My "Mormon" rant

IAT = I am thankful

All right, so I tried my best to keep calm, cool, and collected about the whole Mormons running for President thing. I've read and posted some articles on facebook, but let me tell you how I really feel. I hope you don't regret it. :-) And since I believe in being all positive, it's going to be really hard not to say things like I am sick and tired, so that is the only one you will see. Feel free to insert it before each and every point I address. Haha.

So, I suppose I've been a "Mormon" most of my life. Properly put, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. So, why is there a mormon.org? Well there's this little book we believe in called the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and people took to calling us Mormons. Mormon is one of the books in the Book of Mormon, named after the author, who we consider an ancient American prophet. So, although the official website of the church is www.lds.org, they realized many people would search for us by our nick name and we have my.mormon.org that discusses many of our beliefs. That particular one is my personal profile which gives a brief summary about my membership. (There is not really a my.mormon.org)

I met my first opposition to my faith in high school. A girl in my choir, who said she cared about me, told me I was going to hell because I was a Mormon. Huh? Wow. I vaguely remember discussing some of my beliefs with her. I was no more convinced I was going to hell than she was convinced I was, so on I went. My faith was very tender at that point, but I knew the fire I felt that told me it was true, even though I was not a typical LDS girl at that point in time.

The next opposition came from members of my own family, who I will leave anonymous for their protection. But, a change in their faith, and then their attendance of anti-mormon meetings and preachings, brought great concern from them for me. I have since over the years learned that nearly every member of my family has anti-mormon sentiments. Joy!

I'd say I was a sophomore when those accusations began that typically went like this. Family member: "So, you believe God had sex with Mary." Me: (horrified, incredulous, shocked, and completely caught off balance) "No, I don't! And I've never heard that before." Family member: "Well, your church believes it."

Me:

Family member: "You believe in a different Jesus than we do." Me: "I do? I thought there was only one Jesus, the one in the Bible." Family member: "Nope, you believe in a completely different Jesus." Me: "How is he different?" Family member: "Well, he is not exactly like the one we believe in, so he is different, so you are not a Christian."

Me:

Family member: "You believe Satan is Jesus' brother." Me (noting to self): "Why do they keep TELLING me what I believe." (To family) "ummm, not exactly, that's kind of an oversimplification." Family member: "AHA!!!! See, you are not a Christian."

Me:

You get the idea. I could go down a list a mile long of things I have been accused of believing but rarely asked if I believe, and even if I am asked, since they already have decided the true answer, my answer doesn't really matter. My missionary sons have likewise been accused, railed, yelled at, and attemptedly (is that a word?) entrapped. They learned there was no point in arguing and typically wished those kinds of people well and went on their way.

You may have heard some pretty wacky things about members of my faith. They are typically hacked up quotations taken out of context and dragged out of old histories that are not official sources of "doctrine." I would encourage you if you have concerns about that to find someone who is a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and simply ask them. Or you can ask me. *OR* all those young men going around in pairs wearing white shirts and ties, LOVE to answer questions. Are Mormons Christians, as we have so Un-Christianly been accused? Maybe the better question is Are Anti-Mormons Christian? (Yep, that's clickable) Here are some articles you can read from our perspective. Then you decide.

http://en.fairmormon.org/Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians (wiki type article)

http://www.fairlds.org/pubs/LDSChristian.pdf (Michael Hickenbotham)

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/Latter-Day-Saints/2000/11/Hey-Who-Are-You-Calling-A-Cult.aspx (Orson Scott Card)

And if you really want a whole slew of other articles that will help you decide if you could possibly vote for a Mormon or be a friend of one, then you can go here:

http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai052.html

If you want my very long story and TESTIMONY. Then click the word TESTIMONY.

And if you made it to the end. Wow! That should all keep you busy. You must really care about the answers. THANK YOU!

GRATEFUL and hopeful

IAT = I am thankful

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, and again, and again

IAT = I am thankful for EFT

Maybe some will think I am beating a dead horse. I'm actually tapping him. Haha. That won't be funny to anyone but those who've attended my EFT classes or been tapped by me. I wish I could look every person in the eye, that I know. And have them meet my gaze. Then sincerely explain to them how different their life could be with this phenomenal technique. Then have them believe me, and really apply it, and find for themselves that it is true.

No, it's not the first thing I always go to. But when I have a BIG, scary, I don't know what to do with problem, I approach it one of two ways. I pray and then I tap. Or I tap and then I pray. It's that simple. (Ok, sometimes my hubby gets all the details first).

I recently had an offer to help someone thrown rather rudely back in my face. To be fair, they thought a comment I made was much more judgmental than it was. And I shook my head in disbelief. I offered with my heart, and was pretty rudely denied. And that is ok. I learn from every experience. And I really do need to learn more just to share and not be offended. Or to give it to those who are truly seeking it.

But my trouble is, I think they don't know they are seeking it. So, I keep offering free classes. See, I heard that you should choose to do a think you love so much, that you'd do it for free. THIS IS IT!!! Until something better comes along. I've heard there are better things, but for me, it's what really resonates with me, fascinates me, and brings me so much joy in seeing others give up their burdens.

I do have private consultations and get paid for it. At least half of the time, it's done by phone or skype. How cool is it that I can tap with anyone in the world? I do have an EFT friend/client in Australia. Some day I want to go to Australia for sure.

Anyway, I had my free class tonight. Less Stress, More Living. Fewer people came than I hoped. But those of us who were there, laughed, and tapped, and unstressed. And like I told everyone. I brought chocolate. I gave it out. I did my thing. They didn't eat it. I took the whole bag home. I'm saving it for the next class. There will only be the few pieces missing that I used tonight. We brought our stress. We went home light hearted and left the stress behind.

I LOVE EFT!!!!! I'm so thankful for the additional peace it has helped me come to.

I am SO thankful for this time of year

IAT = I am thankful

October 1 to January 1 is my favorite time of year. The most wonderful time of the year. At the beginning of October (1st weekend) we have our semi-annual conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Lots of great wisdom to apply to my life for the next 6 months, and answers to prayers for current problems in my life. I love listening for the Spirit and it's instructions to me through prophets, seers, and revelators! This year, it was so fun to take a trip and attend in person with 3 of our 4 oldest sons. One of them being our newly returned missionary.

November is gratitude month. How I love Thanksgiving and the near inability to commercialize it. It is simply a time to be grateful. To be with family. To slow down. To remember blessings. To transition into the happiest time of the year for me.

December. My birthday doesn't even phase me anymore, but it's in December and I LOVE that I share it with the celebration of our Savior's birth. I love almost EVERYTHING about Christmas. The crispness in the air, even in Arizona. The MUSIC. I overdose on Christmas music. Family. Shopping. Light. Secrets. Stories. Traditions. Gifts. Surprises. Santa. The baby Jesus. Nativities. Food. Goodies. Trees. Ornaments. Decorations. Parties. And on and on. I could live without the overcommercialism. Other than that, PERFECT.

And finally. New Years. A time at the end of a year and beginning of a new one, to contemplate. How did I do? Where can I improve? What do I want to accomplish?

And then I leave it all behind and start looking toward Spring.

I'm so Thankful I'm Me

IAT = I am thankful

This weekend, we bought the DVD Tangled. What a fabulous telling Disney created with Rapunzel. The theme of the movie is about dreaming. Dreaming for something wonderful.

True stories, but how I used to Daydream!. I remember getting my work done early at school, propping my chin on my hand, and letting my imagination go. I don't remember most of them, but I do remember sometimes dreaming I would have my mother back. Not *A* mother...*MY* mother. Even though I knew things had not been right when my parents were together, I still dreamed of that happy family unit.

Eventually, I gave up that dream. I knew it would never be. My dad moved on. My mom moved on. And my brother and I adjusted and survived. There were many disappointments in my childhood without a mother of my mother own. But, I kept daydreaming.

I remember when I became a teen and my romantic heart began beating. And new dreams came to life. Interestingly, I also began to understand and imagine what my mother might have thought or felt as I considered our intertwined stories and how they came together and split apart. Forgiveness flowed in and a desire to some day attempt to right wrongs. All kept safely in my head and heart.

Another dream that began to blossom, was a family of my own. I don't think I thought much of the whole family deal, but I sure dreamed of my prince charming. There were times I prayed for that future someone. I even sometimes thought I felt the presence of that someone through space and time. I knew I wanted to be his special someone and I made promises that would keep only for him.

The point of this post is dreams, not the whole story. So, we fast forward 30 years to where I am now. Through years of trial and struggle and beginning to really know myself. All of it, with someone wonderful at my side. First, one wonderful person, then another, and another, and another, until just me, became us, and turned into a family. And far many more laughs and joy and success, than trial and struggle.

There are still trials and major disappointments, but not in ways I continue to see others dear to me struggle. I watched Tangled tonight and saw that my rocky beginning has magically changed into something of a dreamland...a fairy tale. And I have learned that I am a big part of the creation of that story. I hope I continue to create dreams.

No, I don't sing and dance and twirl through each day. Some days are bland and boring. But I don't have to worry about food in my children's mouths. I don't worry where we will lay our heads. I know that my marriage is secure. I delight in the children that surround me near and far. And I am ever so grateful that a divine Someone led me by the hand, step by step, into my nearly fairytale life.

Every Disney movie has villains and heroes, as well as trials and triumphs. And my life has those too. But, I loved the lyrics in the song I See the Light. I felt like they described my life to some degree. And I felt happy and thankful. I don't have hair like Rapunzel, but The Bish sure has hair like Flynn, well, plus a lot of grey. Here is my favorite scene and song (that I identify with) from Tangled.

If you like this post, please share or comment.

I'm so Thankful I'm Me

IAT = I am thankful

This weekend, we bought the DVD Tangled. What a fabulous telling Disney created with Rapunzel. The theme of the movie is about dreaming. Dreaming for something wonderful.

True stories, but how I used to Daydream!. I remember getting my work done early at school, propping my chin on my hand, and letting my imagination go. I don't remember most of them, but I do remember sometimes dreaming I would have my mother back. Not *A* mother...*MY* mother. Even though I knew things had not been right when my parents were together, I still dreamed of that happy family unit.

Eventually, I gave up that dream. I knew it would never be. My dad moved on. My mom moved on. And my brother and I adjusted and survived. There were many disappointments in my childhood without a mother of my mother own. But, I kept daydreaming.

I remember when I became a teen and my romantic heart began beating. And new dreams came to life. Interestingly, I also began to understand and imagine what my mother might have thought or felt as I considered our intertwined stories and how they came together and split apart. Forgiveness flowed in and a desire to some day attempt to right wrongs. All kept safely in my head and heart.

Another dream that began to blossom, was a family of my own. I don't think I thought much of the whole family deal, but I sure dreamed of my prince charming. There were times I prayed for that future someone. I even sometimes thought I felt the presence of that someone through space and time. I knew I wanted to be his special someone and I made promises that would keep only for him.

The point of this post is dreams, not the whole story. So, we fast forward 30 years to where I am now. Through years of trial and struggle and beginning to really know myself. All of it, with someone wonderful at my side. First, one wonderful person, then another, and another, and another, until just me, became us, and turned into a family. And far many more laughs and joy and success, than trial and struggle.

There are still trials and major disappointments, but not in ways I continue to see others dear to me struggle. I watched Tangled tonight and saw that my rocky beginning has magically changed into something of a dreamland...a fairy tale. And I have learned that I am a big part of the creation of that story. I hope I continue to create dreams.

No, I don't sing and dance and twirl through each day. Some days are bland and boring. But I don't have to worry about food in my children's mouths. I don't worry where we will lay our heads. I know that my marriage is secure. I delight in the children that surround me near and far. And I am ever so grateful that a divine Someone led me by the hand, step by step, into my nearly fairytale life.

Every Disney movie has villains and heroes, as well as trials and triumphs. And my life has those too. But, I loved the lyrics in the song I See the Light. I felt like they described my life to some degree. And I felt happy and thankful. I don't have hair like Rapunzel, but The Bish sure has hair like Flynn, well, plus a lot of grey. Here is my favorite scene and song (that I identify with) from Tangled.



If you like this post, please share or comment.

Why I am Smarter than the President and Congress Put Together

IAT = I am thankful (It's Veteran's Day and I am so grateful for those who have given so much)


;-) How one idea solves the economy, unemployment, and health care. With one broom and mop tied behind my back.

After I wrote this post, I found this article, from just a few days ago, which gives some weight to my idea but doesn't go far enough. I am also smarter than Huffington Post. (I am joking, SERIOUSLY!)

So, this is partially tongue in cheek, because I don't have a think tank, or economists, or lawyers in the White House like my friend Thad, but I will say, that I am an idea girl. I cannot help it. They come rolling into my brain uninvited but welcomed. It can get me in trouble, because I naturally see the ways to solve problems (and you may not agree at all), and some people don't like it when you have suggestions, or questions, or things they didn't think of it themselves, or they are just plain fine with things as they are. But, I digress.

Would anyone disagree that our nation at least on some levels is in crisis? I know there are amazing things that continue to happen, but it seems we are falling apart at the seams. I truly believe this election is the most important in history and I am not digging my choices at the moment for election next year.

I'm just going to warn you right now, this might be long. We'll see where my head takes me. I also have to mention my friend Christy who thinks I should be governor of Arizona. Hahaha. I think I better find a public office to run for soon, if THAT is ever going to happen in her wildest dreams. I love you Christy.

Anyway, I love AMERICA!!! Not the US of A, because to me that seems like some made up, distant, governmental entity. AMERICA!!! That is something totally different to me. Hey, I have never denied being weird. Her spirit, her history, her scenery, her people, her personality. Love, love, love. Is there anything left of it? Oh how my soul yearns that there is.

One of the reasons I love her so, is my dad. My dad crisscrossed this country as a single dad with kids in tow. He took us to almost every historical site in the country. I've been to the Alamo, Custer's Last Stand, Mt Rushmore, the Liberty Bell, the Smithsonian and everything else in DC, Gettysburgh, Elvis' home and birthplace, Presidential libraries, the Cowboy Hall of Fame, and I could go on for days. I got my history lessons where they happened.

 my dear old dad

All along the way, he spoke of history, our founding, law, government, economics, and more. And one thing he taught me that has come back to me often as I read the news, see what's happening in our precious country, and so forth, is that any nation will remain strong as long as they have 3 things. Now, I never fact checked this, I just believed it. I have no idea if it is REALLY true, but it sure SEEMS true as we watch the economic collapse of our country, if the course is not corrected.

He told me a nation would remain great as long as it had strong agriculture, mining, and manufacturing. Think about that for a minute. (I assume mining includes forestry and oil, coal, and gas). What do we have left of those industries? Extreme environmentalism has crushed forestry (with the resulting massive wildfires that we saw like in the state of Arizona this year), and the oil and gas industry. I am not against common sense management of our natural resources. We have TONS and TONS and TONS of oil and natural gas available to us, and yet we are being held hostage by other nations and are at their mercy for our energy. Why? I have no idea. I am only touching barely on these three things.

Agriculture. We import a huge amount of our food now. And I am not sure of all of the story behind it, but I know California that produces an enormous amount of our food is having serious problems with the government and water and farming. Hello! Is anyone paying attention? If our food situation becomes like our oil and gas situation, we will become dependent on other nations for our FOOD!!!!! Hello! We could be brought to our knees in weeks if a group of countries simply decides to stop supplying us. Only the self-reliant would survive. And don't get me started on CORPORATE America and what it has done to farming. That is a rant I've had written for a couple of weeks in my head that will be for later. :-)

Manufacturing. This is where I really start squirting blood out of my eyes. In case you don't know, horned toads, which most people call horny toads, squirt blood out of there eyes when they are stressed. Google images if you don't believe me. I live in Arizona, so there you go. Manufacturing in America? Does it even exist anymore? Detroit is in ruins. Millions of jobs have been exported to other countries all because of a pretty little treaty called NAFTA. I am sure there is more to it than that. My think tank is goldfish sized. But, the fact is, our GDP has decreased by more than half. I think. Fact check me. I'm not going to. Our strength as a nation is in people working and creating stuff for us to consume. When we export that major part of our economy, our economy eventually collapses, due to the fact that PEOPLE with jobs, no longer have them and are competing with everyone else for a smaller supply of them. Couple that with all of those people on unemployment and welfare. Combine that with smaller spending and a reliance on government to solve the problem. Well they should solve the problem, THEY created it!!!!

My answer is coming. I promise. And here it is. Even though I dinged CORPORATE America earlier, they are the solution to the problem. But they cannot be the solution because we have a government that is hostile to them. We already have the fleeing of corporate America to other countries. One of the reasons that is, is because America has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. Well you don't have to be a rocket surgeon (yes, I did that on purpose) or PRESIDENT or CONGRESSMAN, to figure out that if the tax rate is substantially  better in another part of the world, that is where the corporations are going. And therein lies the solution.

You set the CORPORATE tax rate in America to ZERO. That's right. ZERO. I can already hear the screams of the libs who don't read my blog. ZERO taxes? First of all, zero taxes, brings CORPORATE America back, and the creation of jobs in the goods department. Secondly, in return for ZERO taxes, the only requirement is that they run the business environmentally friendly (who can even define that anymore?) and they provide health care to all of their employees. Ta da! I just created millions of jobs, and all of those "tax payers" are now paying taxes and getting off government welfare. In addition, the government has saved billions of dollars because they don't have to provide healthcare (neither should they, but that is for another post). We are importing less, keeping our dollars home, the "tax payers" are spending their money because they have it, which saves the economy. Consumer confidence rises. Massive social spending can be cut.....it all makes sense, don't you think?

Now if we can just do something about all the overspending and the coming collapse of the dollar. But that is for another day. I can't flush all the Gadianton Robbers out in one post. If you've never read the Book of Mormon or heard of that Wild Bunch, you'll have to click it. I'd say more, but I think only two people are reading at this point. :-)