Disturbing....

It is WAY past my bedtime, but as I was shutting down the computer I saw a news headline that really disturbed me, and I just couldn't go to bed without clarifying my position on President -Elect Obama.

The headline read "Obama election spurs race crimes around country." I read the article and was absolutely APPALLED that the things it talked about were taking place. COME ON PEOPLE~
You all know that I did not want Obama to win the election. HOWEVER - my not wanting Obama to win the election had absolutely NOTHING to do with the color of his skin! (I didn't want McCain either - I just saw him as the lesser of the two evils.) It had everything to do with his opinions on things that I think are extremely important. I am concerned about Obama's socialist/Marxist attitudes and agenda. I am concerned about his history of choosing to associate with people who do not love and respect (in truth people who openly hate) America. I am concerned about his complete support and acceptance of abortion. I am concerned that he openly does not honor and respect the Constitution of the United States. I truly fear for the future of America and the divinely inspired Constitution.

All this being true - I am so so sorry that there are apparently still many people in this country who can't see past skin color, ethnic group, religious affiliation, or whatever other "classification" we assign to people.

Do I cherish the thought of the next 4 years under the leadership of President Obama? NO. Far from it. But I do not wish any harm to him or his family, or to any other people of color (black white yellow brown purple red blue or green - pick your color) and I feel so strongly that anyone who does wish them harm, needs to take a few steps back, take a few deep breaths, and let it go. Find a way to give love, not hate. Find a way to lift and to build, not tear down and destroy.

And with that having been said - NOW I am going to bed.

*** if you find something in this post offensive or not up to politically correct standards - please forgive and cut me some slack ... I've never been so good at the PC thing. I just had to express my concern that such horrible things are being said and done in response to the election of a "black" man. I think it is a very sad commentary on the general nature of the natural man, and I needed to 'vent'. ***

"and a little child child shall lead them..."

I just wanted to share something I thought was cute from our Family Home Evening tonight. I was teaching the lesson, and it was on the "Second Coming of Christ" and some of the general signs and how we need to be prepared. Yes, I'm still studying that topic... but i am not freaking out or anything too over the top) After I told (in short simple terms) about a few of the more formidable signs, I said (in a dramatic over-exaggerated way) that I thought it was going to be too scary and that I thought we should all just go hide under our beds. I asked if they thought that was what Heavenly Father wanted us to do.
I thought Katrina's response was perfect. She raised her hand, and when I called on her she said, "No, He wants us to have Faith."

I am thankful that my children, young as they are, have budding testimonies and know to whom they can look for peace, comfort, and truth.

Hooray!!! They did great!!!

Today was our ward's annual primary sacrament meeting presentation. IT WENT GREAT! I have been the chorister for 3 years now (well, 3 years in January, but this is my 3rd program) and I really believe that this was the best one yet! The program was very well written (I had nothing to do with that) and the children (for the most part) all had their parts memorized. We were asked by the bishop to have them memorize their parts so that the message of what they were saying became more internalized and a part of their individual testimonies. I was amazed at what a difference it made. (we always encourage them to memorize their parts of course, but we made a much bigger push for it this year, and it was fantastic.

The kids sang the following songs:

* I am a Child of God (with obbligato on 3rd verse)

* Tell me the Stories of Jesus

* I know that My Redeemer Lives

* We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet

* Home

* I love to See the Temple

* Called to Serve

* When Jesus Christ was Baptized

* A Child's Prayer (duet part was with children singing child's part and male teachers singing Heavenly Father's response - it was great!)

* If the Savior Stood Beside me

They did such an amazing job. They sang out loud and clear, they followed me, they were reverent (for the most part) while they sat up on the stand... I LOVED IT! We had a few minor glitches, (like on one of the songs when I didn't stand them up right, and then I forgot to sit them back down again. Don't know where my brain went on that one. And on Called to Serve we had a couple kids who just couldn't help themselves - they HAD to march along... My fault for letting them march while we were learning the song. it is just so much fun to MARCH to, ya know what I mean?)

We sang If the Savior Stood Beside Me as the closing hymn and it was WONDERFUL! If you want to hear the arrangement that we sang, go to this link http://www.defordmusic.com/ifthesaviorstoodbesideme.htm, then go to the option of MP3 Recording featuring vocals by Becki Madsen: (i'd put it on here for you if I had any idea how to do that - but I don't so you are on your own. It really is a beautiful arrangement. We did it with the 2 flutes playing their part, and the Activity Day girls singing the special 3rd verse that was written for the Young Women. There is a part after the girls sing their verse, where there is a big pause before we come in on the 4th verse. Every time we practiced, we just couldn't seem to come in together. (It didn't help that they just FINALLY got a permanent pianist called 3 weeks before the program, and he was home with sick kids one of those 3 weeks, and up until a week ago I was also trying to play one of the flute parts, since we couldn't seem to find anyone else who played. Have you ever tried to lead a song and play the flute at the same time? It's a bit tricky...) All that not withstanding - today - it was PERFECT! I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Right now I am totally exhausted and ready to crash for the night, but I just couldn't go to bed without shouting to the roof tops that we are done and it when all is said and done, it was SUPER FANTASTIC!!!!

(I almost want to be released right now - end on a high note, ya know? I just can't imagine being able to match this next year... yet my brain is already starting to think and plan and pick my songs for next year - so I guess maybe I have one more year left in me:)

Still here...

Hi all. I haven't gone missing or anything, and I'm not depressed like I was before. I'm actually doing remarkable well in that arena, especially considering the whole "election stress."

This morning I read Tristi's "post-election post" and I was amazed at the positive attitude she was able to maintain. I would like to be able to honestly express those types of generous and semi-hopeful feelings, but it wouldn't be real. The reality is that I am very, very afraid for our country. America is truly a land of promise - as long as the people who live here love and serve God. Unfortunately, the wickedness of the world is becoming so blatant and horrifying. As wickedness become stronger and the righteous voices becomes fewer, the Lord will not sustain and support us - he can't. (speaking of protecting and sustaining this great nation. He, of course, will ALWAYS sustain and support righteous individuals.)
About a week ago I was thinking about this whole election debacle and the thought came to me the words "an Obama nation" and "an abomination" sure sound an awful lot alike. Just a coincidence?
The American people have voiced their opinions and have voted for "change." I just wish that the people voting for that change had stopped to realize that Fidel Castro was voted into office when the people of Cuba were so desperate for "change." And they got it! I wish the young voters who came out so strongly in favor of "change" had stopped to contemplate the "change" that Germany got when they blindly followed the charismatic and moving speeches of Adolf Hitler. They got "change" didn't they? And all the horrors that followed.

"Change" is not the answer, unless the change is made by moving from wickedness to righteousness. The repenting, change of heart kind of change would suite me just fine - but a change to bigger government, higher taxes, socialism, wider acceptance of abortion, less respect for life, disintegration of the family values, trampling underfoot the constitution of this country.... these are NOT CHANGES that will bring happiness. They will only bring this great country, and it's people, to ruin.

This election has brought me a LOT of stress. A couple weeks ago I actually had a couple panic/anxiety attacks over everything that was going on. I was shaking, couldn't speak, felt like I couldn't breathe, couldn't focus, basically couldn't function - it was awful. At that point I made the conscious choice to shift my focus of study. I stopped thinking about the election (as much as was possible) and began studying the "last days" and the "signs of the second coming of Christ." It has been a wonderful experience for me. My opinion/feeling is that the second coming is much closer than most of us realize. The signs ARE being fulfilled - RAPIDLY! I have been amazed as I read the prophesies and look at how they are being fulfilled all around me.

As a general rule, whenever I start to feel out of control - or that the world is going out of control - my knee-jerk reaction is to run out and "BUY FOOD STORAGE." In my study of the words of the prophets regarding the last days, I have once again been reminded that all the wheat in the world, stored in my basement (and I am still lacking in that) isn't going to "save" me. It is not my food storage that will protect and preserve my family. I have to be spiritually prepared more than anything else. I have to make sure that my testimony of Jesus Christ is vibrant and living. I have to make sure that I am doing everything in my power to teach my children the things they will need to get through these perilous times. I must be fiercely obedient! Things are going to get ugly - really, really ugly. But the Lord will prepare a way for those who love and follow Him. I will keep my eye turned to the prophet, and I will follow his counsel. I am SO very, very grateful to know that we are led by a living Prophet of God. I know that if we follow him, we will be okay. it won't be easy, but it is the ONLY way to true happiness.

May God bless us and guide us in all that we do. I continue to pray for this country and it's people, but I fear that my prayers are in vain, because Satan has such a hold on the hearts of the people. Hold onto your hats and batten down the hatches, because we are in for a wild ride. The winds of "change" are blowing, and I am afraid that they are hurricane force winds. With God as our shelter and fortress, we will survive. Anything else will not be enough!

I do believe that now it is time for me to go say my prayers, read my scriptures, send Aaron off to school, then go buy some more food storage!