unseen

One thing I noticed and really liked was in a movie when someone used for an excuse of not seeing a thing that they couldn't believe it because they could not see it. So, a per a on coveted their eyes and said, "Am I still here?" Point made. I similarly complain that I cannot believe something without evidence, thinking that I am any different.  It is likewise as foolish to believe one could only have evidemce of something through sensing it. It makes total sense that people do not perceive things the exact same way. Humans do not look the same or see things the same and when we (man) claims to "see" a thing quite often it is explained differently although the sane thing is examined. A perfect example was given year ago by Dieter Uchtdorf when he told a story about blind men who relayed what an elephant was from personal knowledge. One had actually touched it and after examining it (it's stout leg) had determined it was alot like a tree because it felt much like bark and had such a wide base it was likely tall. The next man had also touched it and looked farther with his hands to reveal it had a long sharp smooth part like a spear(tusks) and more like a giant soldier than a gentle tree. But, then a third explained that he had even more evidence that proved both previous witnesses were wrong. This man had not only felt many parts, but had actually found what felt Luke a rope and had swung on it (it's tail). He declared that it was absolutely not a dangerous soldier, but almost immediately in response, the next reported it slithered like a snake and though he had not found fangs yet, but found a Huge Salivating mouth. It had a tounge that seemed made for digesting men! It was a fearsome creature, far more deadly than a human soldier. All were right and had first hand accounts.

What really struck me today was as we were studying an episode in the life of Jesus Christ where he asked who men say that he is, lots of reports were given, but last of all Jesus asked who they (his disciples) thought he was. Peter said that he was the Son of God. And it was explained that he was not made aware of his truth by means that men possess, but only God. As my class talked about this it was mentioned by a few people that the truth is simply there waiting to be "revealed" or sensed, and that idea is so cool. There is no thing that cannot be revealed or evidenced. Too often though things are misunderstood. Our teacher used a cool object lesson that I got. She showed books of computer generated images that looked like one thing. But seemed to transform into multi dimensional things by changing our focus. 

In a podcast I had seen this morning regarding Peter's proclation and Jesus's comment of Peter's source that it came from Heaven or upwards in opposition to the wisdom of men or looking laterally.

In class it was mentioned that though it is somewhat good to get support from other men, one cannot build their testimony on it, Because if you are swayed by opinions of men that is likely to change, but truth doesn't change.

here it is!

Certainly, some will think, "Here it is. She has finally fallen off of her rocker." And you would be wrong, not in that I am old enough to need a rocker, but that I have fallen off of an accustomed way of thinking.  Truth be told, I have never believed the wisdom that says "don't talk to strangers." Or "train a child up..he will not depart from it." If they were true, well, we would all have been saved from to vice od social media, but how could anyone ere be anything but what they were? I loved the song we sang in brownies, "make new friends, but keep the old. one is silver and the other gold." I was like what the heck are we singing so happily? My mother told me not to talk to strangers, so making new friends is not gonna be possible for me, later I learned phrases like ",against my religion" or "concientios(sp?)objector". 

Years later, I am thinking alot about what I have taught or need to yet teach my offspring...I typed children, but none are technically children, so they say. And so, I concluded, well, if I teach them how to think it will be of more value than to teach great thoughts. Then, I thought of the countless parents who took comfort in the scripture, and I think it does more good to just believe it, so I only make this comment where it will never be seen, but how could it be true that if you train a child a certain way he will come back. How could there ever be diversity of thought, unless, at the time it was said, not parenting at all was a thing and thus clearly not teaching anything would differ from teaching and habits, but neither of my parents were, for example, trained in "Mormonism" though many of their habits were enlarged...it was often said by my friends who preacher's daughters that "Mormons make good Methodists". and I think they say that because the basics are so similar, and more happiness is certainly found in accentuating and noticing those similarities. But, I want my children to stick to the thongs they were taught because they trust them to be, under scrutiny, true principles.

in the beginning

As a teen, I developed a deeper appreciation of God through the first scripture I studied. It was on my wall. It was the periodical table. I grew to know and thus love God, though I did not yet call this budding obsession with order a love of God, but that is precisely what I saw in every class I took and the world around me, all organized so perfectly, though none as ideally as the table of elements that hung on my wall. I mistook my love of order for love of science,  chemistry specifically, but I realized my zeal and passion for the beautiful organization around me was too strong for science, so I channeled it into music and organizing sounds. At this time, I saw the movie "Amadeus" where Mozart laughs about hiw with music you can organize multiple voices in way that is beautiful and more than just a noise. I realized that even the very spheres had been orchestrated by something, I called in providence, but knew (though some very revealing dreams too) that the thing that separated chaos from order was God or "the word". Ironically,  I didn't care much for music with words, but it seemed to me that music was word in that it communicated on its own, then, I studied Richard Wagner who suggested that all the senses could be combined and thereby amplified through something he called Gesamkuntswerk..... which leads me to my current obsession Iceland. Ok, I skipped some very big and important steps that were aided by my astronomy class and my evolutionary biology class. Yeah, both classes had little to do with my music major, such was the case with several other 500 level English classes I took as well, like Shakespeare. But, If I was paying. I was going to learn what I choose, so what if after 5 years I did not have a Bachelors degree. I now have a dual major degree, though.  :) (smirk) most importantly, I developed enough intelligence to fulfill my 9th grade algebra teacher's wish that we all become extremely ignorant when we grow up....and I'm still growing!

sometimes it is just coincidence

Crud, as soon as I typed that I thought, but there is no such thing as coincidence, so back to the drawing board with it. What is IT?

I was listening to music from "Game of Thrones" realizing that I have not even seen a snipet of the show. I do not know what it is about or any of the characters, but I am obsessed with everything Icelandic. .so, naturally people assume that I am just a big GoT fan or something. But, when you say Game of Thrones, I think it must be a reference to The Wheel of Time, it seems like the queens and diplomats across-the-board of almost every nation play something like that, and so it has to do with popularity, like being on student council or something, so I do not "like" the music cause I don't want to be one of the minions that love the music, but I do like the music, so I ask myself what is the reason you like it, weighing it against why I do not like it, and it boils down to the thing Duncan Idaho said regarding mood to Paul when he didn't feel like fighting.and my thought ended up on the Stargate Atlantis episode where it is discovered that a suicide pact was serving a purpose, just not the purpose the youth in the episode believed.... sometimes thongs look like a cause and an effect when really they just happened at the same time or looked like one was the result of the other.

nothing to do with me, but...

I keep returning to the Icelandic and Greenlandic genetic matches, and I cannot solve this new riddle. In the haplogroup information, dna can be traced through migratory patterns, and if done, the "Viking" remains found in Greenland would follow the stories and I would see a migratory path from Norway, but I do not. Ok, so this morning I decided to instead look to see at that time which other remains are similar in genetic distance. I fully expected it to list Norway, unless the particular specimen was actually a skrawling, well, I was suprised to find it was listed as viking, ok, but what does it even mean? Scandinavian, or Norwegian or something? Oh well. The number 1 similar match was Gael. Strange, me too, but I am not classified as Gael on any website. And as far as I know, the Irish are not well known for their sea explorations (meaning I have to known history to explain this and it befuddles me).

So, is there a story unraveling in DNA (no pun) that history has forgotten?

Christmas

I learned an important lesson about Christmas this morning. Gifts seem more valuable when we need them. Diane Pratt had offered to take Mary to school in the morning and it seemed like an awesome gift, but Mary was not impressed, she likes to wade in the snow, but this morning was bitterly cold and I told her it was a shame we had not taken Diane's offer and just then, she sent a text message and offered again!. Mary seemed so much more appreciative and took her offer instantly. It reminded me of a lyric I liked that said, "you don't need Jesus till you're here." That is sort of how Christmas and gift giving is, we do not truly appreciate it all of the time, but, Christ is the ultimate gift it is because of him and his life that our whole existence on earth makes sense. And although the ability to repent and be resurrected will be the most important we tend to take it for granted because people too frequently proclaim how Jesus died for you and he loves you, etc. It is no surprise. But, imagine wanting a thing, but not being able to gain it without help. Then, the help becomes the most important thong at that moment, but I sadly just know that it will be given and have known e er single second of my life, and because of that I do not appreciate it as much.

windows

As we need windows to let in the light. Things look different when the windows are open... likewise, yesterday, I was cold and went to sit and enjoy the light and heat that entered through the windows. I cannot even explain how it felt just to bask in that light, it made an impression and that us how we can feel about the windows of heaven.

Regarding tithing, Davis Cropper ought to be credited education for the insight. His mother was shoveling snow and he asked how the show gets so Deep when snowflakes are so small.