Times were bad in Israel when Samuel became the prophet. The sons of the previous high priest had brought scandal to the tabernacle by committing serious sins, and the people in general were not much better. They had begun worshiping other gods, and they had just lost two major battles to the Philistines. Their wickedness was so great that the Ark of the Covenant could not help them, and in the second battle the Philistines not only slaughtered 30,000 Israelite soldiers, they also captured the sacred ark.
Such was the situation when Samuel became the prophet and judge of Israel.
Knowing he needed to tackle the source of the problem, Samuel called the Israelites to repentance, telling them that if they would turn away from false gods and serve God only, “he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines” (1 Sam. 7:3). Humbled, the people repented, and Samuel gathered them together to a place called Mizpeh, near the site of the two battles Israel had just lost. There, the people fasted and Samuel prayed for the people.
With all Israel gathered in one place, the Philistines recognized an opportunity and brought their armies to Mizpeh. Frightened, “the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines” (1 Sam. 7:8). So Samuel took a lamb and offered it as a sacrifice. While he was sacrificing the lamb, the Philistines came up to begin their attack, but “the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, . . . and they were smitten before Israel” (1 Sam. 7:10).
The miracle of this deliverance was not lost on Samuel or the Israelites. Twice they had been beaten in this same place. As a people, they were at one of their lowest points; they had been so weak even the Ark of the Covenant could not save them. And during a worship service—when they had not gathered with armies and weapons but with fasting and prayer—their enemies had come upon them to destroy them. The likelihood of an Israelite victory was slim. But God fought their battle on that day. To commemorate God’s deliverance, Samuel set up a stone monument in the place of battle. As a token of gratitude and praise to God, he called the stone Eben-ezer, which means “stone of help.”
Like Samuel and the children of Israel, we all have great reasons to praise God. As he did for Israel, he has fought many battles for us, and through His Son, he has offered us a deliverance no less miraculous than the deliverance given the Israelites that day near Mizpeh. May we, like Samuel, raise an Eben-ezer in our lives as a token of gratitude and praise.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Reflections on Beauty
We just returned from the awards ceremony for the Reflections contest at Lizzy's school. Lizzy received a participation prize (and $1) for her poem about the beauty of nature (see below). (The theme this year was "Beauty is...")
Together with the $10 Lizzy won last year for her first-place poem, she has now earned $11 for her poetry, which is probably more than she has earned in any other single activity yet in her life. Although we're grateful and it's good motivation for Lizzy, I question the economic system that this program models for the students. All these artistic kids are growing up with the impression that poetry and art are viable money making enterprises...
Anyway, after the ceremony, we perused some of the other entries in the contest, and I noticed that in his entry one boy (fourth grade, I think) had identified three things as being examples of beauty: books, video games, and TV. Further proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder... and to a 9-year-old boy (or a 39-year-old boy, for that matter), what could be more beautiful than a glowing screen?
On our way home, the song "I Need You" by America was playing on the car stereo. I joked to Lizzy as we got out of the car that this is a song you sing after you hit someone with your knee while running around on a playing field: "I kneed you."
With barely a pause, Lizzy chimed in, "No, this is the song you sing when you're making bread: 'I knead you.'"
We had a good laugh and brought the CD in the house where we continued listening to the song and made up our own version of the chorus:
Anyway, enough of that. Here's Lizzy's beauty poem:
And here's the music video for "I Need You," in case you need your 70s music fix after that allusion above...
Together with the $10 Lizzy won last year for her first-place poem, she has now earned $11 for her poetry, which is probably more than she has earned in any other single activity yet in her life. Although we're grateful and it's good motivation for Lizzy, I question the economic system that this program models for the students. All these artistic kids are growing up with the impression that poetry and art are viable money making enterprises...
Anyway, after the ceremony, we perused some of the other entries in the contest, and I noticed that in his entry one boy (fourth grade, I think) had identified three things as being examples of beauty: books, video games, and TV. Further proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder... and to a 9-year-old boy (or a 39-year-old boy, for that matter), what could be more beautiful than a glowing screen?
On our way home, the song "I Need You" by America was playing on the car stereo. I joked to Lizzy as we got out of the car that this is a song you sing after you hit someone with your knee while running around on a playing field: "I kneed you."
With barely a pause, Lizzy chimed in, "No, this is the song you sing when you're making bread: 'I knead you.'"
We had a good laugh and brought the CD in the house where we continued listening to the song and made up our own version of the chorus:
- I need you.
When I'm making yummy bread,
You know I knead you.
When I kick you in the head,
You know I kneed you.
I need you.
Anyway, enough of that. Here's Lizzy's beauty poem:
- Beauty Is a Springtime Flower
Beauty is a springtime flower,
beauty is a strong wind's power.
Beauty is a meadow green,
beauty is a mountain scene.
Here's what I'm saying so you can understand me,
Beauty is nature, you see!
And here's the music video for "I Need You," in case you need your 70s music fix after that allusion above...
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Three Book of Mormon Challenges: Challenge 3
Elder H. Bryan Richards gave three Book of Mormon challenges in a conference talk a couple of years ago. Here are my thoughts on challenge 1 and challenge 2.
And now for Elder Richards' third challenge:
3. "If you were going to teach your children three great truths that you would want them to remember, what would they be?" With this question, Elder Richards encourages us to read Helaman, chapter 5, where Helaman, a Book of Mormon prophet, asked his sons to remember three things "that ye may . . . lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, . . . that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life" (Hel. 5:8).
This chapter of Helaman actually uses the word remember several times. As I read it, I count four truths that he teaches. You could probably combine numbers 1 and 2 or numbers 3 and 4 to get to three truths. But I think it's worth mentioning them individually.
1. "Remember to keep the commandments of God" (Hel. 5:6).
2. Helaman named his two sons Nephi and Lehi after their ancestors, the first two prophets of the Book of Mormon. "This I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works. . . . I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them" (Hel. 5:6-7).
3. "Remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ" (v. 9).
4. "Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation" (Hel. 5:12).
Those are certainly great teachings. If I had to choose three things for my children to remember, what would they be? I'm not sure. Certainly obedience and faith in Christ. I also think remembering the faith and works of ancestors is a valuable thing for children to do. So those three would be strong contenders. I'm wondering, though, if there are other things I would add to my list.
There are other places in the Book of Mormon where fathers taught their children--often in a "last words" sort of situation. What did they teach?
Lehi taught his children (2 Ne. 1-3)
Enos often heard his father, Jacob, teach about (Enos 1:3)
King Benjamin taught his sons
In King Benjamin's last words to his people (which included his sons), he taught them (Mosiah 2-4)
Alma taught his son Helaman (Alma 36-37)
Notably, one of the main things Alma shared with Helaman was his own testimony and conversion experience. It seems that might be one of the most important things you would want your children to remember: that their parents had a firm testimony of the truth.
Alma taught his son Shiblon (Alma 38)
Again, Alma shares his own testimony and conversion experience.
Alma taught his son Corianton (Alma 39-42)
Moroni recorded these teachings from his father, Mormon (Moroni 7-9); this is perhaps the reverse: not what Mormon wanted Moroni to remember but what Moroni did remember from Mormon's teachings:
This has been a good exercise. Good to think about what other fathers have taught and what I should teach. If I had to choose only three things to teach my children, I think it would be these three things (though I might give a different answer 20 years from now):
1. The Doctrine of Redemption: I want my children to have a solid understanding of the plan of salvation and all that entails, including the Fall, the Atonement, faith, repentance, obedience, and endurance. Perhaps this is cheating because there are so many things included in the doctrine of redemption that it allows me to teach more than just three things. :) But I want my children to understand not just faith, but how faith is related to redemption, for instance. I want them to have clear knowledge of justice and mercy and eternal salvation and how we make the Atonement operative in our lives.
2. Build Your Foundation on Christ: I want my children to understand the importance of having a solid relationship with the Savior and how to build that relationship. I want them to trust in Him and do all that is necessary to sustain a dynamic, life-giving relationship with Him.
3. Your Father had a Vibrant Testimony of Christ Born of Personal Experience: Perhaps the most important thing I want my children to know is that I know. I want them to be able to say, like Helaman's warriors, "We do not doubt our father knew it." And more than knowing that I know, I want them to know how I know. Like Alma, I want my children to know the experiences that have brought me to my testimony. I want them to see the development of my conversion and understand how it worked in my life so they may understand how it might work in theirs. I want them to be able to see my gradual change of heart and be able to witness the influence of the Spirit in my life. I want them to sense the depth of my conversion and feel the strength of my love for my Savior as well as for them.
And now for Elder Richards' third challenge:
3. "If you were going to teach your children three great truths that you would want them to remember, what would they be?" With this question, Elder Richards encourages us to read Helaman, chapter 5, where Helaman, a Book of Mormon prophet, asked his sons to remember three things "that ye may . . . lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, . . . that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life" (Hel. 5:8).
This chapter of Helaman actually uses the word remember several times. As I read it, I count four truths that he teaches. You could probably combine numbers 1 and 2 or numbers 3 and 4 to get to three truths. But I think it's worth mentioning them individually.
1. "Remember to keep the commandments of God" (Hel. 5:6).
2. Helaman named his two sons Nephi and Lehi after their ancestors, the first two prophets of the Book of Mormon. "This I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works. . . . I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them" (Hel. 5:6-7).
3. "Remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ" (v. 9).
4. "Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation" (Hel. 5:12).
Those are certainly great teachings. If I had to choose three things for my children to remember, what would they be? I'm not sure. Certainly obedience and faith in Christ. I also think remembering the faith and works of ancestors is a valuable thing for children to do. So those three would be strong contenders. I'm wondering, though, if there are other things I would add to my list.
There are other places in the Book of Mormon where fathers taught their children--often in a "last words" sort of situation. What did they teach?
Lehi taught his children (2 Ne. 1-3)
- obedience to God's commandments (2 Ne. 1:16)
- the plan of redemption, centered on "the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah" (2 Ne. 2:8) and including doctrines of judgment, opposition, agency, and the fall of Adam and Eve (see 2 Ne. 2)
- the promises and covenants of God unto his people; in this case, specifically one promise given to Lehi' ancestor regarding his posterity (2 Ne. 3)
Enos often heard his father, Jacob, teach about (Enos 1:3)
- eternal life
- the joy of the saints
King Benjamin taught his sons
- the value of the scriptures and the importance of studying them (Mosiah 1:3-7)
- "many more things" :) (Mosiah 1:8)
In King Benjamin's last words to his people (which included his sons), he taught them (Mosiah 2-4)
- service to God
- service to each other
- our relative nothingness, and our dependence on God
- punishment for sin and blessings for righteous living
- the redemption of Christ
- the importance of yielding our hearts to God
- faith in God
- the importance of giving to those in need
Alma taught his son Helaman (Alma 36-37)
- remember the captivity of your fathers
- trust in God and you will be supported in trials and delivered from bondage
- obedience and its blessings
- repentance, faith, humility, good works, resistance of sin
- counsel with God in all you do
- give heed to the words of God (scriptures); look to God and live
Notably, one of the main things Alma shared with Helaman was his own testimony and conversion experience. It seems that might be one of the most important things you would want your children to remember: that their parents had a firm testimony of the truth.
Alma taught his son Shiblon (Alma 38)
- obedience and its blessings
- trust in God and you will be delivered and lifted up at the last day
- "there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ" (v. 9)
- be diligent, temperate, humble, bold, sober
Again, Alma shares his own testimony and conversion experience.
Alma taught his son Corianton (Alma 39-42)
- turn away from temporal lusts
- Christ redeems men from sin
- the doctrine of the resurrection and the state of souls between death and resurrection
- wickedness never was happiness
- the plan of redemption, including the fall, atonement, punishment for sin, repentance, God's mercy and justice, and agency
Moroni recorded these teachings from his father, Mormon (Moroni 7-9); this is perhaps the reverse: not what Mormon wanted Moroni to remember but what Moroni did remember from Mormon's teachings:
- do things with real intent; "a man being evil cannot do that which is good" (7:10)
- how to judge good from evil
- faith and the products of faith (miracles, repentance, communication from God through angels and the Holy Ghost)
- hope, specifically hope of eternal life through the atonement of Christ
- charity
- repentance, baptism, and redemption
- the Atonement includes pure mercy for children and those who are without the law
- labor diligently, for we are accountable to God for the trust he has placed in us
This has been a good exercise. Good to think about what other fathers have taught and what I should teach. If I had to choose only three things to teach my children, I think it would be these three things (though I might give a different answer 20 years from now):
1. The Doctrine of Redemption: I want my children to have a solid understanding of the plan of salvation and all that entails, including the Fall, the Atonement, faith, repentance, obedience, and endurance. Perhaps this is cheating because there are so many things included in the doctrine of redemption that it allows me to teach more than just three things. :) But I want my children to understand not just faith, but how faith is related to redemption, for instance. I want them to have clear knowledge of justice and mercy and eternal salvation and how we make the Atonement operative in our lives.
2. Build Your Foundation on Christ: I want my children to understand the importance of having a solid relationship with the Savior and how to build that relationship. I want them to trust in Him and do all that is necessary to sustain a dynamic, life-giving relationship with Him.
3. Your Father had a Vibrant Testimony of Christ Born of Personal Experience: Perhaps the most important thing I want my children to know is that I know. I want them to be able to say, like Helaman's warriors, "We do not doubt our father knew it." And more than knowing that I know, I want them to know how I know. Like Alma, I want my children to know the experiences that have brought me to my testimony. I want them to see the development of my conversion and understand how it worked in my life so they may understand how it might work in theirs. I want them to be able to see my gradual change of heart and be able to witness the influence of the Spirit in my life. I want them to sense the depth of my conversion and feel the strength of my love for my Savior as well as for them.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Family Home Evening Log
Conducting: Daddy
Trick by Lizzy: Sommerwheel (a cross between a sommersault and a cartwheel)
Opening Song: O God, Our Help in Ages Past
Opening Prayer: Mommy
Lesson: Lizzy had us read "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." Then we all drew pictures related to the proclamation (see below) and then said what we like about the proclamation and what we think we need to work on as a family.
Closing Song: Love at Home
Family Prayer: Daddy
Treats: Cookies
Game: Quiddler; Lizzy won with 82 points; Mommy had 78 and Daddy had 67 points. Best word: jinx (32 points).
Trick by Lizzy: Sommerwheel (a cross between a sommersault and a cartwheel)
Opening Song: O God, Our Help in Ages Past
Opening Prayer: Mommy
Lesson: Lizzy had us read "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." Then we all drew pictures related to the proclamation (see below) and then said what we like about the proclamation and what we think we need to work on as a family.
Closing Song: Love at Home
Family Prayer: Daddy
Treats: Cookies
Game: Quiddler; Lizzy won with 82 points; Mommy had 78 and Daddy had 67 points. Best word: jinx (32 points).
Picture by Lizzy. "The family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children."
Picture by Daddy. "Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally."
Picture by Mommy. "Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live."
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The Fibonacci... WHAT?!?
So last week Lizzy and I were going on a walk around the neighborhood when she started noticing the house numbers.
"Look, Dad," she said, pointing to a house numbered 132. "If you just change the order, it's 1-2-3!"
A minute later, Lizzy noticed another interesting house number: 112. "Hey," she called out, "it's the first three Fibonacci numbers!"
Excuse me?
I froze in my tracks and looked, rather stunned, at this little 8-year-old blonde girl happily walking down the sidewalk. It was somewhat otherworldly. Ignoring the words that had just come out of her mouth, this seemed like a very normal afternoon walk. Happy, carefree, bubbly child. Nice weather. Concrete sidewalk. All very normal. But Fibonacci?!?
"Where did you learn about the Fibonacci sequence?" I asked.
"Oh, in some books," said my little bookworm.
But more than knowing the name of this mathematical phenomenon, she knew how it works. "You know, 1 plus 1 is 2; 1 plus 2 is 3; 2 plus 3 is 5..."
Where did this child come from? I hadn't even heard of the Fibonacci sequence until I read the Da Vinci Code when I was probably 35. And even then, I didn't retain in memory how it worked. To me it was some obscure spy code thing that math whizzes knew. But not normal people. So I ignored it. Then last year it came up at work and I later learned it wasn't so complicated after all. Just start with 1 (or zero, according to some people) and add the first two numbers to get a sum. Then add the sum and the previous number. Soon you have a sequence that goes like this: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, and so on. Apparently this sequence has all sorts of spooky occurrences in the natural world and so on.
But I'm 39 and I'm only now learning about this sequence. And here's my third grader recognizing Fibonacci numbers in an address.
Once I got over the weirdness of it all, it became rather fun. We talked Fibonacci through the rest of our walk, with me quizzing Lizzy on which was the next Fibonacci number.
We were actually out soliciting donations for Boy Scouts, and as we stood on one porch, Lizzy was dancing around the porch chanting the next Fibonacci number--377. The woman at the door asked for a suggested donation amount and Lizzy chanted her number. The woman was a bit stunned that we would ask for $377, and though I explained Lizzy was just doing math, she continued to be suspicious that I was using Lizzy to get people to donate more money.
Anyway, we got up to 987 before we stopped calculating the sequence. Impressively, Lizzy only needed to use paper and pencil for the last couple of numbers (610 and 987, I believe).
"Look, Dad," she said, pointing to a house numbered 132. "If you just change the order, it's 1-2-3!"
A minute later, Lizzy noticed another interesting house number: 112. "Hey," she called out, "it's the first three Fibonacci numbers!"
Excuse me?
I froze in my tracks and looked, rather stunned, at this little 8-year-old blonde girl happily walking down the sidewalk. It was somewhat otherworldly. Ignoring the words that had just come out of her mouth, this seemed like a very normal afternoon walk. Happy, carefree, bubbly child. Nice weather. Concrete sidewalk. All very normal. But Fibonacci?!?
"Where did you learn about the Fibonacci sequence?" I asked.
"Oh, in some books," said my little bookworm.
But more than knowing the name of this mathematical phenomenon, she knew how it works. "You know, 1 plus 1 is 2; 1 plus 2 is 3; 2 plus 3 is 5..."
Where did this child come from? I hadn't even heard of the Fibonacci sequence until I read the Da Vinci Code when I was probably 35. And even then, I didn't retain in memory how it worked. To me it was some obscure spy code thing that math whizzes knew. But not normal people. So I ignored it. Then last year it came up at work and I later learned it wasn't so complicated after all. Just start with 1 (or zero, according to some people) and add the first two numbers to get a sum. Then add the sum and the previous number. Soon you have a sequence that goes like this: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, and so on. Apparently this sequence has all sorts of spooky occurrences in the natural world and so on.
But I'm 39 and I'm only now learning about this sequence. And here's my third grader recognizing Fibonacci numbers in an address.
Once I got over the weirdness of it all, it became rather fun. We talked Fibonacci through the rest of our walk, with me quizzing Lizzy on which was the next Fibonacci number.
We were actually out soliciting donations for Boy Scouts, and as we stood on one porch, Lizzy was dancing around the porch chanting the next Fibonacci number--377. The woman at the door asked for a suggested donation amount and Lizzy chanted her number. The woman was a bit stunned that we would ask for $377, and though I explained Lizzy was just doing math, she continued to be suspicious that I was using Lizzy to get people to donate more money.
Anyway, we got up to 987 before we stopped calculating the sequence. Impressively, Lizzy only needed to use paper and pencil for the last couple of numbers (610 and 987, I believe).
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Three Book of Mormon Challenges: Challenge 2
Elder Richards' second Book of Mormon challenge is based on Alma 32, where Alma teaches that faith is like a seed. Here is the challenge:
2. "Discover specifically what the word, or seed, is and plant it in your heart. You will have to go to Alma, chapter 33 to find it."
Alma 33 begins with a question from the people Alma has been teaching. They ask what they should believe in (one god or many) and how to plant the word.
Alma answers by recounting the teachings of prophets who talk about worship and prayer (how to plant the word) and who also testify of Christ. The third of the prophets he quotes from is Moses:
I love that symbol: a brazen serpent on a pole, held up for all to see and endowed with healing power. Those who would look would be healed. It seems so simple. Sometimes the gospel does not seem so simple, and the help of the Savior may seem more distant and not so readily available. But at its basic level, it is. If we will look to Christ, if we will place our focus, our trust, our hope, our faith in him, we can also be healed. As we come to Him, he reaches our reaching and blesses us with the comfort and healing of his Spirit. And that is how we plant the seed. We desire to believe in Christ, we look to Him, we have hope in him, and the seed of faith grows and bears fruit, "which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst" (Alma 32:42).
Alma charges the people he taught--and us--to plant the seed of faith in Christ:
2. "Discover specifically what the word, or seed, is and plant it in your heart. You will have to go to Alma, chapter 33 to find it."
Alma 33 begins with a question from the people Alma has been teaching. They ask what they should believe in (one god or many) and how to plant the word.
Alma answers by recounting the teachings of prophets who talk about worship and prayer (how to plant the word) and who also testify of Christ. The third of the prophets he quotes from is Moses:
- Behold, [Christ] was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live. But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them. O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish? [Alma 33:19-21]
I love that symbol: a brazen serpent on a pole, held up for all to see and endowed with healing power. Those who would look would be healed. It seems so simple. Sometimes the gospel does not seem so simple, and the help of the Savior may seem more distant and not so readily available. But at its basic level, it is. If we will look to Christ, if we will place our focus, our trust, our hope, our faith in him, we can also be healed. As we come to Him, he reaches our reaching and blesses us with the comfort and healing of his Spirit. And that is how we plant the seed. We desire to believe in Christ, we look to Him, we have hope in him, and the seed of faith grows and bears fruit, "which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst" (Alma 32:42).
Alma charges the people he taught--and us--to plant the seed of faith in Christ:
- Cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works. And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. [Alma 33:22-23]
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Three Book of Mormon Challenges: Challenge 1
The other day I listened to a talk by Elder H. Bryan Richards about the Book of Mormon. In the talk, Elder Richards gives three Book of Mormon challenges--questions to ponder. Here is the first one.
1. The scriptures make a point that Helaman's 2,000 stripling warriors were taught by their mothers. What did their mothers teach them?
The quick answer to this is faith. In Alma 56, when Helaman's army was debating whether to turn back to fight the Lamanite army which had been pursuing them but which had halted, it says that the young men "had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them" (vs. 47).
But that answer seems too easy. Are there other things they were taught by their mothers? Well, of course... but what other things are evident from the Book of Mormon?
After another Nephite victory, Helaman recounts that these young men "did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them" (Alma 57:21). From this passage, it appears that in addition to faith, the mothers likely taught their young men obedience--exact obedience.
This exact obedience was likely taught in word, but it was also certainly taught by example. The mothers of those young men were part of the generation of Lamanites who were converted to the gospel and gave up their warring ways. They buried their weapons and made a covenant with God to never fight again. They then held true to that covenant even though it meant allowing themselves to be killed by their enemies without putting up a fight of defense. That example of strict obedience to a covenant surely helped their sons learn to obey orders on the battlefield.
Of course the mothers of these sons were also part of the former Lamanites who moved into Nephite lands, where they were "distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end. And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren with the greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed upon to take up arms against their brethren; and they never did look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it" (Alma 27:27-28).
The mothers of these sons taught their sons many things by example, it appears. Integrity, faith, testimony of Christ, religious zeal, obedience, commitment to covenants--these and many other virtues were exemplified by them. The young men themselves were examples of many of these same virtues, as well as others. Certainly they learned these things from their parents.
Here is a list I created a month or so ago while studying the qualities of these young men (as recorded in Alma chapters 53 and 56–58).
1. The scriptures make a point that Helaman's 2,000 stripling warriors were taught by their mothers. What did their mothers teach them?
The quick answer to this is faith. In Alma 56, when Helaman's army was debating whether to turn back to fight the Lamanite army which had been pursuing them but which had halted, it says that the young men "had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them" (vs. 47).
But that answer seems too easy. Are there other things they were taught by their mothers? Well, of course... but what other things are evident from the Book of Mormon?
After another Nephite victory, Helaman recounts that these young men "did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them" (Alma 57:21). From this passage, it appears that in addition to faith, the mothers likely taught their young men obedience--exact obedience.
This exact obedience was likely taught in word, but it was also certainly taught by example. The mothers of those young men were part of the generation of Lamanites who were converted to the gospel and gave up their warring ways. They buried their weapons and made a covenant with God to never fight again. They then held true to that covenant even though it meant allowing themselves to be killed by their enemies without putting up a fight of defense. That example of strict obedience to a covenant surely helped their sons learn to obey orders on the battlefield.
Of course the mothers of these sons were also part of the former Lamanites who moved into Nephite lands, where they were "distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end. And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren with the greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed upon to take up arms against their brethren; and they never did look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it" (Alma 27:27-28).
The mothers of these sons taught their sons many things by example, it appears. Integrity, faith, testimony of Christ, religious zeal, obedience, commitment to covenants--these and many other virtues were exemplified by them. The young men themselves were examples of many of these same virtues, as well as others. Certainly they learned these things from their parents.
Here is a list I created a month or so ago while studying the qualities of these young men (as recorded in Alma chapters 53 and 56–58).
- They were all young men. (Alma 53:20)
- They were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity. (Alma 53:20)
- They were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. (Alma 53:20)
- They were men of truth and soberness. (Alma 53:21)
- They had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him. (Alma 53:21)
- They did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives. (Alma 56:47)
- They had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. (Alma 56:47)
- They had fought as if with the strength of God. (Alma 56:56)
- Those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted. (Alma 57:20)
- They did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness. (Alma 57:21)
- Even according to their faith it was done unto them. (Alma 57:21)
- Their minds are firm. (Alma 57:27)
- They do put their trust in God continually. (Alma 57:57)
- They have received many wounds. (Alma 58:40)
- They stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free. (Alma 58:40)
- They are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day. (Alma 58:40)
- They do observe to keep his statues, and his judgments, and his commandments continually. (Alma 58:40)
- Their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come. (Alma 58:40)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Flying Fingers
While I was washing dishes tonight, Christine asked if she could use my computer to record Lizzy's song. She said Lizzy had made up a song and had been working on it all day.
I wasn't terribly surprised to hear Lizzy had been composing. She's made up a song or two before. But when I heard her start playing it in the other room, I was first taken back by the chord progression--it's not terribly complicated or deep, but it's more mature than I expected. Then I was impressed by her playing--again, not flawless, but more confident and controlled (in keeping the rhythm even) than I would have thought.
Anyway, enough commentary from the proud dad. Here's Lizzy's composing debut. She calls it "Flying Fingers."
I wasn't terribly surprised to hear Lizzy had been composing. She's made up a song or two before. But when I heard her start playing it in the other room, I was first taken back by the chord progression--it's not terribly complicated or deep, but it's more mature than I expected. Then I was impressed by her playing--again, not flawless, but more confident and controlled (in keeping the rhythm even) than I would have thought.
Anyway, enough commentary from the proud dad. Here's Lizzy's composing debut. She calls it "Flying Fingers."
Monday, August 24, 2009
Family Home Evening Log
Conducting: Mommy
Trick by Lizzy
Opening Song: Let the Holy Spirit Guide
Opening Prayer: Mommy
Lesson: Daddy told the story of Perseus, who had a difficult quest. To help him on his quest, the gods gave him three magical gifts: a helmet, a shield, and a sword. Our lives are like quests also: we have a glorious goal (eternal life) and we will have to overcome many challenges and difficulties to get there. To help us on our quest, Heavenly Father has given us a gift better than Perseus' magical weapons. When we are baptized, we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (2 Ne. 31:12), to guide us, protect us, teach us, comfort us, and help us complete our quest and return home to Heavenly Father. Lizzy pointed out that our opening song lists a lot of things the Holy Ghost will do to help us in our lives:
Family Prayer: Lizzy
Refreshments: Ice cream (strawberry, vanilla, cookie dough, or cherry bo berry)
Game: Wacky Words (a mad-lib sort of game). Here's the story we created. The words/phrases in a different color are the words we came up with to fill in the blanks. The initial of the person who thought of with each word or phrase is in brackets after the word or phrase. Lizzy and Mommy tied with 6 points each (two points per blank); Daddy had 4 points.
Trick by Lizzy
Opening Song: Let the Holy Spirit Guide
Opening Prayer: Mommy
Lesson: Daddy told the story of Perseus, who had a difficult quest. To help him on his quest, the gods gave him three magical gifts: a helmet, a shield, and a sword. Our lives are like quests also: we have a glorious goal (eternal life) and we will have to overcome many challenges and difficulties to get there. To help us on our quest, Heavenly Father has given us a gift better than Perseus' magical weapons. When we are baptized, we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (2 Ne. 31:12), to guide us, protect us, teach us, comfort us, and help us complete our quest and return home to Heavenly Father. Lizzy pointed out that our opening song lists a lot of things the Holy Ghost will do to help us in our lives:
- 1. Let the Holy Spirit guide;
Let him teach us what is true.
He will testify of Christ,
Light our minds with heaven’s view.
2. Let the Holy Spirit guard;
Let his whisper govern choice.
He will lead us safely home
If we listen to his voice.
3. Let the Spirit heal our hearts
Thru his quiet, gentle pow’r.
May we purify our lives
To receive him hour by hour.
Family Prayer: Lizzy
Refreshments: Ice cream (strawberry, vanilla, cookie dough, or cherry bo berry)
Game: Wacky Words (a mad-lib sort of game). Here's the story we created. The words/phrases in a different color are the words we came up with to fill in the blanks. The initial of the person who thought of with each word or phrase is in brackets after the word or phrase. Lizzy and Mommy tied with 6 points each (two points per blank); Daddy had 4 points.
- My Book Report
I read Musical Magical Mushrooms [L] by Penelope P. Peters.
It's a funny story about munchkins making music [M].
My favorite character was the furry Barney the Dinosaur [L].
I laughed out loud when he ate the Empire State Building [D]!
I was surprised when the dog-like [L] man
lost his snakeskin slippers [D]!
I thought the book was lovely as linguini [M].
Any kid who likes shiitakes, slippers, or silly songs [M] should read it.
Friday, August 14, 2009
ADD and Multiplication
This is what it's like living with a brilliant, slightly ADD child:
Lizzy is supposed to be putting jammies on. Instead she is half undressed, head on the ground, bum in the air, thinking about multiplication.
Lizzy: "Mom, did you know that nine times nine is 81?"
Christine: "Yes. How did you know that?"
Lizzy: "Because nine times 10 is 90 and it's nine less than that."
Christine: "Ok, now get your jammies on."
A minute or so later, I hear Lizzy mumbling to herself: "Now, eight times eight..."
Lizzy is supposed to be putting jammies on. Instead she is half undressed, head on the ground, bum in the air, thinking about multiplication.
Lizzy: "Mom, did you know that nine times nine is 81?"
Christine: "Yes. How did you know that?"
Lizzy: "Because nine times 10 is 90 and it's nine less than that."
Christine: "Ok, now get your jammies on."
A minute or so later, I hear Lizzy mumbling to herself: "Now, eight times eight..."
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Last Full Measure of Devotion
In early July of 1863, the peace of southern Pennsylvania’s green rolling hills was obliterated by the thundering sound of war. The Civil War had come north, and in a fierce battle, the South attacked the North just outside a small village called Gettysburg. In three days of fighting, the Confederates charged the Union lines repeatedly but were unable to break through. On July 4, after suffering severe losses, the Confederate Army retreated.
But the Union casualties were nearly as great as the Confederate. More than 3,000 boys in blue died in that battle, and some 20,000 more were wounded, captured, or recorded missing. By the end of the war, more than 600,000 Americans would lose their lives.
From the hills of Pennsylvania in 1863 to the farmlands of Massachusetts in 1775 to the forests of eastern France in 1944 to the deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq in 2003, millions upon millions have given their last breaths for our liberty, for us.
Sacrifices in our behalf are not confined to men and women in uniform. In addition to Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, each summer in Utah we celebrate Pioneer Day, remembering those who left homes and comforts and lost lives and family members for the faith we share with them. And on June 27 we honor another martyr for our faith, Joseph Smith.
Many are the courageous, faithful, selfless individuals who have given “the last full measure of devotion,” as Abraham Lincoln called it, to causes of faith and liberty. Our debt of gratitude is, indeed, great. How can we, today, even begin repay that debt?
In November 1863, four months after the battle at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln visited the site of the conflict, where he praised those fallen soldiers and expressed the duty that is incumbent on all who benefit from such sacrifices--whether made by soldiers in the 1860s, by pioneers in the 1850s, or by Joseph Smith in 1844.
“It is for us the living, rather,” said Lincoln, “to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.”
Increased devotion to the cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that’s how we can pay our debt of gratitude. We can carry on the work they began. We can advance the cause to which they consecrated such unswerving faith. By so doing, we can ensure that their gift to us, the ultimate gift, was not given in vain.
A short distance from the beaches in Normandy, France, ranks upon ranks of small white crosses cover a green field. Spaced carefully in perfect rows and columns, nearly 10,000 crosses honor American soldiers who gave their lives to secure the freedom of the French people. It is fitting that these brave dead are memorialized by crosses, which represent another cross, a cross upon which One died to secure the liberty of many.
In the Book of Mormon, yet another martyr, Abinadi, spoke of the Savior’s sacrifice and of our duty to honor that gift. “When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,” Abinadi said, quoting Isaiah, “. . . he shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied” (Mosiah 14:10–11).
When we make the Savior’s soul an offering for sin, when we apply His sacrifice to our lives, when we continue the work He started--the work of our own salvation--then do we ensure that His sacrifice was not in vain. And as we live lives of faith, courage, and repentance, we honor His gift to us as well as the millions of similar gifts passed down through the centuries to us today.
But the Union casualties were nearly as great as the Confederate. More than 3,000 boys in blue died in that battle, and some 20,000 more were wounded, captured, or recorded missing. By the end of the war, more than 600,000 Americans would lose their lives.
From the hills of Pennsylvania in 1863 to the farmlands of Massachusetts in 1775 to the forests of eastern France in 1944 to the deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq in 2003, millions upon millions have given their last breaths for our liberty, for us.
Sacrifices in our behalf are not confined to men and women in uniform. In addition to Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, each summer in Utah we celebrate Pioneer Day, remembering those who left homes and comforts and lost lives and family members for the faith we share with them. And on June 27 we honor another martyr for our faith, Joseph Smith.
Many are the courageous, faithful, selfless individuals who have given “the last full measure of devotion,” as Abraham Lincoln called it, to causes of faith and liberty. Our debt of gratitude is, indeed, great. How can we, today, even begin repay that debt?
In November 1863, four months after the battle at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln visited the site of the conflict, where he praised those fallen soldiers and expressed the duty that is incumbent on all who benefit from such sacrifices--whether made by soldiers in the 1860s, by pioneers in the 1850s, or by Joseph Smith in 1844.
“It is for us the living, rather,” said Lincoln, “to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.”
Increased devotion to the cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that’s how we can pay our debt of gratitude. We can carry on the work they began. We can advance the cause to which they consecrated such unswerving faith. By so doing, we can ensure that their gift to us, the ultimate gift, was not given in vain.
A short distance from the beaches in Normandy, France, ranks upon ranks of small white crosses cover a green field. Spaced carefully in perfect rows and columns, nearly 10,000 crosses honor American soldiers who gave their lives to secure the freedom of the French people. It is fitting that these brave dead are memorialized by crosses, which represent another cross, a cross upon which One died to secure the liberty of many.
In the Book of Mormon, yet another martyr, Abinadi, spoke of the Savior’s sacrifice and of our duty to honor that gift. “When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,” Abinadi said, quoting Isaiah, “. . . he shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied” (Mosiah 14:10–11).
When we make the Savior’s soul an offering for sin, when we apply His sacrifice to our lives, when we continue the work He started--the work of our own salvation--then do we ensure that His sacrifice was not in vain. And as we live lives of faith, courage, and repentance, we honor His gift to us as well as the millions of similar gifts passed down through the centuries to us today.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Chalk Butterfly Garden
Lizzy and Christine created this picture on our sidewalk a couple of weeks ago.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Shade, Privacy, and Self-Reliance
About 10 days ago, our back-yard landscaping strategy suddenly changed. Ever since we moved into this house we have enjoyed the shade and privacy and bird-attraction of a huge blue spruce just over the fence. It was probably 40 feet or so tall, and the breadth of the evergreen effectively blocked any view of the neighbor's house, so that we almost didn't know those neighbors were there. We occasionally heard them, but we almost never saw them. And then there was the shade--the tree shaded about half of our back yard in the afternoons and evenings, providing a great setting for summer picnics and family gatherings.Then a week and a half ago, Christine called me at work to tell me chain saws were slowly working away at the tree. They started at the bottom and shaved off the limbs going up. (We later heard the had suffered damage in the big snow storm a few weeks ago [see above], and that damage necessitated the removal.)
By the time I got home from work, the tree was just a big stick, and by the end of the day, it was gone. And there, in its place, were our neighbors. They looked at us, and we looked at them, a bit in shock to suddenly have someone there.Their house, by the way, is much closer than we thought, making our yard feel much smaller than it did just a few days before. And the neighbors have a large second-floor deck that offers a great view of our entire back yard--not to mention our kitchen.
Our back yard which once seemed so large and secluded--and which once had a nice mountain-forest feel with that huge evergreen there--has now become a run-of-the-mill suburban back yard, with over-the-fence neighbors to reckon with.
As I pondered this development, I realized this is a good example of the importance of self-reliance. In our landscaping strategy, we have been relying on our neighbors for shade, privacy, and natural beauty, and although we had planted a couple of trees in the back yard, we had not given much thought to what we would do if that tree were not there. And our lack of preparation and self-reliance on that point is now painfully obvious.
Sigh.
[Here's a video of the middle third of the trunk coming down.]
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Covering the Ground
Two days after we had a major snowstorm, Saturday was a beautiful spring day in Utah, with temperatures in the 60s. For me, it became the first Saturday yard work day of the year.
Main Project: Planting ground cover border along the back edge of the house.
Cost: About $30 at home depot: $5 each for five plants; $2.50 each for two bags of bark (I actually bought three and used one and a half bags to mulch around a couple of trees, leaving a bag and a half for this project)
Time to complete: About an hour and a half (plus shopping time, which was a while for me because I always get stuck in Home Depot, looking at new ideas, calling Christine to ask about this or that, and comparing my various options)
Tools needed: Shovel, rake
Plants: Prince of Wales Juniper, Juniperus horizontalis; an evergreen ground cover that has a feathery appearance; mature size: 4-6" tall, 3-6' wide; a nice juniper evergreen scent; a key selling point from the card attached to the plant: "Feature: Low maintenance."
Site prep: This space has actually been reserved for some plants for probably three years. I removed the previous growth about that long ago, and then two years ago a neighborhood boy did a work project for me--placing a 2x4 pressure-treated wood border along the edge of the grass to give a straight edge to the lawn. I had also moved dirt here from elsewhere in the yard to build up the area a little. (When we moved in, we had a "negative slope" here; meaning the ground sloped toward the house. This caused a problem during a huge rain storm one year. Rain water drained toward the house, leaking into the basement through tiny cracks in the foundation.) On Saturday as I planted these plants, I decided I had added too much dirt here, so I moved about four wheelbarrows of soil to another part of the yard.
What I would have done differently: I should have bought some sort of compost or fertilizer to use when I planted the ground cover. I didn't think of that until too late, and I was pressed for time and didn't want to go back to Home Depot to get some fertilizer. So I used a bit of Miracle Gro potting soil that I had in the garage--not enough and not the ideal compost, but I'm sure it will help a little. I also could have used one more bag of bark. The bark here is a bit thin.
Future projects in this area: This border is not reached by our sprinklers, so I need to work up a watering system. I will probably do a drip system of some sort, with little bubblers/drippers placed next to each plant.
Before Picture:
After picture:
Main Project: Planting ground cover border along the back edge of the house.
Cost: About $30 at home depot: $5 each for five plants; $2.50 each for two bags of bark (I actually bought three and used one and a half bags to mulch around a couple of trees, leaving a bag and a half for this project)
Time to complete: About an hour and a half (plus shopping time, which was a while for me because I always get stuck in Home Depot, looking at new ideas, calling Christine to ask about this or that, and comparing my various options)
Tools needed: Shovel, rake
Plants: Prince of Wales Juniper, Juniperus horizontalis; an evergreen ground cover that has a feathery appearance; mature size: 4-6" tall, 3-6' wide; a nice juniper evergreen scent; a key selling point from the card attached to the plant: "Feature: Low maintenance."
Site prep: This space has actually been reserved for some plants for probably three years. I removed the previous growth about that long ago, and then two years ago a neighborhood boy did a work project for me--placing a 2x4 pressure-treated wood border along the edge of the grass to give a straight edge to the lawn. I had also moved dirt here from elsewhere in the yard to build up the area a little. (When we moved in, we had a "negative slope" here; meaning the ground sloped toward the house. This caused a problem during a huge rain storm one year. Rain water drained toward the house, leaking into the basement through tiny cracks in the foundation.) On Saturday as I planted these plants, I decided I had added too much dirt here, so I moved about four wheelbarrows of soil to another part of the yard.
What I would have done differently: I should have bought some sort of compost or fertilizer to use when I planted the ground cover. I didn't think of that until too late, and I was pressed for time and didn't want to go back to Home Depot to get some fertilizer. So I used a bit of Miracle Gro potting soil that I had in the garage--not enough and not the ideal compost, but I'm sure it will help a little. I also could have used one more bag of bark. The bark here is a bit thin.
Future projects in this area: This border is not reached by our sprinklers, so I need to work up a watering system. I will probably do a drip system of some sort, with little bubblers/drippers placed next to each plant.
Before Picture:
After picture:
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Snow Shoveling in PJs
I was not planning to shovel my driveway yesterday morning. It snowed about three or four inches overnight, but this late in the year, you know it's all going to melt within 24 hours or so and it doesn't seem worth the effort.
So when I woke up in the morning, I gazed out the window and enjoyed the wintry scene. Snow is so much more enjoyable when you know you won't have to interact with it and when you know it is going to go away soon.
As I was about to take a shower, I thought I should quickly go out and take a few pictures of the unusual spring snow before it started melting. So I slipped on some shoes and walked out the back door. As I did so, I called to Lizzy to come look at the snow. She stepped out on the back porch, oohed and aahed at all the snow, muttered something about making snowmen, and went back inside while I took my pictures.
After a few minutes, I had taken the pictures I wanted and decided I should finish getting ready and head off to work; I had a big project in the morning and I wanted to arrive early. I walked up the snow covered steps and grabbed the door handle. It was locked.
We have, it appears, trained Lizzy well, and locking the door is about as automatic as shutting it. What we haven't trained Lizzy well in is answering the door. I knew this, but I knocked anyway. Nothing happened. The other problem, you see, was that Christine, who had already been up for a while, had gone back to bed and had put her earplugs in so she could sleep while I was getting ready. I knocked and knocked, but Christine couldn't hear me and Lizzy didn't choose to hear me. And our houseguests were downstairs sleeping soundly. And I was standing on the porch in my pajamas.
No problem, I thought. We installed a remote keypad outside the garage for just such instances. I would walk around the side of the house, activate the garage door opener from the keypad, and get into the house that way. On my way around the house, I took some pictures of the snow covered chain-link fence.
Well, the keypad worked just fine, and I got into the garage. But then I discovered a new problem. The door from the garage to the house was locked from the inside. We never lock that door, but in the last few nights, I have noticed that our houseguests had locked it. This is a good practice. An extra level of defense against intruders. We should probably do that more often. And we should also hide a key somewhere in the garage for when we are stuck outside in the snow in our PJs.
So I tried the front door. Also locked. Knocked. Rang the door bell. Tried to call to Lizzy through the little window in the door. Nothing.
So what do you do when you are locked out of your house on a snowy morning in your pajamas and no one is answering the door? Well, you might decide to be productive. Since you can get into the garage, you do have access to the snow shovel. So you could shovel the driveway. And the sidewalk. And you could try ringing the doorbell again once or twice. And you could take more pictures of cool snow everywhere. And you could wave cheerfully to neighbors who drive by and you could hope they don't notice that you are wearing your pajamas.
After about a half-hour of such activity, I tried the garage door and the front door again. Still no one willing to answer. I was just about to take my snow shovel and go work on the neighbor's driveway when I noticed the front window curtains part, and there stood Lizzy, looking around questioningly (presumably trying to figure out who kept ringing the doorbell). I called to her and ran to the window waving my arms, telling her to open the door, which, gratefully, she did. At long last. Deliverance.
Afterword: While I was shoveling, I heard a cracking sound from the neighbors' yard and realized their flowering plum had collected too much snow and half of it succumbed to the weight of the fluffy white stuff (above).
As I drove around town, I noticed many other trees had suffered a similar fate--most of them were the same type of tree, in full pink-flowered bloom. I assume the problem was that the blossoms provide more surface area and thus more snow-carrying potential than the branches can handle.
But I also noticed an evergreen that had lost a branch. We didn't get *that* much snow--certainly no more than a good winter snowfall. What causes trees to break more easily in the spring?
Afterword, part II:This evening I came home to find that the pristine snow in our back yard had been gleefully trampled by a handful of young children (Lizzy and her cousins).
So when I woke up in the morning, I gazed out the window and enjoyed the wintry scene. Snow is so much more enjoyable when you know you won't have to interact with it and when you know it is going to go away soon.As I was about to take a shower, I thought I should quickly go out and take a few pictures of the unusual spring snow before it started melting. So I slipped on some shoes and walked out the back door. As I did so, I called to Lizzy to come look at the snow. She stepped out on the back porch, oohed and aahed at all the snow, muttered something about making snowmen, and went back inside while I took my pictures.
After a few minutes, I had taken the pictures I wanted and decided I should finish getting ready and head off to work; I had a big project in the morning and I wanted to arrive early. I walked up the snow covered steps and grabbed the door handle. It was locked.We have, it appears, trained Lizzy well, and locking the door is about as automatic as shutting it. What we haven't trained Lizzy well in is answering the door. I knew this, but I knocked anyway. Nothing happened. The other problem, you see, was that Christine, who had already been up for a while, had gone back to bed and had put her earplugs in so she could sleep while I was getting ready. I knocked and knocked, but Christine couldn't hear me and Lizzy didn't choose to hear me. And our houseguests were downstairs sleeping soundly. And I was standing on the porch in my pajamas.
No problem, I thought. We installed a remote keypad outside the garage for just such instances. I would walk around the side of the house, activate the garage door opener from the keypad, and get into the house that way. On my way around the house, I took some pictures of the snow covered chain-link fence.
Well, the keypad worked just fine, and I got into the garage. But then I discovered a new problem. The door from the garage to the house was locked from the inside. We never lock that door, but in the last few nights, I have noticed that our houseguests had locked it. This is a good practice. An extra level of defense against intruders. We should probably do that more often. And we should also hide a key somewhere in the garage for when we are stuck outside in the snow in our PJs.
So I tried the front door. Also locked. Knocked. Rang the door bell. Tried to call to Lizzy through the little window in the door. Nothing.
So what do you do when you are locked out of your house on a snowy morning in your pajamas and no one is answering the door? Well, you might decide to be productive. Since you can get into the garage, you do have access to the snow shovel. So you could shovel the driveway. And the sidewalk. And you could try ringing the doorbell again once or twice. And you could take more pictures of cool snow everywhere. And you could wave cheerfully to neighbors who drive by and you could hope they don't notice that you are wearing your pajamas.
After about a half-hour of such activity, I tried the garage door and the front door again. Still no one willing to answer. I was just about to take my snow shovel and go work on the neighbor's driveway when I noticed the front window curtains part, and there stood Lizzy, looking around questioningly (presumably trying to figure out who kept ringing the doorbell). I called to her and ran to the window waving my arms, telling her to open the door, which, gratefully, she did. At long last. Deliverance.
Afterword: While I was shoveling, I heard a cracking sound from the neighbors' yard and realized their flowering plum had collected too much snow and half of it succumbed to the weight of the fluffy white stuff (above).As I drove around town, I noticed many other trees had suffered a similar fate--most of them were the same type of tree, in full pink-flowered bloom. I assume the problem was that the blossoms provide more surface area and thus more snow-carrying potential than the branches can handle.
But I also noticed an evergreen that had lost a branch. We didn't get *that* much snow--certainly no more than a good winter snowfall. What causes trees to break more easily in the spring?Afterword, part II:This evening I came home to find that the pristine snow in our back yard had been gleefully trampled by a handful of young children (Lizzy and her cousins).
Saturday, April 11, 2009
How to Handle a Woman (according to John Wayne)
Last night, Christine and I watched "The Quiet Man," which had been recommended by one of Christine's friends. It stars John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara (who also star together in "McClintock," which has similar male-female relationship themes). I learned the following lessons from John Wayne about how to treat a woman:
1. If you see an attractive woman walking along, the best way to communicate your interest in her is to stare, mouth agape, after her.
2. If you see an attractive woman and communicate your interest by staring, you will know if she is also interested if she keeps turning around to stare at you in return while she continues walking. This sort of "stare and return stare" communication indicates true and lasting love; no other courtship is necessary.
3. If you exchange a couple of "stare and return stare" instances with a woman and you later find that she has snuck into your new house and cleaned it for you, but she is hiding in your house because she is embarrassed and you don't know where she is hiding, it's a good idea to flush her out of hiding by throwing a rock through a window.
4. If a woman you love deeply (because you have stared and she has stared back) tries to flee your house after cleaning it for you, you should grab her wrist when she is halfway out the door and yank her back inside the house and kiss her. Don't worry about her arm and don't bother with words. Just yank her back and kiss her. This is a good way of showing your deep love and respect.
5. After circumstances similar to those above, you can declare your intention to marry a woman. She will agree and smile bashfully as she leaves. (This is so much easier than traditional courting: just a stare, a rock, a yank, and a kiss. That's all it takes.)
6. If your beloved is from another culture and if her customs don't agree with yours, you should do your best to ignore them and do things your way.
7. When your wife is upset about something, if it does not seem important to you, you should tell her it's silly and doesn't matter and she should just forget it. She may get mad at you, but that's just a woman being silly. You should not give in.
8. If your wife becomes angry at you, storms into the bedroom, and slams and locks the door, you should kick the door down, yell that there will be no locking of doors, pick her up, throw her on the bed, and leave the room. Nevermind if you have to fix the door later, and don't worry about scaring her to death with your violence and anger. This sort of fear is good for a woman.
9. You should hide your past from your wife. Do not explain difficult things from the past that are affecting the way you behave now.
10. "Woman of the house" is a good term of endearment for your wife. It is best used when you are hungry. In these circumstances, you should use the term this way: After waking up or coming home, you should walk into the kitchen and call loudly (whether or not you can see her), "Woman of the house! Where's my breakfast (or dinner, as the case may be)?" She will enjoy being addressed this way.
11. If you are frustrated with your wife and you think she is being silly or is not understanding you (see number 9, above), you should grab her by the wrist and pull her along on a five-mile walk. During these five miles, you should not address her except in a few angry tones. You should walk quickly and never stop, pulling her all the way. If she falls down, you should grab her arm or the back of her coat and drag her until she decides to get up and keep walking. If she loses her shoe, you should keep moving and not wait for her to put her shoe back on. A crowd of strangers will likely gather and follow you along. They will see this treatment as good for your wife and may even encourage it by giving you a stick to use on your wife as needed. Don't worry about publicly embarrassing your wife in front of all these people. She will later quickly forgive you and think the better of you for it.
12. Fighting is a good way to prove your bravery to your wife. Women like men who can beat up other guys. Your wife will be pleased if you come home drunk after a brawl. Oh--and your foe is likely to become your new best friend after you whip him.
How on earth did John Wayne become the icon of American manhood? He's my new least-favorite person.
Incidentally, I do not recommend this movie.
1. If you see an attractive woman walking along, the best way to communicate your interest in her is to stare, mouth agape, after her.
2. If you see an attractive woman and communicate your interest by staring, you will know if she is also interested if she keeps turning around to stare at you in return while she continues walking. This sort of "stare and return stare" communication indicates true and lasting love; no other courtship is necessary.
3. If you exchange a couple of "stare and return stare" instances with a woman and you later find that she has snuck into your new house and cleaned it for you, but she is hiding in your house because she is embarrassed and you don't know where she is hiding, it's a good idea to flush her out of hiding by throwing a rock through a window.
4. If a woman you love deeply (because you have stared and she has stared back) tries to flee your house after cleaning it for you, you should grab her wrist when she is halfway out the door and yank her back inside the house and kiss her. Don't worry about her arm and don't bother with words. Just yank her back and kiss her. This is a good way of showing your deep love and respect.
5. After circumstances similar to those above, you can declare your intention to marry a woman. She will agree and smile bashfully as she leaves. (This is so much easier than traditional courting: just a stare, a rock, a yank, and a kiss. That's all it takes.)
6. If your beloved is from another culture and if her customs don't agree with yours, you should do your best to ignore them and do things your way.
7. When your wife is upset about something, if it does not seem important to you, you should tell her it's silly and doesn't matter and she should just forget it. She may get mad at you, but that's just a woman being silly. You should not give in.
8. If your wife becomes angry at you, storms into the bedroom, and slams and locks the door, you should kick the door down, yell that there will be no locking of doors, pick her up, throw her on the bed, and leave the room. Nevermind if you have to fix the door later, and don't worry about scaring her to death with your violence and anger. This sort of fear is good for a woman.
9. You should hide your past from your wife. Do not explain difficult things from the past that are affecting the way you behave now.
10. "Woman of the house" is a good term of endearment for your wife. It is best used when you are hungry. In these circumstances, you should use the term this way: After waking up or coming home, you should walk into the kitchen and call loudly (whether or not you can see her), "Woman of the house! Where's my breakfast (or dinner, as the case may be)?" She will enjoy being addressed this way.
11. If you are frustrated with your wife and you think she is being silly or is not understanding you (see number 9, above), you should grab her by the wrist and pull her along on a five-mile walk. During these five miles, you should not address her except in a few angry tones. You should walk quickly and never stop, pulling her all the way. If she falls down, you should grab her arm or the back of her coat and drag her until she decides to get up and keep walking. If she loses her shoe, you should keep moving and not wait for her to put her shoe back on. A crowd of strangers will likely gather and follow you along. They will see this treatment as good for your wife and may even encourage it by giving you a stick to use on your wife as needed. Don't worry about publicly embarrassing your wife in front of all these people. She will later quickly forgive you and think the better of you for it.
12. Fighting is a good way to prove your bravery to your wife. Women like men who can beat up other guys. Your wife will be pleased if you come home drunk after a brawl. Oh--and your foe is likely to become your new best friend after you whip him.
How on earth did John Wayne become the icon of American manhood? He's my new least-favorite person.
Incidentally, I do not recommend this movie.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Being a Scout Leader Is Good for Your Ego
I love playing sports with 12 year olds.
I've never really been much of an athlete. I didn't play any high school sports and I've never pursued a sport as a hobby. I don't play early morning basketball, I don't golf with my buddies, I don't play racquetball three times a week with a coworker.
But growing up, I played Church sports and flag football and I participated in P.E. classes, learning the basics of most sports along the way. I can throw and catch and make a lay-up; I can set, bump, and spike; and I know how to score a tennis match. My skills, however, are fairly rudimentary; I'm not one you want on your team, and when adults get together to play a sport, I usually opt out.
But as a Scout leader, things are different. My job is to associate with the young men, to build relationships, to have fun, to participate. So when they play a game, I often join in. And though my skills are not great--hey, I'm playing against 12 year olds.
Tonight for Scouts we played football, and I was assigned to one of the four-man teams. As the only one on our team who could throw a pass, I became the quarterback. My playbook is pretty limited, so we kind of made things up as we went and our huddles were pretty democratic. We were sloppy and we didn't execute our plays as outlined.
But perhaps the confusion worked in our favor, because we won (one of our most bungled plays confused even me, but we got a touchdown out of it somehow). In the effort, I threw three touchdown passes, kicked the longest kickoff of the night, had some key stops, and made an interception on the last play of the game, securing our victory (21 to 16; there was an embarrassing safety in there, but we recovered).
So being a Scout leader can be good for the male ego. While I usually think of myself as an awkward non-athlete, when I play sports with 12-year-olds, I can hold my own.
But 12-year-olds also have a way of bringing you down to earth. After our second touchdown, when we were up 14 to zip, one of the boys on our team commented somewhat incredulously on our success: "They have a guy [referring to the Scoutmaster] who knows a lot about football, but we're winning and we're all novices!"
Guess my skill level isn't *that* impressive--even to 12-year-olds.
I've never really been much of an athlete. I didn't play any high school sports and I've never pursued a sport as a hobby. I don't play early morning basketball, I don't golf with my buddies, I don't play racquetball three times a week with a coworker.
But growing up, I played Church sports and flag football and I participated in P.E. classes, learning the basics of most sports along the way. I can throw and catch and make a lay-up; I can set, bump, and spike; and I know how to score a tennis match. My skills, however, are fairly rudimentary; I'm not one you want on your team, and when adults get together to play a sport, I usually opt out.
But as a Scout leader, things are different. My job is to associate with the young men, to build relationships, to have fun, to participate. So when they play a game, I often join in. And though my skills are not great--hey, I'm playing against 12 year olds.
Tonight for Scouts we played football, and I was assigned to one of the four-man teams. As the only one on our team who could throw a pass, I became the quarterback. My playbook is pretty limited, so we kind of made things up as we went and our huddles were pretty democratic. We were sloppy and we didn't execute our plays as outlined.
But perhaps the confusion worked in our favor, because we won (one of our most bungled plays confused even me, but we got a touchdown out of it somehow). In the effort, I threw three touchdown passes, kicked the longest kickoff of the night, had some key stops, and made an interception on the last play of the game, securing our victory (21 to 16; there was an embarrassing safety in there, but we recovered).
So being a Scout leader can be good for the male ego. While I usually think of myself as an awkward non-athlete, when I play sports with 12-year-olds, I can hold my own.
But 12-year-olds also have a way of bringing you down to earth. After our second touchdown, when we were up 14 to zip, one of the boys on our team commented somewhat incredulously on our success: "They have a guy [referring to the Scoutmaster] who knows a lot about football, but we're winning and we're all novices!"
Guess my skill level isn't *that* impressive--even to 12-year-olds.
Patience, Anger, Gospel Study, and Rambunctious Seven Year Olds
Last night we had a crying girl and a crazy girl and my patience wore thin. Caroline is sick at the moment and, hence, is sad much of the time. So Christine was holding the crying Caroline while I was helping the laughing Lizzy through eating, dessert, shower, and bedtime prep. Lizzy actually did pretty well with most of that--she's getting much better at showering and dressing without help, though she still needs reminding that she should not be standing around in her birthday suit. But with her silliness and distractability, the process gets a bit drawn out, and all the while there was crying in the background and the clock was ticking and it was becoming apparent that our family home evening would be taking place past bedtime.
Then it was Caroline's feeding time, so I held her (standing, trying to keep her happy) while Christine fed her. In the meantime, Lizzy came running past toward the bathroom declaring urgently, "I feel like I need to go potty!" The bathroom door shut and there were various sounds, punctuated by periods of silence: a flush, some clanking, a loud crash.
Lizzy in the bathroom is quite the adventure. Somehow there are more distractions there. She climbs on the toilet and the bathtub and the diaper genie, plays in the towels, dances and makes faces in front of the mirror, and opens drawers and cupboards.
I wasn't sure what the crash was, but it sounded suspiciously like the diaper genie, which Lizzy has been clearly instructed to not play with. The crash was followed by a long time of little or no sound. Obviously the urgent call of nature had been accompanied by plenty of goofing off time in the bathroom, which always annoys me. But I was stuck holding Caroline, standing next to Christine by the kitchen sink while we poured food into Caroline's tube, so I couldn't very well correct what was going on. So I called down the hall to ask what was going on.
No response.
I called again.
Nothing
"Have you gone to the bathroom yet?"
Finally an answer: "Not yet!" (Then what was that first flush sound about? Who knows.) Soon there's another flush and the door opens and Lizzy skips merrily out of the bathroom and down the hall. But my frustration has already risen, so I begin questioning about the crash. It's been long enough now that apparently she has forgotten what it was. I say it sounded like the diaper genie and ask if that's what it was.
"It might have been," she responds pleasantly. This cheerfulness in the face of disciplinary investigation does not help my mood.
"Were you standing on the diaper genie?"
"I think so." And then she gets a combined lecture from both Christine and me about how the diaper genie is dirty and not a thing to play with.
When we're done feeding Caroline, I investigate the bathroom and call Lizzy to clean it up. There are towels on the floor and a headband stuck in a cupboard handle. Not as bad as it could have been. When Lizzy arrives in the bathroom, she remembers what the crash was. It wasn't the diaper genie. It was Caroline's bath chair, which had tumbled over in the tub while Lizzy was walking along the edge of the tub--apparently attempting a balance beam routine. Silly girl.
I instruct her--somewhat sternly--in the appropriate way to hang a towel (folding it neatly) and watch as she does it. She does pretty well and I tell her so. As she finishes, however, she holds on the towel bar and leans back, putting all her weight on the bar. Hanging on the bar is another no-no about which I have frequently instructed her. (And every time I do, I remember my parents giving similar instruction in my youth.) I angrily threaten consequences if she hangs on the bar again.
Finally we start Family Home Evening, but Caroline is sad, so I soon leave the room and hold her in her room until she falls asleep. I return just in time for the closing prayer, which we do as a kneeling family prayer. After the prayer, Lizzy gives her bedtime hugs. As a rambunctious 7-year-old, Lizzy gives sometimes crazy hugs at bedtime. Sometimes they are tackle hugs, in which she backs up and runs at you, trying to take you down with all her might. Other times they are hanger hugs, where she drapes herself around your neck and lifts her feet off the ground. These can sometimes be fun, but we've been trying to discourage the hanger hugs, since our backs have not been doing so well lately (due, we think, to Caroline's increasing size).
But as Lizzy hugs me, she does a hanger hug, for which I reprimand her. Then she prepares to hug Grandma, who is staying with us for a few days. As she takes several steps backwards, I realize this is going to be a tackle hug, and I stick out my arm to stop the running approach. "Gentle hug!" Christine and I both cry. So Lizzy stops running and walks up to Grandma and hugs her. Then in the middle of her hug, she lifts her feet of the ground and Grandma doubles over under Lizzy's weight.
Argh! I am so tempted to swat her little hind end! Instead I revoke her bedtime story privilege and off she goes cheerfully with Christine for bedtime singing and praying. But I am not cheerful. I'm stewing. I'm frustrated. I'm angry. I want to have more words with my daughter, but realize that would probably not be constructive, and Christine is in a better frame of mind for dealing with bedtime.
So instead I retreat to my room and decide to do some gospel study. As I pray and start to read, though, I'm still upset, and I realize this study is going to go nowhere. How can one learn about things of God when filled with anger and frustration and resentment? How can the Holy Ghost inspire a heart that is fostering negative emotion?
After a few minutes I enter Lizzy's room--still somewhat frustrated, but also repentant. I sit on her bed and we talk about why I got angry. I explain--calmly, though firmly--what was wrong about some of her actions this evening and why she cannot hang on the towel rack or her grandmother or the cupboard doors (she broke a cupboard door off its hinges last week after absent mindedly hanging on it yet again--despite repeated instruction not to). The conversation goes well, and Lizzy appears to understand the problems caused by her actions and shows signs of remorse. She also, however, expresses that she doesn't mean to do some of these things, and I think she's right. Many of these things she does absent mindedly and somewhat innocently. And she's cheerful all the while. I really don't think she's being wilfully disobedient. Just rambunctious and exuberant and energetic and forgetful--and even loving (in the case of the hugs). But I express the need to try harder and I tell her that there will be consequences if she does these things again (although I can never think of good consequences; I'll need to be thinking of some so I'm prepared).
After that explanation, I tell her the other reason I came into her room: I'm sorry for getting angry. Even when she does something wrong, I should not get angry. I tell her I love her, I ask her to forgive me, and we share a nice hug. And then she asks if I'll leave so she can continue reading her book. :)
I return to my study, which is now more effective. And later in the evening as Christine and I study together, we read these paragraphs from an article in the Ensign magazine by Elder Dallin H. Oaks (of the Quorum of the Twelve) and his wife, Kristen Oaks. Very fitting to my circumstance not long before:
In modern revelation we have a promise that if our eye be single to the glory of God, which includes personal worthiness, our “whole [body] shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in [us]; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things” (D&C 88:67).
We can verify this eternal principle by immediate personal experience. Recall a time when you were resentful, contentious, or quarrelsome. Could you study effectively? Did you receive any enlightenment during that period?
Sin and anger darken the mind. They produce a condition opposite to the light and truth that characterize intelligence, which is the glory of God (see D&C 93:36). Repentance, which can cleanse us from sin through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, is therefore an essential step along the path of learning for all who seek light and truth through the teaching power of the Holy Ghost.
Then it was Caroline's feeding time, so I held her (standing, trying to keep her happy) while Christine fed her. In the meantime, Lizzy came running past toward the bathroom declaring urgently, "I feel like I need to go potty!" The bathroom door shut and there were various sounds, punctuated by periods of silence: a flush, some clanking, a loud crash.
Lizzy in the bathroom is quite the adventure. Somehow there are more distractions there. She climbs on the toilet and the bathtub and the diaper genie, plays in the towels, dances and makes faces in front of the mirror, and opens drawers and cupboards.
I wasn't sure what the crash was, but it sounded suspiciously like the diaper genie, which Lizzy has been clearly instructed to not play with. The crash was followed by a long time of little or no sound. Obviously the urgent call of nature had been accompanied by plenty of goofing off time in the bathroom, which always annoys me. But I was stuck holding Caroline, standing next to Christine by the kitchen sink while we poured food into Caroline's tube, so I couldn't very well correct what was going on. So I called down the hall to ask what was going on.
No response.
I called again.
Nothing
"Have you gone to the bathroom yet?"
Finally an answer: "Not yet!" (Then what was that first flush sound about? Who knows.) Soon there's another flush and the door opens and Lizzy skips merrily out of the bathroom and down the hall. But my frustration has already risen, so I begin questioning about the crash. It's been long enough now that apparently she has forgotten what it was. I say it sounded like the diaper genie and ask if that's what it was.
"It might have been," she responds pleasantly. This cheerfulness in the face of disciplinary investigation does not help my mood.
"Were you standing on the diaper genie?"
"I think so." And then she gets a combined lecture from both Christine and me about how the diaper genie is dirty and not a thing to play with.
When we're done feeding Caroline, I investigate the bathroom and call Lizzy to clean it up. There are towels on the floor and a headband stuck in a cupboard handle. Not as bad as it could have been. When Lizzy arrives in the bathroom, she remembers what the crash was. It wasn't the diaper genie. It was Caroline's bath chair, which had tumbled over in the tub while Lizzy was walking along the edge of the tub--apparently attempting a balance beam routine. Silly girl.
I instruct her--somewhat sternly--in the appropriate way to hang a towel (folding it neatly) and watch as she does it. She does pretty well and I tell her so. As she finishes, however, she holds on the towel bar and leans back, putting all her weight on the bar. Hanging on the bar is another no-no about which I have frequently instructed her. (And every time I do, I remember my parents giving similar instruction in my youth.) I angrily threaten consequences if she hangs on the bar again.
Finally we start Family Home Evening, but Caroline is sad, so I soon leave the room and hold her in her room until she falls asleep. I return just in time for the closing prayer, which we do as a kneeling family prayer. After the prayer, Lizzy gives her bedtime hugs. As a rambunctious 7-year-old, Lizzy gives sometimes crazy hugs at bedtime. Sometimes they are tackle hugs, in which she backs up and runs at you, trying to take you down with all her might. Other times they are hanger hugs, where she drapes herself around your neck and lifts her feet off the ground. These can sometimes be fun, but we've been trying to discourage the hanger hugs, since our backs have not been doing so well lately (due, we think, to Caroline's increasing size).
But as Lizzy hugs me, she does a hanger hug, for which I reprimand her. Then she prepares to hug Grandma, who is staying with us for a few days. As she takes several steps backwards, I realize this is going to be a tackle hug, and I stick out my arm to stop the running approach. "Gentle hug!" Christine and I both cry. So Lizzy stops running and walks up to Grandma and hugs her. Then in the middle of her hug, she lifts her feet of the ground and Grandma doubles over under Lizzy's weight.
Argh! I am so tempted to swat her little hind end! Instead I revoke her bedtime story privilege and off she goes cheerfully with Christine for bedtime singing and praying. But I am not cheerful. I'm stewing. I'm frustrated. I'm angry. I want to have more words with my daughter, but realize that would probably not be constructive, and Christine is in a better frame of mind for dealing with bedtime.
So instead I retreat to my room and decide to do some gospel study. As I pray and start to read, though, I'm still upset, and I realize this study is going to go nowhere. How can one learn about things of God when filled with anger and frustration and resentment? How can the Holy Ghost inspire a heart that is fostering negative emotion?
After a few minutes I enter Lizzy's room--still somewhat frustrated, but also repentant. I sit on her bed and we talk about why I got angry. I explain--calmly, though firmly--what was wrong about some of her actions this evening and why she cannot hang on the towel rack or her grandmother or the cupboard doors (she broke a cupboard door off its hinges last week after absent mindedly hanging on it yet again--despite repeated instruction not to). The conversation goes well, and Lizzy appears to understand the problems caused by her actions and shows signs of remorse. She also, however, expresses that she doesn't mean to do some of these things, and I think she's right. Many of these things she does absent mindedly and somewhat innocently. And she's cheerful all the while. I really don't think she's being wilfully disobedient. Just rambunctious and exuberant and energetic and forgetful--and even loving (in the case of the hugs). But I express the need to try harder and I tell her that there will be consequences if she does these things again (although I can never think of good consequences; I'll need to be thinking of some so I'm prepared).
After that explanation, I tell her the other reason I came into her room: I'm sorry for getting angry. Even when she does something wrong, I should not get angry. I tell her I love her, I ask her to forgive me, and we share a nice hug. And then she asks if I'll leave so she can continue reading her book. :)
I return to my study, which is now more effective. And later in the evening as Christine and I study together, we read these paragraphs from an article in the Ensign magazine by Elder Dallin H. Oaks (of the Quorum of the Twelve) and his wife, Kristen Oaks. Very fitting to my circumstance not long before:
In modern revelation we have a promise that if our eye be single to the glory of God, which includes personal worthiness, our “whole [body] shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in [us]; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things” (D&C 88:67).
We can verify this eternal principle by immediate personal experience. Recall a time when you were resentful, contentious, or quarrelsome. Could you study effectively? Did you receive any enlightenment during that period?
Sin and anger darken the mind. They produce a condition opposite to the light and truth that characterize intelligence, which is the glory of God (see D&C 93:36). Repentance, which can cleanse us from sin through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, is therefore an essential step along the path of learning for all who seek light and truth through the teaching power of the Holy Ghost.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Dean the Bus Driver
Of all the many bus drivers I had through my years in public school--through two elementary schools and junior high school--I only remember one of them.
Dean Taylor was the very first bus driver I ever had. I still remember waiting for Dean's big yellow bus to pull up in front of our old white house on a rural road. As a kindergartener, I was excited about everything school related, I suppose, but I remember eagerly looking forward to rides on Dean's bus.
Dean's bus was a cheerful bus, and when the doors opened and you walked up the stairs to the bus, a friendly old man greeted you warmly, calling you by name. And you knew you were special and loved. Dean was famous for his brown paper bags filled with candy, which he would deliver on your birthday or when you were sick.
The fond feelings we had for Dean were shared by our whole family, and when we would drive by his house (a few miles down the road from our house), we would often point out to each other the long white barn where he kept his bus.
Dean died last week; he was 94 years old, and his obituary page on the newspaper Web site is filled with comments from kids who rode his bus over the years.
Now my daughter is in kindergarten and rides the bus every day. Caroline's bus drivers (she has two because it's a special needs bus) are Dean-like in their care for the children. They are always so cheerful and they greet Caroline with obvious love and delight. One of them does some knitting, and she gave Caroline a knitted hat at Christmas time and a knitted shamrock on St. Patrick's Day.
I'm grateful for bus drivers like Dean and like the two women who drive Caroline to and from school. Such people can have a significant impact on a child's life.
Dean Taylor was the very first bus driver I ever had. I still remember waiting for Dean's big yellow bus to pull up in front of our old white house on a rural road. As a kindergartener, I was excited about everything school related, I suppose, but I remember eagerly looking forward to rides on Dean's bus.
Dean's bus was a cheerful bus, and when the doors opened and you walked up the stairs to the bus, a friendly old man greeted you warmly, calling you by name. And you knew you were special and loved. Dean was famous for his brown paper bags filled with candy, which he would deliver on your birthday or when you were sick.
The fond feelings we had for Dean were shared by our whole family, and when we would drive by his house (a few miles down the road from our house), we would often point out to each other the long white barn where he kept his bus.
Dean died last week; he was 94 years old, and his obituary page on the newspaper Web site is filled with comments from kids who rode his bus over the years.
Now my daughter is in kindergarten and rides the bus every day. Caroline's bus drivers (she has two because it's a special needs bus) are Dean-like in their care for the children. They are always so cheerful and they greet Caroline with obvious love and delight. One of them does some knitting, and she gave Caroline a knitted hat at Christmas time and a knitted shamrock on St. Patrick's Day.
I'm grateful for bus drivers like Dean and like the two women who drive Caroline to and from school. Such people can have a significant impact on a child's life.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Multicolored Pancakes
This morning Lizzy and I decided to make pancakes for breakfast. Then Lizzy suggested we make fun shapes--like a whale. Now she was getting excited: "And we could use blue food coloring to make it into a blue whale and you could eat it!" (Blue whales are my favorite animals--a fact Lizzy is very aware of; favorites, of course, are a big thing for 7-year-olds.) The whale idea was quickly followed the notion of making a flower with yellow in the middle and with red petals. And thus our breakfast plans turned into an art project. (See finished whale above; the green splotch at the top is the whale's spout.)If you decide to make multicolored pancake sculptures, here are a few tips:
1. Find several small bowls into which you can put small amounts of pancake batter.
2. Using food coloring, you can create different colors of batter in each bowl to use in your creations.3. We found two ways to make pancake art.
- First: You can use a color for each part of the sculpture and add to it. For the flower (left), for instance, you can pour a circle for the center of the flower and then using a different color you can create all of the petals.
- Second: You can use one color of batter to create a "canvas" of batter" and then "paint" on the canvas with other colors. For the target (above), for instance, you pour a large circle of batter and then pour other circles on top of the pancake.
4. The pancake colors are going to be much prettier before you flip the pancake, so if you want to take pictures, do it right after you finish pouring.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Fickle Spring
This was Saturday--Cousin Melissa and Lizzy playing with bubbles at a picnic in a park...
This is today... poor daffodils...
This is today... poor daffodils...
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Lizzy the Super Eater
In the past year, Lizzy's eating habits have transformed dramatically. Check out this plate. As she was heaping it high at dinner tonight, I was rather flabbergasted. Just a year ago, the only fruit or vegetable she would eat was jar peaches--as in babyfood. She was 6 years old and still eating babyfood because that was the only way we could get her to eat fruit. And she was equally picky about other foods. And now...
On her plate in this picture are the following things (we were having modified Hawaiian haystacks... we called them Utahn haystacks today):
Rice
Hard-boiled eggs
Zucchini
Shredded coconut
Cream of mushroom soup (as sauce on the rice)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Raw spinach greens (our favorite salad)
Chicken
Strawberries
Bananas
The only thing she protested about on this plate were the second strawberry slice and the second banana slice (crazy kid--she's still not crazy about fruit; she'll eat it, but she often complains. She eats vegetables very well though... go figure).
So how did it happen?
Well, a couple of years ago, we were painting various rooms in the house, and Lizzy and Christine got excited about painting Lizzy's room pink. But we set a condition. Before Lizzy could have a pink room, she had to learn to eat five fruits and five vegetables. We defined "learning to eat" as having eaten each one five times. So we made a fruit chart and a vegetable chart on which she could put stickers to track her progress.
She started strong and soon had three or four banana stickers but not much else. Then she fizzled, and the charts were ignored for months--probably almost a year. They even came down off the fridge for a while, and Christine bemoaned that we would never get to paint Lizzy's room, and I worried that Lizzy would be eating jar peaches when she was 16.
Then last spring Lizzy got motivated again. I'm not sure what made the change, but she got the charts out and started eating. It still required a bit of encouragement and urging on our part, but soon she had eaten five servings of five fruits or vegetables, so we painted half her room. And by sometime in the summer she had completed both charts--five servings of 10 fruits and vegetables--and she had a pink room.
Since then, we have simply continued encouraging. At first I thought we would be confined to those 10 fruits and vegetables, but she has broadened her repertoire pretty well. She has also become less picky about other foods. It has sometimes taken prodding, and it always takes a firm commitment to the rule that you don't get dessert unless you eat your fruits or vegetables.
We still sometimes have to insist and threaten, but usually these days she will dish it up and eat it down (see picture at right as evidence that tonight's meal was completely consumed... though there were tears at one point this evening when she didn't want to eat some of it. But we persevered through the tears and she had a smile to show for it at the end of the meal).
On her plate in this picture are the following things (we were having modified Hawaiian haystacks... we called them Utahn haystacks today):
Rice
Hard-boiled eggs
Zucchini
Shredded coconut
Cream of mushroom soup (as sauce on the rice)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Raw spinach greens (our favorite salad)
Chicken
Strawberries
Bananas
The only thing she protested about on this plate were the second strawberry slice and the second banana slice (crazy kid--she's still not crazy about fruit; she'll eat it, but she often complains. She eats vegetables very well though... go figure).
So how did it happen?
Well, a couple of years ago, we were painting various rooms in the house, and Lizzy and Christine got excited about painting Lizzy's room pink. But we set a condition. Before Lizzy could have a pink room, she had to learn to eat five fruits and five vegetables. We defined "learning to eat" as having eaten each one five times. So we made a fruit chart and a vegetable chart on which she could put stickers to track her progress.
She started strong and soon had three or four banana stickers but not much else. Then she fizzled, and the charts were ignored for months--probably almost a year. They even came down off the fridge for a while, and Christine bemoaned that we would never get to paint Lizzy's room, and I worried that Lizzy would be eating jar peaches when she was 16.
Then last spring Lizzy got motivated again. I'm not sure what made the change, but she got the charts out and started eating. It still required a bit of encouragement and urging on our part, but soon she had eaten five servings of five fruits or vegetables, so we painted half her room. And by sometime in the summer she had completed both charts--five servings of 10 fruits and vegetables--and she had a pink room.
Since then, we have simply continued encouraging. At first I thought we would be confined to those 10 fruits and vegetables, but she has broadened her repertoire pretty well. She has also become less picky about other foods. It has sometimes taken prodding, and it always takes a firm commitment to the rule that you don't get dessert unless you eat your fruits or vegetables.
We still sometimes have to insist and threaten, but usually these days she will dish it up and eat it down (see picture at right as evidence that tonight's meal was completely consumed... though there were tears at one point this evening when she didn't want to eat some of it. But we persevered through the tears and she had a smile to show for it at the end of the meal).
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday Evening Concerts
This is one of my favorite times of the week. Christine is the fastest eater in our house, and on Sunday evenings when she is done eating, she will often take Caroline with her and retire to the living room, where she begins playing arrangements of hymns on the piano. The peaceful, beautiful spirit of the music soon fills our home. And if Lizzy and I can finish eating fast enough, we like to join her in the living room: Lizzy to dance and me to read or care for Caroline or just sit and listen and watch. The spirit of this moment is, in my mind, the perfect conclusion to a sabbath day.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Welcome to Spring
When I came home today the daffodils were blooming in front of the house. Perfect way to celebrate the first day of spring.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Scripture Study Strategy
For a long time now I've been trying to come up with an effective scripture study routine. My attempts, however, tend to be complicated by poor sleep habits and a lack of decisiveness about what I should be studying.
I'm doing great with studying every day, but I often don't think my study is as effective as it could be, and I often feel like I'm fitting it in my schedule out of obligation and I do it almost begrudgingly at times. This is not because I don't want to study. It's rather because by the time I get around to studying, it is later in the evening and I am tired or I have other things I'd like to be doing.
I have also taken to doing a bit of my study by listening to scriptures or Church magazines as I drive to and from work or while I do things around the house. This is a good way to fit it into a busy schedule, and I think some of that is probably fine. But if this is all I'm doing, I fear it's not as effective as it could be. For one thing, I often get a bit distracted from what I'm listening to; for another, not everything I want to study is available in mp3 format. And in addition, I think I need to be doing more writing as part of my study (see below).
So I'm thinking outloud a bit at the moment... here are some of my objectives with scripture study; maybe if I write them all down I can think through them better and come up with a good way of doing this.
1. Study in the morning. Study in the morning--before I get busy with other things--will help (I think) avoid this sense of obligation a bit. In the morning, there is little else competing for my attention (except sleep). And if I study in the morning, it will free up my evenings for other stuff. The problem is that morning study requires getting up early, and that has never been my strength. I tend to rationalize sleeping until the last possible moment because either a) I was up late, b) I'm recovering from a campout or work project or some other thing that caused me to be up for much of the night, or c) I was up for a while in the night with Caroline. Those issues combine with d) I really should be getting closer to eight hours of sleep (even seven would be nice). I'm not entirely sure how to handle those issues because I really do think sleep is important. I tend to think I need to just discipline myself to getting up at a set time no matter what. Once I make excuses now and then, the whole system falls apart. It becomes really easy to find reasons not to get up just yet. Plus, if I wake up late, then I stay up late the next night fitting in scripture study, which makes it hard to get up early the next morning, and so on. So I think I just need to set a time and stick to it. But that's hard to do--easy to say when you're already out of bed, hard to practice when your head is comfortable on a soft pillow...
2. Begin writing what I study. Several people in our ward keep scripture study journals, and we've talked about them many times. There is great value in writing down what you study--in thinking through and processing the material, and in recording it for future reference or to share with others. As a writer, this is something I can understand. But including writing in my scripture study time means I can't do all my study by listening to mp3s--I have to have time where I can sit and ponder and write. And it means I can't read as much as I would like. I have a good list of things I'd like to read as part of my scripture study, and I often have this sense that there is more I should be reading, and it's hard to discipline myself to stop reading and start writing.
3. Exercise while I study. This is something I have tried in the past year and it has worked pretty well at times. Regular exercise is a weakness of mine, and I have thought if i could walk on the treadmill while I read, that would help me accomplish two challenging goals at once. But this complicates the writing goal, and it means that most--if not all--of my study needs to be done at home, not while driving in the car. But it works well with the morning study goal, and it works well with listening to mp3s as part of my study. In the past when I have done this, I have tried to walk for 30 minutes while I read various things. Oh--the other thing this means is it is hard to study big books or write notes in margins or follow lots of cross references while I walk. Walking while studying works great with reading Church magazines or handbooks or something from one of the smaller scripture books--Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price. The bible can work, but it's a bit heavy to hold while walking. My minimum goal would be to exercise at least three times a week.
4. Study for an hour a day. When I received my current assignment at Church, part of my instruction was that I really should be studying for at least 60 minutes a day. That has been a challenge. My previous goal was 30 minutes, but I would often only get 15--if it was late and I was tired. I've done fairly well at increasing my time to 60 minutes a day. In the last year or so, I would say I have probably hit that mark at least half the time--maybe two-thirds. But it has continued to be a challenge, especially when I don't get around to studying until 9 or 9:30 p.m.
5. Study a variety of things. Here are some of the things I would like to do during my study. I don't need to do all of these every day, but I'd like to get to each of them pretty regularly.
K, now I have a plan. Let's see if I can do it.
I'm doing great with studying every day, but I often don't think my study is as effective as it could be, and I often feel like I'm fitting it in my schedule out of obligation and I do it almost begrudgingly at times. This is not because I don't want to study. It's rather because by the time I get around to studying, it is later in the evening and I am tired or I have other things I'd like to be doing.
I have also taken to doing a bit of my study by listening to scriptures or Church magazines as I drive to and from work or while I do things around the house. This is a good way to fit it into a busy schedule, and I think some of that is probably fine. But if this is all I'm doing, I fear it's not as effective as it could be. For one thing, I often get a bit distracted from what I'm listening to; for another, not everything I want to study is available in mp3 format. And in addition, I think I need to be doing more writing as part of my study (see below).
So I'm thinking outloud a bit at the moment... here are some of my objectives with scripture study; maybe if I write them all down I can think through them better and come up with a good way of doing this.
1. Study in the morning. Study in the morning--before I get busy with other things--will help (I think) avoid this sense of obligation a bit. In the morning, there is little else competing for my attention (except sleep). And if I study in the morning, it will free up my evenings for other stuff. The problem is that morning study requires getting up early, and that has never been my strength. I tend to rationalize sleeping until the last possible moment because either a) I was up late, b) I'm recovering from a campout or work project or some other thing that caused me to be up for much of the night, or c) I was up for a while in the night with Caroline. Those issues combine with d) I really should be getting closer to eight hours of sleep (even seven would be nice). I'm not entirely sure how to handle those issues because I really do think sleep is important. I tend to think I need to just discipline myself to getting up at a set time no matter what. Once I make excuses now and then, the whole system falls apart. It becomes really easy to find reasons not to get up just yet. Plus, if I wake up late, then I stay up late the next night fitting in scripture study, which makes it hard to get up early the next morning, and so on. So I think I just need to set a time and stick to it. But that's hard to do--easy to say when you're already out of bed, hard to practice when your head is comfortable on a soft pillow...
2. Begin writing what I study. Several people in our ward keep scripture study journals, and we've talked about them many times. There is great value in writing down what you study--in thinking through and processing the material, and in recording it for future reference or to share with others. As a writer, this is something I can understand. But including writing in my scripture study time means I can't do all my study by listening to mp3s--I have to have time where I can sit and ponder and write. And it means I can't read as much as I would like. I have a good list of things I'd like to read as part of my scripture study, and I often have this sense that there is more I should be reading, and it's hard to discipline myself to stop reading and start writing.
3. Exercise while I study. This is something I have tried in the past year and it has worked pretty well at times. Regular exercise is a weakness of mine, and I have thought if i could walk on the treadmill while I read, that would help me accomplish two challenging goals at once. But this complicates the writing goal, and it means that most--if not all--of my study needs to be done at home, not while driving in the car. But it works well with the morning study goal, and it works well with listening to mp3s as part of my study. In the past when I have done this, I have tried to walk for 30 minutes while I read various things. Oh--the other thing this means is it is hard to study big books or write notes in margins or follow lots of cross references while I walk. Walking while studying works great with reading Church magazines or handbooks or something from one of the smaller scripture books--Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price. The bible can work, but it's a bit heavy to hold while walking. My minimum goal would be to exercise at least three times a week.
4. Study for an hour a day. When I received my current assignment at Church, part of my instruction was that I really should be studying for at least 60 minutes a day. That has been a challenge. My previous goal was 30 minutes, but I would often only get 15--if it was late and I was tired. I've done fairly well at increasing my time to 60 minutes a day. In the last year or so, I would say I have probably hit that mark at least half the time--maybe two-thirds. But it has continued to be a challenge, especially when I don't get around to studying until 9 or 9:30 p.m.
5. Study a variety of things. Here are some of the things I would like to do during my study. I don't need to do all of these every day, but I'd like to get to each of them pretty regularly.
- Book of Mormon: Our stake president has asked us to read this once a year. I would like to to read at least a chapter or two several times a week. This could be something I listen to while I walk on the treadmill.
- Other scripture: I find I know the Book of Mormon really well, but I'm not as familiar with the other scriptures. I would like to know them all as well as I know the Book of Mormon. In the last six or eight months I've been studying the Doctrine and Covenants with a study guide as the core of my scripture study (usually 20-30 minutes) and it has been really helpful. I'd like to continue this sort of practice. Because the scripture guide is big and this study often involves marking things, this is difficult to do on the treadmill.
- Church handbooks: I need to better understand Church policy and guidelines
- Church magazines: I've never been good at reading these, but when I do read them, I find good value there. In the last four or five months, I've been listening to the Ensign and the New Era as mp3s--that has worked really well, and I have enjoyed it. This month's New Era has about 80 minutes of listening material. The Ensign should have around 130 minutes of material each month (though about 20 minutes of that can be Church news, which I find less uplifting and scripture-study worthy).
- Lesson plans: I frequently have opportunities to teach a class at Church or to conduct some training in a meeting or to share a message with a group. Preparing for these opportunities seems like a good use of scripture study time--though the schedule for these opportunities tend to be a bit erratic, so it's hard to schedule 15 minutes a day on this. In the past I have sometimes spent my whole scripture time preparing a lesson, and other times I've spent a few minutes here and there. Somehow my strategy needs to include enough flexibility to accommodate this.
- Other: Occasionally other Church materials--talks, pamphlets, etc.--come up as things I need to study.
- Book of Mormon: 15 minutes, daily, listen to mp3s (or read the book, if focus is a problem) while walking every day but Sunday
- Church magazines: 15 minutes, M/W/F, listen to mp3s (or read hard copy, if focus is a problem) while walking; that should give me enough minutes to get through both the Ensign and the New Era each month
- Church Handbook: 15 minutes, T/Th/Sa/Su, read while walking (except Sunday)
- Other scriptures: 15 minutes, daily (can be replaced by lesson plan time if needed)
- Flex time/lesson plans/other: 15 minutes, daily
K, now I have a plan. Let's see if I can do it.
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