~I love these thoughts - some good wisdom~

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday.. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.

And, there on television, she said it was 'exciting...'

Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day.....like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:

'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.'

'I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.'

'I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'

'I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back...'

'I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.'

'I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.'

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back...'

'I've learned that I still have a lot to learn..'

'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

~July 25th~Stacey's day

Happy Birthday Stacey,

The last few months I'm sure have been a blur for you!!  Your second baby, parents being called to California-Long Beach Mission, urgent gall bladder surgery & moving!   

Hope this year will be a wonderful one for you! 

We are so thankful you said yes to Kelly so we can have you part of our family too!!!

Thanks for being such a sweet wife and wonderful mommy to Pearl & Violet!

Hope today is one of those birthdays where you get to enjoy a NAP!! 

~watch it~!

Many users of social-networking websites inadvertently put themselves at risk by sharing too much information.


1. Address and birth date. Disclosing your home address or your place or date of birth could make you a target of an identity thief. Your home address even could attract a burglar or stalker to your home. If you're throwing a party and need to provide directions, do so through email.


2. Year of graduation from high school or college. These can help scammers pretend to be former classmates, a common way to win victims' trust.


3. Business contacts. Professional networking websites typically let people on your contact list see the names and IDs of everyone else on your list. An unscrupulous competitor, dissatisfied customer, or former employee could send a damaging message about you to everyone on the list.


4. Mother's maiden name. Businesses often use your mother's maiden name to confirm your identity, so it's prudent to keep that name as confidential as possible. (Keep in mind that pet names are another common security question.)


5. Travel plans and schedules of groups you belong to. If you mention the dates of an upcoming vacation on a social-networking website, or that you've joined a Wednesday-night book group, you might unwittingly have told a burglar when your home will be vacant.


6. Your valuables. Don't discuss your expensive art, antiques, or jewelry. It could make you a target for a burglar.


7. The name of your doctor or dentist. If a scammer learns where you receive medical treatment, he might attempt to obtain your insurance information. This could be sold to someone who lacks health insurance, who would then pose as you to obtain treatment.

...shall the youth of Zion falter....NO!

I attended a West Bountiful Stake Fireside last Sunday evening which was quite amazing.  Amy's ward had participated in a stake youth conference where over twenty re-enactments of the Book of Mormon were done during the week.  This culminated with the Savior's visit to the Land Bountiful and needless to say watching the video of the youth and their activities hearing the testimonies that evening brought a beautiful outpouring of the spirit.  She had told me a lot about it when she returned home Friday, but I had no idea that over 8000 hours of service and five months of rehearsal and planning had gone into this major event for their youth throughout the stake.  It made me long so much for the youth in my own stake to have this opportunity.  I hope in the future this will become a possibility.  The stakes who attempt this "pay it forward" in training future stakes for this activity.  Their stake president said they wanted to #1) increase the youth's understanding of the Book of Mormon and #2) show them the power of the Savior's love for them individually.  From the testimonies I heard that evening I would say mission accomplished.  It was a wonderful Sunday evening spent enjoying the strong Spirit that was there.  http://www.2010strong.com/

~Hanging in there~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nczw6xHJ0Ihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nczwyxHJOI

~My Character House~

..."A man's character is like his house.  If he tears boards off his house and burns them to keep himself warm and comfortable his house soon becomes a ruin.  If he lies to be able to do the things he shouldn't do but wants to, his character  will soon become a ruin.  A man with a ruined character is a shame on the face of the earth."....                    Ralph Moody, author of "Little Britches"


To my delight I found a book I loved from 5th grade in the library recently and couldn't put it down!  Mrs. Jarnigan my fifth grade teacher would read one chapter of Little Britches and then the sequel Man of the Family to us after we came in from lunch recess.  You could hear a pin drop in the room as she read of a family of six children and their parents coming from a prim New Hampshire community to ranch outside Denver, Colorado in the 1900's.  We were spellbound ~ listening to this true account of an 11 yr old telling us about his family, ranching, horseback riding and Two-Dog, the Indian.  But the most profound stories are about the relationship between Ralph and the wisdom of his father.  If you want to have a wonderful summer read, please check out Little Britches. 

~Apathy~

Apathy = lack of feeling or emotion, lack of interest or concern, indifference.

This has been a prevailing theme lately in my life, perhaps because I needed to think about it....Our Bishop gave a most energetic and impassioned plea against apathy among members of the Church and in particular to our ward a couple of weeks ago, including the youth.  I also have been talking to a co-worker of mine and he shared some scriptures from the D&C that kind of jumped out at him.  As I read and pondered them, they revealed to me how the Lord feels about apathy as connected with how important the Gospel of Jesus Christ should be in our lives.

D&C 112: 23-26      Verily, verily, I say unto you, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face.  Behold vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whilwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, said the Lord.  And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord;  First among those among you, said the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord. 

I believe this is telling us, that indifference starts within the members of the Church first......the fence sitting is over.  Choose ye this day whom you will serve ....

I get a little more relaxed as summer comes, in every way.  I hope that I can avoid being indifferent or lack the feeling I should have for something as important as following the Savior who put everything on the line for me.   Prophecy can be turned away....."even though your sins be scarlet, they can become white as snow"....... prophecy is given us so that we can avoid pitfalls as we keep the commandments.  We can be recipients of His mercy.

I don't know what the antonym of apathy is?    ................   But LOVE comes to mind as the generator to keep it at bay.