Swine Flu

Please practice good hygene during this difficult time. A friend sent me this picture of what not to do.

Ebay

Stake Adult Dance

My apologies if you are over 50 and get a little miffed when you read this latest blog entry.

Recently our stake held it's annual Mormon Prom for the youth. They put a lot of effort into decorating and making this a great, safe event without all the grunge and smut found at the high school prom. I think it is a great idea because all that is required is standard church dress so it can save the teens a lot of money by not having to buy or rent a tux or buy a fancy dress. Some youth still elect to do this but the pressure isn't there to do the princess bit making it more accessible for the youth who may not be Doogie Howser and already have a high paying job.

I think it is a wonderful idea holding an LDS Prom. I personally did not go to Prom, Winter Formal, or any other dance in high school simply because of the cost. I was one of the few kids that did have a nice summer job and living on the farm made money on 4-H projects and other odd jobs around the place. So if I wanted to I could certainly afford to go but the thought of blowing that much money on one night on some girl I would probably not end up marrying seemed a bit ridiculous.

That is not to say that I did not go to dances at all. I went to nearly every stake dance and many in the neighboring stake. I also attended dances for youth conference and went to dances at the Especially For Youth Program at BYU back in the day when they had a dance every night but one during the week. And back then we actually danced something the youth at the stake dances did not do much of when I was young men's president recently and attended a stake dance as a chaperon.

So I like dances and don't mind going but the Stake came up with the brilliant idea of re-using the LDS Prom decorations to host an "adult" dance the following week. I guess someone in their infinite wisdom thought that the countless hours spent putting the decorations up would be wasted on just the four hour prom so why not have an adult dance for everyone in the stake to get more use out of the decorations or at least show off some one's talent for making them.

On the surface this sounded like a good idea until you consider that the age range for the "adult" dance is from age 18 to 65, a swing of about 47 years in music tastes and dance styles. To be honest, it is difficult enough for the Elder's Quorum and High Priest Group to meet together on Sundays due to the age gap. It's also a fire hazard to have that many oxygen bottles and walkers clogging routes to the emergency exits.

So from the beginning there has been some problem selling the whole concept, particularly to the younger crowd. When the announcement came that they would be teaching the attendees to do the waltz and fox trot all heck broke loose as manly men from the 70's, 80's, 90's and today said, "No way am I spending my Friday night dancing to old people music and learning to dance when there is perfectly good television on or hunting to be done in the mountains."

My wife had her temple recommend interview with a member of the Stake Presidency on Sunday and got some not so subtle pressure to attend and to encourage me to attend this event, a definite borderline misuse of priesthood authority in my opinion but I think I will let it slide in this case! LOL!

Then on Monday the mass email came into my box from a sister in the ward trying to get the word out about this great event. The flyer alone smelled of ben gay and death which is surprising since it came through the computer's email system. You can never really get rid of that smell!!!! I could not hold back any longer and sent my email reply immediately, the text of which I am copying below:

"Yea...... you and Adam have a great time!! I don't want to do the waltz, cha cha, swing, or Danse Macabre, mainly because I'm not over 50. Plus hanging out with all the old people in the stake is dangerous, someone could break a hip. I don't think they will be playing any Firehouse, Whitesnake, Zeplin, Erasure, Tears for Fears, AC DC, Shakira, Hendrix, Black Eyed Peas, etc and I cannot handle that much Perry Como, Dean Martin, Sinatra, and the crew. I'd pass it along but I think my email filter would kick it out due to the musty smell of old people that will be attached to the email.

Then at the end of the night the poor unfortunate under 40s who show up will have to put everything away and clean up!

I think I will save my precious one night out a month with the wife for something that won't make me long for the sweet embrace of death!

Have a good one! LOL!!!!"

So I'll not be attending this stake event. I think I would rather have a tooth pulled! To those who want to go, all I can do is say, "Break a leg or at least a hip!"

Now excuse me while I pull up some Whitesnake on Youtube!

Self Defense

You rarely hear the stories of how lives have been saved because someone used a gun for self defense. They do not get the media attention that the scum bags get when they go and shoot up a school. I came across the website recently that has over 4000 news stories where guns were used for self defense. In many cases, no shots were fired. It is very interesting to read the stories. I was surprised at how many stories involve the elderly or females defending themselves and others.

http://www.claytoncramer.com/gundefenseblog/blogger.html

New Song I Like

I'm always looking for contemporary songs with a good message. Recently I purchased the soundtrack for the Liken Series movie "Nephi and Laban". Most of the songs for the soundtrack were written by an LDS artist named Aaron Edson http://www.ldsmusicworld.com/artists/aaron_edson.html . On the CD was a bonus song called, "Wondering" which is a fantastic song about the Savior. Definitely check this one out on I Tunes if you get the chance. There is a low quality audio version on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbQfDwHJ9Z4 .

Be warned, it is a catchy song.

Personal Protection

This is a little old but still is interesting if you are a business owner, especially as times get tough and criminal activity increases.

The Savior

This you tube video perfectly illustrates the love and mission of the Savior Jesus Christ.

Successories

I've always liked those motivational posters that are popular in the business world. Even better are ones you can make yourself. Here are some I made up. If you are interested, you can make them also at http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/motivator.php



WTF= What the Frack?

Easter Message

I recieved the following email from a friend of mine who is a Bishop. I thought it was a perfect message for this Easter Season. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I do not know the original author or where it came from. If you know please let me know so I can credit the author.

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss.

Troubles had multiplied.

Her husband's company "threatened" to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer.
"She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder "Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered.. "For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended me? For an airbag that saved my life, but took my child's?"

"Good afternoon, can I help you?"

Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk. "I . . . I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra.

"For Thanksgiving? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories, "
she continued.. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?"

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong."

Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."

Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer....

"Hi, Barbara, let me get your order." She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped; there were no flowers.

"Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk. Sandra watched was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.

"Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile.
"You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again," she said, as she gently tapped her chest.

Sandra stammered, "Ah, that lady just left with . . . uh . . .
she left with no flowers!"

"That's right," said the clerk. "I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet. Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do today," explained the clerk. " She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery. That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk. "For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel."

"So what did you do?" asked Sandra.

"I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly.

"I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I never questioned Him why those good things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, 'Why? Why me?!'
It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."

Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about what her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God."

Just then someone else walked in the shop.

"Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man.

"My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement, twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.

"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously.
"Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks
like that?"

"Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced," Phil replied. "After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem, the Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times. That was good enough for me.
I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us."

As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"

"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life" Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too . . fresh."

"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love.... Don't resent the thorns."

Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.

"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."

"Thank you. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart... The first year's arrangement is always on me."

The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first."

It read:
"My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."


Praise Him for the roses;

thank Him for the thorns.

God Bless all of you.

Be thankful for all that the Lord does for you.

"Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly,

and leave the rest to God.."

We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and Duct tape.
God did it with nails.

Too many moves.....

How to tell if your ward's priesthood leaders are volunteering for too many moves?




Yea, if your ward owns a moving truck!

The Coon Man

This news article is funny for so many reasons. I suggest reading the article first before watching the video.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090402/METRO08/904020395/To+urban+hunter++next+meal+is+scampering+by