Life’s Lessons Learned at Summer Camp-Editorial

Having just returned from summer camp, I am encouraged and invigorated. Any time an organization puts youth together for a week out in nature, good things happen. Campers all learn to get along with each other as well as learn to appreciate nature; especially when they have to live without all the comforts of home. No television or video games. Even for the adult leaders, a bond is developed as we sit around the camp fire and talk.

Collecting firewood, keeping the campfire going, cooking over a fire, setting up tents, morning flag ceremony and hiking through the woods all contribute to lessons learned in life.

Collecting enough of the right kind of firewood and covering it with a tarp to keep dry helps us to think ahead in life and be more prepared for any emergency. Making goals for what we want to accomplish keeps us on target. If we forget to cover the firewood, dew or rain will wet the wood and you have a problem. Thinking ahead is always a smart way to go.

Keeping the fires going for a campfire can help you to understand the nurturing of a relationship. Staying in a long term relationship needs emotional support during the good and the bad and it teaches you patience. Just like being patient enough to stick around to keep the fire going at night, relationships will have the same benefit and it pays off in the end.

Cooking over a fire keeps you on your toes. You watch to make sure the fire doesn’t get too hot and not burn anything. It’s the way children are by the time they are teenagers. They certainly keep you on your toes.

Securing the tent stakes can remind us that we should keep ourselves grounded in life from the wicked ways of the world. It’s too easy to be swayed by what is popular. We can see the blessings of keeping ourselves unspotted against what comes along in life. Those stakes keep us anchored to one place just like we would keep our tent.

Having flag ceremony every morning reminds us that we should be thankful for our soldiers in arms from the first gun shot during the Revolutionary war to the bombs dropping on Baghdad. We are so blessed in this country for the many men who fought to keep us free and safe from the rest of the world.

Keeping on the path during the hike can remind us to focus on what is important in life. Stopping to smell the flowers and keeping on the straight and narrow even when the path is difficult are life lessons that stay with us. Some of those hills we climbed walking through the hot sun were brutal, but we kept going. We did not give up and go back. We did not stray from off the path we were to walk on.
Yes, living out in the wilderness has its insights and we can remember what we learned from our experiences at summer camp.

Another Pro-Abortion Judge

With all the summer activities going on, I haven’t had much time to stop and catch all the news of the day. One story of which I was surprised I had missed was the ongoing nomination of Elena Kagan. Born in New York as a middle child to Jewish parents; her mother, a school teacher and her father, an attorney; this woman has been questioned for the past several weeks for her ability and knowledge as a Supreme Court Justice. These proceedings have been very eye opening. If Ms. Kagan does get nominated, she will be the first justice in almost four decades without any prior experience as a judge. She has never been married nor have any children which I fear will put a slant on her views about family.

Also very disturbing to know is the fact that not only has she supported the policy to bar military recruiters from Harvard where she is the Dean of the Law School there but she also supports assertions of “executive power”. A very scary idea when contemplating the delicate balance of our nations three working powers (Legislative, Executive and Judicial) to bring peace and tranquility to the people.

I suppose that is par for the course for one with such political convictions as hers, but what really bothers me about Ms. Kagan is the fact that she is pro-choice. My mother used to have a bumper sticker on her car which read: “It’s a child, not a choice”. Those citizens who are sensible enough to know that when a child has been conceived, it is the responsibility of the parents to see that the child is born and cared for.

All those pro-choice renegades who charge into the media with the idea that women who become pregnant should be the one to decide whether they should keep the life going is short sighted of the moral responsibility of bringing children to the earth . As her record has shown, Ms. Kagan has acknowledged contributing to the National Partnership for Women and Families a national pro-choice group, and has campaigned for, worked for or contributed to candidates and public officials who were supporters of abortion rights, including Elizabeth Holtzman, Michael Dukakis, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama.
As she has been quoted to say in 1980 (speaking to anti-abortion candidates and officials): “I found it hard to conceive of the victories of these anonymous but Moral Majority-backed candidates……these avengers of ‘innocent life’”. As it was noted by William Saunders, vice president of legal affairs and senior counsel of Americans United for Life, “Kagan seems to have little sympathy with the idea that the weakest among us deserve the equal protection of the law.”


It is absolutely necessary for us, as citizens of the United States, to recognize the moral importance of bringing children into the world. If we are to remain free, our leaders should recognize this importance as well. Only time will tell of the outcome of these proceedings and what our Supreme Court considers to be important for our nation.

A New Adventure

Jim and I have started a process which will change our lives. As we proceed through this new adventure--I will document our progress with journal entries and picutres.
As we have started our own business, we needed to find our dream: a goal we would be determined to fulfill and the dream we want is to remodel an old hotel in Loxley. It was built in 1920 as a rest stop for people riding the train from Atmore to Foley. It looks to be somewhere between 4,000 to 5,000 square feet all together. There were two additions made on it since it was first built and we want to remodel the whole thing so we can live there.

I have included a picture of what it looks like now. It's an exciting venture and we are going to spend the next year and a half finishing all the work so we can move in by Christmas 2011.

Happy us........

Hope For The Future

Last week, my sweet mother-in-law sent this quote to me and I find great comfort in these words. Harold B. Lee, the eleventh president and our prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints said these words back some time in the 70’s. Presently, we are experiencing such trial and tribulation in our country, this message gives me great hope. We will get through these troubled times where men want to destroy our Constitution and our great nation. It pains me to hear the news of what our so-called legislative leaders want to force through the infrastructure of our country all in the name of improving our welfare, when we know it will do no good at all. We feel so helpless. We do what we can in letter writing and phone calling but to no avail: our freedoms are slowly being reduced to almost nothing. Relish in these words and know that our nation will never fail.

"Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail. This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the new Jerusalem. This is the place that the Lord said is favored above all other nations in all the world. This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple. This is the favored land in all the world. Yes, I repeat, men may fail, but this nation won't fail. I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America, if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in a day when we must pay heed to these challenges. I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. This is the favored land. This is the land of our forefathers. It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through. (Harold B. Lee, "Ye Are the Light of the World", pp. 350-51)

Flag Day and other events

Yesterday was Flag Day which marked the 41st anniversary of my baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints. I find it hard to believe that I have lived that long in the Church, but it has been a great blessing in my life. I started working on a book which I would like to publish sometime next year called "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Synagogue."

As far as Flag Day is concerned, it is important for us to remember our national symbol of the flag and how many people have died fighting for the freedom to be able to post those colors.

My week was very interesting. Last week when I saw my work schedule for the next week, I knew that I would be going to Girl's Camp. I was to work on Tuesday and Wednesday which left the rest of the week open and Kimberly Constantine had no one else who could go. I was happy to go and help the Young Woman's Presidency in our stake. Camp went very well!!! We drove about 2 hours north to a small camp with two big dorm buildings, fully stocked kitchen, pavilion and a pool. We were able to get through most all of our camp crafter assignments and bond together. The most important was that all the girl's testimonies were strengthened. It was a great time and we all came home and slept as much as we could.

For Jim and me, we slept but also had an Amway meeting that night which went very well. Our little group is growing and we are very excited. We just need to find people to buy more product.

This weekend in Father's Day and we are visiting Jim's boys and celebrating his Mother's birthday. A great weekend for everyone.

A Day at the Beach

It was a great day at Gulf Shores, Alabama today. Moses and Henry went boogie boarding at the beach with the waves crashing. It rained on the way down but cleared out later on and they had a blast. Since it was a bit stormy the waves were bigger than normal.

We stayed over two hours having lunch during the rain. The air was fresh and the water was clean!!! No tar balls anywhere!!!

Preparing Young People for the Future

Besides getting a child educated there are many experiences young people need to know to prepare them for the future. I participate in a lot of teaching for young people at church and in the community, so I keep my eye out for any information that will help me help them.

Besides learning to read, write and do arithmetic children need to learn life skills. How to balance a checkbook, getting a loan from the bank, people and customer relations are important life skills. How to speak on the phone correctly is another skill important in life as I have heard from parents many times when they answer the phone and a child's friend demands to speak with their child. These children just don't have the training that teaches them proper behavior.

For older chidlren, reading the paper often during the week helps to keep themselves informed. Knowing good conversation instead of talking about their love life or the parties they attended the night before keeps proper conversations clean. These skills are necessary for a successful life. Self-esteem rises and children feel comfortable with themselves.

Review of Awakening Avery

I am a widow. Avery’s a widow. My husband died at 50. Avery’s husband died in his 50’s. I have nine children. Avery has 3 children. I am of the LDS faith. Avery is of the LDS faith. I have a lot in common with Avery. Laurie Lewis’s new book called Awakening Avery could have been my journal entry for the first year I lost my husband. There are many similarities and it is incredible to see how this story unfolds for Avery and her family.

This is an amazing story of one woman’s journey for peace after losing her husband too early. Avery has to deal with her life post husband’s death and then pick up the pieces of her children’s life with the grief of their father. I laughed and I cried.
It is an incredible journey of healing and love. Take a break from your life for 344 pages of travel from Utah, to Baltimore, Maryland to Sarasota, Florida and follow the adventures Avery experiences in learning to love again.

Incumbents Not Doing So Well-Editorial

Our flower bed is done, school is almost over, our vegetable garden is growing, our national pastime has once again started another season and we have more daytime to do what ever we need. So why is there an uneasy feeling in the back of my mind?

I can’t help but think about that oil spill not yet capped, the economy going south the way it has in the last year, Nashville is recovering from the biggest flood it’s ever had, and Arizona is taking flak for a new immigration law. Natural disasters and political debates are throwing a black cloud on the start of the summer but it’s the upcoming election in November that is giving me that dreadful sinking feeling. Are we going to experience the same disgust and frustration that our elected officials are not listening to what we want in deciding the laws of the land? I hope not.

News reports show that incumbents will not be doing well in the upcoming primaries according to polls taken for the 2010 election. This past Tuesday was the first primary for the Senate in four states: Arkansas, Kentucky, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The feeling of “send the same people back to Washington, will guarantee the same result” are causing Americans every where to vote for anyone but the incumbent. All over the country, polls are showing a low vote for incumbents in trying to gain the same seat they had before, proving to the rest of the world that we are not going to put up with politicians who don’t listen.

What I am beginning to see is that American citizens do remember the arrogance and total disregard for the Constitution that these elected officials seem to have and they do not want it to happen again. It doesn’t matter whether they are Republican or Democrat, if they have been elected before; chances are they won’t be again. By and large this nation is still a conservative nation and if those who are elected do not vote on bills by the will of the people, the people will find someone else who will.

I think the time for the “career” politician is over. Americans are licking their wounds from the last “change for better” election but they won’t let it happen again. Most people see these elected officials as so out of touch with the American people that it doesn’t matter what these incumbents promise, no one will believe them.

The uneasy feeling of incumbents returning to their old job makes everyone nervous including me so when June 1st comes around for the Alabama primary, (find out when your state has it's primary) I for one will make sure I vote and vote for a candidate who will follow the Constitution and not disregard what the will of the people want……and I’m sure everyone else will vote the same way.

I am grateful for my dryer.......

I am grateful for my dryer. I am grateful for my dryer........ I keep repeating this statement because as Mondays go, I do laundry and I finished off 6 loads today and on the last load, the motor in the dryer was going but the drum was not. The light went on when I opened the door but no matter what setting I put the dryer on, the drum would not go around so I was forced to hang up the last load---which is really a great thing---and call the GE guy tommorow.
This happy picture I posted is of Lydia, when she first dyed her hair pitch black and Moses, posing as if he were on the movie of Zoolander. We had a great weekend with getting much accomplished and hanging out with friends for a relaxing evening but now it's back to reality: working like crazy on our own businesses to keep up with the money going out to keep our family going........
Life will be fine soon. We just need to keep going in the career goals we have set for ourselves. I am grateful for my dryer. I am grateful for my dryer.......