BLESSINGS

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face
and are truly thankful...you are blessed because the
majority can, but most do not.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle,
the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture,
or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead
of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of
harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are more
blessed than three billion people in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on
your back, a roof overhead and a place to
sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and
spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the
top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still alive and still married...
you are very rare, even in the United States.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even
touch them on the shoulder...you are blessed because
you can offer healing touch.

If you can read this message,
you are more blessed than over two
billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and pass this
along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

I KNOW WE CAN'T CLAIM TO HAVE ALL THE BLESSINGS ABOVE
YET A FEW ARE LIKELY TO BE ON OUR LIST
AND
I FOR CAN ADD A NEW BLESSING TO MY LIST
A BLESSING UNTIL RECENTLY I NEVER KNEW WAS OUT THERE
YOU MY FRIENDS......

ALAN AND BRAVEONE AND CADENCE AND ROBERT AND ANDY AND MICHAEL AND DUCK AND CHASE AND OCTOBER RISING AND ABELARD AND D, AND SEAN AND JAKE AND ROMULUS AND SCOTT AND LOVE AND RYAN AND BROR AND MIKE AND HIDDEN AND MARK AND DANISH BOY AND CROW AND ALL THE OTHERS

...WHO FACE EACH NEW DAY WITH COURAGE AND CONVICTION ....WHO WILLINGLY SHARE THEIR LIVES AND WISDOW....WHO GIVE US SUPPORT AND NEW COURAGE
MERRY CHRISTMAS

SCATTERBRAIN STUFF

I COULDN'T RESIST....CLICK on SCATTERBRAIN STUFF for BIGOTRY.... LDS style
http://beetlebabee.wordpress.com/2008/12/03/ho⋅mo⋅phobe-n/#comment-1592

YOU ALL remind me of FRIENDS from days gone by ...

THOSE were the days.......I'm a sentimental slob, thats why I like HISTORY. YOU ALL remind me of those CAMPFIRE friendships

RETHINKING OUR WAY

ESCAPE needed

WHY is it that when DEPRESSION...discouragement...DISAPPOINTMENT hit...my blood sugar goes wacky? I am DRAINED!!


"What is it that awakens in my soul when I walk in the desert, when I catch the scent of rain, when I see the sun and moon rise and set on all the colors of the earth, when I approach the heart of wilderness? What is it that stirs within me when I enter upon sacred grounds? For indeed something does move and enliven me in my spirit, something that defines my very being in the world. I realize my humanity in proportion as I perceive my reflection in the landscape that enfolds me. It has always been so."
Momaday, N. Scott

Will the real JOE SMITH stand -up?

Towle a visionary herself, an itinerant preacher who helped satisfy the young nation's hunger for preaching came to see the New Prophet for herself. She quipped, "Are you not ashamed of such pretensions?...You who are no more than an ignorant plough-boy... Joseph calmly noted, "the gift has returned again, as in former times to ILLITERATE FISHERMEN."

Some questioned the capacity of the uneducated prophet to do justice with God's revelations. Some questioned their authenticity when errors were made. The nature of the Revealed word, according to Joseph, was from God but not God's diction or dialect or native language ...recognizing the limitations of language and the weaknesses of himself...Joseph could freely edit his works and did so. Joseph encouraged the Saints to have this same kind of personal experience for themselves, for their families and as part of their stewardship.

Joseph gave up the Urim & Thummim..he no longer needed it ....was content with the spirit of Prophesy & Revelation.



According to some, Joseph's demeanor fell short of a prophet's character. He lacked "sobriety, prudence and stability" frequently showing "a spirit of lightness and levity, a temper easily irritated and a habitual proneness to jesting and joking"

Emma moved from house to house...no more settled than when she married Joseph 5 years previous


this tough guy said to be the strongest man on the Western Preserve said he could take Joseph Smith out alone...he had a hold of Joseph's leg as the mob carried Joseph from his home. Joseph gave a kick and tough guy went sprawling out into the street....later admitted the Prophet to the strongest man he had ever got a hold of.


Members came and went... leaders rose and fell...but Joseph persisted.

At 26 years of age, he led an organization of thousands, had huge building projects, always on the run, had his own family, was surrounded by more experienced, talented and polished men, was moving masses of people, tried to implement the idea of consecration, of cooperativism, claimed the miracle of translating a monumental scripture from ancient times, introduced long lost theological principles that grated against Christian tradition, structured a church after the order of the ancient church, restored priesthood and authority to the earth when priesthood was a bad word among protestants, published revelations of God speaking today...yet maintained unmatched resolve and conviction among tyranny and desertion and attack....yet maintained his sanity with calm and dignity even as his ultimate destiny loomed.

MORMONS are supposed to be better than this.....

I am disappointed in MY PEOPLE. Burning the flag of a black family just because the nation spoke against racism and spoke for diversity & hope. Instead of celebrating this history moment in the cause of liberty MY PEOPLE sent to each other hateful awful text messages full of intolerance and shame. This confuses me. Doesn't the gospel of Christ have meaning to MY PEOPLE. Is his message not one of LOVE and forgiveness and compassion and non judgement. I see fear and scare tactics and people believing the most ridiculous fairy tales. Instead of pulling together as a people...we show who we really are deep down. Protesters surround our temples and declare us to be bigots. WE ARE!!! We worked so hard to show the world that we had overcome our prejudices of colored people. That is all UNDONE. Since the election...My father will not talk to me. I shed tears in the still of the night.