Overcoming Obstacles

Despite numerous medical setbacks, including spending the last four days in the hospital with a bacterial infection, my DD18 managed to graduate from college yesterday. She was pretty excited to be able to graduate with her class; bouncing off the walls, effervescent, full of energy.

We recognize what a miracle it is that she is still with us, let alone graduating. For us, it illustrates the importance of being prepared. DD18 went into the semester at nearly a 4.0 GPA. She didn't graduate summa cum laude but she managed to graduate cum laude (that's the yellow Honors stole you see her wearing), even with the tumbles that kept her out of school for nearly half the semester. Being so well prepared before the emergency hit meant that the impact of the slide down was not nearly as deep as it would have been if she'd taken the slacker party route through college. Her heretofore hard work and dedication bought her grace with her professors also, who were more inclined to work with her because of her previous performance, versus if she'd demonstrated she was a slacker.

The importance of getting and being prepared is one of the many takeaway lessons we have learned these past few months. We have seen the importance of getting out of debt and having a savings; we have seen the importance of having a familiar relationship with God (there are no atheists in foxholes) before the tragedy strikes; we know the value of friendship and the effect of lending a helping hand. 

We have internalized the wisdom of listening to 'that still, small voice' rather than the roar of panic. Did I mention we have to move out of our rented place by Sunday, there's problems with the title for the house we're buying, AND our truck blew a head gasket yesterday morning?) In all, we stick with the plan, make adjustments as necessary after luxuriating in a few minutes of self-pity, then move forward.

On the plus side is: we may be lake FRONT rather than lake SIDE with all the rain in Texas (higher property value, lol? I'm trying for humor here), DD18 gets a few more weeks with medical checkups and tests (we've decided she's truly more Asian like her mom after all--she's passed every medical test with flying colors!). We've been tossing, donating or selling stuff left and right. Still way too much for TinyHouse living, so I guess it's a good thing it's a regular house.

And once DS19 and I get work established post-move, we'll be able to buy a truck. In the meantime, one of us will get a lot of driving time :) At least that vehicle is reliable.

I'm not complaining about the 4Runner. We bought it very used for $2,500 two years ago and it has served us well. Overall, we are grateful that it blew NOW versus on the road in the middle of nowhere, stranding us towing a trailer.

We are grateful for the loving hand of God who has softened the blows of life for us. Others may think unless God prevents or erases all blows and setbacks that this proves there is no God, like the guy who is falling off a roof, prays for God to save him, gets caught on a nail which stops his fall and says "never mind God it's handled." 

We choose to recognize the nail for what it is: intervention. Softening the blow. "If it was going to happen" at least it happens in our favor, or the least impact. That life is often a series of obstacles which can be overcome with work, faith and prayer. 

That there is much joy and happiness to be found if we will simply stop, and take the time to recognize it.

Mahalo.

Dave Ramsey's Every Dollar budgeting tool

I've gone through a 'one month cycle' and at least from a systems analyst Point of View, I see where, why and what the problems are. I hope someone from Dave Ramsey Financial Solutions reads this blog and gives their tech team a heads up.

Despite the fact that much of this blogpost will be (justified) criticism of the software, I am thrilled that Dave Ramsey (DR) and his team have come up with a budgeting tool. Named EveryDollar, after DR's motto that "Every Dollar should have a name," it's strongest point is that it mirrors the DR Financial Peace program. If you have read The Total Money Makeover, or attended Financial Peace University, Every Dollar follows the Monthly Cash Flow budgeting worksheets, although not in such cumbersome detail as those sheets. Every Dollar can be found at http://www.everydollar.com, and the basic program is free. The paid-for version ("EveryDollar plus") ties in to your bank account so that transactions can be downloaded. It costs $100 a year, and it seems like a great idea (can't be worse than Mint.com), but the Basic/free version is buggy enough that I'm going to wait until the bugs get worked out before I start shelling out money and my bank account transactions.

So. Biggest upside? Enough line items to make a nerd crazy. Planned categories, actual expenditures, and remaining money categories. Those are nice columns, although the remaining money one doesn't work so well.

Let's start with a Tutorial. Actually, we can't. There isn't one. And I'm fine with that, but the flip side (in my not so humble 25+ years of designing software systems opinion) means you better have a really good, intuitive system then. Alas, intuitive is not an adjective which can be laid at Every Dollar's door.

But I do know why that is the case. I can see clearly that the DR tech team has fallen victim to swimming "too close to the product" test pool. If you know ahead of time how it's supposed to work, and you live and breath the DR FPU system, then their design is understandable. Transactions, a major component of this program, really fails due to the 'too close' syndrome.

Once you have set up your budget (which you can't really do until the first of the month if you want everything to square up), your budget will show planned line items. One would think you could simply tap the planned line item, enter an actual transaction amount, and save it. Nope. A window does pop up, but it doesn't save the information. It takes another 3 or 4 tries, executing the line called budget category, re-entering the data a few times, for it to finally "save." That's ridiculous, and counter-intuitive. On the other hand, if you look in the far right, upper right corner, you'll see a tiny little transaction icon. Clicking on that brings up the same pop up window as on the line item, which when you enter the amount, enter the "vendor", choose a category, then click on add expense, it will save it. 

You got that, right? FOUR steps to add a single transaction, and you have to hunt for the icon to get there in the first place, versus something which ought to be intuitive at the line item (but doesn't work either.)

Debt, another major component of the DR program, is a category which needs some overhaul. Say you start setting up your budget at the end of March. You more or less know what your outstanding balances are going in to the month of April, so you plan to start the month of April with a clean slate. Can't do it. You get this annoying error message which says "No Cheating. You're not in April yet, so you can't enter outstanding balances." I almost fell off my chair. If the EveryDollar system was tracking my interest rates, % of payment applied to principle and % applied to interest, that would be one thing. Then I could see why it wouldn't let me mess with its algorithm. But it doesn't. So why should it matter that it's March 28 and I want to enter the balances starting April 1? I actually have to remember to come back on April 1 and enter starting balances. That's ridiculous. And user un-friendly. And the trick to entering the balances as a line item isn't intuitive either.

Remaining balance. Once I figured out what it was doing, I calmed down, but this and the income are columns which need some major overhaul IMO. Or the DR tech team knows about the hiccup, but couldn't figure out a better way to do it, so they left it. 

Here's what happens: you plan/lay out your income for the month on April 1. For us, that's two of DH's salary checks, one of mine, and a low ball amount for irregular income which fluctuates. The first three are calendar items, for example, 1st, 15th and 30th. The income category algorithm treats all of the income as arriving on the same day. So your planned income is say, $5000 for the month, made up of two $2000 salary checks, one $500 salary check, and $500 in irregular income.

First check comes in and is short by $60 because you took an unpaid day off. The income column treats this shortfall as though the $60 is still outstanding and is owed to you. There's no way to get rid of it, other than to go back to the planned column and adjust it downward, which defeats the whole purpose. 

So you leave it.

You pay rent on the first, which in theory should leave you with a zero balance, but instead you are $60 to the good (rather than being $60 overdrawn if your entire check is used for rent as ours is), because Income thinks you are still owed the $60 and just haven't been paid yet. Because you actually paid out $2000 in rent, it matches the planned amount, so it doesn't show a deficit, and because all of the income is counted April 1 versus when it is actually received, your pocketbook doesn't register an overdraft, which is actually the case.

That's a major flaw, IMO.

Second check comes in, and it's time to pay the bills. So I pay all the bills, and by my math, I should have $145 left in the bank. Not according to EveryDollar I don't. According to EveryDollar I have $800 remaining (Remaining is the category name) because it assumes that ALL of the income comes in Day 1. It took me a while to figure that out...

Now, I'M a nerd. With an accounting degree. So when the T columns don't balance, I go looking for the reason why. But my DH is a free spirit. He sees "$800 remaining" and is likely to shout out "wooo hooo" and throw a party or buy stuff for his motorcycle with that "$800 remaining" balance. And that's a very real danger in every household, not just mine.

So my choices are: NOT plan for EveryDollar at the beginning of the month like I do with my spreadsheet (I have check 1 goes to x, check 2 goes to xyz, check 3 goes to x, irregular income goes to abc), and have it not balance correctly until the end of the month, which IMO is way too late to course correct, OR

come back MULTIPLE times in the month as the money comes in, and work it in reverse (because I will have already planned for the expense.) So now I am applying INCOME to the expense, rather than expenses to the income. It's a viable work around, but it is a huge design flaw if you are accustomed to working the DR plan.

Yeah, choosing either option defeats the purpose and is likely to get me to throw up my hands and give up if you're a regular non-budgeter. Me, I chose to go back to my spreadsheet.

EveryDollar is a great idea whose time has not quite arrived. It needs some major tweaking, which will be a painful upgrade given its successful download/launch. Many of these problems would have been avoided by better testing from non-employees of DR. I hope the tech folks undertake the changes. Dave Ramsey's Financial Solutions are phenomenal, and he deserves way better than this.

I've Got This: A new definition of Faith

I've acquired a new definition for faith this week.

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."(KJV)

While not disagreeing with or trying to show up the Apostle Paul, I believe I have found a better definition and standard of attitude: He's Got This.

I am a person of my word. If I say I'm going to do X, people know with absolute certainty that I will do it. They can pretty much take it off their "to do" list, because they know Kathryn's got it covered.

Yet before a few days ago, I did not treat the Almighty, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Creator of the Universe with the same conviction. I behaved as though I truly did not trust Him when He gave me His word that He would handle something.

Allow me to explain. Stay with me, it's a bit garbled.

I believe this passage of scripture is literal, and I attend a church which does also: "Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven." (James 5:14-15, NIV) I myself have been a recipient of being made completely well by the actions of this verse, which in my church we call "a blessing," so I know it is not just some vague mumbo jumbo.

When all this started with my DD18, she was given a blessing. She was told "she would be healed in the Lord's due time." Ok, to be honest, I was hoping for "take up thy bed and walk," but it's way better than "deal with it, this is the way it's going to be forever," (just saying.)

So why then, have I spent the past week behaving as though DD18's healing (she had a relapse) is entirely dependent on my actions instead of behaving and believing the word of the Lord that HE'S got this?

DD18 had pretty much refused to eat or drink this week. Not couldn't, just didn't want to. So I nagged. I threatened. I cajoled. Every once in a while for a nano amount, it worked. But not really. And it made me mad and frustrated. Ditto for medication. 

Then I was talking to a friend. She asked "the Lord's already told you He's got this handled and that He's going to heal her. Why don't you believe him?"

It was a lightbulb moment. I realized I had been behaving as though my works of righteousness were all that was needed to heal her. Somehow my forcing her to eat or drink miniscule amounts were going to be the factors that tipped the scales in her healing. I realized that I had not been behaving as though God had given me His word. In other words, I have given others the knowledge, the faith that they can 100% rely on me to get a job done, but I have failed to extend that same faith to God.

So I completely changed me. I decided to change my heart: to really put into practice the mantra of letting go and letting God handle it. I prayed a different prayer: God, I know now that you have given me YOUR word that you would heal her. I know with absolute certainty that you are a God of your word: that when You say you will do something, it will happen. I am going to step back and let you heal her in your own due time as you said you would. I will repent of my arrogance that somehow I can or should speed things along. I ask that you Forgive my arrogance and lack of faith. I ask that you bless DD18 with the desire to eat. With the desire to drink. I know that you've got this handled."

I want to share with you God's greatness and goodness. The very next morning, for the first time in a nearly a week, DD18 got up, ate breakfast on her own volition, drank 20 ounces of water on her own volition, and took care of her personal hygiene on her own volition. Still had to fight with her about medication, so I amended my prayer to include "and bless her with the desire to take her medication."

Yesterday DD18 had a great day. She was up for 13 continuous hours, ate breakfast and lunch, drank about 60 ounces of water, and took her medication on her own volition.

I believe that as James directs, that faith without works of righteousness is dead. In my case those works of righteousness are things like, purchasing the medication, having food my DD18 likes in the house so she can avail herself of it etc. I believe the opposite is also true: that works of righteousness without faith are dead too. I think our works of righteousness, though necessary, are really more like token gestures of obedience. That Grace covers about 95% of a situation. I had been behaving as though my works accounted for 90% and God only accounted for about 10%.

I've learned this week, truly learned, that when God gives His word, He means it. I can check it off my to-do list. I get the tools together (those are my works of righteousness and faith) and then step back and Let Go and Let God. 

I don't know why it's taken me so long to really internalize: He's Got This.

Praising God While the Storm Rages

Things seem to be calming down somewhat, Praise God. It's still somewhat tenuous on the medical front, but if this is as good as it gets, I'll take it.

Our landlord has decided to "evict" us. Technically, he's breaking our lease and wants us out by May 31. This too is evidence of the grace of God. I could be scrambling for the month of May while kids are graduating from school, so I am grateful for the small breaks.

It just means we pack up and head to Texas sooner rather than later. DH is going to end up staying in California for at least the month of June, if not the entire summer. We went to make an offer on a house in Texas and found the covenants and restrictions were a little "too California" for our taste (really? You "can't do anything on or around your property that will annoy the neighbors?" What the heck kind of a deed restriction is that ???) I'm already renting with neighbors on that kind of a power trip. I don't need to be buying in that kind of neighborhood. I choose to recognize the grace of God in preventing us (last minute info) from additional grief.

What looked like an unfortunate event (babysitting drying up) in hindsight, was a blessing this past month as it meant I had the entire month to devote to my daughter and clearing out the garage for our move. I replaced part of the income with baseball, and hopefully will be able to replace all of it.

The church down the road from us are having another charity drive: just in time for me to get rid of stuff ! Very excited to be getting rid of excess books, matching chairs, etc etc. without having to deal with freecycle. I choose to recognize the grace of God in helping us purge useful items but which we won't have to move.

I really need someone to cook for us for a while. Or else I need to invest in a bunch of frozen 'fast food.' I am exhausted by the time dinner should be made. Or else I just need to make dinner in the morning, and re-heat it at night. 

God lives. He loves us and blesses us. I heard a really great song today (and even went and bought it on iTunes.) It's by Casting Crowns and it's called "Praise You In This Storm." 

"I was sure by now, God you would have reached down and wiped our tears away, 

stepped in and saved the day. But once again, I say "amen" and it's still raining.

As the thunder rolls, I barely hear you whisper through the rain: "I'm with you."

And as your mercy falls, I raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away.

And I'll praise you in this storm, and I will lift my hands, 

and you are who You are, no matter where I am.

And every tear I've cried, You hold in Your hand: You've never left my side.

And though my heart is torn: I will praise You in this storm.

I remember when, I stumbled in the wind, You heard my cry to You and raised me up again.

My strength is almost gone, how can I carry on if I can't find You?

And as the thunder rolls, I barely hear You whisper through the rain: I'm with you.

And as your mercy falls, I raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away.

And I'll praise you in this storm, and I will lift my hands, 

and you are who You are, no matter where I am.

And every tear I've cried, You hold in Your hand: You've never left my side.

And though my heart is torn: I will praise You in this storm.

I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth

I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth

And I'll praise you in this storm, and I will lift my hands, 

and you are who You are, no matter where I am.

And every tear I've cried, You hold in Your hand: You've never left my side.

And though my heart is torn: I will praise You in this storm.

And though my heart is torn: I will praise You in this storm."

I hope you enjoy it: http://youtu.be/L5bLvVjJ4MA?list=RDL5bLvVjJ4MA

Handicapped: The Moving of the Water

I came across this article this morning. I felt immeasurably comforted by it, although nothing in my family life has really changed. I read it and felt more at peace. I have reprinted it in its entirety, in the hope that it brings peace to someone else's soul as well.

The Moving of the Water 

by Boyd K. Packer, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (April, 1991)

“Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

“In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

“For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.” (John 5:2–4.)

There has always been in all of humanity a sprinkling of those who are described in the scriptures as the blind, the halt, the lame, the deaf, the withered, the dumb, the impotent folk. We refer to them as having learning or communication disorders, as the hearing or visually impaired, as those with motor or orthopedic limitations. We speak of intellectual or emotional impairment, of retardation, and mental illness. Some suffer from a combination of these, and all of them cannot function without some help.

I speak to the families of those who, at birth or as the result of accident or disease, must live with an impaired body or mind. I desire to bring comfort to those to whom the words handicapped or disability have very personal meaning.

Teach Doctrine

It is my intent to teach doctrine which, if understood, will reinforce your courage and endurance, even foster a measure of contentment with circumstances which you did not invite, do not deserve, but from which you cannot turn away.

No Room for Guilt

I must first, and with emphasis, clarify this point: It is natural for parents with handicapped children to ask themselves, “What did we do wrong?” The idea that allsuffering is somehow the direct result of sin has been taught since ancient times. It is false doctrine. That notion was even accepted by some of the early disciples until the Lord corrected them.

“As Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

“And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

“Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” (John 9:1–3.)

There is little room for feelings of guilt in connection with handicaps. Some handicaps may result from carelessness or abuse, and some through addiction of parents. But most of them do not. Afflictions come to the innocent.

Laws of Nature Sovereign

The very purpose for which the world was created, and man introduced to live upon it, requires that the laws of nature operate in cold disregard for human feelings. We must work out our salvation without expecting the laws of nature to be exempted for us. Natural law is, on rare occasions, suspended in a miracle. But mostly our handicapped, like the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, wait endlessly for the moving of the water.

Never Ridicule

I must say this to parents. It is not unusual for foolish children and some very thoughtless adults to make light of the handicapped. The mimicking or teasing or ridiculing of those with handicaps is cruel. Such an assault can inflict deeper pain than can physical punishment—more painful because it is undeserved. It is my conviction that such brutality will not, in the eternal scheme of things, go unanswered, and there will come a day of recompense.

My mother taught us when we were very young that we must never ridicule the unfortunate. Her mother died when she was six. My mother worked in the fields from a very early age. One day some teenagers were picking fruit. One of the girls laughingly mimicked one who suffered from cerebral palsy, saying, “Look who I am,” and she named the handicapped person. They all laughed as she threw herself into a stumbling walk. Suddenly she fell as if struck down. They gathered around her in great fright. Presently she recovered, but there was no more fun at the expense of the handicapped. Mother never forgot what she saw, nor to teach a lesson from it.

Parents, take time in the next home evening to caution your family never to amuse themselves at the expense of the handicapped or of any whose face or form or personality does not fit the supposed ideal or whose skin is too light or too dark to suit their fancy. Teach them that they, in their own way, should become like angels who “move the water,” healing a spirit by erasing loneliness, embarrassment, or rejection.

In Mendoza, Argentina, we attended a seminary graduation. In the class was a young man who had great difficulty climbing ordinary steps. As the class marched in, two strong young classmates gracefully lifted him up the steps. We watched during and after the proceedings, and it became apparent that the whole class was afflicted with a marvelous kind of blindness. They could not see that he was different. They saw a classmate, a friend. In them the works of God were being manifest. While there was no physical transformation in the boy or in his classmates, they were serving like angels, soothing a spirit locked in a deformed body awaiting that time when it would be everlastingly made perfect.

She’s under There Somewhere

At a recent stake conference, I noticed on the front row a family including a girl of ten who has palsy and is deaf. Her father held her so that she would not slide off the bench. Their tenderness touched me deeply. When the meeting ended, I motioned for them to come up to me, for they were holding back. The father turned so that I could see Heidi’s face, which was buried into his shoulder, and he said with a smile, “She’s under there someplace.”

Indeed she is under there someplace. All of them are under there somewhere.

President Joseph Fielding Smith

President Joseph Fielding Smith explained that “all spirits while in the pre-existence were perfect in form, having all their faculties and mental powers unimpaired. … Deformities in body and mind are … physical.” (Answers to Gospel Questions, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr., 5 vols., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979, 3:19.) Physical means “temporal”; temporalmeans “temporary.” Spirits which are beautiful and innocent may be temporally restrained by physical impediments.

If healing does not come in mortal life, it will come thereafter. Just as the gorgeous monarch butterfly emerges from a chrysalis, so will spirits emerge.

Restored to Perfect Frame

“Their sleeping dust [will] be restored unto its perfect frame, bone to bone, and the sinews and the flesh upon them, the spirit and the body to be united never again to be divided, that they might receive a fulness of joy.” (D&C 138:17.)

And, “the soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to theirproper and perfect frame.” (Alma 40:23; italics added.)

“O how great the plan of our God! … The spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.” (2 Ne. 9:13.)

The Apostle Paul said: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Cor. 15:19.)

If our view is limited to mortal life, some things become unbearable because they seem so unfair and so permanent. There are doctrines which, if understood, will bring a perspective toward and a composure regarding problems which otherwise have no satisfactory explanation.

Truth: We are spirit children of a Father God. We lived with him in our premortal existence, of which it must be said that there was not, neither could there have been, a beginning. The revelations speak of things “from before the foundation of the world” and “before the world was.” (See D&C 124:33–41.)

Truth: Mortal life is temporary and, measured against eternity, infinitesimally brief. If a microscopic droplet of water should represent the length of mortal life, by comparison all the oceans on earth put together would not even begin to represent everlasting life.

Truth: After mortal death we will rise in the resurrectionto an existence to which there will not, neither could there be an end. The words everlasting, never ending, eternal, forever and forever in the revelations describe both the gospel and life.

That day of healing will come. Bodies which are deformed and minds that are warped will be made perfect. In the meantime, we must look after those who wait by the pool of Bethesda.

You parents and you families whose lives must be reordered because of a handicapped one, whose resources and time must be devoted to them, are special heroes. You are manifesting the works of God with every thought, with every gesture of tenderness and care you extend to the handicapped loved one. Never mind the tears nor the hours of regret and discouragement; never mind the times when you feel you cannot stand another day of what is required. You are living the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ in exceptional purity. And you perfect yourselves in the process.

Now, in all of this there must be balance, for the handicapped have responsibility to work out their own salvation. The nearer the normal patterns of conduct and discipline apply to the handicapped, the happier they will be.

Every quarter of an inch of physical and mental improvement is worth striving for. The Prophet Joseph Smith said that “all the minds and spirits that God ever sent into the world are susceptible of enlargement.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 354.)

I have known some who seemed to enjoy poor health and have interrupted the lives of those who were caring for them unnecessarily, making life miserable for all. They thrive on sympathy, which is generally very low in nourishment. To know just how far to press the handicapped when physical and emotional pain are involved may be the most difficult part for those who serve them. Nevertheless, as the Prophet Joseph Smith said, “There must be decision of character, aside from sympathy.” (History of the Church, 4:570.)

Think of this: Unless we die prematurely, every one of us may end up both physically and mentally handicapped. We would do well to make advance payments of service and compassion on which we may draw when that time comes.

Why not help the parents who have extra things to do and extra expenses and are confined because of a handicapped family member. Encourage the teachers and social workers who show such devotion to them. And it wouldn’t hurt you to donate a few dollars or a few hours to one of the many organizations which help the handicapped. If we do this, without the slightest idea of selfishness, it will remain in our account against that time when we may need help. And the works of God will be made manifest in our lives.

“Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.

“For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.” (D&C 58:3–4.)

I bear witness of the restoration which will come. Each body and mind will be restored in perfect frame. However long and unfair mortality may seem, however long the suffering and the waiting may be, he has said:

“After that cometh the day of my power; then shall the poor, the lame, and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb, and partake of the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come.

“Behold, I, the Lord, have spoken it.” (D&C 58:11–12.)

I am a witness of the condition of those who have gone beyond the veil, and we all have reason to glorify Him who is our Father and Him who is our Redeemer, of whom I bear witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

UPDATE: Miracles for our daughter Angela

Dear All:

We wish to thank you from the deepest recesses of our hearts for your outpouring of love, kindness and support for our daughter Angela this week, and hope you will forgive the intrusion in your e-mailbox.

Angela was released from St. Joseph's Thursday afternoon. They pushed close to 3000ml of fluids through her in less than 24 hours, and restored her ability to eat and function independently. This has resulted in her being physically stable, for which we are eternally grateful, and allowed us to bring her home to care for her here. We recognize the hand of God and wish to praise Him for this miracle. After being at UCI for about 96 hours with no fluids and little food intake, we know that if she had stayed there much longer we might very well be planning a funeral. It is YOUR prayers and support which allowed her to be released from UCI, and miraculously accepted at St. Joseph's, a hospital technically "out of our insurance network" which resulted in restoring her to physical stability and gave her a fighting chance.

We are grateful to our case manager Joan H. and insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross, and Dr. Sherman, who made that happen. We believe they helped save a life this week.

Going for nearly 4 days without any real medical intervention or care at all took an even bigger toll on Angela psychologically than the spin she was already in from the severe dehydration. The treatment she received at St. Joe's has seen an improvement of about 60% of her psyche from where she was over the weekend, but she is still in a frail state. For this reason we are still requesting no visitors. Her primary care doctor miraculously called us out of the blue requesting to see her, and prescribed some medication which we believe will help Angela even further, and we look forward to an accelerated recovery.

I will be honest. In the controlling nature that I have, I have prayed for the miracle of "take up thy bed and walk." It has been hard to accept the Lord's dictum that she will be healed in "due time." But God does not let an opportunity go to waste. This event has made me keenly aware of the small opportunities for service all around us which seem small, but are in actuality huge: specific, focused prayer, an offer to relieve someone so they can get respite, assisting with other (able bodied) members of the household etc., a kind word here and there. We recognize the hand of God, that He put MANY people in our lives these past few years because HE knew that "they would come in to (our) Kingdom for such a time as this."

Thank you again for your love, prayers and support. They are deeply appreciated and ask that you keep us in your specific prayers for Angela's continued healing and recovery.

Kathryn, Roger, Aaron and Adam

TAKING BACK OUR COUNTRY, ONE CITY AT A TIME

Last night the ground shook in shock: a City Council in Huntington Beach, Orange county, California, did what no other government body has done in recent decades--it took action reflected by the will of the people and repealed the plastic bag ban.

Over a year ago, four members of the HB City Council: Jill Hardy, Connie Boardman, Joe Shaw and Jim Katapodis, imposed their (Shaw's words) "progressive, personal agenda" to install an intrusive, micromanaging, unnecessary law banning plastic bags in grocery stores in HB. I blogged about the facts in some depth previously, (you can read it here) but suffice it to say that all the rhetoric about "pros" of plastic bag bans are false. The economic rationale: false. The environmental rationale: false. Forcing the people to be "good environmental activists?" False.

This past election, there were many good, solid candidates running for HB City Council on the platform of getting Big Government out of the citizens' lives, and back to doing what Government is supposed to do: infrastructure and security. Four of these people (Mike Posey, Erik Petersen, Barbara Delgleize, Billy O'Connell), joined existing councilmember Dave Sullivan and committed to putting power where it belongs--in the hands of the people

Too many have been brainwashed into thinking government is supposed to govern every aspect of our lives--evidenced by the many students from The Pegasus School who spouted false facts, opinion not backed up by full research etc. They weren't the only ones, and I'm not picking on them particularly, other than to lament that students from this particular school, which prides itself on a rigorous curriculum, evidently does not teach the skills of logic, research and debate.

In a day and age where campaign promises don't mean anything, it was refreshing to see that the four candidates-turned-city-council members actually lived up to their promise and started taking back our country and our city, one regulation at a time, straight off the bat. This was the first "real" City Council meeting, as the first one of the month in January is chiefly ceremonial--outgoing/incoming thanks and platitudes, recognitions etc.

And it is truly horrific that a government entity acting to reflect the will of the people (you know, that little part of the Declaration of Independence) is considered a bad thing (according to the many carpetbaggers who spoke in favor of keeping the ban). Many of those wanting to keep the ban didn't even want to allow the citizenry to vote on repeal. Quote "did we vote for helmets? Did we vote for cigarette bans? No, we just let our government tell us what was good for us, so why should a vote be allowed for something like a bag ban?" Endquote.

BE ALLOWED? BE ALLOWED?? BE ALLOWED???

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? This person is my age. The decades of brainwashing it takes, and is being done in our schools, to get someone to believe that the right to vote is something that is allowed not something that is a right under our form of government. Because not allowing THE PEOPLE the right to vote is called a DICTATORSHIP and TYRANNY. Did you flunk basic civics class? Or did you just never bother to take it, because the government told you not to bother?

Thank God 10,000 patriots sounded the war cry and in November installed intelligent, freedom loving people, intent on governing with the consent of the governed, to the Huntington Beach City Council. 

Someone famous when asked why he was backing off national politics said, "because it is more effective to work at taking back our country one city at a time, one county at a time, one state at a time."

He is right. And last night--we did. One if by land, two if by sea. Patriots: the battle is on.