Tough Grits

Your views are interesting. Thanks for sharing! I believe and know that we all existed as spiritual children of our Heavenly Father. I cannot tell, nor do I believe any man living can tell you, how long we lived with our Father before gaining a mortal body. Could we not have lived with our Father for eons (eternities) before gaining a mortal body? I know that all of Heavenly Father's spirit children existed together in the pre-mortal world. Lucifer rebelled. Why do so many suppose that his rebellion happened in an instant? Maybe it took eons for him to finally rebel, or eons for him to subtly gather "supporters" for his rebellion. So that the moment he did rebel, he already had those who he knew would rebel with him. Ah, but by the very act of rebelling, he could no longer dwell in the presence of God. No unclean thing can dwell in God's presence, and Lucifer and 1/3 became unclean and defiled the moment they rebelled. Thus they could not live with God any longer and were cast down. They came to earth in a manner other than our Father intended for us to come to earth. He intended for us to gain bodies of flesh and blood, to endure trials, to choose good and evil of our own will without the perfect knowledge that we had of Him while living in His presence, and He intended for us to live like the perfect example of His son who would also come by way of flesh and blood. This is why I know that Satan cannot force me to do anything. This is why I know that all men are more powerful than Satan and his 1/3, because we have something they denied themselves of through their rebellion--bodies. Those with bodies are stronger than those without, and Satan can only tempt, never force. God has a body of flesh and bone. Indeed, wasn't Jesus resurrected with his spirit joining eternally, never to be separated again, to a body of flesh and bone? I know that all men will one day be resurrected, the spirit joining to a body of flesh and bone, never to be separated again. I know I lived with God in Heaven before coming to earth. I know that I was taught in Heaven. I know that Heavenly Father did not send me to earth spiritually blind, spiritually deaf, or spiritually dumb---which, to me, would be what I would consider being sent to earth without any preparation, knowledge, or existence beforehand. Oh well, it is what it is. On one hand you ask questions, but on the other hand you seem very knowledgeable of our religion. Not sure why the questions, if you already have your answers. To each his own though. There can be peace in the differences, though my knowledge will not bend, change, or hide. Much Consideration, ~TG

This past Sunday the 1st counselor in the bishopric stood up during the sacrament meeting to conduct and said something completely boastful and absurd in an attempt at humor...and then some woman sitting in the front pew actually said out loud, loud enough for the whole chapel to hear, "Whatever." There was laughter and snickers all over the chapel, and the woman immediately covered her mouth with her hand and was appropriately embarrassed. Apparently she didn't intend to have a loud "blurt out" in the chapel. I am sure I don't even know who that woman was , but I am sure she didn't mean to have a "blurt out" moment, nor did she mean to cause anybody to lose the Spirit. It was just a thought bubble that accidentally had the volume turned on. It happens.

For clarification, not argument or debate: According to your words above (if I understood correctly), "mainstream" Christianity does not believe in a pre-mortal existence. Then you do not believe that Lucifer rebelled against God? You don't believe that Lucifer and 1/3 the hosts of heaven were cast out of God's presence? If you don't believe the two points I mentioned, then that is a very interesting and different belief from that which I hold and know to be true. If you do believe the two points that I mentioned, then how can we not have existed in some form if 1/3 rebelled with Lucifer and were cast down with him? Mathematically, 1/3 of nothing is nothing. Satan is real. I know this to be true. In order for Satan to be real, he had to have come from somewhere. If he was cast out of heaven, then that means there were others there too. Just curious. ~TG

By the way, no actual craw fish were harmed or eaten in the process of taking those pictures! They were all put back in the ditch "river" when we were done. **And were caught again about two hours later when my cousin came by on his 4-wheeler with his two youngest boys. They wanted to catch some too, so we did the whole process again just for them!**

I was just thinking the other day of how thankful I am for my failings and short-comings. Yes, I need to be actively working on overcoming my failings and shortcomings, but I am thankful for having them too, because they keep me humble, and they keep me from being prideful and arrogant. Service seems to be the key. For those who are observing the "mechanics" of being a member (prayer, scriptures, attending church...and so forth), service and charity then become a key component in remaining humble and sincere in our discipleship. I like the mechanics of the gospel, because they are straight-forward and often become habits that are easy to maintain. However, service and charity require more than just habit or rote following of procedure. Service and charity require love--love of God and love of our fellow man. Service and charity require a true desire to be an instrument in the Lord's hands, and a worthy and humble heart to then hear and follow the promptings that will lead us to those who stand in need of service, charity, and love. Our physical observations of God's laws must be accompanied by a true and sincere desire to help, serve, and love those around us. I believe that we need to form solid, consistent gospel habits, while striving with all our heart, might, mind, strength, means, time, and abilities to serve those around us. I think that it is through service that we can truly manifest and apply what we have learned from observing and living the "mechanics" of our religion.

Not sure if you were being serious or joking...but if you google pop tab stuff, you won't beleive what people have made out of pop tabs!!!

Thanks for providing that link! They closed their bracelet with a toggle clasp...I had not thought of that! I make hard-wire jewelry, and I have plenty of toggle clasps that I can use. I like the loop/button closure too, but I am limited on my button supply right now. Thanks!

There are a lot of books and movies that I liked/loved growing up and before becoming a member...but now that I am a member, I realize that those things no longer fit into my standards or ideals. Most of the movies that I loved, I can now only watch when it is on TV, because the bad words or slightly provocative scenes have been edited out. Examples? Steel Magnolias, Top Gun, and Predator just to name a few. I never realized Steel Magnolias had so much bad language, until I finally saw the original a few months ago for the first time. I was shocked!! I guess I had only ever seen it on TV before that. Oh my gosh, I made the mistake of watching the new Footloose. AWFUL! It is getting to the point that I can't even watch many PG-13 movies, because--in my opinion--they are now the equivalent of what R movies used to be. But that is just my opinion. By the way--I didn't read this whole thread yet, just the OP.

We recycle cans, and my kids save pop-tabs for 4-H, but now I am going to save the pop-tabs and make bracelets. This was a wider ribbon than is easiest to use, but it turned out well because the width of the ribbon actually covers more of the pop-tab than a thinner ribbon or cord would have covered. Also, I did not tie my bracelet in a knot at the ends as most online instructions indicate. I made a loop on one end, and sewed a button to the other end so that it can open and close easily just as a real bracelet. I crazy-glued little "jewels" on either end of each pop tab. I think they were decal jewels for "bedazzling" a phone or whatever. Adults and kids have asked my daughter to make them one too.

This is what I did with my kids when school was cancelled due to flooding and bad roads in the rural South.

I saw a student wearing a beautiful bracelet last week. When I looked closer, I noticed that it was made from soda-pop tabs woven together with beautiful ribbon. I loved it, so I made one for my daughter. Did you know that boutiques in my local towns are selling these bracelets for $5 to $10??? Seriously! I need to get busy making a ton of these things!!! LOL

It is a serious question for some, but there are those who might not care. It truly depends on the dynamic of the two individuals---as individuals and as a couple. I have seriously come to understand that my understanding of laziness is seriously skewed, because I am frenetic, intense, and obsessive. So, lazy to me, may just actually be "normal". I understand this. I do not compare my spouse to my level of energy and hyperness. However, after 13 years we have definitely recognized and established boundaries. We both work. We both have household duties. We both have outside duties. It doesn't matter who does more, it only matters that we are both doing something. And when/if adjustments need to be made, we talk about it. I have just had to learn that he is not me, and I am not him. That is a good thing. So, I don't criticize him for not going at such a frenetic pace as me, and he does not criticize me for, um, nailing bathmats to the floor, crashing into the lamppost with the mower (more than once), using the mower as a mulcher, getting the truck stuck on a cement pylon, using the minivan to jump a break in the road...and other such "hypothetical" situations.

Husband says: Why did you nail the bathmats to the floor? Wife says: I couldn't find the staple-gun. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Look, if it is something that is my domain, then I may or may not be open to suggestions. For example, if I am the one who cleans the bathroom, then the husband can complain all he wants about me nailing the bathmats down. However, he is not the one who has to deal with two hateful, mean cats always flipping the mats over and dragging them all over our master bathroom and adjoining walk-in closet. Now, that was just an example...that may or may not be a true-to-life scenario in my actual home. My point is: if it isn't killing anybody, if no laws (earthly or eternal) have been broken, and it isn't crucial to the sanctity of marriage or parenthood, then who cares how things get done or accomplished? If I clean the bathroom, if I feed those two crazy cats, and if I am the one who is always picking up the relocated bathmats, then I should have the right to take a hammer and nails and nail them down if I so desire (the bathmats, not the cats). Not that this scenario has actually occurred in my home.

What they are not: a practicing Mormon. What they still are: a child of God.

You, Selek, are priceless!!!

Great post, Eowyn! I agree. Some people, who work very hard and perform well, do so in a cluttered environment. A clean desk or workspace does not necessarily equal efficient or productive. Now, having said that, my work space is micro-managed down to the last pen. I know exactly where the pen holders, stapler, tape, and so forth should be. No random paper, nothing out of place. Why? Because I control my workspace. I alone touch my workspace. However, my home is a different matter. I have one husband, two kids, one dog, and two cats. I am not the "master of my domain" when I am at the mercy of all the other life-forms that live in our home. When I was a stay-at-home mother (for 3 years after my son was born), my home was always organized and clean, I got up early, I read scriptures, I read books to my kids, I played with them, I cooked meals, I did my Visiting Teaching, I magnified my callings, and so forth. I have a few things to add to what I just typed: Organized and clean does not equal perfect!!!!I am ADHD, OCD, and just plain ME (me, myself, and I). Just like no two employees are going to be exactly alike, neither are any two moms!!!Apparently my health peculiarities have drawbacks, as I suffered a severe break-down/depression in 2004, that lasted until 2007/2008. And I am still on medicine to control my anxiety, which is usually caused by my frenetic personality.So, my bottom-line point is this: As long as the "job" of being a mother is being fulfilled who cares about HOW it is being fulfilled. A mother's "job" is to be the nurturer. How she fulfills that calling is wholly unique to each mother/woman.Let's get rid of the cookie-cutter, June Cleaver, Molly Mormon perceptions and stereotypes of womanhood and/or motherhood. Kumbaya.

Selek, In the future I would prefer it if you used my entire name, and please use upper-case letters when doing so. :roflmbo: (Just messing with you! )

Ward LibrarianPrimary Valiant TeacherRS SecretaryStake Primary 1st CounselorStake YW PresidentRS VT Coordinator & Primary Valiant TeacherI might be missing a few...not sure. There were several assignments thrown in there too, can't remember the order or the years. I was told by a Bishop once that I was "kept busy" so that I would stay out of trouble. Hmm, how thoughtful. ~TG

I love that we can make our own photo books and hardback books.

Happy, Happy Birthday PC!!!

Eowyn, Were you trying to bring peace and harmony...because I'm not really feeling peaceful or harmonious now that you have shown me something THAT I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO!!!!! Now I am just grumpy and hungry. UGH! :D;)

I am so studious (for lack of a better word) that I even highlight hymns. One of the first hymns that I ever highlighted was: Truth Reflects upon Our Senses, Hymn 273 The scriptures associated with this hymn are: Matthew 7:1-5 Alma 41:14-15 I love this hymn, because the message of minding our own beam rather than our brother's mote, is delivered in such a sweet, sincere manner. One of my all-time favorites!! ~TG

See, I am gone for two days and we have new scriptures! I am such a peculiar bird, that I will gladly begin again with a new set of scriptures! Can't think of anything (other than food, water, and shelter) that I would rather spend money on! ~TG

You are right, grits should be smooth. I like mine with sour cream over two sunny side up eggs, with toast and bacon on the side. But my Tough GRITS stands for: Tough Girl Raised In The South. ~TG

I have decorative boxes that I keep things in. I save certificates, ribbons, and special handmade items that they have made throughout the years in their classrooms. I also keep really cool drawings. Both my kids are artistic and I love having samples of their creativity. A suggestion: buy them sketch books. My son has several sketch books, so that instead of keeping up with individual sheets of paper, he can just keep his sketch books on his desk or bookcase. My daughter has a different set up. She likes designing clothing with templates, so she uses onion paper with her templates. She has a case that stores her pencils, paper, and templates. Sketch books and special cases are not only good for storage, but it allows for portability too. My kids enjoy being able to take their stuff on road-trips. With their personal drawings, they are in charge of what to keep or not. However, with the things they give to me from school, I am in charge of what to keep or not. I am a firm believer of everything having a place and everything staying in it's place. So far, in the 12 years of being a parent, the assigned boxes for pics and for hodge-podge have not run out of room. Retailers have really cool inexpensive plastic drawer-bins for storage. I use these for crafts and stuff. Each bin could be used for a different child. Use a label maker to place the child's name on the outside of "their" drawer. Periodically, go through the draws and re-evaluate whether you still want the item(s) stored in the drawer. I follow these rules: If my house is full, then what do I need to get rid of in order to get something new?If I haven't seen or used it in over a year, I re-evaluate it's value. Trash? Donate? Keep? Re-purpose?I don't feel guilty about the things I keep. My house is neat, organized, and to my liking. That doesn't mean that it is always neat. I actually live in my home, and there are days that I just don't have the energy or desire to undo what my kids have done.