Home Maid Simple

Tag: religion

  • Holiday Gift Guide: LDS Temple Medallions Giveaway

    Holiday Gift Guide: LDS Temple Medallions Giveaway

    *I received compensation for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

    One of the best days of my life, was the day I got married. It was a beautiful day, I was marrying a pretty decent guy, and I was doing it in a place I consider Holy – the Mt Timpanogos LDS Temple. It’s nice to have little reminders around our home of that special day. 
    I absolutely love these LDS Temple Medallions as an ornament. They are a perfect remembrance to hang on the Christmas tree of that special day in your life. Or if you have LDS friends, this would make a wonderful gift to send them.  

    Currently available are 110 of the 144 operating temples. They offer a variety of ways to get your medallion as well. You can choose it on an easel display, as a necklace, a Christmas Ornament, or just a medallion. 

    You can also collect them all as ornaments and decorate a tree solely with temples. Right now LDS Temple Medallions has a great offer going on. Check it out

    These truly are a beautiful piece, and I have 2 to giveaway – they are both for the Mt Timpanogos Temple. Please enter our giveaway, then head to facebook where you can enter another giveaway because you entered here first (isn’t that awesome!). If you don’t want this particular temple, you can check these other giveaways to see if they have yours.

    Follow LDS Temple Medallions
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    Enter to win 2 Mt Timpanogos LDS Temple Medallion Ornaments
    open to US and Canada

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  • LDS General Conference Saturday morning Recap #LDSconf

    LDS General Conference Saturday morning Recap #LDSconf

    I just love the beginning of October, because it means I get to listen to my church leaders in a General Conference broadcast to throughout the world. It is always an uplifting and humbling experience as I write notes on the bits that really stuck out to me, and had meaning for my exact situation in life. 
    Anyone listening to conference with an open heart ready to be taught something inspiring, will not be disappointed. And great news, the whole thing (along with past conferences) can be found online at www.lds.org
    This is just what I came away with, along with some meme’s that were made from many of the talks. I hope something here resonates with you, and you will leave Home Maid Simple feeling a little bit better than you did when you stopped by.
    From Elder Hales, I was left with this bit of inspiration – I need to make a mental list of things in my life I can perfect, and then I need to GO TO WORK to better my life. 
    Sister Carole M Stephens really had my thoughts turning back on the different roles of men and women. I’ve touched on this topic and what it means in my life before with my Why I Wear A Dress to Church post. I know this is a hot topic in the world, but what I got out of her talk was that if we begin to mix our genders divine roles, we will soon eliminate the need for families, an eternal aspect of our Heavenly Fathers plan.  Being equal does not mean we are exactly the same, it means we respect each other equally and take on the needs individually for our families. 
     Alright, have you all seen Kid President? Someone posted on twitter that Kid President is Elder Dube in 20 years, and it just made me laugh. Elder Dube was so enthusiastic and just full of life and hope!  He said so so many good things, but one that really stuck out was that we should: 

    “Look ahead and believe. Stand close together and lift where you stand”

     It reminded me of the part in Finding Nemo where the fish all have to work together in a close environment to get out of the fisher men’s nets.  Together we can do amazing things, and having hope in the future is key!

    Elder Bednar spoke directly to me when he spoke about being grateful for the things we have.  It is something I am working hard on teaching my kids, and I realize I need to work on myself a bit more.

    Just how content are you?  I know I could be a little bit more content. I do have quite a bit to be thankful for. I think we’ll be pulling this back out as Thanksgiving comes closer. 
    Elder Uchtdorf is a favorite among many LDS members to listen to at conference. His accent and fun stories pull you into everything he has to say. I even drew a little picture in my notes during his talk, when he spoke of an acorn growing into an oak tree. 
    You all know I have a thirst for learning. I wish there was a way I could go back to school that wouldn’t put us into more debt, or take time away from me being with the kids. So I ask questions. I do my own reading and research so I can continue to learn. 
    Reader Camille sent me this image she created Saturday during Conference, and I felt it just spread the sunshine I felt, and the reason we have conference. It’s to gather together to hear messages from a Loving Father and His Son. 
    OH dear I haven’t even touched on so much of conference!  So I’m going to split this into a 4 part series. I hope you’ll join me back next week for part 2, Saturday Afternoon talks. Until then, I hope you can remember who you are, honestly seek truths so that you can become an oak of understanding, and look around at all you have to be grateful for. 
    What talks were your favorites?
  • The 6 B’s Lesson 1: Be Grateful #FamilyHomeEvening

    The 6 B’s Lesson 1: Be Grateful #FamilyHomeEvening

    Be Grateful
     
    As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, one thing we do is set aside Monday nights for what we call Family Home Evening. It’s a night we try not to have any activities planned outside the home with friends, or work. We come home together, and spend the time as a family.  Some night it means watching a new (or old) movie or playing a game, while others we try to have a gospel-centered lesson. 
     
    So a few Mondays ago, I asked Mark to put together a lesson. He did great! He pulled his lesson from President Gordon B Hinkley’s address in November 2000 where he gave us what quickly became known as the 6 B’s
    • Be Grateful
    • Be Smart
    • Be Clean
    • Be True
    • Be Humble
    • Be Prayerful
    After Mark’s lesson that night, I got to thinking, and decided I wanted to cover more in depth each Be. So the following Monday I took my turn with the lesson, and covered Be Grateful.  It was one of the best lessons we have ever had!  So get ready to teach your kids about gratitude!
     
    Opening Song: Thank Thee for Everything (Primary Song Book pg 10)  This was a new song to the kids and one I’ve sung very rarely. So we attempted to learn it as a family. If you follow the link, you’ll find the lyrics and music.
    Opening Prayer.
     

    Lesson Time!

    I began the lesson asking if anyone remembered the 6 B’s. Princess V and C both did a pretty good job remembering most of them. I was impressed, and so very happy that they actually remembered some. It told me they really do pay attention sometimes. After we recited the B’s a few times, I told the girls that I wanted to talk about just the first B – Be Grateful. 
     
    We had a quick, child-friendly discussion on what the word Grateful means. Just like being Thankful, and saying thanks to people when they are kind to us, or help us, we are grateful for the things we have. 
     
    At this point, we then grabbed some blankets and headed outside to lay under our big tree. After we laid mostly quietly for some time contemplating the things we could see, hear and smell, I started one by one, asking the kids, and Mark what the were grateful for. As the talked, I compiled a list in my notebook.  Once again, my children impressed me with how well they understood and grasped the concept. Instead of saying things like their toys and material objects, the first few “I am thankful for” included – Family, Friends, Teachers, Sisters, and Brother. As I encouraged everyone to keep thinking and listening and looking around them at our beautiful earth – the answers branched out to things like Butterflies, Sticks and Flowers. 
     
    We ended the lesson by remembering who we need to thank for our beautiful earth – Our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. We packed the blankets back inside, and closed the evening.
     
    Closing Song: Children All Over the World (Primary Song Book pg 16) 
    Closing Prayer.
     
    Refreshments! A good FHE always ends with a yummy treat.  You can try and tie it into the lesson, or just enjoy some Ice Cream Sundaes like we did – which by the way, is just another thing we should be grateful for.
     
    Of course after a few days, and some playing around, I created a little reminder for our home to Be Grateful all the time.  And, I even took the time to find the best way for you to be able to download this and use in your own home. Not only is it a great reminder year round, it would also make great Thanksgiving Decor. 
     
    Be Grateful Printable
     
    Download this FREE Printable
     
    Keep an eye out for the next 5 lessons in this 6 part series. 
  • Jerusalem Dinner

    Jerusalem Dinner

    I hope you all had a wonderful Easter Weekend. It fell right in the middle of our Spring Break, so we got a lot done on our bathroom remodel, but we also kept it fun and Spiritual for the kids. To celebrate Easter simply we had this Jerusalem dinner. 

    Saturday we went to the town’s Easter Egg Hunt. It was absolutely wonderful, and the kids may make it in the local newspaper!  We got way too much candy though, so the Easter Bunny left one basket of goods for the family to share.  I was actually pretty happy with this route, because it meant we could spend Sunday focusing a little more on the true meaning of Easter.

    After church, we turned on The Testaments. A beautiful movie about faith in Christ, that ends with his Resurrection and his visit to the America’s (as told in The Book of Mormon). You can purchase it through Deseret Book.

    After the movie, and some nice Sunday relaxation we ended our day with what I’m calling a Jerusalem Meal. I got the idea from SugarDoodle.  While most families I assume were eating Easter Ham, we had a much simpler meal consisting of what Christ would have eaten.  The only thing we were missing was some Lamb, because I couldn’t find it at our local grocer, and I didn’t want to make the drive out to Walmart.

    Want to create your own Jerusalem Dinner?
    A few musts –
     Unleavened Bread, Grapes, Plums, cheese, and grape juice. 

    I added the hard boiled eggs because we have quite a few in the fridge. You could also add some lamb to your meal, and trade the juice for milk.  Not pictured here is honey. I think the honey really made a nice addition to the bread.

    I used Catholic Cuisine’s recipe for Unleavened Bread, but I added about 1 tsp of Rosemary to ours. It was quite good.

    The kids and I loved this meal, Mark would have enjoyed it more with a little meat.  It was a great lesson to teach the girls about the food ate during Christ’s time on earth though.

     

  • Why I wear a Dress to Church

    Sorry for the interruption today. I don’t talk about my religion much on here. I don’t want you to feel like I’m preaching or pushy.
    Today, however, I feel a strong desire to say what is weighing heavily on my heart.  It has to deal with a movement I became aware of yesterday “Wear Pants to Church day”.

    This movement has my heart feeling heavy. I am so sad that this is even happening. Please, bear with me, as I tell you why I will continue to wear a dress to church every Sunday.

    I am a woman.

    Plain and simple. I wear a dress because I feel, for me, it shows greater respect for worshipping my Father in Heaven.  I don’t wear a dress every day of the week. In fact, I only wear a dress for special occasions. Every Sunday is a special occasion for me.

    Sunday is a day I set aside for the sole purpose of learning and worshipping. A day I focus on my family, and the eternal importance they are to me. It is a day I take to reflect on my Savior and His gift of Life.

    When I wear a dress, I feel different, and so do those around me.

    Wearing a dress, means I have to be more conscious of how I act, how I move my body, and the care I take in looking nice.  A dress gives me the time to ponder on my Savior’s life, because I can’t go for a run in a dress. I can’t sprawl out on the floor and be lazy in a dress. While wearing a dress, I just feel better. I feel closer to my Father in Heaven. 

    Recently while going out to do my monthly Visiting Teaching (a program in our church, where 2 women visit a list of other women to check on their well being, and leave them with a spiritual message), my partner noticed I was in a dress.  It was laundry day at my house, and my skirt was the only thing clean to wear.  However she told me “We should wear a dress every time we go visiting. I think it would help us feel the Spirit more.”

    And you know what? I think she’s right. When I visit these women, I want to take with me the Spirit of Christ, that we may be more receptive to what the women may be in need of.  It’s obviously not just me, but my partner felt that Spirit more as well, just from wearing a dress.

    I am not inferior to men.

    I am so so so very tired of being told that because I wear a dress to church, or because I can’t have the priesthood power, that I must be inferior to men, and therefore am subject to them, and am living an old way of life. I am tired of being told that times are changing and I need to get with them; that somehow because I enjoy the old way of life, I must be brainwashed and am a victim of male domination.

    I am here to tell you I am not any of those things.  Mark and I work as a team. We both have divine responsibilities set forth from our Father in Heaven. Who am I to tell God He is wrong?  Who am I to go against what I feel is the divine role of women?  Would you like to know what I feel is my role as a women?

    By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.
    – The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Given By Gordon B Hinkley (Prophet, Seer and Revelator) in 1995
     

    I truly believe my divine role as a mother is to nurture my children. To see to their needs both physically and spiritually. To comfort them when hurt, sick, and afraid. To guide them with an eternal perspective.  This is my role, and I am proud of it. I take great pride in teaching my children eternal principles – self worth, respect, love and more.

    As the Proclamation states, I am an equal partner to my husband. I help support him in providing our children with the necessities of life and protection. In turn, Mark also helps with the nurturing at home. He is present in our daily family prayers, and embracing the teachings we want our kids to understand.  Together we are a team, and without each other, our family life wouldn’t be the happy place it is.

    In essence, my whole idea of making our house a home, would not happen, if we were competing with each other to be the provider, or the nurturer. I don’t feel inferior. I feel divinely inspired to stay home where I can watch over the well being of my children, morning noon and night.

    I enjoy feeling feminine.

    I actually like being a girl. I’ve told you before that I’m no girly girl. I don’t wear makeup daily, I struggle making my hair and the kids hair look fancy (or even just really nice), but I love dressing up. I love knowing that I’m a girl at heart. I enjoy kisses in the moonlight, Mark holding my hand, wearing high heels and perfecting the poise needed for stilettos. I love crying at sappy movies while cuddling up with Mark.  This is who I am.

    I like cooking. I enjoy having a warm meal for Mark to come home to. I feel accomplished when I can 6 jars of peaches for my family to eat throughout the winter. The smells of cookies/bread/pie baking are some of my favorites to indulge in.  Sewing is another passion of mine. I enjoy making pretty things for my kids to wear/play with. Seeing their smiles because I made something just for them (even if it’s not that great), warms me to the core.

    My message to the Feminists reading this

    Please leave politics out of my sacred time at church. I want to go to church and feel the Spirit. I personally don’t care if you want to wear pants. As long as you come ready to learn and worship with me, you could be naked for all I care (OK really please don’t go that far, I might blush).

    Your mindset is wrong. I truly believe that The Church of Jesus Christ is led by a Prophet of God. I believe Joseph Smith saw God our Father and His Son Jesus Christ in a grove of trees in New York. I have been in that grove and felt something amazing.
    God is our Father. He loves each of us equally, because we are His Children. He is no respecter of persons. God looks on the heart.

    Making a political statement at church is to me, equivalent of telling God He is wrong, and needs to change. Your heart isn’t in the right place. He knows that if you come to church wearing pants, and you feel that is your best dress, then He won’t care. He will love you for coming to Him.
    But if you come to church intent on telling others they are wrong for wearing a dress, that they should seek “gender equality” because somehow they are inferior, your heart isn’t at church. You aren’t there to worship. God knows that.

    Thank you for reading my thoughts on this subject. I have prayed about writing this.  I don’t want to offend. I just needed to get this out there. I need the feminists to understand where we women who don’t embrace your movement are coming from.  Why we feel the way we do. We are happy with our roles, and would very much like you to stop telling us we are inferior. We don’t feel that way, and we are sorry that you do. 

    With that I’d like to end with this quote from church leadership

    The Church has not attempted to indicate just how long women’s or girls’ dresses should be nor whether they should wear pant suits or other types of clothing. We have always counseled our members to be modest in their dress, maintaining such standards in connection therewith as would not be embarrassing to themselves and to their relatives, friends, and associates. We have advised our people that when going to the temple they should not wear slacks or mini-skirts, nor otherwise dress immodestly. We have not, however, felt it wise or necessary to give instructions on this subject relative to attendance at our church meetings, although we do feel that on such occasions they should have in mind that they are in the house of the Lord and should conduct themselves accordingly.
    – Church Policies and Procedures. 1971
     

    According to that, you can wear pants to church. So why you must make a big deal out of it, I don’t understand. It just shows more that your heart is not at church. Again, I am sorry to any women who feel like they are less, but please don’t tell me I must feel that way. I don’t. I am happy with who I am, and my divine role.

    *I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Many know us as Mormons. If you’d like to learn more about our church and what we believe, please visit Mormon.org  or feel free to ask me any questions. I am an open book.

  • For Girls Like You Magazine {2012 Holiday Gift Guide}

    For Girls Like You Magazine {2012 Holiday Gift Guide}

    When I was a kid, my aunt purchased a magazine subscription for me as a Christmas present. I don’t remember now what the magazine was, but I do remember how cool I felt getting this magazine every month. My sister received a subscription to American Girl Magazine, and between our two magazines we had a lot of fun time bonding as sisters.
    I have avoided most magazines for my children. It seems all the ones I’ve found have very grown up material, and views against what I want my Princesses to learn. A few fun ones we have tried are LEGO magazine and National Geographic for Kids. Though those are great, they haven’t held my kids attention, or taught them anything about values and being a girl.
    I’ve just recently learned about the For Girls Like You magazine, and I knew I had to try them out!  Here’s what they have to say

    For Girls Like You Magazine is dedicated to exposing young girls to the things they love without the negative imagery and advertising that is often found in mainstream entertainment. Instead every article, interview, and photo we feature supports a Christ-centered value system.

    As a Christian family, this is what I’ve been looking for! A magazine that goes beyond gossip, and outward beauty. For Girls Like You focuses on the value we each have as girls, and re-enforces what I’m trying to teach at home.

    This is one gift I’m happy to share with my 6 year old. We’ve only had our copy for one day, and she’s hardly put them down.  
    Photobucket
    I love that they also have a For Girls Like You Journal. Although Princess V isn’t writing on her own yet, she is beginning to. We’ve decided to use her new journal to write down any new words she learns. Today, she sounded out and read the OPEN sign at the store. So as soon as we got home in her journal it went. 

    Connect

    Do you have a Daughter that would love this magazine?
    WIN IT

    For Girls Like You is giving away a copy in the 2012 Holiday Gift Guide.

  • Author Kimball Fisher’s Top 10 Christmas Books {Blog Tour}

    Author Kimball Fisher’s Top 10 Christmas Books {Blog Tour}

    Thanks for stopping by Home Maid Simple in the Finding the Baby Jesus blog tour!
    I had the opportunity to ask the Author for a Top Ten List.
    Since the theme is obviously Christmas, I wanted to know Mr Fisher’s Top Ten Christmas Book List.
    Here it is!
     
    1 – A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens). Best Christmas book ever. Tiny Tim, Scrooge, and the Spirits of Christmas.
    2 – The Night Before Christmas (Clement Clarke Moore). Of course! Not even mice were stirring.
    3 – How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Seuss). From a modern genius of both word and illustration.
    4 – Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Robert L. May). For the kids. Old ones, too.
    5 – The Little Match Girl (Hans Christian Anderson). Look for the volume illustrated by Rachel Isadora.
    6 – Nutcracker (E.T.A. Hoffman). The story that inspired Tchaikovsky’s ballet.
    7 – The Polar Express (Chris Van Allsburg). Haunting words and illustrations. Modern classic.
    8 – Louisa May Alcott’s Christmas Treasury. Charming stories from the author of Little Women.
    9 – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Barbara Robinson). A personal favorite and one of the inspirations for FINDING THE BABY JESUS. My wife and I loved this story, which although shorter than many, was always too long to read out loud in a single evening. I wrote FINDING to be read in a single sitting (even with most wiggly children).
    10 – The Christmas Box (Richard Paul Evans). A fairly recent feel-good story.
     
    Thank you so much Mr Fisher for sharing your favorite Christmas stories with us, and giving us one more to add to our list!

    Finding the Baby Jesus by Kimball Fisher

    After being forced to wear lederhosen for the annual holiday card picture, twelve-year-old Chris thinks that the least his parents can do is get him the Tony Hawk skateboard he wants for Christmas. But when he recovers the hand-carved Baby Jesus that everyone thought had been destroyed in a fire the year his Grandma died, Chris realizes that some gifts are even more important than skateboards.

    When the author had to discontinue a cherished tradition of reading Christmas stories out loud with his family and holiday guests each week in December, he wrote Finding the Baby Jesus. He had been unable to locate enough meaningful stories that could be read in a single sitting with wiggly children.

    Purchase

    Author Kimball Fisher

    Kimball Fisher writes novels for young readers. He is also a best-selling business author, professional speaker, and management consultant. Some of his past jobs include: sailboat builder, ghost writer (not as scary as it sounds), illustrator, and factory manager (more scary than it sounds). For fun he builds furniture, stained-glass windows, and writing pens.

    He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities (with minors in English, Asian Studies, and Japanese), and a Master of Organizational Behavior degree from Brigham Young University. He and his amazing wife Reenie live in Portland, Oregon, where they have seen pheasants, coyotes, and a bobcat in their own backyard.

    Links
    Book Blast

    Tour Giveaway:
    $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
    Ends 12/26/12

    Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent’s permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  • Finding the Baby Jesus – Book Blast and $50 Paypal Giveaway

    Finding the Baby Jesus – Book Blast and $50 Paypal Giveaway

    Finding the Baby Jesus
    by Kimball Fisher

    After being forced to wear lederhosen for the annual holiday card picture, twelve-year-old Chris thinks that the least his parents can do is get him the Tony Hawk skateboard he wants for Christmas. But when he recovers the hand-carved Baby Jesus that everyone thought had been destroyed in a fire the year his Grandma died, Chris realizes that some gifts are even more important than skateboards.

    When the author had to discontinue a cherished tradition of reading Christmas stories out loud with his family and holiday guests each week in December, he wrote Finding the Baby Jesus. He had been unable to locate enough meaningful stories that could be read in a single sitting with wiggly children.

    Praise for Finding the Baby Jesus:
    “Tender and true, this warm Christmas tale brought tears to my eyes.”

    –Heather Vogel Frederick, author of the much-beloved Mother-Daughter Book Club series and Oregon Book Award winner for The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed

    “A touching story that speaks to the importance of family, giving, and the true spirit of Christmas.”

    –Matthew Kirby, author of Icefall, winner of the Edgar Allen Poe and the Pen Center USA Literary Awards for Children’s Literature

    “Deeply moving. Poignant.”

    –Deborah Halverson, former editor at Harcourt Children’s Books and author of Honk If You Hate Me, a Gayle McCandliss Literary Award Winner

    “The perfect little book to tuck away with your Christmas things and bring out year after year to read with family. As mother to three boys, I can’t imagine a better protagonist than Chris. His typical teenage attitude followed by the softening of his heart towards a friend teaches a poignant and very relatable lesson on the true meaning of Christmas.”
    –Amazon review

    “After I read this short story I felt like I had read a novel–every sentence is packed with action and imagery. I was emotionally connected to the characters, and the story is touching. I didn’t see the plot twist at the end coming! A great story to read every Christmas.”
    –Amazon review

    Purchase

    Author Kimball Fisher

    Kimball Fisher writes novels for young readers. He is also a best-selling business author, professional speaker, and management consultant. Some of his past jobs include: sailboat builder, ghost writer (not as scary as it sounds), illustrator, and factory manager (more scary than it sounds). For fun he builds furniture, stained-glass windows, and writing pens.

    He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities (with minors in English, Asian Studies, and Japanese), and a Master of Organizational Behavior degree from Brigham Young University. He and his amazing wife Reenie live in Portland, Oregon, where they have seen pheasants, coyotes, and a bobcat in their own backyard.

    Links
    Blog Tour
    November 23rd to December 21st
    Tour Schedule

    Come Back to Home Maid Simple on the 24th to see Mr Fisher’s Top 10 Christmas Books!
     
    Blast Giveaway:
    $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
    Ends 12/21/12

    Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent’s permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  • When a joke isn’t funny – Think About It!

    When a joke isn’t funny – Think About It!

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    Your hosts for this weekly meme are
    Tim and Angi’s Blog

    This weeks topic
    What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?

    Next week’s topic
    Has education become more about temporary results and grades than long term success and knowledge?

    So what is too serious to be joked about?  Can a sense of humor go too far? I do believe it can. I love a good joke like the next person. Laughing is a great release of chemicals especially for anyone suffering depression.
    For me personally a joke has gone too far when it brings others down. Race, Religion, and Disability are my big no’s. They just shouldn’t happen. I remember my brother saying some racist jokes when we were kids. At the time, it was funny. I have since learned better. It is rude and tears others down.  When one of my other brothers was in middle school he was often taken advantage of. Kids could get him to do just about anything if he thought they would be his friends for doing it. Because of this, he highly offended someones religion and lifestyle by saying something someone else told him to. I won’t repeat it, because it’s in the past, and it was just wrong. These kids took advantage of my brothers need for friends to belittle someone else.  Mark was accused at one point of making fun of a kid with a disability. We don’t know why this accusation was thrown out there, but it wasn’t true. Mark’s dad has Parkinsons, so he knows especially how hard those who have physical limitations fight to do the best they can.
    Right now, however the biggest issue I am personally facing is my religion. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Commonly referred to as a Mormon.  With the upcoming elections here in the USA, and Mitt Romney running, my faith has been brought quite center stage. If you didn’t know it yet, Mitt Romney is a member of my faith as well. Sadly, I have seen my church drug through the mud.  We get attacked on all sides almost constantly. Actually ever since our church was established we’ve been persecuted.  There have been quite a few shows with little references to Mormon culture.  Some are horribly inaccurate and insensitive. But, some are extremely funny. Take this clip from the show Cheers. I find it quite hilarious.
    Where do I draw the line?  When something I hold very sacred is made fun of, is called names, and thrown around like a piece of meat. You hurt me when you do that. Please respect me. Respect that I have a faith in something I believe is the truth.  I will respect you. You can worship as you please, and I will not make fun of you. I just ask the same in return.
    I find it intriguing that Catholics wear a cross to remind them of the Crucifixion.  I think the little hats those of the Jewish faith wear are a wonderful outward symbol of their faith. 
    You don’t have to agree with what I believe. Just please respect me. Respect my faith, and please don’t make fun of something that someone else holds very sacred.
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