The Beginning of Joy.....

These two, I think they'll figure it out.

Cade Scott and Kayti Harris engaged to be married on August 16, 2016. Twin Falls, Idaho, LDS Temple.

 

This is the last paragraph of my latest email from my 19 yo daughter. She is currently serving an LDS mission in Missouri, and was HS'ed using the TJED principles. I am going to share the letter, and then analyze it a little for you.

Dad & Mom,
I want to thank you for my life. Being out here in MO, I have noticed how much the youth struggle in staying close to the Lord while there is such evil all around them. One of the sisters talked about her daughter and how when she came home from school, she ran to her room to read the BoM before anything else and then after dinner and before school everyday. She told her mom that it was her way of cleansing her self from the outside world and from school. I am so grateful for both of you that are so in tune with the spirit and kept me out of things. Thank you for working on creating zion in our home. Thank you for helping me to know my Savior, His Atonement, and to always turn to Him for anything and everything. I have been so blessed. The way I was raised has been helping me a ton out here. I am not shocked by the world. It is really hard to explain.

My husband and  were discussing this...what were the things that made this work?
First, our family is so NOT perfect. We fight and yell, and get in bad moods, but we consistently prayed together, and tried to discuss the principles that we thought were important. She had a lot of freedom to follow her own interests, and among other amazing talents that she developed, she read. A lot. Tolkien, Tolstoy, Hugo, Porter, Austin, Homer, Card and on and on.....and what I think all that literature did for her was, mature her beyond her years to understand all the evil that is in the world, the ugly consequences that poor choices bring, and the beautiful redemptive quality of Grace. So was she sheltered? Physically, yes. Emotionally? No way. She has lived with the greatest lives ever lived. And so she, my friends, is ready to conquer the world.

Thank you Demilles, for sacrificing an easy life for the "called" life. Because of the gift of your research and understanding written in to books, I have just reaped the most priceless gift of parenting.

 A couple months ago, darling started talking about a new position somewhere that he was curious about.  I said, "Well, send in your resume'."  And now I am here, single parenting and crying about leaving this home and land that I have invested my heart in.  And he is there, thrilling at this chance of new adventures and challenges.   We have a contract to buy our next home, right in the center of his new daily farming routines.  It was given to us by the Lord.  There is absolutely no explanation for how else it all came about.  But it is big, and solid, and so much like what I would design if I were to build from scratch.  And it has land, and trees, and pasture, and a little wild patch with sage brush so we don't miss our vast expanse of desert too much.  And it's by the lake (well reservoir, but lake sounds better) and I hear one can learn to sail there, and I've always wanted to learn to sail.

Here is our soon to be new Front Door.  Can't wait to make it mine. 

CHARACTER......from the Duggars

TRUTHFULNESS
vs. Deception
Earning future trust by
accurately reporting past facts
Ephesians 4:25
ALERTNESS
vs. Unawareness
Being aware of that which is
taking place around me so that
I can have the right responses
Mark 14:38
SELF-CONTROL
vs. self-indulgence
Instant obedience to the initial
promptings of
God’s Spirit
Galatians 5:24-25
WISDOM
vs. Natural Inclinations
Seeing and responding to life
situations from God’s frame of
reference
Proverbs 9:10
RESOURCEFULNESS
vs. Wastefulness
Wise use of that which others
would normally overlook or
discard
Luke 16:10
ORDERLINESS
vs. Disorganization
Preparing myself and my
surroundings so that I will
achieve the greatest efficiency
1 Corinthians 14:40
ATTENTIVENESS
vs. Unconcern
Showing the worth of a person
by giving undivided attention
to his words and emotions
Hebrews 2:1
OBEDIENCE
vs. Willfulness
Freedom to be creative under
the protection of divinely
appointed authority
II Corinthians 10:5
HOSPITALITY
vs. Loneliness
Cheerfully sharing food,
shelter, and spiritual
refreshment with those God
brings into my life
Hebrews 13:2
REVERENCE
vs. Disrespect
Awareness of how God is
working through the people
and events in my life to
produce the character of Christ
in me
Proverbs 23: 17-18
DISCERNMENT
vs. Judgment
The God-given ability to
understand why things happen
I Samuel 16:7
THRIFTINESS
vs. Extravagance
Not letting myself or others
spend that which is not
necessary
Luke 16:11
INITIATIVE
vs. Unresponsiveness
Recognizing and doing what
needs to be done before I am
asked to do it
Romans 12:21
SENSITIVITY
vs. Callousness
Exercising my senses so that I
can perceive the true spirit and
emotions of those around me
Romans 12:15
SINCERITY
vs. Hypocrisy
Eagerness to do what is right
with transparent motives
1 Peter 1:22
GENEROSITY
vs. Stinginess
Realizing that all I have
belongs to God and using it for
His purposes
II Corinthians 9:6
DILIGENCE
vs. Slothfulness
Visualizing each task as a
special assignment from the
Lord and using all my energies
to accomplish it
Colossians 3:23
FAITH
vs. Presumption
Visualizing what God intends
to do in a given situation and
acting in harmony with it
Hebrews 11:1
CONTENTMENT
vs. Covetousness
Realizing that God has
provided everything that I
need for my present happiness
I Timothy 6:8
RESPONSIBILITY
vs. Unreliability
Knowing and doing what both
God and others are expecting
me to do
Romans 14:12
JUSTICE
vs. Fairness
Personal responsibility to
God’s unchanging laws
Micah 6:8
VIRTUE
vs. Impurity
The moral excellence and
purity of spirit that radiate
from my life as I obey God’s
word
II Peter 1:5
JOYFULNESS
vs. Self-pity
The spontaneous enthusiasm
of my spirit when my soul is in
fellowship with the Lord
Psalm 16:11
THOROUGHNESS
vs. Incompleteness
Knowing what factors will
diminish the effectiveness of
my work or words if neglected
Proverbs 18:15
DISCRETION
vs. Simple-mindedness
The ability to avoid words,
actions, and attitudes which
could result in undesirable
consequences
Proverbs 22:3
PUNCTUALITY
vs. Tardiness
Showing high esteem for other
people and their time
Ecclesiastes 3:1
HUMILITY
vs. Pride
Recognizing that God and
others are actually responsible
for the achievements in my
life
James 4:6
COMPASSION
vs. Indifference
Investingwhatever is
necessary to heal the hurts of
others
I John 3:17
BOLDNESS
vs. Fearfulness
Confidence that what I have to
say or do is true and right and
just in the sight of God
Acts 4:29
FLEXIBILITY
vs. Resistance
Not setting my affections on
ideas or plans which could be
changed by God or others
Colossians 3:2
DEPENDABILITY
vs. Inconsistency
Fulfilling what I consented to
do even if it means
unexpected sacrifice
Psalm 15:4
LOVE
vs. Selfishness
Giving to others basic needs
without having as my motive
personal reward
I Corinthians 13:3
TOLERANCE
vs. Prejudice
Acceptance of others as
unique expressions of specific
character qualities in varying
degrees of maturity
Philippians 2:2
DECISIVENESS
vs. Double-mindedness
The ability to finalize difficult
decisions based on the will
and ways of God
James 1:5
GENTLENESS
vs. Harshness
Showing personal care and
concern in meeting the needs
of others
I Thessalonians 2:7
FORGIVENESS
vs. Rejection
Clearing the record of those
who have wronged me and
allowing God to love them
through me
Ephesians 4:32
AVAILABILITY
vs. Self-centeredness
Making my own schedule and
priorities secondary to wishes
of those I am serving
Philippians 2:20-21
SECURITY
vs. Anxiety
Structuring my life around that
which is eternal and cannot be
destroyed or taken away
John 6:27
CREATIVITY
vs. Under-achievement
Approaching a need, a task, an
idea from a new perspective
Romans 12:2
CAUTIOUSNESS
vs. Rashness
Knowing how important right
timing is in accomplishing
right actions
Proverbs 19:2
DETERMINATION
vs. Faint-heartedness
Purposing to Accomplish
God’s goals in God’s timing
regardless of the opposition
II Timothy 4:7-8
DEFERENCE
vs. Rudeness
Limiting my freedom in order
not to offend the tastes of
those God has called me to
serve
Romans 14:21
PERSUASIVENESS
vs. Contentiousness
Guiding vital truth around
another’s mental roadblocks
II Timothy 2:24
ENDURANCE
vs. Giving-up
The inward strength to
withstand stress to accomplish
God’s best
Galatians 6:9
PATIENCE
vs. Restlessness
Accepting a difficult situation
from God without giving Him
a deadline to remove it
Romans 5:3-4
ENTHUSIASM
vs. Apathy
Expressing with my spirit the
joy of my soul
I Thessalonians 5:16,19
GRATEFULNESS
vs. Unthankfulness
Making known to God and
others in what ways they have
benefited my life
I Corinthians 4:7
LOYALTY
vs. Unfaithfulness
Using difficult times to
demonstrate my commitment
to God and to those whom He
has called me to serve
John 15:13
MEEKNESS
vs. Anger
Yielding my personal rights
and expectations to God
Psalm 62:5

I have become so much more skeptical as of late.  Read this, and perhaps join me.

Saman Mohammadi

Glenn Greenwald writes in his article, “The ‘war on terror’ – by design – can never end”:

“There’s no question that this “war” will continue indefinitely. There is no question that US actions are the cause of that, the gasoline that fuels the fire. The only question – and it’s becoming less of a question for me all the time – is whether this endless war is the intended result of US actions or just an unwanted miscalculation.
It’s increasingly hard to make the case that it’s the latter. The US has long known, and its own studies have emphatically concluded, that “terrorism” is motivated not by a “hatred of our freedoms” but by US policy and aggression in the Muslim world. This causal connection is not news to the US government. Despite this – or, more accurately, because of it – they continue with these policies.
One of the most difficult endeavors is to divine the motives of other people (divining our own motives is difficult enough). That becomes even more difficult when attempting to discern the motives not of a single actor but a collection of individuals with different motives and interests (“the US government”).
But what one can say for certain is that there is zero reason for US officials to want an end to the war on terror, and numerous and significant reasons why they would want it to continue. It’s always been the case that the power of political officials is at its greatest, its most unrestrained, in a state of war. Cicero, two thousand years ago, warned that “In times of war, the law falls silent” (Inter arma enim silent leges). John Jay, in Federalist No. 4, warned that as a result of that truth, “nations in general will make war whenever they have a prospect of getting anything by it . . . for the purposes and objects merely personal, such as thirst for military glory, revenge for personal affronts, ambition, or private compacts to aggrandize or support their particular families or partisans.”
If you were a US leader, or an official of the National Security State, or a beneficiary of the private military and surveillance industries, why would you possibly want the war on terror to end? That would be the worst thing that could happen. It’s that war that generates limitless power, impenetrable secrecy, an unquestioning citizenry, and massive profit.”

Scripture Keys for Today:  Mosiah 8

-The working of miracles is to benefit fellow beings

-The wisdom of men is blind

 17 But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known.

 18 Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore

 he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings.

 20 O how marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long doth he suffer with his people; yea, and how blind and impenetrable are the understandings of the children of men; for they will not seek wisdom, neither do they desire that she should rule over them!

I've had this exact question...and so have my friends

A new Post from Spencer, Answering E.

December 12, 2012 by shayne777

Question for Spencer–How do you keep a balance of living in this world (i.e. the culture of this world) with striving for Zion? As I have read your story, I too am filled with joy and a deep desire to prepare myself for a Zion life. I find myself becoming more and more serious and my conversations becoming “heavy” to those around me. I have intense desires for a Zion life–I have ever since I was a young child and became “aware.” I find that this is not good for my children who need a mother who is “light” and unburdened by the call. Yet when I learn these things of Zion, the cultural norms of our world (I’m speaking of things that would be considered “acceptable” to our LDS culture–movies, TV, books, politics, medical practices, to name a few) seem to repulse me and I become more unrelatable–respected, but unrelatable. How then do you, knowing what you so definitively know, operate as a father, husband, friend, community member, etc.?
(Spencer)
E, I will attempt to discuss this process. May the Lord be with me.
When we are shown the great love and compassion the Savior has for all that He has been given by the Father. Who we are, every one of us has been given to Christ by the Father or we would not be on this site.. He knows our needs, and our wants. When we see this clearly, our needs and wants diminish considerably, we change and we see the process so much clearer and far more deeply. This clarity is then imparted to us in regards to what all of us must past through so we can lay this mortal by and put it all, everything, holding nothing back on the altar and consider each person in their present place, in their present progression in a new light. The Lord gives us this vision and we become changed by it. Dificult, Yes. Necessary, for sure. He then shows us our standing before the Lord, as we progress through this veil of tears and into the place where Zion penetrates our wanderings and daily walk until it consumes us. The things of this world then seem to start taking care of themselves. A transition takes place in us and our efforts can then become multiplied, blessed and sanctified. People then begin to know instinctivly that we love them in ways that are higher then how we used to Love, act and how we used to be. Higher than the lone and dreary world which bogs us down and causes us to flee from the world because we are fearful it might splash on us and contaminate our efforts. Because it certainly has the tendency to drag us down with it.
We then no longer are motivated out of attraction, lust or the desire for status or power or gain. Our pride becomes swollowed up in the Love He shows us and the purpose that burns in our bones like a fire shut up within them. Our desire to do this and become this, is known by the Lord in the same fashion that we are known.
We than start treating others as He treats us. They become caught up in the rapture of His purposes and begin to accept all other souls in the place they dwell and our desires become the spark which moves them to see with new eyes and feel with a new heart. Others than begin to lift up their heads and turn to the Lord and transform themselves bit by bit till they are no longer comfortable with where they reside and live. The discomfort of it all cause them to shift, move and reevaluate their present status.Through this they then begin to look to Him and Do all that they do in the Name of the Lord, that He may begin to sanctify their service, work, thoughts and actions to their own good and the good of all that are around them. We can not become a community of Monks and bring this wortk forward.
Thus Zion is established. For the desire of Zion is to become one. One in heart, one in purpose, one is spirit. O N E ! Even as The Father and the Son are ONE. This becomes a mighty work. The energy continues to grow and like “ Hurricane Sandy” it becomes a mighty force that desroys, shakes up and causes change, all old things are taken away or destroyed and the only place to move is to stand still and mourn or move forward and learn of Him who is the author of this change.
Recall with me in the garden of Eden, on the Tree of Good and Evil, on this very tree which the Father and the Son had planted, we find opposition. Good and Evil. Change comes from loss, pain, struggle movement. We must recall, the Lord said, “Be ye therefore even as I am”. To align with Him we must be like Him. And often that takes going below it all while also being above it all. Can we receive only those parts of sanctification which are glorious, without seeing, and experiencing that which is painful, trying and difficult? I do not believe this is the path. He will succor us. He will lead us along. It is the path to Him and the Path to Zion. Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life. I testify of Him in the Name of Jesus Christ Amen. (Spencer)

To contemplate

“[The Latter-Day Saints] are a warlike people, easily distracted from our assignment of preparing for the coming of the Lord. When enemies rise up, we commit vast resources to the fabrication of gods of stone and steel — ships, planes, missiles, fortifications — and depend on them for protection and deliverance. When threatened, we become anti-enemy instead of pro-kingdom of God; we train a man in the art of war and call him a patriot, thus, in the manner of Satan’s counterfeit of true patriotism, perverting the Savior’s teaching: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45).
“We forget that if we are righteous the Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon us — and this is the special promise to the inhabitants of the land of the Americas (see 2 Nephi 1:7) — or he will fight our battles for us (Exodus 14:14; D&C 98:37, to name only two references of many). This he is able to do, for as he said at the time of his betrayal, 'Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?' (Matthew 26:53). We can imagine what fearsome soldiers they would be.
“What are we to fear when the Lord is with us? Can we not take the Lord at his word and exercise a particle of faith in him? Our assignment is affirmative: to forsake the things of the world as ends in themselves; to leave off idolatry and press forward in faith; to carry the gospel to our enemies, that they might no longer be our enemies.”

— President of the LDS Church Spencer W. Kimball⁶

We need BIG Desserts for BIG Families....and so today I went searching for a killer Chocolate Cake recipe and I found this recipe over here:    I am Baker

I did it a little differently, of course.

First off, my recipe is doubled from the original if you check the link and now are confused as you begin to peruse the indgredients.

I creamed all of the wet ingredients and then just kept whipping them until I was done mixing all the dry ingredients.  It was pretty fluffy by the time I added the flour and such.  I mixed on low until it looked really creamy....and since we don't do coffee.. I substituted 1/2 cup hot water and 1/2 cup real vanilla extract to mix in gently at the end.  The last step is not officially doubled since I would have needed 2 cups of watery liquid...but it seemed like enough, so I quit adding.

I baked it in a large cake pan, almost like a sheet pan size but with higher edges at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  This should feed around 24 people generously.

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups good cocoa powder
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1 cup softened butter
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
•  1/2 cup vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup hot water

Seville Quilt for Ginger

 

Made this Seville quilt  from a pattern available at cluckclucksew.com.  The fabrics are from a fat quarter bundle by Robert Kauffman and some random pieces from my stash (gotta love that).  It is a gift for my Mother-in-Law, Ginger, who is now doing missionary work in Cape Verde.  We sure do miss her.

I sent this one off to be quilted.  Trying to do this large of quilt on my machine made me want to cry.  It was quilted by The Quilt Barn in Kimberly, Idaho.  I said,  "I want botanical with lots of motion," and they did a beautiful job.  Finished up the binding, threw it in the washer and dryer so we could get to that wonderful crinkly and textured finish...and now what a beautiful treat to enjoy looking at.

This is Fascinating

“Perhaps the Lord needs such men on the outside of His Church to help it along,” said the late Elder Orson F. Whitney of the Quorum of the Twelve. “They are among its auxiliaries, and can do more good for the cause where the Lord has placed them, than anywhere else. … Hence, some are drawn into the fold and receive a testimony of the truth; while others remain unconverted … the beauties and glories of the gospel being veiled temporarily from their view, for a wise purpose. The Lord will open their eyes in His own due time. God is using more than one people for the accomplishment of His great and marvelous work. The Latter-day Saints cannot do it all. It is too vast, too arduous for any one people. … We have no quarrel with the Gentiles. They are our partners in a certain sense” (Conference Report, April 1928, p. 59.).

Economic Principles from the book of Ruth...

I have prayed for direction in understanding what God's principles of Economics are.  I was led to the book of Ruth.  Upon my initial reading of the first two chapters, here are some of the principles that I have found....roughly the most elementary ones I am sure.

• God blessed the land with bread.  
• Stayed within family units for help during difficult times
• Agriculture ran by the men of the family was the factory
• Harvest and work was expected of both men and women
• Generous gifts given
• Freedom to travel where needed for maintenance

These principles do remind me of Nibley's Approaching Zion.

So my next question is....How exactly do these get applied to my family?  Can these principles be applied in our modern setting and still be pleasing unto God, or more accurately, is our modern economic system pleasing unto God in any way?  What ways?  It seems we could operate our families with these basic guidelines inside the complex structure that we now live in, but could a someone wanting to influence Economic theory and policy use these points to develop anything that could actually be implemented in the system that we have now...could these points be used in a Macro-setting or only in Micro?

Doesn't sound very Keynsian does it?

Copied from Building it on Pennies: DIY Cleaners

Dish Washer Soap

1 cup of Borax

1 cup of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

2 packets of no sugar added Koolaid Lemon Aide

Mix together well and add 1 tablespoon to each load!

(If you are making your laundry soap you already own everything except for the koolaid)

Cost to make this is $0.78 a batch and does 32 loads of dishes!

Rinse Aid

Never Buy Rinse aid again use White Vinegar (Works perfect with no smell)

Rinse aid runs $3.99 you use about $.04 of Vinegar

Daily Shower Cleaner

1 cup of White Vinegar

2 cups of Water

2 teaspoons of Dawn dish soap

Mix together and spray down shower (Watch how clean it stays it is AMAZING)

Hard to find the cost exactly but I come up with $.11 and the bottle lasted me about 7 weeks

 Fabreeze

1/8 Cup of Your Favorite Fabric Softener

2 Tablespoons Baking Soda

Hot Tap Water - To Fill the Bottle to the Top 32oz bottle

Shake it up in your Spray Bottle and you're ready to go and fight those Stinky Dog smells.

Fabreeze anywhere from $5.69 Our cost $.15 cents for 32 oz.

 Windex

1 empty Windex Spray Bottle

1/8 Cup (1 oz) white Ammonia

¼ Cup (4 oz) Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol

1 Drop of Laundry Detergent

Water- to fill the bottle

Shake it up in your Spray Bottle and you are ready to go.

I used a 64 oz bottle of Ammonia and a 16 oz bottle of Rubbing Alcohol that I picked up for $1.00 each at the Dollar Tree.

Windex $3.69  Our cost (Ammonia $.02 & Alcohol $.25) = $.027

Shamelessly copied from  Building it with Pennies:  Gotta try these

 Clorox Cleanup

1 Empty and Rinsed-Out Bottle of Clorox Cleanup/Empty Plastic Spray Bottle

1/4 Cup Bleach

1 Teaspoon Laundry Detergent

Fill the rest of the bottle with Water and Shake

Clorox Cleanup $4.99  Our cost $0.02 (The little bit of bleach you use from the gallon that cost 1.00)

 Carpet Fresh

Instead of buying carpet fresh use baking soda, you will use less and save over half the cost.

Well,

Yesterday I had my gallbladder removal surgery.....today I am sore and happily drugged...so, I am spending time gathering ideas for more quilting projects that I will be doing for the next few years....here are my plans.

1.  Finish my French General quilt with Candy Coated by Crazy Mom Quilts for initial inspiration.   All my pieces are cut and now I need to do my ruffled piece to intersperse between the strips.  The color pallet is grays, browns, reds, and aquas.  It is delicious.

2.  A table topper for my mom.  I plan to do a "Swoon" like block in the center and then add large borders for where the dishes will actually sit.  This way there won't be seams under the dishes.  Her table is 60x60, and I am going to make it just a little larger and then do something like a box pleat, but I will probably use grommets and ribbon to lace it down.  I want to do it reversible, one side to match her kitchen, the other side will be her favorite holiday design.  Way excited for this.

3.  Finish my mail organizer (inspiration from Noodle-head.)  Love this.  Add I have been using it, I just need to finish it.  And hang it.

4.  Begin making each one of my kids their big kid quilt.  Kayti is first, and it will be fun to see what pattern she wants and what color pallet.

And Maybe, just maybe I will get some pictures.

"As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything seems seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we must be most aware of change in the air - however slight - lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness." Justice William O Douglas

A First Look at Social Business

Something I wrote awhile ago, and found it happenstance as I was cleaning out me email files: My brain has a great way of always trying to turn some small annoyance or idea into a business plan. One of these business plans began with the annoying task of matching small white socks for three little children. One day as I sat and matched, I began with the usual process of wondering if there was a better way. Usually, my ideas come pretty much in their complete form; and thus started my business: smart socks. Smart socks would include colored toe-seams for the same sized sock. Thus each child’s socks would have a different colored toe seam. That would make mating and shelving a whole lot simpler. Then came the idea of having new socks appear at my doorstep every four months. Of course the socks would perfectly match the others that I already had. Thus I could always feel free to toss any that had become stained or that had a hole. Individual matches would never be an issue because, every sock would match every other sock. And of course, I would receive a little reply card before the actual shipment where I could mark if I needed the company to move my child to the next size up. I had the whole product line: colors for boys and girls, quality demands, different sock styles perfectly arranged in my mind. The nature of the shipments, and the facts that the socks would always match the previous ones I already had, in my mind made a great marketing and returning customer tool. The idea could easily expand into t-shirts and underwear also. Taking care of the basic underclothing needs of kids is something a mother has to do, but is often procrastinated until it might be a little embarassing for someone to see the state of my children’s underwear conditions. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it just automatically happened every few months without a lot of effort on my part? In Jan 2001, I sent off an email to Hanes about my idea. I tried to be vague. I wanted a business partner, not just an implementation of my ideas. But within a couple of years, there was Hanes with my "colored toe seams." I have enjoyed using them. They have been a small miracle in the laundry chores of motherhood. And for a time a forgot about the idea of business. But over the years of buying these socks, the quality is less than I would prefer, buying what might seem like the same socks from different stores often produces two imperfectly matched socks. And I have yet to get an automatic shipment to my door. I new there was still room for my business. In late 2009, I picked up a book by Muhammad Yunus. The books was on micro-banking and social business. A social business is a non-loss, non-dividend company designed to address a social objective Now, I had the missing key. Providing great socks and underwear service to mothers was one things, clothing the naked was another. My business idea is now named Our Brothers Keepers. Smart socks will just be a product in the overall idea. Basically, my business will operate as a way to stock Clothes Closets in every county in the United States, and maybe beyond. My idea is to have every family that joins Our Brothers Keepers Smart Socks program, pay for at least one extra complete set of under clothing for some other child in their county. Even though I don’t want to operate as a not for profit (I would like to make a nice living for my family doing this,) my first aim is "to clothe the naked." Smart Socks is just the vehicle to get this done.

I think that I should read this every day of my life:

As to Zion: Just because you have the idea in front of you doesn't mean you have any concept of what will be required to have the angels gather you into that company. It is like the notion that you're going to be "exalted" without any idea that the eternities are completely isolated from the unworthy. No one will or can be "exalted" who is not adequately prepared. Anyone who attains that status will be required first to suffer what is suffered, minister what is required to be ministered, to prove here their fitness. How could a selfish soul ever provide to their ungrateful and abusive offspring everything necessary for them to develop? Exalted beings sacrifice themselves, and endure punishment on behalf of the guilty. They take upon themselves burdens which they do not deserve. They forgive, they succor, they uplift the unworthy. Pride is incompatible, and selfishness utterly disqualifies a soul from "exaltation." The principles which govern there are hardly understood here. Most of the faithful Latter-day Saints imagine they will able to employ means much like Lucifer's to accomplish their expected outcome. They have no concept of the sacrifices and selflessness required to be trusted by the Lord. He is the prototype of the saved man. He lived His entire existence as a sacrifice. Read 3 Ne. 11: 11 and you will find in His introduction of Himself what a saved man must do. There is no other way. The prideful expectation that someone here is going to attain that status hereafter is based, for the most part, on foolishness and vanity, uninformed by the great things required to become like our Lord. Only those who are exactly like Him will be given that status in the eternities. Zion will be formed from people who are willing to endure His presence. That is no small thing.

I did not write this, I do not as of yet have this level of understanding. If you are interested in the source, leave me a comment with your email, and I will share.

Political Ideolgy considered

America: The Last Best Hope, Volume 2: From a World at War to the Triumph of Freedom 1914-1989 by William J. Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As I read this book, I am having to stop every few pages and really consider things. This book is definitely pro FDR, pro interventionist, not so hip on Patton....ideas that maybe would not be my first opinion. I am beginning to formulate an idea...need much more research....but I am beginning to see that one perpetual theory is not always the answer. Perhaps, there are two forces, maybe we could call them Capitalistic Aristocracy, and Communistic Bureacracy, one on each side of the idealogical debate that vie for power in this world, and the trick is to keep balancing back and forth to keep the freedom for the people. I really need a mentored approach through this study. I really no longer accept the whole, left-right, republican-democrat arguments. I think that true liberty is so much more fragile than we assume, and our only hope is to have leaders who deeply understand these principles, genuinely value liberty, and can keep the precarious balance aligned.

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6 cups rhubarb diced
put in large 13 X 20 pan greased
sprinkle cup of sugar, 6 oz strawberry jello, and 4 cups mini marshmallows over rhubarb

Make yellow cake mix and pour over fruit:

4 cups all-purpose flour (do not sift the flour)
3 cups granulated sugar
1.5 T baking powder
1.5 -teaspoon salt
2 cups milk soured with T vinegar
1/4 vegetable oil
1 cup butter (not margarine), softened
2-tablespoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350° Bake for 45 - 60 mins. until brown.  Add sprinkling of sugar last 10 minutes for cripsness.

Picture Later

Serve with strawberries and cream

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