This is a question I forgot to ask on my quiz. So I decided I will just do a separate post and whoever wants to play along can put their answer in my comments.
What is my favorite flower?
I will post the answer after I get several comments with guesses :-)
Don't be shy, post a guess! It will be fun.
The correct answer is: Bearded Iris
Thanks to all who participated.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Soap Operas
Today I would like to talk about soap operas. I know I have already talked about scumbag television in a previous post but I feel the need to elaborate specifically about soap operas. I have never personally watched a soap opera, but I have seen plenty of advertisements for them. I do not see the appeal of soap operas, to me they seem rather silly but I know there are many people who watch them religiously, and are actually addicted to them. I am not only talking about daytime soap operas, but also prime time soap operas. Back in the day, these would include Dallas and Dynasty. Nowadays, I would include shows like desperate housewives, Gray's anatomy, and many more that I can't think of right now. (Hopefully because I don't watch any of them.)
There was one particular young women's class I had when I was probably a beehive (12 or 13 years old) that I remember vividly. Our teacher admitted to us that she was addicted to soap operas. She told us how terrible and addicting they were, and cautioned us to avoid watching them. I have never had a desire to watch soap operas but that lesson reiterated to me, to avoid them.
When I was in junior high school, there were several girls who talked about watching soap operas, in particular "days of our lives". Apparently there was some big wedding or something that was going on at the time on that show which everybody was talking about. At the time, I thought these classmates of mine were just stupid. Looking back now, it is rather sad to think of girls 12 to 14 years old being addicted to soap operas, or any television program for that matter.
I found this article from the question-and-answer section February 1996 Liahona:
"It may seem like watching a television show regularly is harmless entertainment, but our attitudes and behaviors can be influenced in negative ways by these shows.
For example, ask yourself: Do the characters portrayed in soap operas have the values I have? Do I agree with the choices they make? Do the plots feature people who choose the good, uplifting things of the world?
As President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “You cannot afford to do any of those things which do not square with the precepts, the teachings, the principles which the God of heaven has set down because of His love for you and His desire that your lives be rich and full and purposeful” (Liahona, September 1995, page 6).
Church leaders and parents are concerned that constant exposure to the corrupt ideas and worldly models of behavior promoted in many forms of entertainment today may affect your view of what is good and pure. You may argue that you are strong enough in your understanding of good and evil to resist these assaults on your spirituality, but try this little test:
Remember back to when you first started watching your program. Weren’t there incidents portrayed in the show that you found shocking? If you think about it, you may find that the show doesn’t shock you anymore. Some experts call this being desensitized. As Alice Pagana writes from the Catania Branch, Italy Catania Mission, “The regular viewer becomes desensitized to the evil in soap operas. Immorality initially depicted in a small way eventually becomes a mountain of lies, adultery, and even murder. In addition, many soap opera characters claim they are victims of circumstance and not responsible for their immoral acts. This is completely opposed to the Lord’s teaching that we are accountable for our own actions.”
Another bad thing about soap operas is their addictive nature. In other words, do you rearrange your life just so you can watch a specific show? Can you go one day, one week, or one month without watching it? Nothing so trivial as a television show should have such control over you.
To really understand how a soap opera may be affecting you, we challenge you to stop viewing it for one month. At first it will be hard, but we suspect that at the end of a month you will feel a sense of freedom and maybe even relief.
President Hinckley has said: “You [cannot] afford to idle away your time in long hours watching the frivolous and damaging programming of which much of television is comprised. There are better things for you to do” (Liahona, September 1995, page 6)." Excerpt taken from Liahona February 1996.
I can somewhat understand how or why people start watching soap operas. It is an escape from everyday life, which may be mundane or stressful. But there are better outlets for relieving stress or escaping our everyday life. One of the best ways, I believe, is exercise. Not only is exercise good for your body, but it also releases endorphins, which make you feel better. Granted, it does not take away the stresses of your life, but I believe, it makes you better able to cope.
So, for anyone who may be addicted to soap operas, or any television program, or even trashy romance novels, or anything like it, I challenge you to follow the counsel from the Liahona. Stop watching soap operas for one month, and see how much better you feel at the end of the month.
That's my two cents.
PS click on title "soap operas" to read related article.
There was one particular young women's class I had when I was probably a beehive (12 or 13 years old) that I remember vividly. Our teacher admitted to us that she was addicted to soap operas. She told us how terrible and addicting they were, and cautioned us to avoid watching them. I have never had a desire to watch soap operas but that lesson reiterated to me, to avoid them.
When I was in junior high school, there were several girls who talked about watching soap operas, in particular "days of our lives". Apparently there was some big wedding or something that was going on at the time on that show which everybody was talking about. At the time, I thought these classmates of mine were just stupid. Looking back now, it is rather sad to think of girls 12 to 14 years old being addicted to soap operas, or any television program for that matter.
I found this article from the question-and-answer section February 1996 Liahona:
"It may seem like watching a television show regularly is harmless entertainment, but our attitudes and behaviors can be influenced in negative ways by these shows.
For example, ask yourself: Do the characters portrayed in soap operas have the values I have? Do I agree with the choices they make? Do the plots feature people who choose the good, uplifting things of the world?
As President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “You cannot afford to do any of those things which do not square with the precepts, the teachings, the principles which the God of heaven has set down because of His love for you and His desire that your lives be rich and full and purposeful” (Liahona, September 1995, page 6).
Church leaders and parents are concerned that constant exposure to the corrupt ideas and worldly models of behavior promoted in many forms of entertainment today may affect your view of what is good and pure. You may argue that you are strong enough in your understanding of good and evil to resist these assaults on your spirituality, but try this little test:
Remember back to when you first started watching your program. Weren’t there incidents portrayed in the show that you found shocking? If you think about it, you may find that the show doesn’t shock you anymore. Some experts call this being desensitized. As Alice Pagana writes from the Catania Branch, Italy Catania Mission, “The regular viewer becomes desensitized to the evil in soap operas. Immorality initially depicted in a small way eventually becomes a mountain of lies, adultery, and even murder. In addition, many soap opera characters claim they are victims of circumstance and not responsible for their immoral acts. This is completely opposed to the Lord’s teaching that we are accountable for our own actions.”
Another bad thing about soap operas is their addictive nature. In other words, do you rearrange your life just so you can watch a specific show? Can you go one day, one week, or one month without watching it? Nothing so trivial as a television show should have such control over you.
To really understand how a soap opera may be affecting you, we challenge you to stop viewing it for one month. At first it will be hard, but we suspect that at the end of a month you will feel a sense of freedom and maybe even relief.
President Hinckley has said: “You [cannot] afford to idle away your time in long hours watching the frivolous and damaging programming of which much of television is comprised. There are better things for you to do” (Liahona, September 1995, page 6)." Excerpt taken from Liahona February 1996.
I can somewhat understand how or why people start watching soap operas. It is an escape from everyday life, which may be mundane or stressful. But there are better outlets for relieving stress or escaping our everyday life. One of the best ways, I believe, is exercise. Not only is exercise good for your body, but it also releases endorphins, which make you feel better. Granted, it does not take away the stresses of your life, but I believe, it makes you better able to cope.
So, for anyone who may be addicted to soap operas, or any television program, or even trashy romance novels, or anything like it, I challenge you to follow the counsel from the Liahona. Stop watching soap operas for one month, and see how much better you feel at the end of the month.
That's my two cents.
PS click on title "soap operas" to read related article.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
One Billion Heartbeats
I have always been fascinated by the human body. And life in general. Therefore, my degrees in biology and podiatric medicine. I have decided to share some of the things I have learned which I find interesting, amazing, fascinating, etc. about the human body. I have decided to talk about each organ system separately. The first one I will talk about is the heart/circulatory system. I remember learning in school about mammals having a fixed number of heartbeats per lifetime. Here is an article I found online about this:
"Scientists have been studying living creatures for hundreds of years. One thing they noticed is that there seems to be a relation between how fast a mammal's heart beats, and how long it lives. For example, an elephant's heart beats very slowly, and they live a long time. On the other hand, a mouse's heartbeat is very fast, and mice live for only a few years.
The faster the heartbeat, the less time it lives. A relationship like this, where one quantity gets smaller as the other gets bigger, is called an inverse relationship. Scientists also made the startling discovery that most mammals live for about the time it takes their heart to beat 1 billion times, regardless of the size of the mammal. When a mouse dies after a few years, its heart will have beaten about a billion times. When an elephant dies after 70 years, its heart will have beaten about a billion times. Scientists went even further, looking for a formula which would let them predict the lifespan of a mammal, based on the speed of its heartbeat. In this case there are only two variables, the heartbeat speed (in beats per minute) and the lifespan (in years).Here's the formula they came up with:
A = 1902.6/h
... where a is the mammal's lifespan in years, and h is its heartrate in beats per minute.
Let's see how it works. Consider the common shrew, which is the tiniest mammal on earth. Its heart beats very fast, about 800 times per minute. Using this number for h in the formula ...
a= 1902.6/800 a = 2.38 years
The answer is pretty close to the expected lifespan for a shrew.
Now lets do it for an elephant. An elephant's heart is huge, and beats only 25 times per minute. Filling in 25 for the variable h and dividing gives an answer of 76.1 years. Again, the answer is typically correct for the lifetime of an elephant. People are mammals. Do you think it will work? Let's see what happens. The standard heartrate for a normal healthy human is about 60 beats per minute. When you fill this value in for h, it doesn't seem to work. The answer turns out to be 31.7 years. What went wrong? Human lifetimes are around 70-80 years, aren't they? Actually, the formula works just fine. But it will predict the lifespan of a mammal living in the wild. Humans don't live in the wild; most of us don't have to hunt for or gather our food every day, and we don't have any natural predators. Moreover, we have technology and medicines to keep us healthy and free from disease, and a plentiful diet. However, we didn't always have these life-extending amenities. Before the advent of civilization, say before about 15,000 BC, the average lifetime of a human was about 30 years! In fact, even up until New Testament biblical times (2000 years ago) or so, it still wasn't much longer than 30-40 years. So the formula works for humans too, as long as they are living in a situation where they don't have modern technology. Primitive cultures still exist today where there is little or no contact with the outside world, and the average lifetime of their members isn't much more than 30-40 years." Information obtained from worsleyschool.net
Pretty interesting isn't it? At least I thought it was, so I thought I would share this with you today. Note that the average human heart will beat 2.5 billion times in an average lifespan. (72 beats per minute for 66 years). The heart is an amazing organ. There has never been any pump manufactured that can even come close to what the human heart does. Below are listed some facts about the human heart/circulatory system. I find it fascinating.
"Amazing Heart Facts. Sure, you know how to steal hearts, win hearts, and break hearts. But how much do you really know about your heart and how it works? Read on to your heart's content!
-Put your hand on your heart. Did you place your hand on the left side of your chest? Many people do, but the heart is actually located almost in the center of the chest, between the lungs. It's tipped slightly so that a part of it sticks out and taps against the left side of the chest, which is what makes it seem as though it is located there.
-Hold out your hand and make a fist. If you're a kid, your heart is about the same size as your fist, and if you're an adult, it's about the same size as two fists.
-Your heart beats about 100,000 times in one day and about 35 million times in a year. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times.
-Give a tennis ball a good, hard squeeze. You're using about the same amount of force your heart uses to pump blood out to the body. Even at rest, the muscles of the heart work hard—twice as hard as the leg muscles of a person sprinting.
-Feel your pulse by placing two fingers at pulse points on your neck or wrists. The pulse you feel is blood stopping and starting as it moves through your arteries. As a kid, your resting pulse might range from 90 to 120 beats per minute. As an adult, your pulse rate slows to an average of 72 beats per minute.
-The aorta, the largest artery in the body, is almost the diameter of a garden hose. Capillaries, on the other hand, are so small that it takes ten of them to equal the thickness of a human hair.
-Your body has about 5.6 liters (6 quarts) of blood. This 5.6 liters of blood circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day, the blood travels a total of 19,000 km (12,000 miles)—that's four times the distance across the US from coast to coast.
-The heart pumps about 1 million barrels of blood during an average lifetime—that's enough to fill more than 3 super tankers." Information obtained from PBS.org NOVA online.
Isn't the human body amazing?
That's my two cents.
"Scientists have been studying living creatures for hundreds of years. One thing they noticed is that there seems to be a relation between how fast a mammal's heart beats, and how long it lives. For example, an elephant's heart beats very slowly, and they live a long time. On the other hand, a mouse's heartbeat is very fast, and mice live for only a few years.
The faster the heartbeat, the less time it lives. A relationship like this, where one quantity gets smaller as the other gets bigger, is called an inverse relationship. Scientists also made the startling discovery that most mammals live for about the time it takes their heart to beat 1 billion times, regardless of the size of the mammal. When a mouse dies after a few years, its heart will have beaten about a billion times. When an elephant dies after 70 years, its heart will have beaten about a billion times. Scientists went even further, looking for a formula which would let them predict the lifespan of a mammal, based on the speed of its heartbeat. In this case there are only two variables, the heartbeat speed (in beats per minute) and the lifespan (in years).Here's the formula they came up with:
A = 1902.6/h
... where a is the mammal's lifespan in years, and h is its heartrate in beats per minute.
Let's see how it works. Consider the common shrew, which is the tiniest mammal on earth. Its heart beats very fast, about 800 times per minute. Using this number for h in the formula ...
a= 1902.6/800 a = 2.38 years
The answer is pretty close to the expected lifespan for a shrew.
Now lets do it for an elephant. An elephant's heart is huge, and beats only 25 times per minute. Filling in 25 for the variable h and dividing gives an answer of 76.1 years. Again, the answer is typically correct for the lifetime of an elephant. People are mammals. Do you think it will work? Let's see what happens. The standard heartrate for a normal healthy human is about 60 beats per minute. When you fill this value in for h, it doesn't seem to work. The answer turns out to be 31.7 years. What went wrong? Human lifetimes are around 70-80 years, aren't they? Actually, the formula works just fine. But it will predict the lifespan of a mammal living in the wild. Humans don't live in the wild; most of us don't have to hunt for or gather our food every day, and we don't have any natural predators. Moreover, we have technology and medicines to keep us healthy and free from disease, and a plentiful diet. However, we didn't always have these life-extending amenities. Before the advent of civilization, say before about 15,000 BC, the average lifetime of a human was about 30 years! In fact, even up until New Testament biblical times (2000 years ago) or so, it still wasn't much longer than 30-40 years. So the formula works for humans too, as long as they are living in a situation where they don't have modern technology. Primitive cultures still exist today where there is little or no contact with the outside world, and the average lifetime of their members isn't much more than 30-40 years." Information obtained from worsleyschool.net
Pretty interesting isn't it? At least I thought it was, so I thought I would share this with you today. Note that the average human heart will beat 2.5 billion times in an average lifespan. (72 beats per minute for 66 years). The heart is an amazing organ. There has never been any pump manufactured that can even come close to what the human heart does. Below are listed some facts about the human heart/circulatory system. I find it fascinating.
"Amazing Heart Facts. Sure, you know how to steal hearts, win hearts, and break hearts. But how much do you really know about your heart and how it works? Read on to your heart's content!
-Put your hand on your heart. Did you place your hand on the left side of your chest? Many people do, but the heart is actually located almost in the center of the chest, between the lungs. It's tipped slightly so that a part of it sticks out and taps against the left side of the chest, which is what makes it seem as though it is located there.
-Hold out your hand and make a fist. If you're a kid, your heart is about the same size as your fist, and if you're an adult, it's about the same size as two fists.
-Your heart beats about 100,000 times in one day and about 35 million times in a year. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times.
-Give a tennis ball a good, hard squeeze. You're using about the same amount of force your heart uses to pump blood out to the body. Even at rest, the muscles of the heart work hard—twice as hard as the leg muscles of a person sprinting.
-Feel your pulse by placing two fingers at pulse points on your neck or wrists. The pulse you feel is blood stopping and starting as it moves through your arteries. As a kid, your resting pulse might range from 90 to 120 beats per minute. As an adult, your pulse rate slows to an average of 72 beats per minute.
-The aorta, the largest artery in the body, is almost the diameter of a garden hose. Capillaries, on the other hand, are so small that it takes ten of them to equal the thickness of a human hair.
-Your body has about 5.6 liters (6 quarts) of blood. This 5.6 liters of blood circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day, the blood travels a total of 19,000 km (12,000 miles)—that's four times the distance across the US from coast to coast.
-The heart pumps about 1 million barrels of blood during an average lifetime—that's enough to fill more than 3 super tankers." Information obtained from PBS.org NOVA online.
Isn't the human body amazing?
That's my two cents.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Barack Obama OK’s Taxpayer Funds for Overseas Abortions
This is the first of many, I am sure, posts about the horrible things our new president is doing. I sent a short e-mail to the White House regarding abortions and my tax money funding foreign abortions. I'm sure it won't change anything but it's all we can do, and it certainly won't hurt. Click on the link at the end of the article, or title to write to the White House.
From: Maurine Proctor Washington, D.C.
Barack Obama OK’s Taxpayer Funds for Overseas Abortions
Lifenews.com reports: "Putting aside the pro-abortion appointments to key administration and policy positions, the pro-abortion record of new president Barack Obama will begin in earnest later today. That's when he will officially scrap the Mexico City Policy that stops funding groups that promote or perform abortions overseas.
"Obama was slated to overturn on Thursday the protections President Bush put back in place following the Clinton administration, but Obama decided to wait.
"He hopes making his decision today to force taxpayers to fund foreign abortions will somehow make him seem less radical because he decided to wait until after the pro-life movement mourned the thirty-sixth anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
"Obama will sign an executive order that will make non-governmental groups that do abortions in other nations or lobby pro-life countries to overturn their abortion limits eligible for public funds.
"During the Bush administration, such groups were prevented from receiving the family planning money or any aid through the State Department, if they would not back down from their pro-abortion agenda.
"The two biggest abortion businesses in the world, the U.S.-based Planned Parenthood and the British-based Marie Stopes International, refused to stop doing abortions or trying to get nations to abandon their pro-life culture and heritage and refused to follow the pro-life rules and accept the funds.
"Now, taxpayers will fund those abortion businesses and their abortion marketing campaigns despite Obama's campaign pledge to want to reduce abortions.
Yesterday on the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, President Obama reiterated his support for abortion issuing a statement that said, "I remain committed to protecting a woman's right to choose." During his campaign he voiced support for passage of a Freedom of Choice Act, which could roll back three decades of work putting some restrictions on abortion.
"The alignment of a hard-core pro-abortion president with pro-abortion Democratic majorities in Congress means that many existing pro-life policies are now in great jeopardy," Douglas Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee wrote in a memo this month.
"Some damage is inevitable," Johnson added. "But the extent to which the Obama abortion agenda will be achieved will depend on the perception of elected policy-makers as to how the public is responding to the proposed changes."
Take Action:Write President Obama Write the President expressing your dismay at using your money for overseas abortions by clicking here:
From: Maurine Proctor Washington, D.C.
Barack Obama OK’s Taxpayer Funds for Overseas Abortions
Lifenews.com reports: "Putting aside the pro-abortion appointments to key administration and policy positions, the pro-abortion record of new president Barack Obama will begin in earnest later today. That's when he will officially scrap the Mexico City Policy that stops funding groups that promote or perform abortions overseas.
"Obama was slated to overturn on Thursday the protections President Bush put back in place following the Clinton administration, but Obama decided to wait.
"He hopes making his decision today to force taxpayers to fund foreign abortions will somehow make him seem less radical because he decided to wait until after the pro-life movement mourned the thirty-sixth anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
"Obama will sign an executive order that will make non-governmental groups that do abortions in other nations or lobby pro-life countries to overturn their abortion limits eligible for public funds.
"During the Bush administration, such groups were prevented from receiving the family planning money or any aid through the State Department, if they would not back down from their pro-abortion agenda.
"The two biggest abortion businesses in the world, the U.S.-based Planned Parenthood and the British-based Marie Stopes International, refused to stop doing abortions or trying to get nations to abandon their pro-life culture and heritage and refused to follow the pro-life rules and accept the funds.
"Now, taxpayers will fund those abortion businesses and their abortion marketing campaigns despite Obama's campaign pledge to want to reduce abortions.
Yesterday on the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, President Obama reiterated his support for abortion issuing a statement that said, "I remain committed to protecting a woman's right to choose." During his campaign he voiced support for passage of a Freedom of Choice Act, which could roll back three decades of work putting some restrictions on abortion.
"The alignment of a hard-core pro-abortion president with pro-abortion Democratic majorities in Congress means that many existing pro-life policies are now in great jeopardy," Douglas Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee wrote in a memo this month.
"Some damage is inevitable," Johnson added. "But the extent to which the Obama abortion agenda will be achieved will depend on the perception of elected policy-makers as to how the public is responding to the proposed changes."
Take Action:Write President Obama Write the President expressing your dismay at using your money for overseas abortions by clicking here:
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Take an Unyielding Stand
I receive "daily gems" in my e-mail from the church. This is one I received a few days ago. I thought it was worth sharing so I decided to post it. The accompanying article from which it was taken is also worth reading and won't take much time to read it. You can click on the title or the link below to read it.
"Nephi taught us a powerfully simple principle in recounting his father's dream of the tree of life. He described a strait and narrow path leading to a tree and a great and spacious building. . . . From all appearances, the people inside seemed to be having a great time. What an indelible image of temptation. In Elder Neal A. Maxwell's words, 'The laughter of the world is merely loneliness pathetically trying to reassure itself' ("Cleanse Us from All Unrighteousness," Ensign, Feb. 1986, 19). . . ."President Boyd K. Packer has recently emphasized this guiding principle: 'However out of step we may seem, however much the standards are belittled, however much others yield, we will not yield, we cannot yield' ("The Standard of Truth Has Been Erected," Ensign, Nov. 2003, 26). . . . "The time has come when we must take an unyielding stand. We must shore up our spiritual underpinnings, listen to the prophets of God, and follow their counsel."
W. Craig Zwick, "We Will Not Yield, We Cannot Yield," Ensign, May 2008, 98
"Nephi taught us a powerfully simple principle in recounting his father's dream of the tree of life. He described a strait and narrow path leading to a tree and a great and spacious building. . . . From all appearances, the people inside seemed to be having a great time. What an indelible image of temptation. In Elder Neal A. Maxwell's words, 'The laughter of the world is merely loneliness pathetically trying to reassure itself' ("Cleanse Us from All Unrighteousness," Ensign, Feb. 1986, 19). . . ."President Boyd K. Packer has recently emphasized this guiding principle: 'However out of step we may seem, however much the standards are belittled, however much others yield, we will not yield, we cannot yield' ("The Standard of Truth Has Been Erected," Ensign, Nov. 2003, 26). . . . "The time has come when we must take an unyielding stand. We must shore up our spiritual underpinnings, listen to the prophets of God, and follow their counsel."
W. Craig Zwick, "We Will Not Yield, We Cannot Yield," Ensign, May 2008, 98
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
A Sad Day for America
Yesterday was the inauguration of our new president. It was a sad day for America. I did not watch one second of the inauguration hoopla, so I cannot really comment on that circus. But what I would like to comment on is our poor leadership for this wonderful nation in which we live. For any of you wondering how I feel about our new president, go read my post entitled Korihor. I am tired of the lack of morals and conviction and honestly lack of intelligence of those people we've chosen to lead our nation. Every time I turn the news on I hear about corrupt politicians. But what's even worse is the acceptance and lack of emotion by the American people concerning the corruption that is rampant in our politics. I'm very saddened by the majority of Americans who have been blinded by the craftiness of men. It still unbelievable to me that Barack Hussein Obama was elected president of the United States of America.
Despite all of the corruption, amorality, and poor leadership, we still live in the greatest nation on earth. Our country was founded upon correct principles and through divine inspiration. We enjoy many freedoms that most of the world are not privileged to enjoy. Most people in this country are God-fearing Christians, albeit blinded by the craftiness of men. So despite all that is wrong with this nation, let us remember all that is right. God bless America!
That's my two cents.
Despite all of the corruption, amorality, and poor leadership, we still live in the greatest nation on earth. Our country was founded upon correct principles and through divine inspiration. We enjoy many freedoms that most of the world are not privileged to enjoy. Most people in this country are God-fearing Christians, albeit blinded by the craftiness of men. So despite all that is wrong with this nation, let us remember all that is right. God bless America!
That's my two cents.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Hope
I was working on my relief society lesson for next week. The General conference talk I chose to teach on, of the four had to choose from, is the talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, entitled "The Infinite Power of Hope" given in the Saturday morning session October 2008. I made an outline of some of the high points of the talk that I want to bring out in my lesson. I copied and pasted the visual aids in to this blog because I thought you might find it interesting and perhaps beneficial. It's a great talk, and a topic that we don't often discuss. I encourage everybody to read it even if you already listened to it in conference. If you would like to read President Uchtdorf's talk, click on the title "Hope" and it will link you to it. Here are my visual aids/outline:
The Infinite Power of Hope
Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool, together with Faith and Charity.
Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness.
Hope is a gift of the Spirit.
Why is there Despair?
There must be an “opposition in all things” 2 Nephi 2:11
Faith-Doubt
Hope-Despair
Charity-Failure to care for fellowmen
Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill his promise to us.
Hope is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.
Things we hope for are often future events.
Things we hope in sustain us during our daily life.
Hope is cultivated one step at a time.
Faith Hope and Charity complement each other. As one grows, the others increase as well.
The brighter our hope, the greater our faith.
The stronger our hope, the purer our charity.
The things we hope for, lead us to faith.
The things we hope in, lead us to charity.
Doctrine and Covenants 6:34 “Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.”
The Infinite Power of Hope
Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool, together with Faith and Charity.
Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness.
Hope is a gift of the Spirit.
Why is there Despair?
There must be an “opposition in all things” 2 Nephi 2:11
Faith-Doubt
Hope-Despair
Charity-Failure to care for fellowmen
Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill his promise to us.
Hope is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.
Things we hope for are often future events.
Things we hope in sustain us during our daily life.
Hope is cultivated one step at a time.
Faith Hope and Charity complement each other. As one grows, the others increase as well.
The brighter our hope, the greater our faith.
The stronger our hope, the purer our charity.
The things we hope for, lead us to faith.
The things we hope in, lead us to charity.
Doctrine and Covenants 6:34 “Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.”
Friday, January 16, 2009
Finality
I have been thinking lately, over the past two or three weeks, about finality. What does it really mean? When I think of the word final, I think of permanence and unchangeability.
As someone who spent most of my life in school, the first thing I think of is a final exam or final grade. There is a certain amount of relief, regardless of how poor or well you did, when you walk out of a final exam. A feeling of knowing that the course is complete and being ready to move on to the next one. In school, if you don't do well in a course, you can retake it to try to better your grade. But, there comes a time when you complete all of your courses and you must graduate. For me, graduating was always bittersweet. It was the completion of a goal that I had worked towards for several years. It was also the start of something new, moving on, change, and it was somewhat scary. But, with each graduation you become wiser and hopefully ready to meet each new adventure.
It seems like in life we are always working towards finality. After I graduate high school... after I graduate college... after my mission... after I get married... after I have kids... after the kids are grown... and so forth. But the thing about finality is, there is always something else. Even death, which most people would consider the ultimate finality, isn't really final but merely a graduation to the next step in this adventure we call life. In the grand scheme of things, finality is merely a stepping stone to our next adventure, whatever that may be.
That's my two cents.
As someone who spent most of my life in school, the first thing I think of is a final exam or final grade. There is a certain amount of relief, regardless of how poor or well you did, when you walk out of a final exam. A feeling of knowing that the course is complete and being ready to move on to the next one. In school, if you don't do well in a course, you can retake it to try to better your grade. But, there comes a time when you complete all of your courses and you must graduate. For me, graduating was always bittersweet. It was the completion of a goal that I had worked towards for several years. It was also the start of something new, moving on, change, and it was somewhat scary. But, with each graduation you become wiser and hopefully ready to meet each new adventure.
It seems like in life we are always working towards finality. After I graduate high school... after I graduate college... after my mission... after I get married... after I have kids... after the kids are grown... and so forth. But the thing about finality is, there is always something else. Even death, which most people would consider the ultimate finality, isn't really final but merely a graduation to the next step in this adventure we call life. In the grand scheme of things, finality is merely a stepping stone to our next adventure, whatever that may be.
That's my two cents.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Answers to Quiz
Below you'll find the answers to the quiz I made about myself. Thanks to all who participated so far. It was fun to see which answers you chose, and grade the quiz. Those of you who have yet to take it, leave me a comment and let me know how you did.
ANSWERS:
1.e
2.b
3.false
4.a
5.c
6.b
7.d
8.true
9.d
10.false
11.a
12.c
13.b
14.a
15.d
16.true
17.e
18.e
19.e
20.f
ANSWERS:
1.e
2.b
3.false
4.a
5.c
6.b
7.d
8.true
9.d
10.false
11.a
12.c
13.b
14.a
15.d
16.true
17.e
18.e
19.e
20.f
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tammy Quiz
1. How many times have I graduated? (How many diplomas do I have?)
a. 3
b. 2
c. 4
d. 7
e. 5
2. Which of the following is a church calling I have had?
a. Relief Society homemaking leader
b. Relief Society compassionate service leader
c. Gospel Doctrine teacher
d. Relief Society secretary
e. Missionary prep teacher
3. My PR in the mile is 6:23.
True
False
4. How many different schools did I attend by the time I was in third grade?
a. 5
b. 2
c. 4
d. 6
e. 3
5. Which of the following is NOT an area I served in on my mission?
a. Seminole
b. Port Charlotte
c. Brandon
d. Brooksville
e. Dade City
6. Most of you know my favorite color is pink. What is my THIRD favorite color?
a. Green
b. Orange
c. Yellow
d. Blue
e. Red
7. Which of the following is NOT a place I have been?
a. Hawaii
b. Mexico
c. Alabama
d. Georgia
e. Tennessee
8. I taught a friend how to change the oil in his car.
True
False
9. I was born with which congenital deformity?
a. spongy hemangioma
b. patent ductus arteriosus
c. talipes equinovarus (clubfoot)
d. polydactyly
e. naevus flammeus (port wine stain)
10. I once ate a cockroach.
True
False
11. Which of the following is my favorite animal?
a. gorilla
b. hammerhead shark
c. leopard
d. hippopotamus
e. blue whale
f. elephant
12. Which of the following was my LEAST favorite subject in school?
a. calculus
b. organic chemistry
c. english
d. physics
e. history
13. Which of the following have I accomplished?
a. ran a marathon
b. reupholstered a couch
c. completed a triathlon
d. refinished a dresser
e. replaced an alternator in my car
14. Which of the following is my favorite gemstone?
a. Diamond
b. Amber
c. Ruby
d. Sapphire
e. Peridot
f. Emerald
15. Which of the following is my shoe size?
a. 6 ½
b. 8
c. 9
d. 7
e. 8 ½
16. I installed a stereo receiver (cd player) in my car.
True
False
17. Which of the following is my favorite breed of dog?
a. Bassett Hound
b. English Bulldog
c. Neapolitan Mastiff
d. Irish Wolfhound
e. Great Pyrenees
f. Yorkshire Terrier
18. Which of the following adventures have I done?
a. scuba diving
b. hang gliding
c. surfing
d. parachuting
e. parasailing
f. bungee jumping
19. Which of the following is my favorite piece of jewelry?
a. earrings
b. bracelet
c. ring
d. necklace
e. watch
20. Which of the following is NOT a hobby I once enjoyed?
a. sewing
b. photography
c. cooking
d. boogie boarding
e. rollerskating
f. scrapbooking
a. 3
b. 2
c. 4
d. 7
e. 5
2. Which of the following is a church calling I have had?
a. Relief Society homemaking leader
b. Relief Society compassionate service leader
c. Gospel Doctrine teacher
d. Relief Society secretary
e. Missionary prep teacher
3. My PR in the mile is 6:23.
True
False
4. How many different schools did I attend by the time I was in third grade?
a. 5
b. 2
c. 4
d. 6
e. 3
5. Which of the following is NOT an area I served in on my mission?
a. Seminole
b. Port Charlotte
c. Brandon
d. Brooksville
e. Dade City
6. Most of you know my favorite color is pink. What is my THIRD favorite color?
a. Green
b. Orange
c. Yellow
d. Blue
e. Red
7. Which of the following is NOT a place I have been?
a. Hawaii
b. Mexico
c. Alabama
d. Georgia
e. Tennessee
8. I taught a friend how to change the oil in his car.
True
False
9. I was born with which congenital deformity?
a. spongy hemangioma
b. patent ductus arteriosus
c. talipes equinovarus (clubfoot)
d. polydactyly
e. naevus flammeus (port wine stain)
10. I once ate a cockroach.
True
False
11. Which of the following is my favorite animal?
a. gorilla
b. hammerhead shark
c. leopard
d. hippopotamus
e. blue whale
f. elephant
12. Which of the following was my LEAST favorite subject in school?
a. calculus
b. organic chemistry
c. english
d. physics
e. history
13. Which of the following have I accomplished?
a. ran a marathon
b. reupholstered a couch
c. completed a triathlon
d. refinished a dresser
e. replaced an alternator in my car
14. Which of the following is my favorite gemstone?
a. Diamond
b. Amber
c. Ruby
d. Sapphire
e. Peridot
f. Emerald
15. Which of the following is my shoe size?
a. 6 ½
b. 8
c. 9
d. 7
e. 8 ½
16. I installed a stereo receiver (cd player) in my car.
True
False
17. Which of the following is my favorite breed of dog?
a. Bassett Hound
b. English Bulldog
c. Neapolitan Mastiff
d. Irish Wolfhound
e. Great Pyrenees
f. Yorkshire Terrier
18. Which of the following adventures have I done?
a. scuba diving
b. hang gliding
c. surfing
d. parachuting
e. parasailing
f. bungee jumping
19. Which of the following is my favorite piece of jewelry?
a. earrings
b. bracelet
c. ring
d. necklace
e. watch
20. Which of the following is NOT a hobby I once enjoyed?
a. sewing
b. photography
c. cooking
d. boogie boarding
e. rollerskating
f. scrapbooking
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Helmets
As most of you know, the University of Utah football team just finished a perfect season (13-0) winning the Sugar Bowl. They beat the University of Alabama who was ranked number one in the nation for five weeks. They ended up number two in the polls, but everybody knows they are the best team in college football this year and deserve number one. What most of you probably don't know is that the University of Utah football team wore the letters JBW on their helmets during the Sugar Bowl. This was in honor of one of their former football players who was a great fan of the team, and also happened to be one of the 12 apostles of the Lord. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin recently passed away. I was very touched that a University football team would honor an apostle in such a way. Elder Wirthlin was a wonderful man. He often told stories about his days playing football at the University of Utah in his talks. Kudos to the University of Utah football team for honoring Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin by wearing his initials on their helmets during the Sugar Bowl!
Update: please click on the title (Helmets) to read related news article.
Update: please click on the title (Helmets) to read related news article.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Great Expectations
Some things that stuck out to me from President Monson's fireside talk last night...
1. avoid pitfalls and detours like peer pressure and temptation.
2."beware the flashy start and the fadeout finish"
3. President Monson told the story of listening to a football game where Y.A.Tittle was quarterback it was the last play of the game, he dropped back into the pocket and the line appeared to collapse and the commentator said the game is over. And then, the commentator got excited and said Y. A. Tittle somehow escaped from the defenders and avoided the sack and ended up throwing a touchdown and winning the game. I guess the moral of the story was to never give up and persevere. Even when things seemed hopeless and bleak. If, Y. A. Tittle would have given up and taken the sack they would have lost the game. There is always hope, we must keep persevering.
4. Something else I found interesting, President Monson quoted Joseph Smith from 1830 and said something like this, during the first eight years of our lives Satan has no power over us to tempt us. President Monson mentioned we have an eight year head start on Satan. And President Monson mentioned a scientific researcher, sorry I don't remember the name, who did a study with very interesting results. President Monson said the researcher probably had never heard the quote from Joseph Smith, but the results of his research indicated that newborn children are like computers, except more advanced, they are continually taking in information. The information received during The first eight years of a child's life will be with him forever. If a child receives misinformation during this time. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to change or erase the information. Years two to three were the most formative. This is why it is so important to teach children correct principles while they're young. Especially during the first eight years of life. What we learned during the first eight years of our lives molds us into who we are, and how we live the rest of our lives.
5. President Monson started out talking about the Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations. We have many great expectations. Christ is the author of our great expectations, he said.
These are just a few of the things I remembered from listening to the fireside. I hope I didn't butcher his talk too much. If anyone else heard the talk, feel free to comment to add corrections or your own insight. I'm not sure when BYU TV will be re-airing this fireside but if you would like to listen to it, go to LDS.org and you can see a video stream or listen to an audio stream of the fireside.
1. avoid pitfalls and detours like peer pressure and temptation.
2."beware the flashy start and the fadeout finish"
3. President Monson told the story of listening to a football game where Y.A.Tittle was quarterback it was the last play of the game, he dropped back into the pocket and the line appeared to collapse and the commentator said the game is over. And then, the commentator got excited and said Y. A. Tittle somehow escaped from the defenders and avoided the sack and ended up throwing a touchdown and winning the game. I guess the moral of the story was to never give up and persevere. Even when things seemed hopeless and bleak. If, Y. A. Tittle would have given up and taken the sack they would have lost the game. There is always hope, we must keep persevering.
4. Something else I found interesting, President Monson quoted Joseph Smith from 1830 and said something like this, during the first eight years of our lives Satan has no power over us to tempt us. President Monson mentioned we have an eight year head start on Satan. And President Monson mentioned a scientific researcher, sorry I don't remember the name, who did a study with very interesting results. President Monson said the researcher probably had never heard the quote from Joseph Smith, but the results of his research indicated that newborn children are like computers, except more advanced, they are continually taking in information. The information received during The first eight years of a child's life will be with him forever. If a child receives misinformation during this time. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to change or erase the information. Years two to three were the most formative. This is why it is so important to teach children correct principles while they're young. Especially during the first eight years of life. What we learned during the first eight years of our lives molds us into who we are, and how we live the rest of our lives.
5. President Monson started out talking about the Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations. We have many great expectations. Christ is the author of our great expectations, he said.
These are just a few of the things I remembered from listening to the fireside. I hope I didn't butcher his talk too much. If anyone else heard the talk, feel free to comment to add corrections or your own insight. I'm not sure when BYU TV will be re-airing this fireside but if you would like to listen to it, go to LDS.org and you can see a video stream or listen to an audio stream of the fireside.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Fireside
As someone who spent much time attending YSA (young single adult) wards, I used to enjoy attending the CES ( church educational system ) firesides once a month. This month the speaker will be the prophet, so I thought I would inform everybody who would like to see it. If you get BYU TV you can watch it this Sunday at five o'clock Pacific. If you don't get BYU TV, I think you can watch it on the Internet on LDS.org. Even if you're not a young single adult, I am sure it will be well worth watching.
From the church website: A CES (Church educational system) fireside for young adults will be transmitted over the Church satellite system on Sunday, January 11, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The speaker will be President Thomas S. Monson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The broadcast will originate from the Marriott Center on the Brigham Young University campus.
From the church website: A CES (Church educational system) fireside for young adults will be transmitted over the Church satellite system on Sunday, January 11, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The speaker will be President Thomas S. Monson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The broadcast will originate from the Marriott Center on the Brigham Young University campus.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Door Damage
Here are some pictures of the results of my adventures yesterday, when my wheelchair malfunctioned :-(
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Demolition Derby
I had a doctor's appointment today with a new doctor. I had to cancel my last appointment last week because of snow. So I didn't want to cancel again, regardless of the flooding we've been having today. We saw at least three or four signs on the road that said water on road. We had to drive through several patches of deep water. But we got there okay. Anyway he seems like a nice doctor so that was cool. Then I had to get some blood tests which wasn't cool. They seem to have a hard time finding my veins now. After poking and prodding my hand she finally gave up and tried my antecubital fossa. Anyway, they finally got my blood. I am such a baby when it comes to getting poked and people taking my blood. I have no problem doing that to other people :-) I'm weird that way. I've scrubbed into numerous surgeries and they don't bother me in the least, I gave blood once and passed out :-) go figure. Anyway, it has been raining very hard all day, as a matter of fact, since midnight we have received 1.94 inches of rain according to our weather station. Since we've had this weather station, approximately 1 year, we have never received 1 inch of rain in a day. Needless to say, people are being told to evacuate. Thankfully, we live on a hill so we won't be affected. My brother just received a call from the city telling them to evacuate. Everybody in Orting in the Valley has been told to evacuate. Well, that really has nothing to do with the reason I started this blog post today, which was to tell you about what happened after we got home from the doctor's office. Apparently, all that driving on bumpy roads and such, jarred the wire loose on the button on my wheelchair. Unbeknownst to me. So it's been raining really hard and I was trying to get into the house fast so I wouldn't get my hair wet. Anyway, when I tried to stop to go slowly into the house I crashed into the door and my wheels kept spinning as my button did not stop the wheelchair. It ripped the molding off the wall and ripped half the door off. Boy, the craftsmanship nowadays is wonderful. Luckily, I ran into the door instead of falling off the sidewalk or cliff and tipping over, which very easily could have happened. I finally figured out that the wire probably came loose and had to be plugged back into the computer on my wheelchair. Which was an easy fix.but, a little too late to prevent major damage to the house. I don't know how my feet or legs fared, hopefully I didn't break my feet or legs :-) anyway, that's my adventure for the day.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Bargain Shoppers
For all of you bargain shoppers out there, I found a blog you might find interesting. There are lots of ideas on how to bargain shop, heads ups about how to shop the clearance aisles at Target and when things go on clearance, and links to coupons etc. So, I'm including the link if you'd like to check it out. You can either click on the title or the link below.
http://thebargainjargon.blogspot.com/
http://thebargainjargon.blogspot.com/
Monday, January 5, 2009
Adversity
As all of us must endure adversity to some degree, I thought this quote was apropos. Once again, I found this quote in an article in this month's Ensign (January 2009).
Elder B. H. Roberts of the Seventy (1857–1933) said that “those who have to contend with difficulties, brave dangers, endure disappointments, struggle with sorrows, eat the bread of adversity and drink the water of affliction, develop a moral and spiritual strength, together with a purity of life and character, unknown to the heirs of ease, and wealth and pleasure."
Elder B. H. Roberts of the Seventy (1857–1933) said that “those who have to contend with difficulties, brave dangers, endure disappointments, struggle with sorrows, eat the bread of adversity and drink the water of affliction, develop a moral and spiritual strength, together with a purity of life and character, unknown to the heirs of ease, and wealth and pleasure."
Doctrine and Covenants
I was reading the Ensign online today. There were quite a few articles about the Doctrine and Covenants, as that is our subject of study in Sunday school this year. I liked this quote in one of the articles, so I thought I would post it.
President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) taught, “The Doctrine and Covenants is the binding link between the Book of Mormon and the continuing work of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith and his successors.” He testified, “The Book of Mormon brings men to Christ. The Doctrine and Covenants brings men to Christ’s kingdom, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. … The Book of Mormon is the ‘keystone’ of our religion, and the Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone, with continuing latter-day revelation.”
President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) taught, “The Doctrine and Covenants is the binding link between the Book of Mormon and the continuing work of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith and his successors.” He testified, “The Book of Mormon brings men to Christ. The Doctrine and Covenants brings men to Christ’s kingdom, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. … The Book of Mormon is the ‘keystone’ of our religion, and the Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone, with continuing latter-day revelation.”
Saturday, January 3, 2009
You're so Vain
You're so vain, you probably think this blog is about you... I learned that from a missionary companion who apparently had the same last name as the person who sang the song. Anyway, the topic I would like to discuss today is cosmetic surgery. I have always been somewhat puzzled by people who seek cosmetic surgery. I'm not talking about plastic surgery for people who actually need it such as people with deformities or scars. Plastic surgery can be a wonderful blessing to people with real needs such as cleft palate, et cetera. I'm talking about purely cosmetic procedures such as nose jobs, face lifts, tummy tucks, implants, liposuction, etc.. The reason people seek these cosmetic procedures is because of a lack of self-esteem. If people could accept themselves for who they are, they wouldn't need to put themselves through dangerous, painful surgery.
While I was a resident at a hospital in Texas, I scrubbed into several cosmetic surgeries. Therefore, I have first-hand experience as to what actually goes on during these surgeries. Most cosmetic surgeries are not minor surgeries. They make foot surgery look like a walk in the park. I was going to explain what actually goes on during one of the procedures but I decided against it. Suffice it to say there is a lot of cutting, pulling, tugging, blood loss, sewing. These are not minimally invasive surgeries.
So, why do people subject themselves to this, all in the name of vanity? There is way too much emphasis on our physical appearance in our society. Everywhere we look, we are told through magazines, television, movies, etc. that if we don't look a certain way, society's standard of beauty, that we are no good. Since when does our physical appearance have anything to do with the type of person we are inside? But this is the message we get bombarded with, through the media. It's no wonder so many people seek cosmetic surgery, when their self-worth is based upon what they look like.
It is very sad to see people, who are average to above average looking, subject themselves to cosmetic surgery, all in the name of vanity. Many people end up looking worse, through botched procedures or unskilled surgeons. And many people end up dead. It's a shame that so many people buy into the notion that they aren't worth anything unless they look a certain way.
To me, cosmetic surgery goes hand-in-hand with body piercings and tattoos in terms of defiling your body.
1 Corinthians 3:17 "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
We have been given our bodies as a gift from God. We need to treat them with the utmost respect. We have been told by President Hinckley, who was a prophet of God, that we are not to defile our bodies by tattoos and body piercings. I also consider cosmetic surgery as defiling our bodies. We should be thankful for what we've been given, even if our nose is a little crooked, or we have wrinkles under our eyes.
1 Corinthians 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. "
As probably all of you know, who are reading this blog, I have many scars, some of which are very visible. My body doesn't work like it used to. Yet, I am so thankful to have my body. As broken, and scarred as it is. I am thankful for my scars, for it took a long time for my wounds to heal. An unsightly scar is a much better option than an open wound. Thankfully, I have never had an issue with low self-esteem. Because I know that I'm a child of God, and He loves me. So, regardless of what I look like physically, I know that my Heavenly Father loves me, and I am of great worth.
That's my two cents.
While I was a resident at a hospital in Texas, I scrubbed into several cosmetic surgeries. Therefore, I have first-hand experience as to what actually goes on during these surgeries. Most cosmetic surgeries are not minor surgeries. They make foot surgery look like a walk in the park. I was going to explain what actually goes on during one of the procedures but I decided against it. Suffice it to say there is a lot of cutting, pulling, tugging, blood loss, sewing. These are not minimally invasive surgeries.
So, why do people subject themselves to this, all in the name of vanity? There is way too much emphasis on our physical appearance in our society. Everywhere we look, we are told through magazines, television, movies, etc. that if we don't look a certain way, society's standard of beauty, that we are no good. Since when does our physical appearance have anything to do with the type of person we are inside? But this is the message we get bombarded with, through the media. It's no wonder so many people seek cosmetic surgery, when their self-worth is based upon what they look like.
It is very sad to see people, who are average to above average looking, subject themselves to cosmetic surgery, all in the name of vanity. Many people end up looking worse, through botched procedures or unskilled surgeons. And many people end up dead. It's a shame that so many people buy into the notion that they aren't worth anything unless they look a certain way.
To me, cosmetic surgery goes hand-in-hand with body piercings and tattoos in terms of defiling your body.
1 Corinthians 3:17 "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
We have been given our bodies as a gift from God. We need to treat them with the utmost respect. We have been told by President Hinckley, who was a prophet of God, that we are not to defile our bodies by tattoos and body piercings. I also consider cosmetic surgery as defiling our bodies. We should be thankful for what we've been given, even if our nose is a little crooked, or we have wrinkles under our eyes.
1 Corinthians 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. "
As probably all of you know, who are reading this blog, I have many scars, some of which are very visible. My body doesn't work like it used to. Yet, I am so thankful to have my body. As broken, and scarred as it is. I am thankful for my scars, for it took a long time for my wounds to heal. An unsightly scar is a much better option than an open wound. Thankfully, I have never had an issue with low self-esteem. Because I know that I'm a child of God, and He loves me. So, regardless of what I look like physically, I know that my Heavenly Father loves me, and I am of great worth.
That's my two cents.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year
I would like to wish everybody a healthy, happy, prosperous 2009. I hope you can all spend the day relaxing and watching college bowl games :-) Happy New Year.
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