Moe Berg

A great story.....

Moe Berg: A second-rate baseball player but a first-rate spy.

When baseball greats Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig went on tour in Japan in 1934, some fans wondered why a third-string catcher named Moe Berg was included.

The answer was simple: Berg was a US spy. Speaking 15 languages—including Japanese—Moe Berg had two loves: baseball and spying.

In Tokyo , garbed in a kimono, Berg took flowers to the daughter of an American diplomat being treated in St. Luke’s Hospital--the tallest building in the Japanese capital. He never delivered the flowers.The ball-player ascended to the hospital roof and filmed key features: the harbor, military installations, railway yards, etc.

Eight years later, General Jimmy Doolittle studied Berg’s films in planning his spectacular raid on Tokyo .

                                          

Berg’s father, Bernard Berg, a pharmacist in Newark, New Jersey, taught his son Hebrew and Yiddish. Moe, against his wishes, began playing baseball on the street at age four. His father disapproved and never once watched his son play. In Barringer High School , Moe learned Latin, Greek and French. He graduated magna cum laude from Princeton—having added Spanish, Italian, German and Sanskrit to his linguistic quiver, During further studies at the Sorbonne, in Paris, and Columbia Law School he picked up Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Indian, Arabic, Portuguese and Hungarian—15 languages in all, plus some regional dialects.

While playing baseball for Princeton University , Moe Berg would describe plays in Latin or Sanskrit.

                                         
                                                                            

During World War II, he was parachuted into Yugoslavia to assess the value to the war effort of the two groups of partisans there. He reported back that Marshall Tito’s forces were widely supported by the people and Winston Churchill ordered all-out support for the Yugoslav underground fighter, rather than Mihajlovic’s Serbians.

The parachute jump at age 41 undoubtedly was a challenge. But there was more to come in that same year.

Berg penetrated German-held Norway , met with members of the underground and located a secret heavy water plant—part of the Nazis’ effort to build an atomic bomb. His information guided the Royal Air Force in a bombing raid to destroy the plant.

                                                      
                                                  

There still remained the question of how far had the Nazis progressed in the race to build the first Atomic bomb. If the Nazis were successful, they would win the war.

Berg (under the code name “Remus”) was sent to Switzerland to hear leading German physicist Werner Heisenberg, a Nobel Laureate, lecture and determine if the Nazis were close to building an A-bomb. Moe managed to slip past the SS guards at the auditorium., posing as a Swiss graduate student. The spy carried in his pocket a pistol and a cyanide pill. If the German indicated the Nazis were close to building a weapon, Berg was to shoot him—and then swallow the cyanide pill. Moe, sitting in the front row, determined that the Germans were nowhere near their goal, so he complimented Heisenberg on his speech and walked him back to his hotel.

                                    
                                    

Moe Berg’s report was distributed to Britain’s Prime Minister,
Winston Churchill, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and key figures in the team developing the Atomic Bomb.

Roosevelt responded: “Give my regards to the catcher.”

Most of Germany ’s leading physicists had been Jewish and had fled the Nazis mainly to Britain and the United States .

After the war, Moe Berg was awarded the Medal of Merit— America ’s highest honor for a civilian in wartime. But Berg refused to accept, as he couldn’t tell people about his exploits. After his death, his sister accepted the Medal and it hangs in the Baseball Hall of Fame, in Cooperstown, NY.

Sick in bed

Our daughter Christine chosen to be Mary for the pagent
 

This week I spent 2 days in bed with vertigo.  Vertigo is when you are off balance and everything spins, which makes walking almost impossible.  I had to stay in bed to settle down the nausea which accompanies it.  I couldn't eat or drink or I would throw up.  Being sick is sick!  I don't ever want to do that again. I know what brought it on. I was a passenger on the back of a 4-wheeler for  hours and was bounced around like a rag doll.  Vertigo always follows some kind of trauma.  Anyway, I am better now and enjoyed a hike yesterday and church today.

I was very touched by our Sacrament speaker who reminded us that Christ volunteered for the role of being our Savior.  Why would anyone volunteer for that job?  I could hardly handle my two days of  vertigo, I sure wouldn't be volunteering for everyone else's diseases, illnesses and sins.  I guess He really loves us alot more than we can comprehend. All he ask in return is that we do ALL we can do and He will cover the rest.  We need to use the atonement every day when we fall short of all the things we just can't seem to do,  yet want to do.  I always seem to be planning way to much goodness.  Yes, I have the desire to do alot of things for alot of people each and every day, but never seem to get it all done. 

Our speaker told us that the outcome of our future has already been decided.  Because of Christ we are WINNERS!  Just one thing we need to do! Our part! Oh yes, repent, repent and repent, try to keep the commandments and obey the promptings of the Holy Ghost and then, it is a done deal! 

We are here on earth to figure out if we want to follow Christ plan or Satan’s.  Christ has done the hard part for us.  We need to give each day our best.  As members and missionaries of His church we need to spread the message of his endless love to the world, that they can have JOY!  Few people in the world realized they are supposed to have JOY!  They live in misery, regret, remorse and they don’t even know why.  Christ promises us ultimate JOY!  True joy can only come from the Savior.

If we could only see for a moment who we REALLY ARE!  Who we are to become, we would understand why the Savior did for us what He did, we are each individually magnificent humans in the making.

Even in the worst of pain, or terrible disease we cannot comprehend the suffering He went through for us.  Yet, we have been told that, no disease no pain will accompany us in the next life.

LIFE is not easy said Elder Holland, it’s hard because Salvation is not easily obtained.

He quoted a statement about the value of bearing your testimony many times a day, because anyone who hears it, knows they have heard something familiar, for just a moment the veil is thin and they are remembering something they knew from before.  Testimonies are powerful.   Stand tall when you share your testimony, for you stand with Christ, and people will feel His goodness and the truth of what you say.

This week’s mission:  Be filled with joy, share my testimony daily,  ask for His  atonement to work for me as I turn my shortcomings over to Him.

 

A parable - through a dream

A very dear friend of mine shared with me her dream.  She didn't realize until the end of the dream that it was about her life.  She has had some unusual challenges.  It wasn't until I finished reading the dream that I realized this parable was for me.  Then I realized it is a parable that you may also find applicable in your life.

 

I dreamed a parable.  There was a boy in an English class whose teacher told them to write a paragraph in one period.  It was a weighty assignment and the boy knew he needed to do his best.  He didn’t even have a piece of paper so he asked the teacher for a piece and was turned down.  He searched through his notebook and finally found a piece of paper that had only doodling across the top.  He hoped the teacher wouldn’t mind the sketches, and perhaps would even like them. 

So he started writing.  The words flowed to him easily, and he was surprised because he felt it was really turning into something very good.  But he was using a little stub of a pencil and the brilliant words were looking pretty shabby, and hard to read.  Some other boys came into the room and created a big disturbance and made it difficult for the boy to continue writing. 

Near the end of class, the teacher asked the boy to read his paragraph.  Even though it wasn’t completely written down, the boy read the paragraph out loud.  Both the teacher and the students were obviously moved by the paragraph.  The bell rang and the teacher took the incomplete paragraph from the boy and left.

The boy was determined to get his words down and to turn it in to the teacher.  So he looked for another piece of paper.  His girl friend came to him and was telling him about something very important to her and stomped away in a huff because he was so distracted.  But it was very important to him to get this paragraph that was in his mind down on paper. 

He found a small label machine which required searching for each letter and choosing it.  It would be very laborious to get anything down this way, but he decided that it would be worth it.  So he spent the next hour putting down his sentences letter by letter.  For some reason, between each word it printed formatting words in green like “hard return” or “capitalization.” 

When he was finished he took the paper to his teacher.  The teacher looked at the two pages, one with sketches across the top, written in blunt, scratchy pencil, and the other with bright green formatting indications between each word. 

The boy thought that the teacher would probably not even take the trouble to read his paragraph in this state of disarray.  But the look on the teacher’s face told the boy of the teacher’s reaction.  His teacher valued his words very highly, not only for their brilliant content, but also because of what it took for the boy to write it down and get it to him. 

When I woke, I was told that this dream was a parable for mortality.  The fall made it very difficult for us to express and to fulfill the magnificent things that are inside us from before we were born.  Every righteous thing we try to accomplish is much more difficult than it would have been in other circumstances.  But even though the product may turn out less than we desire, our loving Father looks at what it cost us to do, and He recognizes the pure grain of truth and beauty in what we have accomplished.  He treasures not only our effort, but the beautiful person we are including who we were before we were born, who we have become here in this life, and all we will become and do in the eternal worlds ahead.

 

The Rock and the Hard spot

I remember as a very young girl the guilt that went through my entire being because I had taken something that didn’t belong to me.  I didn’t know at the time why I had that feeling but I didn’t like it.  I had been taught the teachings of Jesus Christ, yet I blew it.  I hadn’t planned on taking something that didn’t belong to me: I just did.  And my pain was worse than when I was hit in the head with a rock a few months previous.

It wasn’t for several days that I decided to confessed.  It was so hard; I knew my parents would be so disappointed in me.  But I had to get rid of that pain that seemed to worsen hour by hour.  I really didn’t understand repentance at that young age, I just had hope that I could feel better again.  And I did. A feeling of peace covered my entire body.  It was a great lesson I learned.  My parents forgave me and the emotions I had stored up in those few days dissipated. 

Fast forward many years,  I still made mistakes but from that first experience I learned to recognize my dependence on the Holy Ghost and when the guilt begins, I need to repent immediately.  The longer I put it off the more miserable I am. 

As painful as that lesson was at that tender age I will always be grateful,  for I was rescued from a lifetime of feeling unworthy.  Repentance is powerful!  It works over and over again.

Cherrished Children

I have seven children and they have given me 26 grandchildren who I love very much.  Children can be challenging in this world of deteriorating values.  They were challenging for me years ago.   I felt so inadequate being in charge of all their needs, feeding them, housing them and clothing them.  I felt the urgency to help them develop character, unlease their spiritual potential and help them to become independent moral people that would fit in society.  One child was a big job but seven....what was I thinking.

So with that said, and knowing I am basically out of the kid business, (all of them are raising their own children)  I feel to tell the world (who ever will listen)  what I would do if I could do things all over again.  Where my priorities would be now, that I have a clear picture of the past.

Here is my "I WISH I HAD OF DONE LIST"

Lesson #1
I would have set up my home as a "Christ Centered Home" complete with everything I could think of that would invite the Savior to spend time with us, including pictures that depict the Savior throughout his life, everything entering would reflect what I believed in.  The TV would NOT be the center of my living room.  There is almost nothing on it that teaches what I would want taught to those I love the most.  The TV would be small and in a inconspicuous place unplugged only to be used on special occasions. 

Lesson # 2
Family Home Evening once a week!  No way....it would be everyday, every evening.  I would cease each moment to teach, edify and share my testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ.  Teaching would be my focus especially the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ would be #1 focus. 

Lesson # 3
From the time each baby was born until they left home I would be looking for ways to teach my favorite subject, "How to recognize a prompting from the spirit, and to promptly follow that prompting.  When I saw the movie "Ephraim's Rescue"  I knew what made that young man special...He knew the voice of the Holy Ghost and he always acted upon it quickly.  A great article to read is in the June 2013 Ensign page 24, written by Jeniffer Jones...."Nine Principles for a successful family"  A family choose to take a Sabbatical for a entire year from activities such as dance, sports, anything that took them away from their family focus. They chose to focused on recognizing the spirit and understanding their responsibility in responding to those promptings.  They had great discussions around dinner every evening, took walks and focused on one thing only. Wow!  I can see the value of that is far higher than another year of tumbling or dance. 

Lesson  #4
I would try to instill in them how to recognize key words used by the adversary such as :  FEAR, ANGER, WORRY and HATE.  These are tactics created to keep us  away from trusting God.  Our world seems to love drama....and we don't want our children to go there.  They need to know that God knows them so well that He has their best interest in hia hands at all times.  We are here to be tested and yes, bad things do happen to good people.  We can  grow from our trials and our difficulties.

Lesson  #5  I would limit outside influences in my home.  Yes I mean friends, I would hope to have such a wonderful environment that they love being at home with their family   Siblings would be their best friends.  Our home would be a place of refuge from the world and always feel safe and loved.

Lesson  #6  Once a month FHE I would invite interesting people with marvelous testimonies into our home for dinner and a time for them to influence my children with their testimonies.  My children could also practice their manners and learn how to interact and ask good questions to the speakers.  I would also have the whole family look for a service project we could all participate in somewhere in the community (secretly if possible) at least once a month.  Service is huge and finding them  opportunities to give freely to others.

So for what its worth maybe these lessons can be of value to others, since I am thus un-employed I will blog them out into the world.

Hiking is one of my passions

Rebecca & Ann

I like to hike.  That's not really true; the truth is I love to hike.  Just last week I was able to go on 4 great hikes.  The hikes I take are up in the mountains going  to a destination or peak.  The hikes I went on last week ranged from 4 to 12 miles.  I have certain friends that I enjoy hiking with,  Jane, Ann and Pam .  We all come from different (walks of life) but have found joy in starting on a path and going to set destination.

Life is like a hike!  As we go through life no matter when we start, we are all looking for the perfect path to get us somewhere, somewhere that brings us happiness.   I have met people from all over the world, and discovered that very few have a real destination in mind.  Most people just meander, not knowing where they really want to go, and spend time on every path anyone beckons them to come on.  My destination in life is to return to my Heavenly Father.  I desire that with all my heart.  Most folks just wander from path to path looking for something better than where they are now, hoping to find a reason to be on the pathways in life.

On Saturday we were beginning to wonder if we would ever reach our destination which was “Green Ponds”.  It seemed to us that we should have arrived.  A few minutes later there was a path leading in a different direction, and we had to make a decision, which path would take us where we desired to go.  The one we were on appeared to be the best traveled.   Yet neither were marked to give direction.  After a few minutes Ann said,  lets  not  make a decision until we take the less traveled path up and around the bend until we can see more clearly, so we did and to our surprise we arrived at our ponds.

It’s too bad that there isn’t a road sign on every pathway in life like the following:  “Beware this path will lead you to destruction.” Or “ Danger, cliffs ahead ,this path you will bring you lots of pain and suffering".  Or “Stay on this straight and narrow path, don’t exit and you will find great joy and happiness”. 

I have two granddaughters serving missions in different parts of the world.  McKensey is in Honduras and McKaila  is serving in England.  Both of them are trying to teach people that there is a destination to life,  there is a clearly marked path that can bring them Joy and Happiness, even though there may be some obstacles in the way.  They are discovering that many people are searching for answers.  The answer to all of life's questions is "Jesus Christ".  He provides a path that will lead us directly to him if we will not wander. 

Hiking is great fun, unless you get lost.  Life is also great fun, until you get lost.  I am so glad that when I am feeling lost I can turn to my source ( Jesus Christ)and not depend on the wisdom of man to get me on the right path again.

 

 

 

Throw away babies

I was married in 1967.  My life up to that point had been like a fairytale. Life was simple, easy and fun from the moment I arose each morning until I went to bed each night.  I wasn't spoiled and was willing to eat and wear whatever was given me.  I never complained, and I was never bored.  I also had no idea what was going on in the poor sections of my city, the rest of the country, let alone the rest of the world.  I truly had a carefree childhood.

Over the last 40 +years my eyes have been opened.  I have been educated through travel and a lust for learning about the world through books.    I have been drawn to the atrocities in the world before my time, during my time and at the present, particularly concerning women and children.

Did you know that the Cultural Revolution that went on in China in 1967 persecuted those who were educated and they were severely punished?  I just read a wonderful book that takes place in China at this difficult time, the main character is Benfu, a teenager who was sent to a commune, then imprisoned, beaten, harmed, all because his parents were educators.  Then one day a young boy (he hardly knows) risks his own life to send Benfu off to freedom.  Just one act of kindness changed the world, at least Benfus world. 

That boy becomes a man, marries and becomes a trash collector.  As you may know baby girls are discarded and abandoned in China because of the “one only child law” and the heavy emphasis on the value of boys.  Benfu finds these baby girls in the trash, and he keeps them, him and his wife feed them, clothes them, and provides them as much love as they can, even though they themselves were living in poverty.  Over the years he found 24 abandoned girls, mostly babies.  Some die, most live, those that die, knew that for a few days or weeks they were cherished and loved.  This is a story about family, loyalty and love.

Here are a few values that are taught in the book:

You can’t judge a group as a whole by the actions of one or a few.  There are good and bad in all groups.

Never let pride get in your way if you need help.  Don’t deny those you love a better life because you can’t admit you need help.

One good deed can change a life, as well as your own.

A full life does not require material things.

If someone waits until they are financially sound to have children, there wouldn’t be much procreating going on.

 The book is called “The Scavengers Daughters” by Kay Bratt and is based on two caring people who found and cared for abandoned baby girls.

 

Like  Benfu, I hope I will always risk my comfort  to better the life of someone in need especially a child.

 

 

From mother to daughter to granddaughter

  What a long yet glorious day.  We sat on the side of the chappel filled to capacity and watched as our hearts were filled listening to our oldest granddaughter McKensey give her farewell talk and sang two beautiful songs as her prelude into the mission home.  She will be serving the Lord for the next 18 months in the Hondoras Mission. 

Feelings and emotions of that hour brought back so many memories.  That same building, the same chapel where her mother Christine, our first daughter had her funeral services almost 2 years ago.  Loosing a daughter to cancer was a very difficult trial.  However, we came out triumphant.  Our daughter raised 8 beautiful children, with McKensey being the oldest.  Our son-in-law remaired Janiene and she has done a wonderful job in loving and caring for our grandchildren.

Some of the emotions and feeling as McKensey spoke were of being a pround parent and grandparent.  Yes, McKensey is a  wonderful young woman.  We had the remarkable experience to have her live with us for a year as she worked up in our area.  As I watched her speak I could see the countance of her mother.  I know she was there, and will be with her on her mission.  Oh how I enjoyed her being in our home.  She made me feel young and she shared life through the eyes of a 21 year old.

McKensey your mother lives on through you.....as we are linked from generation to generation.

 

 

 

 

Love Suffereth Long

 I Corinthians 13:4

 Over the years of my married life, when things were not going as well as I would have liked, I would pick up my Bible and read I Corinthians 13. It always helped to remind me the problem was usually with me and my lack of love. Oh, it takes two to have problems but the solution always begins by not fixing the other person but fixing yourself. Proverbs 10:12 says, “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” Focusing on the qualities of true love as defined in I Corinthians 13 always got me headed in the right direction of working on the areas of my own life that needed to be changed so that I could truly love my spouse.  Recently, I was reading a chapter on Charity and Love that again sparked my interest in this passage, and reminded me of a long held desire to develop the quality of love as given in verses 4-7.

If love suffereth long, what does it mean to be longsuffering?

 Longsuffering’s definition: “Bearing injuries or provocation for a long time; patient; not easily provoked” (1828). This NT “word group suggest self-restraint in the face of unsatisfied desire”

 Longsuffering’s use in Scripture:

The word longsuffering is found 4 times in the Old Testament, and 13 times in the New Testament.   Longsuffering is an attribute of God:

 Numbers 14:18 context with Exodus 34:6 – Moses reminds God of His own Word

2. Psalm 86:15 “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”

 2 Peter 3:9   Longsuffering is a quality in spiritual Christians:

 A fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22

 Paul prayed for the Colossian believers to have longsuffering – Colossians 1:11

 Longsuffering is necessary to become more like God:

 Paul listed it as a quality of a minister of God – 2 Corinthians 6:6

 Paul listed longsuffering as part of his own testimony – 3 Timothy 3:10

 Paul instructed Timothy to be longsuffering as he ministered the Word – 2 Tim. 4:2

 Longsuffering’s example in the Old Testament:

 God toward the wicked in the days of Noah (I Peter 3:20)

 Joseph with his brothers

 Hosea with his wife.

D. Abigail’s longsuffering toward Nabal contrasted with David’s impatience – 1Sam. 25:3-38

 Longsuffering’s example in the New Testament:

 Apostle John on the Isle of Patmus

 Jesus Christ dealing with Paul – I Timothy 1:16 

But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him [or her].” (Moro. 7:47.)

 The challenge for us, is to allow Christ’s teachings, magnified by the Holy Spirit, to guide us to his ways of seeing and being.

Now, understanding charity or being charitable is not easy. And our scriptures have not indicated that it would be. 

Even “charity suffereth long” requires some pondering. The “suffering” that may come from loving is the result of our great caring. It comes because another matters to us so much.

To avoid that kind of suffering, we would have to avoid what gives us life and hope and joy—our capacity to love deeply. As an antidote against the suffering that will surely come as we have loved ones die, or see them struggle or be misled, or have them misunderstand us or even betray us, we can find relief in charity to others.

 We have been admonished  to look around us to do what we can as individuals to relieve pain, or loneliness, or injustice in our own communities.  If we do, a compassion will enter our hearts, and through the Holy Ghost sanctification could take place within our souls, and we would become more like our Savior.

 

May God help me to be longsuffering like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Tomato seeds

 Tomato  Seeds

This morning I was blanching and pealing tomatoes in preparation to store them in the freezer for winter.   A memory of over 50 years came to me.  As a small girl I use to love going out and eating the ripe tomatoes off the vine.  I remember how luscious they tasted and how they squished out over my small mouth and ran down my clothes, and knew I was going to be in big trouble for staining my clothes.  I also remember trying to clean myself up the best I could while looking at the little tiny tomato seeds, and wondering if these tiny little seeds had baby tomatoes in them.  I took a few in the house and tried prying them open, only to discover there was not a baby tomato in them.  How could a tomato grow from that?  It was so small I really couldn’t see anything.   It looked like only the outside of the seed I had cut up.  Where did that  tomato come from?

I learned later that a tomato seed held the potential to create a tomato plant which would then create thousands of tomatoes.  Just the potential, with many components needed to be met before a tomato could appear.  One of those components was light. 

I thought how much I am like that little seed.  Had someone dissected me when I was just a little seed they wouldn’t have seen anything either.  However, given the right timing and the right environment I appeared.  My parents took care of the environment and training in my youth.  I have had to do my own training since.  I  too have sought for the light….just like the little tomato seed needed light by stretching toward the heavens, the light in my life has come from Jesus Christ.  With that light, and with the truths I have discovered from the scriptures and prophets I too have unlimited potential.

The Sneeze - Needing God's Blessings

     I have never understood how one woman who is an athist, managed to get prayers and any reference to God thrown out of all the schools.  Here is a humorous way one graduating class put it back in.

THE SNEEZE

     They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt. Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears. This class would NOT pray during the commencements, not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.
                    
       The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families. The speeches were nice, but they were routine until the final speech received a standing ovation.A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then, it happened. All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED !!!!


The student on stage simply looked at the audience and said,'GOD BLESS YOU' And he walked off the stage...    
                        The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval. it happened at Eastern Shore DistrictHigh School in Musquodoboit Harbour , Nova Scotia.

Fence or Ambulance

In a village there was a dangerous cliff.  It was a beautiful walk winding up to it and the view below was magnificiant.  However, over time people came too close to the edge and slipped.  The town's people got together and said something has to be done.  As usual, there was many opinions, some said "Put a fence around it" while others said, " "Have an ambulance ready down in the valley." 

 A fence would distract the lovely view and so the ambulance carried the vote and the town's funds went in that direction.

Then an old sage spoke up and said "It's a marvel to me, that people give more attention to repairing results than to stopping the cause, you would be better to focus on the prevention!  Just put up the fence and you can dispense with the ambulance down in the valley."

"Oh, he's a fanatic," the others compained.  They wouldn't listen or give heed to the wise old sage. They collectivly decided  that their problem had been solved.

But the sensible few, who are practical too, would not listen to the nonsense much longer,  they believed that prevention is better than cure.  It's better to guide  the young than reclaim them when old.  To rescue the fallen is good, but tis best, to prevent is even better.

It's better to close up the source of temptation and crime, than deliver from dungeon and galley, like a strong fence round the top of the cliff, than an ambulance down in the valley.

How much this story reminds me of my life.  How often I have done things the hard way, trying to skirt around the real problem rather than face the fact that I had made a mistake, repent and ask for forgiveness.  Then stand as far away from the cliff by creating my own fence to protect me. 

However, some of the best lessons in life have been learned by the pain I experienced by falling off the cliff.   I guess ambulences have there place in life, as long as I don't use them as my only sourse of transportation.

 

 

 

Jesus Christ a big part of my life

 Summer around the fire

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we look forward to spending time in our holy temples. This is a place where we can feel close to the spirit, make covenants and learn more about the creation and our first parents, Adam and Eve. This is done through live reenactment in certain temples and sometimes it is through video instruction. On Tuesday my husband and I went with our friends to the Bountiful Utah Temple and were pleased by the new videos with great music and new people.

My favorite character in the new video was Eve. She is much more like a real woman, a thinker and a leader. She and Adam are great. The music was also terrific. The creation scenes were more beautiful and I loved the rich textures in the Garden of Eden. The photography was great, the music was outstanding. There was so much more sincerity, compassion and kindness. Lucifer was sooooo intense that it almost frightened me. I went again on Thursday and my experience was even better.

I encourage all my family with recommends to go as soon as you can. Those without recommends, get one. To all my non-member friends call me and I will be happy to teach you about the purpose of temples in our day, and how Jesus Christ has set up His church again on the earth. 

Paul Harvey has great insite

Years ago I listened to Paul Harvey's radio program.  Here is one that has been reprinted and it really tells it like it is:

If I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States. I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” “Do as you please.” To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square”. In the ears of the young marrieds, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct. And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . .

If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting. I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa. And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me. I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild. I would designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.” With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.

If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle. If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniforms, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps. In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.

Paul Harvey, Good Day.

The neighbor lady

Years ago  I stayed with Christine's family in Payson while I attended Education Week. Christine's next door lady came over to visit with her.  I was introduced as Christine's mother  and we found we had a lot of the same interest and about the same age.  I hurried off to my classes and came home exhausted each night with many new ideas to think about.

A few days later as I was showering and getting ready for my classes I felt a strong impression that I needed to share with the neighbor lady, what I had learned that day.  I was told to share a particular audio cassette program that I had just purchased.  My first thoughts were " I haven't even had time to listen to them myself, and I have only attended one of his classes, and besides I don't really know that lady, being only introduced to her one time."  Even with all my inter-arguing the feeling was persistent, and I knew it wasn't going away until I obeyed.  I decided to skip my first class of the day and visit the neighbor lady instead.  As I walked up to her door, I still didn't know exactly what I was going to say.

When her husband answered the door I knew something was wrong, terribly wrong.  His countenance told me I wasn't welcome and that there were big problems going on inside.  I meekly asked to see his wife.  She stepped out onto the porch and my mouth opened and told her what I had learned and I was bringing these tapes over to listen to.  She sounded interested, at least she was polite and I left for my classes.   That evening when I returned home she met me in my daughter's driveway and told me I had just saved her marriage.  She listened to half the lectures and was enlightened by the information given, even her husband listened to them, she reported that she has ordered her own set and one for each of her married children, and asked if she could keep mine for a few more days until hers arrived.

I was stunned to say the least.  I agreed and when she returned my tapes a few days later I went back to Ogden and never saw her again as their home sold.  I still can't remember her name, but I will always remember following the promptings to visit her, even though I didn't want to.  It seems, following promptings is always inconvenient and puts me out of my comfort zone.

Awesomeness drop by drop

A friend sent this to me and I thought you would enjoy it also.

This post has been in my heart and on my mind for over a year now. I’ve talked about it. I’ve prayed about it. I’ve taught about it. I was waiting for the right time to post about it and now feels like that time. It’s a post about a tiny little moment that completely changed the way I see myself and others. As I think about it and act on what I learned, I find that I am changed in significant ways every single day.

It was a sunny school morning and I was walking Magoo to the bus stop. I don’t often walk him to the school bus. He’s in second grade and pretty independent and I’m usually busy getting myself and his sisters ready. I’m semi-nocturnal and I sleep later than I should most mornings.

When it’s time for school, he says goodbye and heads up the hill to the bus.

As we got half way to the bus, Magoo reached out and grabbed my hand in an uninhibited way that I knew wouldn’t happen many more times. How many 12-year-old boys do you see swinging hands happily with their mommies?

I squeezed his hand, felt the rare Seattle sun on my face, and told him I loved him. I was nearly perfectly happy.

Nearly.

Just at that moment, the thought came into my mind, That’s awesome that you’re walking him to the bus stop and putting on this “mother of the year” act today. What about yesterday and the day before that? You hardly ever walk him to the bus. He’s probably holding your hand because he’s so desperate for the love and attention you haven’t been showing him.

My bubble had burst. I am a crap mom, I thought, as I looked down into his smiling face.

Then another thought came. Kathryn. What is wrong with you? You are being an awesome mom in this moment. Your child is happy. You are loving him and caring for him. He’s well fed and dressed. You’re walking to the bus stop in the early morning and you’re already wearing a bra for heck’s sake. Do not rob yourself of this moment’s joy because of what you failed to do yesterday or what you fear you might not do tomorrow.

This started me thinking of all the times I do something good while beating myself up for all the times I haven’t been perfect.

You’re worshiping in the temple? Woopty freakin do! How long has it been since you came here last? When are you likely to come again? You’re not good at this. This is a fluke.

Wow. So you cleaned the kitchen today. Want a cookie? That dirty rag has been on the counter for a week and those dishes you so righteously cleaned are from breakfast three days ago. You are embarrassing.

That was really nice of you to offer to watch your friend’s kids while she had surgery. Remember last week when you knew your neighbor was suffering from depression and you drove right by with a wave because you did not want to get sucked into the drama? You don’t really care about people. Not all the time.

How destructive are these kinds of thoughts?

As I said goodbye to Magoo and started to walk back home, my mind started to shift.

Drops of Awesome! I thought. Every time you do something good, something kind, something productive, it’s a drop in your Bucket of Awesome. You don’t lose drops for every misstep. You can only build. You can only fill.

I walked Magoo to the bus. Drop of Awesome!

I fed him fruit with breakfast. Drop of Awesome!

I told him I loved him. Drop of Awesome!

I wore a bra and brushed my teeth before schlepping it up that hill. Two Fat Drops of Awesome!

All day long I chanted these words in my head. I picked up that tootsie roll wrapper off the front porch instead of stepping over it for the eleventy hundredth time. Drop of Awesome! I unloaded one dish from the dishwasher when I walked through the kitchen on my way to the bathroom. Drop of Awesome! I texted my sad neighbor to say I was thinking about her. Drop of Awesome! I had a critical thought about one of my kids and I brushed it away and replaced it with love. Drop of Awesome!

When I started thinking about my life in terms of adding these little Drops of Awesome for every tiny act of good, I found that I was doing more and more of them because it’s a lot more fun to do good when you’re rewarded with joy, rather than being guilted about every failure in your past.

By the end of the day, I had realized something important. If I was spending time with my kids, really listening to them with attention in the moment, then I was a good listener, regardless of the 50 other times I’d brushed them off or multi-tasked while they were talking over the past week. If I was engaged in sincere prayer with my Heavenly Father, really communing with him and seeking his will, then I was a person who engages in sincere prayer, regardless of how my prayers were (or weren’t) yesterday and the day before that and the day before that.

As I added up these Drops of Awesome, I found that in those moments I actually became the person I had always wanted to be.

Have you ever said any of these things: “Well, I guess I don’t work out anymore,” because you missed one workout? Or, “I always fight with my brother. Our relationship is broken.” What about, “I’m kind of a nag to my spouse.” Or“I gossip and I always end up hurting people I love.” “I can’t stop spending money. We will never get out of debt.” “My house is always a disaster.”

These things are lies, depending on the next decision you make, the next Drop of Awesome you put in your bucket. You may have done these things or have a hard time with them but they don’t define you and you can change this very instant. You may not think you can change permanently but you can change the next choice you make. And as you change that one next tiny choice, you may think, I got this one Drop of Awesome but I may never be able to get another one again.

And that’s okay.

You made the right choice once. And in that moment you were the person you want to be and that is a triumph. For one night, you were a person who went to bed early. One morning you woke up and the first words out of your mouth were positive so you were a morning person in that moment. Bam! Drop of Awesome.

You do not need to wait three months to be who you want to be. Pick up ten things right now and say, “Drops of Awesome! I am someone who takes care of my house. That is who I am. I have proof.”

In the end, it’s really about allowing yourself to feel joy and allowing yourself to be proud of the small victories of life. This builds momentum and you want more drops in your bucket and when you don’t get as many, you pick yourself up and say, “What can I do next?”

Now, there are a whole lot of religious implications to this because, as a Christian, I believe that you are not the only one adding these Drops of Awesome to your bucket. Christ commanded us to be perfect, but through His atonement, He is with us every step of the way.

As an object lesson when I was teaching this to the teenage girls at church, I gave them each a small dropper and I put a 2-quart bowl on the table. I told them that throughout the lesson they would get the chance to put drops in the bucket for every Drop of Awesome they could think of that they’d done. I promised them that we would fill the bowl to overflowing by the end of the lesson.

With about 5 minutes to go, we had barely begun to fill the bowl and the girls were looking around at each other nervously. The promised overflow did not look likely. Were they not awesome enough?

At that point, I pulled out a large pitcher labeled ATONEMENT and poured water into the glass bowl until it was spilling out all over the table and the towel the bowl was resting on. The class went silent.

When we are in a relationship with Christ, striving as God’s sons and daughters to do His will, He pours more into our buckets than we can ever hope to imagine. He can fill us to overflowing with peace, with joy, with perfection, with Awesome. And then what do we do if our bucket is overflowing like that? Where does the Awesome go then?

I pulled out an identical bowl, twice the size of the original. Our capacity for joy and light increases. And we just keep working, one tiny drop at a time. And we don’t compare today’s drops to yesterday’s or tomorrow’s. And we live and we love and we repent when we do wrong and we allow ourselves to be glorious, beautiful, and dare I say perfect in Christ, children of God.

I believe in a God who loves us and roots for us and cheers for every Drop of Awesome we can manage. Our victories are His victories and He wants us to feel joy. Not later, when we no longer make mistakes, but right now.

I’m gonna close this uber long post out with a scripture from the Book of Mormon. I know many of you do not share my faith but I think you’ll find truth in these words:

“Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.” (Alma 37:6)

Small and simple. Tiny drops. Go forth. Be Awesome.