Annabelli

Feelings of Peace to Remember during Difficult Times This was exactly what I experienced when my mother passed away a few months ago. And it is very important to remember this significant blessing because many recollections are brought to light by various family members and it helps to keep things in a spiritual focus. It's as though you are forming a new relationship and it is this blessing that bonds you forever. I think of it as similar to a Temple sealing...Families Forever.

The first one is supported by a Travel Agency and it's games are geared toward that. Dating/Getaways. The second one offers prizes for tickets. The popup that accompanied it was a Nintendo offer and another one was "Internet In A Box" business scam. There is a recipe site offering free recipes which is supported by an Global Life Insurance. While they may be safe to play, you may get some bulk e-mail out of it. I am sure that they sell e-mails just as companies sell mailing list. I wouldn't recommend registering for the newsletter. I look forward to other responses as these really look like entertaining pass time games.

checkerboy: I am not a single Dad but I just wanted to let you know that many children do not talk about school and primary. A lot of parents will ask their children "what did you do at school today?" They have several lessons, activities, gym/music, lunch, recess, and they do not know how to summarize it. It is basically the same with Primary where the teacher uses several examples during the lesson. It is best to make a statement relating to your experience like "I went to lunch with my friends today and we ate Pizza." "What did you have for lunch?" And for Primary it is the same principle of communication just relate something simple from your Sunday school class. Dad's bond with their kids through common interest like sports. Playing basketball is an all time favorite. Instead of taking your kids out to dinner, stay home and cook a meal together. Buy a used bicycle and fix it up together. Let them teach you how to rollerblade. When you take them home, say something like "I'll see you Sunday." That goodbye embrace sometimes sends the wrong message and often leaves them feeling like it a final goodbye. Let us know how it's going.

I never once stated that LDS Native Americans were cooking up meth. I never stated that NA's cooked meth. I said that I lived next door to meth cookers - and did not specify their race, religion nor did I even specify thier gender or age. There are NA's who are from ALL over the continental USA, not just the states that you mentioned. Why did you not include them in your list? Are you discriminating against them? Or did you not know of the numerous tribes that are in all of the other states? What I said was the roads leading to the reservations here in this part of Arizona are littered with beer bottles and wine bottles. This is exactly what I said: YOU, Annabelli are putting the NA in that sentence, not me.My husband and I would prefer to live nestled amongst the Amish or the Mennonites because then we would be assured that there would be no druggies/meth users-cookers there. There would be no loud parties, no filth littering their property and those of their neighbors. The land adjacent to them would be free of trash, and pollution. Can you tell me where there is a concentration of LDS Members who are living like the Amish or Mennonites? Because if anyone knows of such - please let us know - we would much rather live amongst the LDS - but I have never heard of any LDS who have gathered themselves together such as that. AND by LDS - Annabelli - I mean members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now, Annabelli, please be so good as to explain your question to me regarding my attendence of the Temple. I was polite and honest enough to answer you and now I would like an explanation as to how that question even applies to my post. The "Indians" that your co-worker spoke of are members of this Church and attend the Mesa Temple. These indians are known as Native Americans or American Indians. When you attended the Mesa Temple you probably met some of these people. You should talk to your Bishop about nestling amongst the Amish and Mennonites who have many Arizona Communities and neighbor with Indian Reservations.

Your child is blessed....he has great parents.

None if you don't mind if it's thin and sicky rose smelling. Elphaba Put me down for two bottles. I know someone who has a lot of foot powder in their food storage and I might be able to swap for some.

Annabelli, what do your comments have to do with what I stated? If nothing, then why oh why did you quote me? Yes! Iggy, you referred to the American Indians in each of your post. Our American Indians/Native Americans live on reservations. Many of these American Indians are LDS Members. They do not cook up meth or throw trash all over the place. The LDS Daily News reports for "Adopt A Highway" came out of Houston, Texas. I respect all LDS Church members regardless of their race.

I was just recently telling someone that the bartering system would quickly develop in a crisis where food storage would be essential. After reading about the lotion, I can see where we are already on the same page. My older child was really into buying school supplies every year. He has since graduated. We have used his leftover school supplies for two years now and we still have plenty. My other child filled a large bag for me with pens, pencils, markers ...etc so that I wouldn't have to search for them. I noticed that he had a large assortment of pens and pencils in his bookbag and he said that we probably have a ten year supply. Then there are binders and bookbags. How many pens would I have to give up to get a bottle of lotion?

'Fraid not Annabelli, I am not about to adopt a highway and have no say what so ever regarding the louts who befoul it - say like fine them $1K for the first offense and then $1K and make them clean up 100 miles of roadway per each additional offence, when the greater portion of Arizona does not give a rats tail what it's state highways look like. During the summer months there is no way I can even go outside and keep my small area clean that the stinking louts befoul as they drive to the next city and/or reservation. It is too blasted hot, and I can not keep up with them. Now I have druggies living on two sides of me, who toss their garbage outside and let the wind blow it all over. Yes the Enforcement Agencies know about it. No nothing has been done. Like I said too many of these great and wonderful residents of Arizona do not give a rats bottom about the cleanliness of their state. Move out of the State - we are looking, but hubby has not yet retired and we aren't moving until he does. I am doing my best looking for places that border Amish or Mennonite properties. We both have decided that we prefer living next to them! If there is no LDS Meeting house within a 50 mile radius, then we will just go on-line and read from lds.org. That is how serious we are about where we prefer to live. Both of us are sick and tired of the human pigs who befoul their own living areas. There is a large number of Native Americans who are members of the LDS Church who reside in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Texas, and Oklahoma. We have Temples in each one of these states. We have a Mennonite Community in our area and they are very nice people. Our Amish neighbors live farther away and they too are very nice. Like LDS Members, they are not picture perfect. The LDS Daily News reports on our service projects and "Adopt A Highway" is one of our favorites. Have you attended the Temple in Mesa, Arizona?

I had received answers to my prayers after my child had left for school. I told him about the Lord's answer this evening. At first he thought it was odd. As the evening progressed I noticed a lot of things changing. He is happier than he has been in three years, more confident in himself. We were having all around good conversations. He pulled out a long assignment and then to my surprise, he started to prepare for a class whose teacher he does not like. In three short hours, his spirit for education rekindled. You should know that in this house, the Lord's Will is the ultimate word and no matter who's prayers are answered, we respect what the Lord has given us.

Did you mean Walter Martin?

We are recovering from a severe drought two years ago. It takes several years with each year ending in less rain until there is little or no rain. Once we hit the actual drought year, the next year we start getting a little more rain and every year after. We stay in a normal rain zone for about ten years before the drought cycle begins. Of course Australia is known for severe savage droughts that seem to last for years. There have been authors who quoted on the Australian droughts around 1590 through 1630. I would not think the droughting climate of Australia is a major environment issue. 140 litres per person to someone in the U.S. would be like 70 2ltr bottles of water per family member per day. And a family of 4 would be allowed 280 2ltr bottles of water. Our water restrictions during a drought are usually banning outdoor watering of the lawn (but you can water your garden) and washing vehicles at home (you can use the automated car wash). Also during a drought, water usage is monitored and anyone neglecting a water leak can be fined $1,000 (homes) and businesses can be charged according to the inspection violation codes which are fines in access of $400,000. I am assuming that you are in your winter season. We will be starting our autumn in about three weeks. I will keep you in my prayers.

How so?? How about giving it to her at your next FHE? Or get one of her family to put it on her pillow so that she will see it when she goes to bed.. Or even get one of her family memebers to put it in her car on one of the front seets.. That way it will be a nice surprise for her & a great way for her to start her day :) A lot of thought, devotion, and emotion went into the scrapebook. I think that Jikei is putting as much thought into the presentation. I just don't think "hit & run" is any way to present a gift from this group.

Sylvester Stallone or is he just an anti-misunderstood hero? Of course that could be Arnold Schwarzenegger and Keanu Reeves.

One of my pet peeves in waste is wasting water. Why must you let the water run when you brush your teeth? Wash dishes? I turn my dishes up-side-down in the sink as I wash them. When the sink is full, then I rinse. Turning them up-side-down allows the soap to run OUT of them and not collect inside of them. When I lived in Oregon - every year from the end of September until Feb or March I had precious little to no water. I had to haul it in to my home. This I did in 5 gallon collapsible jugs! What a pain. I saved the water from washing dishes and myself, so I could flush the toilet. Then we got a pump and pumped water from the creek up to our holding tank. We didn't drink or cook with this water as Beavers lived in the creek. Now I had water to flush the toilet with and to wash clothes in. When I washed dishes, I boiled my rinse water and was still very frugal with it. Also during the summer I hung ALL of my wash out on lines. When I put jeans out at 8am and they were still not dry by 4pm - I knew the Solar Drying season was over and I had to go back to the electric dryer. Oh how I wish I could hang my clothes out here in Arizona - but we do NOT have any ground cover and the dirt gets into everything. Why put clean wet clothes out just to bring in dirty dry clothes??? Also in Oregon, we recycled everything - the disposal company picked it all up and took it away for free. Here where I am, there is no such thing! In Oregon there are bottle deposits, $0.05 per bottle. You don't see bottles littering the roads and highways. Here in Arizona - no such thing. I have never seen such a filthy state as Arizona is. They don't even have the Prison/Jail Inmates out cleaning up the highways! Bottles, plastic bags stuck on the beautiful cacti and shredding in the wind, pampers, paper, boxes, tires, grocery shopping carts, all out on the highway and littering up the scenery. When I asked my co-workers where were the Indian Reservations - they told me to just follow the trail of beer and wine bottles that were alongside the highways - that would lead me to the reservations. They were right. How sick! No Yellow Brick road here, more like amber and green bottle road. You see signs in Oregon and Washington stating the fines if you are caught littering. Not any of those signs in Arizona. Maybe you should follow the signs that say "Adopt A Highway" and clean it up.

Dror: Your post was powerful enough to make me think and search. I also found this poem to share. It has been a very long time since I read it. Rime of the Ancient Mariner a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge It is an ancient Mariner, And he stoppeth one of three. 'By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stopp'st thou me? The bridegroom's doors are opened wide, And I am next of kin; The guests are met, the feast is set: Mayst hear the merry din.' He holds him with his skinny hand, "There was a ship," quoth he. 'Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!' Eftsoons his hand dropped he. He holds him with his glittering eye— The Wedding-Guest stood still, And listens like a three years' child: The Mariner hath his will. The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone: He cannot choose but hear; And thus spake on that ancient man, The bright-eyed Mariner. "The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared, Merrily did we drop Below the kirk, below the hill, Below the lighthouse top. The sun came up upon the left, Out of the sea came he! And he shone bright, and on the right Went down into the sea. Higher and higher every day, Till over the mast at noon—" The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, For he heard the loud bassoon. The bride hath paced into the hall, Red as a rose is she; Nodding their heads before her goes The merry minstrelsy. The Wedding-Guest he beat his breast, Yet he cannot choose but hear; And thus spake on that ancient man, The bright-eyed Mariner. "And now the storm-blast came, and he Was tyrannous and strong: He struck with his o'ertaking wings, And chased us south along. With sloping masts and dipping prow, As who pursued with yell and blow Still treads the shadow of his foe, And foward bends his head, The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast, And southward aye we fled. And now there came both mist and snow, And it grew wondrous cold: And ice, mast-high, came floating by, As green as emerald. And through the drifts the snowy clifts Did send a dismal sheen: Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken— The ice was all between. The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, Like noises in a swound! At length did cross an Albatross, Thorough the fog it came; As it had been a Christian soul, We hailed it in God's name. It ate the food it ne'er had eat, And round and round it flew. The ice did split with a thunder-fit; The helmsman steered us through! And a good south wind sprung up behind; The Albatross did follow, And every day, for food or play, Came to the mariner's hollo! In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud, It perched for vespers nine; Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white, Glimmered the white moonshine." 'God save thee, ancient Mariner, From the fiends that plague thee thus!— Why look'st thou so?'—"With my crossbow I shot the Albatross." Part II "The sun now rose upon the right: Out of the sea came he, Still hid in mist, and on the left Went down into the sea. And the good south wind still blew behind, But no sweet bird did follow, Nor any day for food or play Came to the mariners' hollo! And I had done a hellish thing, And it would work 'em woe: For all averred, I had killed the bird That made the breeze to blow. Ah wretch! said they, the bird to slay, That made the breeze to blow! Nor dim nor red, like God's own head, The glorious sun uprist: Then all averred, I had killed the bird That brought the fog and mist. 'Twas right, said they, such birds to slay, That bring the fog and mist. The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, The furrow followed free; We were the first that ever burst Into that silent sea. Down dropped the breeze, the sails dropped down, 'Twas sad as sad could be; And we did speak only to break The silence of the sea! All in a hot and copper sky, The bloody sun, at noon, Right up above the mast did stand, No bigger than the moon. Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink. The very deep did rot: O Christ! That ever this should be! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea. About, about, in reel and rout The death-fires danced at night; The water, like a witch's oils, Burnt green, and blue, and white. And some in dreams assured were Of the Spirit that plagued us so; Nine fathom deep he had followed us From the land of mist and snow. And every tongue, through utter drought, Was withered at the root; We could not speak, no more than if We had been choked with soot. Ah! well-a-day! what evil looks Had I from old and young! Instead of the cross, the Albatross About my neck was hung." Part III "There passed a weary time. Each throat Was parched, and glazed each eye. A weary time! a weary time! How glazed each weary eye— When looking westward, I beheld A something in the sky. At first it seemed a little speck, And then it seemed a mist; It moved and moved, and took at last A certain shape, I wist. A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist! And still it neared and neared: As if it dodged a water-sprite, It plunged and tacked and veered. With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, We could nor laugh nor wail; Through utter drought all dumb we stood! I bit my arm, I sucked the blood, And cried, A sail! a sail! With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, Agape they heard me call: Gramercy! they for joy did grin, And all at once their breath drew in, As they were drinking all. See! see! (I cried) she tacks no more! Hither to work us weal; Without a breeze, without a tide, She steadies with upright keel! The western wave was all a-flame, The day was well nigh done! Almost upon the western wave Rested the broad bright sun; When that strange shape drove suddenly Betwixt us and the sun. And straight the sun was flecked with bars, (Heaven's Mother send us grace!) As if through a dungeon-grate he peered With broad and burning face. Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat loud) How fast she nears and nears! Are those her sails that glance in the sun, Like restless gossameres? Are those her ribs through which the sun Did peer, as through a grate? And is that Woman all her crew? Is that a Death? and are there two? Is Death that Woman's mate? Her lips were red, her looks were free, Her locks were yellow as gold: Her skin was as white as leprosy, The Nightmare Life-in-Death was she, Who thicks man's blood with cold. The naked hulk alongside came, And the twain were casting dice; 'The game is done! I've won! I've won!' Quoth she, and whistles thrice. The sun's rim dips; the stars rush out: At one stride comes the dark; With far-heard whisper o'er the sea, Off shot the spectre-bark. We listened and looked sideways up! Fear at my heart, as at a cup, My life-blood seemed to sip! The stars were dim, and thick the night, The steersman's face by his lamp gleamed white; From the sails the dew did drip— Till clomb above the eastern bar The horned moon, with one bright star Within the nether tip. One after one, by the star-dogged moon, Too quick for groan or sigh, Each turned his face with a ghastly pang, And cursed me with his eye. Four times fifty living men, (And I heard nor sigh nor groan) With heavy thump, a lifeless lump, They dropped down one by one. The souls did from their bodies fly,— They fled to bliss or woe! And every soul it passed me by, Like the whizz of my crossbow!" Part IV 'I fear thee, ancient Mariner! I fear thy skinny hand! And thou art long, and lank, and brown, As is the ribbed sea-sand. I fear thee and thy glittering eye, And thy skinny hand, so brown.'— "Fear not, fear not, thou Wedding-Guest! This body dropped not down. Alone, alone, all, all alone, Alone on a wide wide sea! And never a saint took pity on My soul in agony. The many men, so beautiful! And they all dead did lie; And a thousand thousand slimy things Lived on; and so did I. I looked upon the rotting sea, And drew my eyes away; I looked upon the rotting deck, And there the dead men lay. I looked to heaven, and tried to pray; But or ever a prayer had gusht, A wicked whisper came and made My heart as dry as dust. I closed my lids, and kept them close, And the balls like pulses beat; Forthe sky and the sea, and the sea and the sky, Lay like a load on my weary eye, And the dead were at my feet. The cold sweat melted from their limbs, Nor rot nor reek did they: The look with which they looked on me Had never passed away. An orphan's curse would drag to hell A spirit from on high; But oh! more horrible than that Is the curse in a dead man's eye! Seven days, seven nights, I saw that curse, And yet I could not die. The moving moon went up the sky, And no where did abide: Softly she was going up, And a star or two beside— Her beams bemocked the sultry main, Like April hoar-frost spread; But where the ship's huge shadow lay, The charmed water burnt alway A still and awful red. Beyond the shadow of the ship I watched the water-snakes: They moved in tracks of shining white, And when they reared, the elfish light Fell off in hoary flakes. Within the shadow of the ship I watched their rich attire: Blue, glossy green, and velvet black, They coiled and swam; and every track Was a flash of golden fire. O happy living things! no tongue Their beauty might declare: A spring of love gushed from my heart, And I blessed them unaware: Sure my kind saint took pity on me, And I blessed them unaware. The selfsame moment I could pray; And from my neck so free The Albatross fell off, and sank Like lead into the sea." Part V "Oh sleep! it is a gentle thing, Beloved from pole to pole! To Mary Queen the praise be given! She sent the gentle sleep from heaven, That slid into my soul. The silly buckets on the deck, That had so long remained, I dreamt that they were filled with dew; And when I awoke, it rained. My lips were wet, my throat was cold, My garments all were dank; Sure I had drunken in my dreams, And still my body drank. I moved, and could not feel my limbs: I was so light—almost I thought that I had died in sleep, And was a blessed ghost. And soon I heard a roaring wind: It did not come anear; But with its sound it shook the sails, That were so thin and sere. The upper air burst into life! And a hundred fire-flags sheen, To and fro they were hurried about! And to and fro, and in and out, The wan stars danced between. And the coming wind did roar more loud, And the sails did sigh like sedge; And the rain poured down from one black cloud; The moon was at its edge. The thick black cloud was cleft, and still The moon was at its side: Like waters shot from some high crag, The lightning fell with never a jag, A river steep and wide. The loud wind never reached the ship, Yet now the ship moved on! Beneath the lightning and the moon The dead men gave a groan. They groaned, they stirred, they all uprose, Nor spake, nor moved their eyes; It had been strange, even in a dream, To have seen those dead men rise. The helmsman steered, the ship moved on; Yet never a breeze up blew; The mariners all 'gan work the ropes, Where they were wont to do; They raised their limbs like lifeless tools— We were a ghastly crew. The body of my brother's son Stood by me, knee to knee: The body and I pulled at one rope, But he said nought to me." 'I fear thee, ancient Mariner!' "Be calm, thou Wedding-Guest! 'Twas not those souls that fled in pain, Which to their corses came again, But a troop of spirits blest: For when it dawned—they dropped their arms, And clustered round the mast; Sweet sounds rose slowly through their mouths, And from their bodies passed. Around, around, flew each sweet sound, Then darted to the sun; Slowly the sounds came back again, Now mixed, now one by one. Sometimes a-dropping from the sky I heard the skylark sing; Sometimes all little birds that are, How they seemed to fill the sea and air With their sweet jargoning! And now 'twas like all instruments, Now like a lonely flute; And now it is an angel's song, That makes the heavens be mute. It ceased; yet still the sails made on A pleasant noise till noon, A noise like of a hidden brook In the leafy month of June, That to the sleeping woods all night Singeth a quiet tune. Till noon we quietly sailed on, Yet never a breeze did breathe; Slowly and smoothly went the ship, Moved onward from beneath. Under the keel nine fathom deep, From the land of mist and snow, The spirit slid: and it was he That made the ship to go. The sails at noon left off their tune, And the ship stood still also. The sun, right up above the mast, Had fixed her to the ocean: But in a minute she 'gan stir, With a short uneasy motion— Backwards and forwards half her length With a short uneasy motion. Then like a pawing horse let go, She made a sudden bound: It flung the blood into my head, And I fell down in a swound. How long in that same fit I lay, I have not to declare; But ere my living life returned, I heard and in my soul discerned Two voices in the air. 'Is it he?' quoth one, 'Is this the man? By him who died on cross, With his cruel bow he laid full low The harmless Albatross. The spirit who bideth by himself In the land of mist and snow, He loved the bird that loved the man Who shot him with his bow.' The other was a softer voice, As soft as honey-dew: Quoth he, 'The man hath penance done, And penance more will do.' Part VI First Voice But tell me, tell me! speak again, Thy soft response renewing— What makes that ship drive on so fast? What is the ocean doing? Second Voice Still as a slave before his lord, The ocean hath no blast; His great bright eye most silently Up to the moon is cast— If he may know which way to go; For she guides him smooth or grim. See, brother, see! how graciously She looketh down on him. First Voice But why drives on that ship so fast, Without or wave or wind? Second Voice The air is cut away before, And closes from behind. Fly, brother, fly! more high, more high! Or we shall be belated: For slow and slow that ship will go, When the Mariner's trance is abated. "I woke, and we were sailing on As in a gentle weather: 'Twas night, calm night, the moon was high; The dead men stood together. All stood together on the deck, For a charnel-dungeon fitter: All fixed on me their stony eyes, That in the moon did glitter. The pang, the curse, with which they died, Had never passed away: I could not draw my eyes from theirs, Nor turn them up to pray. And now this spell was snapped: once more I viewed the ocean green, And looked far forth, yet little saw Of what had else been seen— Like one that on a lonesome road Doth walk in fear and dread, And having once turned round walks on, And turns no more his head; Because he knows a frightful fiend Doth close behind him tread. But soon there breathed a wind on me, Nor sound nor motion made: Its path was not upon the sea, In ripple or in shade. It raised my hair, it fanned my cheek Like a meadow-gale of spring— It mingled strangely with my fears, Yet it felt like a welcoming. Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship, Yet she sailed softly too: Sweetly, sweetly blew the breeze— On me alone it blew. Oh! dream of joy! is this indeed The lighthouse top I see? Is this the hill? is this the kirk? Is this mine own country? We drifted o'er the harbour-bar, And I with sobs did pray— O let me be awake, my God! Or let me sleep alway. The harbour-bay was clear as glass, So smoothly it was strewn! And on the bay the moonlight lay, And the shadow of the moon. The rock shone bright, the kirk no less, That stands above the rock: The moonlight steeped in silentness The steady weathercock. And the bay was white with silent light, Till rising from the same, Full many shapes, that shadows were, In crimson colours came. A little distance from the prow Those crimson shadows were: I turned my eyes upon the deck— Oh, Christ! what saw I there! Each corse lay flat, lifeless and flat, And, by the holy rood! A man all light, a seraph-man, On every corse there stood. This seraph-band, each waved his hand: It was a heavenly sight! They stood as signals to the land, Each one a lovely light; This seraph-band, each waved his hand, No voice did they impart— No voice; but oh! the silence sank Like music on my heart. But soon I heard the dash of oars, I heard the Pilot's cheer; My head was turned perforce away, And I saw a boat appear. The Pilot and the Pilot's boy, I heard them coming fast: Dear Lord in heaven! it was a joy The dead men could not blast. I saw a third—I heard his voice: It is the Hermit good! He singeth loud his godly hymns That he makes in the wood. He'll shrieve my soul, he'll wash away The Albatross's blood." Part VII "This Hermit good lives in that wood Which slopes down to the sea. How loudly his sweet voice he rears! He loves to talk with marineers That come from a far country. He kneels at morn, and noon, and eve— He hath a cushion plump: It is the moss that wholly hides The rotted old oak-stump. The skiff-boat neared: I heard them talk, 'Why, this is strange, I trow! Where are those lights so many and fair, That signal made but now?' 'Strange, by my faith!' the Hermit said— 'And they answered not our cheer! The planks looked warped! and see those sails, How thin they are and sere! I never saw aught like to them, Unless perchance it were Brown skeletons of leaves that lag My forest-brook along; When the ivy-tod is heavy with snow, And the owlet whoops to the wolf below, That eats the she-wolf's young.' 'Dear Lord! it hath a fiendish look— (The Pilot made reply) I am afeared'—'Push on, push on!' Said the Hermit cheerily. The boat came closer to the ship, But I nor spake nor stirred; The boat came close beneath the ship, And straight a sound was heard. Under the water it rumbled on, Still louder and more dread: It reached the ship, it split the bay; The ship went down like lead. Stunned by that loud and dreadful sound, Which sky and ocean smote, Like one that hath been seven days drowned My body lay afloat; But swift as dreams, myself I found Within the Pilot's boat. Upon the whirl where sank the ship The boat spun round and round; And all was still, save that the hill Was telling of the sound. I moved my lips—the Pilot shrieked And fell down in a fit; The holy Hermit raised his eyes, And prayed where he did sit. I took the oars: the Pilot's boy, Who now doth crazy go, Laughed loud and long, and all the while His eyes went to and fro. 'Ha! ha!' quoth he, 'full plain I see, The Devil knows how to row.' And now, all in my own country, I stood on the firm land! The Hermit stepped forth from the boat, And scarcely he could stand. O shrieve me, shrieve me, holy man! The Hermit crossed his brow. 'Say quick,' quoth he 'I bid thee say— What manner of man art thou?' Forthwith this frame of mine was wrenched With a woeful agony, Which forced me to begin my tale; And then it left me free. Since then, at an uncertain hour, That agony returns; And till my ghastly tale is told, This heart within me burns. I pass, like night, from land to land; I have strange power of speech; That moment that his face I see, I know the man that must hear me: To him my tale I teach. What loud uproar bursts from that door! The wedding-guests are there: But in the garden-bower the bride And bride-maids singing are; And hark the little vesper bell, Which biddeth me to prayer! O Wedding-Guest! this soul hath been Alone on a wide wide sea: So lonely 'twas, that God himself Scarce seemed there to be. O sweeter than the marriage-feast, 'Tis sweeter far to me, To walk together to the kirk With a goodly company!— To walk together to the kirk, And all together pray, While each to his great Father bends, Old men, and babes, and loving friends, And youths and maidens gay! Farewell, farewell! but this I tell To thee, thou Wedding-Guest! He prayeth well, who loveth well Both man and bird and beast. He prayeth best, who loveth best All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all." The Mariner, whose eye is bright, Whose beard with age is hoar, Is gone; and now the Wedding-Guest Turned from the bridegroom's door. He went like one that hath been stunned, And is of sense forlorn: A sadder and a wiser man He rose the morrow morn.

When I was married, I was involved in a project to raise funds for a much needed "care flight" helicopter and funds to renovate a parking lot for landing. My fiancee and I agreed to give our "wedding gifts" to this project and asked everyone to make a contribution for this instead of gifts. We still received a couple of toasters and an ironing board but most people were happy to do it. (no, we did not use the helicopter on our honeymoon although it was tempting. ) Although our marriage didn't make it, I am glad that some good came of it. Am I wrong to think that couples would be better off giving their short lived windfalls to a good cause?

So are anti-hero's the villians?

You did not mention your wife's religious preferences. I would discuss these things with her. If she has never belonged to a religion or has not attended church since a little girl, you probably should have the missionaries visit you before attending church. They can help you answer a lot of these questions and if you decide to attend church, they will open the door for you.

I used to post to a recipe forum which I believe is just a marketing research forum. It was pretty obvious that some of the posters were fictitious characters. One of the posters made a forum without a search engine and was linking his forum in his signature on the recipe forum and probably other forums that he used. His forum was "anything goes"......disgusting. Most of the recipe posters used their same id when they went onto his forum and it was shocking what they posted. I had a hard time discussing soup with them after that. I had registered for this forum months before I started posting and I had a hard time getting my registration to work. I think we had a computer virus going on at the time. So far this forum has been a means of approaching scripture study and learning what I do not understand.

What do you mean by anti-heros?

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." The characteristics/attributes that we have to apply to life's experiences are what lies within us. If we are willing to give up our spiritual gifts/talents, our experiences will be greatly altered. If we apply our spiritual gifts, we may be humbled but we will succeed in the Plan of Salvation. Everyone's trials will be different or similar given what their spiritual gifts are.

Lyrics for Yellow Submarine: In the town where I was born Lived a man who sailed to sea And he told us of his life In the land of submarines So we sailed up to the sun Till we found the sea of green And we lived beneath the waves In our yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine And our friends are all on board Many more of them live next door And the band begins to play We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine [Full speed ahead, Mr. Parker, full speed ahead! Full speed over here, sir! Action station! Action station! Aye, aye, sir, fire! Heaven! Heaven!] As we live a life of ease (A life of ease) Everyone of us (Everyone of us) has all we need (Has all we need) Sky of blue (Sky of blue) and sea of green (Sea of green) In our yellow (In our yellow) submarine (Submarine, ha, ha) We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine I haven't heard the words to this song for a long time. Interesting.

You can get a tax break/credit for using energy efficient Lightbulbs, weatherstripping, insulation, and solar energy. That has been available since the 1970's or 1980's. On a humorous note: The five virgins who did not have oil in their lamps were probably the environmentalist. Jesus probably ate unleavened bread at the last supper but it was not cold raw mush. And I doubt it was baked in an environmental solar oven. I guess the Swiss Family Robinson screwed up their island too.

"Who's Sailing Your Ship?" is an opening statement used by many speakers who want you to focus on their lecture or message. There is always someone to be heard saying "I thought it was Jesus." I find myself mentally observing my ship and look toward the helm to see who is navigating. Then I realize that I'm standing on the shore and that couldn't be good. Then I have envision it being docked at the marina and just go there to sit on the back to watch fireworks on the 4th of July. And that couldn't be good either. My watercraft has been a john fishing boat, recreational vehicle, ferry, barge, yacht, cruise liner, battle ship, ark, etc. Since becoming a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I have acquired some navigation skills and a reason to get on the ship and take it out. I have never envisioned my ship as the Exxon Valdez.