Pants

I just wanted to state - for the record (even though I never blog anymore haha) - if I owned a pair of dress pants I'd have worn them to church on Sunday. My husband told me to go out and buy some but I didn't want to drag my children around with me to find them as he was out of town.

Reading some of the reactions I wish very much that I had. I didn't see anyone in my ward wearing pants and I wished there had been someone so I could go hug them!

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, feel free to ignore this post.

Pants on Fire

Why I wore pants on Sunday

Wear Pants to Church - Pictures

Why Pants Matter


That's all.

Just wanted to put that out there.

Thomas Jefferson -

"I am certainly not an advocate for frequent and untried changes in laws and constitutions. I think moderate imperfections had better be borne with; because, when once known, we accommodate ourselves to them, and find practical means of correcting their ill effects. But I know also, that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

Favorite Scriptures

This has been my favorite scriptures from D&C (explanation of Doctrine & Covenants) for many years:

D&C 6:36 - Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

But this one now ranks right up there (bold & italics added by me):

D&C 105:14 - For behold, I do not require at their hands to fight the battles of Zion; for, as I said in a former commandment, even so will I fulfil—I will fight your battles.

I love that!

That's all. There are my religious thoughts for this Sunday evening :)

Picture

I just saw this picture the other day in a magazine. I'm in love!

It's by Greg Olsen. It's called "Hand in Hand".

General Conference

I've been watching General Conference this weekend. I love it. Every six months it's such a treat!

If you don't know what General Conference is you can click here to see. ;)

It's not that I 'forget' but it's such a sweet reminder how good and kind and what wonderful disciples of Our Savior the leaders of my church are.

No matter the church - mine or yours or some other - a certain respect has to be offered to people who are willing to dedicate their lives to the service of God, yes?

Amazing!

Being a religious sheep...

You know what irks me to know end??

The idea that if you are religious, you go to church regularly, you try to live your life in a Christ-centered way... then you're a stupid, unlearned, uneducated sheep.

That's ridiculous.

There are people who are "sheep" in all parts of life. There are those who are atheists who haven't studied many religions, researched all aspects of history, and THEN made the decision to be an atheists.

And there are religious people who are similar.

It's no different than any other part of life.

I am educated. I am intelligent. I HAVE studied. I have learned.

And (I know this will shock you)...

I am STILL religious.

Give me a break world! Being an atheist doesn't make you brilliant automatically! And being religious doesn't make you an idiot.

Just thought I'd make note of that ;)

Religious Stuff

So I'm a religious person. It's not something I talk about a lot online... I think mostly because it's something that is sacred & precious to me. I don't normally throw my beliefs out into the world to listen to them debated. Especially since LDS (mormon) - which I am - have I mentioned that on here? - anyway... especially since LDS beliefs are so often bashed on anyway.

It's been a few years since there was a major moment where I had to deal with that. I think that last time was in college when there was a guy with a HUGE (like 8/9 feet tall) sign walking around campus and written all over it was all the people he through were going to hell - every sin you can think of written all over it. And then across the bottom in letters 3x as big as every thing "AND ALL MORMONS!"

It's an odd thing to be walking to class & be reminded there are people who hate you for your very existence. It's not like I don't KNOW that but nonetheless - it sort of smacks you in the face all the sudden.

I know my religious history but it just seems like in this day & age it shouldn't such an issue. Naive of me though - it was legal to KILL Mormons in Missouri until 1975. I was BORN in 1975. There were massacres, many many people were tarred & feathered, etc. It's just crazy.

Anyway!

I've been reading my scriptures every night before bed. It's a goal I always have but I'm not successful much LOL. Routines are not my strong point! But I've been really good lately. Especially since I got my PDA. I have them all on there and I can read wherever I am! I love it.

PS When I say "scriptures" - in the LDS world - the means Bible (Old & New Testament - King James version), Book of Mormon (similar to the Bible but about what happened in the Americas), Doctrine & Covenants - mostly church history & current revelation, & the Pearl of Great Price - which includes the books of Moses & Abraham.

So I'm reading in the book of mormon & the first book is called "Nephi" pronounced knee-fi...

and I've been writing so much background here I have forgotten what I was going to write about Nephi. I'm not even kidding.

I'm losing my mind!

Well, okay. I'll switch tracks. Maybe it will come to me later... Sigh.

Grace - a few months back I said I was going to write a post about grace because I'd seen it mentioned on another forum & I was ANNOYED.

This is a topic I've spent a lot of time studying and so many people just scrape the surface. I don't BY ANY MEANS completely understand the depths of this topic though. lol

Here's the thing - among the Christian religions - there seem to be two camps. Those that say "You are saved!" and then that's it. You are required to do nothing at all. You're just saved.

And then the other camp that says you are only saved IF you done all you can do. You've done all the work and then when you couldn't work anymore - Christ finishes the rest.

I don't think either thing is totally true (not that there are really just two camps - what I've discovered in my research is that there is a third).

Yes - Christ giving his life for us is a gift. It is a freely given gift that requires no works on our parts. I firmly believe that.

HOWEVER, I think in TRUE acceptance of that gift you do the works. You do what Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ would have you do. The works come AFTER you accept the gift NOT before.

I've often heard several analogies that I think have it all wrong. For instance, you are running a race or marathon & you run has hard and as fast as you can. You wear yourself out until you have nothing left. Then at this point Christ picks up the slack and finishes the race.

Or you have a bank account and when you've used up everything you have then Christ makes up the rest

etc etc etc.

When I first started researching this topic I thought to myself "Why do we pray then?" I mean - really. If I'm all alone until I've totally used myself up... then why am I praying everyday? If I don't get any help until I've collapsed?

I think that's the inherit flaw in these analogies.

Christ & his saving grace & the atonement are NOT just there when we have failed. He is there at EVERY moment, every turn, every bend in the road, every struggle, every trail. When he died for us and he took upon the sins of the world - he didn't just take up on our sins! He took on every emotion, every sadness, every trial, every single moment. So when the scriptures teach that Christ knows YOU specifically. It's because He does. He KNOWS you. Every single sorrow.

And His grace IS for everyone. He stands offering that gift - requiring nothing in response - but as we accept that gift and apply to our lives, we will do the good works and help further His causes in this world because when you are living a Christ-centered life you notice that people who need your help more, you notice the little things that need done. That neighbor needs her porch shoveled, those people need dinner one night to ease their burdens for a day, etc.

**PS I'm sorry if this is disjointed. I've been writing on & off for more than an hour because I'm taking care of Leah too. lol But now she's finally asleep! woohoo!

There's lots of scriptural references for all of this. I'm entirely too lazy to put them on in there for right now. And since it's been about 2 hours since I started this. I'm tired of writing!

I just want to say: I know my Savior loves me. I know He knows me. I know He cries when I cry, aches for my sorrows, rejoices with me, and celebrates my triumphs. And I know that when I pray and ask for help, He helps. That is the point in praying everyday.

And I'm very sorry about all the typos in this but I'm tired now. Feel free to ask me questions about anything you read. I'm happy to answer. hehe. Sorry if it doesn't make sense!