By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
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!
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Analysis of the film - Master and Commander.
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
This film shows an English naval vessel carrying out its orders to protect international waters against the attack of a privateer named the Acheron or "Phantom" which is working for the French navy. The English ship disguises its-self as a whaler and then conducts a successful surprise attack on the privateer.
This movie shows that war is a terrible thing but there are things worth fighting for. This movie also shows the importance of good leadership, staying committed to a good cause, and using innovation and creativity to overcome challenges. This film also talks about the importance of friendship and also the need for justice and mercy.
At one point in the film, the captain of the English ship, "Lucky Jack", gets hit in the neck with some shrapnel as he comes up from below deck. The sound track becomes muffled and hard to understand after he is hit. This reflects his shocked state after being injured.
When the captain tells of Lord Nelson and wants to inspire his young officers, the frame includes the flame from two candles both when it shows a close up on the captain and the young officer. The scene is showing throughout the two candles that the captain wants to kindle the fire of patriotism in the heart of this potential future captain for the future good of the English navy.
The next Master shot, showing the boat sailing the sea on the next morning, is unsteady, as though a person were holding the camera while standing on the deck of a rolling ship. This gives us the sense that someone is watching from another ship. Sure enough, the sailors notice that they are being followed the next morning by the Acheron.
It is encouraging to see the observation of international law that is followed during the conflict depicted in this movie. We hear a line that points out that if the privateers were pirates they could hang them when they catch them; as they are privateers they must only take them prisoner. This is illustrated again in the decision of "Lucky Jack" to abandon his relentless pursuit of the phantom for the benefit of his friend who must have surgery on land.
I want to share a parable I made up that shows the effort that both captains (Because even the captain of the privateer only maroons the whaler boat captain and takes the crew captive rather than killing them) demonstrate in remaining civilized even while they are at war. In the world, there was a horrible monster. All of the good people gathered together to fight against the monster. The longer the good people did battle with the monster the more they became like the monster and the stronger the dark power of the monster grew. When they saw the effect of their efforts, the good people stopped fighting and tried to show the monster kindness and compassion. The good people hoped to limit it's evil power and win the fight in this way. Unfortunately, the monster did not weaken or change its course and only killed the good people in larger numbers.
The good people, who were near despair at this time remembered God and his promises. The good people realized that they had to do the best they could to fight the monster and defend their families while at the same time avoiding the tendency to become like the monster. The good people realized that even God will not force the monster to change, and yet, God has promised, that while the monster will continue to be evil, some day, He will keep the monster away from the good people forever. To receive this blessing the good people needed to oppose the monster without becoming one. The good people realized that the challenge before them was to win the battle, while at the same time, following the laws of God and the direction of his spirit. The good people gained courage, because they remembered God's promise that if they have faith in him, that he will fight their battles for them and deliver them from the horrible monster.
Sometimes in this world people are forced to do horrible things (such as, in this film, chopping the lifeline for a struggling sailor in order to accomplish the greater good of preserving the lives of everyone on the ship.) Sometimes, however, both the rescue of the one and the success and wellbeing of all can be accomplished. This is leadership, to know the difference and have the courage to act. People want to be governed by a leader that they respect. In order to command respect you must find strength within your self, you must rise above the simple relationship of "buddy" while avoiding being a tyrant. One of the other difficult things that "Lucky Jack" must do is to flog one of the sailors who failed to salute his superior (even though his superior may not have really deserved to be saluted.)
One of the best aspects of the screen writer’s efforts is the line which "Lucky Jack" utters to his friend the surgeon as they are having a very heated argument. He tells him that the observations, measurements, and specimens that he would collect on the islands are of no immediate application. Then after he returns the doctor to the island for surgery, one of the specimens that they have gathered is a walking stick. The method which this insect uses to disguises itself sparks "Lucky Jack's" mind and he does find an immediate application which helps him to ultimately defeat the phantom ship. This is the hallmark of a great film, even after watching it half-a-dozen times you still notice really cool things about it and it just keeps getting better and better with each viewing. This movie has a very good message for every viewer; the journey toward success, in enterprises large or small, are always aided by friendship, loyalty, and attention to the things that really matter most.
This film shows an English naval vessel carrying out its orders to protect international waters against the attack of a privateer named the Acheron or "Phantom" which is working for the French navy. The English ship disguises its-self as a whaler and then conducts a successful surprise attack on the privateer.
This movie shows that war is a terrible thing but there are things worth fighting for. This movie also shows the importance of good leadership, staying committed to a good cause, and using innovation and creativity to overcome challenges. This film also talks about the importance of friendship and also the need for justice and mercy.
At one point in the film, the captain of the English ship, "Lucky Jack", gets hit in the neck with some shrapnel as he comes up from below deck. The sound track becomes muffled and hard to understand after he is hit. This reflects his shocked state after being injured.
When the captain tells of Lord Nelson and wants to inspire his young officers, the frame includes the flame from two candles both when it shows a close up on the captain and the young officer. The scene is showing throughout the two candles that the captain wants to kindle the fire of patriotism in the heart of this potential future captain for the future good of the English navy.
The next Master shot, showing the boat sailing the sea on the next morning, is unsteady, as though a person were holding the camera while standing on the deck of a rolling ship. This gives us the sense that someone is watching from another ship. Sure enough, the sailors notice that they are being followed the next morning by the Acheron.
It is encouraging to see the observation of international law that is followed during the conflict depicted in this movie. We hear a line that points out that if the privateers were pirates they could hang them when they catch them; as they are privateers they must only take them prisoner. This is illustrated again in the decision of "Lucky Jack" to abandon his relentless pursuit of the phantom for the benefit of his friend who must have surgery on land.
I want to share a parable I made up that shows the effort that both captains (Because even the captain of the privateer only maroons the whaler boat captain and takes the crew captive rather than killing them) demonstrate in remaining civilized even while they are at war. In the world, there was a horrible monster. All of the good people gathered together to fight against the monster. The longer the good people did battle with the monster the more they became like the monster and the stronger the dark power of the monster grew. When they saw the effect of their efforts, the good people stopped fighting and tried to show the monster kindness and compassion. The good people hoped to limit it's evil power and win the fight in this way. Unfortunately, the monster did not weaken or change its course and only killed the good people in larger numbers.
The good people, who were near despair at this time remembered God and his promises. The good people realized that they had to do the best they could to fight the monster and defend their families while at the same time avoiding the tendency to become like the monster. The good people realized that even God will not force the monster to change, and yet, God has promised, that while the monster will continue to be evil, some day, He will keep the monster away from the good people forever. To receive this blessing the good people needed to oppose the monster without becoming one. The good people realized that the challenge before them was to win the battle, while at the same time, following the laws of God and the direction of his spirit. The good people gained courage, because they remembered God's promise that if they have faith in him, that he will fight their battles for them and deliver them from the horrible monster.
Sometimes in this world people are forced to do horrible things (such as, in this film, chopping the lifeline for a struggling sailor in order to accomplish the greater good of preserving the lives of everyone on the ship.) Sometimes, however, both the rescue of the one and the success and wellbeing of all can be accomplished. This is leadership, to know the difference and have the courage to act. People want to be governed by a leader that they respect. In order to command respect you must find strength within your self, you must rise above the simple relationship of "buddy" while avoiding being a tyrant. One of the other difficult things that "Lucky Jack" must do is to flog one of the sailors who failed to salute his superior (even though his superior may not have really deserved to be saluted.)
One of the best aspects of the screen writer’s efforts is the line which "Lucky Jack" utters to his friend the surgeon as they are having a very heated argument. He tells him that the observations, measurements, and specimens that he would collect on the islands are of no immediate application. Then after he returns the doctor to the island for surgery, one of the specimens that they have gathered is a walking stick. The method which this insect uses to disguises itself sparks "Lucky Jack's" mind and he does find an immediate application which helps him to ultimately defeat the phantom ship. This is the hallmark of a great film, even after watching it half-a-dozen times you still notice really cool things about it and it just keeps getting better and better with each viewing. This movie has a very good message for every viewer; the journey toward success, in enterprises large or small, are always aided by friendship, loyalty, and attention to the things that really matter most.
Is Your Heart Clean?
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I was listening to a radio program recently. 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
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.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I was listening to a radio program recently. 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
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.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The Grace of God
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Grace is not the removal of consequences for ongoing bad behavior. Grace is the miraculous, divine help that transforms us as people so that we can correct and overcome bad behavior. Imagine that a new oil company was started and this company had unlimited resources. They quickly build gas stations in every town in the world and announce that gas at these stations is free of charge. We could sit at home and say, “the gas is free, I don’t need to do anything to receive it.” If we held these beliefs, we would not get very far when we attempted to drive our vehicles. Even though the gas is free we need to go to an authorized gas station to fill up our tank. The gas is truly free, and there are still requirements to receive it. “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him.” “Faith without works is dead.” Knowing that the gas is free is not enough to sufficiently fuel our repentance and conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must also go to the authorized station and fill up our tank once a week. This will help us to have the power to arrive at our destination, eternal life in the presence of God. Can we boast about the journey that we have made? No, it was God who provided the gasoline.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Grace is not the removal of consequences for ongoing bad behavior. Grace is the miraculous, divine help that transforms us as people so that we can correct and overcome bad behavior. Imagine that a new oil company was started and this company had unlimited resources. They quickly build gas stations in every town in the world and announce that gas at these stations is free of charge. We could sit at home and say, “the gas is free, I don’t need to do anything to receive it.” If we held these beliefs, we would not get very far when we attempted to drive our vehicles. Even though the gas is free we need to go to an authorized gas station to fill up our tank. The gas is truly free, and there are still requirements to receive it. “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him.” “Faith without works is dead.” Knowing that the gas is free is not enough to sufficiently fuel our repentance and conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must also go to the authorized station and fill up our tank once a week. This will help us to have the power to arrive at our destination, eternal life in the presence of God. Can we boast about the journey that we have made? No, it was God who provided the gasoline.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The Christmas Wish
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
At Christmas time, the year that my eldest daughter was seven years old, we read the story of the “Northern Express” about a boy who goes to the North Pole on a train in the middle of the night. The boy in this story does not believe in Santa Clause anymore, and so he's unable to hear the bells on Santa’s sleigh. At the end of the story the boy believes in Santa Clause again, and thus can hear the magic ringing of the sleigh bell he received as a fulfillment of his greatest Christmas wish.
After hearing the story, my daughter made a similar wish. The only thing she really wanted for Christmas was a bell from Santa’s Sleigh. She had not written this wish in a letter to Santa or shared this hope with mommy or daddy. On Christmas morning my daughter found no such gift from Santa and she began to cry. When asked why she was so sad, she explained that she didn't get the only thing that she'd really wanted, a bell from Santa’s sleigh. I have told the children all their lives that Santa is real because there are many Santa Clauses and that they can be Santa too. Santa Clause is anyone who gives gifts to children anonymously. While my daughter was crying, I quickly went into the kitchen and grabbed a small sheet of tin foil and then went and got two jingle bells that I used for a visual aid in doing church work. I hastily wrapped the bells in the tinfoil and set it on one of the branches of the Christmas tree. I then asked by daughter to come back to the tree and look more carefully and make sure that she had not missed anything.
We looked for some time and then at last she saw the tinfoil package. She said, “But it does not have my name on it.” “Santa must have been very busy and just had to wrap it this way for you,” I offered. She opened the package, and there was the gift that she had most wanted. Her eyes dried immediately and she was very happy. She has had those bells hanging above her bed, ever since that Christmas day. Some day I may need to explain that there is no Santa Clause, who lives at the North Pole and flies around the world visiting every home, in one night. However, I also want to explain that parents want to see the dreams of their children come true. We want to see our children happy. Connected with our efforts to help our children be happy, is the act of deceiving them into believing in Santa Clause. This is the only way that we can be “Santa Clause” for them.
When your children look up into your eyes in complete innocence and love, you realize the sacred trust that has been given to you from God. We can become the kind of people that we are capable of becoming, in part, due to the desire to be a good example to our children, nieces, and nephews.
The difference between God and Santa Clause is very clear. In the case of Santa Clause there is inevitable disappointment. With God, there is never an accurate reason for loosing confidence in him. God exists, he created the earth in six days (this amazing gift for all of his children - whether wicked or righteous), and through the power of the Holy Ghost he can touch the heart of each person on the earth at the very same time. We can be completely honest with our children about the existence of God. In fact, helping our children, as much as possible, to believe in God and follow his commandments, is the way that we can be the kind of parents God wants us to be.
My greatest Christmas wish is that my daughter will receive many wonderful gifts from God through his spirit. Hearing the voice of the Spirit comes only to those who first believe. These gifts make up the musical harmony of a happy life. The joy received from the gifts of the spirit, is far more wonderful than the joy received from any gift that Santa can deliver.
I believe that my daughter is on the path to happiness and peace. One year before the "bell experience" she had a different experience, which I wrote about in the following poem:
Christmas Reverence
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The winter sun goes early to bed
As Christmas lights shine warm and bright
All passing eyes with the lights are led
To the manger scene a wondrous sight
My daughter was out in the evening air
In the quiet coolness of the winter snow
She went and got herself a chair
And sat before the mangers glow
She sat a long time with reverence resounding
and quietly looked at the little Christ Child
Love and joy in my heart was full and abounding
To see her sitting out there so meek and so mild
I saw her through the window and when she had returned
I asked what she was thinking to see what she had learned
My six-year-old daughter's response was thus...
"I was thinking about how he died for us."
Yes, when we see a manger scene let's try to do the same
To think about Lord Jesus and praise his holy name.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
At Christmas time, the year that my eldest daughter was seven years old, we read the story of the “Northern Express” about a boy who goes to the North Pole on a train in the middle of the night. The boy in this story does not believe in Santa Clause anymore, and so he's unable to hear the bells on Santa’s sleigh. At the end of the story the boy believes in Santa Clause again, and thus can hear the magic ringing of the sleigh bell he received as a fulfillment of his greatest Christmas wish.
After hearing the story, my daughter made a similar wish. The only thing she really wanted for Christmas was a bell from Santa’s Sleigh. She had not written this wish in a letter to Santa or shared this hope with mommy or daddy. On Christmas morning my daughter found no such gift from Santa and she began to cry. When asked why she was so sad, she explained that she didn't get the only thing that she'd really wanted, a bell from Santa’s sleigh. I have told the children all their lives that Santa is real because there are many Santa Clauses and that they can be Santa too. Santa Clause is anyone who gives gifts to children anonymously. While my daughter was crying, I quickly went into the kitchen and grabbed a small sheet of tin foil and then went and got two jingle bells that I used for a visual aid in doing church work. I hastily wrapped the bells in the tinfoil and set it on one of the branches of the Christmas tree. I then asked by daughter to come back to the tree and look more carefully and make sure that she had not missed anything.
We looked for some time and then at last she saw the tinfoil package. She said, “But it does not have my name on it.” “Santa must have been very busy and just had to wrap it this way for you,” I offered. She opened the package, and there was the gift that she had most wanted. Her eyes dried immediately and she was very happy. She has had those bells hanging above her bed, ever since that Christmas day. Some day I may need to explain that there is no Santa Clause, who lives at the North Pole and flies around the world visiting every home, in one night. However, I also want to explain that parents want to see the dreams of their children come true. We want to see our children happy. Connected with our efforts to help our children be happy, is the act of deceiving them into believing in Santa Clause. This is the only way that we can be “Santa Clause” for them.
When your children look up into your eyes in complete innocence and love, you realize the sacred trust that has been given to you from God. We can become the kind of people that we are capable of becoming, in part, due to the desire to be a good example to our children, nieces, and nephews.
The difference between God and Santa Clause is very clear. In the case of Santa Clause there is inevitable disappointment. With God, there is never an accurate reason for loosing confidence in him. God exists, he created the earth in six days (this amazing gift for all of his children - whether wicked or righteous), and through the power of the Holy Ghost he can touch the heart of each person on the earth at the very same time. We can be completely honest with our children about the existence of God. In fact, helping our children, as much as possible, to believe in God and follow his commandments, is the way that we can be the kind of parents God wants us to be.
My greatest Christmas wish is that my daughter will receive many wonderful gifts from God through his spirit. Hearing the voice of the Spirit comes only to those who first believe. These gifts make up the musical harmony of a happy life. The joy received from the gifts of the spirit, is far more wonderful than the joy received from any gift that Santa can deliver.
I believe that my daughter is on the path to happiness and peace. One year before the "bell experience" she had a different experience, which I wrote about in the following poem:
Christmas Reverence
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The winter sun goes early to bed
As Christmas lights shine warm and bright
All passing eyes with the lights are led
To the manger scene a wondrous sight
My daughter was out in the evening air
In the quiet coolness of the winter snow
She went and got herself a chair
And sat before the mangers glow
She sat a long time with reverence resounding
and quietly looked at the little Christ Child
Love and joy in my heart was full and abounding
To see her sitting out there so meek and so mild
I saw her through the window and when she had returned
I asked what she was thinking to see what she had learned
My six-year-old daughter's response was thus...
"I was thinking about how he died for us."
Yes, when we see a manger scene let's try to do the same
To think about Lord Jesus and praise his holy name.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Bible Bash in the Second Row
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Honoring our parents is very important. I learned just how important while attending Church with my family many years ago.
Our family was sitting in Church, all ten of us filling up the second row as usual. I was sitting at one end of the bench and my dad was at the other. Being unsupervised as I was, I pulled a few elastics out of my sock, tied them together and began flipping my little sister. My father looked down the row and saw me doing it so he opened up his bible to a certain passage and sent it down the row with the instructions to give it to me. My brothers and sisters, being as they are, took the liberty of reading it as it came to them. When it finally got to me I read it. The scripture was 1 Corinthians 13:11 "When I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: But when I became a man I put away childish things."
Now, when I read this I stopped... For a while, then I forgot and started again. My father saw that I was doing it again and sent this scripture down the row, my brothers and sisters also read this, Proverbs 15:5 "A fool dispiseth his fathers instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent."
Now, I am no match for my father's wisdom in things dealing with scriptures, but this time I thought that I had him. I sent up Matthew Chapter 5 verse 22. The last sentence states, "whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire." But, my dad proving again his superior knowledge sent back down Exodus 21:17 "And he that curseth his father or his mother, shall be surely put to death." After I read that, the problem was solved.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Honoring our parents is very important. I learned just how important while attending Church with my family many years ago.
Our family was sitting in Church, all ten of us filling up the second row as usual. I was sitting at one end of the bench and my dad was at the other. Being unsupervised as I was, I pulled a few elastics out of my sock, tied them together and began flipping my little sister. My father looked down the row and saw me doing it so he opened up his bible to a certain passage and sent it down the row with the instructions to give it to me. My brothers and sisters, being as they are, took the liberty of reading it as it came to them. When it finally got to me I read it. The scripture was 1 Corinthians 13:11 "When I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: But when I became a man I put away childish things."
Now, when I read this I stopped... For a while, then I forgot and started again. My father saw that I was doing it again and sent this scripture down the row, my brothers and sisters also read this, Proverbs 15:5 "A fool dispiseth his fathers instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent."
Now, I am no match for my father's wisdom in things dealing with scriptures, but this time I thought that I had him. I sent up Matthew Chapter 5 verse 22. The last sentence states, "whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire." But, my dad proving again his superior knowledge sent back down Exodus 21:17 "And he that curseth his father or his mother, shall be surely put to death." After I read that, the problem was solved.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Angry Scout Master
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
When I was a child my family went on a camping trip and we had what we called the "bravery tent." This was a small tent set up about 100 feet away from the rest of the tents. Those who slept in the bravery tent would get a prize in the morning. One of my siblings and I decided to sleep in the bravery tent. My sleeping bag was a very old army sleeping bag that had a hole in the lining. During the night as I slept in the bravery tent I somehow worked my way down into that hole in the lining. I woke up inside the lining of the sleeping bag. Because it was lined with white cotton I could not remember where I was (The interior lining of the sleeping bag was red). I screamed and fought in a panic and ripped my way out of the sleeping bag lining.
When I was a scout we went on a 50-mile hike. On the third day we camped in a very rocky area. There was limited space to set up a tent. The scoutmaster set up his very large tent on the only level smooth area for what seemed like miles. (I had a one man tent that I was determined to sleep in even though the large tent could have held us all.) In order to accomplish my desires I had to walk up the hill about 100 yards to find a level spot. After an hour of hard work digging large rocks out of the ground I had made it comfortable enough to sleep on.
During the night as I slept in my one-man tent I somehow ended up down in the bag with the opening folded underneath me. I woke up trapped in my sleeping bag and had a flashback to the bravery tent incident. I began screaming for help. The Scout Master, upon awakening, assumed that I was being attacked by a mountain lion. My worried Scout Master grabbed the axe and charged lickety-split up the rocky hill barefoot and in his underwear. A few moments before he arrived I struggled free, took a deep breath and realized what had happened. I heard him huffing and puffing up the hill and was struck with a different kind of terror. When he reached me I said weakly, "Never mind." He began to curse bitterly, turned around and hobbled down the hill. I found out later that I was lucky he didn't use the axe on me.
From these experiences I have learned just how important unity is (or at least how important it is to stay with the group). To this day my Scout Master hasn’t been able to laugh about this story. I believe that his feet may have been a little sore for the remaining 25 miles of the trip. Such is the power of an innocent flashback.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
P.S. (The following Scout Song Lyrics, can be sung to the tune of the Battle hymn of the republic. If only these lyrics were true in every case.)
It isn't any trouble just to S-M-I-L-E,
It isn't any trouble just to S-M-I-L-E.
There isn't any trouble, but will vanish like a bubble,
If you'll only take the trouble just to S-M-I-L-E.
Second Verse: It isn't any trouble just to G-R-I-N, Grin, etc.
Third Verse: It isn't any trouble just to L-A-U-G-H, etc.
Fourth Verse: It isn't any trouble just to HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! etc.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
When I was a child my family went on a camping trip and we had what we called the "bravery tent." This was a small tent set up about 100 feet away from the rest of the tents. Those who slept in the bravery tent would get a prize in the morning. One of my siblings and I decided to sleep in the bravery tent. My sleeping bag was a very old army sleeping bag that had a hole in the lining. During the night as I slept in the bravery tent I somehow worked my way down into that hole in the lining. I woke up inside the lining of the sleeping bag. Because it was lined with white cotton I could not remember where I was (The interior lining of the sleeping bag was red). I screamed and fought in a panic and ripped my way out of the sleeping bag lining.
When I was a scout we went on a 50-mile hike. On the third day we camped in a very rocky area. There was limited space to set up a tent. The scoutmaster set up his very large tent on the only level smooth area for what seemed like miles. (I had a one man tent that I was determined to sleep in even though the large tent could have held us all.) In order to accomplish my desires I had to walk up the hill about 100 yards to find a level spot. After an hour of hard work digging large rocks out of the ground I had made it comfortable enough to sleep on.
During the night as I slept in my one-man tent I somehow ended up down in the bag with the opening folded underneath me. I woke up trapped in my sleeping bag and had a flashback to the bravery tent incident. I began screaming for help. The Scout Master, upon awakening, assumed that I was being attacked by a mountain lion. My worried Scout Master grabbed the axe and charged lickety-split up the rocky hill barefoot and in his underwear. A few moments before he arrived I struggled free, took a deep breath and realized what had happened. I heard him huffing and puffing up the hill and was struck with a different kind of terror. When he reached me I said weakly, "Never mind." He began to curse bitterly, turned around and hobbled down the hill. I found out later that I was lucky he didn't use the axe on me.
From these experiences I have learned just how important unity is (or at least how important it is to stay with the group). To this day my Scout Master hasn’t been able to laugh about this story. I believe that his feet may have been a little sore for the remaining 25 miles of the trip. Such is the power of an innocent flashback.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
P.S. (The following Scout Song Lyrics, can be sung to the tune of the Battle hymn of the republic. If only these lyrics were true in every case.)
It isn't any trouble just to S-M-I-L-E,
It isn't any trouble just to S-M-I-L-E.
There isn't any trouble, but will vanish like a bubble,
If you'll only take the trouble just to S-M-I-L-E.
Second Verse: It isn't any trouble just to G-R-I-N, Grin, etc.
Third Verse: It isn't any trouble just to L-A-U-G-H, etc.
Fourth Verse: It isn't any trouble just to HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! etc.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Relationships
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
We must love our family more than our Occupations. After we are retired from our employment, it is our family that we want to continue to the end of our lives and throughout all eternity.
Consider the following quotes from Pauline Boss…
"Nobody is a perfect parent. Actually the imperfections of the average family are the child's first introduction to the real, imperfect world they would later have to cope with on their own."
"Sometimes when a family cannot obtain the facts about the whereabouts of a family member they take it on themselves to make a decision or choice whether that person is in or out of the family system. When a family member is consistently "missing", psychologically or physically, the rest of the family may decide to "close the individual out" and to proceed with family life as if he or she were not there. Although someone is missing the family is in limbo. They are unable to grieve their loss because they do not know if that person is in our out of the family. After they have been in limbo for a time and unsuccessful in their attempts to bring back the absent person, the family may decide that the situation is irretrievable. They now recognize that the family will never return to the way it once was, and the missing person is indeed gone and no longer available to them. With perceptions more or less agreed on even in the absence of clear facts, the family begins to grieve what they have lost. Sometimes a family makes a mistake in their decision. For example when a missing person returns after years of absence the family has to reopen its boundaries to let the person back in. Although reunions are usually positive, they can cause increased stress for individuals and families who had closed out the missing person. Getting family members back as well as loosing them can produce stress for families. Both loss and acquisition disturb the equilibrium and require reorganization not only of boundaries but also of all system interactions. This is a concept called 'family boundary ambiguity.' "
"Usually one family member breaks through the denial pattern first and, if allowed to talk freely, will break open the family's "unspoken secret" for everyone. Although painful, this action is the beginning of family reorganization and health. Lower stress and better health becomes possible for them despite their loss. The family talks together, perhaps cries together, and then reorganizes their family boundary, taking into account their loss. When families do not break through this denial system, their stress levels often increase."
"When a family member is missing, physically or psychologically, a high degree of boundary ambiguity keeps people in limbo. When there is no clear course of action, ambivalence can thrive. People dread closing out the family member who has been missing for a long time but at the same time they hope for closure and to be done with the waiting. They may even become angry with and wish that they could just never think of the person again and then be consumed with guilt for having such thoughts. The distress that results from conflicting emotions can become so overwhelming that families and the individuals in them become immobilized. They cannot decide what to do or how to act. They freeze. Ambivalence may be a normal reaction to a chronically ambiguous situation. This immobilization can be considered as frozen grief, low mastery, helplessness, hopelessness, blocked coping, blocked decision making, anxiety, depression, or all these. High boundary ambiguity during situations of ambiguous loss can lead to ambivalent feelings and behaviors toward the missing family member. Such feelings can best be coped with if they are recognized, talked about, and normalized to minimize immobilization from guilt and shame."
Consider also this statement from James Q. Wilson…
"We learn to cope with the people of this world because we learn to cope with the members of our family. Those who flee the family flee the world; bereft of the family's affection, tutelage, and challenges, they are unprepared for the world's tests, judgments, and demands"
And this follow-up comment by Neal A. Maxwell…
"How ironical that some go into a far country, leaving the nourishing family garden--in which there may be some weeds--and go into a desert with its tumbling sagebrush." (End Quote)
Let us stand with our families and work through the problems common to every family. Our Heavenly Father wants us to love one another.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
P.S. An Iowan walks into the hardware store to buy a chain saw. He says, "I want one that'll cut down about ten trees in an hour." So the clerk sells him one. The next day, the Iowan comes in all upset and says, "Hey, this chain saw only cut down one little tree in one hour!" The clerk said, "Gee, Let me take a look at it." And he pulled on the starter rope and the saw started up and the Iowan said, "Hey, what's that noise?"
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
We must love our family more than our Occupations. After we are retired from our employment, it is our family that we want to continue to the end of our lives and throughout all eternity.
Consider the following quotes from Pauline Boss…
"Nobody is a perfect parent. Actually the imperfections of the average family are the child's first introduction to the real, imperfect world they would later have to cope with on their own."
"Sometimes when a family cannot obtain the facts about the whereabouts of a family member they take it on themselves to make a decision or choice whether that person is in or out of the family system. When a family member is consistently "missing", psychologically or physically, the rest of the family may decide to "close the individual out" and to proceed with family life as if he or she were not there. Although someone is missing the family is in limbo. They are unable to grieve their loss because they do not know if that person is in our out of the family. After they have been in limbo for a time and unsuccessful in their attempts to bring back the absent person, the family may decide that the situation is irretrievable. They now recognize that the family will never return to the way it once was, and the missing person is indeed gone and no longer available to them. With perceptions more or less agreed on even in the absence of clear facts, the family begins to grieve what they have lost. Sometimes a family makes a mistake in their decision. For example when a missing person returns after years of absence the family has to reopen its boundaries to let the person back in. Although reunions are usually positive, they can cause increased stress for individuals and families who had closed out the missing person. Getting family members back as well as loosing them can produce stress for families. Both loss and acquisition disturb the equilibrium and require reorganization not only of boundaries but also of all system interactions. This is a concept called 'family boundary ambiguity.' "
"Usually one family member breaks through the denial pattern first and, if allowed to talk freely, will break open the family's "unspoken secret" for everyone. Although painful, this action is the beginning of family reorganization and health. Lower stress and better health becomes possible for them despite their loss. The family talks together, perhaps cries together, and then reorganizes their family boundary, taking into account their loss. When families do not break through this denial system, their stress levels often increase."
"When a family member is missing, physically or psychologically, a high degree of boundary ambiguity keeps people in limbo. When there is no clear course of action, ambivalence can thrive. People dread closing out the family member who has been missing for a long time but at the same time they hope for closure and to be done with the waiting. They may even become angry with and wish that they could just never think of the person again and then be consumed with guilt for having such thoughts. The distress that results from conflicting emotions can become so overwhelming that families and the individuals in them become immobilized. They cannot decide what to do or how to act. They freeze. Ambivalence may be a normal reaction to a chronically ambiguous situation. This immobilization can be considered as frozen grief, low mastery, helplessness, hopelessness, blocked coping, blocked decision making, anxiety, depression, or all these. High boundary ambiguity during situations of ambiguous loss can lead to ambivalent feelings and behaviors toward the missing family member. Such feelings can best be coped with if they are recognized, talked about, and normalized to minimize immobilization from guilt and shame."
Consider also this statement from James Q. Wilson…
"We learn to cope with the people of this world because we learn to cope with the members of our family. Those who flee the family flee the world; bereft of the family's affection, tutelage, and challenges, they are unprepared for the world's tests, judgments, and demands"
And this follow-up comment by Neal A. Maxwell…
"How ironical that some go into a far country, leaving the nourishing family garden--in which there may be some weeds--and go into a desert with its tumbling sagebrush." (End Quote)
Let us stand with our families and work through the problems common to every family. Our Heavenly Father wants us to love one another.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
P.S. An Iowan walks into the hardware store to buy a chain saw. He says, "I want one that'll cut down about ten trees in an hour." So the clerk sells him one. The next day, the Iowan comes in all upset and says, "Hey, this chain saw only cut down one little tree in one hour!" The clerk said, "Gee, Let me take a look at it." And he pulled on the starter rope and the saw started up and the Iowan said, "Hey, what's that noise?"
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
We have so much in common
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I suppose that the nature of the class was bound to attract people like myself. This class would naturally appeal to people who love books. Some people seem to feel that the written word is of equal value when compared with words that we hear with our ears. I have a great love for books, and so taking the Library Studies Skills Class at Weber State University, seemed like a dream come true! However, this class held an unexpected surprise for me when we visited the rare books collection at the Library.
The instructor explained about the rare books collection and then offered to give us the opportunity to look at some of these rare books. The instructor disappeared into the back room for a time and emerged with many wonderful old books. As he mentioned the books he had selected, my excitement grew to a heart pounding level. A few moments later, I held in my hands, a very old religious text that is connected with my faith in God. I opened the old book carefully, while supporting the binding tenderly. I read one of my favorite passages from the book and tears came flooding to my eyes. I felt that I was experiencing one of the singular events of my life as I read these sacred words from so ancient a copy of this beautiful book. I looked around the room, filled with a desire to share the joy I felt. I then noticed a man who was having the very same experience, as he was reading from an old religious text of a different religion. It was apparent to me that this man was of a religion and nationality different than my own. His eyes met mine, and as we saw the tears in the other persons eyes, he said, “These are beautiful,” as he cradled a book in his hands. “Yes they are”, I agreed.
There are moments where communication does not require either written or spoken words. This was such a moment. As I looked into his eyes, I realized that this man was a good and honest man. I realized at the same time, that whatever had moved him to tears must therefore be good as well. These feelings banished any fear, suspicion or prejudice instantly from my heart. I felt a bond of brotherhood with this man that I knew very little about. I felt as though God were reaching out to both of us at the same time through different voices, which were both inspired by him. God seemed to be reaching out in the language and circumstances of our lives with a language that transcends nationality and culture.
This experience happened a long time ago. The details regarding the other students with which I took this class are gone from my memory. I remember the things that I learned from the class. I remember doing the research at the library and I remember my instructor and the skill that he displayed while teaching this class. Even so, the most poignant memory from this class will always be the things that remained unspoken, between me and this other man. I wrote the following poem to describe further the things that I felt in that moment.
His image
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Many see your dark skin
And think they know you well
Other faiths say that we sin
And are headed straight for hell
When we look in the mirror
And memorize our face
We think that we grow nearer
To learning our true place.
Yet, the longer I live upon this earth,
And the more I meet new friends
I've learned a lesson of great worth
As my suspicion ends.
I've learned, as I look in your eyes
And walk on foreign sod
I see, in you, to my surprise
The image of our God.
I’ve thought a lot about the feelings of sacred wonder that this fellow student and I shared in that moment. We both had a desire to share the joy we had received from these wonderful records. This shared experience, gave me an appreciation for the things that other people hold sacred. I gained, in that moment, a greater understanding of the fact that we are all children of the same God. As human beings, we hope and yearn for the same things. As I think back to the night we spent in the rare books collection, I remember walking out of the Library and seeing the night sky. It was a clear night and there seemed to be an endless number of stars shining in the sky. I looked up at them, breathing in the cool night air and feeling wonderfully safe and at home in this world. At that moment, I realized very powerfully that those people who hold as sacred, the written words that teach civility and morality, have ever so much in common.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I suppose that the nature of the class was bound to attract people like myself. This class would naturally appeal to people who love books. Some people seem to feel that the written word is of equal value when compared with words that we hear with our ears. I have a great love for books, and so taking the Library Studies Skills Class at Weber State University, seemed like a dream come true! However, this class held an unexpected surprise for me when we visited the rare books collection at the Library.
The instructor explained about the rare books collection and then offered to give us the opportunity to look at some of these rare books. The instructor disappeared into the back room for a time and emerged with many wonderful old books. As he mentioned the books he had selected, my excitement grew to a heart pounding level. A few moments later, I held in my hands, a very old religious text that is connected with my faith in God. I opened the old book carefully, while supporting the binding tenderly. I read one of my favorite passages from the book and tears came flooding to my eyes. I felt that I was experiencing one of the singular events of my life as I read these sacred words from so ancient a copy of this beautiful book. I looked around the room, filled with a desire to share the joy I felt. I then noticed a man who was having the very same experience, as he was reading from an old religious text of a different religion. It was apparent to me that this man was of a religion and nationality different than my own. His eyes met mine, and as we saw the tears in the other persons eyes, he said, “These are beautiful,” as he cradled a book in his hands. “Yes they are”, I agreed.
There are moments where communication does not require either written or spoken words. This was such a moment. As I looked into his eyes, I realized that this man was a good and honest man. I realized at the same time, that whatever had moved him to tears must therefore be good as well. These feelings banished any fear, suspicion or prejudice instantly from my heart. I felt a bond of brotherhood with this man that I knew very little about. I felt as though God were reaching out to both of us at the same time through different voices, which were both inspired by him. God seemed to be reaching out in the language and circumstances of our lives with a language that transcends nationality and culture.
This experience happened a long time ago. The details regarding the other students with which I took this class are gone from my memory. I remember the things that I learned from the class. I remember doing the research at the library and I remember my instructor and the skill that he displayed while teaching this class. Even so, the most poignant memory from this class will always be the things that remained unspoken, between me and this other man. I wrote the following poem to describe further the things that I felt in that moment.
His image
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Many see your dark skin
And think they know you well
Other faiths say that we sin
And are headed straight for hell
When we look in the mirror
And memorize our face
We think that we grow nearer
To learning our true place.
Yet, the longer I live upon this earth,
And the more I meet new friends
I've learned a lesson of great worth
As my suspicion ends.
I've learned, as I look in your eyes
And walk on foreign sod
I see, in you, to my surprise
The image of our God.
I’ve thought a lot about the feelings of sacred wonder that this fellow student and I shared in that moment. We both had a desire to share the joy we had received from these wonderful records. This shared experience, gave me an appreciation for the things that other people hold sacred. I gained, in that moment, a greater understanding of the fact that we are all children of the same God. As human beings, we hope and yearn for the same things. As I think back to the night we spent in the rare books collection, I remember walking out of the Library and seeing the night sky. It was a clear night and there seemed to be an endless number of stars shining in the sky. I looked up at them, breathing in the cool night air and feeling wonderfully safe and at home in this world. At that moment, I realized very powerfully that those people who hold as sacred, the written words that teach civility and morality, have ever so much in common.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Good Communication
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
We attended a wedding reception recently and I was talking with a dear Lady who has been a friend to my wife from the time that she was little. I said to this Lady, “I’m looking for my children and so far I have only found one out of three.” I then pointed at my wife, who is expecting and said, “ I know right where the fourth child is though.” The Lady became very angry and said in a harsh tone, “And I’m sure that she would say the same thing about you!” “Oh, I didn’t mean it like that.” I explained, “I thought you knew that my wife is expecting, that is why I always know where our fourth child is.” “Oh, I’m sorry.” The blushing Lady replied as everyone had a good laugh.
I asked the children recently, “What is the way to be happy?” “To be nice”, answered one of the children. I inquired further, “What happens when someone is mean to you, how do you feel?” My youngest daughter said, “Well, you might feel like you need to kick them.”
My four year old son and I recently went on a Father and Sons campout. My Son was worried that if some babies came to the campout with their fathers that they might chew on his flashlight. He said that if babies came that he would hold his backpack over his head to keep it safe. During the first evening around the campfire my Son had marshmallow and dirt all over his face. “Son come over here so I can wash your face.” My Son asked with a smile, “So people can recognize me?” After he was cleaned up I said, “You’re a handsome boy.” He replied with enthusiasm, “You can say that again!”
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
We attended a wedding reception recently and I was talking with a dear Lady who has been a friend to my wife from the time that she was little. I said to this Lady, “I’m looking for my children and so far I have only found one out of three.” I then pointed at my wife, who is expecting and said, “ I know right where the fourth child is though.” The Lady became very angry and said in a harsh tone, “And I’m sure that she would say the same thing about you!” “Oh, I didn’t mean it like that.” I explained, “I thought you knew that my wife is expecting, that is why I always know where our fourth child is.” “Oh, I’m sorry.” The blushing Lady replied as everyone had a good laugh.
I asked the children recently, “What is the way to be happy?” “To be nice”, answered one of the children. I inquired further, “What happens when someone is mean to you, how do you feel?” My youngest daughter said, “Well, you might feel like you need to kick them.”
My four year old son and I recently went on a Father and Sons campout. My Son was worried that if some babies came to the campout with their fathers that they might chew on his flashlight. He said that if babies came that he would hold his backpack over his head to keep it safe. During the first evening around the campfire my Son had marshmallow and dirt all over his face. “Son come over here so I can wash your face.” My Son asked with a smile, “So people can recognize me?” After he was cleaned up I said, “You’re a handsome boy.” He replied with enthusiasm, “You can say that again!”
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The Horrible Moster
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
In the world, there was a horrible monster. All of the good people gathered together to fight against the monster. The longer the good people did battle with the monster the more they became like the monster and the stronger the dark power of the monster grew. When they saw the effect of their efforts, the good people stopped fighting and tried to show the monster kindness and compassion. The good people hoped to limit it's evil power and win the fight in this way. Unfortunately, the monster did not weaken or change its course and only killed the good people in larger numbers.
The good people, who were near despair, at this time remembered God and his promises. The good people realized that they had to do the best they could to fight the monster and defend their families while at the same time avoiding the tendency to become like the monster. The good people realized that even God will not force the monster to change, and yet, God has promised, that while the monster will continue to be evil, some day, He will keep the monster away from the good people forever. To receive this blessing the good people needed to oppose the monster without becoming one. The good people realized that the challenge before them, was to win the battle, while at the same time, following the laws of God and the direction of his spirit. The good people gained courage, because they remembered God's promise that if they have faith in him, that he will fight their battles for them and deliver them from the horrible monster.
Moroni 9:6 "And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God."
1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"
P.S. Knock Knock
Who's There?
Impatient Cow
Impatient C...
Moo!
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
In the world, there was a horrible monster. All of the good people gathered together to fight against the monster. The longer the good people did battle with the monster the more they became like the monster and the stronger the dark power of the monster grew. When they saw the effect of their efforts, the good people stopped fighting and tried to show the monster kindness and compassion. The good people hoped to limit it's evil power and win the fight in this way. Unfortunately, the monster did not weaken or change its course and only killed the good people in larger numbers.
The good people, who were near despair, at this time remembered God and his promises. The good people realized that they had to do the best they could to fight the monster and defend their families while at the same time avoiding the tendency to become like the monster. The good people realized that even God will not force the monster to change, and yet, God has promised, that while the monster will continue to be evil, some day, He will keep the monster away from the good people forever. To receive this blessing the good people needed to oppose the monster without becoming one. The good people realized that the challenge before them, was to win the battle, while at the same time, following the laws of God and the direction of his spirit. The good people gained courage, because they remembered God's promise that if they have faith in him, that he will fight their battles for them and deliver them from the horrible monster.
Moroni 9:6 "And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God."
1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"
P.S. Knock Knock
Who's There?
Impatient Cow
Impatient C...
Moo!
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
My Wonderful Mom
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
When we were camping, Mom would never forget to enjoy a sunset, and she always marveled at the beauty of flowers. One of my favorite memories of her is her ability to enjoy the beauties of nature as we were walking along the trail. Once there was some Indian paintbrush that was all different colors, and she decided to collect a variety of shades. In the end she had a huge bouquet of Indian paintbrush, going from pale yellow all the way through deep red, with each exact shade there in order. She was just happy as she walked along that little trail and observed the beauty of nature and the works of God. She taught me to enjoy those same things. I am able to respect our Father in Heaven and his love, and to appreciate the power and majesty that he has in his hand. My mom taught me that. I never realized that I had learned all of these lessons in such subtle ways.
When there are eight children in a family it is sometimes difficult to get individual attention. But whenever I was feeling discouraged or I needed a little bit of support, I would find some treats or something tucked away especially for me. I can remember one day I came home from a difficult day at school and went down to my bedroom and there was a plate of cookies and a note from my mother. I will never forget that. It was such a surprise to go in there and be able to read that note and feel of her love for me. She was able to do that every time that I needed her. She would always take the time to talk with me. With eight children, she couldn't give me all of her attention, but she knew when I needed it.
One time I was throwing fruit at cars. A man stopped his car and came and told what I had done. I thought I was in for it. My mom just took me inside and sat me on the bed and talked to me. Then she just left and made me sit there and think about it for quite a while. It was better than any punishment that she could have given.
I am very thankful for my mother's prayers. She still prays for me. I will always remember waiting for her in the celestial room after receiving the endowment at the Salt Lake Temple. I was reflecting upon the meaning of things, and I just felt a great urgency to see her. I remember when she came into the room I embraced my mother and cried tears of joy for such a wonderful person in my life and such a great teacher.
I love my Mom.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
When we were camping, Mom would never forget to enjoy a sunset, and she always marveled at the beauty of flowers. One of my favorite memories of her is her ability to enjoy the beauties of nature as we were walking along the trail. Once there was some Indian paintbrush that was all different colors, and she decided to collect a variety of shades. In the end she had a huge bouquet of Indian paintbrush, going from pale yellow all the way through deep red, with each exact shade there in order. She was just happy as she walked along that little trail and observed the beauty of nature and the works of God. She taught me to enjoy those same things. I am able to respect our Father in Heaven and his love, and to appreciate the power and majesty that he has in his hand. My mom taught me that. I never realized that I had learned all of these lessons in such subtle ways.
When there are eight children in a family it is sometimes difficult to get individual attention. But whenever I was feeling discouraged or I needed a little bit of support, I would find some treats or something tucked away especially for me. I can remember one day I came home from a difficult day at school and went down to my bedroom and there was a plate of cookies and a note from my mother. I will never forget that. It was such a surprise to go in there and be able to read that note and feel of her love for me. She was able to do that every time that I needed her. She would always take the time to talk with me. With eight children, she couldn't give me all of her attention, but she knew when I needed it.
One time I was throwing fruit at cars. A man stopped his car and came and told what I had done. I thought I was in for it. My mom just took me inside and sat me on the bed and talked to me. Then she just left and made me sit there and think about it for quite a while. It was better than any punishment that she could have given.
I am very thankful for my mother's prayers. She still prays for me. I will always remember waiting for her in the celestial room after receiving the endowment at the Salt Lake Temple. I was reflecting upon the meaning of things, and I just felt a great urgency to see her. I remember when she came into the room I embraced my mother and cried tears of joy for such a wonderful person in my life and such a great teacher.
I love my Mom.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Loving One Another
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I went and visited my Grandma (On my Mothers Side) shortly before she died and talked about a book that she helped to create. She was going to give a copy of it to each of her children. I read part of the book to my Grandma. I finished by reading a poem someone had written as a tribute about her father. The poem talked about the dignity with which he lived his life. His wife had preceded him in death many years before, and at the end of the poem it talked about the happy reunion that they must have had when he passed away. This was especially touching because my Grandpa passed away 15 years ago and grandma had lived her life with the same dignity and grace spoken of in the poem. It was beautiful! We both cried as I read the end. I love my Grandma and admire her for living alone and not having the best of health and still she continued to go forward in faith loving each and every one of her children and grandchildren. She has since passed away and I know that there was a very happy reunion when her and her husband saw one another again.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I went and visited my Grandma (On my Mothers Side) shortly before she died and talked about a book that she helped to create. She was going to give a copy of it to each of her children. I read part of the book to my Grandma. I finished by reading a poem someone had written as a tribute about her father. The poem talked about the dignity with which he lived his life. His wife had preceded him in death many years before, and at the end of the poem it talked about the happy reunion that they must have had when he passed away. This was especially touching because my Grandpa passed away 15 years ago and grandma had lived her life with the same dignity and grace spoken of in the poem. It was beautiful! We both cried as I read the end. I love my Grandma and admire her for living alone and not having the best of health and still she continued to go forward in faith loving each and every one of her children and grandchildren. She has since passed away and I know that there was a very happy reunion when her and her husband saw one another again.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Funny Law Court Transcripts
Author Unknown
These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are
things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now
published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while
these exchanges were actually taking place.
__________________________________
Q: What is your date of birth?
A: July 15th.
Q: What year?
A: Every year.
______________________________________
Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
______________________________________
Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
A: I forget.
Q: You forget? Can you give us an example of something that you've
forgotten?
_____________________________________
Q: How old is your son, the one living with you?
A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?
A: Forty-five years.
_____________________________________
Q: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo or the
occult?
A: We both do.
Q: Voodoo?
A: We do.
Q: You do?
A: Yes, voodoo.
______________________________________
Q: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his
sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
A: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
___________________________________
Q: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
_____________________________________
Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?
______________________________________
Q: She had three children, right?
A: Yes.
Q: How many were boys?
A: None.
Q: Were there any girls?
______________________________________
Q: How was your first marriage terminated?
A: By death.
Q: And by whose death was it terminated?
______________________________________
Q: Can you describe the individual?
A: He was about medium height and had a beard.
Q: Was this a male, or a female?
______________________________________
Q: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice
which I sent to your attorney?
A: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________
Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?
A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
______________________________________
Q: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
A: Oral.
______________________________________
Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?
A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.
These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are
things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now
published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while
these exchanges were actually taking place.
__________________________________
Q: What is your date of birth?
A: July 15th.
Q: What year?
A: Every year.
______________________________________
Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
______________________________________
Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
A: I forget.
Q: You forget? Can you give us an example of something that you've
forgotten?
_____________________________________
Q: How old is your son, the one living with you?
A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?
A: Forty-five years.
_____________________________________
Q: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo or the
occult?
A: We both do.
Q: Voodoo?
A: We do.
Q: You do?
A: Yes, voodoo.
______________________________________
Q: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his
sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
A: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
___________________________________
Q: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
_____________________________________
Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?
______________________________________
Q: She had three children, right?
A: Yes.
Q: How many were boys?
A: None.
Q: Were there any girls?
______________________________________
Q: How was your first marriage terminated?
A: By death.
Q: And by whose death was it terminated?
______________________________________
Q: Can you describe the individual?
A: He was about medium height and had a beard.
Q: Was this a male, or a female?
______________________________________
Q: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice
which I sent to your attorney?
A: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________
Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?
A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
______________________________________
Q: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
A: Oral.
______________________________________
Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?
A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.
Santa's Claws
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
How grateful I am for my wife. A few years ago at Christmas time she helped me understand some very confusing things! For instance, we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house and my Daughter pointed to a Mrs. Clause doll on the shelf and said, "That's Mrs. Scratch." "Mrs. Scratch? Where did she get that from?" I asked my wife. "Well, it makes sense, if her husbands name is Santa Claws." Replied my wife.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
P.S. A man was recently placed under arrest and taken to prison. When he reached the prison and was in his cell with his cell-mate, one of the prisoners on the cell-block shouted "Seventy-Two" after this everyone started laughing hysterically. The new prisoner was puzzled and asked his cell-mate what it was all about. "We have this old joke book that has been passed around the prison so many times that we all have it memorized. We just shout out the number of the joke instead of telling it." Replied his cell mate. The new prisoner asked if he could read the book. After he got the joke book he spent the next month committing all of the jokes to memory. Finally he decided to try telling one of the jokes from the book. That afternoon after lunch when everything was quiet on the cell-block he shouted, "Forty-three." No one laughed. The new prisoner turned to his cell mate and asked, "Why wasn't joke Forty-three funny?" His cell-mate replied, "That is a funny one, but, it's all in the delivery, I guess some people can tell a joke well and some people just can't."
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
How grateful I am for my wife. A few years ago at Christmas time she helped me understand some very confusing things! For instance, we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house and my Daughter pointed to a Mrs. Clause doll on the shelf and said, "That's Mrs. Scratch." "Mrs. Scratch? Where did she get that from?" I asked my wife. "Well, it makes sense, if her husbands name is Santa Claws." Replied my wife.
I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
P.S. A man was recently placed under arrest and taken to prison. When he reached the prison and was in his cell with his cell-mate, one of the prisoners on the cell-block shouted "Seventy-Two" after this everyone started laughing hysterically. The new prisoner was puzzled and asked his cell-mate what it was all about. "We have this old joke book that has been passed around the prison so many times that we all have it memorized. We just shout out the number of the joke instead of telling it." Replied his cell mate. The new prisoner asked if he could read the book. After he got the joke book he spent the next month committing all of the jokes to memory. Finally he decided to try telling one of the jokes from the book. That afternoon after lunch when everything was quiet on the cell-block he shouted, "Forty-three." No one laughed. The new prisoner turned to his cell mate and asked, "Why wasn't joke Forty-three funny?" His cell-mate replied, "That is a funny one, but, it's all in the delivery, I guess some people can tell a joke well and some people just can't."
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Is Mormonism a Cult?
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
There are multiple definitions of the word cult in the Dictionary. Because there are multiple definitions of words, (and we have no way, while speaking, to indicate which definition we are using), people can argue about something and both be 100 percent correct.
There are many people, who claim to follow the teachings of Jesus, that use the word "Cult" to describe religions that are different than their own.
Here is the definition of that word...
Cult
1-A particular system of religious worship, Esp. with reference to it's rites and ceremonies.
2-An instance of great veneration of a person, idea, or thing, Esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: A cult of Napoleon.
3-The object of such devotion.
4-A group or sect bound together by devotion to or veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
5-A group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centered around their sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
6-A religion that is considered or held to be false or unorthox.
I have realized that as I talk with someone who uses this term to label me, I could say to him, "My friend, we belong to the same cult. The cult of Jesus." According to definition number two, I would be 100 percent correct. This would likely shock my friend and make him extremely angry however, because the only definition of the word cult that he may be aware of, is number six. (Though, if I were to say this, I would be referring to definition number 4.) If a person feels that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints fits definition number 6, I would like to let this person know that I respect the right and privilege that you have to believe that the Mormon Church is a false religion.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
There are multiple definitions of the word cult in the Dictionary. Because there are multiple definitions of words, (and we have no way, while speaking, to indicate which definition we are using), people can argue about something and both be 100 percent correct.
There are many people, who claim to follow the teachings of Jesus, that use the word "Cult" to describe religions that are different than their own.
Here is the definition of that word...
Cult
1-A particular system of religious worship, Esp. with reference to it's rites and ceremonies.
2-An instance of great veneration of a person, idea, or thing, Esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: A cult of Napoleon.
3-The object of such devotion.
4-A group or sect bound together by devotion to or veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
5-A group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centered around their sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
6-A religion that is considered or held to be false or unorthox.
I have realized that as I talk with someone who uses this term to label me, I could say to him, "My friend, we belong to the same cult. The cult of Jesus." According to definition number two, I would be 100 percent correct. This would likely shock my friend and make him extremely angry however, because the only definition of the word cult that he may be aware of, is number six. (Though, if I were to say this, I would be referring to definition number 4.) If a person feels that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints fits definition number 6, I would like to let this person know that I respect the right and privilege that you have to believe that the Mormon Church is a false religion.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Are Mormons Christian?
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
There are multiple definitions of the word Christian in the Dictionary. Because there are multiple definitions of words, (and we have no way, while speaking, to indicate which definition we are using), people can argue on both sides of an issue about something and both be 100 percent correct.
For instance, the dictionary defines the word Christian in the following ways...
Christian
1-Pertaining to or derived from Jesus Christ or his teachings.
2-Of, pertaining to or adhering to a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
3-Of, or pertaining to Christians
4-Exhibiting a spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ, as in having a loving regard for other persons.
5-A person who believes in Jesus Christ; An adherent of Christianity.
6-A person who exemplifies in his life the teachings of Christ.
According to these definitions, someone may be correct when he says that one particular member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not a Christian. (ie. Perhaps one specific Mormon they know, who seems to hate people and does not "have a loving regard for them." As required in definition number four.) On the other hand, a person might simply be confused if he makes the Statement that all Mormons are not Christians. Which definition is he using then?
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
There are multiple definitions of the word Christian in the Dictionary. Because there are multiple definitions of words, (and we have no way, while speaking, to indicate which definition we are using), people can argue on both sides of an issue about something and both be 100 percent correct.
For instance, the dictionary defines the word Christian in the following ways...
Christian
1-Pertaining to or derived from Jesus Christ or his teachings.
2-Of, pertaining to or adhering to a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
3-Of, or pertaining to Christians
4-Exhibiting a spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ, as in having a loving regard for other persons.
5-A person who believes in Jesus Christ; An adherent of Christianity.
6-A person who exemplifies in his life the teachings of Christ.
According to these definitions, someone may be correct when he says that one particular member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not a Christian. (ie. Perhaps one specific Mormon they know, who seems to hate people and does not "have a loving regard for them." As required in definition number four.) On the other hand, a person might simply be confused if he makes the Statement that all Mormons are not Christians. Which definition is he using then?
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Have Mormons been Decieved?
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The following comes from the book, History of Salt Lake City by Edward William Tullidge…
“When President Ulysses S. Grant, on his entrance to Salt Lake City (for the first time), in his carriage, passed the multitude of Sunday School children who, under their teachers, had gathered, arrayed in white to welcome him- in their simplicity of manner, emphasizing the greeting of Brigham Young, 'This is the first time I have had the honor of meeting a President of my nation' – he turned to Governor Emery and enquired, ‘Whose children are these?’ He was answered by the Governor, ‘Mormon children.’ For several moments the President was silent, and then he murmered, in a tone of self-reproach, ‘I have been deceived!’ It was in vain for any anti-Mormon, after that utterance, to tell him that those children had been arrayed to give him welcome, for the purpose of making a favorable impression on his mind in behalf of their Mormon parents. To a man of so strong a religious nature as that of Ulysses S. Grant… these Sunday School children, brought up in the fear of the Lord, were, on this Sabbath day of his entrance into our city, more powerful sermons than he had ever heard… (in his church) against the Mormons from his favorite pastor. And even the depreciatory expounding of the anti-Mormon – that this array of Sunday School children was “all gotten up for effect” – would have been entirely lost on a man of simple directness of mind, for Mormon parents, who could with so much natural sagacity conceive the plot of capturing the conqueror of southern rebeldom, by an army of their Sunday School children, were surely not wicked parents, nor unworthy of the regard of the representative ‘father of his Country.’ “
I am a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (a Mormon) and as such, like every other Mormon, I have been encouraged by the church to search for and accept the truth wherever I can find it. I have read the sixty-six books in the bible through (several times) I have read all of the Biblical Apocrypha, I have read the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and the Pearl of Great Price. I’ve been told, over the years, by several people (Who have not read all of these things) that I have been deceived. I find it interesting that many of the people who call me deceived are, in truth, the ones who are in a deceived state about what I believe and what the LDS Church teaches. Many videos and much written information have been produced by former members of the LDS church, which are intentionally dishonest. Many of these materials are circulated vigorously by some of our friends of other faiths in a seeming effort to bring fear into the hearts of their people so that they will not investigate the “More” that Mormonism offers. I have read books given to me by my friends of other faiths regarding their religion. I have had the experience of seeing fear in the eyes of someone as they tell me that they will never read the Book of Mormon. This fear is unnecessary for all those who believe that God can speak to our spirits through the Holy Ghost and help us discern the difference between truth and error. Faith is a much better approach to finding truth and goodness than fear. I believe that there are many who more closely fit the definition of being deceived if they blindly accept what they are told about the LDS Church and the people within this faith without personally questioning and investigating the validity of what they are being told.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The following comes from the book, History of Salt Lake City by Edward William Tullidge…
“When President Ulysses S. Grant, on his entrance to Salt Lake City (for the first time), in his carriage, passed the multitude of Sunday School children who, under their teachers, had gathered, arrayed in white to welcome him- in their simplicity of manner, emphasizing the greeting of Brigham Young, 'This is the first time I have had the honor of meeting a President of my nation' – he turned to Governor Emery and enquired, ‘Whose children are these?’ He was answered by the Governor, ‘Mormon children.’ For several moments the President was silent, and then he murmered, in a tone of self-reproach, ‘I have been deceived!’ It was in vain for any anti-Mormon, after that utterance, to tell him that those children had been arrayed to give him welcome, for the purpose of making a favorable impression on his mind in behalf of their Mormon parents. To a man of so strong a religious nature as that of Ulysses S. Grant… these Sunday School children, brought up in the fear of the Lord, were, on this Sabbath day of his entrance into our city, more powerful sermons than he had ever heard… (in his church) against the Mormons from his favorite pastor. And even the depreciatory expounding of the anti-Mormon – that this array of Sunday School children was “all gotten up for effect” – would have been entirely lost on a man of simple directness of mind, for Mormon parents, who could with so much natural sagacity conceive the plot of capturing the conqueror of southern rebeldom, by an army of their Sunday School children, were surely not wicked parents, nor unworthy of the regard of the representative ‘father of his Country.’ “
I am a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (a Mormon) and as such, like every other Mormon, I have been encouraged by the church to search for and accept the truth wherever I can find it. I have read the sixty-six books in the bible through (several times) I have read all of the Biblical Apocrypha, I have read the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and the Pearl of Great Price. I’ve been told, over the years, by several people (Who have not read all of these things) that I have been deceived. I find it interesting that many of the people who call me deceived are, in truth, the ones who are in a deceived state about what I believe and what the LDS Church teaches. Many videos and much written information have been produced by former members of the LDS church, which are intentionally dishonest. Many of these materials are circulated vigorously by some of our friends of other faiths in a seeming effort to bring fear into the hearts of their people so that they will not investigate the “More” that Mormonism offers. I have read books given to me by my friends of other faiths regarding their religion. I have had the experience of seeing fear in the eyes of someone as they tell me that they will never read the Book of Mormon. This fear is unnecessary for all those who believe that God can speak to our spirits through the Holy Ghost and help us discern the difference between truth and error. Faith is a much better approach to finding truth and goodness than fear. I believe that there are many who more closely fit the definition of being deceived if they blindly accept what they are told about the LDS Church and the people within this faith without personally questioning and investigating the validity of what they are being told.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Do Mormons Worship Joseph Smith?
A great quote from "LDS Girl"
“Experiences that are out of the ordinary are common at the Referral Center, a call center for free items from the L.D.S. church, but one experience in particular has stuck in my mind. I spoke with a man who had many questions about the beliefs of church members and our stance on social issues, like abortion, stem cell research, etc. Questions are no problem and we spent a long time talking.
“During the conversation the man kept bringing up how we worship Joseph Smith and I had to correct him three or four times, telling him that just is not true. It bothered me a little that he seemed not to believe me. He seemed to think he knew better than I did what I believe. I have been a member of this church for 17 years and I've never been taught to worship Joseph Smith nor have I.
“Through this experience I can see that there may be a misunderstanding about the role of Jesus Christ and the role of Joseph Smith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here is what we really believe: We believe Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the Son of God. (We only worship Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father.) We pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ. I have felt the love of God and the Savior in my life. I know they are aware of me and help me through life.
“Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. His role, just like the prophets of old (Moses, Abraham, etc.), was to reveal the will of Heavenly Father. Joseph was a great man like the prophets we read about in the Bible. He restored to the earth the truths that were lost after the death of Christ and His Apostles.
"Chirst is our Savior and is the head of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith was a man called to be a prophet in our day.”
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
“Experiences that are out of the ordinary are common at the Referral Center, a call center for free items from the L.D.S. church, but one experience in particular has stuck in my mind. I spoke with a man who had many questions about the beliefs of church members and our stance on social issues, like abortion, stem cell research, etc. Questions are no problem and we spent a long time talking.
“During the conversation the man kept bringing up how we worship Joseph Smith and I had to correct him three or four times, telling him that just is not true. It bothered me a little that he seemed not to believe me. He seemed to think he knew better than I did what I believe. I have been a member of this church for 17 years and I've never been taught to worship Joseph Smith nor have I.
“Through this experience I can see that there may be a misunderstanding about the role of Jesus Christ and the role of Joseph Smith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here is what we really believe: We believe Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the Son of God. (We only worship Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father.) We pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ. I have felt the love of God and the Savior in my life. I know they are aware of me and help me through life.
“Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. His role, just like the prophets of old (Moses, Abraham, etc.), was to reveal the will of Heavenly Father. Joseph was a great man like the prophets we read about in the Bible. He restored to the earth the truths that were lost after the death of Christ and His Apostles.
"Chirst is our Savior and is the head of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith was a man called to be a prophet in our day.”
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Why did the LDS Church withhold the Priesthood from black men until 1978?
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I was sitting in church last Sunday next to one of my Black brothers. He mentioned that he had a discussion recently with some of our Friends of other Faiths about the blacks not being able to receive the priesthood until 1978. He asked for my thoughts (Which I offer here in an expanded version) on this subject and so I explained to him my belief that it was the Lord, Jesus Christ who directed that the priesthood not be given to black men up until 1978. It was also the Lord who, in 1978 directed the Church, through his Prophet, to allow every worthy Male to hold the priesthood. The reason I believe that the Lord directed the Church to withhold the priesthood from black men until 1978 is the very same reason that the whole world did not have the priesthood for around 1,200 years (From somewhere around 500 AD to the early 1800s, - as Mormons believe). The wickedness of the world was the reason that the priesthood has been withheld at any time during the history of this world. I believe that it was not the wickedness or righteousness of black men, but the wickedness of the world in which they lived that caused the need to withhold the priesthood for a time.
Our Father in Heaven wants all of his children to know the fullness of his gospel, for all worthy males to hold the priesthood, and for all of his children to have access to temples. Our Father in Heaven does not change, he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The followers of God, however, change in their commitment level and willingness to follow Gods commandments. For this reason God must change the way that he interacts with his children. In the hopeless situation at the time of Noah the way our Heavenly Father chose to act was to Save only Noah and his extended family and destroy all of the other wicked people by the flood. After the death of Jesus and his Apostles the Authority to act in the name of God was taken from the earth because of wickedness.
The Book of Mormon contains an Allegory from a prophet named Zenos in which the restoration of the Gospel in the Latter days is described in the following terms, "And as they begin to grow ye shall clear away the branches which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I lose the trees of my vineyard." As I contemplate the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it seems to me that those who led the church always wanted to give the priesthood to our black brothers sooner than the "strength of the good" would have justified it. As I understand it, the prophet Joseph Smith authorized a sealing to be performed for a black man in the early days of the Church. When he was the mayor of Nauvoo Joseph Smith gave one of his own horses to a Black man who had recieve a fine from the city. This black mand was a "freeman" who was trying to purchase the freedom of his son and without the gift of the prophet's horse he would not have been able to afford both the fine and the price of his son.
The sympathies of the prophets from Joseph Smith to Spencer W. Kimball seem to have been with their black brothers as when Spencer W. Kimball said, "Aware of the promises made by the prophets and presidents of the Church who have preceded us that at some time, in God's eternal plan, all of our brethren who are worthy may receive the priesthood, and witnessing the faithfulness of those from whom the priesthood has been withheld, we have pleaded long and earnestly in behalf of these, our faithful brethren, spending many hours in the Upper Room of the Temple supplicating the Lord for divine guidance."
In the history of Israel we see that when Moses came down from the top of Mount Sinai the children of Israel had made bad choices and turned to Idolatry. Because of the wickedness of the people, the Lord only allowed the people to have only the lesser priesthood (Withholding the higher priesthood) and only allowed a small portion of the people (Those in the tribe of Levi) to hold the priesthood. In a similar way the United States of America allowed Slavery at the time of the Prophet Joseph Smith. This Christian Nation may have felt justified to some degree in holding slaves because of the words of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament regarding the Slavery that occurred in his day, "Whoever is a slave must make the best of it, giving respect to his master so that outsiders don't blame God and our teaching for his behavior. Slaves with Christian masters all the more so - Their masters are really their beloved brothers."
It is interesting to note that there were two slaves who came (as slaves) to the west with the Mormon Pioneers. These two slaves, a Brother and Sister, had been presented as wedding gifts to one of the families who came west. These slaves were treated like a beloved Brother and Sister by their Mormon Christian masters. One of these slaves was driving the wagon of Brigham Young when Brigham Young said to him, "This is the right place, drive on." These two Slaves were amoung a very small number of Black People in Utah for a long time. These two slaves eventually gained their freedom and were members of the LDS Church all of their lives and died firm in the faith of the restored gospel. In Paul's day and in the days of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young “the good” did not yet have enough strength to abolish the evil of slavery. Even after Abraham Lincoln had signed the emancipation proclamation there were still virtual slave situations and only after the efforts of Martin Luther King Jr. and others did Slavery truly begin to end without the violence and murder that accompanied earlier efforts to stop it completely.
Once the world had conquered the evil and wickedness that existed in the form of Slavery, the “good” was sufficiently strong to overcome the “bad” and our Heavenly Father was able to reveal through the Prophet Spencer W. Kimball that the time had come for all Worthy Males to be able to receive the priesthood. In the early days of the Church the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Saints were persecuted very badly and if they had come out and pushed at that time to abolish slavery and emancipate every slave in the United States of America, the persecution would have multiplied tenfold. In my opinion, the Lord had to wait, to "clear away" the evil of slavery, only then did his church have sufficient strength to provided the "good" of the priesthood to every worthy male. Through the wisdom of the Lord the tree has been preserved and now the priesthood is available to every worthy man who has ever lived upon this earth. The ordinances of the temple are also available for all of the children of God in any age, through the work that is done in the temples, for and in behalf of those who have passed on. God's wisdom is truly over all the earth and his purposes will roll on until all his words are fulfilled.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
I was sitting in church last Sunday next to one of my Black brothers. He mentioned that he had a discussion recently with some of our Friends of other Faiths about the blacks not being able to receive the priesthood until 1978. He asked for my thoughts (Which I offer here in an expanded version) on this subject and so I explained to him my belief that it was the Lord, Jesus Christ who directed that the priesthood not be given to black men up until 1978. It was also the Lord who, in 1978 directed the Church, through his Prophet, to allow every worthy Male to hold the priesthood. The reason I believe that the Lord directed the Church to withhold the priesthood from black men until 1978 is the very same reason that the whole world did not have the priesthood for around 1,200 years (From somewhere around 500 AD to the early 1800s, - as Mormons believe). The wickedness of the world was the reason that the priesthood has been withheld at any time during the history of this world. I believe that it was not the wickedness or righteousness of black men, but the wickedness of the world in which they lived that caused the need to withhold the priesthood for a time.
Our Father in Heaven wants all of his children to know the fullness of his gospel, for all worthy males to hold the priesthood, and for all of his children to have access to temples. Our Father in Heaven does not change, he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The followers of God, however, change in their commitment level and willingness to follow Gods commandments. For this reason God must change the way that he interacts with his children. In the hopeless situation at the time of Noah the way our Heavenly Father chose to act was to Save only Noah and his extended family and destroy all of the other wicked people by the flood. After the death of Jesus and his Apostles the Authority to act in the name of God was taken from the earth because of wickedness.
The Book of Mormon contains an Allegory from a prophet named Zenos in which the restoration of the Gospel in the Latter days is described in the following terms, "And as they begin to grow ye shall clear away the branches which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I lose the trees of my vineyard." As I contemplate the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it seems to me that those who led the church always wanted to give the priesthood to our black brothers sooner than the "strength of the good" would have justified it. As I understand it, the prophet Joseph Smith authorized a sealing to be performed for a black man in the early days of the Church. When he was the mayor of Nauvoo Joseph Smith gave one of his own horses to a Black man who had recieve a fine from the city. This black mand was a "freeman" who was trying to purchase the freedom of his son and without the gift of the prophet's horse he would not have been able to afford both the fine and the price of his son.
The sympathies of the prophets from Joseph Smith to Spencer W. Kimball seem to have been with their black brothers as when Spencer W. Kimball said, "Aware of the promises made by the prophets and presidents of the Church who have preceded us that at some time, in God's eternal plan, all of our brethren who are worthy may receive the priesthood, and witnessing the faithfulness of those from whom the priesthood has been withheld, we have pleaded long and earnestly in behalf of these, our faithful brethren, spending many hours in the Upper Room of the Temple supplicating the Lord for divine guidance."
In the history of Israel we see that when Moses came down from the top of Mount Sinai the children of Israel had made bad choices and turned to Idolatry. Because of the wickedness of the people, the Lord only allowed the people to have only the lesser priesthood (Withholding the higher priesthood) and only allowed a small portion of the people (Those in the tribe of Levi) to hold the priesthood. In a similar way the United States of America allowed Slavery at the time of the Prophet Joseph Smith. This Christian Nation may have felt justified to some degree in holding slaves because of the words of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament regarding the Slavery that occurred in his day, "Whoever is a slave must make the best of it, giving respect to his master so that outsiders don't blame God and our teaching for his behavior. Slaves with Christian masters all the more so - Their masters are really their beloved brothers."
It is interesting to note that there were two slaves who came (as slaves) to the west with the Mormon Pioneers. These two slaves, a Brother and Sister, had been presented as wedding gifts to one of the families who came west. These slaves were treated like a beloved Brother and Sister by their Mormon Christian masters. One of these slaves was driving the wagon of Brigham Young when Brigham Young said to him, "This is the right place, drive on." These two Slaves were amoung a very small number of Black People in Utah for a long time. These two slaves eventually gained their freedom and were members of the LDS Church all of their lives and died firm in the faith of the restored gospel. In Paul's day and in the days of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young “the good” did not yet have enough strength to abolish the evil of slavery. Even after Abraham Lincoln had signed the emancipation proclamation there were still virtual slave situations and only after the efforts of Martin Luther King Jr. and others did Slavery truly begin to end without the violence and murder that accompanied earlier efforts to stop it completely.
Once the world had conquered the evil and wickedness that existed in the form of Slavery, the “good” was sufficiently strong to overcome the “bad” and our Heavenly Father was able to reveal through the Prophet Spencer W. Kimball that the time had come for all Worthy Males to be able to receive the priesthood. In the early days of the Church the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Saints were persecuted very badly and if they had come out and pushed at that time to abolish slavery and emancipate every slave in the United States of America, the persecution would have multiplied tenfold. In my opinion, the Lord had to wait, to "clear away" the evil of slavery, only then did his church have sufficient strength to provided the "good" of the priesthood to every worthy male. Through the wisdom of the Lord the tree has been preserved and now the priesthood is available to every worthy man who has ever lived upon this earth. The ordinances of the temple are also available for all of the children of God in any age, through the work that is done in the temples, for and in behalf of those who have passed on. God's wisdom is truly over all the earth and his purposes will roll on until all his words are fulfilled.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
The Mountain of the Lord
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Throughout history, there has been a deep and abiding desire in the human family to seek for the presence of God. There seems to be an internal drive to worship God in almost all of the people who have lived upon the earth. Many religious faiths have incorporated the top of mountains as Holy Places. In the History of Israel, Mountain tops have been very important, as when Moses received the Ten Commandments from God directly, upon the top of a mountain.
There is a hill in Jerusalem called the temple mount. There is a great deal of turmoil in our world over the ownership and control of this hill. As we read from the Old Testament we find that the record indicates the existence of more than one sanctioned temple at a time. In addition to the preceding truth, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe, there was a branch of the House of Israel that was led by the hand of the Lord to the American Continent. These people also built temples after the pattern of Solomon’s Temple. Thus, God always accepted the existence and functionality of more that one temple at a time and intended that there should be temples available throughout the earth. Many modern-day Jews believe that there are not currently any temples upon the earth recognized by God. These Jewish worshipers also believe that the only location upon which a temple can be built is where the Dome of the Rock stands today (A Muslim place of Worship). These conflicting systems of belief have resulted in struggle and turmoil for many years.
There is a record that was written by the descendents of the house of Joseph, (One of the sons of Israel) on the American Continent. This record is called the Book of Mormon. In this Book of Scripture, we are taught that the Book of Mormon would be used with the Bible, “unto the confounding (of) false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace... and bringing (us) to the knowledge of (our) fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.” This ancient record serves as the testimony of a second Nation that Jesus is the Christ. This record was translated by the gift and power of God through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Using the Prophet Joseph Smith as a modern-day Prophet, God restored his fullness of Doctrine, Covenants, and Priesthood Authority upon the Earth. When the Church of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth in these latter-days the Lord also commanded that temples again be built. The Authority to administer Ordinances in the house of the Lord is found once again upon the earth, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
In our time, once again, the mountain of the Lord’s House has been established and all of the people of the world are invited to prepare themselves to enter the Modern-day temples (There are now over 100) that have been built throughout the earth. These temples have been built under the direction of Modern-day Prophets in the LDS Church. The invitation to come to these houses of prayer and learn how to enter the presence of God, is one that is extended to all the people of the world. This message from the Lord, through the restoration of the fullness of his Gospel, can bring peace, joy, and happiness to every child of God.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Throughout history, there has been a deep and abiding desire in the human family to seek for the presence of God. There seems to be an internal drive to worship God in almost all of the people who have lived upon the earth. Many religious faiths have incorporated the top of mountains as Holy Places. In the History of Israel, Mountain tops have been very important, as when Moses received the Ten Commandments from God directly, upon the top of a mountain.
There is a hill in Jerusalem called the temple mount. There is a great deal of turmoil in our world over the ownership and control of this hill. As we read from the Old Testament we find that the record indicates the existence of more than one sanctioned temple at a time. In addition to the preceding truth, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe, there was a branch of the House of Israel that was led by the hand of the Lord to the American Continent. These people also built temples after the pattern of Solomon’s Temple. Thus, God always accepted the existence and functionality of more that one temple at a time and intended that there should be temples available throughout the earth. Many modern-day Jews believe that there are not currently any temples upon the earth recognized by God. These Jewish worshipers also believe that the only location upon which a temple can be built is where the Dome of the Rock stands today (A Muslim place of Worship). These conflicting systems of belief have resulted in struggle and turmoil for many years.
There is a record that was written by the descendents of the house of Joseph, (One of the sons of Israel) on the American Continent. This record is called the Book of Mormon. In this Book of Scripture, we are taught that the Book of Mormon would be used with the Bible, “unto the confounding (of) false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace... and bringing (us) to the knowledge of (our) fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.” This ancient record serves as the testimony of a second Nation that Jesus is the Christ. This record was translated by the gift and power of God through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Using the Prophet Joseph Smith as a modern-day Prophet, God restored his fullness of Doctrine, Covenants, and Priesthood Authority upon the Earth. When the Church of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth in these latter-days the Lord also commanded that temples again be built. The Authority to administer Ordinances in the house of the Lord is found once again upon the earth, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
In our time, once again, the mountain of the Lord’s House has been established and all of the people of the world are invited to prepare themselves to enter the Modern-day temples (There are now over 100) that have been built throughout the earth. These temples have been built under the direction of Modern-day Prophets in the LDS Church. The invitation to come to these houses of prayer and learn how to enter the presence of God, is one that is extended to all the people of the world. This message from the Lord, through the restoration of the fullness of his Gospel, can bring peace, joy, and happiness to every child of God.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
A Hike with my Daughter
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
We recently went to Marsh Lake in the Uinta Moutains for a family vacation. My daughter and I hiked around Marsh Lake. We discovered that the lake is about ten times as long as it is wide and takes a lot longer to walk around that one might think. As we walked, I showed my daughter some plants and told her the names of them. I taught her how to identify nine-barks and mountain-lover. I said, "See that green colored stuff growing on the rocks? It is called a liken." "Is that because people like it?" She asked. A little later I asked, "Do you like being in the forest?" "Yes," Replied my daughter, "I like being a kid and going on a hike for my first time. There is so much to see. I've seen a squirrel and a moose and it smells so nice." As we walked further around the lake the trail grew a little more challenging for tall people. My daughter asked, "Why are the trees all not in my way?" "I don't know" I replied. My daughter then commented, "Maybe it's because you're bigger and I'm smaller... I didn't hit that one like you did."
After we were almost half-way around the lake my daughter seemed to be getting a little bit tired, "How about if you walk in front." I suggested, adding, "Then you wouldn't be left behind." My daughter began walking in front of me and said, "But you will." She then began laughing and walking really fast. I called, "Sweetheart, wait up." "See." She said with a giggle. My daughter saw a pine tree that had died and fallen to the ground. The bare and bark-less roots stuck up in the air in a tangled mass. "That looks like a slobbery monster," said my daughter, and then added, "...I want to ride it." I told her it would be alright for her to do so. She climbed up on the trunk of the tree like she was riding a horse. "Go" She commanded.
As we hiked further around the lake my daughter said, "I've never seen such beauteeeful things in my life." Three-quarters of the way around the lake my daughter really did start to get tired, she stopped walking and said "I need to sit on something smooth." As we rested, She said, "If we are quiet we can hear lots of things... Let's listen." After we listened we both shared what we had heard. "I can't wait to camp for a week." She said. As we started walking again my daughter said, "Hey, I jumped off of a log and I didn't even hurt myself." She looked into the grass along the shore and said, "We might wake up the beavers... This looks like where they live." A little later my daughter said in a disappointed voice, "I thought we would see wild berries on the way...But, I guess not. This has turned into a real hike. Like a hike up the mountains."
The sun was setting by this time and it was starting to get dark. My daughter said, "It's getting harder to see, but, I can still see good. I can see better than you because I have more..." Her voice trailed off. "More what?" I said, perhaps a little defensively. My daughter must have thought better about her earlier comments because she tried to change the subject a little. "My teacher Mrs. Johnson is even older than you." She said consolingly. "She's 32 I think. And that's REALLY OLD." As we were on the final leg of the hike I said, "Come on, Sweetheart." She replied, "You're not waiting for me and that's why I'm getting left behind, because you have bigger steps and I have smaller and trippier steps and that's why I'm getting left behind in the wilderness."
A little while later She saw another small burrow next to the trail and stopped to examine it. "Come on, Sweetheart." I said. "Ooohhh" She lamented "I wanted to see some baby Chipmunks."
By the time we got back to camp my wife had said a few prayers for us and even cried. I told everyone that I was very sorry for not letting them know where we would be going on our "little" hike. I also said I was sorry for making everyone worry so much. It was a long hike for a little girl with small feet and a really old man (I'm 30 years old) and we were glad to be back safe in camp.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
We recently went to Marsh Lake in the Uinta Moutains for a family vacation. My daughter and I hiked around Marsh Lake. We discovered that the lake is about ten times as long as it is wide and takes a lot longer to walk around that one might think. As we walked, I showed my daughter some plants and told her the names of them. I taught her how to identify nine-barks and mountain-lover. I said, "See that green colored stuff growing on the rocks? It is called a liken." "Is that because people like it?" She asked. A little later I asked, "Do you like being in the forest?" "Yes," Replied my daughter, "I like being a kid and going on a hike for my first time. There is so much to see. I've seen a squirrel and a moose and it smells so nice." As we walked further around the lake the trail grew a little more challenging for tall people. My daughter asked, "Why are the trees all not in my way?" "I don't know" I replied. My daughter then commented, "Maybe it's because you're bigger and I'm smaller... I didn't hit that one like you did."
After we were almost half-way around the lake my daughter seemed to be getting a little bit tired, "How about if you walk in front." I suggested, adding, "Then you wouldn't be left behind." My daughter began walking in front of me and said, "But you will." She then began laughing and walking really fast. I called, "Sweetheart, wait up." "See." She said with a giggle. My daughter saw a pine tree that had died and fallen to the ground. The bare and bark-less roots stuck up in the air in a tangled mass. "That looks like a slobbery monster," said my daughter, and then added, "...I want to ride it." I told her it would be alright for her to do so. She climbed up on the trunk of the tree like she was riding a horse. "Go" She commanded.
As we hiked further around the lake my daughter said, "I've never seen such beauteeeful things in my life." Three-quarters of the way around the lake my daughter really did start to get tired, she stopped walking and said "I need to sit on something smooth." As we rested, She said, "If we are quiet we can hear lots of things... Let's listen." After we listened we both shared what we had heard. "I can't wait to camp for a week." She said. As we started walking again my daughter said, "Hey, I jumped off of a log and I didn't even hurt myself." She looked into the grass along the shore and said, "We might wake up the beavers... This looks like where they live." A little later my daughter said in a disappointed voice, "I thought we would see wild berries on the way...But, I guess not. This has turned into a real hike. Like a hike up the mountains."
The sun was setting by this time and it was starting to get dark. My daughter said, "It's getting harder to see, but, I can still see good. I can see better than you because I have more..." Her voice trailed off. "More what?" I said, perhaps a little defensively. My daughter must have thought better about her earlier comments because she tried to change the subject a little. "My teacher Mrs. Johnson is even older than you." She said consolingly. "She's 32 I think. And that's REALLY OLD." As we were on the final leg of the hike I said, "Come on, Sweetheart." She replied, "You're not waiting for me and that's why I'm getting left behind, because you have bigger steps and I have smaller and trippier steps and that's why I'm getting left behind in the wilderness."
A little while later She saw another small burrow next to the trail and stopped to examine it. "Come on, Sweetheart." I said. "Ooohhh" She lamented "I wanted to see some baby Chipmunks."
By the time we got back to camp my wife had said a few prayers for us and even cried. I told everyone that I was very sorry for not letting them know where we would be going on our "little" hike. I also said I was sorry for making everyone worry so much. It was a long hike for a little girl with small feet and a really old man (I'm 30 years old) and we were glad to be back safe in camp.
--------------------------------
Please feel free to copy and paste this message.
You have my permission to share it.
You can send this message to anyone that you want.
Sincerely,
-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Joe Wright’s adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” is one of the greatest films of all time.
By Appreciable Goodfaithpoet
Joe Wright’s adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” is not only based on one of the greatest books of all time it is also one of the greatest films of all time.
Sometimes we jump to conclusions about other people and let our pride stand in the way of us getting to know them fully and as a result we never give them a chance. There is, at the same time, value in waiting to find the right person to marry. Caution is wise, because deception is possible at the hands of a perfidious lover.
Pride and Prejudice is a wonderful book written by Jane Austen. This new film version of the novel, directed by Joe Wright, is breathtakingly beautiful. The film tells the story of Elizabeth Bennett, a comparatively poor young woman who is searching for love. She meets a man named Mr. Darcy who she misjudges and decides to hate. Later in the movie she must revise her earlier judgments and ends up marrying this wealthy and wonderful man.
This film could be considered a "period film" because it does show the English clothing and countryside at the turn of the 19th century in a very convincing and authentic way. The Production Designer, Sarah Greenwood, does a superb job along with the Costume Designer, Jacqueline Durran of producing and authentic Mis en scene for the film. In one of the final scenes of the film as Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett agree to spend their lives together they do not kiss, they only put their heads close together as the morning light shines between them. What a great job of filming by the director of Photography, Roman Osin. Only after they are married do we see them kiss in the film and this fits in to the rules of society for that time period.
The lighting is very effective in the scene where Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins are discussing the possibility of his marrying one of the daughters. In the background we see the shady lighting with all of the daughters in the background like they are being auctioned off like cattle; Shady lighting for shady dealings.
I love the fade that goes from Elizabeth Bennett as she is blowing on a feather in her hand, to the fire at the party – with the sound of flaring flames as an audible connector which unifies the transition.
The editor also achieved a wonderful transition by cutting on action in order to remove the people from the dance scene between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. The Editor, Paul Tothill, shows such skill and good judgment in the job he did editing of this film. This scene effectively shows how intently Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett have focused their thoughts, emotions, and attention upon one another in an attempt to figure out what the other person is thinking.
The Music by Dario Marianelli infuses this film with a profound emotional impact. The music that plays, matches the dialogue perfectly, when Elizabeth goes to visit Mr. and Mrs. Collins at Kent. The non-melodic, aimless music in this scene is very well suited to show the boring passage of time that has occurred up until Elizabeth went to Kent.
When Mr. Darcy comes abruptly to visit Elizabeth at the cottage, at the beginning of the scene Elizabeth is seated and Mr. Darcy is standing but then Elizabeth stands up and the camera angle is on eye level. This suggests to us effectively that Elizabeth Bennett is in every way Mr. Darcy's equal.
This film is also the product of an excellent Screenplay by Debora Moggach. The background dialogue in the text delivered by Mr. Collins as he is preaching is the perfect precursor to the realization that Elizabeth has as she learns of the role that Mr. Darcy played in separating her sister Jane, from Mr. Bingley. The change in focus of the camera upon Mr. Darcy and then back to Elizabeth when Mr. Darcy looks at her and she gasps and looks forward again, is a brilliant and effective way to show how her outward curiosity changes to inward horror and rage.
This film has a abundance of excellent camera work. One of the most classic is the scene where Mr. Wickam speaks to Elisabeth Bennett to justify his situation by lying to Elizabeth about the past actions of Mr. Darcy. Mr. Wickam is standing and Elizabeth is seated. This high/low camera angle during the scene between Mr. Wickam and Elizabeth Bennett shows the way that Mr. Wickam is dominating her emotions through his deceptive words.
The dark and rainy weather in the conflict scene, as Mr. Darcy proposes and is rejected, reflects the bad mood of Elizabeth. After he is rejected, Mr. Darcy also experiences a shift to being in a bad mood as well. The thunder rumbles in perfect timing orchestrated by the sound designer, just after Mr. Darcy makes an insulting assessment of her family. This sound of thunder signals the moment that Elizabeth looses her temper. It is one of the best and most emotionally riveting scenes I have ever seen.
The Casting by Jina Jay is so well done Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyn are supremely convincing as they portray this relationship that grows and changes so much
during this film. Each character in the film is a perfect match to those in the story. Elizabeth’s mother even manages to be neurotic without being annoying or unbelievable. The actor’s portrayal of Mr. Collins is also absolutely priceless! This is a team effort and it is a masterpiece.
Most people end up marrying someone who is like them in intelligence and values. Wickam and Lydia, the first couple in the Bennett household to marry, seem to suggest to us that they deserve each other because of their lack of character and that they will no doubt be miserable together. When Mr. Bingley and Jane marry, we may feel that love can conquer all. When Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy marry we can feel that there is the possibility for happy endings and true love that lasts forever.
Whom we marry is of the utmost importance to our happiness and this movie gives us the best marriage partner selection advice – True and enduring love must be based on more than the physical attraction which Elizabeth first felt for Mr. Wickam. True love is the product of careful and patient study and action which sometimes requires revision and forgiveness along the way.
Joe Wright’s “Pride and Prejudice” is one of the greatest films of all time because of the culminating efforts of many talented people. This beautiful film was only possible through the efforts of an excellent cast, talented crew, and an amazing director. This film skillfully portrays a timeless message that is true and ever so important in this world that we share together.
Joe Wright’s adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” is not only based on one of the greatest books of all time it is also one of the greatest films of all time.
Sometimes we jump to conclusions about other people and let our pride stand in the way of us getting to know them fully and as a result we never give them a chance. There is, at the same time, value in waiting to find the right person to marry. Caution is wise, because deception is possible at the hands of a perfidious lover.
Pride and Prejudice is a wonderful book written by Jane Austen. This new film version of the novel, directed by Joe Wright, is breathtakingly beautiful. The film tells the story of Elizabeth Bennett, a comparatively poor young woman who is searching for love. She meets a man named Mr. Darcy who she misjudges and decides to hate. Later in the movie she must revise her earlier judgments and ends up marrying this wealthy and wonderful man.
This film could be considered a "period film" because it does show the English clothing and countryside at the turn of the 19th century in a very convincing and authentic way. The Production Designer, Sarah Greenwood, does a superb job along with the Costume Designer, Jacqueline Durran of producing and authentic Mis en scene for the film. In one of the final scenes of the film as Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett agree to spend their lives together they do not kiss, they only put their heads close together as the morning light shines between them. What a great job of filming by the director of Photography, Roman Osin. Only after they are married do we see them kiss in the film and this fits in to the rules of society for that time period.
The lighting is very effective in the scene where Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins are discussing the possibility of his marrying one of the daughters. In the background we see the shady lighting with all of the daughters in the background like they are being auctioned off like cattle; Shady lighting for shady dealings.
I love the fade that goes from Elizabeth Bennett as she is blowing on a feather in her hand, to the fire at the party – with the sound of flaring flames as an audible connector which unifies the transition.
The editor also achieved a wonderful transition by cutting on action in order to remove the people from the dance scene between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. The Editor, Paul Tothill, shows such skill and good judgment in the job he did editing of this film. This scene effectively shows how intently Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett have focused their thoughts, emotions, and attention upon one another in an attempt to figure out what the other person is thinking.
The Music by Dario Marianelli infuses this film with a profound emotional impact. The music that plays, matches the dialogue perfectly, when Elizabeth goes to visit Mr. and Mrs. Collins at Kent. The non-melodic, aimless music in this scene is very well suited to show the boring passage of time that has occurred up until Elizabeth went to Kent.
When Mr. Darcy comes abruptly to visit Elizabeth at the cottage, at the beginning of the scene Elizabeth is seated and Mr. Darcy is standing but then Elizabeth stands up and the camera angle is on eye level. This suggests to us effectively that Elizabeth Bennett is in every way Mr. Darcy's equal.
This film is also the product of an excellent Screenplay by Debora Moggach. The background dialogue in the text delivered by Mr. Collins as he is preaching is the perfect precursor to the realization that Elizabeth has as she learns of the role that Mr. Darcy played in separating her sister Jane, from Mr. Bingley. The change in focus of the camera upon Mr. Darcy and then back to Elizabeth when Mr. Darcy looks at her and she gasps and looks forward again, is a brilliant and effective way to show how her outward curiosity changes to inward horror and rage.
This film has a abundance of excellent camera work. One of the most classic is the scene where Mr. Wickam speaks to Elisabeth Bennett to justify his situation by lying to Elizabeth about the past actions of Mr. Darcy. Mr. Wickam is standing and Elizabeth is seated. This high/low camera angle during the scene between Mr. Wickam and Elizabeth Bennett shows the way that Mr. Wickam is dominating her emotions through his deceptive words.
The dark and rainy weather in the conflict scene, as Mr. Darcy proposes and is rejected, reflects the bad mood of Elizabeth. After he is rejected, Mr. Darcy also experiences a shift to being in a bad mood as well. The thunder rumbles in perfect timing orchestrated by the sound designer, just after Mr. Darcy makes an insulting assessment of her family. This sound of thunder signals the moment that Elizabeth looses her temper. It is one of the best and most emotionally riveting scenes I have ever seen.
The Casting by Jina Jay is so well done Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyn are supremely convincing as they portray this relationship that grows and changes so much
during this film. Each character in the film is a perfect match to those in the story. Elizabeth’s mother even manages to be neurotic without being annoying or unbelievable. The actor’s portrayal of Mr. Collins is also absolutely priceless! This is a team effort and it is a masterpiece.
Most people end up marrying someone who is like them in intelligence and values. Wickam and Lydia, the first couple in the Bennett household to marry, seem to suggest to us that they deserve each other because of their lack of character and that they will no doubt be miserable together. When Mr. Bingley and Jane marry, we may feel that love can conquer all. When Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy marry we can feel that there is the possibility for happy endings and true love that lasts forever.
Whom we marry is of the utmost importance to our happiness and this movie gives us the best marriage partner selection advice – True and enduring love must be based on more than the physical attraction which Elizabeth first felt for Mr. Wickam. True love is the product of careful and patient study and action which sometimes requires revision and forgiveness along the way.
Joe Wright’s “Pride and Prejudice” is one of the greatest films of all time because of the culminating efforts of many talented people. This beautiful film was only possible through the efforts of an excellent cast, talented crew, and an amazing director. This film skillfully portrays a timeless message that is true and ever so important in this world that we share together.
Perception controls emotion – if you can’t change your circumstances to find peace and happiness, change your perceptions instead.
By Appreciable Goodfaithepoet
As an example, one morning as my son was preparing to go to elementary school as he was zipping up his school backpack his hand slipped and he hit himself in the face, knocking out one of his teeth.
The other part of this story, the part that changes our perception of the events and thus our emotions, is that the tooth which he knocked out had been very loose for several weeks and each time we tried to pull it out it hurt very much. Because of these experiences my son would no longer allow anyone to touch his tooth. In other words we were all so happy that his tooth had been knocked out and nobody was happier than my son.
When we view things from an eternal perspective, we see things that same way that God sees them and we then can feel the same way that God feels about them. In the Book of Mormon we see evidence of this when Alma the elder rejoices in the immobilization of his son Alma the younger. Another example is when Ammon, one of the sons of Mosiah, witnesses thieves steeling the sheep that he is supposed to be guarding, he rejoices as well because he sees this as an opportunity to advance his missionary efforts.
Look up - 23 January 2010
When my mind is tired and weary
From the labors of this life
And my eyes are burned and bleary
From the stresses and strife,
I’ve focused only on the things
That man has built for me
With loneliness my heart then rings
God’s hand I cannot see.
My eyes are on the sidewalk
Or on the road ahead.
I hear the ticking of the clock
That drives me from my bed.
Yet, if I lift my eyes
To find God’s love for me.
I can gaze upon the skies
And see eternity.
I can see the lovely mountains
The cathedrals of the land.
Yes, I drink from these pure fountains
And I clearly see God’s hand.
I feast on milk and honey
That free and yummy food
Jesus gives us without money
And my soul is then renewed.
The eternal nature of friendship 27 January 2010
Seasons change in ordered measure
Clouds assemble and disperse
Fall leaves come to give us pleasure
Snowflakes can inspire verse.
A tiny plant takes life, then dies
Animals through life-cycles go
And people form strong social ties
Which forever continue as long as they grow.
As an example, one morning as my son was preparing to go to elementary school as he was zipping up his school backpack his hand slipped and he hit himself in the face, knocking out one of his teeth.
The other part of this story, the part that changes our perception of the events and thus our emotions, is that the tooth which he knocked out had been very loose for several weeks and each time we tried to pull it out it hurt very much. Because of these experiences my son would no longer allow anyone to touch his tooth. In other words we were all so happy that his tooth had been knocked out and nobody was happier than my son.
When we view things from an eternal perspective, we see things that same way that God sees them and we then can feel the same way that God feels about them. In the Book of Mormon we see evidence of this when Alma the elder rejoices in the immobilization of his son Alma the younger. Another example is when Ammon, one of the sons of Mosiah, witnesses thieves steeling the sheep that he is supposed to be guarding, he rejoices as well because he sees this as an opportunity to advance his missionary efforts.
Look up - 23 January 2010
When my mind is tired and weary
From the labors of this life
And my eyes are burned and bleary
From the stresses and strife,
I’ve focused only on the things
That man has built for me
With loneliness my heart then rings
God’s hand I cannot see.
My eyes are on the sidewalk
Or on the road ahead.
I hear the ticking of the clock
That drives me from my bed.
Yet, if I lift my eyes
To find God’s love for me.
I can gaze upon the skies
And see eternity.
I can see the lovely mountains
The cathedrals of the land.
Yes, I drink from these pure fountains
And I clearly see God’s hand.
I feast on milk and honey
That free and yummy food
Jesus gives us without money
And my soul is then renewed.
The eternal nature of friendship 27 January 2010
Seasons change in ordered measure
Clouds assemble and disperse
Fall leaves come to give us pleasure
Snowflakes can inspire verse.
A tiny plant takes life, then dies
Animals through life-cycles go
And people form strong social ties
Which forever continue as long as they grow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)