LOVE

"The Bible makes this clear. Be as loving as you can, as often as you can, for as many people as you can, for as long as you live. . . .
This is the terrain we stumble across, bearing our fragile hearts in our clumsy human hands. . . .
It is a brave thing to try to love at all, let alone completely and always. It is a brave thing-and yet it is the only thing." (Book Section, Readers Digest, Dec09/Jan10, pp. 164, 168)

Joslyn Halloween

This was Rachel's pumpkin costume

Vampire Rachel

Sam's actual costume this year

Dave was the wolf man

Sam playing the lion before Halloween

WHAT PERSONALITY ARE YOU???

Click on the link: Humanmetrics

Randomness

Randomness

...I am at a loss for words!

Possibly blasphemy...but this was so amazing I couldn't ignore it

I've lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing Proofs I see of this Truth — That God governs in the Affairs of Men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that except the Lord build the House they labor in vain who build it. I firmly believe this, — and I also believe that without his concurring Aid, we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our Projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a Reproach and Bye word down to future Ages.
Benjamin Franklin: Speech to the Constitutional Convention (28 June 1787); Manuscript notes by Franklin preserved in the Library of Congress.

The Way to see by Faith, is to shut the Eye of Reason:
The Morning Daylight appears plainer when you put out your Candle.
– Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac (July 1758)

WAKE UP AMERICA!

Wherefore, I . . . have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring . . . [to this land] shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.
But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord— . . . and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.
Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them [other nations] power, and he will take away from them [Americans] the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten.
Yea, . . . there shall be bloodsheds, and great visitations among [Americans] . . . .
O that [America] would awake; awake from a deep asleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.

Randomness

What It Will Be Like...Living in the Mountains of Montana

The house looking down from the hillside...

More from the hillside...

Hyrum took pictures from the "hillside"

Our very own OUTHOUSE....(smile)

What open field area there is on the property

Walkway to the FRONT DOOR...well, we still need to put in the walkway...

Ah...I think we are going to need more wood than this little pile...

Hyrum standing by the creek

There is a STREAM/CREEK on the property
Driving onto the property from a PRIVATE road

Hyrum and I wanted to see what it was like...to drive in and out of the property that we have chosen as our FIRST PICK here in MONTANA...AFTER it snowed...Hmmm...I only slid a little bit....a couple of times...(yikes) Garvin is telling me that...it will be much better once I get STUDDED TIRES on the car....My 4-wheel JEEP...needs a little more help....(smile)

What We Learn At The Greenways

Our FIRST HIKING Experience in Montana

There were lots of "bear" food - These are "Snow Berries"
There were BLUE and RED berries as well

Stanton Lake

Little "island"

Mama - at the beginning of hike

At the beginning of our hike - Garvin

Garvin and I made our FIRST MONTANA HIKE - 19 September 2009...Garvin thought that he and I needed to take up HIKING as our new "togetherness" activity...So, we went and bought each of us our first pair of "hiking" boots (we match by-the-way)and bought a book on "Hiking Montana"...

Garvin...went through the book...and choose a hike that was labeled "EASY"....Yeah, right...the first 20 minutes was UP HILL!!!! So, I decided...that the NEXT HIKE, I get to choose....I, also, reminded Garvin that it was probably a "polished" hiker who RATED each trail....We will be better prepared next time...

We met along the path...a HUNTER...with his rifle...He was BEAR HUNTING....It seems it was the 2nd day of BEAR SEASON...He said he only saw a small one...but, not close to the trail...Hmmm....We didn't have pepper spray or a gun on our person...but, decided to venture onward, anyway...

Another...two people we came across...were 2 young men...By, this time...we were stopping and resting...every so many paces....We had read that an experienced...hiker...could make this hike in about 30 minutes...We knew that couldn't be true...in the first 20 minutes of our hike....The boys told us...that it normally took them about 45 minutes...(didn't help our egos much) Oh...by-the-way...both these boys had guns strapped to their legs....Oh...well, we will keep truckn'... I was determined we were going to FINISH the hike....

Also, ran across a young woman hiker...She had her "pepper spray" on her hip...nice and handy and her knife...And...on our way back...we came across a family...also, with pepper spray attached to the back packs....Hey...I had my CAMERA!!!!

The only living thing outside of being human...was I nearly stepped on the tail end of a snake...and one lone squirrel....but, I got Lots of INCREDIBLE pictures of our trail...nature....and the lake....It was WORTH...the near heart-attack...level of our hiking experience....Hope you enjoy the PICTURES of STANTON LAKE TRAIL 146 (all trails are NUMBERED in Montana) - setting is in the Flathead National Park...The only means of getting to the Stanton Lake...is to HIKE IN....ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

General Conference - Discussion

I manage a blog for Sisters discussing General Conference...I thought it would be a great idea...as a FAMILY we can do it, also....FAMILY was greatly discussed in this Conference...and collectively we can give each other STRENGTH...as our world turns upside down....I pasted what I posted on the Sisters blog this morning....How about it? Also, if you, in your personal studies of the gospel...would share thoughts with all of us....it might be just the idea that will strengthen someone in the family....

"The Love of God"

You will find ALL the Conference talks on www.lds.org - but here is the LINK to Uchtdorf's talk:
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1117-7,00.html


This General Conference set of discussions...I thought it would be appropriate to begin with President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk on "The Love of God" FIRST, because of the subject he presented...

When Christ was asked "Master, which is the GREAT COMMANDMENT in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they mind. THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREAT COMMANDMENT." Matthew 22:36-38

"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" Matthew 22:39

"ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS." Matthew 22:40

President Uchtdorf asked this question:
Brothers and sisters, of all the things we want to be known for, are there attributes above all others that should define us as members of His Church, even as disciples of Jesus Christ?

Sisters...have you ever asked yourself..."How does my life reflect what I truly believe?" One of my FAVORITE quotes was stated by Ganhdi: "My life is my message"....

I find it interesting...what people have inscribed on their tombstones...Take Thomas Jefferson for instance...I quote this statment from - http://sc94.ameslab.gov/TOUR/tjefferson.html :

Thomas Jefferson wished to be remembered for three achievements in his public life. He had served as governor of Virginia, as U.S. minister to France, as secretary of state under George Washington, as vice-president in the administration of John Adams, and as president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. On his tombstone, however, which he designed and for which he wrote the inscription, there is no mention of these offices. Rather, it reads that Thomas Jefferson was "author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia" and, as he requested, "not a word more." Historians might want to add other accomplishments--for example, his distinction as an architect, naturalist, and linguist--but in the main they would concur with his own assessment.

Mine might say..."Wife, Mother, Patriot for FREEDOM" Yet, I am not certain...I qualify, yet, to inscribe..."and Disciple of Christ" After much reflection of my life, like Scooge in "A Christmas Carol"... I can repent of my ways....and try to live as closely as I can...in becoming a true DISCIPLE of CHRIST...

President Uchtdorf addresses: "How Do We Become True Disciples of Jesus Christ?"; "Why Should We Love God?"; "Why Does Heavenly Father Love Us?"; "How Can We Increase Our Love of God?"; "How Can We Hear the Father’s Voice?"; and "Why Is Love the Great Commandment?"

I loved this line of his thoughts:

"Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship."

Would love your reflections...on this wonderful talk by President Uchtdorf....

I might add this...One of the CLASSIC talks I have ever heard on this very subject...was given by President Ezra Taft Benson....... "The Great Commentment - Love the Lord" given in General Conference...April 1988 -

Here is the link for this GREAT TALK: http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=1aebd7630a27b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Here is a GREAT quote from President Benson's talk:

The great test of life is obedience to God.

The great task of life is to learn the will of the Lord and then do it.

The great commandment of life is, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” (Mark 12:30).