Mormon Bloggers

Easter was lovely this year. It started out with us finding what the Easter bunny had left us,then we watched the animated church movie about the resurrection, went to church, and then we came home and napped. I was still exhausted from Kailey’s party and staying up late again to do the baskets. After we woke up we had dinner and then discovered that the Easter bunny had some hidden eggs for Dorian at our local park, ..Dorian thought that was pretty awesome.
Sorry I didn’t get a picture of all of us in our Easter/Sunday best! 

Kailey’s first MnMs ..she apparently can chew them without any back teeth.

Easter was lovely this year. It started out with us finding what the Easter bunny had left us,then we watched the animated church movie about the resurrection, went to church, and then we came home and napped. I was still exhausted from Kailey’s party and staying up late again to do the baskets. After we woke up we had dinner and then discovered that the Easter bunny had some hidden eggs for Dorian at our local park, ..Dorian thought that was pretty awesome.
Sorry I didn’t get a picture of all of us in our Easter/Sunday best! 

Kailey’s first MnMs ..she apparently can chew them without any back teeth.

Republican leaders, activists and donors, anxious that the party’s initial presidential field could squander a chance to capture grass-roots energy and build a strong case against President Obama at the outset of the 2012 race, are stepping up appeals for additional candidates to jump in, starting with Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana.

A $31 marijuana sale has landed 25-year-old Oklahoma mother of four Patricia Spottedcrow and a grandmother 10 years in prison.

I may not be Extreme, but I do know my way around a coupon:

I may not be Extreme, but I do know my way around a coupon:

~by Michelle

Even thought I am an insomniac and probably could have, I didn’t watch the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton early yesterday morning. But as I was trying to take it easy (I’ve been sick), and after seeing that several of my friends had watched it, I thought I would view some of the video clips of the event. My daughter joined me on the couch as we enjoyed some of the ceremony together.

It was a nice opportunity to talk and think a little about marriage. She asked about how this was different from a Mormon temple marriage (often called a sealing). LDS temple ceremonies are very simple, and a large temple sealing room might accommodate a few dozen people. (The photo below shows a sealing room in an LDS temple.)

Often, wedding receptions are held where a larger group can then gather to celebrate with the couple.

I’ve had some thoughts swimming in my head since watching the clips of the Royal Wedding.

1. Marriage is worth celebrating. Love is worth celebrating, but not just because I enjoy a story of romance. Marriage is a foundational element of my Mormon belief. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe, simply, that “marriage between a man and woman is ordained of God.” Marriage is, as was said in the ceremony, “God’s law.” It’s the foundation of family life which is central to God’s plan. I rejoice when I see a new family beginning.

2. I appreciated the central role of faith and God in the ceremony between William and Kate. I was very moved by the prayer that was offered.

3. The promise of fidelity and loyalty that is made in marriage is a foundational element that I wish more people (and our society in general) took more seriously.

4. I was also struck by the traditional element in the ceremony of the man pledging his body and earthly goods for the care of his wife. I know some people find such things offensive, but I think there is real value in that role of a man as a protector and provider in the family. (This is another concept taught in our Family Proclamation, although not in exactly the same way as reflected in the Royal Wedding ring ceremony). This notion to me does not preclude a woman from being educated and being able to provide an income if need be, and is not the same as helpless dependence.

5. I don’t in any way want to take away from the beauty of their day, and yet I’m always sobered by the words, “Till death do us part” (or the variations of that phrase that appear in wedding ceremonies). Truly, that to me is the most significant difference between Mormon temple weddings and other weddings. The authority by which temple sealings are performed bind a couple together not just for this life, but into eternity. If marriage covenants are kept, the promise is that death will  not sever the relationship. When I see a couple such as William and Kate who appear to love each other so much, I wish for nothing more than for them to be bound to each other beyond death.

6. While I think most people enjoy the pomp and circumstance such as the traditions witnessed with the Royal Wedding, I still end up thinking about how the notion of royalty in our world is exclusionary. There is royalty and there are commoners. It’s hard for me not to ponder on Mormon doctrine that teaches that we are all children of a Heavenly King, our Heavenly Father. His desire is to give all that He has to us. All He asks is that we follow that path that leads back to Him, which is by following His Son, Jesus Christ.

A favorite scripture of mine is in Romans 8:16-17:

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

As I was thinking about these things, I found the following blog post in my Facebook feed. LDS Nana had some of the same thoughts I did: Every Temple Marriage is a Royal Wedding.

Did you watch the Royal Wedding? What thoughts did you have?

There’s a striking parallel between the old Jimmy Stewart movie and what Mike Lee (R-UT) is doing right now in Washington. Like Stewart in his role as Mr. Smith, Lee has taken a principled stand against all the forces arrayed against him, and he is doing what few before him have ever dared to do — he’s questioning the status quo, asking the obvious questions, and seeking to round up support from his like-minded colleagues.

The Senate still hasn’t reconvened yet, but when it does the debate about spending will be front and center.

Mike Lee is doing what President Obama is failing miserably to do: provide true and effective leadership.

As never before, those who are playing politics as usual are easier to spot. Those with serious ideas are boldly declaring themselves despite the potentially suicidal political ramifications of attacking Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The polling data would suggest Americans don’t really want to dismantle or rearrange their entitlement programs, but if someone can make an honest case why it needs to be done and done now, I believe that principled stand will prevail.

The political miscalculation currently being made by the status quo club — doing whatever you have to do to win the next election with enough votes — has a very short shelf life. The America public is now poised to back leadership when they perceive leaders doing what true leaders always must do by taking a principled, rather than a politically popular, position.

In this phone interview yesterday, Lee discusses the progress being made in rounding up enough votes to pass out of the Congress a Balance Budget Amendment. He points out there will be no favorable vote on raising the debt ceiling forthcoming from him and a growing number of his colleagues without an up or down vote on the BBA. Once again, the threshold for amending Constitution is a high bar — 2/3 in favor in both Houses of Congress, then a 3/4 ratification by the states.

Knowing it will take years to achieve, perhaps, isn’t as important as the signal it sends to Americans and the whole world that the United States is serious about taking the corrective steps necessary to rescue our economy from the disastrous trajectory that it is on.

That said, Lee adds in this interview what is fact. The U.S. would not default on its credit obligations if the debt ceiling isn’t raised. The Treasury takes in ten times what it owes in interest obligations. Suggesting a credit default in the absence of the vote to raise the debt ceiling is just wildly irresponsible. It hasn’t seemed to matter which political party is in power, they have gone to that trough now one too many times.

I like Mike. He’s speaking from a position of strength. I don’t know how persuasive he’ll be in the end of the day among his colleagues in the Senate, but whatever the final outcome may be I am grateful for his leadership in this area. It’s only going to take a few more votes to make his proposition viable. I’m hoping the American people will have the integrity to back their elected representatives when it comes to the final vote after all the debating ahead. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) also has a plan worth considering.

We have a better chance now than ever to put the federal government in a strangle hold on discretionary spending. People from both parties would be well-advised to follow Senator Lee’s admonitions.

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The more things you own — the more things own you!

Simplify and ….Let Go. Free Yourself from Clutter and Too Much Stuff!

The more things you own — the more things own you!

Simplify and ….Let Go. Free Yourself from Clutter and Too Much Stuff!

1. Is this really something that I absolutely need?
2. Is this really good for me to have?
3. Is there perhaps a better time for me to obtain that which I desire?
4. Is it best to wait?

Even if we are able to answer yes to all of the above questions, the Lord may allow us to go without to help us learn to be more dependent on Him. He may be trying to teach us that we need Him more than our immediate desires.

1. Free us from fear (34:4)
2. Deliver us from trouble (34:6)
3. Guard us (34:7)
4. Show us kindness (34:8)
5. Supply our needs (34:9)
6. Listen when we talk with him (34:15)
7. Redeem us (34:22)

1. Seek Him (34:4, 10)
2. Cry out to Him (34:6, 17)
3. Trust Him (34:8)
4. Fear Him (34:7, 9)
5. Keep from lying (34:13)
6. Turn from sin, do good, and seek peace (34:14)
7. Have humble hearts (34:18)
8. Serve Him (34:22)