Visited Before
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
God lives and is real.
He listens when you pray.
Pure love, he wants us all to feel.
He'll guide our steps today.
This supreme creator,
Loves us endlessly,
He calls a revelator,
And helps us all to see.
His love is so extensive.
He sent his only son.
This gift was so expensive!
The bridge he built is done!
Let us love him in return,
Though life is full of pain,
Remember that this earth will burn,
When Jesus comes again.
We need not fear the devil's roar,
We can be free of shame,
If we've been visited before,
By God's great cleansing flame.
A Perfect Family - by Appreciable
A Perfect Family
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
From the dawn of our beginning
Upon this wondrous earth.
God has a plan for winning.
Starting with a child's birth.
Each child of God that comes here
Needs a mom and daddy first.
Could we conquer every fear
If each child, with love, were nursed?
Things, sometimes, aren't worked out
In perfection, in this mortal life.
Some people take a different route
And don't love, as man and wife.
So, when our lives are lonely
And pain is all around
We must look to our God only
Where his purest love is found.
Yes, we can be adopted
Into the fold of God.
There’s peace for all who’ve opted
To grasp the iron rod.
For, even if earthly family ties
Dissolve and turn to dust.
God will wipe tears from our eyes
As we place in him our trust.
The second birth creates for you
A built-in family.
And they will be forever true
Throughout eternity.
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
From the dawn of our beginning
Upon this wondrous earth.
God has a plan for winning.
Starting with a child's birth.
Each child of God that comes here
Needs a mom and daddy first.
Could we conquer every fear
If each child, with love, were nursed?
Things, sometimes, aren't worked out
In perfection, in this mortal life.
Some people take a different route
And don't love, as man and wife.
So, when our lives are lonely
And pain is all around
We must look to our God only
Where his purest love is found.
Yes, we can be adopted
Into the fold of God.
There’s peace for all who’ve opted
To grasp the iron rod.
For, even if earthly family ties
Dissolve and turn to dust.
God will wipe tears from our eyes
As we place in him our trust.
The second birth creates for you
A built-in family.
And they will be forever true
Throughout eternity.
Our hearts can heal - by Appreciable
Our hearts can heal
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Among the headstones on the grounds
Where children sometimes play
There is a spot without the sounds
That little children say
This is where a child’s at rest
Beneath the sod and flower
These tombstones are with tears caressed
Til’ Resurrections hour
While we await the Lord’s return
To rectify our grief
We know we’ll see his glory burn
Rewarding our belief
Until that glorious day is here
The sorrow is quite real
Our Lord will also shed a tear
Through him our hearts can heal.
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Among the headstones on the grounds
Where children sometimes play
There is a spot without the sounds
That little children say
This is where a child’s at rest
Beneath the sod and flower
These tombstones are with tears caressed
Til’ Resurrections hour
While we await the Lord’s return
To rectify our grief
We know we’ll see his glory burn
Rewarding our belief
Until that glorious day is here
The sorrow is quite real
Our Lord will also shed a tear
Through him our hearts can heal.
Things that I have learned from the scriptures
Hello,
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
Many children know that the Gospel is true simply by growing up in a home filled with the light and love of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. They know the truth of the gospel by comparison, by being in their friends homes where there is an absence of truth, light and love.
If you think of yourself as wicked then the scriptures give hope and encouragement. If you think of yourself as righteous than the scriptures give warnings and caution.
It is important to smile at each other. It is especially important for husbands and wives to smile at each other. Smiling upon one another has an effect that we do not fully understand.
We receive love, joy, and peace by being kind and helping others.
The process of coming unto Christ is simple and beautiful. If we constantly pray to be filled with pure love and serve our brothers and sisters and Heavenly Father all our lives we will receive Eternal Life.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
Many children know that the Gospel is true simply by growing up in a home filled with the light and love of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. They know the truth of the gospel by comparison, by being in their friends homes where there is an absence of truth, light and love.
If you think of yourself as wicked then the scriptures give hope and encouragement. If you think of yourself as righteous than the scriptures give warnings and caution.
It is important to smile at each other. It is especially important for husbands and wives to smile at each other. Smiling upon one another has an effect that we do not fully understand.
We receive love, joy, and peace by being kind and helping others.
The process of coming unto Christ is simple and beautiful. If we constantly pray to be filled with pure love and serve our brothers and sisters and Heavenly Father all our lives we will receive Eternal Life.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
FHE Memories
Hello,
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
I remember in the my parent’s home many years ago we had a little tradition after family home evenings that we all loved. After the rest of family home evening was over we all received one sheet of news paper which we rolled up the long way. (It was very light and couldn't hurt anyone) We would then have a news paper fight where we would hit each other with the rolled up newspaper. What you would end up with is all eight children ganging up on Dad and in the end we would win and we would all be laughing hysterically and there would be little shreds of news paper all over the living room. (The rolls of newspaper slowly fell apart until there was nothing left.) I loved those news paper fights! It was so fun to just go crazy and laugh our heads off! :-)
As far as I know no one ever got hurt during these fun battles.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
I remember in the my parent’s home many years ago we had a little tradition after family home evenings that we all loved. After the rest of family home evening was over we all received one sheet of news paper which we rolled up the long way. (It was very light and couldn't hurt anyone) We would then have a news paper fight where we would hit each other with the rolled up newspaper. What you would end up with is all eight children ganging up on Dad and in the end we would win and we would all be laughing hysterically and there would be little shreds of news paper all over the living room. (The rolls of newspaper slowly fell apart until there was nothing left.) I loved those news paper fights! It was so fun to just go crazy and laugh our heads off! :-)
As far as I know no one ever got hurt during these fun battles.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The Drawing Wall
The drawing wall
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
In my Father's childhood home, there was a wall in the house that the children were permitted to draw on. When my Dad told us about this wall, we decided that we wanted a wall like that in our house as well. I shared a room with two brothers and we were delighted when Permission was granted for the east wall in the bedroom to become "The drawing wall." One Christmas, I received a camera as a gift. I felt so grown up to have a camera with real film. After photographing my Christmas gifts and snapping pictures of my teenage sisters (who were still asleep in their beds and had not yet fixed their hair or applied make-up.) I was looking for another subject to capture on film, and decided to take a picture of the drawing wall. The wall was eventually torn down to make room for an expanded closet. I am so thankful for the picture I took that Christmas, after I received my first camera. That picture brings back so many wonderful memories. How funny, that at the time, I was just looking for something to shoot with my new camera. The picture of the drawing wall is now worth more to me than the camera itself. That picture reminds me of a time of innocence in my youth. This is a time that I love to return to, even if it is only in my memory. I am thankful for the photograph of the drawing wall because it makes it so easy to remember a time when I was certain that I was someone extraordinary. I believed at that time, that I was someone who was destined to become the greatest (And highest paid) artist that the world had ever known. In the eyes and mind of a child, there is so much wonder, excitement and optimism! These emotions are made visible to me once again as I look at the picture of the drawing wall.
Have you ever noticed
Hello,
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
Have you ever noticed that what you focus on expands until it fills your view? If I know someone and I focus on what is good about them I see more and more good things about them. If I focus on the bad things about a person soon all I can see are those things and they become intolerable. If we focus on good memories it gives us good feelings and if we focus on only bad memories soon we can remember nothing good about the past. I think that sometimes it is good to notice for a little while something bad about a person or to remember a bad memory. We do need to remember who we can trust and count on in our lives and we learn from our mistakes (the bad memories) and I think for the most part in life that it is good to try very hard to focus on the positive in the people we associate with and the good times stored in our memories. That is why it is so important to count our blessings every day. It really is true...
What you focus on, expands.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
Have you ever noticed that what you focus on expands until it fills your view? If I know someone and I focus on what is good about them I see more and more good things about them. If I focus on the bad things about a person soon all I can see are those things and they become intolerable. If we focus on good memories it gives us good feelings and if we focus on only bad memories soon we can remember nothing good about the past. I think that sometimes it is good to notice for a little while something bad about a person or to remember a bad memory. We do need to remember who we can trust and count on in our lives and we learn from our mistakes (the bad memories) and I think for the most part in life that it is good to try very hard to focus on the positive in the people we associate with and the good times stored in our memories. That is why it is so important to count our blessings every day. It really is true...
What you focus on, expands.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
A painting of my wife and I
Some of you have wondered who exactly I am and where I live and so I wanted to share this picture of me. I painted these two portraits of my wife and I. I painted the portrait of my wife on the back of a paper plate, with regular latex craft paint at a Christmas party about 10 years ago. I painted the portrait of myself during a family home evening with my children’s oil paint set and a brush that had three hairs. I didn't quite have enough time, while working on my self-portrait, during family home evening "activity time" to make the eyes look human. Ha, ha... I guess I need a little more practice. :-)
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The Best Kind of Getting
The Best Kind of Getting
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
There is a value spectrum, in the types of getting.
And the differences are awesome. Just like, knowing beats forgetting.
Getting Money can be good, Yet, it’s not the greatest thing.
And getting academic credit could, Help our heart to sing.
Getting knowledge is the way, To enrich your brain.
Yet, getting wisdom many say, Achieves the highest plane.
For, money can be lost or taken, Knowledge hurts when not applied.
Yes, guilt can leave your poor heart achin’, With sorrow from inside.
Wisdom is the best of all, the things to get and hold.
So, let’s walk her path and never fall, with a heart as good as gold.
Vote for someone you really respect and admire
The lesser of two evils is still an evil
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
In an episode of “The Simpsons,” two aliens came to earth to take over the world. To accomplish this objective, these aliens decided to run for the office of President in the most powerful Country in the world. They decided that one of them would run as a Republican and the other as a Democrat. In this way, one of them would be elected for sure. In this T.V. show, one of the aliens won the election and soon enslaved all of humanity. In the cartoon, the humans were not happy under the brutal leadership of their alien taskmasters. One of these humans complained to another human working next to him about the horrible changes that had occurred since the election. The other human responded by saying, “Don’t blame me, it’s a two-party system, I voted for the other guy.”
I am not suggesting that John McCain and Barack Obama are aliens. I am suggesting, however, that the time may come in the future, that we will need to find and vote for a third option, in order to maintain our freedom. I believe that honesty is the main qualification for a political leader. Without honesty, the oath of office means nothing. Neither Barack Obama nor John McCain disserves to be elected to the U.S. Presidency. They are entrenched in the powerful grip of National Parties that have lost sight of the overall good of the American People. There are people who will do a much better job of leading this Country. I hope that you will join with me, and write-in someone you respect and admire, for President of the United States of America.
I like Barack Obama’s call for radical change in U.S. Politics. Unfortunately, significant change will not be achieved with either himself or John McCain as President. Barack Obama complains about John McCain being a “Washington politician. It seems to me that for Barack Obama to complain about this, is a little like “the pot calling the kettle black.” (No pun intended.) After all, Barack Obama also works in Washington D.C. as a “Washington politician”. If we really want change, therefore, we must vote for neither Obama nor McCain. Eight political watchdog groups recently asked John McCain and Barack Obama to disclose more about the fundraising for their presidential campaigns. My Father, for instance, really is a Washington outsider, in fact he’s promised that he will not go to Washington D.C. for political purposes unless we elect him to the Presidency. I love America more than I love any political Party and so I’ll vote for the candidate that will be the best leader for America.
One of the most important issues to me is that of Same-Gender Marriage. In other Countries, where same-gender marriages receive legal recognition, there have been declining heterosexual marriage rates and sharp increases in illegitimacy rates. Yet, some people still don't see how allowing same-sex 'civil union' takes away from the meaning of marriage. In the end they say, “a legal civil union is a private contract between two people.” This view overlooks the real consequences on society that have already been realized in other Countries.
Due to some of his recent comments, Obama has been accused of dragging biblical understanding through the gutter. Other people say that Obama is committed to reaching out to people of faith and standing up for families. I personally worry about his tendency to govern by the lowest common denominator of public morality. However, I cannot, in good conscience vote for McCain either. I am concerned over the departures John McCain has made in the past from the ideals of his party.
My father is a man of great wisdom and solid integrity and honesty. My Father is a strong supporter of traditional marriage. He believes that the role of Government is to guarantee freedom, punishing those who are guilty of breaking the law, providing protection against foreign invasion, and to find solutions to the problems in our communities. We cannot ignore problems that prevent families from living in a community with a healthy environment. My father has also served as an unpaid religious leader for a small, Christian congregation for over twelve years. He’s also taught the Bible professionally for almost 40 years. He is a man who is full of love for others and has a remarkable ability to lead others in a cooperative and successful way.
We do have a voice and a choice, not limited to only two options. The argument against voting for a third party candidate, is to say that they can’t possibly win. However, I believe that we can bring a candidate to the White House who wasn’t chosen for us in a back room in Washington D.C. We should each vote for the person we feel would do the best job, even if they do not have an R or D by there name. Many candidates and public servants seek to appear to be honest, generous, and caring, without actually being any of those things.
My Father really is commitment to working with everyone to achieve a happy and prosperous national community. If elected, he will devote himself fully to leading this Country toward collective success and the realization of happiness for both individuals and families. I hope you will join me in answering Barack Obama’s call for change, by voting for someone who really will bring it about. Please join me in writing in someone that you really respect and admire for President of the United States.
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
In an episode of “The Simpsons,” two aliens came to earth to take over the world. To accomplish this objective, these aliens decided to run for the office of President in the most powerful Country in the world. They decided that one of them would run as a Republican and the other as a Democrat. In this way, one of them would be elected for sure. In this T.V. show, one of the aliens won the election and soon enslaved all of humanity. In the cartoon, the humans were not happy under the brutal leadership of their alien taskmasters. One of these humans complained to another human working next to him about the horrible changes that had occurred since the election. The other human responded by saying, “Don’t blame me, it’s a two-party system, I voted for the other guy.”
I am not suggesting that John McCain and Barack Obama are aliens. I am suggesting, however, that the time may come in the future, that we will need to find and vote for a third option, in order to maintain our freedom. I believe that honesty is the main qualification for a political leader. Without honesty, the oath of office means nothing. Neither Barack Obama nor John McCain disserves to be elected to the U.S. Presidency. They are entrenched in the powerful grip of National Parties that have lost sight of the overall good of the American People. There are people who will do a much better job of leading this Country. I hope that you will join with me, and write-in someone you respect and admire, for President of the United States of America.
I like Barack Obama’s call for radical change in U.S. Politics. Unfortunately, significant change will not be achieved with either himself or John McCain as President. Barack Obama complains about John McCain being a “Washington politician. It seems to me that for Barack Obama to complain about this, is a little like “the pot calling the kettle black.” (No pun intended.) After all, Barack Obama also works in Washington D.C. as a “Washington politician”. If we really want change, therefore, we must vote for neither Obama nor McCain. Eight political watchdog groups recently asked John McCain and Barack Obama to disclose more about the fundraising for their presidential campaigns. My Father, for instance, really is a Washington outsider, in fact he’s promised that he will not go to Washington D.C. for political purposes unless we elect him to the Presidency. I love America more than I love any political Party and so I’ll vote for the candidate that will be the best leader for America.
One of the most important issues to me is that of Same-Gender Marriage. In other Countries, where same-gender marriages receive legal recognition, there have been declining heterosexual marriage rates and sharp increases in illegitimacy rates. Yet, some people still don't see how allowing same-sex 'civil union' takes away from the meaning of marriage. In the end they say, “a legal civil union is a private contract between two people.” This view overlooks the real consequences on society that have already been realized in other Countries.
Due to some of his recent comments, Obama has been accused of dragging biblical understanding through the gutter. Other people say that Obama is committed to reaching out to people of faith and standing up for families. I personally worry about his tendency to govern by the lowest common denominator of public morality. However, I cannot, in good conscience vote for McCain either. I am concerned over the departures John McCain has made in the past from the ideals of his party.
My father is a man of great wisdom and solid integrity and honesty. My Father is a strong supporter of traditional marriage. He believes that the role of Government is to guarantee freedom, punishing those who are guilty of breaking the law, providing protection against foreign invasion, and to find solutions to the problems in our communities. We cannot ignore problems that prevent families from living in a community with a healthy environment. My father has also served as an unpaid religious leader for a small, Christian congregation for over twelve years. He’s also taught the Bible professionally for almost 40 years. He is a man who is full of love for others and has a remarkable ability to lead others in a cooperative and successful way.
We do have a voice and a choice, not limited to only two options. The argument against voting for a third party candidate, is to say that they can’t possibly win. However, I believe that we can bring a candidate to the White House who wasn’t chosen for us in a back room in Washington D.C. We should each vote for the person we feel would do the best job, even if they do not have an R or D by there name. Many candidates and public servants seek to appear to be honest, generous, and caring, without actually being any of those things.
My Father really is commitment to working with everyone to achieve a happy and prosperous national community. If elected, he will devote himself fully to leading this Country toward collective success and the realization of happiness for both individuals and families. I hope you will join me in answering Barack Obama’s call for change, by voting for someone who really will bring it about. Please join me in writing in someone that you really respect and admire for President of the United States.
Reflecting on my method of reading and writing
Reading and Writing – reflections from the past
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I began writing for my own enjoyment as a teenager and thought that I was a complete genius. (I hope that I don’t sound like I still feel this way.) As I grew older and re-read my earlier attempts to communicate clearly, I could see where I’d fallen short and could also track my improvement. I received satisfaction in the progress I had made and this inspired me to try even harder. I came to see the value of taking the time to truly write well. I’ve realized that quality and not quantity were the true hallmarks of success in writing. Clear communication is harder to misunderstand and dismiss. I'm sometimes driven to revise something 100 times before I am satisfied. I often write poetry, and the discipline I've learned from this effort, has enabled me to place each word and even each syllable in its "Correct" place. I’m sometimes able to communicate exactly what I mean using the written word. In the right circumstances, I can sometimes even accomplish the amazing task of being understood by my readers.
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I began writing for my own enjoyment as a teenager and thought that I was a complete genius. (I hope that I don’t sound like I still feel this way.) As I grew older and re-read my earlier attempts to communicate clearly, I could see where I’d fallen short and could also track my improvement. I received satisfaction in the progress I had made and this inspired me to try even harder. I came to see the value of taking the time to truly write well. I’ve realized that quality and not quantity were the true hallmarks of success in writing. Clear communication is harder to misunderstand and dismiss. I'm sometimes driven to revise something 100 times before I am satisfied. I often write poetry, and the discipline I've learned from this effort, has enabled me to place each word and even each syllable in its "Correct" place. I’m sometimes able to communicate exactly what I mean using the written word. In the right circumstances, I can sometimes even accomplish the amazing task of being understood by my readers.
The Market Street Grill
A Review of the Market Street Grill (in Salt Lake City, Utah)
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The Market Street Grill, one of the Gastronomy Restaurants, is an excellent dining experience. The wisteria vines growing on the trellis overhead in the outdoor dining area are beautiful. The white tile above the vent hood in the open kitchen sparkles in the sunlight flooding through the skylight. The suspension bridge crossing the river, flowing near the restaurant, is a great bonus in the overall experience. From the moment you arrive it becomes clear that you’re going to have a special dining experience. My wife and I recently visited this fabulous restaurant and enjoyed our experience very much. The first item we received was complimentary sour dough bread that has me salivating once again just to think of it. The bread was so good that we didn’t even mind not receiving butte, until after we had eaten almost all of it. We ordered onion rings as an appetizer and when they arrived we could not believe how large, sweet and delicious they were. The service was excellent and the waiter humored our provincial request for a bowl of mayonnaise that we could make some “fry sauce” for our onion rings, by adding ketchup. The rib-eye steak was delicious, and was cooked just right. It was very juicy and we enjoyed dipping each piece in the delicious juice on our plate, before savoring each bite. The four Cheese ravioli was spectacular, you could actually taste the four different cheeses in each bite and then the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, would leave a wonderful aftertaste. We ordered New York cheesecake for dessert. The Cheesecake was made fresh at the restaurant and because of this it was very yummy. The cheesecake at most restaurants has been frozen and so it does not taste as good.
The sound of the stream near the outdoor dining area was a nice touch. Because this was a restaurant that serves a lot of fish it did smell of fish on the inside, by dining outside my pregnant wife was able to escape this problem. The outdoor patio was wonderful for us as well. The outdoor patio didn’t smell of fish as it did on the inside, and it seemed less busy and hurried than inside. There was a nice gentle breeze blowing outside which was good, because my wife cannot stand the smell of fish. When we go again to the Market Street Grill my wife plans to order the rib-eye steak again because it was so good. One of the most exciting parts of the dining experience was watching the waiters carry large platters of food down the stone stairs in the outdoor dining area. My wife wondered aloud, if they had been tested, by having them carry the food up and down those stairs a few times prior to being hired. There was one casualty during the evening, when a bowl fell from one of the platters and shattered against the brick pavement of the outdoor dining area. For me, this accident only added to the excitement and made me feel as if the waiters were working really hard to get all of us our food quickly. There is a synergy of excitement that occurs at a busy restaurant. While dining at Disney land this can rise to an uncomfortable level, where people get to the point that they have a fist fight over who gets to sit at one of the tables next. The excitement level at the Market Street Grill was at the perfect level. Not stressful enough to cause indigestion, but thrilling enough to let you know you were eating somewhere special.
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The Market Street Grill, one of the Gastronomy Restaurants, is an excellent dining experience. The wisteria vines growing on the trellis overhead in the outdoor dining area are beautiful. The white tile above the vent hood in the open kitchen sparkles in the sunlight flooding through the skylight. The suspension bridge crossing the river, flowing near the restaurant, is a great bonus in the overall experience. From the moment you arrive it becomes clear that you’re going to have a special dining experience. My wife and I recently visited this fabulous restaurant and enjoyed our experience very much. The first item we received was complimentary sour dough bread that has me salivating once again just to think of it. The bread was so good that we didn’t even mind not receiving butte, until after we had eaten almost all of it. We ordered onion rings as an appetizer and when they arrived we could not believe how large, sweet and delicious they were. The service was excellent and the waiter humored our provincial request for a bowl of mayonnaise that we could make some “fry sauce” for our onion rings, by adding ketchup. The rib-eye steak was delicious, and was cooked just right. It was very juicy and we enjoyed dipping each piece in the delicious juice on our plate, before savoring each bite. The four Cheese ravioli was spectacular, you could actually taste the four different cheeses in each bite and then the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, would leave a wonderful aftertaste. We ordered New York cheesecake for dessert. The Cheesecake was made fresh at the restaurant and because of this it was very yummy. The cheesecake at most restaurants has been frozen and so it does not taste as good.
The sound of the stream near the outdoor dining area was a nice touch. Because this was a restaurant that serves a lot of fish it did smell of fish on the inside, by dining outside my pregnant wife was able to escape this problem. The outdoor patio was wonderful for us as well. The outdoor patio didn’t smell of fish as it did on the inside, and it seemed less busy and hurried than inside. There was a nice gentle breeze blowing outside which was good, because my wife cannot stand the smell of fish. When we go again to the Market Street Grill my wife plans to order the rib-eye steak again because it was so good. One of the most exciting parts of the dining experience was watching the waiters carry large platters of food down the stone stairs in the outdoor dining area. My wife wondered aloud, if they had been tested, by having them carry the food up and down those stairs a few times prior to being hired. There was one casualty during the evening, when a bowl fell from one of the platters and shattered against the brick pavement of the outdoor dining area. For me, this accident only added to the excitement and made me feel as if the waiters were working really hard to get all of us our food quickly. There is a synergy of excitement that occurs at a busy restaurant. While dining at Disney land this can rise to an uncomfortable level, where people get to the point that they have a fist fight over who gets to sit at one of the tables next. The excitement level at the Market Street Grill was at the perfect level. Not stressful enough to cause indigestion, but thrilling enough to let you know you were eating somewhere special.
Retirement?
Has the United States of America saved enough for this rainy day? (A Proposal.)
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Thinking ahead isn’t something that comes easily to human beings. We don’t enjoy thinking about the possibility that our health may decline and that we may not have enough money to finance retirement. Many of us may spend our golden years short on money, bedridden, and in a state-run-no-frills nursing home. This is a possibility for many of us, and it’s not very pleasant to think about. No one looks forward to a situation that wipes out the assets they have worked so hard to acquire. When I think about these issues, I get a knot in my stomach that’s hard to untie.
Our Country is currently struggling with the prospect of keeping the Social Security promises that were made to the retiring baby boomer generation. This is a looming problem on the horizon for all Americans. The baby boomer generation is nearing retirement and this juncture in history is a potential problem because of the shear number of retirees that are slated to draw upon the Governmental retirement plan called Social Security.
Many people accuse the Republican Party of turning a blind eye to Civic Charity. However, the policies and platform of the Republican Party may actually do well in removing the larger portion of responsibility to care for the poor out of the hands of an ineffective and wasteful Federal Government. Removing this funding can lower taxes and thus put more money into the generous hands of all Americans who then can freely give their surplus into the hands of effective charitable organizations and denominations. Religious organizations and non-profit charities are the most effective in caring for the poor. These charitable organizations are so much better at solving the problems and inequities of society at the grass roots level. Will we remember the lessons of the New Orleans Hurricane Victims? What a contrast it was to see the slow, wasteful, and ineffective response of the Federal Government compared with the effective and financially streamlined response of the Religious community, who arrived first on the scene in many cases. It is the Non-profit and Religious organizations that are still working to improve and build those communities today. I do not mean to imply that Religious and Non-Profit Organizations can solve all of the problems faced in the disaster that is this Nations current economic setting, However, I do believe that non-governmental Organizations, in general, are a far more effective place for us to put our money as we look for ways to help the poor.
In our capitalist economy, perhaps one of the reasons that the weary human cogs in the industrial machine often get overlooked, is that philanthropy has become institutional and bureaucratic. The idea that government should be a modern day Robin Hood is not, in my opinion, the answer to poverty. Churches and private charities are the way to go. Non-profit organizations are in a better position to separate the truly needy from those persons with values adversely affected by government programs that solve problems by doling out money in a blind and bureaucratic way.
I think more money would be donated to charities if the federal income tax allowed a true exemption for such donations instead of tying them in with the standard deduction. If you donate $5350.00 to church or charity you get exactly the same tax exemption as the person who donates nothing. In all fairness charitable donations should be exempt in addition to the standard deduction or the latter should be done away with. This would increase charitable giving dramatically and the money would be used more efficiently to help more people. The inadequacy of the Social Security system is the best argument against trusting the Government to solve our financial problems. The Government as a whole, sometimes acts like a political candidate on the campaign trail, promising what ever it takes to win favor and then never following through on those promises. Leave it up to the government to give us a special, mandated retirement program in which we pay more and get less.
The best plan for families as they plan for retirement is to get out of debt, stay out of debt, and live within their means. I know this is not possible for everyone and that is one of the reasons that, on top of what the government takes from my paychecks to help the poor, I donate an additional portion of the money I make each month to help those who are struggling with poor health, poverty, and starvation.
If you were born during the mid-seventies, you may have been raised by the baby boomer generation. The children of this generation had been raised by parents who’d survived the great depression and thus, had learned and passed on the virtue of being thrifty. Living modestly and avoiding debt were basic principles that many of this generation learned from their parents. The parents of the baby boomer generation had been exposed to the horrors of World War II and thus had come to value the peace and prosperity that they had so dearly purchased. They came home from the war and focused on bringing children into their homes and it worked very well. The increased birth rate at that time is known as the baby boom generation.
In “ ’The Solution to the Retirement Income Challenge,’ by Alicia H. Munnell and Steven A. Sass (Brookings Institution Press). Ms. Munnell and Mr. Sass define succinctly the problem faced by baby boomers, and for that matter, by all Americans who aspire to retire now or in the near future. They note that the nation’s retirement system, as embodied by Social Security and Medicare in the public sector and I.R.A.’s and 401(k) plans in the private sector, is contracting in its ability to replace workers’ lost income — even as life expectancy is increasing.
“ ‘About 19 percent of men and 33 percent of women who survive to age 65 will live to age 90 or older and have to support themselves for almost 30 years,’ the authors report, adding matter-of-factly, ‘The arithmetic does not work.’
Citing a plethora of actuarial studies, Ms. Munnell and Mr. Sass estimate that people who retire at age 65 today can expect Social Security to provide the equivalent of only 39 percent of their incomes after deductions for basic Medicare contributions. Those who plan to retire in 2030 can expect net benefits, similarly calculated, of only 30 percent of their incomes.” (“Who Wants to Retire Later?” Harry Hurt III, N.Y. Times, July 20, 2008.)
In proposing a solution to the insolvency of Social Security, I want to stress that there are many changes that need to take place in our Government. The Government must find a way to fulfill the promises it has made to its people. This can be accomplished only by allowing philanthropy to be more voluntary, this is the only way to cut costs and get federal spending under control. I believe that the next step must be to increase the retirement age from 62 to 66 years old. In order to “save” Social Security we must give the baby boomer generation the option of cashing out their Social Security benefits early at reduced rates and re-investing in Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Annuities, and Precious Metals. Following this plan would give retirees a choice between privatizing or continuing to rely on the future Social Security benefits they’ve already been promised. I propose that workers who are at least 56 years old, be given the option of privatizing their Social Security portfolio. The appeal of privatization is that workers who choose this route would no longer have money taken from their paychecks to fund Social Security. The monetary compensation for privatizing would need to be less than the current forecasted social security payments. However, with a lump sum investment from their Social Security portfolio and an aggressive investment program funded by the additional money in each paycheck, they could invest for the remaining ten years of their career and potentially receive a much higher return than the promised Social Security benefits.
This plan would give the government the ability to invest up front and save a great deal of money down the road. Retirees with the courage to privatize would also gain the ability to retire as soon as they are in a position to do so. Those of us who are younger than 56 years old will need to continue on with the federally mandated ball-and-chain of Social Security taxes automatically taken from our paychecks. Our parents have supported us in the past and we must fulfill our duty and help the Government keep its promise to support the baby boomer generation during their golden years.
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Thinking ahead isn’t something that comes easily to human beings. We don’t enjoy thinking about the possibility that our health may decline and that we may not have enough money to finance retirement. Many of us may spend our golden years short on money, bedridden, and in a state-run-no-frills nursing home. This is a possibility for many of us, and it’s not very pleasant to think about. No one looks forward to a situation that wipes out the assets they have worked so hard to acquire. When I think about these issues, I get a knot in my stomach that’s hard to untie.
Our Country is currently struggling with the prospect of keeping the Social Security promises that were made to the retiring baby boomer generation. This is a looming problem on the horizon for all Americans. The baby boomer generation is nearing retirement and this juncture in history is a potential problem because of the shear number of retirees that are slated to draw upon the Governmental retirement plan called Social Security.
Many people accuse the Republican Party of turning a blind eye to Civic Charity. However, the policies and platform of the Republican Party may actually do well in removing the larger portion of responsibility to care for the poor out of the hands of an ineffective and wasteful Federal Government. Removing this funding can lower taxes and thus put more money into the generous hands of all Americans who then can freely give their surplus into the hands of effective charitable organizations and denominations. Religious organizations and non-profit charities are the most effective in caring for the poor. These charitable organizations are so much better at solving the problems and inequities of society at the grass roots level. Will we remember the lessons of the New Orleans Hurricane Victims? What a contrast it was to see the slow, wasteful, and ineffective response of the Federal Government compared with the effective and financially streamlined response of the Religious community, who arrived first on the scene in many cases. It is the Non-profit and Religious organizations that are still working to improve and build those communities today. I do not mean to imply that Religious and Non-Profit Organizations can solve all of the problems faced in the disaster that is this Nations current economic setting, However, I do believe that non-governmental Organizations, in general, are a far more effective place for us to put our money as we look for ways to help the poor.
In our capitalist economy, perhaps one of the reasons that the weary human cogs in the industrial machine often get overlooked, is that philanthropy has become institutional and bureaucratic. The idea that government should be a modern day Robin Hood is not, in my opinion, the answer to poverty. Churches and private charities are the way to go. Non-profit organizations are in a better position to separate the truly needy from those persons with values adversely affected by government programs that solve problems by doling out money in a blind and bureaucratic way.
I think more money would be donated to charities if the federal income tax allowed a true exemption for such donations instead of tying them in with the standard deduction. If you donate $5350.00 to church or charity you get exactly the same tax exemption as the person who donates nothing. In all fairness charitable donations should be exempt in addition to the standard deduction or the latter should be done away with. This would increase charitable giving dramatically and the money would be used more efficiently to help more people. The inadequacy of the Social Security system is the best argument against trusting the Government to solve our financial problems. The Government as a whole, sometimes acts like a political candidate on the campaign trail, promising what ever it takes to win favor and then never following through on those promises. Leave it up to the government to give us a special, mandated retirement program in which we pay more and get less.
The best plan for families as they plan for retirement is to get out of debt, stay out of debt, and live within their means. I know this is not possible for everyone and that is one of the reasons that, on top of what the government takes from my paychecks to help the poor, I donate an additional portion of the money I make each month to help those who are struggling with poor health, poverty, and starvation.
If you were born during the mid-seventies, you may have been raised by the baby boomer generation. The children of this generation had been raised by parents who’d survived the great depression and thus, had learned and passed on the virtue of being thrifty. Living modestly and avoiding debt were basic principles that many of this generation learned from their parents. The parents of the baby boomer generation had been exposed to the horrors of World War II and thus had come to value the peace and prosperity that they had so dearly purchased. They came home from the war and focused on bringing children into their homes and it worked very well. The increased birth rate at that time is known as the baby boom generation.
In “ ’The Solution to the Retirement Income Challenge,’ by Alicia H. Munnell and Steven A. Sass (Brookings Institution Press). Ms. Munnell and Mr. Sass define succinctly the problem faced by baby boomers, and for that matter, by all Americans who aspire to retire now or in the near future. They note that the nation’s retirement system, as embodied by Social Security and Medicare in the public sector and I.R.A.’s and 401(k) plans in the private sector, is contracting in its ability to replace workers’ lost income — even as life expectancy is increasing.
“ ‘About 19 percent of men and 33 percent of women who survive to age 65 will live to age 90 or older and have to support themselves for almost 30 years,’ the authors report, adding matter-of-factly, ‘The arithmetic does not work.’
Citing a plethora of actuarial studies, Ms. Munnell and Mr. Sass estimate that people who retire at age 65 today can expect Social Security to provide the equivalent of only 39 percent of their incomes after deductions for basic Medicare contributions. Those who plan to retire in 2030 can expect net benefits, similarly calculated, of only 30 percent of their incomes.” (“Who Wants to Retire Later?” Harry Hurt III, N.Y. Times, July 20, 2008.)
In proposing a solution to the insolvency of Social Security, I want to stress that there are many changes that need to take place in our Government. The Government must find a way to fulfill the promises it has made to its people. This can be accomplished only by allowing philanthropy to be more voluntary, this is the only way to cut costs and get federal spending under control. I believe that the next step must be to increase the retirement age from 62 to 66 years old. In order to “save” Social Security we must give the baby boomer generation the option of cashing out their Social Security benefits early at reduced rates and re-investing in Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Annuities, and Precious Metals. Following this plan would give retirees a choice between privatizing or continuing to rely on the future Social Security benefits they’ve already been promised. I propose that workers who are at least 56 years old, be given the option of privatizing their Social Security portfolio. The appeal of privatization is that workers who choose this route would no longer have money taken from their paychecks to fund Social Security. The monetary compensation for privatizing would need to be less than the current forecasted social security payments. However, with a lump sum investment from their Social Security portfolio and an aggressive investment program funded by the additional money in each paycheck, they could invest for the remaining ten years of their career and potentially receive a much higher return than the promised Social Security benefits.
This plan would give the government the ability to invest up front and save a great deal of money down the road. Retirees with the courage to privatize would also gain the ability to retire as soon as they are in a position to do so. Those of us who are younger than 56 years old will need to continue on with the federally mandated ball-and-chain of Social Security taxes automatically taken from our paychecks. Our parents have supported us in the past and we must fulfill our duty and help the Government keep its promise to support the baby boomer generation during their golden years.
Your all inclusive Family
Hello,
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
Family. That word is so inclusive. A family in it's smallest form is a man and a woman who are married to one another. Then it grows as they have children. The family increases as those children have children who marry and establish families of their own. We have more family than we sometimes realize. God is truly our Father in Heaven. We are all brothers and sisters in the family of God. Some people give too much time and energy to the family of God and neglect their own children. Some give their children all their time and attention and therefore neglect their husband or wife. The way to happiness is to Love your father in heaven above all else and then to love and serve your wife or husband and then your children and then the family extends out from there. The word family includes everyone really. Heavenly father does want us to set priorities in regard to the order that we place in serving and taking care of our extensive and unending family. It is interesting to me that Jesus taught that pure religion was to visit the fatherless and widows. In those situations there is something missing in the immediate family that needs to be filled and addressed. If the whole world was composed of Families where husbands and wives loved one another and took care of their children in a loving way this world would almost be a perfect place. This world is not a perfect place however and that is why we are all family. We all need each other in the great big family of God.
I just want to say family, that I am here for you.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
Family. That word is so inclusive. A family in it's smallest form is a man and a woman who are married to one another. Then it grows as they have children. The family increases as those children have children who marry and establish families of their own. We have more family than we sometimes realize. God is truly our Father in Heaven. We are all brothers and sisters in the family of God. Some people give too much time and energy to the family of God and neglect their own children. Some give their children all their time and attention and therefore neglect their husband or wife. The way to happiness is to Love your father in heaven above all else and then to love and serve your wife or husband and then your children and then the family extends out from there. The word family includes everyone really. Heavenly father does want us to set priorities in regard to the order that we place in serving and taking care of our extensive and unending family. It is interesting to me that Jesus taught that pure religion was to visit the fatherless and widows. In those situations there is something missing in the immediate family that needs to be filled and addressed. If the whole world was composed of Families where husbands and wives loved one another and took care of their children in a loving way this world would almost be a perfect place. This world is not a perfect place however and that is why we are all family. We all need each other in the great big family of God.
I just want to say family, that I am here for you.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Abuse not tolerated by Mormons: "My brethren, if... any guilty, I call upon you to repent."
I read the following story, Rites and wrongs - alleged abuse in the Mormon church published in the Sunday Star Times of Fairfax, New Zealand on Sunday, 10 August 2008. The story relates a sad story of three women that were abused by their spouses and in one instance abused by someone that had come to live with the family.
The stories are tragic, and it is true that every religion has some adherents that do not follow their leader's direction. However, this story certainly portrays a negative slant on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church or Mormons). While the author does point out the inadequacy with which some Mormon lay leaders approach these sensitive, serious, personal issues, the article fails to report on the LDS Church's official position on child abuse, spouse abuse, and sexual abuse.
The article gives the impression at the least that the Mormon church condones the behavior and at the worst that the offenders were driven to their terrible actions because of the Church's doctrine (a truly ridiculous assertion on the author's part).
In a worldwide broadcast the immediate Past President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mr. Gordon B. Hinckley delivered a powerful message on the subject of sexual abuse, child abuse, spouse abuse, and abuse of the elderly to the largest gathering of men in Church at the time.
He concluded his remarks saying:
The stories are tragic, and it is true that every religion has some adherents that do not follow their leader's direction. However, this story certainly portrays a negative slant on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church or Mormons). While the author does point out the inadequacy with which some Mormon lay leaders approach these sensitive, serious, personal issues, the article fails to report on the LDS Church's official position on child abuse, spouse abuse, and sexual abuse.
The article gives the impression at the least that the Mormon church condones the behavior and at the worst that the offenders were driven to their terrible actions because of the Church's doctrine (a truly ridiculous assertion on the author's part).
In a worldwide broadcast the immediate Past President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mr. Gordon B. Hinckley delivered a powerful message on the subject of sexual abuse, child abuse, spouse abuse, and abuse of the elderly to the largest gathering of men in Church at the time.
He concluded his remarks saying:
Finally, with specific reference to spouse abuse and child abuse Mr. Hinckley stated:"For a long period now we have worked on this problem. We have urged bishops,
stake presidents, and others to reach out to victims, to comfort them, to strengthen them, to let them know that what happened was wrong, that the experience was not their fault, and that it need never happen again.
We have issued publications, established a telephone line where Church officers may
receive counsel in handling cases, and offered professional help through LDS Family Services. These acts are often criminal in their nature. They are punishable under the law. Professional counselors, including lawyers and social workers, are available on this help line to advise bishops and stake presidents concerning their obligations in these circumstances. Those in other nations should call their respective Area Presidents."
"In the marriage companionship there is neither inferiority nor superiority. TheThe article would be much better balanced by referencing the Official Church stand against spouse, child, and sexual abuse. I suppose there are some draw backs to relying on a lay clergy, can they all become trained social workers? Probably not, but there is the hotline to call for information and Bishops and Stake President's hopefully understand that any form of abuse must not be tolerated!
woman does not walk ahead of the man; neither does the man walk ahead of the
woman. They walk side by side as a son and daughter of God on an eternal
journey. She is not your servant, your chattel, nor anything of the kind.
How tragic and utterly disgusting a phenomenon is wife abuse. Any man
in this Church who abuses his wife, who demeans her, who insults her, who exercises unrighteous dominion over her is unworthy to hold the priesthood. Though he may have been ordained, the heavens will withdraw, the Spirit of the Lord will be grieved, and it will be amen to the authority of the priesthood of that man. Any man who engages in this practice is unworthy to hold a temple recommend... My brethren, if there be any within the sound of my voice who are guilty of such behavior, I call upon you to repent."
Children are such a wonderful gift!
Hello,
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
I believe that one of the reasons that children are so cute is that they say such completely unexpected things. As adults we become a little predictable and take as few risks as possible. This is not the case with children as we see in the following two stories…
At a recent family gathering, my Daughter was trying to figure out a new game for the cousins to play. She said pointing to her head, "I am putting on my thinking cap." Her cousins then laughed at her for saying this. In response to their laughter and in a matter of fact tone my daughter stated, "I do have one."
While playing tag one little cousin accidentally hurt one of the other boys. The cousin who got hurt lay on the ground crying and the other was trying to comfort him and help him to feel better. "Do you want to poke me with a sharp weed?" he offered.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
I believe that one of the reasons that children are so cute is that they say such completely unexpected things. As adults we become a little predictable and take as few risks as possible. This is not the case with children as we see in the following two stories…
At a recent family gathering, my Daughter was trying to figure out a new game for the cousins to play. She said pointing to her head, "I am putting on my thinking cap." Her cousins then laughed at her for saying this. In response to their laughter and in a matter of fact tone my daughter stated, "I do have one."
While playing tag one little cousin accidentally hurt one of the other boys. The cousin who got hurt lay on the ground crying and the other was trying to comfort him and help him to feel better. "Do you want to poke me with a sharp weed?" he offered.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Mormon: Tips and Tricks of Inspirational Speeches
Following my earlier theme of giving a talk in sacrament meeting, or as some call it delivering a sermon. LDS.org offers this important suggestion, "Pray that the Holy Spirit will be with you as you study and deliver the talk." I again adapt from an article the Tips and Tricks of Inspirational Speeches found in the Toastmasters magazine June 2008. This is a side bar associated with the article My Day in Prison by Susanne Riehle ACG, CL. Susanne helped run a Toastmasters club in a woman's prison.
Topic Selection - usually provided by the Bishop or his counselors
Local: Look for topics in your own world. The best inspiration is that which surrounds you.
Personal: Look for topics that are meaningful to your audience.
Vibrant: Look for ideas that can be explained in a vibrant and emotional way.
Structure differences
Persuasive speeches have an opening, a few supporting points and a closing.
Inspirational speeches have an emotional theme: Use a few emotional arguments that build in strength and close with a strong emotional comment.
The difference between a statement and an emotional argument
Statement: "Everyone in this room could donate a pint of blood."
Emotional argument: "If all of us in this room each donated a pint of blood, we could save 20 lives!"
Delivery
Take your delivery up a notch, or more using these techniques:
Topic Selection - usually provided by the Bishop or his counselors
Local: Look for topics in your own world. The best inspiration is that which surrounds you.
Personal: Look for topics that are meaningful to your audience.
Vibrant: Look for ideas that can be explained in a vibrant and emotional way.
Structure differences
Persuasive speeches have an opening, a few supporting points and a closing.
Inspirational speeches have an emotional theme: Use a few emotional arguments that build in strength and close with a strong emotional comment.
The difference between a statement and an emotional argument
Statement: "Everyone in this room could donate a pint of blood."
Emotional argument: "If all of us in this room each donated a pint of blood, we could save 20 lives!"
Delivery
Take your delivery up a notch, or more using these techniques:
- Make strong eye contact
- Use personal stories
- Use picture and story words
- Use pauses: A well-timed pause underlines the statements.
If at all possible, state your first point in a way to elicit nods from the audience. You are speaking to the head and the heart; it's always good to get both on your side!
Better speaking is a skill that not only benefits your church, but also all those with whom you associate.
Family
Hello,
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
The family unit is essential in the plan of our Heavenly Father because every newborn child of God needs love and tender care. An imperfect family is a child's first introduction to this imperfect world. We can learn to cope with imperfection in this life and find happiness and peace along the way. Every family unit is different and has unique qualities and challenges. Life here on earth is not fair and there are many trials which families may face as they progress through life. When there is illness or injury, one partner in a marriage may need to be a caretaker for their beloved companion. Some families must bid a tearful goodbye to a young son or daughter as the child goes on ahead into the next life. Some children are not born into loving or kind families. These Children may suffer terrible grief and pain as they begin their mortal journey.
Our Heavenly Father knows the hazards of this mortal existence. God has organized us into families, to enable us to support one another. We can support each other during times of trial. Mortal life requires us to take turns lifting the burdens of others and also letting go of our own burdens so that others may help us with them. In all of the different seasons of life there are many opportunities for us to give and also to receive love and help from others. Our salvation depends upon our willingness to serve our brothers and sisters and accept the love, service and sacrifice of our Savior. We must be humble enough to accept help from God through other people, which he sends into our lives to meet our needs. We need each other because no family can solve all mortal challenges alone.
The greatest source of help throughout our lives is the help we receive from our Father in Heaven, his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. We receive help through prayer and the words of the prophets. Guidance from our Heavenly Father helps us to be resilient as we face the challenges and temptations of life. Eternal truth, received from God, will give us a clear and accurate perspective of the trials we face as families. Our Heavenly Father is a perfect parent whom we all need as a part of our lives. God loves each of us, his children, unconditionally and eternally. Let us reach out spiritually to our Father in Heaven and receive comfort, peace and assurance through the Holy Ghost. Let us be mindful of the level of stress that families are experiencing and assist one another and seek help early so that these families can avoid a situation of spiritual crisis.
Experiencing family challenges now, does not mean that we will not have happiness and success in the future. These challenges can be an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience. The knowledge we gain, as we master our challenges with the help of God, will enable us in the future to secure a place in our righteous and eternal family in the Celestial Kingdom. Because there are situations in life over which we have little control, we must place our trust in our Father in Heaven. Our Father in Heaven wants us to succeed as families and with his help we can. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, baptism and the reception of the Holy Ghost each child of God can be born again.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
P.S. "After this life, you will be restored to that which you have here allowed yourself to become." —Elder Richard G. Scott
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
The family unit is essential in the plan of our Heavenly Father because every newborn child of God needs love and tender care. An imperfect family is a child's first introduction to this imperfect world. We can learn to cope with imperfection in this life and find happiness and peace along the way. Every family unit is different and has unique qualities and challenges. Life here on earth is not fair and there are many trials which families may face as they progress through life. When there is illness or injury, one partner in a marriage may need to be a caretaker for their beloved companion. Some families must bid a tearful goodbye to a young son or daughter as the child goes on ahead into the next life. Some children are not born into loving or kind families. These Children may suffer terrible grief and pain as they begin their mortal journey.
Our Heavenly Father knows the hazards of this mortal existence. God has organized us into families, to enable us to support one another. We can support each other during times of trial. Mortal life requires us to take turns lifting the burdens of others and also letting go of our own burdens so that others may help us with them. In all of the different seasons of life there are many opportunities for us to give and also to receive love and help from others. Our salvation depends upon our willingness to serve our brothers and sisters and accept the love, service and sacrifice of our Savior. We must be humble enough to accept help from God through other people, which he sends into our lives to meet our needs. We need each other because no family can solve all mortal challenges alone.
The greatest source of help throughout our lives is the help we receive from our Father in Heaven, his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. We receive help through prayer and the words of the prophets. Guidance from our Heavenly Father helps us to be resilient as we face the challenges and temptations of life. Eternal truth, received from God, will give us a clear and accurate perspective of the trials we face as families. Our Heavenly Father is a perfect parent whom we all need as a part of our lives. God loves each of us, his children, unconditionally and eternally. Let us reach out spiritually to our Father in Heaven and receive comfort, peace and assurance through the Holy Ghost. Let us be mindful of the level of stress that families are experiencing and assist one another and seek help early so that these families can avoid a situation of spiritual crisis.
Experiencing family challenges now, does not mean that we will not have happiness and success in the future. These challenges can be an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience. The knowledge we gain, as we master our challenges with the help of God, will enable us in the future to secure a place in our righteous and eternal family in the Celestial Kingdom. Because there are situations in life over which we have little control, we must place our trust in our Father in Heaven. Our Father in Heaven wants us to succeed as families and with his help we can. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, baptism and the reception of the Holy Ghost each child of God can be born again.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
P.S. "After this life, you will be restored to that which you have here allowed yourself to become." —Elder Richard G. Scott
A Blog World
A Blog World
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I saw a room, the other day,
Where bride and groom, just talk all day.
They never hear, the other speak,
Or wipe a tear, from the others cheek.
They’re only speaking, all the time,
With faces weeping, like a mime.
With her computer, and his laptop,
There could be an intruder, but they wouldn’t stop.
They go on blogging, without living life.
On this treadmill jogging, are husband and wife.
What are they hoping, as they both write?
Or are they just coping, with long lonely night?
In reality, they're reaching out for their mate.
With their blog-words beseeching, for love and not hate.
Yet, sending this plea, into deep cyberspace,
Can’t help them to see, love in each others face.
And the people they blog to, yes, it’s such a sad scene,
For, would-be readers are glued to the bright T.V. screen.
Mormon speakers don't get paid to speak professionally
Mormon speakers don't get paid to speak professionally.
I find it interesting that Mormons don't get paid to speak at any of their meetings. While professionally speakers usually earn from $1 to $10,000 dollars per speaking engagement, when you get into higher speaking engagements a speaker can make from $25,000 for a certain Presidential candidate speaking all the way up to Mr. Clinton who makes up to $350,000 for his speaking engagements. Now I am not suggesting that Mormonism's lay clergy should start hiring speakers. Paying members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to speak defeats the very purpose of the Church, which is focused on the development and progress of each of the Church members. I mean honestly, the Church already goes way beyond other Christian churches by allowing every male member of the Church to be an ordained minister (most churches only have an ordained pastor and sometimes a youth pastor or assistant pastor). It would be tough to pay the whole congregation when they speak.
For those of you that may not know, a Mormon congregation is called a Ward and the leader of a Ward is called a Bishop. The bishop chooses speakers from the local congregation that prepare and deliver the sermons for Sunday worship services. This provides a variety of benefits for the member to more fully learn a topic and also allows for a variety of delivery styles and approaches to gospel subjects. Having local members of the Church deliver sermons is a great way to develop youth leaders.
One of the classic starting moments in Mormon sermons is to tell the story about "how the Bishop asked me to speak". While these are sometimes funny they lack a lot of staying power. In order to improve the openings in LDS sacrament meeting talks, I summarize and adapted the following article written by comedians Jan McInnis and Frank King called How to Be Funny on the Fly found in the Toastmaster magazine, June 2008.
I find it interesting that Mormons don't get paid to speak at any of their meetings. While professionally speakers usually earn from $1 to $10,000 dollars per speaking engagement, when you get into higher speaking engagements a speaker can make from $25,000 for a certain Presidential candidate speaking all the way up to Mr. Clinton who makes up to $350,000 for his speaking engagements. Now I am not suggesting that Mormonism's lay clergy should start hiring speakers. Paying members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to speak defeats the very purpose of the Church, which is focused on the development and progress of each of the Church members. I mean honestly, the Church already goes way beyond other Christian churches by allowing every male member of the Church to be an ordained minister (most churches only have an ordained pastor and sometimes a youth pastor or assistant pastor). It would be tough to pay the whole congregation when they speak.
For those of you that may not know, a Mormon congregation is called a Ward and the leader of a Ward is called a Bishop. The bishop chooses speakers from the local congregation that prepare and deliver the sermons for Sunday worship services. This provides a variety of benefits for the member to more fully learn a topic and also allows for a variety of delivery styles and approaches to gospel subjects. Having local members of the Church deliver sermons is a great way to develop youth leaders.
One of the classic starting moments in Mormon sermons is to tell the story about "how the Bishop asked me to speak". While these are sometimes funny they lack a lot of staying power. In order to improve the openings in LDS sacrament meeting talks, I summarize and adapted the following article written by comedians Jan McInnis and Frank King called How to Be Funny on the Fly found in the Toastmaster magazine, June 2008.
- Stick to the basics - For jokes create analogies, take things to the extreme, or make word associations. You can even use the common experiences shared recently by the ward. For instance, I was able to recently use the following joke, "As member missionaries, you want to get the attention of your neighbors. It's probably not necessary to start a pan on fire and bring in the fire department............................. like I did at the ward breakfast on July 24th."
- Check out the room - Is it too big, small, cold, etc? Then associate the state of the room with something. If the room is freezing, you could think of igloos, ice chests, snow, ice or the North Pole. From there it's a short hop to "It's my first time speaking at the North Pole."
- Pay attention to demographics - Jan once opened a speaking engagement by saying, "It's nice to be in front of 900 women, but I've been trying to get in the bathroom since 8:30 this morning."
- Read the agenda thoroughly. Look for misspellings. If you're the last speaker you can always use the "I'm the only thing between you and breaking your fast."
- Food is fair game. One great technique is to make up a funny name based on what it looks like, such as "I-gotta-get-rid-of-this-now green jello." Another Mormon joke is about zucchini. I say a guy tell about how he let his zucchini plants grow for two weeks, and when he finally went out to the garden he had grown a "Godzinni" sized vegetable.
- Actually listen to the speaker ahead of you. Be careful when you comment on others talks as they are not professional speakers. However, if someone pounds home a point over and over and over, such as "Don't gossip," then you can lead with the opposite: "So a group of friends and I were gossiping the other day..."
Anyway, paid speaking is a lucrative profession. I wonder why there aren't more Mormons as professional speakers? If you're interested in improving your speaking skills I recommend Toastmasters, the National Speakers Association, and/or joining the Mormon Church.
Beautiful Children
Hello,
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
As we sat around the dinner table I said, "Children this next Sunday Is Mother's day and so we can give Mommy some nice presents." My oldest daughter got very excited and said to her sister, "Let's get some of our toys that we don't like anymore and wrap them up for Mommy for Mother's Day!"
We are so glad each year when spring arrives. The tulips in our yard are always really beautiful. The children love to go out and check on the flowers every day. We enjoy the warm weather. One beautiful spring day my children were invited to another Childs Birthday Party where they were able to ride a pony and loved it. After her ride, my youngest daughter said, "I love riding unicorns." It was really cute.
We have a pond here in our City. It is close to our house. They just installed a huge aluminum dock, which floats on the pond. I took my youngest daughter over to it and she loved it. She saw the ducks and geese on the pond and started yelling at them to come over to us. She got very cross when they swam father away. We can go over to the pond and sit on the dock and have picnics, fish, and sail little boats on the pond.
As I listened to a gospel speaker recently on the T.V. with my youngest Daughter, the speaker said, "Make sure that the children know that Heavenly Father and Jesus love them." I asked my Daughter, "Do you know that Jesus and Heavenly Father love you?" "Yes", she replied. Placing her hand over her heart she continued, "They're in my heart." She continued listening as the speaker continued by saying (speaking directly to the children) "You are a child of God." My Daughter turned and looked at me with a beaming smile saying, "I know that!" The speaker on the T.V. then said, "You can follow the example of Jesus." My Daughter then said with another enthusiastic smile, "I will!"
I love my children so much and my greatest desire for them is that they have happy lives here and Eternal Life in the world to come. My Daughter and I were playing pretend after the T.V. program and we were pretending that we were in a boat going down a river and there was a crocodile. My Daughter said, "The crocodile can't eat me because I have shoes on."
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
P.S. "We need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan's power. He can have no power over us unless we permit it." —President James E. Faust
"Develop a yearning to know the Lord, to understand His commandments and to follow Him." —President Thomas S. Monson
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
As we sat around the dinner table I said, "Children this next Sunday Is Mother's day and so we can give Mommy some nice presents." My oldest daughter got very excited and said to her sister, "Let's get some of our toys that we don't like anymore and wrap them up for Mommy for Mother's Day!"
We are so glad each year when spring arrives. The tulips in our yard are always really beautiful. The children love to go out and check on the flowers every day. We enjoy the warm weather. One beautiful spring day my children were invited to another Childs Birthday Party where they were able to ride a pony and loved it. After her ride, my youngest daughter said, "I love riding unicorns." It was really cute.
We have a pond here in our City. It is close to our house. They just installed a huge aluminum dock, which floats on the pond. I took my youngest daughter over to it and she loved it. She saw the ducks and geese on the pond and started yelling at them to come over to us. She got very cross when they swam father away. We can go over to the pond and sit on the dock and have picnics, fish, and sail little boats on the pond.
As I listened to a gospel speaker recently on the T.V. with my youngest Daughter, the speaker said, "Make sure that the children know that Heavenly Father and Jesus love them." I asked my Daughter, "Do you know that Jesus and Heavenly Father love you?" "Yes", she replied. Placing her hand over her heart she continued, "They're in my heart." She continued listening as the speaker continued by saying (speaking directly to the children) "You are a child of God." My Daughter turned and looked at me with a beaming smile saying, "I know that!" The speaker on the T.V. then said, "You can follow the example of Jesus." My Daughter then said with another enthusiastic smile, "I will!"
I love my children so much and my greatest desire for them is that they have happy lives here and Eternal Life in the world to come. My Daughter and I were playing pretend after the T.V. program and we were pretending that we were in a boat going down a river and there was a crocodile. My Daughter said, "The crocodile can't eat me because I have shoes on."
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
P.S. "We need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan's power. He can have no power over us unless we permit it." —President James E. Faust
"Develop a yearning to know the Lord, to understand His commandments and to follow Him." —President Thomas S. Monson
Mormon Goals and Suggestions of a 14 year old boy
A while ago I was looking through a few papers and found some goals I had made along with two quotes. It was interesting to read the goals of a young teacher (about 14 years old) and reflect on where I am now.
W. Lynn Fluckiger, Dynamic Leadership "Any excuse for non-performance, however valid, softens the character. It is a sedative against one's own conscience. When a man uses an excuse he attempts to convince both himself and others the unsatisfactory is somehow acceptable. He is perhaps unconsciously attempting to divert attention from performance, the only thing that counts to his own want for sympathy. The user is dishonest with himself as well as others, no matter how good or how valid, the excuse never changes performance."
My Goals with suggestions from a youth leader:
Mission - Live righteously to go and save your money. Prepare to serve a good mission by studying the Book of Mormon every day.
Graduate from college with a four year degree - Start getting good grades now so you can get in. That means study and do your homework and extra credit. Apply for scholarships.
Celestial Kingdom - Live righteously. Don't fall for Satan. Be married in the Temple and serve others. Have faith in Christ and become his friend.
Help out as much as I can - Do nice things for people. Serve people and be their friend. Talk to Bishop if you want a calling. But, you don't need one to help - be a missionary.
Spencer W. Kimball, Oct 1974 "The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were and ask, Why not?... We do not worry about HOW and WHEN and WHY. We say WHY NOT?... I repeat my witness that He will unlock doors and His promises may be relied upon. I know He will stay the opposition. He will mellow hears and He will pave the way if we have faith to pursue."
W. Lynn Fluckiger, Dynamic Leadership "Any excuse for non-performance, however valid, softens the character. It is a sedative against one's own conscience. When a man uses an excuse he attempts to convince both himself and others the unsatisfactory is somehow acceptable. He is perhaps unconsciously attempting to divert attention from performance, the only thing that counts to his own want for sympathy. The user is dishonest with himself as well as others, no matter how good or how valid, the excuse never changes performance."
My Goals with suggestions from a youth leader:
Mission - Live righteously to go and save your money. Prepare to serve a good mission by studying the Book of Mormon every day.
Graduate from college with a four year degree - Start getting good grades now so you can get in. That means study and do your homework and extra credit. Apply for scholarships.
Celestial Kingdom - Live righteously. Don't fall for Satan. Be married in the Temple and serve others. Have faith in Christ and become his friend.
Help out as much as I can - Do nice things for people. Serve people and be their friend. Talk to Bishop if you want a calling. But, you don't need one to help - be a missionary.
Spencer W. Kimball, Oct 1974 "The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were and ask, Why not?... We do not worry about HOW and WHEN and WHY. We say WHY NOT?... I repeat my witness that He will unlock doors and His promises may be relied upon. I know He will stay the opposition. He will mellow hears and He will pave the way if we have faith to pursue."
Sweet Forgiveness
Hello,
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
I believe that we are required to forgive one another in time. Sometimes it takes a long time to forgive other people. If someone is offensive on a continual basis we may not make it through the process of forgiving them before they hurt us again. I feel that there is a difference between being unwilling to let an offence go and trying our best to let it go. The way I see it, those who are unwilling to let go of a grudge (or as I think of it "hatred.") will arrive at the gates of heaven and look through and see the person who wronged them inside and say, "What?! So-and-so is in there?! I'm not going in there! I don't want to be around them forever." I think we must always be willing to forgive, even if, in our view, the other person has not changed. I think that this is one of the hardest things to do in life and one of the most important things too.
If I see someone in Heaven that I don't think should be there I hope that I can have enough confidence in Heavenly Father to believe that he will only let nice people in. If this happens I hope to be able to think, "Oh, Wow, look there is So-and-so, I guess they must have become a nice person."
Here is a riddle for you...
If there is a good person and an evil person and they are both unwilling to forgive. Which one will go to heaven?
Answer: Neither one.
I feel that to forgive means to give love again to the person and let go of the right to punish those who has been hated by us. To me love means that we do what is best for others regardless of the effect it has on us. If I hate someone I refuse to be kind to them and may even try to hurt them or make them miserable. If I forgive someone I treat them with kindness and respect and everything that I do or don't do toward them is calculated to be in their best interest and for their good. I believe that this is forgiveness.
If I love someone I may choose suffer because of them even if it is unfair or unpleasant. I may refrain from saying certain things so that they will feel comfortable. I may go out of my way to compliment them even though they have been cruel to me. If I love someone I may tell them that their actions are not leading them in a course that will bring happiness, I may need to fearlessly tell them that they are wrong and that they need to change. The only way that we can truly know what is best for each person in our lives is if we can receive direction from God who knows all things. God looks into people's hearts and knows their thoughts. I believe that through the Holy Ghost we can know what will bring the most love, the most joy, the most peace and the most goodness into the lives of those with whom we interact. I believe that by following the directions that God gives, we will help all around us to be as happy as possible. I believe further, that we will be happy in the long run. In the short term we may suffer, struggle, weep and hurt as we try to do what is best for others. If we love others as Christ loves them I believe that we will be welcomed back into his presence after this life is over. I believe that the only way we can be capable of loving others as the Savior would love them is to pray and ask for the Gift of pure love to fill us every day.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Here is a little more inspiration for you…
I believe that we are required to forgive one another in time. Sometimes it takes a long time to forgive other people. If someone is offensive on a continual basis we may not make it through the process of forgiving them before they hurt us again. I feel that there is a difference between being unwilling to let an offence go and trying our best to let it go. The way I see it, those who are unwilling to let go of a grudge (or as I think of it "hatred.") will arrive at the gates of heaven and look through and see the person who wronged them inside and say, "What?! So-and-so is in there?! I'm not going in there! I don't want to be around them forever." I think we must always be willing to forgive, even if, in our view, the other person has not changed. I think that this is one of the hardest things to do in life and one of the most important things too.
If I see someone in Heaven that I don't think should be there I hope that I can have enough confidence in Heavenly Father to believe that he will only let nice people in. If this happens I hope to be able to think, "Oh, Wow, look there is So-and-so, I guess they must have become a nice person."
Here is a riddle for you...
If there is a good person and an evil person and they are both unwilling to forgive. Which one will go to heaven?
Answer: Neither one.
I feel that to forgive means to give love again to the person and let go of the right to punish those who has been hated by us. To me love means that we do what is best for others regardless of the effect it has on us. If I hate someone I refuse to be kind to them and may even try to hurt them or make them miserable. If I forgive someone I treat them with kindness and respect and everything that I do or don't do toward them is calculated to be in their best interest and for their good. I believe that this is forgiveness.
If I love someone I may choose suffer because of them even if it is unfair or unpleasant. I may refrain from saying certain things so that they will feel comfortable. I may go out of my way to compliment them even though they have been cruel to me. If I love someone I may tell them that their actions are not leading them in a course that will bring happiness, I may need to fearlessly tell them that they are wrong and that they need to change. The only way that we can truly know what is best for each person in our lives is if we can receive direction from God who knows all things. God looks into people's hearts and knows their thoughts. I believe that through the Holy Ghost we can know what will bring the most love, the most joy, the most peace and the most goodness into the lives of those with whom we interact. I believe that by following the directions that God gives, we will help all around us to be as happy as possible. I believe further, that we will be happy in the long run. In the short term we may suffer, struggle, weep and hurt as we try to do what is best for others. If we love others as Christ loves them I believe that we will be welcomed back into his presence after this life is over. I believe that the only way we can be capable of loving others as the Savior would love them is to pray and ask for the Gift of pure love to fill us every day.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
"Run Joseph!" or how to avoid being "defiled" by the pen
Joseph of old was an amazing individual. Joseph's Coat of Many colors was the envy of all that knew him. Even though his other brothers hated him, threw him in a pit and finally sold him to Midianites that then sold him as a slave into Egypt, Joseph maintained a relatively positive outlook in life. Rising through the ranks and finally becoming a leader under Potipher (or Potifer depending on your spelling preference).
It was at this time that Joseph set an example that has had far reaching impact in my life. Potipher's wife thought Joseph was a handsome fellow. In fact, she kept making advances at him until one day "she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out." (Genesis 39:12)
We see that Joseph set the example of running when faced with temptation. This story of Joseph reached out to me when I was about 14. You see, my brothers and I were sitting in a room with some cute girls, talking about life and laughing about some funny events at school a couple of days earlier. As we chatted, I think we brothers began to realize that these girls were very cute. So we all tried to be the attention getter by telling the best story. My brothers were into weight lifting then and I was still a book worm.
If I remember correctly, I happened to be sitting by the cutest girl that had just found out she was a cheerleader. I think the other guys were a little jealous. The cheerleader took out a pen and said something to the effect, "Let me draw a picture on your neck." As I was answering, "OK." Out of nowhere, my older brother picked me up by the collar and threw me across the room, shouting, "Run Joseph!"
In the end, Joseph forgave his family - and I suppose I have as well. Anyway, the saying has stuck. So, if ever you face temptation greater than you think you can bear, just remember "Run Joseph!" to give yourself the will to flee.
"The First-Date Kiss!" by Doug Ladle (A Poem in Chiasmus)
"The First-Date Kiss!"
by Doug Ladle
As I drove her home I pondered
upon my PHILOSOPHY:
"A first-date kiss 'is sinful!'"
One shouldn't live recklessly!
So I walked her to the doorstep
Where the light was dim and low,
The air was crisp and frosty
As we crunched upon the snow.
She gave my hand a gentle squeeze
And lifted her eyes real slow,
The more I looked, the more I felt,
She was melting down my soul!
It's then I realized something great,
A truth to guide me on,
An insight burst upon me
That changed me from then on.
That when my soul is melting
And my gaze is hanging on,
When her eyes are lifting slowly,
And her hand is soft and warm,
When the snow is hard and crunchy,
And you're breathing frosty air,
When the light is dim and low,
Upon the doorstep there;
It's then I figured out a simple fact,
So plain for all to see...
A moonlight porch is NOT the place
To ponder PHILOSOPHY!
This poem is dedicated to all those first-date kissers, you know who those huggy-bug, kissy facey ones are. For more on Chiasmus, or as some people write Chiamus, see this site about Chiasmus in religious texts.
by Doug Ladle
As I drove her home I pondered
upon my PHILOSOPHY:
"A first-date kiss 'is sinful!'"
One shouldn't live recklessly!
So I walked her to the doorstep
Where the light was dim and low,
The air was crisp and frosty
As we crunched upon the snow.
She gave my hand a gentle squeeze
And lifted her eyes real slow,
The more I looked, the more I felt,
She was melting down my soul!
It's then I realized something great,
A truth to guide me on,
An insight burst upon me
That changed me from then on.
That when my soul is melting
And my gaze is hanging on,
When her eyes are lifting slowly,
And her hand is soft and warm,
When the snow is hard and crunchy,
And you're breathing frosty air,
When the light is dim and low,
Upon the doorstep there;
It's then I figured out a simple fact,
So plain for all to see...
A moonlight porch is NOT the place
To ponder PHILOSOPHY!
This poem is dedicated to all those first-date kissers, you know who those huggy-bug, kissy facey ones are. For more on Chiasmus, or as some people write Chiamus, see this site about Chiasmus in religious texts.
Understanding Cults - Twisted Logic and Foolish Do's and Dont's
Well, it is late, but I was browsing the Internet looking for an old Missionaries Guide to the Bible and somehow stumbled across a website called Understanding Cults. I think it's one of the stupidest articles I have read in a long time. Although I recognize that isolated groups with strange behavior may need supervision, I am not sure how Watchman Fellowship comes off with their article.
Yet, I have gleaned some humor from the site and wanted to share it with you:
Here is the case as presented by the site author. The author defines "cult" with the following definition - "By its primary dictionary definition, the term cult just means a system of religious beliefs or rituals." Thus we see that Watchman Fellowship is itself bound to the dictionary definition of cult. But they go on to explain they are using the modern definition, "In modern usage, the term cult is often used by the general public to describe any religious group they view as strange or dangerous." Thus we further see that Watchman Fellowship has chosen to use the pejorative term of "cult" to scare their own members. Especially evidenced from their grouping of examples, sometimes using Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, or Seventh Day Adventists as the cult example and at other times using dooms day cults as their example of outlandish behavior.
Watchman Fellowship claims to know the "genuine Jesus". And under the "How to help a cult member the Do's and Dont's" lists some of the following Do's:
Yet, I have gleaned some humor from the site and wanted to share it with you:
Here is the case as presented by the site author. The author defines "cult" with the following definition - "By its primary dictionary definition, the term cult just means a system of religious beliefs or rituals." Thus we see that Watchman Fellowship is itself bound to the dictionary definition of cult. But they go on to explain they are using the modern definition, "In modern usage, the term cult is often used by the general public to describe any religious group they view as strange or dangerous." Thus we further see that Watchman Fellowship has chosen to use the pejorative term of "cult" to scare their own members. Especially evidenced from their grouping of examples, sometimes using Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, or Seventh Day Adventists as the cult example and at other times using dooms day cults as their example of outlandish behavior.
Watchman Fellowship claims to know the "genuine Jesus". And under the "How to help a cult member the Do's and Dont's" lists some of the following Do's:
- Do try to keep in regular contact via mail or telephone even if there is little response
- Do keep a diary of comments, attitudes and events associated with his/her life
- Do keep copies of all written correspondence from you and the individual
- Do record all the names, addresses and phone numbers of people linked with the group
Now you may say, "Well these are perfectly well thought out and well founded things to do." But strangely, Watchman Fellowship lists several items that warn you about cults and sadly, their advice above falls into it's own categories of cultish behavior.
Number 1: Watchman Fellowship declares it is the group that knows the "genuine Jesus" and that others do not know the true Jesus. Yet, one of the markers for a cult in their information is that "the group believes it - and only it - knows the truth".
Number 2: Watchman's own Do's may be the catalist for one of the cult identification reasons. The list of Do's above appear to be some sort of freaky "spy on your neighbor" thing. So when the authors write "There is often paranoia within the group... that they are being closely monitored and heavily persecuted by people outside the group." The cults might actually have a case on that one, I mean, who keeps detailed records of the sort advocated by Watchman Fellowship? I mean besides the terrorist watchlists.
Number 3: Some of Watchman's rules create the very "paranoia" they warn against in cults. Look at this often absurd list of Mind Control techniques:
- Finger Pointing - creating a false sense of righteousness by pointing to the shortcomings of the outside world and other cults (Watchman isn't doing that here, right???)
- Flaunting Hierarchy - creating acceptance of cult authority by promising advancement, power and salvation (Watchman isn't promising salvation?)
- Change of Diet - creating disorientation and increased susceptibility to emotional arousal by depriving the nervous system of necessary nutrients through the use of special diets and/or fasting ("This one cometh not out but by prayer and fasting". Watchman doesn't believe in fasting like the apostles of old? The nutrients issue is hilarious - has Watchman checked the congregations waistline recently? If it's like the rest of America its about 54% fatties.)
- And this is the most ridiculous "Games - inducing dependence on the group by introducing games with obscure rules" (I guess if you've never played Axis and Allies or Settlers of Catan, you'll never have the opportunity now. Watchman is advocating paranoia when it comes to neighbors inviting you over for a new came of Canasta. Watch out for those mind controlling techniques based on complex game rules.)
Anyway, just thought I would post some of my thoughts from reading a website that uses the same scare tactics it despises to harpoon those with a world view different from their own. Make the world a better place Watchman Fellowship by isolating the "others".
Is your Heart Clean?
I wrote the following poem recently, after listening to a radio program. During this radio program, they discussed a group of doctors in France many, many years ago, who worked at a free hospital for unwed mothers. The death-rate for the mothers at this charity hospital was 70 percent! They all believed that the reason it was higher at their hospital was because God punishes sinners. While it is true that God punishes sinners, in this case the reason these mothers were dying was that the doctors did not wash their hands between doing research at the morgue and delivering babies back at the hospital. One doctor, who refused to accept the easy assumption that most doctors had accepted, continued researching and found out that if they delivered babies with clean hands that the death-rate dropped sharply. If we truly love others we do what is best for them and do not participate in activities that can hurt them even indirectly. This story on this radio program had a happy ending, because once these doctors realized that they were part of the problem, they made sure that their hands were clean and the number of deaths were greatly reduced.
Let us Serve with a Heart that is Clean 1 August 2008
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The women who came to that poorhouse, all carried a child inside.
These ladies felt low as a louse, for with shame they had come to reside.
The Doctors showed them compassion, and helped without charging a fee.
Self-righteousness was their reaction, with virtue all plainly could see.
Yet, once the night had fallen, these Doctors looked at other things.
In the morgue with germs a’ crawlin’, where death to each hand clings.
When they looked to find the answer, as to why these women died,
Infection's deadly cancer, was waiting there inside.
What made these women die, when giving birth right here?
As these Doctors wondered why, their answer seemed quite clear.
For, God will punish evil, and these women were unwed.
When you see the wheat has weevil, you throw away the bread.
And so the search progressed, with dead bodies in the night.
Using corpses they’d undressed, they tried to shed some light.
Then they found the tragic cause, and it truly is obscene.
So shed a tear and pause… yes, their OWN hands were unclean!
The disease that they had viewed, to know why Moms had died,
On they’re own hands had been glued, and this is how it got inside.
These doctors, asked to heal, had spread germs instead that killed.
How does a man then feel, who serves as sword instead of shield?
For, that is false compassion, harming those we claim to pity.
So let’s heed the truth again, and not re-play this ugly ditty.
There are women in the world, who spiritually have died.
Who have their clothing now unfurled, so men can look inside.
Some wicked men shun filth by day, while viewing it at night.
Yet, if each man follows in God’s way, he’ll fill our souls with light.
As we go forth to lift and bless, remember what these lessons mean.
For, we'll never create an immoral mess, as we serve with a heart that is clean.
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