Thankful Thursday! THANKFUL TO BE HEADING FOR UTAH tomorrow!

Today I am thankul for the chance to pack my suitcase and be able to FLY to see my kids with in 5 hrs. (HOPE I DON'T JINX A LAYOVER!) or drive in 14 hrs. I'm thankful that I live in a time that 2 States away doesn't mean I can't seem them for a year or two. I am thankful that my Honey works hard so that we can go often! I am thankful for cell phones where I can instantly keep in contact with family. I am thankful I can save messages from those grandbabies. This is a message I saved from Kylie who is (4) last year " GRAMMIE...I lOVE YOU...GIVE ME A CALL!" I am thankful to live in a modern day where I don't have to rely on the Pony express! I'm not good at writing/mailing anyway. Can't wait to HUG ALL OF MY FAMILY!

Keeping Perspective

The Publicity Dilemma from the Newsroom at lds.org SALT LAKE CITY 9 March 2009 Like other large faith groups, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sometimes finds itself on the receiving end of attention from Hollywood or Broadway, television series or books, and the news media. Sometimes depictions of the Church and its people are quite accurate. Sometimes the images are false or play to stereotypes. Occasionally, they are in appallingly bad taste. As Catholics, Jews and Muslims have known for centuries, such attention is inevitable once an institution or faith group reaches a size or prominence sufficient to attract notice. Yet Latter-day Saints – sometimes known as Mormons - still wonder whether and how they should respond when news or entertainment media insensitively trivialize or misrepresent sacred beliefs or practices. Church members are about to face that question again. Before the first season of the HBO series Big Love aired more than two years ago, the show’s creators and HBO executives assured the Church that the series wouldn’t be about Mormons. However, Internet references to Big Love indicate that more and more Mormon themes are now being woven into the show and that the characters are often unsympathetic figures who come across as narrow and self-righteous. And according to TV Guide, it now seems the show’s writers are to depict what they understand to be sacred temple ceremonies. Certainly Church members are offended when their most sacred practices are misrepresented or presented without context or understanding. Last week some Church members began e-mail chains calling for cancellations of subscriptions to AOL, which, like HBO, is owned by Time Warner. Certainly such a boycott by hundreds of thousands of computer-savvy Latter-day Saints could have an economic impact on the company. Individual Latter-day Saints have the right to take such actions if they choose. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an institution does not call for boycotts. Such a step would simply generate the kind of controversy that the media loves and in the end would increase audiences for the series. As Elder M. Russell Ballard and Elder Robert D. Hales of the Council of the Twelve Apostles have both said recently, when expressing themselves in the public arena, Latter-day Saints should conduct themselves with dignity and thoughtfulness. Not only is this the model that Jesus Christ taught and demonstrated in his own life, but it also reflects the reality of the strength and maturity of Church members today. As someone recently said, “This isn’t 1830, and there aren’t just six of us anymore.” In other words, with a global membership of thirteen and a half million there is no need to feel defensive when the Church is moving forward so rapidly. The Church’s strength is in its faithful members in 170-plus countries, and there is no evidence that extreme misrepresentations in the media that appeal only to a narrow audience have any long-term negative effect on the Church. Examples: During the Mitt Romney election campaign for the presidency of the United States, commentator Lawrence O’Donnell hurled abuse at the Church in a television moment that became known among many Church members as “the O’Donnell rant.” Today, his statements are remembered only as a testament to intolerance and ignorance. They had no effect on the Church that can be measured. When the comedy writers for South Park produced a gross portrayal of Church history, individual Church members no doubt felt uncomfortable. But once again it inflicted no perceptible or lasting damage to a church that is growing by at least a quarter of a million new members every year. When an independent film company produced a grossly distorted version of the Mountain Meadows Massacre two years ago, the Church ignored it. Perhaps partly as a result of that refusal to engender the controversy that the producers hoped for, the movie flopped at the box office and lost millions. In recent months, some gay activists have barraged the media with accusations about “hateful” attitudes of Latter-day Saints in supporting Proposition 8 in California, which maintained the traditional definition of marriage. They even organized a protest march around the Salt Lake Temple. Again, the Church has refused to be goaded into a Mormons versus gays battle and has simply stated its position in tones that are reasonable and respectful. Meanwhile, missionary work and Church members in California remain as robust and vibrant as ever, and support for the Church has come from many unexpected quarters — including some former critics and other churches. Now comes another series of Big Love, and despite earlier assurances from HBO it once again blurs the distinctions between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the show’s fictional non-Mormon characters and their practices. Such things say much more about the insensitivities of writers, producers and TV executives than they say about Latter-day Saints. If the Church allowed critics and opponents to choose the ground on which its battles are fought, it would risk being distracted from the focus and mission it has pursued successfully for nearly 180 years. Instead, the Church itself will determine its own course as it continues to preach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. Back

TIMELESS TUESDAY: My friend Sherri

Sometimes life hands you those special friends that impact your life and are never forgotten. I feel blessed to have known Sherri J. It is a treasure to have lived in a place where no matter who or what Sherri was your friend, one of those people that made you feel like you were a very good person. She could see the good and great potential in everyone and made you feel like you were infinitely great. She was one of those people that made you want to be what she believed you were. A POSITIVE person with an outlook on life that just made you feel happy to be in her presence. If I could list all the people her life touched I guarantee it it would go on forever. Sherri was a high class, beautiful person inside and out. Her hair, her clothes her heart was perfect. Although she had high class she never made you feel lower. She glowed with peace and contentment. She loved everyone. She lived a perfect gospel centered life. She was sincere in her strong beliefs. She served others and accepted service in return when she had cancer about age 35. She beat the battle for 15 years. In that time she lived life to the fullest. Words can not accurately describe her goodness. She was an angel among us. I feel blessed to have called her my friend. To have laughed and cried with her. She made a difference to me.

Old Fashion Chicken and Dumplings

In the good ol' day's Mom made Chicken and Dumplings. MY FAVORITE--next to Tuna Cheese Swirls!! I made it tonight. It was a hit! So YUMMY! So here is the recipe. Taken from Ferron Nursing Home Cookbook 2002 - by: Becky Nelson (I haven't found a better recipe)

1 whole chicken or parts (I used chicken tenders)

Add enough water to cover chicken. Boil until done. Remove to cool. Bring back to boil.

Add:

5-6 Carrots, sliced

5-6 Celery Stalks, sliced

2 Onions, chopped

I added (3 cloves of Garlic)

Cook until done. Meanwhile de-bone Chicken and cut into pieces. Add to broth.

Add Chicken Bouillon, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly thicken

Dumplings:

1 Cup Flour

2 tsp. Baking Powder

2 TBL. Parsley

1 Egg

1/4 C. Milk

2 TBL. Oil

1/2 tsp. Salt

Combine dry ingredients. Combine Eggs, Milk, and Oil. Add to dry ingredients until combined. Drop by TBL. into boiling broth.

VERY IMPORTANT* COVER AND COOK FOR 12-15 minutes. DO NOT LIFT LID Dumplings should be light and fluffy. MMMMMmmmmmm

In place of dumpling you can add Noodles, either packaged or homemade.

FABULOUS FRIDAY!-dreams

I can dream... If you've never read nie-nie's blog you should. Today her post was on dreams. Very touching. Among her pain she can dream good dreams. She puts herself in a good place. A sign of such a positve person. She is couragous and I am reminded to look for the good in each day. The day has to be fabulous when people like nie remind us how blessed we are and that there are people in the world who make the best of life 'no matter what' " If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme"

Big "Bertha" is HOME!

Yes, Big "Bertha" is all better. Shew... She is in the driveway back to health.

THANKFUL THURSDAY!

Got to get back to being THANKFUL!

TODAY I am thankful for warm temperatures,(80 degrees today) and the SUNSHINE. There is hope for SPRING. Everyday I've been watching my little tulip bulbs that are NOT sprouting through the ground and I am trying to keep the faith! I am thankful for 2 peoples blog entries today-- Heather's GRATITUDE and for someone I don't even know who post's MIRACLES everday that inspire me. I've been following Paul Cardalls blog, Who has been following a little girl (at Primary Childrens Hospital)that just died after her body rejected a heart transplant "GRACIE" I can't even imagine their family's sorrow. Life is so fragile. Thankgoodness for knowlege that LIFE DOES NOT END HERE. For this I AM THANKFUL