One Chapter About to End

I am so ready for fall! It's been a long and very hot summer with half a dozen records for excessive heat being set here in the tops of the Rocky Mountains. I have watched my lush, green yard being overtaken by encroaching weeds since it was too hot to spray for them and cut off the dead blooms of flowers who completed their season of bringing joy to my life and will now lay dormant until next spring. I have picked, enjoyed and shared fresh strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and squash and have mostly recovered from being the victim of fraud.

I have listened to the horrors and injustices of a society who seems to have lost its ability to think rationally or appreciate any of the freedoms daily enjoyed for most of my life. The very loud and angry voices of the socialists and communist who have taken over some of our blue states and are spewing forth hatred for our president, people unlike themselves, law-abiding citizens, our founding fathers, families, parental guidance or even the value of an unborn baby or child's life have filled my heart with great sorrow, along with the strong desire to reiterate my great love for my Eternal Father in Heaven and the gift of his only begotten son, my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Perhaps these feelings have been intensified the past few days since my ex-husband has finally agreed to accept a very generous plea deal barely a month before his scheduled trial for molesting my granddaughter began. It's been three long years since the state filed 3 felony charges against him. While he admitted to molesting his stepdaughter one time over thirty years ago, she claimed it happened many times over a period of years. I believe her and not just because of the way he treated me during twenty-two horrendous years of marriage that stripped me of everything but my testimony and life and left me with two choices--either stay in a very abusive situation and be dead in six months or file for a divorce and be left almost destitute to start over again in mid-life. 

I try not to think about what he may have done to innocent little girls during the time we were married, but have been told by numerous therapists that molesters do not wait until they are fifty to start committing such atrocities. What he did to my granddaughter, a stepdaughter and two known step-granddaughter is horrifying beyond belief, but it is the fact that the woman he married would call her own children and grandchildren liars and literally toss them away with such vile hatred just to stay married to him is beyond my comprehension. What kind of mental derangement could cause such a loss of maternal instincts and love? I just want to hold her little lost ones and tell them they are not forgotten.

Of course, my ex could always change his mind before the plea deal is  entered into court records on October 1, but that would only make the judge mad because he's already informed my ex's lawyer that he would be granted no further extensions since he had already dragged this charade on long enough. But no matter what happens, there is still the sentencing to get through. My granddaughter is justifiably angry because he is taking the easy way out and she won't be able to face him in court like she feels is her right, but he will still be getting six to life and this is a sure deal. There is certainly no counting on a jury to get the sentencing right when we have been reduced to a society who glorifies criminals and expects innocent victims to take it on the chin and remain silent.

Maybe that's why reading this portion of a funeral address designed to honor Athenian warriors who had died fighting Sparta long before Christ's birth touched me so profoundly. Pericles gave this amazing oratorical declamation on the Athenian way of life as it then existed, and it reminded so much of the childhood I grew up in during the 1950s and 60s in rural Idaho. He said:

"Our government is called a democracy because it is in the hands of many and not the few. Our laws secure equal justice for all in their private disputes, and our public opinion welcomes and honors talents in every kind of achievement, not for any sectional reason, but on grounds of excellence alone. And as we give free play to all in our public life, so we carry the same spirit into our daily relations among ourselves. We are not angry with our neighbor if he does what he likes, nor do we put on our sour looks at him which, though harmless, are unpleasant.

"Open and friendly in our private relations, in our public acts we keep strictly within the law. We recognize the restraint of reverence; we are obedient to officials and laws, especially to the laws that protect the oppressed and to the unwritten laws whose violation brings admitted shame. Yet ours is no work-a-day city only. No other provides so many recreations for the spirit--contests and sacrifices all year round, and beauty in our public buildings to cheer the heart and delight the eye day by day. Moreover, this city is so large and powerful that the wealth of the whole world flows into her, so that our own products seem no more homelike to us than those of other nations.

"We love beauty without extravagance, and wisdom without unmanliness. We employ wealth, not as a means to vanity and ostentation, but as an opportunity for service. To acknowledge poverty is no disgrace; the true disgrace is in making no effort to overcome it. An Athenian citizen does not neglect public affairs because he is too concerned with his private businesss. We regard a person who takes no interest in public affairs, not as quiet but useless. If few of us are originators, we are all sound judges of a policy. The great impediment to action is, in our opinion. not discussion, but the lack of full information which is gained by discussion prior to action."

Unfortunately, the spectacular breakthrough in righteous civilization which Pericles achieved lasted no longer than he did. In 429 B.C. , the same year  as his death, Greece was involved in the suicidal civil war known as Peloponnesian Wars. The golden age of Athens promptly began to fall apart and for fifty years Socrates tried to find some Greek with enough sense to lead the country out of a disastrous movement that advocated political unity for all. But Rome had found an inroad and the enlightened period of highly prized Greek culture was soon over.

I pray every morning and night that we as freedom loving Americans will go to the polls in November and fight for the freedoms that are under such constant and volatile attack. Government control of our way of life is not the answer and working for what we have is the greatest blessing imaginable. It teaches us thrift, accountability, appreciation, honesty, industry, reliability, personal satisfaction, the ability to use God-given talents, love for others, genuine service and a hundred other positives that bring joy and keep us from being complaining, self-serving, greedy, angry and non-productive citizens of the greatest country on earth.

May each of you feel the joy I do in knowing great truths that so many others throw away in the name of change or progress. Sometimes we just have to be still for a fews minutes, stop thinking about ourselves and our immediate needs and wants, and give God a chance to show us his majesty, power and love. He created this amazing country for a reason and expects us to keep it free for those who cherish freedom as much as we do.

I feel sorry for my ex in many ways. He was always very prideful, demanded that things be done his way and gloried in making a name for himself, regardless of what it cost those he professed to love. I cannot imagine being locked away in some box--regardless of the fact that the Utah State prison is only a couple of years old. But even more frightening is knowing how easily our country could fall into the ruthless hands of those whose only wish is to enslave us all. Individual freedom is worth fighting for and we still have a chance to keep our constitution intact. God's stamp of approval is on it, but it's up to us as his children to keep it from being shredded. 

Family

I've had family on my mind since Memorial Day. Maybe it's just my age because 80 will be the next big milestone and some days I really feel what all those years have done to my body, attitude and physical stamina. But it is looking in the mirror that makes me cower in both shock and horror. Each new line, wrinkle, age spot, white cyst around my eye, lump or sag of skin makes me long for days now past because my first thought in getting ready for the day is to place a brown paper bag over my head and be done with it--rather than applying a little make up that used to enhance the size of my eyes and make my skin look hydrated instead of like the dry, drifting sand of some desert. 

But I am discovering the old truism that a smile from the heart really can make an older woman look sweet and beautiful, as long as her previous years have not been spent in scowling, complaining and being a generally miserable person. And to make aging even sweeter, I am no longer worried about all the things that used to take so much of my time and energy. A few weeds in my flowerbeds no longer sends me into some fit of frenzy, fixing meals means making enough for five or six days of leftovers and shopping is little more than a waste of energy because having the latest gadgets just mean something else to learn that holds no real interest for me and the latest fashions are just plain ugly or simply a revamping of what I used to wear.

Instead of traveling the world, I'm content watching documentaries about other countries or simply seeing pictures of them in books because the thought of going anywhere too far from my own bed, having to deal with airports, customs and people I can't understand and being forced to eat food that most likely no longer agrees with my digestive system simply makes me tired. I'm finding that my most enjoyable days are spent in basic solitude with all the noise and confusion of the world shut out while reading, listening to enjoyable music, doing little crafty projects, contemplating life and trying to figure out how I can most effectively use what remains of my time in coming to know God and my Savior, Jesus Christ on a more personal level. 

Along with that comes trying to decide what I want to leave as my minor imprint on this world when my time to leave it actually arrives. That's where family comes in--all the good, bad, messy, heartbreaking and ugly that often defines our relationships with those who share our bloodline or were adopted into it. I wish I knew the secret to healing some of the rifts found between siblings, parents and extended family but have come to believe some of those attitudes and behaviors will have to wait until the next life to be resolved. We mortals simply lack the willingness and ability to see things as clearly as we should. We're much too involved with self actualization and fulfillment, gaining material assets and doing whatever we want as long as it makes us feel good for the moment. 

But deciding what that imprint will be hasn't been easy. Long ago I knew I wanted to be remembered as being kind. That seemed like a noble ambition but was a little altruistic--sort of like all the beauty contestants wanting world peace. So I took a deeper look and that's what has keep me busy the past seven months. It started with finishing my life history--a volume that ended up being over 500 pages long because I wanted it to serve a number of different purposes. I wanted my younger siblings to know what it was like growing up with daddy, my children to better understand why their home-life on our small farming acreage was not that great and my posterity to gain an appreciation of my deep love for God and my Savior and that challenges overcome are the only way to personal growth and maturity of spirit.

Next, I made counted cross-stitch bear pictures depicting what I felt defined each person in my family best like secretary, business person, homemaker or fisherman. Then I quilted, by hand, thirteen baby quilts for my grandchildren that I truly hope will be used for human posterity instead of just cats and dogs which are all the rage of young adults these days. After using the remainder of my large pieces of fabric and the last of my batting on two queen-size quilts, I moved on to putting together 4-inch scrapbooks for my son and daughter that used up a majority of the supplies I'd had in two tubs in my garage for years. When that was done, I sanded, stained and applied photos to wood kits for them.

During June and July, while the temperatures remained from 95 to 105 everyday, I finished two additional books. The first was a compilation of the stories my Grandma Ririe and Uncle Douglas Ririe wrote titled To Laugh, Cry and be Surprised. The second was taking a rough draft of Grandma Ririe's teen novel and rewriting 95 percent of it since it was written in the 1950's and talked about the Cold War with Russia that teenagers today know little to nothing about. I sent that off to be published last week under the title she had given it of Mystery of the Crying Cave. Needless to say, Christmas this year for my children and grandchildren will be centered on the homemade and family history. Whether they appreciate it or not remains to be seen, but I hope they will feel my love and devotion to each of them and how important family is to me, even though we see very little of each other.

With all of that complete, I am now ready to move on to other things. I know that will include more writing since that gift has become such a huge part of me. I no longer care that few others appreciate what I do and even criticize, belittle and mock my endeavors to my face because I'm not into going to the gym on a daily basis, golfing, traveling, shopping, doing lunch or talking on the phone like all my other siblings find so enticing. After all, I am a farm girl and it's the simple things of life that mean the most to me. I love it when people are walking their dogs and stop to tell me how beautiful my flowers are, or when I give a talk or a lesson and someone appreciates what I've said. But I've never really needed to be seen or let my presence be known. In fact, I run for cover most of the time so I won't be noticed because I really don't know what to say to anyone. 

My life has not gone according to any plan I would have made and my disappointments and heartaches have been great, but along with that has come a deep and abiding love for my Heavily Father, my Savior, Jesus Christ, and my family; especially my ancestors who are responsible for where I was born, the overpowering traits I inherited from a select few of them and the kind of foundation received so I would want to be a productive, kind and informed adult. My mission here is unlike that of any other, and yet we all share similarities that are far stronger than some of our differences. 

What an honor it is to be alive and know that I am helping to prepare the world for the return of our Savior, Lord and King. There is no way of knowing how things will unfold until that eventful day arrives. I feel somewhat surprised by many of the things I hear and learn but am so grateful that I do not fear as so many people in the world do today. Even though our constitution is hanging by a thread, I have great hope that the citizens of our great country will remember our founding fathers and the divine assistance they received from above in framing our constitution and Bill of Rights. If we stand together as God-fearing and loving individuals we will survive and even thrive during the difficulties that are coming. 

I know that with every beat of my heart and hope there will be many more before my time on earth is up. Still, I feel an urgency to accomplish everything I possibly can in letting others know that they are seen, heard and loved. Notwithstanding the unexpected, I finally have my affairs in order. My son has copies of my will and my trust, passwords, phone numbers, life insurance and investment policies. He knows I do not want a funeral or a lot a lot of fuss. A simple graveside interment will be enough. And while I have a few items I hope will stay in the family because they have great sentimental meaning to me, I am realistic enough to know that my children and grandchildren will not value them as I do. 

I saw that after my next door neighbor died nearly a year ago now when her children brought three dumpsters to the front of her house and tossed nearly everything she had into them. Had I been less emotionally involved I would have put out a notice that a young couple could furnish their first apartment by doing a little dumpster diving. But instead I waited until right before the third one was hauled away. That's when I saw that her white, iron, settee that had sat by her front door for the ten years I had known her had been tossed inside. I pulled it out and put it in my back yard so it could stay where it belonged. 

Guess it will be like that for most of us when we pass to the other side so we need to start letting go of some of the physical now. At least that's what I am trying to do. If there's something I would like a family member, neighbor or friend to have, I'm giving it to them now. Otherwise, they'll never get it. A lifetime in three dumpsters was a real wakeup call for me. 

Here's a picture of some of the projects I finished as a visual that I actually did them.

250 Celebration Coming

I woke up this morning to a skiff of snow in the very tops of the Rocky Mountains that are just a few miles away from where I live. That was joyous in itself because we have been in a serious drought for several years that has not lessened during these early spring months. In fact we've already have over 350 fires in the state--mostly started by man--and have lost three brave firemen. All the grass in our communities is turning white from water restrictions and even the leaves on our trees are turning brittle and dropping to the ground. 

While I am faithfully trying to keep my flowers and garden alive, even the insects necessary to pollinate vegetables have been scarce and all our fruit trees had their blossoms frozen in the early spring and will produce nothing this year. I awaken each morning to a sun whose rays are trying to break through the heavy smoke that fills the air, makes my eyes water and my nose and throat close off whenever I am outside for more than a few minutes at a time. I am not looking forward to July and August when the temperatures often soar to over a hundred and the power bills skyrocket just trying to remain somewhat cool inside. 

The situation in our state has become so critical that the governor declared a state of emergency and just announced on Friday that he has signed an executive order outlawing fireworks for the 250 year celebration of our country. Of course the city mayors can use their discretion in what transpires within their jurisdiction, but I have pretty much resolved that watching them on television this year will not show my lack of patriotism. That can be done in other ways while our limited resources are preserved and no homes will be subjected to unintentional burning.

Still, my feelings are very mixed as I contemplate how my 4th of July will be spent this year. I love our country dearly. I love the beautiful countryside, the amazing natural wonders and the kind-hearted people. But mostly I love the God-given freedoms so many evil persons are trying to strip from us and the proud and courageous men and women who are fighting in any way they can to protect what I hold so dear. I truly believe we as individual, and united, Americans were born in this country for a reason, and those who wish to join our citizenry should be expected to assimilate into our communities, stand for the same ideals and virtues and be willing to stand beside us as we fight to maintain the standards and way of life our ancestors gave their all for so their posterity could remain free. After all, isn't freedom to pursue one's dreams the overriding reason most immigrants come here? And if it isn't, it should be.

It breaks my heart when I read news articles about what is happening, mostly in our big, Democrat-run cities where the socialists and communists are no longer hiding. Ever since the end of World War II, they have been infiltrating our communities, towns, churches, schools and our local, state and national government agencies. They have diluted our citizenry, overrun our institutions of higher learning, weakened our spiritual fabric, commandeered our wealth and set themselves up in positions where they can influence and instigate laws that directly oppose our Constitution and Bill of Rights. But more importantly, they have conquered the human minds of our children and set them on a course to servitude masked as free everything until the money runs out.

But even with all the negative that abounds in the world, and all the unsound judgments the Supreme Court Court is making in favor of the far and radical left, I have hope that our Constitution will prevail and our flag of beautiful Stars and Stripes will still be flying long after my remains have turned to dust. Our God and Eternal Father promoted the founding of our country for His purposes and He will never let our Constitution be trampled on to the point on destruction. Those fighting for our freedom may be few in number at the end and facing unbelievable challenges, but with God's help they will prevail until our Savior returns once more and the purpose for this earth's existence is complete.

I never fail to marvel at the completeness of His glorious plan for His children. Regardless of the time they were appointed to come here, their lives were filled with desires, dreams, struggles, promises and hope. On Memorial Day last month I had sort of an epiphany when it came to my ancestors. Like many of you I am deeply interested in finding out more about my family, but this particular day I wad drawn to the stories my grandmother and uncle had written. During the months my mother was dying from cancer, her request for me was to take all of the manuscripts she had inherited and compile, type, edit and put copies of them in binders so each of her children would have them. 

My dismay at her request was sound because I wanted to spend time with her as my sisters were doing, but I can now see why she asked such a hard thing of me. I was the only one in our entire family with the desire or skills necessary to complete such an arduous task, and had I not done as she requested an important part of our family history would have been lost. I have glanced through that binder of stories, reading and poetry a number of times, but none of my siblings or cousins have. 

But on that particular day when I was unable to visit any family graves because they were too far away, I felt impressed to pull that binder off the shelf and look through it. My eyes filled with tears almost immediately with love for my grandmother and uncle who were the only ones to support me during a certain life trial when I was eighteen and left completely on my own. I knew in that moment how important it was to protect the heritage they had left, and luckily after twenty-five years I still had the original manuscript on a flash drive that was compatible with my computer. That meant I wouldn't have to start from scratch again since I have never learned how to type the right way.

I spent the entire day copying and pasting over 300 pages into a book template so I could do the necessary revisions, editing and formatting for printing. The more I read, worked and thought, the more love I felt for persons I had not seen for decades, and with each story I could feel a part of them reaching out me. I could feel their love, confusion, pain, uncertainty, creativity, longings and hope descend into my inner most core. Their lives had not been easy, especially that of my uncle who dealt with chronic mental health issues that were kept hidden as much as humanly possible during the time he lived. I found myself both crying and laughing as my understanding increased.

What a marvelous gift I had been given, and because of God's prompting, I have now published their stories for everyone who is interested in mystery, science fiction, humor, family life in the past or a good cry to read in an anthology on Amazon titled To Laugh, Cry and be Surprised. I am now working on her final manuscript, a rough draft of a mystery for teenagers. It's interesting to revisit life in the 1950s and reflect on how much life has changed. While I am grateful for air-conditioning, microwave ovens, and a way to communicate almost always within reach, I miss the days when ice cream was churned by hand, neighbors visited over the fence and correct history was taught in schools. 

But since a return to less suffocating, confusing and simpler days is impossible, I cling to the hope my ancestors had. They wanted a better place for their posterity, just as I do for mine, and were willing to sacrifice everything they possessed to insure it. 

As we prepare to celebrate this milestone in our country's history on Saturday, may we remember all the lives and livelihoods that were lost by those who founded this great nation and those who have protected it during the ensuing years. But mostly may we consult our hearts as to what we are willing to do to preserve the freedoms we still enjoy for those yet to come. May we plant our flags proudly in front of our homes, sing patriotic songs and let others know that we have not been conquered by those whose only desire is to cause devision, fear, hatred and destroy the very fabric of our beautiful country. May we stand with other patriots who feel as we do and not let anything stop us from proclaiming our love for the country God so graciously gave us to uphold, build and protect. Ours truly is a destiny too magnificent to be lost by indifference, prejudice or fear.

Shaken by Insidious Fraud

I was raised to trust people, to help and serve them. While I had heard first-hand or read about many instances where evil people had preyed on the innocent and taken advantage of the less informed, I never wanted to believe that anyone within the circle of my influence, on the outskirts, or even those I had very little contact with would have hearts so filled with greed, avarice and inhumanity that they were even capable of being part of some diabolical plot to hurt others. But my experience of two weeks ago let me know that Satan's influence is alive and thriving in our world of deceit, anger and the war for men's souls.

Understanding the Savior's Atonement has been on my mind a great deal this year. I understood it on a certain level and just knowing that Christ died for my sins if I was willing to take advantage of the gifts of repentance and forgiveness was enough. But lately I have wanted to more fully understand what he went through so that each of God's children could return home to him if they truly chose to do so. To aid in my study and hopeful reawakening I was reading the book The Savior's Final Week by Andrew C. Skinner.

His insight and understanding awakened so many feeling in my heart as I read about our Savior's suffering that began in the Garden of Gethsemane and ended on the cross. To comprehend the magnitude and majesty of his suffering is impossible for the finite mind but as I found myself becoming more fully engaged in what he was going though, I felt my heart reach out to him in ways that seemed miraculous in comparison to previous experiences. 

Christ knows and understands every trial, heartache, fear or sin I have ever encountered because he experienced them for me long before I ever went through them. He knew the pain I felt as my heart crumpled in tears of aloneness, torment, sorrow, disbelief and uncertainty and I knelt on my knees, often for what seemed like hours at a time, so overcome with grief and near despair that I was unable to utter anything more than, "Please Help Me". 

It was during this time of spiritual renewal that I was tested in a way I had never imagined before--having someone steal through premeditated fraud all that I had been able to save for many years and put me in a place where I once again would be living paycheck to paycheck and having to reply solely on my heavenly Father in making it through whatever financial burdens arose. I had lived like that most of my of my life but during retirement had been able to squirrel away a little nest egg that allowed me to replace my roof and help my children when they were under financial difficulty.

Losing $7200, which may not seem like much to many people but was enormous to me since it was all I had in reserve, brought me to a very unrecognizable place I would not wish on anyone. But once I had met with my bankers, filled out police reports, had accounts frozen and new ones opened and basically remade as much of my life as I could after knowing that criminals had been able to dig up everything they needed about my life online to perpetrate a great injustice, my mind soon returned to a semblance of pervious calmness and I was able to put one foot in front of another again. 

Not that it was easy. I couldn't swallow anything but water and a few sips of a protein drink at a time for over a week and lost ten pounds. I also become so weak, unsteady and dizzy I could barely stand on my own. I felt violated and afraid to move for fear someone else would attack me when I was more than vulnerable. I felt defeated, sick at heart and not sure I would ever be able to smile or look at others without fear again. 

But I am finally beginning to see the experience as a lesson I needed to learn when it comes to truly understanding and accepting the Savior’s Atonement for me as an individual Daughter of God, not just one of the billions of persons who have to come earth and may be better or worse than I am. God could have intervened in what was happening but in answer to my very heartfelt prayers, allowed me to go through an experience--unlike anything I had ever been through before--to gain some of the understanding about the Atonement I had been praying for. 

He let me experience firsthand some of the awful things Christ's Atonement had covered for me like fear, anger, remorse, self-blame, stress, heartache, embarrassment and worry to let me know that my becoming a victim of someone else’s greed and inhumanity did not lesson my importance to my Heavenly Father, regardless of what it might cost me monetarily or through loss of pride and self-esteem.

He allowed me access to a place where my heart was finally ready to refocus on what mattered most and provided comfort so I could sleep when circular thinking and self-recrimination would not ease. He allowed clarity of mind to return and gave me courage to take each unfamiliar step as I tried to reorder and reclaim my life. He assisted in the compilation of a list of all the companies I would have to inform and get protection put on my credit so the perpetrators would not be able to use any of the information they had on me again. He even helped me draw up a plan on how I could cut back on living expenses and start saving again while not getting behind on any of my bills.

I have finally come to understand that Satan knows exactly when, where and how to most successfully attack and has plenty of time to plan those attacks with precision, pleasure and perfect clarity because he has nothing to lose. He has already lost everything of value and has been cast into a pit where fire and brimstone will be his for eternity and wants every mortal he can get to join him.

His delight in the downfall of any mortal—who has far more than he will ever have—is purely diabolical because in his twisted sense of reality it means that one person, who chose the right side in the beginning, can still be influenced and brought within his evil power. That was part of the plan for our moral probation too. Satan would be given the chance to turn heavenly Father’s children away from him. That cunning, evil one knows our weak moments of loneliness, fear, uncertainty, confusion, vulnerability, unbecoming pride or any other chink in our spiritual armor.

Satan finds great pleasure in seeing us unhappy and gleefully goes about making sure that desperation, pain and feelings of abandonment or unworthiness continue as long as possible after any tragic or humiliating experience. Fear, desire, uncertainty, pain and every other strong emotion can stop our ability to think clearly, muddy our intellect and cause us to do very uncharacteristic and stupid things. And once he has us in his clutches he proceeds to inflict even more pain by telling us how weak, stupid, unworthy and horrible we are for not catching on sooner and allowing someone else to use, abuse or deceive us. 

It is only when we turn to our Heavenly Father in earnest prayer, with a contrite heart and willingness to listen and accept responsibility for any part we may have played in even the worst situation, that we will find the help we truly need. That isn’t easy because our pride so often gets in the way. We may call it other things like shame, embarrassment or fear, but it is really just lack of faith and trust in God and not yet understanding the beauty and completeness of the Atonement. 

If we fully understood the Atonement we would not fight so hard before laying our sorrows, guilt and pain at our Savior’s feet and giving our Heavenly Father access to every part of our heart and soul. Sometimes I think we forget that our Heavenly Father and our Savior already know all we have gone through, what we are going through now, and what we will yet have to face before our life is over. He just wants us to come to Him.

He will listen for as many hours as it takes to lay out all our troubles and will never say, “I told you so.” “That was stupid.” “You should have known better?” Or any of the hundreds of other things we may say about ourselves because in our perverted and limited reality we might actually believe that is true.

Heavenly Father will give us all the time we need to accept his calming influence, even if we go back to him through prayer a thousand times with the same request. But once we are ready to tell him that we are willing to take any stripes necessary in this life to return to the path that will lead us back to his presence, the light that has been obliterated by misdeeds and the cruel actions of others will return and we will feel comfort, help and peace.

Even the most horrific of tragedies do not last forever and there is always a way out of any bad situation—with the right kind of help. I suppose one of the most important things I have learned about the Atonement through this experience is that Christ's Atonement covers everyone, and I do mean everyone, and not just those who are trying to live like him. Even the vilest of sinners are covered and my responsibility is to forgive every man or woman of their trespasses—especially against me. Christ is the judge and all will be made right one day.

How can we ever think our heavenly Father and our Savior do not understand? God knew what each of his children would have to endure once they began their mortal journey. He also knew the needed experiences each child would have to go through that would bring him or her back to his presence. He knew which of his children would struggle the most and how much longer it would take some of them to learn the vital lessons that must be learned. 

He gave us a Savior who would learn, through his own earthy experience, exactly what all the evils and sorrows of the word would hold. His suffering is unimaginable and when God’s spirit finally withdrew during his most difficult hour he was left to experience what true hell was all about. It was being with one of his own brothers, and all those who followed him, in a world of evil, anguish, gnashing of teeth and things few mortals will ever understand.

What we think of as living in hell because of sin, misdeeds or certain trials are nothing when compared to what he endured so each one of us would not have to go through the depth of deprivation he did. He suffered for everyone’s sins, heartaches and misdeeds if we would accept his priceless gift. He did for us something we could never do for ourselves. His gift gives us everlasting life. How we choose to spend that eternity is up to us. 

Those are hard concepts for most of us to grasp. Our experiences here are so brief and not one of us wants to learn lessons the hard way. But sadly that is the only way some of us can get it and we should not condemn God or anyone else for giving us opportunities to gain knowledge, grow and understand. 

If no challenges arose we would go blithely on our way enjoying life, doing what we wanted and never really thinking about the consequences our actions bring to both ourselves and others. We would give ourselves permission to spend our days and nights doing exactly what we wanted watching television, playing games, surfing the net or getting into all kinds of trouble—even if we are not aware of it at the time.

Because our mind was fixated on self-indulgence there would never be eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts to feel any of the pain, stress or heartache of others. There would be no time for loving and serving family, friends or strangers, doing charitable acts of kindness or developing the gifts God gave to us that have to be discovered so they can be enjoyed and shared. 

Perhaps our lives would still be filled with joy and we would feel complete, but we would have missed the point in being here. That is why Christianity is such a gift. Even though we do not understand everything, we know enough to see the connections between this life, the one that came before and the one that will come after. My heart actually aches for those who claim to be agnostics or atheists. What a truly unimportant and shallow existence it would be only believing that we are here by chance and when this experience is over—that’s it.

 

God’s beautiful plan that personally involves each one of us is glorious beyond belief because not a single thing has been left to chance. Agency is an amazing gift to be used for either food or ill. But even if misused, there is always a way back. Let me repeat that again. God will give us as many chances as we need to get things right, but if we refuse to take them then we will a price--the price Christ already paid for us had we been willing to embrace it. 

All the moaning, blame, anger, retaliation or inability to let go will not change anything. Only God can heal our hearts, our minds, our emotions and our bodies and give us the help, comfort and courage to go on when life’s tragedies happen. And no matter how many things we do that are careless, hurtful or wrong, Christ’s Atonement covers each and every word or action. He knows exactly how we feel because he suffered it before we did. 

How can we not turn to our loving, kind and Eternal Father whom we can contact any time we want to through prayer and receive the answers we need through the Gift of the Holy Ghost? And how can we turn our back on our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, who willingly paid the price for everything bad we would ever experience and still hold our hand or carry us through any difficulty life brings?

Tears fill my eyes because I am finally starting to see how everything in God’s plan fits so perfectly together. We are given the challenges needed at the time and in the way that we will be most receptive to what it is we need to learn. By nature some of us are a little hard-hearted, contentious, ungrateful, rebellious, prideful, uncommunicative, unforgiving and uncharitable, but those are only stumbling stones, not roadblocks, to the eternal blessings we want. They are meant to slow us down, help us see more clearly and set us back on the path we should be taking. 

So while I still feel violated, unjustly abused and some of my security is gone, the blessings and understanding I have received during this unwanted time of trial cannot be discounted. We can lose everything of a monetary nature in a single moment but if our hearts are right with God and we trust in our Savior there is really nothing to fear. 

Perhaps I needed this experience to get me ready for what is coming. The world is certainly in a pivotal stage with everything in the Middle East in such commotion. So far only our fuel prices have been involved but if some of the leaders in our own country do not have a true change of heart things will get so much worse. It's up to each one of us to be prepared and I thank heavenly Father each day for the blessing he sends, even in the way of trials, that helps me more fully understand.

Feel Like Celebrating

 Ever had those days when you finish something big, on-going and stressful and wake up the next morning not knowing what to do with yourself? I had that experience on Saturday and have not gotten over the effects of it yet. Even working in my yard this morning was cut short because I feel so unsettled. Last Friday, I finished the final edit of my life history--over 500 pages--and then spent seven hours trying to get it self-published on Amazon in both Kindle and print form. It's been three years since I published a book and because this one had a few pictures in it, the layout issues those pictures brought by jumping from page to page on the Kindle version nearly drove me crazy. I finally resolved the problem by leaving any commentary on the them completely out. 

Now I hate not being able to do something so seemingly easy, but I figured the book was written for my family and I had several purposes for doing it--like helping my younger brothers and sisters know what it was like to grow up with daddy since he died when I was thirteen and my youngest sister was only thirteen months old. Next, I wanted my children to have an explanation of sorts as to why they saw such a disconnect between their parents and why my fear of my ex-husband stopped me from standing up for all of us the way I would have liked to do. Abuse in all its insidious forms can really mess people up--even to the point of imminent nervous breakdowns--especially if it has been lifelong events in one form or another. I also wanted whomever might read any of it to know that the only way I survived most of my life was due to my complete love and trust in my Savior and my Heavenly Father. (Autobiography- NOT SO BROKEN NOW by JS Ririe.)

It does my heart good to see Christians around the world working together in standing up for the principles Christ's earthly ministry taught, but even more important to my spiritual growth is coming to more fully recognize the value and scope of Christ's Atonement. I'm not sure I will ever fully comprehend its majesty, magnificence or all He suffered for the things I alone have caused or been asked to endure. But when I think about the billions and billions of people whose sins it covers, I truly stand all amazed at the love Jesus has for me. If you want to read an amazing book about the Savior's last week on earth look for The Savior's Final Hours by Andrew Skinner. He talks about customs of the day, the part of the Atonement that was covered in the Garden of Gethsemane and how He was able to make it through the final hours on the cross. He even talks about the importance of every word Christ uttered while hanging there.

My eyes filled with many tears just reading what I have and there is still half of it to go, but it helps me recognize just a little more how lucky I am to have been taught certain truths and know where I came from, why I am here and where I will be going once my mortal eyes close for good. It also helps me better understand the role I have to play during my final hours on earth and before our Savior's most triumphant return.

The past few months especially have helped me see more clearly how prophesy is fulfilled each day. I know many people condemn what is happening in the Middle East, but I see it as a glorious fulfillment of God's promise to His children in the Old Testament. Something major has to happen so the Jews can return home and rebuild their temple for Christ's return, even though they have yet to believe He has already been here. I pray for President Trump, all the patriots, members of the armed forces and those who want freedom so much they are willing to do anything necessary to have it. The gift our country is trying to give to people throughout the world is amazing, but it saddens me greatly that so many people in our country have been too blinded by hatred to see what a glorious time we are living in.

The things I have read and heard about during the past weeks with communist mayors, governors and members of congress are truly chilling. How can Americans who love liberty and understand even a little about our history be okay with flags of other countries and those that promote the killing of babies or mutilating our youth to fly in public places in their cities and counties? How can they chant death to the duly-elected president of our country and every Christian in our nation and feel like they are on the right path when nothing but hatred fills their hearts? Yes, we are a country of immigrants, but until the last twenty or thirty years those coming here had to be fully vetted, learn to speak English and take a test for citizenship before ever having that honor. 

They came here because the love of freedom ran so deeply in their hearts they were willing to give up everything they had to be free from the tyranny of the governments they were under. Most all my ancestors fall into that category. They left their homes, families, jobs and everything they held dear to come to America so they could build lives and fulfill dreams that were undermined at every turn in their countries of origin. My prayers of thanksgiving for their love, determination and sacrifice run deep because THIS IS MY COUNTRY and I stand by all they held dear because that's how I feel about America too.

While we have not be been perfect, we were founded on Christian principles and started out with the most divinely-inspired constitution on the planet. Our ancestors fought bloody battles on our own shores to keep despotic regimes and rulers who believed the common man had no rights at bay and give us more than any other people on earth. To see anyone rise up in open-opposition to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as free people and tout what they call the virtues of Socialism and Communism makes my nose tickle with tears that soon come. And all the those who shout Death to America should find some place else to live because if they love what their countries of origin stand for so much, then why are they here? 

And why have people who have been raised with every opportunity to learn, work and grow be willing to throw freedom away for some poultry sum of money that will only last as long as the evil men and women who want to be in charge of the whole world allow it? Why have our history books been changed to show America as being an evil entity when its only goal--despite some truly despicable leaders--has been to promote peace and personal freedom around the world? Why can people in other countries shout for joy when we step in to help them override evil rulers while people in our own country, who have received blessings too numerous to count, do nothing but say hateful things about the United States and try to persecute or prosecute anyone who opposes the New World Order they so vehemently defend?

It makes no sense to me, except when I remind myself that Satan will be given the chance to do his worst before our Savior's return. And I see evidence most everywhere of his evilness being accepted by numerous hosts of people everyday. My thoughts for hope as we help usher in our Savior's return always go back to complete belief and trust in my Savior and my God. They created this world and everything in it. They knew who would follow God's plan and who would join Satan's forces and yet their desire is for everyone to recognize the truth and turn away from sin. 

I listen to the news coming from the Middle East each day and try to remain calm because I know God is in charge. He will triumph in the end and I want to be on HIs side when the final battle comes. But like everyone else, I have moments of doubt, mostly because I'm not sure I will have the strength or courage to stand up and fight for truth and righteousness as I should. I'm not a fan of pain, displacements, ridicule or persecution and yet I know those days are coming. All of these masses of people who have come to America only to destroy will be unleashed one day and when they are the burning, killing, looting and destruction will be far worse and more widespread than anything we have encountered yet. Will any of us be able to stand in face of such evilness?

I believe we will if our hearts are centered on our Savior and our God. I look for the good around me each day because the bad is in my face all the time and it is easy to lose perspective. I even get scared sometimes because there is such a shortage of water here in the Rocky Mountains and we've had a hard frost that ruined so many of the crops this year. But I have hope as I have try to prepare for the coming challenges that I will be okay and still be able to help my family, neighbors and friends in the process. What a blessing it is to have been chosen to be here on earth during this marvelous time. Miracles are happening around us each day, even if we don't see them. But as I pledge my heart to do what I know is right, I feel a renewal of optimism that things are unfolding as they must and I can be strong enough to stand with my Christian brothers and sisters no matter where in the world they live. Our trials here might be harsh for a time but returning home to God will be glorious indeed.

Will We Miss Spring Too

 The sun is shinning and the grass is sort-of green for the moment. While I don't know about many other parts of the country, where I live the weather has been stranger than ever and is becoming downright scary. Fall was beautiful and the Farmer's Almanac predicted a very long and wet winter. After several years of severe drought and water conservation I was excited, even though I would have to ask for help with snow removal until the brace on my right hand was removed and I had regained a whole lot more movement and strength. 

We got one inch of snow in November and not another drop of moisture until January when an additional inch fell. But that was gone before morning with sixty degree weather that broke every record since the mid 1800's. Nonetheless, I was still hopeful until February passed with nothing but a few drops of rain. The first week in March surprised me with an inch more of the white stuff, but that was only a total of three inches for the entire winter when we were used to getting three to six feet. 

I have never seen the Rocky Mountains looking so sad and bare and my prayers have become even more desperate since anything, other than certain kinds of cactus, needs more than a drop of water to survive. I could envision most of the trees in the state dying since the driest winter in over 150 years has left their root systems starving for moisture, as it has my much-loved and tenderly cared for perennials. Most all of them are up now when the tulips have yet to bloom, and I have already watered them twice in one week because I desperately want them to make it. 

With 80 degree temperatures, when it should only be in the 50s or low 60s, my house has turned into an oven because I refuse to turn on the AC in March. But I suppose with all that is going on in the world and all the confusion and unrest in our country due to the lies mainline media continues to spread, I should be grateful having something like the weather to distract me.

But as we approach the Easter Season I feel renewed hope, regardless of what might be in my near future. I love seeing pictures of our Risen Savior, hearing others bear testimony of his atoning sacrifice and singing songs that let me know of his complete love and forgiveness if we are only willing to reach out and take his hand. Life was meant to be challenging and hard, but I would much rather go through those difficulties with him than trying to navigate them on my own.

That said, I have heard so many conflicting opinions about what is going on in the Middle East and assigning blame when there is none that my head has yet to quit spinning. It took me days to even partially understand the reason behind the bombings, what the desired outcome was and why it had to happen when it did. In the scriptures we read much about secret combinations and men loving power and money more than God or any of his children. That certainly seems to be the case now, but during my recent study of the Old Testament I have come to appreciate and understand my brothers and sisters in the Middle East somewhat better.

They have always been warring people intent on capturing their neighbors and stealing whatever wealth they could. Sometimes God allowed the battles to be brutal with many lives and fortunes lost. But when they listened to the words of their prophets and turned their hearts away from harming others he would intervene in their behalf.

The story of Jonah is one example, although I found it rather hard to believe when I was young. But after reading what a Biblical scholar by the name of W. Cleon Skousen had to say about it, I found the adventure quite compelling and believable. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh to warn the people because they were vile, corrupt, murderous and lacked any feelings of compassion. He figured they would never listen to a humble servant of God and he would most likely be killed. 

Most everyone knows how he stowed away on a ship headed to the furtherest port he could find in the city of Joppa, or today's Tel Aviv. A mighty storm arose and the ship was about to overturn. Jonah finally admitted he was the one who had made God angry and if they tossed him overboard the storm would cease. They resisted at first, but he was finally tossed into the depths of the sea. 

Here is what Dr. Skousen said that changed how I perceived this part of the story. A whale is an air-breathing mammal and rises to the surface at intervals for oxygen. The amount of air in the stomach at one time would be minimal but apparently enough to keep Jonah alive because the whale was a big as a medium-sized boat and its inner organs were exceptionally large. 

He compared these facts to a more modern-day story that came from an article he obtained an original copy of in August 1961 whose headline read, "Man Was Swallowed By Whale--Emerged Alive." 

He then proceeded to tell the tale of young seaman by the name of James Bartley who fell overboard on a whaling expedition and was assumed lost, or more likely dead. Much to the surprise of his whaling crew, he was found inside a sperm whale's stomach doubled up and drenched but still alive, though deeply unconscious. For two weeks he remained under lock and key in the captain's cabin--but gradually regained possession of his senses and by the end of the third week had almost completely recovered. 

During his short stay of less than twenty-four hours in the whale's stomach, his exposed skin and been severely burned by of the animal's gastric juices, and his neck, face and hands were bleached and shriveled, but he clearly remembered slipping along a smooth passage in complete darkness and then realized he had more room.The walls of his prison were thickly slimy and yielding. Once he realized what had happened he could breathe more easily but the oppressive heat seemed to sap his vitality. He admitted to trying to face death calmly but the terrifying quiet finally overcame him. 

His case was thoroughly investigated by members of the scientific community but no one could poke any holes in his story. What is noteworthy is that Bartley bore no teeth marks and his being swallowed fit in with known scientific facts of the time. Even him being able to breathe could be explained by the whale's stomach not being full when he was swallowed and it being killed before Bartley was completely immersed in fluid.

I've included that story because it adds credence to what happened with Jonah, even though anything is possible with God. He delivered his message and the people of Nineveh wept, wailed and pleaded with the Lord hoping to obtain his pardon from their violent sins and abominations. 

Professor Skousen says that one of the greatest lessons to be learned from the scriptures is that prophesy can be reversed because its whole purpose is to warn people as to what will happen if certain behaviors continue. Jonah's task was to deliver a message and let the people decide. They chose to turn their back on evil and their city was not destroyed until years later during the ministry of the prophet Hosea when the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah were divided and dispersed.

That era of history seems applicable with what is happening in Iran right now. One day, God will bring his covenant people back to the land of their inheritance but a great deal must transpire before then, and perhaps this is just another part of a saga that will some day end.

Meanwhile, President Trump is making good on his promise to wipe out the Deep State, but that will not happen with a few simple arrests when the judicial system is so compromised. He freed Venezuela from tyranny while dismantling the biggest hub of human and drug trafficking in the western hemisphere. The people there are dancing in the streets, but not the hard-core Democrats or the deep state because they need the money those insidious evils bring in to keep their one-world dream of human enslavement alive.

Once that mission was complete he focused on Iran, whose desire to kill Americans and turn what was left into an Islamic regime has only accelerated the past few decades. Iran has controlled terrorism throughout the world for almost half a century and the Deep State has funded most of its terrorist activities--think back to the pallets of cash Obama sent there and the uranium Clinton made sure they received. The threat of nuclear bombing was real and with Israel's help that has been stopped.

The next mission will be Ukraine where so much money is still being laundered by the Deep State players. It is a multi-layered organization crafted by Satan himself and he has everything to lose, as do those who follow him. That's why they will use any means necessary to keep their nefarious actions hidden and why we have to stay strong as Christians and patriots since we have yet to fight the biggest battles of our life--those for God, family and the country we love. 

President Trump's operations are precise and cannot be rushed and anyone who thinks otherwise is still in the dark. I pray for him, all the patriots in our nation and the brave men and women in our armed forces every day. I also pray for those people whose lives are being decimated that they will have the courage to rise up and seize their freedom while they have the chance.

Yes, things will change while that is happening, but a couple of months of increased gasoline prices and financial worry will be worth it if more people around the world get a taste of the freedom we take for granted and in so many cases, seem willing to lose as long as we don't have to take a stand. But I know America is God's chosen land and was founded on Christian principles. If it goes down the rest of the world will too.

So that's why I choose not to let fear override faith and hope. We are living in marvelous times while helping to usher in the return of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. The roles we will be asked to play are different, but all it takes for evil to prevail is for good men and women to do nothing. Let's stand together for freedom and human rights because God will prevail whether we step in and help or not. 

 

Expect the Unexpected

 It's the last day of January and instead of defaulting on my unwritten goal of writing at least once a month during 2026, I decided to shut off my phone and retire to my office where I would not be disturbed for a few hours why I try to organize some very disjointed thoughts and put a few of them into sentences that might be understood. I am still going to hand therapy twice a week and hoping another few sessions will make it possible for me to squeeze fifty pounds again so I can be released. But that journey has been hampered by a yucky UTI that was compounded by my first real cold with stuffy nose, headache and exhausting cough in nearly three years. 

I'm just glad it isn't anything worse, just as I am grateful for the unexpected inch of snow we got Wednesday after three months of no moisture where I live in the top of the Rocky Mountains. It's been a crazy winter with the temperature expected to reach 50 degrees tomorrow. While other parts of the country are being inundated with horrific storms where both power and lives have been lost, I have been praying daily for moisture so our water will not be restricted to the point of being forced to let our lawns, gardens and flowers die because the population has exploded so rapidly over the past few years that every facet of our daily living has been strained almost to the breaking point. 

But while I was watching the beautiful, amazingly-shaped snow flakes fall from the sky, I was reading a chapter in a book that brought heaviness to my heart and tears to my eyes because we as Americans who truly do love our country have slowly watched it be overrun by Socialism, Communism, Fascism, Racism, Nazism, Sexism, Statism, the Welfare State, state interventionism, the planned economy, the Green New Deal and all sorts of other deals--new, fair and otherwise--woke ideologies and hatred of everything our great country once stood for. 

In other words, the takeover of our lives by those who are intent on destroying every freedom our ancestors fought so diligently to provide. They purposely created a Capitalistic Republic where free enterprising men and women could dream big, build lives of excellence and abundance through their willingness to work hard and sacrifice for what they wanted. And where others who chose to do less actually excepted to live with the consequences their lack of industry brought.

I suppose I have been somewhat befuddled the past few weeks as to how an outspoken, basically unheard of and self-declared Socialist with huge Communist ties could be elected mayor of the largest and most influential city in the country with few people daring to speak out against him. Today, he even appointed an ex-convict by the name of Stanley Richards to lead NYC Department of Corrections to push a rehabilitation-focused overhaul of corrections.

The same unease came when Somali flags were hoist in the air beside our beautiful Stars and Stripes in both New Jersey and Minnesota as a symbol of that area being conquered by a foreign entity. And then there is the new governor of Virginia who promised one thing, but the minute she took office overruled every legislative action of the former governor. Without a blink of an eye, she is raising taxes on most everyone and showing her constituents that she will rule with injustice and force to get exactly what she wants.

These blatant disregards for American values and ideals was further frustrated by all the carefully funded, regimented Antifa mobs in Minnesota who would rather protect murderers, rapists, drug and human traffickers, arsonists, pedafiles, robbers and those who entered the country illegally than stand up for the safety and well-being of family members, neighbors and friends who have spent their lives building safe and productive neighborhoods.

Now I know that those people whose antics and anti-American rhetoric fill the headlines and news feeds are just a small minority that have successfully quieted the silent majority who want to live by virtue, justice, honesty and the American way of life. But those far leftists, along with their wealthy and well-positioned masters, have become outrightly brazen in admitting their plans to destroy our republic and free-enterprise system and replace it with a Socialistic government as a gateway to full Communist control. 

I read an article on Fox this morning where several of these foul-mouthed beings proudly proclaimed that the minute the left came back into power they would make sure that President Trump, his entire cabinet and everyone else in the country who had supported him in any way would be behind bars in orange jumpsuits, with all their private property seized, for the rest of their lives. I suppose the fear they love to instill in every proud American is part of the reason I so often hesitate in writing anything because I know that nothing sent out electronically is ever private. It can be seized and used against anyone who loves God, family, country and the American way of life.

But I still know how important it is for every American to understand how we got to where we are today and it won't be learned from recent textbooks that have obliterated or changed the information about the founding of our great country. 

John Taylor in 1875 said that every form of government that uses Fourierism, Communism or any form of control over God-given freedom and agency would fail because "however philanthropic, humanitarian, benevolent or cosmopolitan our ideas, it is impossible to produce a true and correct union without the Spirit of the Living God." Our own nation is a case in point because "The evils that have flourished so long in what is called the Old World have been transplanted into this new land."

Henry Grady Weaver in his book, The Mainspring of Human Progress, stated, ". . . The harm by ordinary criminals, murderers, gangsters and thieves is negligible in comparison with the agony inflicted upon human beings by the professional 'do-gooders', who attempt to set themselves up as gods on earth who would ruthlessly force their views on all others--with the abiding assurance that the end justifies the means."

That end he was talking about was further explained this way in 1935 by Milton Freedman. "There are great and obvious defects in the designs of some of these would-be reformers who seek to thrust us headlong into the whirlpool of European isms and autocracies. One defect that I will mention in the thinking of this group is this: They plot somehow first to parcel out the wealth produced by our economic system and then they intent to scourge and destroy that system; yet they visualize a world following after this parcelling out, that will still have and enjoy all the wealth created by this system which they intend to destroy, notwithstanding that, so far as human experiences goes, it is only such a system that can produce the wealth and ease they crave. Perhaps it is enough to repeat two homely sayings that come to mind; 'Do not kill the goose that lays the golden eggs' and 'You can't eat your cake and have it.'"

Another writer put it this way. "The degree of slavery varies according to the ratio between that which he is forced to yield up, and that which he is allowed to retain; and it matters not whether his master is a single person or a society." Does that resonate with anyone who is forced to pay any unlawful taxes without legal representation? J. Reuben Clark, also in 1935, said. "God himself does not coerce the will of man; why should puny fellow man think he may do what God does not?" 

This so-called modern world State wants to dethrone God and exalt the State into His place and has from its very nature become an economic, uncompensated leveling downward of the very people it claims to protect. This is done by self-perpetuating governments who set themselves up by selecting only the candidate they want, where laws and courts have been weaponized against anyone who gets in their way, where parents are being prosecuted and having their children taken away for not adhering to state-demanded ideologies, and where places of worship are being vandalized and services disrupted.

"All over the world this new State comes into all these fields in the guise of protesting love and friendship for the people, whose property it means to confiscate, whose liberties it means to steal, and whose religion it means to destroy. . . . This philosophy knows nothing of the rights of man and discards with derision the fundamentals embodied in our Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights. While the followers of the philosophy group themselves into different isms, yet in the last analysis they all come to the same end--the establishment of a socialistic, paternalistic state and the submergence of the individual and his rights. This concept is as old as man. All it is doing now is to dress itself up in a new suit. This concept is today imposing despotism in its worst forms upon millions in the old world."  (J. Reuben Clark, 12/15/1939)

So how did unholy practices come to rule so forcefully in our beloved nation? The sad truth is that Satan has had his hand in the mix, along with his mortal cronies, since America was first discovered. Our prolonged freedom came with both a promise and a responsibility. As long as we served God, this nation would flourish, but if we allowed unrighteousness ideologies and people to decide our future we would lose what most everyone else in the world longs for--our basic God-given freedoms. No wonder the adversary is so determined to eradicate the family as a divine institution, destroy life--even for the unborn, and persecute every Christian and Jew for believing in God and His Only Begotten Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Their goal is to banish every belief and right given to AMERICAN CITIZENs as stipulated in the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights.

Of course man's basic nature plays a part since there will always be those persons who love ease, idleness and greed and whose proclivities are played upon by giving them something for nothing until they expect to be cared for from cradle to grave. These misconceptions were reinforced by telling us to spend every penny we have and never save for anything because the government will provide for all our needs. That concept alone killed thrift and frugality. The father no longer felt it was his duty to provide for this family, and his wife and children began to look to state for sustenance instead of him. In this seemingly innocuous way State Socialism took root in the 1940s with the advent of Government-sponsored Welfare. 

And who would pay for it? Not those receiving the benefits, but those who actually followed the law, worked hard, paid taxes and tried to stay solvent when it came to financial matters. I learned that quite recently from a lady who had just moved into the area. She had spent many years using illegal drugs and living on the streets when a man she claimed to love rescued her, but she did not want to marry him because it would mean losing most of her welfare benefits.

Last Wednesday, she let me know that she had just received clearance for Social Security and at forty-five, she would never have to work another day in her life. While I was happy for her, I was saddened too. She would spend the next thirty or forty years without ever knowing the sense of pride that comes from putting in a day of honest labor or having to struggle and save for what she wants. All she would ever have to do was wait for the next government handout to be put in her checking account or for a new card to be sent in the mail. 

In the beginning of government-sponsored welfare, public nurseries were set up to tend children while the mothers worked. Public kitchens were then established in schools so underprivileged kids could be fed by the state instead of going home. Laws were established prohibiting youth from helping to earn family livelihoods and government recreation programs were provided to take the place of going to work. State sponsored youth camps were created to take children out of the home to be fed, clothed, indoctrinated and housed without any parental input or interference. And all of that took place before the awful revolutions of the 1960s where nearly every Christian value was toppled.

But how does tyranny enter in? We certainly hear that word often enough nowadays. It always comes in deep disguise, sometimes proclaiming an endowment of freedom--like never having to work again--and sometimes promising help to the unfortunate and downtrodden by providing things they should be willing to earn for themselves. It comes by creating something for those who do not have by robbing those who have worked for what they want to enjoy. Tyranny is always a wolf in sheep's clothing and always ends by devouring the whole flock.

In the case of what is supposed to be a Republic form of Government it comes in a disguised form by sending billions of dollars, wrenched from taxpayers, to their favorite alien governments, along with supplies that are needed at home, military equipment they know will be used against us, and money for spreading false propaganda against our government. Perpetrators of Socialism and its twin, Communism, have used every device fertile and evil minds can conceive to breed and intensify hatred, bring chaos into our country and help Communize the world and destroy all the peace and liberty we hold dear. 

On our own soil, they do everything within their power to destroy the fundamental freedoms and political equality guaranteed by the Constitution, including our right to speak freely, own private property, worship as we choose, bear arms and defend ourselves and our property without fear of persecution or prosecution. They mislabel and misrepresent everything they do or say because they know how to incite the bleeding heart liberals to action and demoralize the conservatives because they do not want to be called by derogatory names. 

In the above paragraphs, I have tried to give examples and state opinions given by learned men who understood the danger our great country would be in if we did not rein in some of the people and ideologies that were diametrically opposed to everything we hold dear. But instead of taking their words to heart, we followed the uninformed masses who wanted to believe that all men and women had the same goals and dreams and should be allowed to do as they pleased. 

But anyone who has lived for even half a century is well aware of the way our country has been attacked from within by evil forces we allowed inside our borders without even being vetted. As an old junior high teacher of mine once said, "You make your bed and then you have to sleep in it. That didn't make much sense back then but it certainly does now. 

Not taking a stand when we should, being indifferent to what is happening anywhere outside of own home and believing that life is only about eating, drinking and being merry has gotten us into a terrible place. President Trump is trying to take us out the pit without bloodshed but he can't do it alone. I pray every morning and night for him and for all the brave patriots who are standing firm so we do not lose everything. 

I want to conclude these remarks with a quote from Admiral Ben Moreell. "We do not place our trust in government mechanisms, formulas, affirmations or men. Our faith is in God and in the capacity of free men and women to govern themselves. There is a proper function for government in a free society. But that function does not include the power to order citizens how to live their lives. Our government was not designed to administer the affairs of men; it was devised to administer justice among men, who would administer their own affairs. . ."

How I long for a return to common sense and bravery when it comes to standing for what is right, virtuous and true. Our country is too great to lose, but that might happen if we are not willing to take a stand with those brave men and women who died that we might live free.