We rarely go to a movie in the theater, but recently attended this one. It is intense from start to finish. It also is very faith-promoting. We highly recommend this one!
Monday, April 29, 2024
Friday, April 26, 2024
One Good Thing
One Good Thing by Alexandra Potter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
At first, Liv, the main character, drove me crazy as she made one “bad” decision after another. But, in the end, the bad decisions were made good. This was a delightful book about starting over and developing new friendships in a new environment. I really enjoyed it.
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The Library
The Library by Bella Osborne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this sweet story about an unexpected friendship between a teenage boy and a spunky older lady who meet at the local library. Tom really needs a friend and finds just what he needs in Maggie, who takes him in and provides stability and love in his difficult time. Maggie and Tom, along with many others in their little village, work together to save their local library. They also work through personal difficulties together. I could picture the setting in the beautiful English countryside.
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Just Mercy
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A winner of many prestigious awards, this book is powerful. Bryan Stevenson writes of his experiences overturning convictions of innocent black inmates on death row. Though he certainly never claims so himself, Mr. Stevenson is a modern-day hero. Against all odds, he commits his life to serving the abandoned, downtrodden, and innocent. I won’t be forgetting this one any time soon!
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Monday, April 22, 2024
Young Valedictorian
Painted around 1922, this was a Rockwell painting that was never published. Editors later titled it "Young Valedictorian." Reminiscent of a Rembrandt painting, the details are exquisite.
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Friday, April 19, 2024
What Did the Prophet Ask Us to Do? April, 2024
I hope you will repeatedly study the messages of this conference throughout the coming months.
"I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house."
This significant promise apples to every dedicated temple today. I invite you to ponder what the Lord's promise means for you personally.
Consider how your life would be different if priesthood keys had not been restored to the earth. Without priesthood keys, you could not be endowed with the power of God. Without priesthood keys, the Church could serve only as a significant teaching and humanitarian organization but not much more. Without priesthood keys, none of us would have access to essential ordinances and covenants that bind us to our loved ones eternally and allow us eventually to live with God.
Let us rejoice that priesthood keys are once again on the earth!
I invite you to consider carefully the following three statements:
1. The gathering of Israel is evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere.
2. The gospel of Abraham is further evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere. He invites all to come unto Him-"black and white, bond and free, male and female; . . . all are alike unto God.
3. The sealing power is supernal evidence of how much God loves all of His children everywhere and wants each of them to choose to return home to Him.
I encourage to study that prayer, recorded in Doctrine and Covenants section 109. That dedicatory prayer, which was received by revelation, teaches that the temple is "a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."
This list of attributes is much more than a description of a temple. It is a promise about what will happen to those who serve and worship in the house of the Lord. They can expect to receive answers to prayer, personal revelation, greater faith, strength, comfort, increased knowledge, and increased power.
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Since 2020 . . .
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Total Eclipse
Monday, April 15, 2024
Firefly Lane
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’m conservative, so some of the content of this book was more than I wanted to read. But it was a good story and well-written. I know someone very much like Tully- very self-focused and hungry for the spotlight and fame. I felt the author must know her, too as it seemed she based the character on her. It is a story of friendship between two girls that maintain that friendship through adulthood. But to me, there were two other highlights to the book:
1) Kate’s mom. Despite Tully’s troubled life, she took Tully in and loved her as a daughter. She is a literary hero.
2) Johnny and his strong and unending love for Kate.
Those two people made this book worth reading for me.
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Barbara Bush
Pam and Roger: Our Story from our wedding-1985
Pam and Roger gave us their beautiful book, telling their life story
through picture and words from their wedding to 1985. For months, they sat side by side at the
computer and worked on this gorgeous book. They gave a copy to each of their
posterity and their siblings.
Pam is my oldest sibling. I have
always loved and admired her, but reading about her and Roger made me realize
what remarkable people they are. I loved
reading and seeing pictures of so much of their history. This book is truly a work of art. I loved every page! Thank you, Pam and Roger, for sharing your life
with us through your book!
Sunday, April 14, 2024
Our House Gets a Facelift
We noticed that the stucco on our house was disingrating in places near the bottom of the house. Even some of the grout in the brick was turning to sand. We got a referral from a friend for someone he trusted and Kevin Hansen from White Glove Construction came and gave us a bid to fix the stucco and grout, put in cement borders and repaint the doors and stucco. When it got warm enough about a month ago, they started the project. We had been unhappy with our last color scheme, but had lived with it for about twenty years. We had a trusted friend (Marsha Burdick) who is very good with colors come over and help us choose colors from paint chips we had (before she left on their mission to Africa!) We are very happy with the results.
First, they scraped and redid the damaged stucco. |
Then they did the cement. We had this little corner in the front for a small flowerbed. But the wet dirt was causing damage, so they suggested we cement it in. |
They put cement borders around the whole house to prevent damage in the future. |
We love our new front door. |
Then they taped and sealed everything and painted the stucco. |
For one day, we were sealed inside our house. We couldn't get out any doors as they were all sealed over with plastic and tape. |
We were excited to go out when they let us out and see how it looked. |
We are so pleased with how it turned out. |