The Sublime Roundabout

His hand outstretched His heart as empty As his pockets And his stomach And his eyes You've seen him before You've seen his brothers and sisters before, too They stand with tattered cardboard signs Anything helps, the signs read Anything helps God bless you. There's a moment of indecision You don't want to be an enabler You don't want to subsidize this kind of lifestyle Perhaps this man is a felon Perhaps this man is just lazy and will not work, though he could But then you look into your own heart And you remember the time spent On your knees Asking for help to get through the day To reach to God and serve Him And to help others on their way As you receive help moment to moment So you reach into your pocket Or search through the console in your car For something you can offer But the journey made in your heart is much more powerful And you find it full to overflowing And when you look back into the hand And into the scraggly bearded face You do not see what others ...

Morrissey is so depressing. But sometimes it just fits, you know? Lyrics: I am the son and the heir of a shyness that is criminally vulgar I am the son and heir of nothing in particular You shut your mouth how can you say I go about things the wrong way I am human and I need to be loved just like everybody else does I am the son and the heir of a shyness that is criminally vulgar I am the son and the heir of nothing in particular You shut your mouth how can you say I go about things the wrong way I am human and I need to be loved just like everybody else does There's a club if you'd like to go you could meet somebody who really loves you so you go, and you stand on your own and you leave on your own and you go home, and you cry and you want to die When you say it's gonna happen "now" well, when exactly do you mean? see I've already waited too long and all my hope is gone You shut your mouth how can you say I go about things the wrong way I am human and I need ...

The story of Icarus is a familiar one. The youth was trapped on the island of Crete with his father Daedalus. Daedalus and Icarus crafted wings with which they hoped to escape the island. Since the wings were made from beeswax, they were subject to melting. Thus the wise Daedalus cautioned the impetuous Icarus not to fly too close to the sun. Icarus, however, was unable to resist the temptation and flew too close to the sun. This caused the wax in his wings to melt and Icarus plummeted to his death in the Mediterranean. Thus the constant injunction against hubris - against flying too high. There is value in being temperate, moderate, and patient. There is more value in being submissive and humble. And there is supreme value in understanding one's place in the grand scheme of things. Icarus forgot his position and lost everything as a result. He flew too high and was brought low by his own pride.

Happiness is not the absence of pain. It is the presence of God. Mosiah 2:41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it. Keeping the commandments of God enable us to be worthy to have His Spirit with us. There is no greater happiness or peace that is available to us. Paraphrasing President Kimball: when the Lord commands, do it. My sister did a cross stitch highlighting those four letters - do it - in the phrase do n't qu it . I thought it was clever, and it's obviously something I've not forgotten.

I don't remember the occasion for this photo... I think I was three or four. All I can remember is thinking - I'd sure like to go home now... :-)

Sundance: (chuckling) You just keep thinking, Butch. That's what you're good at. Butch: Boy, I got vision and the rest of the world wears bifocals. ... Butch: Don't ever hit your mother with a shovel. It leaves a dull impression on her mind.

I've heard a (possibly apocryphal) story about a girl (why is it always a girl? It could have been a guy...) who was living in Rexburg, Idaho. For those of you who don't know Rexburg, it is a beautiful little community in eastern Idaho in the upper Snake River Valley. It is traditionally home to the farmers who grow the greatest potatoes on earth. It is also home to the College formerly known as Ricks. It was a junior college, and people came from many different places around the country and around the world to go to school there - primarily because it is inexpensive. So this (girl?) was from California and had never had the experience of having her windows frosted in the morning. When she discovered that she could not see out of her windows, instead of scraping the frost off or waiting for her car to warm up, she procured a pot of boiling water and splashed it on her windshield... with predictable results - a cracked windshield... Whether or not this story is true, it is inter...

...But when I go to High Priest group meeting is not one of them... ;-) Today's lesson was on gratitude. Brother Vincent spoke about the obligation we all have to each other and to the Lord to be grateful. He quoted President Monson regarding cultivating an "attitude of gratitude". Considering the time of year that this is, and thinking about the new year ahead, perhaps there are ways in which we might improve. I would also humbly suggest that while we perhaps do not express our gratitude enough, we also do not express our love enough. Perhaps gratitude and love are two sides of the same coin... In that vein, please allow me to tell you how much I love you. While this is a very public forum, I would that I could tell you each individually and privately how much you mean to me in my life. When I was on my mission, our mission president had us put a good, straight crease in a sheet of paper. Afterwards, he asked us, (without destroying the paper - ripping it or whatever) by...

Yes, even in Texas it's occasionally possible to have a white Christmas. There was no snow. I'm writing about a different kind of white... Today we were able as a family to attend a baptism of a man and his mother. As we observed these two wonderful people in this special occasion, my thoughts were lead to consider the import and moment of this day. They didn't choose their day for baptism at random. I'm sure that Christmas will have a special meaning for them from now on. And as the birth of Christ represented a new life and hope for all mankind, so also this baptism represents a new and glorious life for these two individuals. It was very sweet, if sparsely attended. The Spirit was strong and we were blessed to have been there. I was reminded of this song: Lyrics: As I went down in the river to pray Studying about that good old way And who shall wear the starry crown Good Lord, show me the way ! O sisters let's go down, Let's go down, come on down, O sisters l...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I love you! This Carol is one of my favorites. I love it because it speaks to the fact that Christ will come again and ransom all of us. Just as He was once here, so shall He come again. And this coming may be a personal coming, each and every day of our lives - not just on Christmas. Emmanuel is Hebrew for "God is with us." He is with us. Never more so than on Christmas... What a great day! God bless us, every one! Lyrics: O come, O come, Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan's tyranny From depths of Hell Thy people save And give them victory o'er the grave Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer Our spirits by Thine advent here Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And death's dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Em...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I love you! This Carol is one of my favorites. I love it because it speaks to the fact that Christ will come again and ransom all of us. Just as He was once here, so shall He come again. And this coming may be a personal coming, each and every day of our lives - not just on Christmas. Emmanuel is Hebrew for "God is with us." He is with us. Never more so than on Christmas... What a great day! God bless us, every one! Lyrics: O come, O come, Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan's tyranny From depths of Hell Thy people save And give them victory o'er the grave Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer Our spirits by Thine advent here Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And death's dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Em...

Yeah, I'm an 80s music junky... This is one of my favorites... :-) Lyrics: I saw you there, just standing there And I thought I was only dreaming yeah I kissed you then, then once again You said you would come and dance with me Dance with me across the sea And we could feel the motion of a thousand dreams (chorus) Oh, Doctor, doctor, can't you see I'm burning, burning Oh, Doctor, doctor, is this love I'm feeling? Ships at night give such delight We all leave before the morning light Please don't go no please don't go Cause I don't want to stay here on my own (REPEAT CHORUS x 2) Fever breathe your love on me (breathe your love) Take away my name (take away) Fever lay your hands on me (breathe your love) Never be the same (REPEAT CHORUS x 2) Come with me and make believe We can travel to eternity

John Lennon is one of my heroes. Christ is the Prince of Peace. This is true on a personal level. It is also true on an interpersonal level and a geo-political level. The question remains: This is Christmas - and what have you done? (PS - it used to really bother me when people wrote "Xmas" because I felt like it was taking the Christ out of the word. But then I learned that "X" is the Greek letter chi which is the first letter in His Name. And I reflected on the desire mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants to avoid the too frequent repetition of His Name - which is why we call it the Melchizedek Priesthood. And now -while I still say "Christmas" I do not feel as bad as I did about the X...) Lyrics: (Happy Xmas Kyoko Happy Xmas Julian) So this is Xmas And what have you done Another year over And a new one just begun And so this is Xmas I hope you have fun The near and the dear one The old and the young A very Merry Xmas And a happy New Year Let's hop...

This is my theme song... LOL! Seriously, though - it is a hard question: Kirk or Picard? HA!

You know you're a geek if you love this! This is SOOO FUNNY!!! HA!

I am not the best husband. I freely admit that. I have faults and problems. This is NOT a veiled attempt at fishing for compliments. I am fallible. I do not excuse myself for my weaknesses and issues. I am what I am. Mostly that's OK, but I know I have areas in which I can improve. There are some things I have learned, though, in the course of my "husband-ness" that I have come to understand as being important: First off, a husband must cherish his wife. This seems like a no-brainer, but it makes everything else easy. In the Old Testament, according to the law of Moses, newly married men were given time off from other obligations - at least a year - to "cheer up" their wives. And one of the best examples of this kind of love is Jacob and Rachel, where the scripture tells us that Jacob served 7 years for Rachel but that it seemed a few days because of the love he had for her. Paul, in the New Testament, cited the need for husbands to love their wives - as Christ ...

Our shipment of Stephen's Hot Chocolate came in last night. It is SO good. If you have the means, I HIGHLY recommend picking some up. Sipping (or inhaling) some last night, I am reminded of colder climates, snowier climes, and frosty noses. I don't miss those things often, but there's something a little incongruous about drinking a steamy cup of hot chocolate when it's 70 degrees outside... But I still drank it. And it was AWESOME! Like drinking a chocolate bar... So here's a little reminder for those of us who are stuck in warmer climes of the wintery world we're missing... It's a marshmallow world in the winter When the snow comes to cover the ground It's time for play, it's a whipped creme day I wait for it the whole year round Those marshmallow clouds being friendly In the arms of the evergreen trees And the sun is red Like a pumpkin head It's shining so your nose won't freeze The world is your snowball, see how it grows That's how it...

So... We're getting down to the end. As we near the blessed day, my heart becomes full of the more quiet and spiritual aspects of what took place all those years ago. The sublime event changed the history of history. No one would ever be the same again. Born in a stable, raised by a carpenter, hated and feared by His own people, and eventually paying the ultimate price for us on the Cross. I am reminded of the verse in 1st Nephi where Nephi, being interviewed by the angel, is asked if he understands the condescension of God. Typically condescending attitudes are not welcomed. But in this case, the great Jehovah Himself deigned to be born in this way, life among men who did not understand Him, and freely give His life for the very men who mocked and crucified Him. Thus, the condescension of God is not only appropriate, it is vital to those of us who rely on His merits for our salvation. Which is all of us. Nephi's response is also appropriate - saying in essence - I know God lov...

It is interesting how God can turn even mistakes to our benefit. I read this morning from Words of Mormon. Mormon, having reached a point in his abridgment of the plates, came across the small plates of Nephi and decides - hey, these are pretty good! I think I'll include them... He didn't know WHY he put them in there, just that it seemed like a good idea. Rewind 1000 years or so, and we find Nephi, who had just finished making a record of his own, feeling prompted to make ANOTHER set of records which were parallel to the ones he'd just finished. Based on references made in other places, this was no mean task. He says he doesn't know either why he's supposed to make two sets of plates saying just about the same thing, only that it seems like a good idea. These are the plates that Mormon includes in the record 1000 years later. From Nephi's originally making the plates, to 1000 years later Mormon including them in the abridgment he made of the records, fast forwa...

Merriam Webster defines "carol" as: Definition of CAROL 1 : an old round dance with singing 2 : a song of joy or mirth 3 : a popular song or ballad of religious joy (see link ) Thus, carols should be expressive of joy. The joy in our lives can best be found in the love of the Father as manifest in His sending His Son to die for us, and to live for us. Through His merits we are healed, we are made whole, and we have guidance and hope of salvation in the worlds to come. We also have hope and joy in the understanding that families are forever - the joy we have with our families now is not a temporary thing: it extends on forever. What more could we want? In that context, I offer the following Carol. Lyrics: 1. Joy to the world, the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King! Let ev’ry heart prepare him room, And Saints and angels sing, And Saints and angels sing, And Saints, and Saints and angels sing. 2. Rejoice! Rejoice when Jesus reigns, And Saints their songs employ, While fie...

Celestial events happen in the most profound silence Holy, sacred, infinite Galaxies collide Stars go supernova Planets are formed Live And die All in profound and utter silence Lacking the medium For transferring the sound That is generated In a vacuum So also does God impart His wisdom to human hearts

I'm not exactly sure what this song is trying to say... Anyone have any ideas/insights? LOL! Lyrics: Just kiss me And forget all about that other stuff Kiss me Your big red lips, I think, will be enough Don't worry with your lipstick I'm gonna kiss it all away Throw away your lipstick That ain't your color, anyway My lips are your color So lips, stick with me! Ooo, when you kiss me I've got to know just how much you miss me Kiss me And I'll take your lips to paradise Kiss me And paradise will never feel so nice You're beautiful You don't need all that make up And you don't need to take up All of your time in front of the mirror Don't you know that you're my deara Baby, can't you see we're in love Ooo, when you kiss me I've got to know just how much you miss me Kiss me And put all the stars back in the sky Kiss me And maybe then you'll know the reason why I want you And my love's gonna haunt you And I'm gonna flaunt you...

Do you know who Chemish is? See Omni 1:9. He wrote one verse. I wonder what our descendants will think of our record keeping ability. Do we pour our souls into what we're writing? Or do we simply fill in space in our journal? One of my ancestors kept a fairly detailed journal. It is invaluable to me. He wrote of many of the mundane details that add richness to the story of his life. But more importantly, he wrote of his feelings (much less frequently) at poignant times in his life. It is clear from the record that he had a strong testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He knew that it was (is) true. He knew the Prophet Joseph Smith personally and intimately, as well as many of the other leaders of the Church at that time and testified of their integrity and strength. He knew of the origins of the Book of Mormon and testified that it is the word of God. He knew that the work and all things associated with it are true. And his testimony, even more than 100 years...

This song is from another album that I wore out... although this one was on my mission. We were allowed only a small amount of music to listen to. Classical, uplifting music was allowed. Someone had this album and I got a copy after listening to it. It's quite lovely. There's no lyrics - it's just an instrumental. But I find the arrangement and performance quite lovely. I will put the lyrics for your perusal. Lyrics: Hark! how the bells Sweet silver bells All seem to say, "Throw cares away." Christmas is here Bringing good cheer To young and old Meek and the bold Ding, dong, ding, dong That is their song With joyful ring All caroling One seems to hear Words of good cheer From ev'rywhere Filling the air Oh how they pound, Raising the sound, O'er hill and dale, Telling their tale, Gaily they ring While people sing Songs of good cheer Christmas is here Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas On, on they send On without end Th...

The Forgotten Carols - as I've mentioned before - are some of my favorite Christmas songs. Michael McLean has had a long tradition in LDS circles with regard to Christmas. He directed the classic - Mr. Kruger's Christmas, starring James Stewart. Stewart plays Mr. Kruger, who is a lonely, elderly building custodian who dreams of the grandeur of Christmas he will unfortunately not be able to experience alone. But in a special vision, he is able to visit the manger where Christ was born and realize that he is never really alone. Christ is his best and finest Friend, and that he can hold his head high everywhere he goes because of that. Watching Ben Hur, and thinking on that scene from Mr. Kruger's Christmas, I have often considered what it must have been like that sacred night. Brother McLean obviously has, also. One of the minor characters is the innkeeper, who is faithfully represented in almost every nativity scene as being a kind of villain. But I like this rendering becau...

We live in a different world than those of 400 years ago. While this may seem a trite statement, it also makes me a little sad. When the Pilgrims arrived in America, they did not build the Gothic or Neo-Classical structures for worship they had left in the old world. They looked to a more austere and reverential worship, one that was stripped of opulence and extravagance. While on a day-to-day practical level I understand and appreciate this, it is perhaps regrettable that we do not have the same kinds of structures for grand occasions when grandness is desirable. Can you imagine singing with the audience in St. Paul's in London? That would be a dream... (I think everyone knows this one so no lyrics...)

There is a certain magical time of day, for me most often experienced in the early morning before sunrise, when the light is of such a quality that everything is black and white. It's like watching an old TV program. There is no color - it's all washed out. It reminds me also of some winter scenes I've seen - cold, austere, and beautiful. It's no mystery why this is the case. The light is not sufficiently bright enough to activate the color receptors in our eyes. Our eyes have two kinds of light receptors - cones and rods. The cones are what allow us to see color, while the rods allow us to see black and white. We have many more cones than rods, and our eyes are attuned to see color. But at lower light levels, there is insufficient energy to activate the color receptors. So all we see is black and white. But that's not entirely accurate, either. The world is not a chiaroscuro of extreme black and white contrasts. Even in the lower light levels, there are shades of g...

This is the greatest movie of all time. Go ahead with your arguments, but you're wrong. This IS the greatest movie EVER. And this is my favorite scene: The symbolism in this scene is just breathtaking. I love it so much. It makes me weep just thinking about it...

Attempts have been made to help people understand the economy. The problem with writing ANYTHING about the economy (ironically, perhaps, considering what I am doing right now... LOL!!) is that it is an inherently complex thing that defies simple explanations. Most metaphors will break down upon further exploration, so things should be taken for what they're worth. Most attempts to explain the economy are valiant efforts, but should not be understood as all-inclusive or completely expository. They should ALL be taken as a springboard into further study. Enter this article from NPR this morning: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/12/17/132115320/after-the-crisis-an-economist-reconsiders-cappuccino Milton Friedman is a world-renowned economist and a big proponent of the free market. His explanation of the yellow pencil as being a good example of market forces at work is a textbook capitalist summation of the way the world should work. While not costing much, each pencil represents a ...

Zeitgeist. This song is amazing. Lyrics: I know you so well I can tell by the sound of your voice If you're really in love with me And you are You are You know I can't lie If I say to you 'baby, I love you' Then baby, I love you And I do I do I do... could it be that's the Phrase you thought never would phase you Well baby, you better hold on tight 'cause I'm the one who's supposed to Kneel down and propose, well alright I might, I might So, when I kiss you good-night Just sleep tight with the thought that you'll Always be caught up in love with me And you'll dream that the stars up above Have the answer of whether we'll be Or whether we won't be In love... Well, we are, We are

I have always enjoyed this song. For me, it captures the feeling of Christmas very well. While I'll most likely not be experiencing much of Jack Frost and his nose-nipping penchant much here in southeast Texas (y'all come on down when you need to thaw out a little!), there is enough of a chill in the air (everything's relative, anyway) to make it feel festive and fun. This is my favorite rendering, too. If you don't like Nat King Cole, I'm afraid I don't like you very much... :-) Lyrics: Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping on your nose, Yuletide carols being sung by a choir, And folks dressed up like Eskimos. Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe, Help to make the season bright. Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow, Will find it hard to sleep tonight. They know that Santa's on his way; He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh. And every mother's child is going to spy, To see if reindeer really know how to fly. And s...

So, this album came out when I was in high school. I listened to the tape so many times I wore it out - literally. Now I have it on my computer and the memories come back... riding around with Harry on a warm summer night... ah, Utah summer nights rock... :-) Lyrics: Blue Light, red Light (Someone's There) I live in a tiny closet A lukewarm cold water flat With room for a couple of cinders A mouse, a hole, and a trap I don't worry about the flights Or count the stairs 'Cause I know Someone's there I took a high paying sweeping-up job Dusting after somebody else Seeing that there's clean on the windows Convincing the snow to melt I don't worry about the ride Or the subway fare 'Cause I know Someone's there One day we'll move uptown Or even out to the country side And for every leaf on a tree We'll add one cub to the pride Who cares if the floor ain't level Or if the ceiling falls in Haunted by the devil And ghosts and boogeymen I can't be ...

Much is said this season about who is giving for whom, or what is expected from whom... But really, what are we saying with these gifts? Are they not merely symbols of our affection for each other? Tangible gifts are sacred and beautiful expressions of one's admiration, respect, and love. The wise men offered gifts to the Babe of Bethlehem of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, all of which were considered to be very valuable in their own right. But was not the exceptional value of the item enhanced by the giver's sacrifice to bring them? What of the time spent selecting the gift? Is not that more precious than the actual gift itself? The idea of someone carefully selecting something for a loved one, as an expression of that love, is truly what Christmas giving is all about. The thought really is what counts, and we should think of each other as we give and receive gifts. They truly come from the heart and soul of the giver, who has given of him or herself in an effort to please us....

This is another Christmas Carol I was introduced to by Sis. Farnsworth. Similar to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," this Carol is speaking of the peace and joy that enters the world and our hearts due to the birth of the Savior. He is the reason we may have hope and faith. He is the great Redeemer of the world, and the bands of death (spiritual and physical) cannot hold us any longer. There has never been greater cause to rejoice. I was not able to find a good arrangement that included the lyrics, but I like the instrumental version attached. I love the lyrics. Lyrics: Good Christian men rejoice With heart and soul and voice! Give ye heed to what we say News! News! Jesus Christ is born today! Ox and ass before Him bow And He is in the manger now Christ is born today! Christ is born today! Good Christian men, rejoice With heart and soul and voice Now ye hear of endless bliss Joy! Joy! Jesus Christ was born for this He hath ope'd the heav'nly door And man is blessed everm...

...Just in time for Christmas!! Taken from my office window at some Bradford Pear trees near the EMS/Fire building... PS - it's 70 degrees outside right now. Here's a pic of my badge... Just for fun... :-)

We played this when I was in High School. I can't hear the Finale without thinking about Jeanette and her beautiful French Horn... I also can't think about the Berceuse without thinking about rocking slowly back and forth... LOL!!! Man... good times... :-) My kids and I were having a discussion about the devil's triad - or the tritone - last night on our way back from tithing settlement. I'm not sure how or why it came up. But I mentioned Stravinsky and his masterful use of this form in the Firebird Suite. The Dans Infernal in particular is amazing. Makes me wish I could still play somewhere, somehow... with all my copious free time... LOL! The video is from Disney's Fantasia 2000. It's very lovely and fits the music exactly - at least, it's what I always pictured in my mind when we played it... Another example of the triad is found in the song "Maria" from West Side Story. When Tony sings "Ma-ri-a, I just met a girl named Ma-ri-a"... the...

I wrote a post earlier this year about wrestling with the Lord. Every time I read Enos I think about this word: wrestle. Enos uses other words: my soul hungered cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication (I love the word supplication - it has the same root as the word supple ) poured out my whole soul struggling in the Spirit prayed with many long strugglings for my brethren... And (finally) after the Lord covenants with Enos, he says his soul did rest. This morning I was reminded of others who had similar experiences with the Lord. Jacob, in Genesis 32, wrestles with an angel and obtains a blessing. The brother of Jared is promised great blessings because of his willingness to obey the Lord and because he had prayed diligently and for a "long time." The blessings promised to each of these three men are very similar. The question becomes - what do we want? What do we desire? How can we obtain these blessings for ourselves? The answer seems to be - be prepared to wrestle...

Some Christmas Carols are serious and reverent, while others are fun and lively. While I may enjoy the deep spiritual aspect of the serious ones, I also quite enjoy the spiritual aspect of the fun ones as well. Because when I imagine the Christ, I do not necessarily envision a Man who was morose or affectedly maudlin all the time. I'm sure He could (and does still!) enjoy the fun aspects of life as well. I think the evidence of that is in the fact that He loved children and wanted to spend time with them. Many of the Christmas songs we know and love are directed toward children. This is entirely to the good, because it helps instill the feeling of Christmas in our young people. They learn, as we did, that the season is fun and happy and bright. It is in that vein that I choose today's Christmas Carol. It's not necessarily one of the "Rudolph" or "Frosty" type Christmas song, but it is not one of the more serious types either. The lyrics are evocative and...

2nd Nephi 2:25 tells us that men are that we might have joy. Yet Jacob 7:26 reads as follows: 26 And it came to pass that I, Jacob, began to be old; and the record of this people being kept on the other plates of Nephi, wherefore, I conclude this record, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and a solemn people, wanderers, cast out from Jerusalem, born in tribulation, in a wilderness, and hated of our brethren, which caused wars and contentions; wherefore, we did mourn out our days. How do we reconcile these seemingly incongruous passages? The superficial, easy answer is that mortality is a time of pain and sorrow, a time of testing and proving, in anticipation of the final great reward. This is the hope of every soul who struggles or suffers in any way. And it is all very true. But I also think that there is incredible joy and ...

The Twelve Days of Christmas song is one of my favorites. I can never remember the details towards the larger end of the song... But I think it's a fun song that reminds us of the joy it is to give. Someone has even put together an index showing how much the value of the various gifts has changed over the years. I think we're now up to about $20,000 or so... I think it's also interesting that the actual number of the gifts is 364 (one for each day of the year, except one). Coincidence? I don't think so... Fun, though! Lyrics: On the first day of Christmas My true love gave to me: A partridge in a pear tree. On the second day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Two turtle doves and A partridge in a pear tree. On the third day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Three french hens Two turtle doves and A partridge in a pear tree. On the fourth day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Four calling birds Three french hens Two turtle doves and A partridge in a pear tree. ...

Bubble Toes It's as simple as something that nobody knows that her eyes are as big as her bubbly toes on the feet of a queen of the hearts of the cards and her feet are all covered with tar balls and scars It's as common as something that nobody knows that her beauty will follow wherever she goes up the hill in the back of her house in the would she love me forever, I know she could I remember when you and me mmm how we used to be just good friends Wouldn't give me none But all I wanted was some She's got a whole lot of reasons She cant think of a single one That can justify leaving and he got none but he thinks he got so many problems Man he got, too much time to waste His dreams are like commercials But her dreams are picture perfect and Our dreams are so related though they're often underestimated It's as simple as something that nobody knows that Her eyes are as big as her bubbly toes On the feet of the queen of the hearts of the cards And her feet are infes...

I just read this: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/health-care-law-virginia-judge-rule-constitutionality-individual-mandate/story?id=12377565 I'm a little bit confused. These arguments are, of course, not new. There were very similar arguments about Social Security, 401(k) provisions, IRAs, mandatory car insurance, etc. Yet, somehow, there are still retirement companies doing very well making money and ensuring the retirement plans of millions. Car insurance premiums are not so astronomical that they are uncontrolled or intolerable - in fact, the competition between car insurance companies ensures that they are able to control costs and pass savings along to consumers. So when the judge says that this will lead "unbridled exercise of the federal police powers," it is unclear where the basis for his logic/reasoning stems from. Perhaps this is the classic "slippery slope" logical fallacy. More on that can be read here: http://www.fallacyfiles.org/slipslop.html The l...

So, I listen to NPR. I love it. It's witty, informative, fun, and entertaining. I listen almost obsessively. Saturday was the last warm day before "winter" really sets in here in southeast Texas, so I took the opportunity to change the oil. It ended up being evening before I could get to it, which was fine with me because I can crank up Prairie Home Companion and laugh out loud with no disapproving looks from others in my household. Although my children are rapidly becoming fans as well... :-) Billy Collins was a guest and read a couple of his poems. Just thought I'd pass on the smile. OH, MY GOD Not only in church and nightly by their bedsides do young girls pray these days Wherever they go, prayer is woven into their talk like a bright thread of awe Even at the pedestrian mall outbursts of praise spring unbidden from their glossy lips. (PS - his other stuff is incredibly witty also. Check him out!)

Do you believe in love at first sight? Can it happen? There she was Sitting there I'd dreamed of her since I was a little boy I'd always wanted her AND THERE SHE WAS!!! Trapped in a steel cage Her feet bare Her hair was beautiful Her ears were perfect In fact, everything about her was perfect. And then, our eyes met My soul became charged with light And life and hope and love Pure, unconditional, radiant love Her eyes were the eyes of an angel of mercy In them was no fear or concern Only longing and love And I thought of her feet, her bare feet Running to greet me at the end of a hard day After my tilting at windmills And other quixotic quests and queries Her bare feet Pressing up against my body in a pure expression Of respect and fealty and love and devotion Her bare feet Padding softly to be close to me As I lay on the ground To snuggle close And put her head on my shoulder My arm around her small body And look into those eyes - those incredible, beautiful eyes... And see et...