Faith to Go, Do, and Say

Yes, I might just loose it. Today is not a good day. Of course I immediately recognize that that simply means that I'm not exercising my faith. Slow down, take a deep breath....just breathe.....

I can't control everything.....

If I am to trust God I need to trust Christ.  I must lay it on the alter and say, "Here Lord take my burdens, for your way is easy and your way is light." It's hard though.

The meanness comes out in people when it comes to politics.
We aren't mean people so it hurts.
Why can't we all be honest?
Why can't we all be nice to each other?

Oh yeah, we live in a telestial world. A world full of fallen men/women who are going after the lusts of their hearts.

Christ says do hard things. Make the world better. Follow the Spirit. Trust. Faith. Believe. Obey.

My house is full of piles and boxes. I don't like disorder. I don't like stress. I don't like piles.

My kids have gone crazy since disorder hit. Jumping, playing, chaos.

"Please sit still and focus on your math assignment."

Breathe, trust, believe....

I have to move out in 10 days. I don't have enough boxes.

I don't have enough mental ability to do this on my own.

That's the point. It's called submission. It's called mortal experience. What are you going to do? Submit or crack?

So many things to do today. I choose to finish my visiting teaching.

Besides faith I need to count my many blessing right?

The best husband ever (even if he is destined for political office at some point).
Children who usually do math when I ask them too.
Family and friends who I know would help me if they could.
I love my dog. He loves me.
America. Freedom.
Health.
Gospel. Temple. Holy Ghost. Scriptures. Prophet.

I will choose to rise about the sarcasm. I will not be mean back. I will forgive. I will pray. I will trust in God. I will not wallow in self-pity anymore. I will "work as if everything depends on me and pray as if everything depends on God." (Brigham Young)

Greatness

Over the course of the last two weeks my family and I were able to see and experience some pretty remarkable things.  Some things we had seen before and others we had not.  Each day as I was personally enriched by my experiences the word "greatness" kept resonating through my mind.

I saw and felt greatness as I gazed at the tombs of George and Martha Washington, I saw greatness-or the potential for greatness-in the Senate Gallery at the United States Capitol building, I felt greatness when I stood in the room where the thoughts leading to the Constitution of the United States were realized, I felt greatness as I gazed at the gravesides of James and Dolley Madison, I felt greatness when I gazed at the Washington, DC temple and watched my husband and daughter go in and return from it, I felt greatness when I gazed over DC from the Washington Monument, I felt greatness when I reverently looked over the flag that hung so bravely over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 that Francis Scott Key saw and was inspired by, I felt greatness as I looked at the top hat of Abraham Lincoln, I felt greatness as I stood before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, I felt greatness as I stood in Thomas Jefferson's home and looked at his books and realized the ideas of freedom penned in the Declaration of Independence were conceived there, I saw greatness in God's creations as I watched the ocean roar over and over, and I felt greatness when I watched dolphins swim 100 feet from my children every day they played in the ocean.

The word that over and over came to mind was profound greatness.  Our country is built on great men and men, our nation is great and it is powerful, the creations of God are truly great and temple's are another sign of God's greatness.  What was interesting to me was that while I thought of the word greatness I never thought of the word greater.  While they were great I realized they were not greater than me or anyone/thing else.  They were simply filled with greatness.

At Mount Vernon I over heard a conversation with a tour guide and a visitor.  The tour guide was commenting on how brilliant and great the Founding Fathers were.   He sighed and said sadly, "Our country will never again be blessed with that kind of greatness."  The first thought that came to me was how some believe that there would never be any more revelation in the Last Days either.  With both thoughts I boldly say, "No!" We have had greatness and revelation and we will continue to have greatness and revelation.

How is greatness to be realized? What does it look like?  The first point is that all can be great.  God's plan isn't a plan of competition or of who is better.  I think that greatness is achieved as we individually fulfil our mission that we were sent here to do.  This will look different for everyone.  Some will be popular, some will be national heroes, and some will live quiet lives never going far from home but making a difference where they stand by their quiet acts of service.

Another point begs to say that we must,

"...Be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all." Mosiah 5:15

What was interesting was that while I was impressed with the great houses the true power and testimony of their greatness came when I came to their graves/tombs.  They had fulfilled the measure of their creation.  They had done what they were asked to do.  They had achieved greatness.

Greatness can be achieved by you and I as we seek to fulfill the measure of our creation.  As we accept the call from the Lord and from the prophet to embrace our role as mothers in Zion we will receive the best reward possible.  We will obtain greatness and be able to stand with the other great men and women of the ages who also embraced their roles.  We will not be better than them and they will not be better than us.  We will all be great.

 

Embracing the role of motherhood requires that we do without some things.  It requires that we think of others.  It requires us to be okay when we don't get our way.  It requires us to gain a testimony in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Redeemer so that when the world tells us that we are fools for choosing to submit to motherhood we will stand on solid ground and know we are doing the right thing.

Sister Beck said this about mothers who know,

"Rather than listening to the voices and partial truths of the world, she knows that gospel standards are based on eternal, unchangeable truths. She believes that to be “primarily responsible for the nurture of [her] children” is a vital, dignified, and “sacred responsibilit[y]” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, Oct. 1998, 24; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). To nurture and feed them physically is as much an honor as to nurture and feed them spiritually. She is “not weary in well-doing” and delights to serve her family, because she knows that “out of small things proceedeth that which is great” (D&C 64:33)." A Mother Heart Ensign May 2004.

Sister Beck also said,

 "Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world’s goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world. Their goal is to prepare future fathers and mothers who will be builders of the Lord’s kingdom for the next 50 years. That is influence; that is power." Mothers Who Know, Ensign November 2007.

As I think about the things I felt with my family back east and as I think about the words of Sister Beck last night at our Relief Society Meeting  I feel empowered to continue to claim that greatness through fulfilling my great role of wife and mother in Zion.  The glories of the world and flatteries from the large and spacious building will pass quickly and soon I can stand with my family crowned with eternal happiness and peace.  I can smile at Eve, Sarah, Hannah, Mary, Sariah, Emma, Lucy, Martha, Abigail, Dolley,.... and I can know that choosing God's plan for women was the path to take.

Children are an Heritage of the Lord

This was the essay that I wrote to help celebrate family on a friend's blog.  Most of you have already read this, but for the few of you that haven't here you go....

When I first was asked to write an essay to help celebrate this great month my thoughts immediately went to the scripture that is quoted in the Proclamation which reads, "Children are an heritage of the Lord." (Ps 127:3) As I continued to ponder about this assignment I kept experimenting with different themes but I keep coming back to this scripture.  So I decided it was time I followed through with my instincts!

What does this scripture mean?  Initially I have always thought that it meant that children are our heritage (I read blessing in this) from the Lord.  I'm sure that is part of it's meaning but as I pondered more and studied more I realized that it means that children are God's heritage.  It reminds me of the scripture in Moses 1:39, "This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."   We are God's heritage and His work is to make sure we can make it back to Him.  I haven't really taken the time to think about how we are God's legacy. 

What's even more amazing is that we get to share in all of that with Him.  He sends some of His spirits down, His heritage, to us and lets us share in that heritage/legacy by allowing us to be stewards over them.  If God's whole work and glory is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life than it is very humbling that we are entrusted with children to raise. There is much to be done.

The paragraph that Psalms is referenced in reads,

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

As I read that paragraph several words jump out at me that remind me of the magnitude of my responsibility.  The apostles refer to our duty as parents as a solemn responsibility.  That means that all my best efforts must be put forth and this is an absolutely serious charge-a sacred duty.  When I think of a sacred duty I think of serving in the temple.  Being a parent I now realize is also a sacred duty.  Have a viewed it in such reverent and humbling terms before?  I am to rear, provide and to teach them.  I think about all the ways that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have reared, provided and taught me.  I have in them my example for my children.  Finally they close with a warning that I will be held accountable if I don't recognize the sacredness of this and I jump ship half way through.  Why?  Because this is God's heritage and God's legacy and He doesn't want it messed up.  We are all His children and He wants us all to progress and return to live with Him.

In Elder Oak's famous "Good, Better, Best" talk he quote President Hinckley who said,

“Work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it, because in fact everything in life does count on it,,,I ask you men, particularly, to pause and take stock of yourselves as husbands and fathers and heads of households. Pray for guidance, for help, for direction, and then follow the whisperings of the Spirit to guide you in the most serious of all responsibilities, for the consequences of your leadership in your home will be eternal and everlasting." (Ensign, November 2007)

As I contemplate the seriousness of my duty as a mother I am humbled.  Why in the world did He entrust me with four precious souls to rear, provide, and teach?  I barely know what I'm doing with my own life. In reflecting on this serious charge I've asked myself some questions:

1. Am I giving my best efforts toward parenting?
2. Am I teaching them the most important things, the things they really need?
3. Am I unified with my husband in the discharge of our joint duty with rearing our children?

These seem like simple questions with simple answers, but I don't think they really are.  The first question of course begs what are my best efforts?  Am I allowing my children to be exposed to negative, spiritually damning influences?  Am I feeding them the best foods?  Am I instilling in them the best habits?  Do I say no enough?  Do I say yes enough?  Am I personally distracted with my own spiritually damning influences?  Are my thoughts centered on them enough? Do my children know that I love them unconditionally?

The second question makes me ask myself do they know and understand the Plan of Salvation?  Do they read their scriptures every day?  Do they pray every day?  Do we hold family prayer, scripture study and Family Home Evening so they can learn the gospel?  Do they know how to recognize the Spirit?  Do they know how to obey?  Do they listen and follow the words of the prophet? Do they know what their baptismal covenants are and do they honor them?

Finally am I one with my husband in rearing these special children?  Do we discuss regularly our roles as presider, provider and protector along with nurturing?  Do we agree and support one another?  Do we back each other up when interacting with the children?  Does my spouse know I love him and do my children know we love each other?

As I review and ponder on God's great heritage I am humbled to be a part of it.  I realize I can do much more to help Him bring to pass His work and glory.  I hope all of us can review whether we are giving our best efforts, teaching our children all they need to know, and ask whether we are unified with our spouse as we strive to fulfill our sacred responsibility-rearing God's heritage.

Back Home

We are back home. Great trip.  I have lots of posts that I'm thinking over in my mind.  I'll write soon.  In the mean time I finally updated the family blog.  All our trip info is on there.  If you don't have an invite and would like one, just let me know.

Being A Minimalist Packer

That is for our two week trip.  I am being a minimalist packer for our move too. Lara will be so proud of me. : )

We are going to be gone for a couple of weeks.  In the past we would pack and drag a lot of 'stuff' all over.  It was exhausting.  It takes the fun out of the trip to begin with.  So this packing trip we have downsized.  I figure if there is something urgent that I need there are Walmarts or Rite Aides everywhere right?

This trip we each packed a small suitcase that we will each take on the plane.  In the kid's suitcases there are:

• 3 pair of pants
• 4-5 shirts
• underwear
• socks
• 1 pair of pj's
• toothbrush
• jacket
• flip flops
• swim suit (we are going to Virginia Beach for one of those weeks, right when Igor hits too)

They have a backpack each. In their back packs they have:

• Scriptures
• Journal
• Sketchbook
• Notebook
• Math book
• 1 chapter book
• 2 pencils

We parents packed the same in our suitcases.  We also packed one backpack between the two of us that includes:

• IPAD
• Scriptures
• Camera
• Jane Eyre
• Swiss Family Robinson (Read A Loud)
• Presidents of the Church by Truman Madison on CD for long car rides
• Dried Fruit
• Passports

We are also checking in one garment bag that has our church suits, dresses, and church shoes. We also have a very small bathroom bag (that's inside the garmet bag) that has toothpaste, comb, brush, mascara, lipgloss and sunscreen.
In the past I would take 5 books because I was sure that I would read them. (NOT!)  I'd bring 5 books on tape.  I'd bring a medicine cabinet.  I'd bring enough food for several meals.  We'd bring 10 outfits each.  The list would just go on and on. 

We'll see how we do.  It is literally half of what we normally bring for the same length of trip.  I'm sure Lara would still bring less, but it's a good start for us. How do you travel light?

Look on our family blog for trip updates.  : )

Gender Roles

I've been going through some of my things.  I know why would I be doing that right now? I found in my church books the manual, A Parent's Guide, which is put out by the church.  I was flipping through it and one section caught my eye.  The section was: Teach Children to Accept and Understand Their Gender Roles. 

That goes right in conjunction with the Proclamation.  Anyway, time is short but I wanted to share some of the quotes:

From ages four to eleven, each child is learning how to be male or female and about what being male or female means about their relationships with others.  Toys, games, books, and friends revolve largely around gender.  Considerable controversy has been aroused of late around such terms as sexism, feminism, and machoism, as if there is something wrong with being too male, too female, or too virtuous.  President Spender W. Kimball said, "I sincerely hope that our Latter-day Saint girls and women, and men and boys, will drink deeply of the water of life and conform their lives to the beautiful and comprehensive roles the Lord assigned to them."  For Latter-day Saints, the matter of virtuous role behavior ought not to be confusing... 

....Within the gospel framework are some realities that there are some exclusive things men are to do and some that women are to do.  A most appropriate time for this development is the interlude between early childhood and adolescence...

President Kimball clarified the eternal significance of gender identity when he said: " Some people are ignorant or vicious and apparently attempting to destroy the concept of masculinity and femininity.  More and more girls dress, groom, and act like men.  More and more men dress, groom, and act like women.  The high purposes of life are damaged and destroyed by the growing unisex theory.  God made man in his own image, male and female made he them.  With relatively few accidents of nature, we are born male or female.  The Lord knew best.  Certainly, men and women who would change their sex status will answer to their Maker."

I thought those quotes were good in light of several blog discussions I've participated in lately.  Liberty was getting rid of some shirts the other day and I asked her why she didn't like them since I knew she liked the colors.  She responded, "They make me feel masculine." Okay, sounds like they need to go then! 

As I have been reviewing the traditions in my life I have become aware that there is some gender confusion in society.  My husband and I shield much from our children but there is still much of it that seeps in.  We have redefined roles in our family, reviewed clothing, and looked at behavior.  I have a friend who says, "Why would a women want to be like me?  I am a crass man.  Why do they want to shoulder my roles when God has given them something much more ennobling and beautiful to do?" Why indeed.  As I reflect I realize I need to be offensive  proactive in teaching correct gender roles in my family.

Random Pictures

Some pictures haven been removed from this post.

I never post pictures because I'm lazy. Or because it's just one more thing to do. Here's a couple just because. I'll delete a couple of them in a day or two.

We saw 6 old mining wagons pulled by 10 head (20 all together) mules at our last campaign parade.  It was quite a sight!

The summer billboard.  It's back to a political one again.  We had to take one for the team this year by being on it.  Agghh. Liberty says it just was never a goal of hears to be on a billboard.**Picture Removed.

Leader's 4-H Cloverbud award. **Picture Removed.

After the piano recital.

Boys on their way with me to a baptism. We only have them wear their suits to church on Sunday.  That was the night I saw all of you in SLC.

Doing some nature study.  We had our sketchbooks to draw on our walk by the river.

Another river picture with Hank the dog.

760 Sq. Feet

....That's the size of the ity bity house we are moving into in three very short weeks. Did I mention that we will be gone for two of those weeks on vacation? Maybe I should start at the beginning.


For years we have been trying to sell our house. We haven't tried really hard, but it has been on the market for six years. Last year we bought 80 beautiful acres of land so that we could build our inheritance house and have room to be self-sufficient from the cares of the world. Now that we have our land we have really wanted to sell our house so we can get going on this beautiful plan.

So Monday night out of the blue we were able to sell it. It was sudden and it was a surprise. Imagination and I cried. We've lived here for almost 10 years. This is the only house my kids have ever know. We didn't sleep much. We weren't so much sad as we were nostalgic. We all know it's what we are suppose to do. We all know it's time to move forward. Imagination's goal this week is to not cry.

So after finding we had sold our house we needed to find a rental quick. We live in a little town of 400 people. There's not a lot of rentals. Pretty much ZERO. And if there is one you really do want to run away fast, because they are nasty. However, the Lord loves us and had a plan all ready prepared. All 760 sq feet of it that is. Across the street from our land sits a charming (not really) old house. Every time I have worked at our land I saw it sitting vacant and the thought always came, "When you sell your house you need to move in there." The whole time however every one in town thought the bank owned it. So we check on it. NEGATIVE the bank does not own it. Mr. Patriot is a pro at whipping up deals. He bargained with the lady. (Our family will do well when we go back to the barter system). There is work to be done on the house. (Surprise!) We agreed to put in all new flooring and make it livable for renters. We've spent $950 so far with $250-600 more to go. What's our rent for our 10 month lease? Priceless. That's right free rent.

It looks like some where between October 1 and 10 is our move in date. That's not a lot of time when we'll be out of town for the last two weeks of this month. AND Mr. Patriot is staging a massive campaign against an incumbent for November 2. (That's going VERY well by the way). Yes, we are craZ-y. But we feel a call to move on and we do much better when we can just work fast and furious and get it done. We've had a lot of spiritual experiences confirming this is what we are suppose to do. It's been amazing!

So how do you go from 2400 sq feet to 760 sq feet? The Lord has prepared me already though because the last 6 months I have dejunked and dejunked and dejunked. In fact I had spent all of Monday (before I even had a clue we'd sold our house) getting rid of more stuff. Yes, we will put some in storage, but I am tired of having excess. Excess in food is good and other necessities, but not in stuff. I feel that I have taken too much of my allotment from the world and I must now give it all back. We are minimizing around here. Every drawer and box will be gone through. We are not moving anything extra. Period. The End. I'm not packing it around.

One blessing of not having our TV idols is that we don't to fit our furniture around them.  It's so nice to have them not apart of this.

So I have my list, pile whatever of what I'm taking. (The rest being put in storage: extra beds, furniture, desks, bookshelves, etc). I feel like the pioneers loading up their handcarts or wagons. I have packed the essentials only to find out that I am still very much over the weight requirements. Gasp! Now what? Do you dump the piano, the 72 hour kits or the food storage? Yeah, wish me luck. We are debating on whether to have the piano or a second couch in the living room. We'll store either one we don't use, but mmm? Not having to deal with piano for a year does sound a little appealing?

We will not have a printer, dishwasher or a microwave.  We are contemplating a land line still?  I've wanted to live without some of these things anyway; to see how we did with out them.  Guess I'm getting my wish.  I'll share more of the joy later. : )

A Whirl of a Catch Up

 I had all of these amazing posts started about all the changes we have made and loved.  I'll just have to bullet list them here for you because it doesn't look like they are going to be written or finished. (I'll post later on today about why).

• We still have individual scripture study, journal, prayers (and personal prep) time before breakfast.  We now call this "Foundation Study Time."  Referencing we are building our foundation on Christ each morning (Heleman).
• We eat breakfast. Green Smoothies.  Love them.  Even Determination is partaking.  It's been a good 5 months since we started.  He was just having oatmeal or another hot cereal.  Now he has an orange juice, banana and 1 spinach leaf smoothie.  He has requested we had a little more spinach every day along with some flax seed.  He still is not prepared to do the strawberries, blueberries or other mixed fruit.  That's the best part though!  So we are proud of him considering he has an aversion to all things healthy that are not a grain or a legume. (meaning all fruits and veggies) This is an example of teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves.  He understands the why and now after 5 months he has mustered up the courage.
• We still have Family Scripture study after/during breakfast.  We still do our weekly goals and our weekly scripture memorization. We call this "Family Foundation Study Time."
• We have added "Grammar School" to our line up.   We start with song, prayer, more songs, memorizing "Living Christ," everyone sharing a scripture/thought with history from their morning scripture study, then we have another family scripture study (we've been taking our sweet time doing the Creation-a day every day-I am determined to focus exclusively on the Creation, the Fall, The Atonement and Plan of Salvation right now), math (Life of Fred  for the older two, Saxon for the younger two until they are ready for the first Life of Fred book), piano practice rotating, copywork for littles out of the  Book of Mormon, (Dictation when they are a little older), essay assignments for Liberty, and spelling words from the Book of Mormon.  We are exclusively focusing on the 3 R's right now.  Because I jumped off the conveyor belt 8 months ago I have an entirely different mindset.  I am enjoying every second of this time.  We just do whatever we get to.  Sometimes we do all of it and finish at 11.  Sometimes we spend an hour discussing 3 verses in the Bible and we don't get everything "done."  I DON'T CARE THOUGH! Whew! That's an improvement for me and my check off lists.  Liberating you know.  I am finally just BEing with my children.  I am following the spirit to know what we should discuss.  Oh, life is good this way.
• When you graduate from "Grammar School" you get to have your Scholar or whatever you want to call it course written up.  We haven't made it this far yet.  I'm envisioning that we will fast together with the youth and go to the temple with them. (Since they have standing youth recommends).  We will discuss what we think they need to focus on to prepare for their life.  Liberty (12) is really almost there.  She is checked off in spelling and reading.  She needs a little work in composition.  We've decided that passing arithmetic means finishing the first two Life of Fred books.  (Oh, and in the olden days they called it the 3 R's. Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. They didn't call it math.  I'm a slow learner).
• When my children do their spelling and their math they do it all on lap wipe boards.  We are minimizing here by not needing extra paper.  They enjoy the variety of this.  I give them a spelling word and then they write it down and "reveal" their answers.  Sometimes we have guessing game drills.  I know you are surprised.  We thrive on facts in this house.  I'll say what is the date of the dedication of the Kirkland Temple or something and they'll write their answers down and then they reveal and see if they got it right. We use paper for composition and copywork.
• We have a reading hour after lunch.  We usually exceed this.  The older two boys really needed the "forced" time to read.  This sounds horrible I know.  They are loving it now, because they have pushed through their reading levels.  Determination (10) has read Mrs. Frisby and is 1/2 through a Narnia in the last week.  He is reading every spare minute he can now. Imagination (9) has read a Narnia and he is busting through  The Hobbit with ease this past week.  Determination didn't like doing hard things before now he's pushed through that and Imagination doesn't mind doing hard things but he get distracted and starts a new book every day.  That is solving their problems.  Leader (8)-the one that doesn't like being told what to do-is reading with me during this time.  We've had some tears and some sadness but he is fast improving.  He knows I love him though and he is trying hard.  When his time is up he'll say, "Mom I did it! I did a hard thing!" He is gaining a lot of confidence.  Reading for Liberty is a piece of cake.  She asked if her scholar studies could be composed of her just reading literature for all hours of the day. I smiled and said we might need some sewing, canning, childcare, etc skills in there.
• We do our family work in the afternoon.  We were being too lazy in the afternoon.  Breaking it up helps "wake us up."
• Our cleaning is going super.  We are only using baking soda and vinegar to clean.  We still need the castille soap to make laundry detergent so we haven't done that. Liberty loves cleaning this way.  I doubt we will every go back.
• We have changed our eating.  We still have our green smoothies as I mentioned.  We no longer have lunch at noon.  We have dinner at noon.  We have our big meal of the day at mid day.  At 5 or 6 PM we have super.  This is how all the old timers use to eat.  I remember my grandparents eating like this.  We all ready have noticed a huge difference in how we feel!!!!  Since we don't eat 'lunch' gone are the sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, chicken nuggets and all the nasty lunch food.  I mean the mentality to eat lunch food is gone.  We have whatever we were eating in the evening at noon now.  For super we have corn on the cob or bread and milk.  Whatever. Very simple, very light.  It's amazing to me that we really aren't hungry for super anyway.  We go to bed with lighter bellies.  Mr. Patriot is only home in the evening to eat with us about half the time anyway.  He usually eats left overs for noon and 5 anyway.  We will still enjoy great noon time dinners on Saturday and Sunday together though.  Mr. Patriot is the biggest advocate of this change and has noticed the most difference.
• We still do geography and history at every meal.  That is simply a way of life for us.  They also continue to focus on their memorizing lists only because they want to.

That's all I can think of now.  I 'm off to pack.

Family Work

This is for this week's blog hop at Chocolate on My Cranium.

Proclamation Photo: Parents have a sacred duty to...teach {their children} to love and serve one another....Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of.....work and wholesome recreational activities.

This summer our family planted a garden, took care of it, harvested it and laid it up in store for the winter season.

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This month Chocolate on My Cranium and We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ are celebrating The Family: A Proclamation to the World.  Each day they have guest authors, give aways, blog hops and much more.  Please check out their websites to learn some great ways you can strengthen your family.  The Misfit Cygnet was featured this past week on Chocolate's blog and wrote a lovely article.  This coming week, on the 10th, my guest post will also run. Thank you Chocolate on My Cranium for inviting me share in this great celebration!

Our Dumbed Down Reading

Right now I'm reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens.  This is his "easy book."  Charlotte Mason recommends it for young readers often.  It has been an easier read as far as Dickens goes, but I'm ...mmm...well....35 and it is still harder to read than many other books out there. 

In the story young David Copperfield is reported to be a poor student.  In his free time he does enjoy the easier reading of Roderick Random, Peregrine Pickle, Humphrey Clinker, Tom Jones, the Vicar of Wakefield, Don Quixote, Gil Blas, Robinson Crusoe, Arabian Nights and Tales of the Genii.  That's his list.  Oh, by the way he is eight.

I know this is just a fiction book and that David Copperfield isn't real.  However, I think it's safe to say that in Dicken's world kids read those books.  In Louis L'Amour's world his boy hero's read those books too.

Why are we adults struggling through these books now?  Our children aren't even close to digesting this level at eight.  I've turned off a lot of headgates for my children in the book department.  Liberty does well I think. She's 12 but she has already read The Scarlet Letter, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice,   Walden, Plutarch, Robinson Crusoe, Silas Marner, The Red Badge of Courage, essays by Emerson and poems by Whitman to name a few.  But those are still hard for her and she struggles through them.  My boys are doing well by reading Narnia I think.  They ae no where close to Liberty's reading level or Dicken's boys.

What has happened to our society?  I've read that the common New England farmer at the time of the Revolutionary War could read the Federalist Papers with ease.  Why do we have a harder time now?  It seems that we have been dumbed down as some have said. (Gatto book link).  I was thinking  why would our children ever want to read these classics though when they can read the watered down abridged version, graphic novels, and simplified, yet high excitement books, etc. etc. etc? Or better yet watch the movie version.  Another thought is that I think we place so much emphasis on fun and entertainment.  This might create a desire to not do hard things like read hard books.  In our fast food world where everything comes quickly it takes patience and practice to find enjoyment and pleasure from the slow moving books of long ago.  I can't imagine most youth taking time to read the sewer scenes in Les Miserables or wading through the language in the opening scenes of Ivanhoe.  It's hard!

I've wondered if there were many kid's books several hundred years ago.  They had the McGuffey's but those didn't show up until the 1800's.  They had some abridged Tales of Shakespeare from the Lamb's in the early 1800's.  What else did they have?  It seems like mostly there were the books they learned to read from like the Bible and Robinson Crusoe and then there were harder books.  It reminds me of my Idaho grandparents (Great Depression era) who only graduated from 8th grade but were better educated than I am now.

I am just thinking. It really hit me hard when I saw all of those book titles in Dicken's book.  Satan has done such a good job lulling us into mediocrity that we don't even realize it.  So now what am I going to do about it?  I'm not saying it's depressing me or anything, it's just more things to think about.  Does it matter?  Should I worry about it?

False Traditions

I've been thinking a lot lately about our false traditions.  The Nephites and the Israelites were continually warned that they needed to beware of the false traditions of the unbelievers around them.  They were repeatedly warned to stay away! Alma 9: 8, 16-17, Alma 17:9, 15, D & C 93:39, Old Testament References

We have a lot of false traditions in our society.  Some are silly but some are deadly.  Why do we do the things we do? The answer could be because that was what was handed down to us from our parents or because our society has shaped our thoughts.  It reminds me of the story of the ham.  I don't remember the exact details but you'll get the point.  The story goes something like this. 

A young girl was watching her mother prepare dinner.  Included in the meal was a ham.  The young girl watched as the the mother cut off the ends of each side of the ham before she put it in the oven.  The young girl asked her mother why she cut the ends off.  The mother replied that she didn't know only that her mother at done it so she continued the tradition.  When opportunity presented itself the young girl asked her grandmother why she cut the ends of the ham.  The grandmother replied that she didn't know only that she did it because her mother had done it and so she had done as her mother.  The young girl was fortunate to still have her great-grandmother living and so she asked her.  The great grandmother replied that she cut the ends of the ham because the pan she used wasn't big enough to hold the whole ham.

This story illustrates to me how there are things in our life we do with out thinking why we do them.  I have been thinking and challenging some of things in my life.  Are they just traditions; and if so are they true or false traditions?  I believe coming closer to Christ necessitates us evaluating in our life whether we are participators in false traditions.

Here are some silly things I've noticed:

• I put the laundry soap in after I put the clothes in the wash machine. Why? That's what my mom did.  Did you know the directions on the laundry box said to add it to the water first before the clothes?
• I have a drawer of junk.  There isn't junk anywhere else in the house, but I have a junk drawer.  Every one has a junk drawer right?
• We always mow our lawn in a circle. Why not a line or a diagonal?  I know others do.

Then there are others that I notice.  My blogging friends do a better job at describing these things.  This summer I have enjoyed numerous blogging articles that have helped me to think and question why I do the things I do.

• I feel the need to reward my children with "little junks" from the Dollar Store or candy for good behavior.  Or what about when they have done their chores?  See this post from my friend Heather about rewards. What about allowance?  Is that creating family unity? Or individualism?  Our kids get an allowance so they can tithing and practice saving.  What if they just helped us pay our tithing and pay our bills instead? I don't know I'm just asking. Peace.
• We think we need a bigger house, a better car, more clothes, more, more, better, better... why? See this post from my friend the Lara, formerly the Lazy Organizer.  She is now a minimalist.  Read about her house ideas.
• What about that TV? Why do we need it to babysit our kids? Why did I (I've changed) feel that I was entitled to a relax/wind down with a movie every night? Read my friend The Misfit Cygnet's thoughts here and here.
• I've also been thinking a lot about organized team sports.  Are they good or can they distract us?  Read this post by my friend Rebekah about this subject.
• Food. Grrr.  Too many posts to link here.  But my cousin (wink wink) Rebecca has some good thoughts about food. Read her post here, it's after the home schooling thoughts in the post.  Why are we embarrassed when we start feeding our children good food?  We don't seem defensive when we feed them chicken nuggets, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, pizza, etc.  Interesting huh?  About that microwave.  I hear report after report about how I am slowing killing my family by using the microwave.  Why do I still have it then?  Because life is easier with a microwave.  Death...convience...death....convenience...Why is the choice so hard? Sigh.
• I think I feel like I need to over decorate.  I don't because I'm lazy, but I feel like I'm suppose to have cute stuff all around that displays my talents (I don't have them though).  You know dollies, reupholstered furniture, flower arrangements, modge podge pictures of the Proclamation done 12 different ways, embroidered pillows.... Why?  They just cost money, they cause brain-pain (at least for me), they must be taken care of (do you know I don't like dusting?), and they take up space.  I think perhaps I need to be okay with some empty space.  Things just are distracting and cause me to not think about spiritual things.  I have learned to love empty bowls since reading this post from the amazing Mrs. Smith, whom I have not met, but am assured that I must meet soon along with her great commenting husband Mr. Smith.
• Another false tradition that I see sometimes creeping into my life is that I feel I'm entitled to my own time.  I'm entitled to more time.  I'm entitled to not be waiting on others so they aren't wasting my time.  Since when did I have any time really anyway? Shouldn't I be thinking in terms of others?  Shouldn't I be thinking about what God wants me to do with my time?  I think I've been duped for a long time that I'm entitled to more time than I should have.  Here are my lovely friend Karen's thoughts on time, also read the comments at the end of this blog post especially noting the comments from the blogger Tricia.
• Women's Swimwear.  Here are some thoughts from another blogger on The Cottage at Pollywog Pond about modest swim wear.
• Free N' Equal always pricks me hard with her posts.  She has a couple that challenge what we read.  How much bad in a book is still okay? What about if a good person wrote it?  Here's her thoughts on Twilight.
• Music. Lest I start on another tirade with music I'll post Chocolate on My Cranium's thought.  (I'll meet you some day, right?)
• Should women wear skirts more and what about public parks? This was one of my favorite posts this summer from Buzy Bee. Another good article along the same lines from Joyful Saint.  
• One mistake our society has I think is that we think "teenagers" should be entitled to never ending social situations in which to play and have fun.  My cyber friend Celeste is raising young adults as opposed to teenagers and she says this.

Here are some others I've thought of.

• I stay up later than I should because of the wonderful invention of electricity and lights. All activities in the evening start at 7 or 8. That means that we are out later and up later. It is hard to follow the counsel "retire to they bed early...."
• Why must I always fill silence with noise? I know people that always have to have the radio (music or talk radio)or the TV on for background noise. Okay I was one of them. I didn't think it was possible to fold the laundry or do anything unless I had some nice sweet music playing. What about that pump up music for working out? I have learned since I dumped the noise, even the good things and the nice uplifting things, that I'm able to feel the Spirit more. I feel more holiness and more peace. This brings greater strength and fulfilment than anything else. I only occasionally listen to light classical music now. I'll play hymn arrangements for an hour or so every couple of weeks on Sunday.

I will stop now, lest my brain explode.  Do I laugh or cry?  It was a great summer for me though.  My cyber friends have challenged my thoughts and now I think twice about what I brush my teeth with, what I eat, what I wear, read, behave, what we do with our time......

What will the fall bring?