I'm changing things up a tiny bit this year and including a couple videos directly in the post instead of just linking to them.
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Monday, December 25, 2017
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Living in a Book
One of the blurbs on the back of Stephenie Meyer's book The Chemist says in part that "People do not want to just read Meyer's books; they want to climb inside them and live there."
Well, I for one would not enjoy that at all. First she gave us the Twilight books. Vampires, shape-shifters, and werewolves. All of them get their lives pretty disrupted. Okay, maybe life as one of the background characters would be alright, but I don't see how their lives would be any better than my own.
Then we've got the post-apocalyptic world in The Host. I have yet to find any post-apocalyptic world more appealing than my current reality.
And next comes The Chemist. The characters in this book have a kill-or-be-killed existence for the majority of the story, with a touch of living in hiding, constantly looking over their shoulders. Still not something I'd choose.
If I did have to climb inside a book and live there, I think I'd have to go with a straight romance genre. Their misfortunes tend to be along the lines of lost jobs, minor accidents, and miscommunication. I'm not really eager to experience such things, but at least I'm not highly likely to die from them. Plus, I have a pretty good chance of finding true love in the bargain.
Well, I for one would not enjoy that at all. First she gave us the Twilight books. Vampires, shape-shifters, and werewolves. All of them get their lives pretty disrupted. Okay, maybe life as one of the background characters would be alright, but I don't see how their lives would be any better than my own.
Then we've got the post-apocalyptic world in The Host. I have yet to find any post-apocalyptic world more appealing than my current reality.
And next comes The Chemist. The characters in this book have a kill-or-be-killed existence for the majority of the story, with a touch of living in hiding, constantly looking over their shoulders. Still not something I'd choose.
If I did have to climb inside a book and live there, I think I'd have to go with a straight romance genre. Their misfortunes tend to be along the lines of lost jobs, minor accidents, and miscommunication. I'm not really eager to experience such things, but at least I'm not highly likely to die from them. Plus, I have a pretty good chance of finding true love in the bargain.
Sunday, February 5, 2017
His Sheep Know His Voice
During Sunday School today we had a long discussion about how to tell the difference between inspiration from Heavenly Father and inspiration from the devil. At one point the teacher asked why it is important for us to study out the scriptures and words of our prophets for ourselves rather than just accept them immediately. I had two thoughts on that and shared one of them, which was that by studying ourselves we know the doctrine better and can better compare impressions and ideas to what has already been revealed, but by the time I had expressed that thought I had forgotten the other part of my answer. Well, I remember now and want to share it, but first I will tell a story from my life.
Years ago, right after I had moved to Provo, I learned of a blog some neighbors of mine had made in connection with a series of related pranks they had pulled over the course of a semester. They had each written under a specific pseudonym, but as I read through this blog I couldn't keep track of who had written what. In fact, at one point I thought there might be more pseudonyms than people writing.
Over the next couple of years, I spent a lot of time with these neighbors and became pretty good friends with them. Then we all went our separate ways. Some time after I had last seen these friends, I remembered this blog and felt inclined to read through it again. I found the web address and started reading, expecting to be a little confused about who had posted what again, but it was not so. Within just a couple lines of each post, I knew exactly who had written it. I checked against the credits of a youtube video about their pranks and found that I had been correct. After getting to know these men, I knew their individual voices.
The more time we spend prayerfully studying the words of the Lord, the better our relationship with Him will be, and the better we will be at distinguishing His voice.
Years ago, right after I had moved to Provo, I learned of a blog some neighbors of mine had made in connection with a series of related pranks they had pulled over the course of a semester. They had each written under a specific pseudonym, but as I read through this blog I couldn't keep track of who had written what. In fact, at one point I thought there might be more pseudonyms than people writing.
Over the next couple of years, I spent a lot of time with these neighbors and became pretty good friends with them. Then we all went our separate ways. Some time after I had last seen these friends, I remembered this blog and felt inclined to read through it again. I found the web address and started reading, expecting to be a little confused about who had posted what again, but it was not so. Within just a couple lines of each post, I knew exactly who had written it. I checked against the credits of a youtube video about their pranks and found that I had been correct. After getting to know these men, I knew their individual voices.
The more time we spend prayerfully studying the words of the Lord, the better our relationship with Him will be, and the better we will be at distinguishing His voice.
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Christmas Links
'Twas the Day Before Christmas
Stream Christmas music by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
History of Handel and his Messiah
Come Let Us Adore Him
The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles
The Condescension of Jesus Christ
Reflections of Christ Art Gallery
Free Music Downloads (Christmas songs are the first three links at the far right)
Stream Christmas music by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
History of Handel and his Messiah
Come Let Us Adore Him
The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles
The Condescension of Jesus Christ
Reflections of Christ Art Gallery
Free Music Downloads (Christmas songs are the first three links at the far right)
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Prayer and Politics
Before every election in my memory, somebody read a letter in church encouraging everybody to be involved in the political process, get informed, and vote. The most recent letter is available to read at mormonnewsroom.org. I have always thought it important to do as the letters advise.
I have also always thought that the results of the elections were important enough that I should make my decisions about how to vote a matter of prayer, but exactly how I pray about my decisions has changed somewhat since I was 18. As I remember, back then I studied the candidates and issues, made choices that seemed logical to me, and then asked if my choices were good or right in a very straightforward, literal following of Doctrine and Covenants 9:8
And while I'm on the topic of politics, here are a couple modern scriptural references about how our government should be:
Doctrine and Covenants 98:4-10
Doctrine and Covenants 134
I have also always thought that the results of the elections were important enough that I should make my decisions about how to vote a matter of prayer, but exactly how I pray about my decisions has changed somewhat since I was 18. As I remember, back then I studied the candidates and issues, made choices that seemed logical to me, and then asked if my choices were good or right in a very straightforward, literal following of Doctrine and Covenants 9:8
But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.But after some more experience with seeking help from Heavenly Father in other matters, I've started praying a bit more comprehensively about my decisions. First comes more praying before my studying for discernment and insight. As I study, I tell Him what aspects of the candidates or propositions I think matter most. I tell Him what I'm unsure about. When I start to lean a certain way, I tell Him why, point by point. Because one thing I have noticed is that the more I tell Heavenly Father of my thought process, the more I get out of the prayer. Maybe it's because I'm spending more time praying, giving me more time dedicated to each question for impressions; maybe it's because by actively telling what I am thinking, I am improving my connections with the Father; maybe my this process I am able to solidify my own thoughts. I think it is likely a combination of these factors. So far, I'm feeling pretty good about how my methods have been influencing my decisions.
And while I'm on the topic of politics, here are a couple modern scriptural references about how our government should be:
Doctrine and Covenants 98:4-10
Doctrine and Covenants 134
Sunday, June 5, 2016
To Forgive Is Divine
When I was a kid, I got a bit nervous about this verse of scripture:
I interpreted it to mean that people would be forgiven or not based on a whim, and worried that when He got to me, He would feel like not forgiving. I wish that when I'd gotten that impression, I would have remembered this other verse:
I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men. (Doctrine and Covenants 64:10)
I interpreted it to mean that people would be forgiven or not based on a whim, and worried that when He got to me, He would feel like not forgiving. I wish that when I'd gotten that impression, I would have remembered this other verse:
Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me. (Mosiah 26:30)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)