel it, don't you?
You feel the separation
from the Beloved.
Invite Him to fill you up,
embrace the fire.
Remind those who tell you otherwise that
Love
comes to you of its own accord,
and the yearning for it
cannot be learned in any school.

(From Hush Don't Say Anything to God: Passionate Poems of Rumi, translated by Sharam Shiva)

One of the things I love about poetry is that everyone can interpret it differently. What do you get from this poem?

Here's a funky youtube video with the words of the poem and random images:

A Light to Those in Darkness

2011-12-07T00:02:00.001-05:00

So I was going to throw a bunch of awesome facts about this subject at you, but I have reached the end of the day much faster than anticipated. And this post is late. Instead, I ask you to imagine what your life would be like without electricity. Can you think what that would be like? You would be unable to do almost anything after dark! You wouldn't be able to read this blog. In fact, this blog would not exist, not least because computers wouldn't exist.

I am really grateful for electricity in my life, and I wanted to talk about the Tennessee Valley Authority - it was a rural electrification project that was part of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal. To me, it's an example of the good that government can do - it brought electricity to poor rural areas that didn't have it before. True, it wasn't (and isn't) perfect, but no human endeavor really is - any large bureaucracy has its issues. At its best, however, it remains a popular program that met a need in an underdeveloped area of America. I believe that government can do great good - yea, verily, it can bring a light to those in literal darkness.

Read more about the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) here:

http://www.tva.gov/abouttva/history.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Valley_Authority#History

2011-12-05T22:44:00.001-05:00

A little Christmas before-and-after!

Before (a blank canvas):

During:

After:

I love Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Props to my roommates and our friend Britney for doing all the actual work, while I was doing laundry and making cookies. Come to think of it, my roommates own all the lights and ornaments, so this tree would be pretty dull without them. They light up my life, and I'm grateful to be celebrating my second Christmas with these wonderful ladies!

2011-12-04T22:32:00.001-05:00

Here are some thoughts about light that stood out to me today.

From John 3:19-21: And this the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

The last verse of Silent Night:
Silent Night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

From Psalm 27: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?...Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident....Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. (verses 1, 3, and 14)

Sorry, I am too tired to add any commentary. If you want some inspiration, though, check out Henry B. Eyring's talk as part of the church's Christmas devotional at www.lds.org.

Festival of Lights

2011-12-03T16:54:00.001-05:00

Maybe it's time to do a Christmas post, as this series of posts about light is ostensibly inspired by Christmas. This year I decided to make it to the Temple's Festival of Lights early in December, as last year I missed out and didn't get to it at all. So here are a few pictures, it was beautiful! My camera is kind of fuzzy when it comes to night pictures, but you get the idea.

I liked how they outlined the trees - they really stand out against the darkness.

So colorful! Sometimes I like that, and sometimes I feel like I would prefer just the classic white.

The above picture looks like a bit much! A true "riot of color."

By contrast, the Temple looks so peaceful.

So, making it to the Festival of Lights was great. Even better, got to go inside the temple and do a session and feel that spirit which urges "peace on earth and goodwill towards men," and even got to attend along with many friends from my ward. Best of all, saw a college friend who I hadn't seen in years at my session!

If you're in the D.C. area, check out the Festival of Lights - the performance schedule can be found online (click here), along with much better pictures of the Festival. Even if you can't make it to a concert, check out the beautiful lights!

Tell all the Truth

2011-12-02T07:04:00.001-05:00

One of the things I'm learning as I study light in the scriptures is that light is often used as a metaphor for truth. More on that another day, for now, here's a poem by Emily Dickinson about light and truth:

Tell all the Truth but tell it slant -
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise
As lightening to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind --

Do you think that's true? Do we need to be eased into truth so that it won't blind us? Or can we adjust to handle it once it's granted to us suddenly?

Random note: If I was a writer, I would love to write a book comparing and contrasting Eliza R. Snow and Emily Dickinson - both born in Massachusetts and both became poetesses. Unfortunately we accountants don't have much writing ability!

Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy

2011-12-01T22:20:00.001-05:00

This song has nothing whatsoever to do with Christmas, but I love it, and its message. I think it speaks strongly of how we are changed by love. Once we have felt the mercy of Heavenly Father, it's easier to share that mercy and love with others.

Here are the words:

Brightly Beams our Father's mercy
From his lighthouse evermore,
But to us he gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore.

Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.

Dark the night of sin has settled;
Loud the angry billows roar.
Eager eyes are watching, longing,
For the lights along the shore.

Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost.

Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.

Sometimes I feel like my lamp is very feeble indeed. But we never know who around us is struggling against crushing waves. Even our small light can help and strengthen others. So, share the light of love with those around you!

Trip the Light Fantastic

2011-11-30T22:33:00.001-05:00

Over the past two years, Christmas is generally a time when I dust off the keyboard and get a-bloggin' (see the archives for 2009 and 2010 December posts). This year will be no different - since I'm at the war chapters in Alma, I've decided to take a break from my re-reading of the Book of Mormon cover to cover.* I'm also inspired by several friends who have been participating in Nablopomo, a challenge to post every day in November.

This year's Christmas posts will be a study in "light" - how the word appears in the scriptures, hymns, politics, and science, along with any additional random thoughts on anything tangentially related to light. Light is such an interesting concept to me. One of the only Sunday School lessons from high school to stick with me is the analogy of coming to Christ being like coming towards a really bright light bulb - as you come closer to Christ you are able to see your own imperfections clearer and clearer. It's been a reminder that whenever I feel discouraged about my own weaknesses that Christ is the light, and as I move closer towards him *of course* I come to know how imperfect I am, and how much I need his light.

One of my favorite "light songs" is "This Little Light of Mine." Someday I would love to see a rocking Mormon gospel choir sing it in church. Until that day I'll have to be content with surfing YouTube versions of it. This one's pretty good:

So, join me as I trip the light fantastic for this Christmas - hopefully without actually tripping over anything. Hopefully I will light up your life, help you to lighten up, inspire you to let your light shine before men (and women), assist you to see the light, or at least shed light on why I am obsessed with light.

*Don't judge me. Sometimes I skip 'em. I think these are some of the only passages in scripture that I have actually enjoyed less as I've gotten older. Any suggestions on making the war chapters less of a chore would be most welcome.

Elections

2011-11-10T11:28:00.001-05:00

It's my 100th blog post! Cue the confetti! I know, two blog posts in one day, no less! For this special post I thought I'd share with you some random memories about elections, as this week was election day in Virginia.

Also, I wanted to share a random quirk I have: I hate it when people, Republican or Democrat, run unopposed. It's antithetical to the democratic process when people don't have an opponent. So, if someone is running unopposed, I write someone in. Just so they don't get 100%. This year, I wrote in my dad for county district attorney, my roommate for delegate, and my other roommate for school board. I think healthy opposition is important!

The first memory I ever have related to elections is 1992, when my dad was surprised to learn that my mom had voted for George H.W. Bush. Both my parents are Democrats, so it was surprising that she would vote for Bush. He obviously voted for Clinton. I don't remember my dad being angry, as he doesn't really get angry. I just remember that it was somewhat of a bone of contention between them.

In 1997, I remember that my mom took me to the inaugural parade for Clinton's second term. Sadly, I don't remember *anything* about it, other than getting on and off the bus at the bus stop near my house. I guess I also do remember getting some sweet campaign buttons, which I think I still have lying around somewhere.

In 2000, I was in high school government class and so I remember paying attention to the debates and election with a seriousness I had never had before. While watching the debates, I remember thinking that George W. Bush was such a lightweight, there was no way he'd be elected. I stayed up late on election night as the results poured in. I remember the aftermath - battles over hanging chads and voting machine malfunctions. My favorite memory related to this was camping out in DC at the Supreme Court for a chance to hear the arguments in Bush v. Gore - it was crazy fun and I was glad I had a spontaneous mom who was up for it! Unfortunately we didn't get to go in for the whole time, but my brother did. We did get to go in and observe for 10-15 minutes, it was pretty awesome to see the Supreme Court in session. I've always meant to go back, it would be neat to see a whole case presented there. I've often wondered since then if the Supreme Court had it to do over again, would they make the same decision? Of course, there was some great election related humor that year - the SNL debates with Bush and Gore are classic.

In 2004, I missed much of the campaign hoopla because I was in the MTC. I did vote absentee (my first presidential vote!). The day I flew out of Utah to my mission was election day, and I can't say I was very successful at tuning out CNN in the airport - I was hungry for the news I had been missing. Looking back, it may have been a tender mercy that I got to learn a little bit about current events. It was a sad day when we were sitting down to breakfast with my mission president and he informed all of us (gleefully) that President Bush had been reelected.

2008 was a much better year - I attended a day-before-election-day rally with then-candidate Obama, which was an amazing and inspiring experience. I got to vote on election day for the first time, it was so cool to be in a "swing state" where my vote actually could turn the tide of the election. My mom had a "soup kitchen" party to watch the election results roll in, and it was FANTASTIC to see President Obama win it all - looking back, we were so full of hope and excitement, it seems almost naive. Then I got to attend the inauguration, and hear the President Obama expound on his vision for our future. It's been hard to watch the slow progress and process that has followed, but I still think that President Obama is the best choice for 2012.

And, I just wanted to say I'm grateful for this blog. It's part journal, part political therapy, and part bloviation, and mostly randomness, but I do like doing it! Here's to the first 100 posts, and more to come!

3 Things I Didn't Share in My Relief Society Lesson

2011-11-10T10:31:00.001-05:00

In case you didn't already know this about me, I'm a history nerd. I love reading and learning about different time periods in history! Which is one of several reasons why I loved teaching a Relief Society Lesson about Relief Society history, specifically about Daughters in My Kingdom, a new book put out by the church about the history and purposes of Relief Society. For those of you who don't know, Relief Society is the woman's organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every woman in the church, 18 and older, automatically becomes a member of Relief Society, which seeks to teach the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was organized in 1842 and has since been involved in many great endeavors of service (and a few endeavors of politics, like women's suffrage).

On balance, I like the book, even though it is "history lite" in that it's not a rigorous examination of Relief Society history, it is more of a broad overview. There are a lot of great and inspiring quotes in the book that built my testimony about this great organization. I also started reading Women of Covenant, a more thorough book covering the history of Relief Society in a lot more detail. However, I didn't get to share EVERYTHING I learned, as the lesson was short. So I decided to talk about three things that I didn't talk about in my lesson, for various reasons.

The Gift of Healing
Although not included in Daughters in My Kingdom, sisters in the church have a history of exercising spiritual gifts such as the gift of healing. At times this was done by the laying on of hands, such as the case of Persis Young, who laid her hands on Helen Mar Kimball Whitney, suffering an infection after childbirth in Winter Quarters, after the Mormons' difficult trek from Nauvoo, Illinois. Sister Whitney said of Sister Young: "She had been impressed by the Spirit to come and administer to me, and I would be healed...she laid her hands upon my head with my mother. She rebuked my weakness, and every disease that had been, or was then, afflicting me, and commanded me to be made whole, pronouncing health and many other blessings upon me. ...From that morning I went about to work as though nothing had been the matter. Thus did the Lord remember one of his unworthy handmaidens and fulfill the promise that had been given by the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Women of Covenant, pages 67-68)

And in 1914, the First Presidency wrote a letter stating that “Any good sister, full of faith in God and inthe efficacy of prayer” could administer to the sick. Sisters “have the same right to administer tosick children as adults, and may anoint and lay hands upon them in faith." And, as late as the 1920s and 1930s, reports circulated of women anointing and blessing other women in preparation for childbirth (See Women of Covenant, pages 220-221).

To me these stories are very empowering, but I think we don't talk about them because we are afraid that these blessings will be confused with the Priesthood, which also administers to the sick by the laying on of hands. But I think we are smart enough to realize the difference while still celebrating the power of a prayer of faith by faith-filled women of the Church. I wonder if any of this still goes on in the church, but just isn't talked about in public?

Polygamy
I didn't talk about this subject because I didn't want to. To say the least, I am very ambivalent in my attitude about polygamy. It's an uncomfortable subject for a lot of reasons, and I didn't want to get into it. In fact, I was surprised that Sister Tanner, who wrote Daughters in My Kingdom, put in a few paragraphs about this period in church history. I have polygamous ancestors (so I guess it's thanks to them that I'm even writing these words), but I still think this is a very difficult period in history and I have so many unanswered questions about it that I didn't even have the courage to bring it up.

Ducks
Yep, bet you weren't expecting this subject. I liked this quirky little story from Women of Covenant, from a time when Relief Society was trying to standardize its accounting books. One Relief Society received a contribution of two ducks from a poor member in the early 1900's. This was in a time when the Relief Society received contributions in goods from its members and every member was expected to contribute something. The ducks ended up running away or getting killed, and the local Relief Society president felt terrible about it. The stake president wrote: "Now she feels that this woman and the books should have credit but she doesn't feel that she could dig up with $3 or whatever it is to pay for the ducks. Hard to fix this on the books, both for the credit of the ducks and then the money received in the disposal of them" (Women of Covenant, pg. 196).

It seems silly but I liked this story - so often in the drive for standardization we lose sight of individuals. Sometimes I feel like all I have to offer is a metaphorical "pair of ducks" - I am poor in spirit and don't have the offerings others have the ability to give. But what's important is that we recognize the value of each individual's contributions. It's part of why I love Relief Society: women coming together to worship God, each woman bringing her fears, faith, and personality - in short, bringing herself. As we come together in a worldwide sisterhood, we learn from each other and grow together in love. We struggle, but we have each other to lean on. We learn of our enormous potential as Daughters of God. I'll close with my favorite quote from Daughters in My Kingdom expressing that potential. It's from Joseph Fielding Smith, 10th President of the church:

“It is within the privilege of the sisters of this Church to receive exaltation in the kingdom of God and receive authority and power as queens and priestesses.” (Daughters in My Kingdom, pg. 133)

Bibliography
Derr, Jill Mulvay., Janath Russell Cannon, and Maureen Ursenbach Beecher. Women of Covenant: the Story of Relief Society. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1992.

Tanner, Susan W. Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society. Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2011.

I Don't Think You're Evil, I Just Think You're Wrong

2011-11-02T23:31:00.000-04:00

I agree with the Occupy Wall Street Movement's goals. I do think that wealth and influence in our country are becoming concentrated in the hands of a few at the expense of the many. Democracy depends on a diffusion of power, and everyone should have an equal say. An increase in inequality also suffering and poverty, which reduces opportunities for our fellow Americans. However, I realize that different people have different views. I don't necessarily think that someone automatically becomes "the devil" because they don't have a problem with income inequality (this seems to be the default mode of any protest: demonize your opponents).

Similarly, I don't think that anyone who proposes flat taxes, national sales taxes, or reduction/elimination of corporate taxes is intentionally TRYING to increase income inequality or has an intentional agenda to screw the poor. Maybe I tend to over-simplify people's motives, but I like to assume, as a starting point for rational debate, that the other side is NOT evil. They simply have a different view of the world. However, in the case of the ideas mentioned above, I do believe they are the wrong policy choices, and will end up increasing poverty among the 99%.

I also want to point out that conservatives often rail high tax rates. They seem to get riled up about the top corporate tax rate, which currently stands at 35%. This is a red herring, because while 35% may be the "statutory rate," or the rate on the books, let me be the first to tell you, if you don't already know, that very few companies actually pay tax at that rate. This graph shows that in terms of "effective rate" or the rate at which corporate taxes are paid compared to income, the U.S. actually has an incredibly LOW tax rate. And let's face it, corporations should pay taxes - these companies use the roads, courts, and educated citizenry paid for with our public money. They inure incredible benefits as a result of our government's actions, and they should be a part of paying for those benefits. The same deal goes for the richest Americans, whose income is taxed at a statutory rate of 35% but whose effective rate is a much lower 25.8% (see here). Again, I think that because the rich disproportionately benefit from our capitalist society, they should bear a disproportionate share of the costs. They'll still be plenty rich, trust me.

So, I don't think the rich are evil. I bet most of us (for varying reasons) would like to be rich some day - some of us would like to buy the biggest yacht while some of us would like to be able to give it all away to worthy causes. Let's not demonize those who disagree with us, let's just listen to each other. I believe progressive taxation is the right way to make sure the disadvantaged and poor don't live a life of grinding poverty simply because they're unlucky. If you don't agree, then I think you're wrong, but you're not Hitler.

Never No Never

2011-10-25T23:08:00.000-04:00

Just to be clear: I have never called anyone a "Gentile" in my life. Having spent almost three decades in the church, I also don't recall anyone else using this term in reference to people of other faiths. It's semi-hilarious (and/or silly) when serious articles about Mormonism attempt to tell me that Mormons call people who aren't Mormon "gentiles." Nope.

Let He Who is Without Sweeping Generalizations Cast the First Label

2011-10-11T22:17:00.000-04:00

Have you heard the biggest religion and politics story of the past few days? Here's Anderson Cooper's interview with Robert Jeffress, the pastor who said Mormonism is not Christianity, but instead is a cult.

I have a few reactions to Robert Jeffress:

Anger: How dare he claim to know and understand MY religion!

Disbelief: How can you call a church "not-Christian" when its name is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" and the Christ that you claim you believe in taught love and acceptance of others?

Skepticism: Is Jeffress serious? Or is he just using inflammatory language to get attention?

Cynicism: It's yet another example of using your beliefs to browbeat your political opponent.

Yet, Jeffress' assertion that Mormonism is a cult (not a "sociological cult" but a "theological" one, as if the media is able to make such fine distinctions) is not unusual. It's part of what I call the "Mormon Weirdness Factor" - we have "secret" temple ceremonies, believe that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ, and call our church leader a "Prophet." Any way you slice it, Mormons are weird to a lot of Americans. We like to think of ourselves as peculiar in a good way, but we are simply very different than mainstream Americans and many other Christian churches.

What Jeffress said was just plain wrong. When I hear this story, however, my prevailing sentiment is pity. How tragic that Pastor Jeffress can't see past his own labeling. Does someone who's "Christian" by Jeffress' definition automatically get his vote? What a sad way to live. How often do we label others because of their background? Haven't we all, at one time or another, made sweeping generalizations (and yes, that is a broad generalized statement!)?

Fill in the blanks:

Liberals are ____________.
Families with a lot of kids are ________.
Conservatives are __________.
University of Utah students are ____________.
Young people are ___________.
Fat people are ____________.
Gay people are ____________.
People from the east coast are __________.

It's a lazy way of categorizing - assume that one group has certain characteristics, and it allows you to write off an entire group of people without knowing them. The more I read about Jeffress' statements on Mormons, the more I want to avoid judging. I want to have charity towards all, and malice towards none. I want to have enough humility to admit that I do not fully understand others' religious beliefs, but I respect them as sincere people of faith. I want to see others as my brothers and sisters, who are earnestly striving to live by the light they have found. I want to avoid labeling other people. Anyone who wants to call themselves Christian? Let 'em!

Addictions

2011-09-26T22:18:00.000-04:00

Having spent little over 15 minutes on Goodreads.com, a book rating website, I discovered about 20 books I want to read. I am slightly addicted to reading. Is addiction always a bad thing?

Here are my addictions, in no particular order:
- Chocolate
- Reading
- Law & Order Re-runs
- Solitude
- Broadway Musicals
- Wheat Thins (and Peanut butter)
- Quiz bowl trivia
- The Black Hole Known as the Internet
- Tax Reform (a bit wonkish, but true)
- Seasonal earrings

Mormon(s) For President

2011-07-10T09:39:00.000-04:00

Now that two Mormons have entered the Republican primary, it seems inevitable that we'll have a lot of hoopla over this question: "Is America willing to elect a Mormon President?" I was reminded of this by a recent article at Feminist Mormon Housewives, which provided an overview of the anti-Mormon arguments being made. You can read the article here - it links to some of the anti-Mormon articles in various places. I do hope, as an American Mormon, that someday there will be a Mormon President (I just think it should be a Harry-Reid-type Mormon, not a Mitt-Romney-type - but that's another post). A significant number of people are less likely to vote for a Mormon, but that number has been dropping in recent years, which I think is a sign of progress.

There shouldn't be a religious test for office - any other argument on this matter is simply bigoted. Any Christian, Muslim, Jew, Atheist or Agnostic should stand or fall on his or her political arguments. It's part of what makes America great: equal opportunity and separation of church and state.

The question essentially asks: how do Mormons prove their "loyalty" to America? How can we prove we are not a bunch of robo-tronic zombies secretly intending to create a theocratic state with President Monson as supreme potentate? The thought that we are mindless minions of Monson stems from the church's involvement in the Proposition 8 fight in California, which created the illusion that all members think and act alike, and do so at the behest of church leadership. I think, paradoxically, the Utah immigration debate may help prove that American Mormons are not tools of their church in the political world.

It seems simple: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints put out several statements saying that compassion was needed in the immigration debate, and supporting the Utah compact on immigration reform (read the statements here and here). If Mormons really were the blind followers that the bigots claim, it seems like the Republican party in Utah (overwhelmingly Mormon) would toe the line and support the Utah compact. However, recently Republicans voted to strike down one of the key provisions of a the Utah compact, a guest worker program.

It's sad that a lack of compassion by Utah Repblicans for the plight of illegal immigrants might end up helping Romney or Huntsman, but I think they can point to this as an example of how Mormons do not think or act in lockstep with church political statements. Also, it's sad that they even have to make a case for Mormons at all, because we should be judged at the ballot box on our political ideas and plans, not on our religious beliefs. Being Mormon isn't relevant to how a person will do as President.

America, Of Thee We Sing

2011-07-02T22:42:00.000-04:00

It's the Fourth of July! Well, almost. But it feels like the Fourth of July - I saw fireworks on my way home, it's muggy firefly weather, and I have watermelon in the fridge. So, in honor of America, its glory, its imperfection, its promise, and its contraditions: here are some great patriotic videos. I do love America, with all it has achieved and all it must still achieve.

Schoolhouse Rock (one of several good ones about American History)

Ray Charles (with Hebrew subtitles?):

Aretha, belt it out, girl!

Did you really think you could get away without the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? No, sir!

So, Happy Fourth of July! Be safe, and enjoy the barbeque, apple pie, and/or chocolate chip cookies while you catch the fireworks!

Bonus Round Book Report

2011-06-05T12:03:00.000-04:00

I am on track with my goal of reading a book per month, but I am not counting the books that I read for my two book groups, as I consider those "required reading" as opposed to free reading. But, I just HAVE to put a plug in for a book one of my groups read in May: "I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith. It was a DELIGHTFUL read.

It tells the coming of age tale of Cassandra, a young girl who lives in a dilapidated castle with her impoverished family. Cassandra narrates the story and I love her funny and beautiful observations about life. This book made me laugh out loud, and I stayed up late reading it. I highly recommend this book if you are in the mood for a light and fun read.

Epic Book Report Saga Continues

2011-06-05T11:56:00.000-04:00

As promised, over the past few months I also read two books on American women. The first was "America's women: 400 years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines" by Gail Collins, a liberal opinion columnist at the New York Times. The second one was "Leading Ladies: America's Trailblazers" by Kay Bailey Hutchinson, a conservative senator from Texas. As you might imagine, the books differed widely in focus and writing style. Let me say this clearly: Hutchinson's writing is terrible. At times her sentences were painful to read. If she didn't get someone to ghostwrite this for her, she should have, and if she did get someone to ghostwrite it for her, she shouldn't have paid them.

Collins' book has a narrative arc which focuses on the journey of women throughout America's history. She theorizes that American women were actually more valued when they were viewed as a productive part of the household - in the early days they were responsible for making candles and soap, spinning thread and making cloth, and other vital household duties. Once people could buy household necessities in stores, women were devalued and, Collins argues, idealized. Men began to focus on how women were delicate and needed protection - they were soft and unable to hand the hard stuff (an argument that would have been pretty foreign to the settler women of frontier America - they endured much hardship and worked alongside their husbands). Collins argues that this was when men began to emphasize women's role as mothers and placing them on a unattainable pedestal.

Many of the anecdotes Collins relates are charming and she really does tell a fascinating story of the courage of women throughout American history. On the other hand, she seems to delight in pointing out the flaws of those she chronicles - she focuses on these flaws a little too much, in my opinion. For example, one of the main point she makes about Dorthea Dix, who was a mental health advocate and Superintendent of Nurses during the civil war, is that Dix was anti-Catholic. While this seems to be true, it ignores the great good accomplished by Dix both during the civil war and as a mental health advocate. But I did enjoy that she didn't over-idealize the women she portrayed. She knows these women are heroines, but they are flawed beings just like us.

Hutchinson, on the other hand, seems loath to make any negative remarks about anyone. She gives every one of her "Ladies" a patina of goodness that leads you to think all the women she talks about are saints worthy of a halo. She never mentions anything controversial - I assume this is in order to appeal to the broadest audience and sell more books, but it gets old after a while and makes me long for the controversy Collins focuses on.

Hutchinson also organizes her book differently than Collins' - she has chapters based on topic, focusing on famous women scientists, Nobel laureates, First Ladies, writers, and other groups. Hutchinson's book did make me want to read (better-written) stories about the women she portrays - I still need to read Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring," for example. I was also glad to learn about the women Nobel prize winners and their struggle for acceptance.

Here, in no particular order, where some of my favorite quotes/stories:

- Speaking about a trailblazing writer, Edgar Allen Poe stated: "Humanity is divided into three classes: Men, women, and Margaret Fuller." (Collins, page 101)

- Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, spoke at a national book award ceremony and said "Wonder and humility are wholesome emotions, they do not exist side by side with a lust for destruction." (Hutchinson, page 248-249)

- When a line of immigrants was waiting for food at Ellis Island, the guards insisted "Ladies First." When this was translated for the women, who came from male-dominated societies, an old Slovenian woman cried out, "Long live America, where women are first!" (Collins, page 259)

- "Take your stand and hold it; then let come what will, and receive the blows like a good soldier" - Susan B. Anthony (Hutchinson, page 176)

- The famous former slave orator, Sojourner Truth, entered Indiana and rebel sympathizers threatened to burn down the hall she was scheduled to speak. She responded: "Then I will speak upon the ashes." (Collins, page 178)

- Jane Addams said in a 1897 speech: "I am not one of those who believe-broadly speaking-that women are better than men. We have not wrecked railroads, nor corrupted legislatures, nor done many unholy things that men have done; but then we must remember that we have not had the chance." (Hutchinson, page 313)

- When told that it would be easier for Wyoming to become a state if they stopped giving women the right to vote, the state legislature telegraphed to their Washington negotiators: "We will remain out of the union a hundred years, rather than come in without our women." (Collins, page 236)

- Prudence Crandall started a school for black girls In Canterbury, CT. The state legislature passed a law making it illegal to start a school for out-of-state black children. Prudence was arrested, and averred: "I am only afraid they will not put me in jail." Eventually her students were terrorized into leaving, but a few of the black girls she taught went on to become teachers themselves. (Collins, pages 163-165)

- Barbara Bush, speaking at Wellesley College commencement, ended her speech with this gem: "Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the president's spouse. I wish him well!" (Hutchinson, page 117)

- Mother Jones, a union organizer, was imprisoned in Colorado in 1913 at age 76. She said of her ordeal: "I had sewer rats...to fight, and all I had was a beer bottle; I would get one rat and another would run across the cellar at me....I fought the rats inside and out just alike." (Collins, page 288)

- Lindy Boggs, a member of the House of Representatives, was part of the Banking and Currency committee when they were writing a bill to end discrimination in banking. Lindy added the phrase forbidding discrimination on the basis of sex or marital status, and said to her fellow committee members: "I'm sure it was just an oversight that we didn't have 'sex' or 'marital status' included. I've taken care of that, and I trust it meets with the committee's approval." Later, when she was buying her first house alone, the loan officer wrongly tried to turn down her loan, making up federal requirements that did not exist. Lindy told the loan officer: "My dear, I am the author of the law that forbids this type of requirement for female persons and the elderly. You are not complying with the federal regulation, you are in defiance of it." (Hutchinson, page 342)

- "If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." - Toni Morrison (Hutchinson, page 127)

American women are awesome!

Seriously, It's Time For Another Book Report

2011-06-05T11:08:00.000-04:00

March, April, and May were busy months, but I did find time to do some reading. Mostly I have been AWOL because of my big trips in May (10 days abroad and a week in the Midwest for work). I've realized that I need to make reading more of a priority - so often I come home from work and it's easier to just sit in front of the TV and vegetate than to pick up a book. Lately, my favorite pastime has been watching the new BBC series of "Sherlock!" but I'm now out of episodes (can't wait for new ones!!). Hopefully June will find me reading some books that have been sitting on my shelf for far too long.

In preparation for my trip, I read Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. If you have ever seen "My Fair Lady," it's the play that musical is based on. Much of the dialogue in the musical is exactly the same as the play, so I don't feel like I gleaned a whole lot of new facts (although Freddy's sister is a funny minor character that is not in the musical). SPOILER ALERT: I was disappointed to find that at the end of the play, Eliza Doolittle marries Freddy (in the musical the ending is much more ambiguous). I don't like that at all - Freddy is not her intellectual equal and he's a total spaz. Shaw's intimation is that Eliza's only choice is between Freddy, who adores and worships her but is simply a slave who doesn't really know her or challenge her; and Henry Higgins, who treats her with no respect but is able to help her grow and become a better person. Eliza, there's got to be more to life - have a little gumption! I saw the play in London, and it was fabulous, especially with Rupert Everett as Higgins!

I also read "Citizens of London" by Lynne Olson, which I highly recommend. It's about three Americans who lived in London during the World War II and were instrumental in convincing the American people and FDR that America needed to help Britain and enter the war. The book focuses on Ed Murrow, CBS radio broadcaster; Averell Harriman, millionaire and Lend-Lease program administrator; and Gil Winant, former New Hampshire governor and US ambassador to England. Olson's prose is engrossing and really readable - she made the streets of wartime London come alive with vivid descriptions and contemporary accounts. I really liked learning about Gil Winant, who was a gentle and compassionate man, and I think he was a great American. What really struck me as a read the book was how much the British people had to endure - so much suffering!! I had heard about the Blitz before but this book made the horror and grimness of it real to me. It was a terrifying time and I salute the people of London for their courage and determination. I think if the Blitz had happened in America, we would have whined like little babies. If you're considering reading the book, just be aware that all these men, though married, had affairs during the war - so just be prepared.

I also did finally finish my two books on American women, but I'm going to post that separately.

Hope

2011-04-23T22:34:00.000-04:00

Yes, I have been hiding from you. I did not fulfill my reading goal during March (but working on finishing the books for April, and am about 1 1/2 way done!). So this post won't be about reading, but instead about Easter.

Unfortunately this Easter I will not be attending the sunrise service at the Lincoln Memorial, (see previous post here), but I wanted to talk about what Easter means to me: HOPE. Hope in a future that is better, brighter, and more beautiful than yesterday. Hope that renews and beautifies us, just like springtime does for the entire earth.

In a political context, hope is often considered foolish and impractical idealism - a false hope spread by politicians eager for our votes. But I think politics can inspire us to create that better future. True hope leads to action - action to help others and to give them hope and courage to face difficulties.

Is there a downside to hope? Anne Shirley in a melodramatic moment once said that her life was a "perfect graveyard of buried hopes." One of my favorite movies is "Shawshank Redemption," which takes place in a prison and has a bit to say about hope. Red, Morgan Freeman's character, says this: "Let me tell you something, my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane."

Hope can tantalize and torture us with things that can never be. But that is only so if we put our hope in things that disappoint us. I believe that Jesus is our Saviour, and in him we have hope for eternal life. Elder James E. Faust said it well when he stated: "The unfailing source of our hope is that we are sons and daughters of God and that His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, saved us from death." ("Hope, and Anchor to the Soul," Ensign, Nov. 1999).

Later in the movie Shawshank Redemption, Tim Robbins' character, Andy, writes his friend a letter, saying "Remember, Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies." Have hope!! There is so much goodness in the world, especially when you step outside the bloviating blogosphere and picayune punditry of today's American political scene. When we have hope, like Andy, we can share it with others, as he did with his friend Red.

Neal A. Maxwell said it better: "Being blessed with hope, let us, as disciples, reach out to all who, for whatever reason, have 'moved away from the hope of the gospel' (Col. 1:23). Let us reach to lift hands which hang hopelessly down" ("Brightness of Hope," Ensign, Nov. 1994).

So, celebrate this Easter by rejoicing in HOPE! If you're religious, read the two articles quoted above. If you're not, watch the movie Shawshank Redemption. Share hope with those near you (whether geographically or emotionally) who are laboring under heavy burdens - they are all around us, and they need our help.

(Tangent: The frivolous part of me also associates Easter with hats, and new dresses. I liked the hat picture here.)

Book Report - Part Two: Saga of Austen Continues

2011-02-28T22:49:00.000-05:00

This month I actually finished TWO books, but I'll only share one of them here. I just finished a book about Jane Austen written by a single evangelical Christian woman, it was an interesting perspective on Austen, and on life. The book is "A Walk With Jane Austen" by Lori Smith. It's an autobiographical account of a woman's travel through the places Jane Austen lived and walked.

The author perfectly expresses some of the same angst that Mormon single women sometimes experience when they get older and are still unmarried. Plus, I just love Jane Austen, and I'm going to England in May, so it was a fun book to read to see where I should visit to walk in Jane's shoes. One of my favorite parts was a prayer that she quotes which Jane Austen herself wrote:

Look with Mercy on the Sins we have this day committed, and in Mercy make us feel them deeply, that our Repentance may be sincere, & our resolutions stedfast of endeavouring against the commission of such in future. Teach us to understand the sinfulness of our own Hearts, and bring to our knowledge every fault of Temper and every evil Habit in which we have indulged to the discomfort of our fellow-creatures, and the danger of our own Souls. May we now, and on each return of night, consider how the past day has been spent by us, what have been our prevailing Thoughts, Words, and Actions during it, and how far we can acquit ourselves of Evil. Have we thought irreverently of Thee, have wedisobeyed Thy commandments, have we neglected any known duty, or willingly given pain to any human being? Incline us to ask our Hearts these questions Oh! God, and save us from deceiving ourselves by Pride or Vanity.

If you've ever read any Jane Austen, you know that she was very good at pointing out the pride and vanity in the world, and gently chiding us for it. I thought this was a beautifully composed prayer that really expresses the meaning of daily repentance and self-evaluation.

My goal for March is another two books: both about the heritage of American women, one by a liberal columnist and the other by a conservative Senator! Happy Women's History Month!

(You can read the full prayer and one other one here: http://acacia.pair.com/Acacia.Vignettes/Two.Evening.Prayers.html)

My Funny Valentine

2011-02-14T19:07:00.000-05:00

You may not know it, but I DO have a valentine's sweetheart. Let me tell you about my special valentine:

- My valentine is smart.
- My valentine knows all the right moves.
- My valentine sometimes completes my sentences.
- My valentine can be bold (or not).
- My valentine is a multi-tasker.
- My valentine has a record of everything we've ever done together.
- My valentine remembers what I like and don't like.
- My valentine does whatever I ask (TRUE LOVE!).

You may have guessed, my valentine is Microsoft Excel. Yes, the computer program. As an accountant, I think it's going to be a long term relationship.

Joy

2011-02-13T22:09:00.000-05:00

Here's my message of the day - find Joy. I love the word JOY because it implies more than transitory happiness or contentment. It implies that you have found something you treasure and hold dear. Find the joy that lasts.

For me, baking is joy. Here are some cupcakes I baked today for a friend's birthday. Purple ones are chocolate, light pink ones are strawberry, and dark pink ones are red velvet.

Republicans are...

2011-02-03T21:49:00.000-05:00

Poopyheads. There, I said it. They are behaving like THIRD-GRADERS. No, actually, that's too nuanced. Republicans are behaving like small children in a restaurant throwing a temper tantrum because they can't order dessert. Even third graders know better.

First, the name of their first bill? "Repeal the Job-killing health care act." It's not job-killing. Also, you are naming something in so incendiary a manner that even those who may agree with some of your points are amazed at your colossal lack of respect for people who have genuine disagreement with you. You betray your childishness by naming something that way.

Second on Republican's agenda, I find the "Stop Taxpayer Funding for Abortions Act" offensive. The idea of this bill is to stop taxpayer funding for abortions IN SOME RAPE CASES. Thus saying that rape of a mentally incapacitated or drunk woman, for example, is somehow less of a rape. That is just wrong, and offensive to me and all women everywhere. That has moved beyond childishness to being a colossal jerk to women who are in an incredibly difficult situation (and you, as a heavy handed government interloper, would presume to make their personal decisions for them).

So, Republicans, enjoy your poopyheadedness. I hope it leads to your downfall in the 2012 elections when the American people realize you haven't done anything except call people names and prey on society's most vulnerable.

P.S. I'm not saying Democrats can't be petty and petulant too (goodness knows they are masters of it), but I think Republicans are turning it into an art form.

Book Report: Part One of ?

2011-01-30T22:33:00.000-05:00

One of my New Year's resolutions is to read at least one book per month. It's actually kind of a sad goal since I love to read. It's a sad state of affairs that has me reading only one book per month. Part of my goal is to be accountable by means of a blog post every month.

January is kind of a "combo" month since I began both these books in December but finished this month. Both books are by Elizabeth Gaskell, a contemporary and friend of Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre is one of the finest books ever written, in my opinion).

I first read "North and South" a story pitting the more rural values of Southern England against the industrialization of Northern England during the early 19th century. Someone described Gaskell as a writer who combines the social consciousness of Dickens with the romance of Jane Austen. I found this to be true on both counts. I liked how she talked about the social injustices of workers in the cotton factories and portrayed some great "humble" characters. The central romance of the novel is almost exactly like the story of Elizabeth and Darcy of Pride and Prejudice, which is entertaining I suppose. However, I liked Elizabeth and Darcy better as characters. I like Austen's dialogue and character development much better than Gaskell's. After reading the book, I watched the movie. Girly of me, but Mr. Hale, the romantic lead, is dreamy with a capital D. So, my recommendation: If you're a girl, read Pride and Prejudice first, if you enjoyed it you'll probably like this one too. If you're a boy, I don't think you would enjoy it at all. True, it's gender stereotyping, but...deal with it.

Wives and Daughters is another Gaskell novel - this one simply annoyed me because it was unfinished, which I didn't realize until I was 90% of the way through it - so that was frustrating. It definitely had an unpolished feeling to it, and I would recommend it if you liked North and South, but be aware that you have to watch the movie to find out the ending!

So, I need a short book for February - any suggestions? I'm re-reading Tale of Two Cities, but I want my goal to involved NEW books that I haven't read before.

Can't Sleep

2011-01-21T01:47:00.000-05:00

Yep, it's one of "those" nights. I'm exhausted, yet I can't sleep. So I thought I'd share with you my insight-of-the-day. It is this:

In the moments where I have to choose between being a good accountant and a good person, I choose being a good person.

Sure, I could have stayed later at work today (left at 8 p.m.). But even if it hurts my job performance or annoys someone, there were more important things for me to be doing. It was a good chance to take a deep breath, remind myself there are more valuable things, and keep that long-term perspective. It's like that poem about how no one facing death wishes they had spent more time in the office.

Note that most of the time, I don't think being a good accountant and a good person are conflicting goals, but in the minority of cases where they're in conflict, I've recommitted to good-person-hood. So whatever your occupation, don't let it interfere with the truly good and wonderful things in life.

Intercede

2010-12-24T12:58:00.000-05:00

Today I finished reading the Gospel of John. Chapter 17 contains Jesus' beautiful intercessory prayer on behalf of his followers. Here's part of it:

John 17:13-23

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Dictionary.com defines "to intercede" as "to act or interpose on behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble, as by pleading or petition" or "to attempt to reconcile differences between two people or groups; mediate." The idea of Christ helping us in difficulty or trouble, and attempting to reconcile us with God, is a sublime thought. Christ prays for US - for you and for me, in our downtrodden and trying moments. His spirit urges us to do the same - to be peacemakers, to seek reconciliation and forgiveness, and become bringers of great joy. I hope that Christmas reminds you of that spirit of peace and joy! Yea, verily - even to shout with the choirs of angels HALLELUJAH!

Not Alone

2010-12-23T08:47:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite Broadway musicals is "Into the Woods" (I was involved in a high school production of it). There's a song in the musical called "No One is Alone." I love that song because it's about how there is always someone with us (and, unfortunately, someone with the bad guys too).

I like this verse in John about how Christ will not leave us "as orphans" - we are not alone and we can access divine guidance.

John 13:15-21

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Glimpses

2010-12-22T09:24:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we meet a person only once in our lives. They may be a good person having a bad day or a bad person having a good day. The first impression we get of these people may stick forever, or we may even forget ever having met them. Snap decisions are made and often stay with us, on the basis of one glimpse of a person's character. I think this often happens with Martha, sister of Mary and Lazarus in the New Testament. She was the one who was "cumbered with much serving" and too busy to listen to Jesus' teachings. We think of her as the sister without the right ideas of what was most important.

However, Martha was also a faithful disciple of Jesus and believed in him. When her brother Lazarus died, she had faith that Jesus could raise him from the dead. In scripture and in life we may only get one glimpse into a person's character, but luckily the whole story is known by God, and in his mercy he takes our weaknesses and foibles into account when judging us. I'm grateful for that knowledge - God is wonderful! I'm grateful for Martha's strong and faith-filled testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ.

John 11:20-27

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Misunderstanding

2010-12-21T09:04:00.000-05:00

My college New Testament teacher said the scripture below was one of the most frequently misquoted in all of scripture. Many people quote this to support reading the scriptures, however, it is actually Jesus condemning those who read the scriptures but do not understand the application of them. Ironic, no? This is why I like reading non-LDS perspectives on the scriptures - sometimes we come to the scriptures with our "Mormon" glasses on and are able to see things only our way. It's enriching to look at things from a different faith perspective. Ultimately, the scriptures are there to testify of things that are living and real - they testify of Jesus Christ - His atonement, resurrection, and salvation offered to all mankind.

John 5:39-40 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Some Gems

2010-12-18T08:50:00.000-05:00

I haven't been posting, but I have been reading, I promise! Here are some of my favorite verses in the past few days:

Luke 6:27-38 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Luke 9:18-20 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

Luke 15:3-7 Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Luke 16:10-13 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Luke 18:9-14 “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 21:19 “Stand firm, and you will win life.”

Christmas Story

2010-12-12T08:47:00.000-05:00

While I'm normally pretty tolerant of just about any christmas music or movie, I don't like the movie "Christmas Story." But, the true Christmas Story is found in the second chapter of Luke, verses 1-20:

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Help Me Overcome

2010-12-08T07:23:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I like the NIV, and sometimes I don't. In the story below, I like that the father of the boy says "help me overcome my unbelief." I don't like the change to the last sentence, where the KJV adds that prayer AND fasting are required for great miracles.

"A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”" (Mark 9:17-29)

The Great Commission

2010-12-06T07:32:00.000-05:00

The New International Version that I'm reading online has little subtitles on sections of the chapters - the one on this verse was entitled "The Great Commission."

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:16-20)

The Least of These

2010-12-05T11:50:00.000-05:00

I think the way that the poor and lowly are treated says a lot about a society. If we treat "the least of these" with charity and decency, then I think we are on the right path. We can glimpse that charity (sometimes) at Christmas, when people seem to be more giving.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ " (Matt. 25:34-40)

Come

2010-12-02T07:39:00.000-05:00

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).

Sawdust vs. Planks

2010-12-01T07:29:00.000-05:00

This is one set of verses where I like the words used by the New International Version, feel like it clears up the contrast when we judge people:

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." (Matt 7:3-5)

Often I think we think that our own sins/mistakes/imperfections are smaller than others' issues, but we often don't know the whole story. There are many people I've met in my life who appear to be misguided, silly, annoying, rude, or downright mean. But when I get to know them further, I've found that their circumstances are vastly different than what they appear, and I've misjudged them because I didn't truly know them. Take time to be humble and realize that you may not have the whole story when you take a first look at someone.

Matthew 5

2010-11-30T22:10:00.000-05:00

First of all, you should really just read the entire chapter 5 of the Book of Matthew. I love its lyricism AND its message of peace and love to all mankind. Here are the verses I liked from this reading:

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift." (Matt 5:21-24)

I liked the "brother or sister" here (it only says brother in the King James Version). To me it just emphasizes our need to love EVERYONE, regardless of gender or condition. These verses also remind me that just because I didn't kill anyone, doesn't mean I am a good Christian (or a good human being, for that matter) - we are expected to live to a higher standard than merely abstaining from homicide. Christ asks each of us to "be reconciled" to each other, even with our shortcomings and imperfections. He asks us to see each other as "brother" and "sister," not strangers or enemies.

Christmas Time is Here again

2010-11-29T07:26:00.000-05:00

So this Christmas I'm going to do something I did once on my mission: read all four Gospels in the days leading up to Christmas. I'm going to mix it up, however, and instead of reading the King James version of the bible, I'm going to read the New International Version.

So, I'll be posting verses or thoughts related to that on a hopefully semi-regular basis leading up to Christmas. Today's thought comes from Matthew 3:8, where John the Baptist tells the Pharisees, "Produce fruit in keeping with repentence." A common biblical verse is "by their fruits ye shall know them," and I like the thought that we must produce "fruits" (i.e. works and actions in our lives) that KEEP us in repentance. It's a continual thing, not a one-time "I am saved" kind of thing. That's my thought today - Merry Christmas!

Giving Thanks

2010-11-25T09:14:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I have so much to be grateful for. As I told my roommate this morning, it is good to be alive. I'm grateful for life and its many joys! I have been thinking this Thanksgiving about "giving" being part of Thanksgiving. It's right there in the title of the holiday. Ultimately the best way to be truly thankful is not to be thankful you are somehow better than others, but to GIVE what you've been given. We all have something to give - money, time, talents. When you are thankful, think about what you can do with your blessings to bless others. That's my message to you on this Thanksgiving.

Here's a video from Mormon Messages about Thanksgiving - there are so many things to be thankful for, from mac n cheese to God's beautiful creations.

I Don't Know Why

2010-11-20T10:47:00.000-05:00

I don't know why, but this song reminds me of Relief Society. I doubt it's going to be added to the hymnbook anytime soon! Still, I think it's a powerful feminist message about how women need to stand up for themselves, and stand with their sisters around the world.

Good Compromises

2010-11-15T21:41:00.000-05:00

Perhaps I've used this phrase before on this blog: "A Good Compromise Leaves Everybody Unhappy." This is how I felt while reading reports over the past couple days covering President Obama's deficit reduction commission. The proposals had something to offend everyone, it seemed. Conservatives hated letting the Bush tax cuts expire. Liberals despised cuts to spending programs like social security and medicare. The point is, everyone is going to have to meet halfway.

No one (least of all politicians) is right ALL the time. Nor do we live in a world where we can unilaterally force people to agree with us. This necessitates compromise and common sense. That's what disturbed me as I read both sides' reactions to the proposals. No one seemed willing to go out on a limb and do something truly courageous: compromise. We Americans, in our rugged individualism, tend to associate courage only with "taking a stand" and "not giving in." But sometimes the big and courageous decisions are those decisions that are humbly made, acknowledging that neither party is completely right and neither party is completely wrong. Part of this, I think, stems from the enormity of the problem: the deficit is HUGE and growing! It's also from the fact that it's really a FUTURE problem. Politicians don't deal well with long term challenges, in my opinion. And sometimes we, as a public, tend to tune out of the policy nuances and just say: FIX IT (see about the 2 minute mark of the SNL clip below...cracks me up).

So, currently the budget deficit is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2030. The New York Times has come up with an interactive budget puzzle - you can choose how you would cut spending, raise taxes, or do both to come up with your solution to our budget mess. How would you solve the deficit? Remember - you won't be able to get your proposal through a divided congress unless you use ideas that appeal to both sides!

Don't be part of the problem - be part of the SOLUTION.

Of Wooden Spoons

2010-11-13T22:09:00.000-05:00

As has been established, I really love to bake. Today, in order to mix up banana bread, I used a wooden spoon. Now that I live with a roommate who has a Kitchenaid mixer, I hardly ever use wooden spoons. However, I really like it! There is something basic and elemental about a wooden spoon. A wooden spoon really helps get the job done - I love the feeling of whipping up the contents of a bowl of banana bread, a ton of bread dough, or a batch of brownies.

I guess it makes me feel connected to my pioneer ancestors. According to wikipedia, wooden spoons have been used in cooking at least since 250 BC (the entry also contains the helpful definition that a wooden spoon is "a spoon made from wood"). That's pretty awesome that a utensil has endured that long, and still holds a vital place in the modern kitchen.

While there may be no real reason to use a wooden spoon in today's world of modern conveniences, I feel like a wooden spoon is a good example of the kind of "ordinary" Latter-day Saint that makes the church work. We may look ordinary and feel run-of-the-mill, but when you really want to get a job done, there is nothing more sturdy and hardy. Latter-day Saints, when working with the Spirit of God, can accomplish miracles (in this analogy, we'll have to assume delicious banana bread is a miracle). I know that God has enough power (like a Kitchen-aid mixer) to do his own work, but he lets us participate.

Lately, I've been thinking about this: One of the many "fruits" of the gospel is the people it creates - kind, good, EXTRA-ordinary people. The gospel softens hearts and changes minds. Gospel truth lifts us and makes us better tools in the service of God. Wooden spoons can be used to stir hot things without transferring heat - a good example of the heat we may be called to pass through as members of the church. Yet the true saints endure. They may be counted ordinary, and undervalued by the world at large. Yet, somehow, through it all, the gospel bowl is brim-ful of wooden spoons - extraordinary people - true saints who lift and love others, and that is one of the things I love about this church. People who, incidentally, are also very generous with their baked goods.

Maybe someday, I'll blog about my other favorite kitchen utensil: a super spatula. Don't know if I'll relate it to the gospel.

Girly vs. Girl Power

2010-10-23T16:01:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I wonder if I'm "girly" enough to be a girl. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy at least one aspect of girliness: I love to bake.* But, I hate shopping. I don't like make-up. Dressing up in pretty clothes annoys me, I would rather be in jeans (or sweats). Pink is my LEAST favorite color. For me, doing my hair means washing it on a regular basis. Though I love themed earrings for occasions (Halloween Skeletons!), bling is kind of gross - I am not a fan of huge diamonds or flashy metals. Before writing this post, I double checked, and I don't currently own any perfume.

Yet culture expects us girls to love pink, covet jewelry, make ourselves beautiful** by applying paint and chemicals to our faces, wear skirts, etc. Why does society expect these things of me simply because I lack an Y chromosome? One of the aspects of my version of feminism is that we get to choose what we want. IF girls really do want those things, that's great - good for them. It's not my cup of tea, but I don't mean to disparage these pursuits if others enjoy them. Feminism means girls get to choose. It also means "society"/"culture" should grow up and stop labeling things as girly and expect every girl to act alike.

*Full disclosure: I loved, and still love dolls, so I guess that's pretty "girly."
**Side note: ugly women are expected to wear make up but not ugly men

Trying New Things

2010-09-18T23:59:00.000-04:00

I had my first fondant experience today. For those of you who don't know what fondant is, basically it is a type of frosting used by cake decorators on wedding cakes and other highly decorated cakes. Fondant can be rolled out and shaped and manipulated into all kinds of different stuff. The downside is that fondant tastes terrible (which is why you'll want real frosting in between the layers of your cake). For my friend's birthday party on Saturday night, I was assigned to bring the cake, and since I had Friday off I decided to make it a good one. The theme was books and chocolate. Can you guess what shape my cake was in?

To start with, I baked a yummy chocolate cake (well, multiple cakes - you'll see). Here is a four layer cake, with fluffy white frosting in-between:

Then I cut out fondant for the outside of the cake, this involved a rolling pin, rulers, and a pizza cutter:

To make it clear that this was a birthday cake, you need a message, obviously:
Overall, it turned out pretty well, hopefully you can guess what it's supposed to look like?

While I like trying new things, this was definitely an exhausting exercise - perhaps not to be repeated.

Zero Opposition

2010-09-16T15:38:00.000-04:00

Frankly I've found most of the "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy a bit baffling (as almost everything is, which in any way involves Sarah Palin). The mosque is not being built ON Ground Zero, or even within view of it. Another mosque has been near the site since the 70's. While some of those involved are undoubtedly good-hearted, others (mostly politicians) are using it to drum up hatred and anger.

I believe that at the heart of the controversy lies a fundamental misconception. All of the opposition somehow equates those Muslims who are building the mosque with the Muslims who perverted Islam and flew planes into the world trade center, murdering thousands of innocent people. This to me seems as incoherent as it would be to hold me responsible for the acts of some crazy extremist who happens to be Mormon. Why should we punish those who are not responsible for the attacks by restricting their free exercise of religion? Some would argue that Islam is inherently violent and preaches death to unbelievers, however, as an excellent article by Robert Wright in the New York Times points out, similar passages exist in the bible. I think that even the people who are sincerely opposed to the Mosque for non-political reasons are falling prey to this logical fallacy of equating Muslim extremists with all Muslims.

As Mormons, "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." This is part of the Articles of Faith, succinct statements of our fundamental beliefs. It specificially says that we believe all mankind should be able to worship God WHEREVER they desire to. Shouldn't this include a location in New York City of Muslims' own choosing? Why should loud angry people decide where others practice their religion? Isn't that the beginning of tyranny?

Also, as a nicer way to oppose the Mosque, some have said that "Sure, they have the right to build the Mosque, but they aren't being "sensitive" to the emotions it creates." Well, leaving aside the fact that someone will always be offended by religious practice, this creates a world where we don't have true freedom of religion. Instead we have freedom of religion as long as the majority approves of your religion. Again, this goes back to the automatic assumption that all Muslims are terrorists. This is simply FALSE, and punishes the innocent for the sins of the truly guilty.

I thought this was an excellent post breaking down the logical fallacy behind opposing the Ground Zero Mosque: http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/59155/ (note: Sauron is not the LOTR Sauron, it's someone's pen name on the site)

So, I have zero opposition to the mosque in downtown NYC. I hope it is built and becomes a refuge of peace for those seeking to worship God.

Remember Remember the 15th of September!

2010-09-16T15:07:00.000-04:00

For most of you, September 15th is just another day. However, if you are a tax accountant who works on corporate and/or partnership returns, September 15th is D-Day (only slightly less bloody). The 15th is the due date set by the magnanimous IRS for corporations and partnerships to file their annual returns. So in the days leading up to the Big Day, I had a countdown going on in my g-chat status, set to the tune of "12 Days of Christmas." Consider it my one burst of creativity during accounting busy season. I thought I would explain the various phrases, and hopefully put you all to sleep so you can have a nice nap.

12 Deductions drumming (deductions = expenses in tax-speak)
11 Pro-rata allocations piping (allocations are how income is assigned to partners in a partnership)
10 LLCs a-leaping (Limited Liability Companies, aka LLCs, are a way to organize a business)
9 Tax credits dancing (tax credits are applied against a corporation's tax liability to reduce it)
8 Exceptions a milking (All rules, especially tax rules, have exceptions. Then there are the exceptions to the exceptions! That's a tax accountant's bread and butter)
7 Sections skimming (Each part of the internal revenue code is called a "section" - for giggles, there is a part of each section described as "flush language.")
6 Returns e-filing (Many large corporations are required to file their tax returns electronically, thus saving the planet - see #1)
5 Golden refunds (Corporations are required to pay estimated tax throughout the year - most choose to overpay because you're never sure what you tax liability will work out to, thus leaving you with a refund at the end of the year)
4 Calling conferences (Conference calls, the bane of my existence)
3 Faulty pens (Somehow, whenever I reach for a pen, it is dead)
2 Snail mails (Returns do not actually have to arrive at the IRS office by the 15th, they just have to be postmarked by the 15th)
And 1 ream of paper from a tree (this is how much paper it takes to print returns. I was working on a "simple" Federal return, which ended up weighing in at 75 pages including statements. Not to mention state returns!)

After the countdown, it's time for the end of busy season party and post-deadline lull, in which little work occurs!

Ideas ARE Like Stars

2010-08-22T19:58:00.000-04:00

In Middle School and High School, I listened to a lot of Mary Chapin Carpenter music. Generally I don't like country music, but most of her songs are pretty "bluegrass." Recently when I moved, I rediscovered some of her CDs. She has a song that I love, "Ideas are like stars." The chorus is:

Ideas are Like Stars
They fall from the sky, they run round your head
They litter your sleep as they beckon
They'd teach you to fly without wires or thread
They promise if only you'd let them

Creativity, or new ideas, is one of the best parts of America, I think - the love of the new idea or new way of doing things. It's a recreation of the American experience. I don't generally think of myself as creative - but I do love the phrase "ideas are like stars" - the beautiful imagery of stars dancing around your head as you come up with thoughts never thought before. I love also this video about creativity from Mormon Messages:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7k
One of the ways I'm creative is baking - I love to bake new things and try new recipes. It gives me joy to taste yummy food that I have made from scratch.

So, how are you able to work creativity in your life? How do you create things never there before?

Health Care, Part II: Sort of

2010-07-28T22:40:00.000-04:00

I fooled around on the internet this evening and put up a new template on the website (kind of has a summery feel to it!). As no one commented on my original post on health care (here), I figured that no one was really interested in part two. If you do want a good summary of the constitutional issues, I read one in a tax journal and it's rather lengthy, so I can email it to you. It's by a conservative and I don't agree with all his points but it's a good summary of the pros and cons. Go Health Care!

Stuff: To Have, To Hold, To Cherish

2010-07-26T07:10:00.000-04:00

During a semester in college, I worked as a research assistant for a political science professor studying the history of currency. It was fascinating to study why people assign value to certain things - cowrie shells, shiny metal (versus other types of shiny metal), or certain glittery rocks. At its heart, this is somewhat arbitrary and becomes an "emperor's new clothes" type experiment. If everyone else assigns value to something, you begin to assign value to it too. Today this is even more bizarre - why do we assign such value to little pieces of paper and ink with the US seal on them? Humans seem to have a tendency towards accumulation of "valuables" and stuff. Why do we care so much about stuff? Beyond a certain basic level of need, stuff isn't necessary for survival.

People like stuff. They like acquiring more and more of it. What can we do to combat this? We live in a society where life is about 'consuming' - using up resources. I think that can replace the more important, and more lasting, things in life. While moving, I realized I have fallen victim to this - I have lots of stuff, too many clothes, and after I moved I bought more furniture.

So, how do we combat this tendency to accumulate stuff? (assuming we should?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUeMVt3stAo

Will.(Power).I.Am

2010-06-28T22:57:00.000-04:00

Time to chase the dust bunnies off the old blog (again). Sorry I haven't been posting much. I could blame moving, but as that happened over a month ago, it's kind of a lame excuse.

Today's post has nothing to do with politics, really. I just want to write this post because I'm frustrated with myself. Recently I heard/read some off-hand comments of "Just pray about it, and everything will work out." Like most things I took it too personally and got discouraged. Something I've been praying about for a really long time seems just as far off and unobtainable as ever.* It struck me that sometimes we view prayer as our own personal ATM, receiving free blessings without ever having to deposit anything.

Sometimes our desires are beyond our control, and it's not in God's timing to answer them. In looking at verses on prayer, I like this promise from the Doctrine and Covenants: "Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing—yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth and corruptibleness to the extent thereof" (D&C 19:38). Notice that this verse doesn't say you'll have everything you ever wanted (i.e. the treasures of the earth) - it promises that you will have the Spirit. Mormons believe that the Spirit, or Holy Ghost, will guide us in paths that are right. Given that gift, we can understand God's answers even if they're not what we expect.

I think, too, sometimes answers to our prayers require our own willpower. We have to do things beyond our comfort zone, beyond what we would normally do, to stretch ourselves and try to create opportunities for our prayers to be answered. Not everything depends on us, but as we have the spirit, we can see what we can do, and perform some self-mastery to really TRY. It's my firm belief that through the enabling power of God's grace our efforts will be magnified.

I hope this post doesn't come across as disparaging of prayer. Prayer is an important component of my inner religious life, and some sacred and personal experiences with prayer have taught me that we have a loving Heavenly Father who cares about hearing our thoughts. So, I'll try to dust off my willpower along with this blog, and stop being discouraged.

*Disclaimer: not marriage. Just in case you were thinking it, 'cause I'm getting up there in years. (Tangent off my tangent: I was thinking a great theme song for singles wards would be U2's "I Still Haven't Found what I'm Looking For")

Health Care - We Did It!

2010-04-24T11:24:00.000-04:00

I've been so busy lately that I have not celebrated the legislative victory of President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid. This was one of the moments that I was dorky enough to watch on TV. As I was watching it, I though about how glad I was that I live in a democracy. I am so lucky and blessed in that regard!

Now, this post is not to say that the Health Care Bill is perfect. In my mind, one of its strengths is that the bill has things that both the left and the right don't like. As the saying goes "a good compromise leaves everybody unhappy." But a recent post by a friend about how unhappy she was with the bill has caused me to think about how I would respond to her, and my many Republican friends, in their charges against the health care bill. From talking with them, I think these are some of their main arguments:

1. The bill will provide government funding for abortion.
2. The bill is not supported by a majority of Americans.
3. The bill impinges on individual freedom.
4. The bill is unconstitutional.
(Now, please tell me if I'm not being fair or leaving out any important points to you)

I'd like to address points number 1 and 2, and address 3 & 4 in a more in depth post later. I'm going to avoid using scriptural based reasoning, because I don't like it when people use scriptures to push their own political agenda (tho I have been guilty of it on occasion).

Abortion
Claiming that someone who voted for the Health Care bill wants to kill babies is as ludicrous as saying that Republicans who voted against the Health Care bill want all the people who are dying without health insurance to die. Bart Stupak, a pro-life Democrat, voted for the bill. People have condemned him for it, but I applaud him for valuing life, including a baby's life after he or she is born. I really liked Stupak's OpEd in the Post about why he was voting for the bill. I think the pro-life movement has it wrong on health-care, because there are many reasons that health care reform will actually reduce the number of abortions in this country.

I think we better face up to the fact that abortion is going to be legal in the U.S. in the long term. What we can do, instead of being counterproductive in accusing others, is work to reduce the number of abortions. There are methods to do this - sex education in schools, better pre-natal care, increasing penalties on dads who don't pay child support, and, YES, health care. In fact, I think health care reform will reduce the number of abortions by providing health care to moms pre- and post- birth. Women are more likely to go through with a pregnancy when they know they and their child will have access to affordable health care. Having health care also means that women have access to birth control, which reduces the risk for unplanned pregnancy, thus reducing the demand for abortions. Please don't label me as pro-abortion because I support health care.

Public Support

Many people pointed to the high number of protests and anti-health care phone calls to Congress, as well as polls showing public opposition, as a reason not to pass the health care bill. Two points: (1) people were not universally opposed to the health care bill as you might think and (2) this a dumb reason not to do something.

First, while some polls showed a majority against the bill, many of the individual provisions, such as requiring coverage of pre-existing conditions, were very popular. In most cases, the "against" vote hovered around 50%. This hardly means a wholesale rejection of the bill. It does show deep division, but this leads me to my second point: are we supposed to do what's right or what's popular? Representatives voted for the bill because they believed it was the right thing to do, and I respect that. Disagree with them? Vote 'em out of office!

Mormons in particular are proud of going against public opinion. I think that many representatives voted for the health care bill even though they knew it would likely cost them their jobs in November, and in my mind that shows political courage and a willingness to do what they believed in even if it wasn't popular. This prong of the debate goes to the heart of what it means to be in a representative democracy. There are two ways you can look at a "representative." Option #1: Representatives should do exactly what their constituents want, voting how their constituency would vote if it could be in congress. Option #2: Representatives should do what's in the best interests of their constituents, even if it's not politically expedient. I'm not saying one of these views is better than the other, but if you are thinking to yourself that Option #1 is how democracy should work, then I hope you're consistent. I hope you thought we should pull out of Iraq once a majority of Americans were against the war. I hope you support current efforts to let homosexuals serve openly in the military (70% popular support). I hope you supported the resignation of President Bush when his approval rating fell to historic lows. If you don't/didn't support those things, then it's hypocritical to argue against health care reform for that reason - let's talk about the merits of the bill.

As always, I end with an apology for the length of the post. Please do leave your comments and thoughts - if I'm not responsive PLEASE don't be offended - I'll be on vacation with limited email access for a while.

"The Life of the Soul"

2010-03-29T19:09:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about this poem today:

Hyacinths to Feed the Soul
If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft,
And from thy slender store two loaves alone to thee are left,
Sell one, and with the dole
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.
- Attributed to Gulistan of Moslih Eddin Saadi (From Best Loved Poems of The American People, pg. 78)

Mormons sometimes talk a lot about what we don't do (one of the reasons I hate the shirt slogan "I can't, I'm Mormon"). However I think it's important to focus on the positive things that make us happy - the things that "care for the life of the soul" (D&C 101:37). So, be happy - and do the things that make you happier!

Happy International Women's Day!

2010-03-08T06:36:00.000-05:00

С междонародным женским днем!!! Поздравлаю вас с 8оро Марта! Although you may not know it if you've never lived in a country that celebrates it, today is International Women's Day. It's a big deal in Russia, and I love it because it's not exclusionary like Mother's Day, it's a day to celebrate all women. To me, it's the perfect holiday for Russia, because I met so many great women in Russia who were examples of faith, courage, and joy to me.

So, take today an tell a woman (or women!) that she's awesome. People all over the world are celebrating the effect of noble womanhood to uplift and inspire humanity. Rock on!

Ain't I A Woman?

2010-03-03T22:52:00.000-05:00

How can you not like someone who picks a name like "Sojourner Truth"? This was the self-chosen name of a northern slave who became a vociferous opponent of slavery and adept campaigner for Abolition in the years leading up the the civil war. Her most famous speech (which she may or may not have given in the form we most recognize -read the two versions here) has the following lines:

"I want to say a few words about this matter. I am a woman's rights. I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that? I have heard much about the sexes being equal. I can carry as much as any man, and can eat as much too, if I can get it. I am as strong as any man that is now."

Feminism doesn't have to mean that men and women are physically equally strong, but I admire Soujourner Truth - because she was truly a man's equal. In a time where women were second class citizens, and African Americans weren't even citizens, she stood up for her rights as a proud Black Woman!

Debauchee of Dew

2010-03-02T20:53:00.000-05:00

Emily Dickinson is one of my favorite poetesses. Women's History Month honors the achievements of women in all fields, and I especially admire talents I do not possess - the literary and artistic ones.

I'll let Emily speak for herself.

214

I taste a liquor never brewed,

From tankards scooped in pearl;

Not all the vats upon the Rhine

Yield such an alcohol!

Inebriate of air am I,

And debauchee of dew,

Reeling, through endless summer days,

From inns of molten blue.

When landlords turn the drunken bee

Out of the foxglove’s door,

When butterlies renounce their drams,

I shall but drink the more!

Till seraphs swing their snowy hats,

And saints to windows run,

To see the little tippler

Leaning against the sun!

324

Some keep the Sabbath going to church;

I keep it staying at home,

With a bobolink for a chorister,

And an orchard for a dome.

Some keep the Sabbath in surplice;

I just wear my wings,

And instead of tolling the bell for church,

Our little sexton sings.

God preaches, — a noted clergyman, —

And the sermon is never long;

So instead of getting to heaven at last,

I’m going all along!

"General Tubman"

2010-03-01T22:24:00.000-05:00

One of the first school assignments I remember is a fictional short story I wrote about a girl who escapes from slavery in the South and walks to freedom. I think I was inspired by Harriet Tubman, one of the most famous conductors on the underground railroad (and called General Tubman by none other than John Brown himself). You can read more about her story here. She is a great example of courage and bravery in rescuing not only her family but others as well!

We probably have an over-idealized and hazy view of Harriet Tubman - a kind of gentle loving woman who had compassion on the downtrodden. But, she was a tough cookie - you can read on Wikipedia about the military expedition she helped guide during the civil war. General Tubman, I salute you!

Happy Febarch! And, A Merry Maruary to you!

2010-02-28T21:35:00.000-05:00

I have been meaning to create some posts during February in honor of Black History month, but this month has just flown by (was it deliberate to honor African Americans in the shortest month of the year?). As many of you know, March is Womens' History month. So, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and do some posts about influential African American Women. I might also throw in some white women, as long as they're awesome. So, in the first part of this series, I'd like to honor Rosa Parks.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was on her way home from her job as a seamstress when the white bus driver asked her and three other black passengers to give up their seats for a white man. She refused, and was arrested and fined $10. Her courageous actions spurred a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama that lasted 381 days. Rosa's act of defiance may seem small, but I like the way the NY times described it in her obituary (Mrs. Parks passed away in 2005):

"Her act of civil disobedience, what seems a simple gesture of defiance so many years later, was in fact a dangerous, even reckless move in 1950's Alabama. In refusing to move, she risked legal sanction and perhaps even physical harm, but she also set into motion something far beyond the control of the city authorities. Mrs. Parks clarified for people far beyond Montgomery the cruelty and humiliation inherent in the laws and customs of segregation."

It's important to note that her action was not without consequences - she lost her job and did suffer financially for her dedication to this cause. It's also important to note that the boycott didn't get results on the 1st day, or the second, or even the 300th! It took over a year of walking, carpooling, and boycotting for the protesters to get justice. Even when the buses were desegregated, a long fight for true equality continued (and continues today). When we stand up to the petty injustices of the world's bigots, we can't expect instant change or no adversity. I truly admire Rosa Parks. In her words, here's why she refused to get up from her seat:

"I did not want to be mistreated, I did not want to be deprived of a seat that I had paid for. It was just time... there was opportunity for me to take a stand to express the way I felt about being treated in that manner. I had not planned to get arrested. I had plenty to do without having to end up in jail. But when I had to face that decision, I didn't hesitate to do so because I felt that we had endured that too long. The more we gave in, the more we complied with that kind of treatment, the more oppressive it became."

I honor and admire Rosa Parks for her courage. She was truly a great American.

For more information, see a really detailed biography on Wikipedia here. There's also a great slideshow of pictures of Rosa here.

P.S. Anyone up for a road trip to see the bus Rosa Parks sat on? I'm there!

"Wonderful" Contention

2010-01-06T20:15:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about the contradiction between two verses, one of which I've heard a lot of while growing up Mormon, and one that I've never heard quoted.

In 3 Nephi, Christ teaches "For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another." (3 Ne 11:29)

While, when describing the political turmoil during the early reign of the judges (the Nephites' first experience with democracy), an unknown narrator* states "And it came to pass that the people assembled themselves together throughout all the land, every man according to his mind, whether it were for or against Amlici, in separate bodies, having much dispute and wonderful contentions one with another." (Alma 2:5, emphasis added)

Now, I don't want to contradict Christ. But I think what He's talking about is "contention for the sake of contention" (I'm familiar with this from having younger brothers). I think Christ was saying that creating arguments just to argue about something, or pick fault, is a bad thing. I think He doesn't mean we shouldn't fight evil. The key is in the second part of the verse, where he talks about the motivation behind the contention - it can't be in anger. I think a lot of political talk these days falls under the "anger" label (I'm looking at you, Hannity and Olberman).

How can contention be wonderful? We in America tend to be believers in a democracy that throws out bad ideas and embraces good ones through the power of argument. We believe that merely through the opposing arguments of our two main parties (complete with lunatic fringes on both sides) we can winnow down to something approaching a "golden mean" where we make the right decisions. Of a necessity, this involves disagreement. I guess part of me likes the idea of "wonderful" contention. I believe it's a healthy part of a democracy. That's what bothers me about places like Utah or Massachusetts, essentially people don't have to "contend" for their seat. They're able to coast, merely by labeling themselves by the prevailing political party.

I vote for some wonderful "contention" on the important issues facing us today. I don't think we have enough SERIOUS debate - so far it seems to me that Republicans are just reflexively against any changes proposed by Democrats and vice versa. So, call me "of the devil," but I think we need some wondrous arguments ;)

And please, let's not compare either side to Amlici (a bad guy) - rarely are issues as black and white as they were in Alma 2.

*Perhaps Alma, perhaps Moroni?

Spirit of Christ

2009-12-24T10:10:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Eve! I began posting my Christmas messages the last day of November, and this will be the last of them (then I'll go back to my socialist views of religion).

I wanted to bear my testimony of Jesus Christ, his birth, life, message, death, and literal resurrection. I believe in a living Jesus, one who knows you and me personally. We can gain a testimony of him through prayer, study of His words and deeds, seeing His principles in action - and, ultimately, through faith. When I say "I know" that something is true, it is knowledge through faith. I don't claim to have seen Him, but I have felt the Holy Ghost whisper to me that Jesus Lives, and loves me. For my final post, I'll share two things with you: this video from the Mormon messages channel (which I loved), and the story of Luke 2, which my family reads every Christmas. To spice things up a bit, I've included the New International Version of the bible, which has slightly different wording than the standard King James Version that we often read.

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Gaililee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with mar, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." when the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing which has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." (Luke 2:1-20)

Truly, this is a season of "Glory to God in the Highest!" Peace be with you, and Merry Christmas!

Tracking the Big Guy

2009-12-23T22:53:00.000-05:00

In case you were thinking that modern technology wasn't good for anything, I was reminded today that NORAD tracks Santa as he delivers gifts on Christmas. It's pretty awesome, eh? Here's the link for the Santa Tracker:

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html

I hope you all were good this year and you don't get a lump of coal in your stocking!

Christmas Music!

2009-12-22T21:15:00.000-05:00

While I've already talked about a few Christmas songs, the truth is that I LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC. Maybe next year I'll do a Christmas song a day (a bit more manageable that putting coherent thoughts together everyday). So, without further ado, here is a playlist of great Christmas Music. I have to admit, I even love the pop Christmas music - I can't help but tap my toe to Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

Wise Men (and Women!) Still Seek Him

2009-12-21T17:54:00.001-05:00

The wise men in the story of Jesus' birth are interesting. We don't know if there were three wise men, or more than that. We know this:

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. (Matthew 2:1-12)

The journey of these wise men has always fascinated me - where were they from these mysterious men of the east? Why did they seek the fulfillment of an obscure prophecy? What happened to them after they found the baby Jesus?

Henry Van Dyke wrote a great short story about "the other wise man" - you can read the full text online. It's about a wise man who doesn't get to see Christ personally, only through the people he serves. Here is my favorite quote, when the wise man, Artaban, seeks out a Hebrew priest who tells him:

"And remember, my son," said he, fixing his eyes upon the face of Artaban, "the King whom thou seekest is not to be found in a palace, nor among the rich and powerful. If the light of the world and the glory of Israel had been appointed to come with the greatness of earthly splendour, it must have appeared long ago. For no son of Abraham will ever again rival the power which Joseph had in the palaces of Egypt, or the magnificence of Solomon throned between the lions in Jerusalem. But the light for which the world is waiting is a new light, the glory that shall rise out of patient and triumphant suffering. And the kingdom which is to be established forever is a new kingdom, the royalty of unconquerable love.

"I do not know how this shall come to pass, nor how the turbulent kings and peoples of earth shall be brought to acknowledge the Messiah and pay homage to him. But this I know. Those who seek him will do well to look among the poor and the lowly, the sorrowful and the oppressed."

Christ did indeed come to establish a kingdom of the royalty unconquerable LOVE.

Mary You Did Know

2009-12-20T21:05:00.000-05:00

"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her." (Luke 1:26-28)

Let's give it up for Mary! I really don't mean that flippantly - you've gotta admire a woman (or in today's world, a girl) who has the courage to respond to an angel who tells her she's going to be mother of the Son of God, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." She had faith enough to tell Joseph the news, without being sure he would back her up; eventually make a long journey via donkey while very pregnant; give birth in a stable without modern medicine; flee to Egypt with her young child; raise a child who was probably a tad different, and eventually live to see the death of her son in a very violent manner. The scriptures don't say much about Mary, but reading between the lines we can see a Daughter of God who was selfless, courageous, and faithful. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is an example to me, and Christmas wouldn't have happened without her faith and devotion. Mary did know, and did the impossible through faith in God.

Dog Days of Snow

2009-12-19T23:30:00.000-05:00

Today we got slammed with what has variously been described as a "Snowpocolapse" "Shopper-stopper" or "Obamasnow" (I don't quite get that last one - is it a tribute or a mocking name?). Anyways, the long and the short of it is that we have 22 1/2 inches of snow here. My dad and I spent parts of the afternoon going out to shovel - not that you'd really notice, since our sidewalk and driveway are still covered in snow. Church is already canceled for tomorrow (and I'm rooting for work to be canceled Monday).

Since I was going to teach a Sunday School lesson on the "Pure in Heart," I've had "Zion" on the brain recently. Now, at first glance, the concept of Zion may not seem to have much to do with Christmas. But in our current understanding of Zion, Christmas brings out what I would call the "Zion moments" in people.

Mormons in general are a little weird in our concept of Zion. When I think of zion in a non-mormon context, it's generally an idea of cults. In our scriptures, it's a concept that has evolved through time - it began as a place (Jackson, Missouri) and has evolved to a concept that includes anyone who is "pure in heart." I think of Zion as a striving to live the spirit of Christmas and giving. I noticed in studying for the lesson that Zion is usually accompanied by living the law of consecration - "having all things in common" - this applies to the saints in the New Testament in the book of Acts, saints in the book of Mormon after Christ's appearance to them, and to saints in the early years of the Church in the 1830's and 1840's. Obviously we don't live in a time where the law of consecration is in full operation but we still have opportunities to give to others.

I am really excited that it was recently announced there will be an addition to the "3-Fold Mission of the Church" - caring for the poor and needy. While this is already part of a true Christian life, I hope including this principle prominently in the church will lead us to "do many things of our own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness."

So here are some "Zion moments" I've noticed, today with the snow and all during the week:

- It was nice that in the coverage of the storm, all the news anchors were reminding us to check in with our elderly neighbors and see if they were ok - I thought that was truly kind and charitable, and I've never noticed it before during a storm.
- My dad helped dig out a van from our street, a family was trying to get home
- Our home teacher picked up my brother from the Metro (after his plane ride to Newark and train to Union station) so that he could be home for Christmas

Along with that, I had the opportunity for Zion moments to serve others this week. I won't tell you what I did in response (suffice it to say that I regret my response in some circumstances).

- Seeing a co-worker carrying two heavy boxes, a laptop, and purse through the hallway, and knowing she needed help, despite the fact that I was running late
- Seeing a salvation army bell ringer at the mall, but not by the entrance I was going in, and knowing that I should donate because I had cash and I don't usually have cash with me
- Being prompted that I should go into a client site early (before training at another location) to do some work so someone else wouldn't have to
- Getting a great Christmas gift idea for a co-worker that I don't really know that well, but feeling strongly I should give it

I love this quote about giving:
"We are all both givers and receivers. President Marion G. Romney has said, 'There is an interdependence between those who have and those who have not. The process of giving exalts the poor and humbles the rich. In the process, both are sanctified" (Ensign, Nov. 1982, p. 93). No one is exempt from giving to the impoverished. The counsel is: "And again, I say unto the poor...I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give. (Mosiah 4:24)" No one is exempt from receiving. To the rich, the reality is: "For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God,...calling on his name, and begging for a remission of our sins" through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ? (Mosiah 4:19-20)
- Bishop Robert D. Hales, "Welfare Principles to Guide our Lives: An Eternal Plan for the Welfare of Men's Souls," Ensign, May 1986, 29.

If you're reading this post, you are likely wealthy in the eyes of the world. What more can you be doing to create Zion and care for the poor and needy?

Whoops...

2009-12-19T00:25:00.000-05:00

So I just realized that I was so engrossed in the book I was reading (and finishing...in one day) that I didn't post something! Not that anyone would notice. But since we here in the D.C. area are expected to get 10-20 inches of snow, enjoy "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" despite the anachronistic fact that Christ's birth was likely not accompanied by snow.

Your Turn

2009-12-17T22:28:00.000-05:00

It's almost one week til Christmas! I am (almost) done with Christmas shopping, without going to the mall. I'm going to be lazy tonight and focus on you - my solitary readers! What is your favorite Christmas memory? Is there one gift (given or received) that you remember more than others? What are you doing to make this Christmas special?

Stille nacht, heilige nacht

2009-12-16T21:49:00.000-05:00

For whatever reason, I feel like I've heard the Christmas carol "Silent Night" a lot during this Christmas season. Which I like, because I like the song. It's such a beautiful and peaceful lullaby. I also love that it was sung during a temporary truce during World War I between German and English troops. It's a reminder that sometimes our common humanity trumps the evils of our basest selves. So, you can read about the Christmas truce, and the origin of the hymn, on the Silent Night Wikipedia page. Of the online versions, I liked this music video with the version sung by Sixpence none the Richer:

Here are the lyrics:

Silent Night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth