ferretrunner

It's a shame they don't want to share; the more participants, the more treats/ activities for all the kiddos. Maybe they're worried about not having enough space in the parking lot? Perhaps your ward can have it the night before Halloween? Or the day after?

jadams, Sorry about your finger. Any animal in pain and/or scared can bite. The squirrel was trying to defend herself. She had no idea you really meant her no harm. But, dang! that still hurts! I hope you've healed up fully! bmy, My dad and his family had two squirrels when he was a kid. One of the squirrels used to play "ariborne assault." He used to leap from the rafters of the basement onto whoever was walking down the stairs below him. He never bit anyone- it was just a game- but he caused several near heart attacks until they understood his humor!

What did the buffalo say to his child when he was leaving? Bye son. (Bison) *groan*

I'm sorry for your loss.

I think it depends on the individual person. Most people I have talked to who have tattoos got them for a reason; a memorial, a tribute to someone, commemorating an event, etc. Here's an interesting read about tattoos in the Army: Tattoos and the Army: a long and colorful tradition My tattoo is a memorial for my first three ferrets. It represents their connection to me and that we will meet again. They are gone but not forgotten and they are waiting for me in the next world. Not necessarily a "mormon" belief but it's mine. The purpose for me is a memorial and an expression of my individuality.

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother," she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat one little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One day there was a rabbit and a snake who were both growing old and could not remember what animal they were. "OK I'll describe you and then see if you can guess what you are." said the snake. "That's a good idea." said the rabbit. "You are white, fluffy, and you have big ears and feet." said the snake. "Oh good, I'm a rabbit! So the rabbit says, "You are long, slim, and have a forked tongue." "Oh NO, I'm a lawyer! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three guys had to cross a lake. The first one prayed to God for the strength, he swam across the lake, but almost died 5 times. The second guy prayed to God for the strength and the tools, he made a boat, and rowed himself across the lake, he almost died 3 times. The third guy prayed to God for the strength, the tools, and the brains. He turned into a girl, walked 4 yards, and crossed the bridge. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Advice to Pass on to Your Daughters 1. Don't imagine you can change a man - unless he's in diapers. 2. What do you do if your boyfriend walks-out? You shut the door. 3. If they put a man on the moon - they should be able to put them all up there. 4. Never let your man's mind wander - it's too little to be out alone. 5. Go for younger men. You might as well - they never mature anyway. 6. Men are all the same - they just have different faces, so that you can tell them apart. 7. Definition of a bachelor; a man who has missed the opportunity to make some woman miserable. 8. Women don't make fools of men - most of them are the do-it-yourself types. 9. Best way to get a man to do something, is to suggest they are too old for it. 10. Love is blind, but marriage is a real eye-opener. 11. If you want a committed man, look in a mental hospital. 12. The children of Israel wandered around the desert for 40 years. Even in biblical times, men wouldn't ask for directions. 13. If he asks what sort of books you're interested in, tell him checkbooks. 14. Remember a sense of humor does not mean that you tell him jokes, it means that you laugh at his. 15. Sadly, all men are created equal...

Well, unless Heavenly Father wants to repair what is "broken," I guess my earthly medical condition will keep me from attaining the highest level. Sorry, this thread is really challenging me. Perhaps I need to bow out. But, being told "you're not woman enough" pretty much --- I really have a hard time seeing HF punishing people for making responsible decisions about childbearing in the next world- or punishing women who can't have children. I guess I must have been "predestined" to fail no matter my choices. What I said eariler about two strikes....

Thanks for the replies. No one ever told me that someone could be married/sealed after death. I figured it was one of those "have to's" in this life. Although, if we can baptize for the dead, why not seal? GnatStrainer made a good point. Why should all women (and men) be expected to want children? I suppose in this case, if someone doesn't want kids, they give up the highest level- the consequence. But, could that mean someone who does want kids being forced into a position of having them anyway? Or are all of us expected to be the same in regards to wanting children and making good parents? Or will it matter as much in the next world? LOL. Maybe I'll get to play "auntie" to other people's kids??? As for being a ministering angel, the teachings about angels vary from denomination. Many Christian sects believe no human becomes an angel- angels are separate creations, with no free will. For example, the Catholic church teaches that people become saints when they die- and some are recognized as such in this world as well. From that perspective, I would loose my free will and become a servant. Angels are probably happy to be angels. I wouldn't want to give up my free will and "just" be a servant. Maybe I have the wrong attitude. I serve others happily- but I also enjoy people helping me periodically and being able to care for myself (put myself first) every once in awhile.

Hmmm. So, because I haven't married, I get to serve others in the afterlife? Like some sort of maid? Gee... makes me wonder what's the point? I suppose in my line of work in this world, I'll at least be used to being a servant to others and I enjoy my career. So, hopefully, I'll enjoy being a servant throughout eternity also. But, it doesn't seem like much of a "reward" for "enduring to the end." I guess that sounds rather sarcastic. But, why will I not be able to be exalted because of a decision that has to be made mutually? After all, I can't force someone to marry me, can I? Or force him to be a priesthood holder? And people wonder why I struggle so much with a testimony! Pretty much, in terms of exaltation, I have two strikes against me... 1. being female and 2. being single.

I have a tattoo. LOL. Guess what it is?....... Right! A ferret! I got it in remembrance of the ferrets who have gone to Rainbow Bridge.

I am most likely getting this wrong but I'm a bit confused about the lesser and the higher law in regards to the priesthood. Taking sacrament is considered affirming your baptismal promises every week. And baptisim is the key requirement for membership in the Church. But, the "lesser" priesthood (Aaronic?) conduct them. What does the senior priesthood do? I know they can bless the sacrament and baptize as well but what additional duties/ rights/ responsibilities do they hold? How can baptism and sacrament be considered "lesser" when they form a very important part of the faith?

The law can't force a religion to conduct marriages. If the LDS church chooses not to conduct same sex marriages, law can't supercede it.

I tend to enjoy the respectful conversations. Where I get annoyed is when we start insulting/ bashing each other. I have really struggled with my testimony over the past few years, including being inactive for several years. I am taking the missionary lessons again as I would if I were an investigator. I find the discussions helpful. One of the areas that I struggle with is the "inflexibility" of the Church. Going to the meetings, everyone dresses alike- it seems the women in RS all teach the same things about being someone's wife and/or mother and how to nurture someone else. Not that this is bad but there's more to being a woman than those roles. I never felt I "fit in." I tend to be more moderate/ liberal than conservative- again I don't "fit in." Long story short, reading people's varying opinions allows me to see that I'm not expected to turn off my brain and just "go with the flow." Perhaps there is room for someone like me who is "different" in the Church. Perhaps I don't have to agree with everything to have a testimony. Just my .02 on the discussion. we all have them! :)

Women escaping a domestic violence situation are rarely in the financial or emotional place to sue anyone. Come on. That's like saying a victim of rape should have to sue her rapist first. Wrong answer. There is crime victims' compensation in many states. A requirement that she apply for it and use it first would not be unreasonable, perhaps. However, that funding is limited. If someone has insurance, why have them use money from a limited source when later someone without insurance may need it??? Also, she paid insurance premiums. Shouldn't the company honor their contract?

Best wishes for a speedy recovery on the rib! My dad has Type II. He's doing well with excercise, diet, and the pill medication (don't remember what it is called). He was insulin dependent just before and after his heart surgery. He lost 65 pounds so far! He's doing awesome! I know the diet and habit changes can be hard. Keep at it and don't give up!

Serves you right! :)

Does your community/ county have a state or county funded mental health clinic? If so, see if you're eligible for services there. You can also check into community health clinics. The National Suicide Hotline is also a resource referral source- not to mention, there are good people to talk to if you're feeling suicidal. 1-800-273-TALK Remember, depression is a liar. Challenge the thoughts that lead toward hopelessness. Depression makes everything seem worse than it really is. Hang in there. People care about you.

What if one partner wants the divorce and the other doesn't? That happens. And the divorce would be granted by legal authorities. I would also think in the case of domestic violence and/or significant, unchanging substance abuse, a divorce is better than staying. Sometimes one partner isn't responsible for the actions/inactions of the other.

Ye had better nae be insultin my Nessie! Nessie lives! Bloody Americans an their Big Foot! An Roswell...

If you are a conservative and someone disagrees with you, that person is a (stinking) liberal. :) If you're a liberal and someone disagress, he/she is entitled to his/her own opinion. If you're a moderate, you can't make up your mind.

One time, I had taken one of my 4 y/o cousins to a store. She had a habit of some pretty nasty temper tantrums. She wanted something, I said no, and she went into a full force tantrum. I stood there, crossed my arms, and said, "No dice. Whenever you're done, we can go." And just waited. The storm lasted what seemed like hours, but was only 5-10 minutes, then she stopped and looked up at me. It was so funny. Her next words were, "I'm still not getting the doll, am I?" "Nope." And she got up and walked out with me. It was so strange. She never really tried me again. Her parents had gone through a pretty messy divorce the year previous- the same time the tantrums really started. I'm happy to report she is quite the nice young lady today- she graduted high school last spring.

Did they own or rent? And it all depends on your definition of "not much." Compared to the life style they have now, as adults, she didn't "have much." The Obamas are close in age to me. My father made just about as much as the First Lady's. My family had one income and three kids. We lived a tight budget. We did have money for food, shelter, and clothing but it was tight at times. Perhaps it wasn't a deliberate lie. Perhaps her family lived paycheck to paycheck without much left over, similar to mine? idk. Just a thought.

It was a good speech. I think the audience targeted was too large. There is a huge difference between a kindergartener's ability to think abstractly and a senior in high school. My guess is the lower elementary aged children were bored to tears and didn't understand half of the concepts presented in the speech. What is it with politicians? And educators? If they wanted something meaningful for all the kids, they needed at least 3 different speeches targeting the different developmental stages. For the youngest kids, a 5-10 minute talk would suffice. Geesh.

I was thinking about this post and the discussion regarding medication vs. more natural treatment options. First off, there are some diagnosis that the only hope to remit the symptoms is medication. Schizophernia and bipolar depression are two examples. These issues are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Diet, excercise, education, and therapy alone will not balance the chemicals. Depression is more complicated. It is caused by several factors. A depression that is situational can respond to therapy and working on the situation that triggered the depression. Sometimes, if the depression is severe enough or lasts long enough, medication is indicated. Even in a situational depression, research shows the evidence based best practice is a combination of therapy and medications. Depression can also be caused by an imbalance of the neurotransmitters in the brain only- there's no reason for it, no situational trigger. With this type of depression, medication is needed. It's similiar to diabetes. Sometimes you can remit the diabetes with diet and excercise, sometimes insulin is needed. If the diabetes is insulin dependent, diet and excercise alone won't remit the symptoms. I agree there are many times in life that we hit periods of sadness that aren't depression. Living a healthy lifestyle, to include diet and excercise helps the body, mind, and spirit maintain health. In all mental illnesses, a component of teaching proper diet, excercise, and spiritual practices consumate with the individual is helpful. These are parts of a healthy, happier life. In addition, teaching coping skills (often done in therapy) are also helpful. I want to share something. I have suffered with dysthymia since I was a teenager. Dysthymia is a milder form of depression. Often, the individual doesn't really "look" depressed. They can be successful and extremely high functioning. Meaning we can hold down jobs and succeed in school. For me, when depressed, everything was hard. I wanted to sleep all the time. I never felt happy. Think Eeore from Winnie the Pooh. It was like living in a cloudy, rainy winter day. Everything was dark and dismal. If I did something I enjoyed, I might smile or laugh for a minute or two but the sense of sadness never went totally away. I thought everyone felt that way. Throughout all my journey with depression, I was a runner. I completed several marathons, so excercise was not a problem. Running, sleep, and music were the only three activities that I did not have the nagging sense of sadness. In my late twenties, I was finally diagnosed properly. It took several years to find the right antidepressant. One made me into a zombie- another one made me chatter and bounce of walls and have the attention span of a ferret. Neither worked very well. Over the course of several years, I would go on and off the antidepressants- I didn't want to admit I needed them. I didn't want to have depression. I attended therapy, learned some- not enough. Finally, we hit on the right antidepressant. I started being able to apply the things I was learning in therapy more consistently. My life got infintely better. Life for me today is more like a spring day. It can have rain clouds but I know there will be sunny days to follow. I see life framed in a spring sunny day rather than the darkness of the overcast. Last year, I made an experiment. With my doctor's supervision, I titrated off my antidepressant. A healthy lifestyle including several forms of excercise, good foods, proper sleep, and activties are now habit. About 2.5 months after going off the antidepressant, I was calling my doctor to restart. The overcast had returned, I was sleeping more, and I had to force myself to run. I would be "together" at work and come home and cry for an hour. Back on the antidepressants, my life returned to normal. I am on a lower dose now and so far it is effective. If you are taking medications, and you want to try a non-medication based treatment option, such as the natural diet, excercise, and education that others have mentioned, please do a few things. First, research the new program. Is there scientific reliablity? Second, establish the new behaviors first. Practice the diet and exercise regime and practice what your learn in the education piece. Have it down so it is habit. Then, talk to your doctor and safely come off your medications. Have friends and family you trust and your doctor help monitor your progress. Keep a journal both before you go off your meds and after. Record your moods and thoughts. It could be that you'll do fine off your medications. But, your symptoms can also return. If you, or your support team, notice the symptoms are getting worse, go back into your doctor. My name is ferretrunner, I have depression.

I have been thinking about this thread recently. First off, I want to apologize for being snippy with that last general reply. As you can tell, I have some strong opinions on the topic of mental health and medications. Just a tad of an understatement. I have to run out right now and I don't have time for a long post. I just wanted to apologize. I'll post my musings later. Happy Sabbath!