One of our Favorite Weekends

I'm so excited for General Conference Weekend!  I guard this weekend as a time for our family to be together, with no interruptions.

I loved Melissa's thoughts on how renewing General Conference can be.  Here is one part of what she wrote:

 "Today as I was driving around, I was noticing all the new BEAUTIFUL green leaves and then also noticing the leaves that have been green for longer than a week or two and how their colors were not as vibrant or dramatic. I was wondering why that is. Why does the vibrancy of the color fade so quickly?

I think that in so many ways, we are like these leaves. The vibrancy and radiance comes into our lives at certain times and creates perspective, beauty, and hope but then with time, the feelings eventually dull and fade. The newness wears off and renewed desires tend to dull as old habits resurface. I have not only seen this happen in the life of others, but unfortunately, all too often in my own self.

I think that the time in my life when my spirit is the greenest and the most vibrant is right after general conference. There is nothing that compares to the feelings that I have as I sit with my family and completely immerse myself into the words of the Lord's annointed and also into the feelings of the Spirit that rush into my heart."

Helping our children look forward to it:
 This website had some great ideas to make conference weekend fun:
http://www.theredheadedhostess.com/teaching/general-conference/12-general-conference-ideas-for-your-family/

I don't typically add a lot of "fluff" to conference, because I want my children's note taking to be a personal thing.  I think sometimes the Conference packets, etc. can be too distracting, so I'm careful not to add in too much. 

However, we do have some traditions.  In our family, we move the couches together- facing the television, and we all sit quietly for every session of conference.  We take notes on the talks, and anyone who sits quietly gets a small treat (like an M&M) after each talk.  We prepare yummy food for the weekend, and we try to go on a walk or hike during Conference sessions.  The boys buy ice cream after the Saturday evening priesthood session, and we enjoy it together when they get home.

We also try to do a deep cleaning of our home the week before Conference.  I'm not sure how much of that I'm going to get done, because we just had our garden plot plowed up, and I need to work hard on gardening stuff this week.  We'll at least have the house tidy by Saturday, but I'm not sure how "deep cleaned" it will be.

My kids always say that they wish there were more sessions of conference.  I agree!

Here is what Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said about preparing for General Conference:
Preparing For General Conference

Those are our traditions.  What are yours? I'd love to hear them.

This is a rare and valuable guest-post by Bob

Today is the anniversary of Patrick Henry's famous "Give me liberty" speech that influenced Virginia to join the Revolutionary war.
"Your beliefs should be obvious from a lifetime of standing up for them." (Ron Paul, today)
I just donated to Ron Paul. I invite any of you to donate also. Go to ronpaul2012.com.

 (As always, I welcome, enjoy, and desire thoughtful, sincere questions and debate.)

Great Quote

I saw this blog on my sister Lisa's blog, and I loved it:

"There's a simple rule for becoming a writer, or an artist, or a photographer: do it. If you want to become a photographer, take pictures. If you want to become a writer, write. If you want to become an artist, draw. There is no substitute. There is no royal road offered by taking courses or reading how-to books. Unless you sit down and do it, such things are utterly useless.

Now, becoming a better writer, artist, dancer or what-not will perhaps benefit from instruction, but instruction is not a substitute for action. Taking a course in writing is a bit like buying a diet book and not doing anything else. The diet book will not magically make you slender and desirable. You've got to eat less and exercise more, and the book is not going to do it for you.

I think of such things as the "illusion of action." You think you're doing something when you're watching the TV news. You think something has happened because you bought a diet book. You think you've done something because you took a course in writing, but unless you have brought something to it, nothing at all has happened." --David Lance Goines

Isn't that a thought-provoking quote?
P.S.  If you click on the above link to view Lisa's blog, just know that while she is a woman of many hidden talents, putting on Lederhosen and trying to do the polka in front of her very reserved in laws is not one of Lisa's usual activities.   She spices up everyone's lives, that girl.

Emmett's blog

Here's the link to Emmett's blog, he is the little boy with cancer that our family is praying for. His parent's words are so touching, they sure love their little guy.

We pray for those who are cute

While I was in Boston, I talked to a mom in Christian & Tara’s ward who was staying with her parents because her 14 month old baby boy has just been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.  They came to Boston for his treatments.  My heart just aches for them.  I came home and told the kids that we would pray for them, and we have been.

Today Andrew, Abby and Taycie were playing together, and Aliysa heard Abby saying a prayer while she and Andrew sat on milk crates and Taycie sat in a bucket. 

“And please bless the LaPierre’s Grandson…” and she ended the prayer.

Then she got right in Andrew’s face and solemnly said:  “Andrew, do you know why they call him the LaPEAeres Grandson?” she paused for dramatic emphasis.  “Because he is so cute.   He is so cute that he fills the whole world with cuteness.  He is so cute that all who see him think he is so cute!”  And then she went on to tell Andrew how this boy’s leg is hurt so everyone has to carry him around.  Andrew corrected her:  “no, it is his spine.”  Then she got pretty irritated with Andrew. 

Well, at least she gets the idea that we are praying for someone who needs it.  I love her vocabulary:  “all who see him…”  I want to remember the cute things Abby says.  She is quite the character. 

We sure hope the best for this little boy and his family.  It's neat to see our children's faith growing as they remember him in their prayers.

Some days are best when they're over...

It was a rotten day today.  Taycie has an infected thumb that is the one she usually sticks in her mouth.  She cried and fussed for four hours this morning, and then off and on for the rest of the day.  She keeps saying:  "huwting...bad!"  I took her to the doctor on Monday, and he froze off a wart on that thumb (it was getting red and puffy and infected, so it needed to be taken care of).  Now it is blistered and oozing.  We all feel so bad for her.  She is usually the most angelic baby you could ask for...now we know why - she could suck her thumb.  Without it she goes to pieces.

Bob is still in Boston.  Without him I guess I go to pieces.  I actually put myself in a long time out today...

It is way past time for bed. 

Luckily tomorrow is another day.  Maybe I'm just having withdrawals from the absolutely wonderful weekend we got to spend in Boston with Christian and Tara and their kids.  I think I'll try to think about those memories while I drift off to sleep...Sweet dreams. 

P.S. Boston pictures will be coming after Bob gets back with our camera.  I'm so excited to share them!

Wow

Ron Paul Comes to Idaho Falls

He is the real deal.  What an inspiring, wise man.  He is the champion of the Constitution. 

All you Idahoans, make sure you get to your caucus tomorrow.  And Vote Ron Paul!  

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/

The battle in our brains...

The Battle In Our Brains...Or, How to Crave Scripture Study.

I don't even remember how I first found and read this blog post, but I had saved the link, and I re-read it again today. I need to remember this!

This is the part that stuck out to me:

"...in this information age when messages, images, and information are coming at us almost faster than we can receive them, our brains are creating new neural pathways to accommodate the input. The first time we see an image on a screen - like a blog page, a news feed, texts, or facebook – our brain creates a new neural pathway to process that image. It is the same with new sounds or any stimuli to the senses, but let’s use the visual image for this discussion.

Input always travels the path of least resistance. So the second time we see the new image, it will travel the same route. And before long, the new neural pathway has been stimulated enough to “desire” of itself continued activation. A habit is born.

After that, when the brain is not currently occupied, we long for that image. That is why we constantly check our phones or email. That is why, when we have a free moment, we click onto a favorite blog, check facebook, and tweets, or any other source of input we frequent. Without realizing it, we have begun to crave these places of input, hunger for them, to the point where they can surreptitiously dominate our time.

...[we can] counterbalance this... with ancient and modern scripture. We must expose our brains repeatedly to the image or sound of God’s words. Printed, glowing on the page, read aloud, or discussed with friends. That is where God’s Spirit lives. It is where His mind and will can rise out of the texts we read or the conversations we share, and filter into our lives, allowing revelation to move through us.

Satan knows the physiology of the brain. He knows if he can encourage overstimulation through an overload of mundane or technical information, he can increase the odds that we will not seek more spiritual sources for input, thus making scripture study tedious.

Recent studies have also shown that when our minds are over-stimulated, we begin to make decisions without considering the consequences. Much of the time, these quick decisions are not the best ones for us. An abundance of “information” prompts reactionary responses and elevates feelings of anxiety. All of this distracts us from the peace the Lord offers through His Word, and deprives us of much needed pondering time – time when our minds can reinforce more spiritual pathways.

Your time with the word of the Lord is your personal Urim and Thummim. It is there that God will speak to you. Frequent the scriptures often enough that your brain craves that kind of input – that your day feels incomplete without it.

Have you been there? That place of truly feasting on God’s word? I have. And I’m sure you have too...

I have also been in that place where I don’t crave the scriptures, because my reading is sporadic, even neglectful. And in retrospect, I can see I have filled my precious time with things that matter much less.

[I've] realized I can’t afford to neglect my time in the scriptures. I can’t risk being a voice to my children, my friends, or the Relief Society sisters I teach, if I am not partaking regularly of God’s word. Time with the word of the Lord is its own system of checks and balances for me. It’s how the Lord rights me, keeps me on course.

Naturally, the sources of input mentioned here are not bad things. But [this has] helped me make a conscious effort to open my scriptures each day before computer time, reading any other book, or another leisurely activity. I have started recording impressions. And it is astounding the level of happy confidence I have felt. I am still working on the habit, but I’m getting better at hearing as I go. “The words of the Lord are pure words, said the Psalmist, and I am discovering that within them we can see things “as they really are and as they really will be” (Jacob 4:13)."

Wow - isn't this so important to remember? I don't want to give up the things that matter most by getting hooked on the unimportant things. (Saying this as I spend time on the computer right now) I need to make a list of things that happen before I get on to check e-mail, my blog reader, etc.

You can read the whole blog post here:
http://segullah.org/daily-special/the-battle-in-our-brains/

Super Tuesday is coming

Be sure that you make an informed vote