Forte

You know one thing I'm pretty good at

is surmising what time it is when I wake up in the night.

I try to guess the time.

that is projected on our ceiling,

 before opening my eyes.

I'm surprising close most of the time.

It's always good to find one thing 

you do well.

Bear One Another's Burdens

Both the Church and the Governor of Utah issued statements early in December stating that we should accept Syrian refugees because we come from a persecuted past and we know what it’s like. Then they cite examples of the Saints being driven from Ohio, Illinois and Missouri, who even had an extermination order out for them. Also, the United States attempted to enact a law to keep immigrants from coming in because the Mormons were bringing so many converts to Zion.

Because we have a history of persecution seems a conceited and selfish reason to welcome in Syrian refugees. It seems to me that the State of Utah and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would want to welcome Syrian refugees because they are fellow human beings; fleeing the violence of their homeland; victims of torture, tempest-toss souls risking, starving, suffering endlessly.  Wouldn’t we want to feed the hungry, provide housing for the homeless, and succor the sick and lonely because they are our brothers and sisters?

You can see they are all terrorists - especially the ones under 12.

Matthew 25:35-46 (KJV)

³⁵ For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

³⁶ Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

³⁷ Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Isaiah 58:30 - And [if] thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noonday

James 2:15-18

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be (ye) warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what (doth it ) profit?

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Yea, a many may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

 Proverbs 28:27 - He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

Luke 3-11 - He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

1 John 3:17-18 - But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Proverbs 14:31 - He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

Proverbs 31:20 - She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

Proverbs 22:9 - He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Romans 12:20 - Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Galatians 6:2 - Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

We're All God's Children?

 

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, 
Right down Santa Claus lane
He doesn't care if you're rich or poor
He loves you just the same
Santa Claus knows we're all God’s children
That makes everything right
So fill your hearts with Christmas cheer
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight! 

How many times have I sang along with "Here Comes Santa Claus" through the years? This year is the first time that I realized that Santa Claus knows we're all God's children and that he doesn't care if we're rich or poor, he loves us just the same.

Why does that seem so important at this time?

Love did not create this LDS policy, and it won’t survive | The Salt Lake Tribune

Julienna Viegas­Haws

PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 18, 2015 

It is reassuring to see strong believing Mormons, along with progressive and postMormons, raise their voices against the new policy excluding children with married gay parents from receiving important ordinances in the LDS Church.

These withheld ordinances include baptism commonly performed at the age of 8 years old. All the important ordinances in the Mormon church are now being put on hold until the age of 18 for children of married gay couples — after the children disavow their parents’ marriage.

This is baffling coming from a church that teaches in its own scriptures that Christ invites all to come unto him through baptism and that men will be punished for their own sins.

Thousands of members have officially resigned from their affiliation with the church or slipped away quietly because this new policy was the last straw for them.

All the major media sources have picked up on the outrage of too many affected directly or indirectly by this new policy. Righteous indignation finds its place in this issue. Many hope that the prophet and apostles will take this opportunity to closely look at the way they are acting “in the name of God.”

In an explanatory statement on the policy, Elder D. Todd Christofferson claimed that the policy was based upon love. However, neither he nor supporters of this policy are able to illustrate any positive outcome from it. So far the major outcomes of this policy have been bafflement, broken hearts and homes in deep turmoil. It is hard to believe that the leaders of the Mormon Church sat together with the goal of increasing love and fellowship for children of gay parents, then came up with this policy as a result. The lack of transparency and dishonesty of the leaders is extremely hurtful.

What the leaders tend to forget is that the only power they truly have is the one members of the church are willing to give them. By intentionally veiling the true reasons for the new policy they show that what they did was not inspired. How can the members see this policy as coming from God? Many foresee this new policy going down in LDS history as a future “mistake from the past.”

Prophets and apostles advocated in favor of polygamy, against racial desegregation, against the ERA, against the civil rights movement all in the name of divine inspiration. As political pressure mounted, they flipped on the more humane and commonly accepted side. The outside pressure became too strong and sudden “revelations” appeared to change the position of the church. One would think that because the leaders claim such proximity to Christ, they would be in the forefront of social justice issues. But it hasn’t been the case. It is usually after significant outside pressure that the church suddenly changes its stances.

LGBTQ allies in and out of the church have hopes to see the leaders act more humanely toward our LGBTQ sisters and brothers. Groups such as Mormon Building Bridges, Mama Dragons, the Mormon Mental Health Association, the Out in Zion Podcast participants and others are working very hard to foster understanding and complete acceptance of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. We know that eventually the leaders will come around to fully accept and embrace the complexities of human sexuality. In the meantime many are suffering.

Many members wish the LDS Church were leading the cause for social justice rather than being forced to accept the equality that others are fighting for.

I have no doubt that Mormonism’s position on gay marriage, including this new policy, will eventually change. At some point in time, the outside pressure will become so great that their obsolete position will no longer be tenable. Until this change happens, an increasing number is left wondering what the real reasons were for creating this painful new policy because it certainly was not love.

Julienna Viegas­Haws was born and raised in Belgium. She served an LDS mission on Temple Square and graduated with a B.A. in international politics from Brigham Young University. She currently lives in Texas with her husband and three children.

Brooke's Birthday

I couldn't resist reposting this on his birthday. For several years we stayed at the Marriott Hotel overnight to celebrate his birthday. $50/family on weekends. We'd take in the tabernacle choir Christmas program, the lights, and swimming and hottubbing at the hotel. Carol, Verla, and their families joined us some years so it was a real celebration. Happy Birthday, Brooke!

May a baby come to thee,

And lie beneath your Christmas tree,

In a cradle set with pine

Be a perfect present thine. . .

And, when the blessed day is done,

Birthday of God’s only son,

May your heart a cradle be

Needing not a Christmas tree,

For in your arms a babe will stay –

Every hour a Christmas day! --Author Unknown

Brooke Duffin Hugh born December 21, 1971
(I might point out that we are living in the garage while building our house.)

Christmas is Coming

Oh clap clap your hands

and sing out with glee

for Christmas is coming

and happy are we. 

Amy's watercolors. We're impressed.

October Birthday Babes: Charlene Seeley, Sylvia Hadfield, Jeanette Hugh, Claudann Loveless

Winnie Merritt and Cronies at AppleTree

 

Snow Day 2

Next day (after work).

--Photos by Amy

The next day:

Now you know why we choose to live where it snows.

What the ocean does for some people,

the snow does for us.

Redemptive.