It's the LAST DAY of the M

CONNECTED?

My computer and I are in conflict
It says…”You are not connected”
But…I am connected, it’s the router's fault
It isn’t connecting to my wireless laptop
Which is my tool to connect to the Internet
I can’t read the news or create my blog or shop or...

He quietly whispers...“you aren’t connected”
But somehow His voice is conveniently ignored
As I rush madly ahead without the wise advice
And heavenly protection that I need in my daily life
Someday...I will find time to increase my prayer’s intensity
And my faith in His answers by listening more carefully
Then I will truly be connected...

On to Christmas....

I just got this email forward entitled Letter from Jesus about Christmas (don't know the author) from a cousin and thought it was worth passing on at this time of year as we prepare for the holidays and sometimes forget what it is all about. There are some very good ideas of gift giving that are unique. Choose one.

Dear Children, It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town. Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember : I LOVE YOU, JESUS

GRATITUDE vs. EXPECTATIONS

Expections get in our way of acknowledging
What we have…now, and being grateful
They make us greedy, never satisfied
We always want more and more and yet more
We want everything and then some…I doubt
We’d really be satisfied if we had it all, wondering if
There wasn’t something else missing.

Friends who could have given more to us
Spouses who though loving weren’t our soul mates
Children who didn’t take our counsel and rebelled
Career opportunities awaiting us around the next corner
To be more, do more, be appreciated for our “uniqueness”
Things missing, emptiness in the now moment but
Possible in the future….sometime…somewhere.

Always living on the brink of seemingly lost opportunities
That could have been, never seeing what is
Idealized family relationships that never could be are
Mourned over while small moments of joy pass by unnoticed
The simple request of a young child or grand child
To read just one more book are met with irritation

Illnesses and death will slow us down or stop the process
As we focus on recovery or long for
The normal everydays that we took so for granted
The secret of happiness is just this:
To fill our heart with gratitude
And empty our mind of expectations.

Is the glass half full or half empty, depends on your ATTITUDE

Pick a NICKNAME...

Haven't written for a while as it seems only a few people were reading and or commenting on my blogs but maybe I just need to write for me...I wrote some comments on a new niece's blog today about names and then got to thinking about names. I wonder what name we were known as before we came to earth and if our earthly parents were inspired to name us the same name or something different. That could mean we are known by several different names: our heavenly parents' name for us, then our earthly names and those who know about a new name that too. BUT most of all we are known for our qualities and personality and sometimes we can discover those through special patriarchal blessings that are available or through interacting with close friends who build us up by complimenting us on our good qualities.

if you had to choose one quality to describe yourself in a positive light what NICKNAME would it be and why? I think I'd like to be known as a DEAR FRIEND, one who keeps confidences and tries to build up all my friends, tries to make new friends by showing an interest in others, and wants to treat my family especially my grand children as dear friend also. Tell me what your word would be. Email me if you can't figure out how to make a comment and publish it on my blog. It will make my day. Thanks.

It's Coming...

Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday
Opportunities to be with family
Preparing for days, feasting for an hour,
Cleaning up forever then eating leftovers

Taking the time to be together
Talking, listening, caring and sharing
Loving, supporting, and understanding,
It's what families are all about

Not worried about exchanging fancy presents
No expectations or disappointments
Just being together,and giving a grateful heart
To Him who is the source of all our blessings

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!

Another CHALLENGE!

My dear friend Gittan who lives in Sweden told me about a wonderful book she is reading and trying to apply to her life. It's "A Heart Like His: Making Space for God's Love in Your Life" by Virginia H. Pearce. So of course I had to check it out from our local library. There is a CHALLENGE that goes with this book:

1. "To be more aware of the conditon of our HEARTS and with that awareness to keep them more OPEN toward others."


2. "To do this in the NORMAL COURSE OF OUR LIVES, in other words, not put any extra activities into our day--no extra visits, no preparing of casseroles, cookies, etc. Above all, PEOPLE WERE NOT TO BECOME 'PROJECTS', and our lives were not to be filled with more things to do!"

3. NOTICE THE SPIRIT, and be willing to come together and HONESTLY REPORT (or blog) what happened or hadn't happened."

Can I give this challenge to any willing readers/bloggers out there. Don't change your behavior directly but just your attitude or heart and try to be more open to others then report back in a day or so what experiences you have. Just click on comments below to see what develops with this little experiment. Try it. I will. Some of you already do this on a daily basis...

COMMENTS wanted

Yes do comment my friends who have taken the time to read my blog. Part of the fun of blogging is to interact. Just click on the comments button at the bottom of this blog and either register or just sign in as anonymous-that's now I got started started writing comments on a friend's blog. Interaction is what makes blogging fun.


Here's some brief thoughts to comment on from Pres. Thomas S. Monson's talk at Brigham Young University yesterday. Being a BYU graduate I miss the weekly devotionals but I could watch them on tv if I remembered or read them in my Deseret Newspaper. I still remember at age 20 one of my first devotionals at BYU when the Prophet David O. McKay came and spoke and the whole student body rose as one and sang together "We thank thee O God for a prophet". That was one of the thrills of attending BYU in the 1960s and was the first time I saw a living prophet, general authorities spoke often and in person in the old fieldhouse building before the days of the huge Marriott Center where basket ball is now held. At any rate, Pres. Monson talked there yesterday about guideposts for your life:

1. GLANCE BACKWARD-don't dwell on it, but learn from its lessons, be thankful for others who helped you along your way. (I'd like to add, write a letter/e-mail someone who had a great effect on your life in the past. I wrote a letter to my MIA teacher in 1950s in California who encouraged me as a young woman to get involved in the church's dance program.)

2. LOOK HEAVENWARD-turn away from doubts and seek divine direction in your life. (Turn depression into action as you turn away from the grappling hooks and enticing of the adversary to see no hope or promise in your life, to ask for peace, comfort and faith in going forward. (We live in a "me" world, but when we reach out to serve others in love whether our family, neighbors or those in need, we forget ourselves and find happiness.)

3. REACH OUTWARD-"No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man." (It's easy to become self-centered and "me" orientated to the point of becoming depressed but reaching out or serving others is a sure cure for what ails us.)

4. PRESS FORWARD-don't let the dismal conditions in the world, stop your progress and doing the good that only you can do whether at work, home, community, church or on the Internet. (Find your VOICE, what you have that is unique to give to this world.)

Now tell me how you've used or will use these guideposts in your daily life or ask further questions. Let's get a discussion going. Thanks for participating ahead of time. JUST DO IT!

Who is LINDA Darnell?

I got so curious, I had to google her and here's what I found out. see http://www.classicmoviefavorites.com/darnell/bio.html I remember the days of Hollywood from the 1950s as I lived in nearby Los Angeles then. I always read the Photoplay magazines to find out the latest news about my favorite movie stars. When I grew up I either wanted to be a "movie star" or a "telephone operator" like my widowed mom who worked to support us both.

I remember going to see the very long "Gone with the Wind" movie in Eureka, Utah in the 1940s before moving to California with Clark Gable. I could go to the movies then with a quarter and be admitted for 14 cents, buy some popcorn for 10 cents and have a penny left over. In those days all movies seemed to be G rated or not rated but okay for everyone. I also remember going to see "Bambi" by Disney when about five years old. Before the featured movie there was always a short newsreel of world happenings, a short cartoon and sometimes a short feature like "Zorro" that was an adventure series and continued next time. Boy-the good old days weren't that long ago, if I'm still alive to remember them. What do you remember from the time you were 5 years old or there abouts that seems like ancient history now? Please share something or ask your mother or grandmother for something they remember to share here. We are all a part of history.

What’s in a NAME?

My name given me at birth was “Linda.” It was a popular name in the 1940s when I was born because of a famous movie star “Linda Darnell”. Who was she you ask? “Linda” in Spanish means “pretty” but I never felt particularly “pretty” growing up as a tomboy-angly, tall, super skinny (5 feet 9 inches and 110 pounds), shy, quiet, an only child, a teenager who wore glasses. Ballet lessons were my salvation, when at age fifteen I learned to move more gracefully and built my self confidence through performing on stage (although because of my tallness I always danced in the back row. No pas de deux or dance with a partner for me when I was dancing on my toes.)

As an adult, I took control of my name following the example of my parents by shortening my first given name from “Linda” to “Lin”. My dad named “Stanley” had been called “Stan” and my mom “Evelyn” had become “Eve”, so I “Linda” became legally “Lin” when I got divorced in 1992 and wanted to make a NEW START in my life with a NEW NAME. “Lin” which means “lake” or “waterfall” or “pool.” A nature name, I like that. Swan Lake was always my favorite ballet so perhaps I could think of myself as an elegant "swan." Tell me about your first name, what it means, how you got it and how you feel about it.

Some LIFE QUESTIONS to answer

Just finished the book "Wins, Losses, and Lessons" by Lou Holtz.
In the last chapter he says we NEED four things in life:

1. Something to do

2. Someone to love

3. Something/a god of some kind to believe in

4. Something to look forward to

So tell me what your answers are to these questions if you are brave enough in the comments section.

Finding our ROOTS

This is a photo of my third great grand mother Sarah McGuckin Malin. Her history is fascinating. To learn more about her, see my webpage with my family histories and photos of my ancestors that I have collected for almost 50 years.
http://www.geocities.com/famhistory1867/

Why do we search out our ancestors? Alex Haley’s famous quote might explain this most popular hobby that is pursued as a passion by many throughout the world:

"In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage-to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness."

Find out more about your roots…discover where your ancestors came from, what they did for a living, what was important to them, what trials and struggles they overcame, what they were like as individuals, how you are different or similar to them, what skills, attitudes and values they have passed on perhaps unknowingly to you. Then comes the next part to consider writing your own history. It can be an simple as a blog or as complicated as a published autobiography, but someone one day will read it and learn from your life's struggles and insights.

More FREE VERSE

Sat, Nov 10, 2007 4:30 am and I can’t sleep but I did nap today…going to a writer’s workshop today, should be fun. Will take my laptop to write on. Leg is doing okay, healing little by little, have about 11 stitches or more and my legs are a purple blue color when the veins were taken out-not too pretty but will be more healthy when healed. Felt every needle go in for the surgery and it was painful but no way out but through.

SURGERY
No way out but through the process
Vein surgery is not fun or for the weak
Breathe deeply…I can do this
Having a baby or rather four babies
Wasn’t this hard, but it did bring about
These ugly varicose veins that I’ve lived with
For too many years and hated

Remove them, I know it will hurt
And take time but I don’t want them
Could we also say that about our sins
They do us no good except as a teacher
Of how we could have lived better

SLEEP?
It escapes me this early morning
As I sit at my laptop contemplating the universe
But mostly me --what am I feeling
At this unearthly hour?
Why would I even want to feel?
Why aren’t I sleeping like my companion?
Although he also wakes and sleeps lightly
As he works through the details of designing
His houseboat that he wants to build

It will be interesting in the next life
To not need sleep, before we are resurrected
My, what we could accomplish
With the extra time that we waste sleeping
On this earth, every night or not sleeping
But wishing we could….

Sleeping pills to aid our sleep
Only drugs us and tricks us into a stupor
That really isn’t deep restorative sleep
Maybe the answer is “stop the naps”
But what does one do during the day
When the eyelids won’t stay open,
But plunk themselves tightly closed?
Why won’t they do that in the early hours
Of my long restless nights?

Why WRITE our own autobiography?

I've been asked to share in a church group the topic "writing your own autobiography". Since I have kept journals since I started college at BYU at age 20, I had lots of material over the years for my own biography which I wrote in 2000 as a printed book and a CD that is like a private webpage just for my family members . Thought I'd share some ideas I came up with for my presentation. So blogging is good but how about taking the next step and writing an autobiography of your own life?

Why Write your Autobiography?

1. To leave your testimony/faith and beliefs for your posterity to guide and strengthen them
2. To leave a record of your life, your challenges and trials and triumphs and how you dealt with them
3. Share the wisdom you gained the hard way, advice for your posterity from your experiences
4. Express your love and concern for each of your descendents
5. For catharsis for yourself-understanding what you've learned and gained at whatever period of life you are in.

How to do it

1. Collect your journals and diaries, photos and momentoes to include in your history
2. Write an outline/time line of your life-then fill in the details
3. Use a software program like "personal historian" to jog your memories or any number of books available on that topic
4. Write a little each day, keep paper with you at all times
5. Have a purpose for your writing, who is your audience? Why are you writing?
6. Make time, do it now, we aren’t getting any younger, my dad died at age 29 without a journal
7. Don’t sugar coat your life story but don’t dwell on the ugly parts-show how you gained or learned from those experiences, forgive and let go of anger.
8. Don’t edit till you have a rough draft-write freely, then edit, add photos and get feedback from others.
9. Doesn’t have to be chronological, just different life experience or themes, be creataive
10. Do it, start today/ask others for support and help

Publish as a printed pamphlet or CD, or just blog on the internet-that's a good start?

STILL READING and thinking

There are lessons to be learned in every area of life as you anayze the deeper meanings. Still reading the football book by Lou Holtz. I'm very impressed with him because of his deep spirituality, he's a practicing Catholic and a man of integrity in all areas of his life. I was going to stop taking notes on his book but things just keep popping out at me as I read, and so I write them down here's some more to ponder and apply in your life and mine.

1. Nothing is as good as it seems, nothing is as bad as it seems but somewhere inbetween reality falls.
2. Mistakes are an inevitable part of life but accepting responsibility and taking corrective action are not.
3. Do what's right and avoid what's wrong (simply said)
4. Discipline is a teaching tool. (Good for parents to remember.)
5. Sometimes bad things happen for a good reason, to lead you in a new direction.
6. If you want to make God laugh tell him your plans for the future. (I like this one and another similar-life is what happens while you are making other plans. My life's dream was to marry a prince charming and live happily ever after....well that didn't happen but I'm still trying to learn from each day's mistakes and challenges.)

That's enough for today to contemplate and work on. I appreciate your comments those who read my blog. Tell me of your life's experiences and how they relate to what Lou Holtz is saying. Lin

TAKING A CHALLENGE

Well, my friend Susy Hatch challenged others on her blog http://www.gremhogs.blogspot.com to read a book, an autobiography of a football coach. Well, not being a sports fan, I resisted; but then she offered a prize and I thought that's an easy prize to win. Since I have only won two other prizes in my whole life: one a portable tv set as a high school talent show winner for doing a ballet solo, and the other as a retired adult at a genealogy workshop for a $50 gift certificate at my favorite local furniture store....so I got the book and am reading it. Here's some notes from it so far.

Wins, Losses and Lessons by Lou Holtz

1. It’s not what you have it’s who you have (family, friends, etc.)

a. Can’t perform under pressure without preparation
b. Momentum is nothing more than attitude
c. Ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity
d. Success ends but being significant continues
e. I knew God, my family loved me
f. WIN What’s important now-then do it
g. Don’t let others down by quitting, do the right thing, respect authority
h. A kind word turneth away wrath
i. Learning can take place, only when you want to learn

2. Success is a choice you make

a. Everyone has someone to thank for what he/she has for their personal sacrifices so you could be successful
b. Take criticism as a challenge to prove others wrong
c. People take an interest in those who are interested in them
d. If you’re going to do something, do it to the best of your ability, if you’re not going to be the best you can be, why even try.
e. Be wary of the intoxicating power of success to forget your values
f. Life is a series of choices that determine how successful we become

3. First impressions have lasting results

a. You can’t let someone else determine your happiness, only you are responsible for your feelings
b. Appearances matter, so make yours a good one
c. Terrible setbacks can be the greatest things that ever happen to you

4. A day without learning is a day without living

a. Most important decisions: relationship with God, who to marry, where to liv, career, kind of example you set
b. Important to be truthful with yourself and others no matter whose feelings you might offend
c. Successful people adapt to change, even thrive on it, while those who dread it and resist change, have trouble
d. Work isn’t work when you love what you are doing
e. List things you want to do as a parent, person, religiously, professionally, financially, personally for excitement

5. Setback don’t define your goals, you do

a. Nothing focuses the mind like crises
b. Players/people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care
c. Trials build character and help you define your priorities
d. Internal rewards, one you gain from pain, sweat, tears will stick with you
e. People perform to the level expected

6. Greatness starts with belief that you can do it and total commitment, achievements require great sacrifices

7. Leading is easy when people want to be led

a. Authority comes with the job, you earn respect by proving yourself a leader
b. A team filled with players who believe in one another and who believe they can win who are willing to work hard and do the things necessary to become successful, that is a winning team regardless of their record

This is not even half of the book but hopefully will wet your appetite to read it all...thanks again Susy

Some Timely Poems (really free verse)

TIME is….

Time to get going, time to stop, time to eat, time for bed
Stop procrastinating, don’t put off today what you can do tomorrow
Don’t waste time, time is waiting, there’s no time left
I don’t have time for that, I’ll make time for that
What time is it, I’m late, time has run out for me
Daylight savings time, be sure and change your clocks
An extra hour of time, what should I do, what can I do
Anything I decide to do, time is what it’s all about

Expectations part of time, there is a limit to our time you know
Waiting around for better days versus making better days now
Patience in God’s time and plan for our lives
A thousand years of His time makes only one day of our time
Eternity is a long period of time, wait a minute, just a sec
What are we waiting for, better times, expectations to be met
and prayers to be answered in our way
others to become perfect but what about us?
Time waits for no man or woman

ROAD SIGNS…

Drowsy drivers, use next exit
Don’t stay on the freeway
And risk a tragic accident
Stop now while you can and
Rest a minute, awake your senses
Don’t let the road lull you to sleep
Welcome sleep, I’ll just close my eyes
For a brief second, but then what?
Disaster for you and others awaits
Could we not also say this
About daily life…stay alert
Watch out for opportunities or
Stumbling blocks which could cause
A fatal detour into unknown paths
Drowsy drivers, use next exit

Letters from Lin

So why do I need a BLOG? To make an impression on the world and leave some thoughts and ideas spinning in the universe, to have a place to publish my poems and ramblings. Will give it a try....