Jason F. Wright and Stephenie Meyer

This isn't as much a book review as a post about two of my current favorite authors. I have read The Wednesday Letters and went to the library and checked out Christmas Jars (because everyone knows that I love Christmas) and I am hooked. Jason Wright is going to have to go long and far not not remain on my favorite list for a long time. Plus the fact that he picked Virgina, my husbands birth state, to currently reside in - well what more is there to like! He is living where Clydes family pretty much originated from before they moved out to Danville. I think that is one of the reasons I loved The Wednesday Letters so much - because I knew where it was and though I had never personally been to Woodstock - I had been to enough of the small towns in Virginia doing genealogy - that I knew what Woodstock looked like and felt like so that made the book more fun. The sisters in our ward that went to Time Our for Women loved his lecture last year here in New England. They are disappointed there isn't a Time Out for Women close by this year. They were extremely impressed when he commented last week on my blog - actually so was I!

I have also decided that no matter what Stephenie Meyer puts her hand to - I like. I am just about finished with The Host and as with the Twilight series - I cannot put it down. So to me that is obviously the mark of someone I will read in the years to come. Is this loyalty because they are LDS? No. I didn't know Jason Wright was a member of the Church until I had finished The Wednesday Letters. I like that the books are well written. I will read a well written book no matter who the author is - that is why I love to read. That is why I keep going back to Taylor Caldwell and some of my favorites from years gone by. Few authors know how to tell a good story anymore without muddying it up with sex and gore. Both of these authors do.

Monday Heroes

Anyone that knows me, knows that our daughters' and son-in-laws are my heroes. It is a fact of life. Today because it is their anniversary, I am honoring Heidi and Andy Bahlmann. They have been married 8 years. Heidi was our first daughter to be married in the temple. It was a beautiful ceremony and quite a day (the ending of 6 weeks that I never want to go through again!). She was a beautiful bride. She and Andy have taken to heart the things they were taught and are rasing their children in righteousness in the gospel. They are an amazing couple and I love them dearly. I could write all day about the wonderful things they do and the example they set for me to follow. That is what heroes do.

All of our daughters' and son-in-laws are better parents than we were. I am so proud of the honorable and wonderful people they are. We are truly blessed. Where they learned their parenting skills was not from us. Where they learned their marriage skills was not from us.

This week our oldest grandson, Marcus (Heidi and Andy's oldest child) will turn 7. He is also a hero of mine. He is an outstanding student and tries very hard to be a good big brother. Each of our grandchildren have such outstanding attributes. I cannot believe how blessed I am to have 9 such outstanding souls in my life.

Our youngest daughter will have a birthday this week too but I am saving her for me hero next week.

The Book of Mormon

Last Sunday I was thinking about reading the Book of Mormon. Our YM's President had been bearing his testimony about reading the Book of Mormon and it triggered a memory of Larry Sprouse asking us how many times we had read the Book of Mormon when we would come in for a temple recommend interview. That was about 25 years ago. At the time Clyde and I had lost count so now it would be impossible come up with a count. I do remember at the time being startled that I couldn't come up with a number. We weren't being boastful but it was legitimate. Between reading it for our own scripture study and as a couple we had read it so many times we couldn't come up with a number. There is no need to count now. The Book of Mormon is such a part of my daily life that I really cannot function until I have spent a few minutes reading it. I know some people that think you have to spend at least an hour studying the scriptures every day and it becomes overwhelming for them - therefore they don't do it. Really as little as 5 minutes is fine but it is essential to a days well being. For me that few minutes frequently gets much longer but that is my choice. It is because the desire to read is so strong I can't stop.

As a worker in the temple I have read the Book of Mormon twice, sitting and waiting. That has been an incredible experience. I know the Book of Mormon is the Word of God and I am grateful for it in my life. It is one of my greatest treasures.

Gene Autry's "Cowboy Commandments"

When I was a little girl 'Westerns' were all the rage. They were the most popular TV shows (Bonanza, Gunsmoke, etc) and John Wayne was probably the most well known movie star. Flags were flown at half mast when John Wayne died. How many movie stars can brag about that? Unfortunately when Gene Autry died, people thought he had been dead for decades! (Gene Autry died October 2, 1998 in California). When Clyde and I lived in El Paso, a radio station on Sunday evenings would play old radio shows, like Fibber McGee and Molly, The Shadow and Little Orphan Annie. One of the shows was the Gene Autry Show "Oklahoma's Yodeling Cowboy." I remember hearing Gene's 'Cowboy Commandments' or 'Cowboy Code' then but the other day they suddenly appeared on the internet again. I had not realized how important they were to our every day living as I grew up - but pretty much everyone followed this code. Here it is:

1. The Cowboy must never shoot/hit first. You must never hit a smaller man or take unfair advantage.
2. He must never go back on his word or a trust confided in him.
3. He must always tell the truth.
4. He must be gentle with children, the elderly and animals.
5. He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously insolent ideas.
6. He must help people in distress.
7. He must be a good worker.
8. He must keep himself clean in thought, speech, action and personal habits.
9. He must respect women, parents, and his nation's laws.
10. The cowboy is a patriot.

What popular Christmas songs did Gene Autry record or write?
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Here Comes Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman (you know me - I had to fit Christmas in here somewhere!).

The Wednesday Letters

I usually write my book review on Tuesday but I couldn't resist the pun. The book I wanted to write about this week is 'The Wednesday Letters" by Jason F. Wright. Heidi gave it to me for Christmas - so I knew it was good. I started reading it Christmas Day and had it finished the next morning. It is a beautiful story and not at all what I expected. I thought it would be like Daddy Longlegs where it is a series of letters. It is not. It is about discovering the letters and then how much they meant to the person that had received them and the people that discovered them. It is definitely a must read.

I re-read the Tale of Despereaux after seeing the movie. I understand why the movie was changed because what reads well in a book does not translate well to the screen. There is a lot of wandering in the book where there is not time for that on the screen. I like the interpretation of the movie. It was definitely made to be a 'G' rated movie and even the book would have been 'PG' - which is not bad but they were obviously going for the milder rating. Hurray for them! I know I am a little nutty but I am a big advocate of supporting 'G' rated movies. They are too few and far between. My fear is one day they will be extinct!

Monday's Heroes

I cannot settle on one hero and I don't know two of these men personally but I admire them all. The first one is an odd one for me. It is Claiborne Pell. He is a former Senator from Rhode Island that passed away January 1st. He was a Democrat and from everything I have ever heard and read about him - he was a fine gentleman. He is the one that started the PELL grant for those of us that have taken advantage of that. He has other things that he started and he has many building here in Newport with his name on it because of his contributions to the Arts. When Vice President Biden's first wife and daughter were killed in a car accident, Senator Pell and his wife were at the Biden's door within hours to take things in hand. It turns out the Biden's only knew the Pell's from the senate but the Pell's saw a need and stepped in. He deserves to be a hero on many levels.

My second hero is Thomas S. Monson. He is the prophet of our Church and an amazing human being. I have been watching 'A Brand New Year' that I am sure he spearheaded and I am grateful to have inspired leadership every time I watch it. Our ward had a fireside last night for our youth and they were mesmerized with the music and the messages. We truly have a loving Heavenly Father to give us such an amazing prophet right now. I was thinking today that since 1972 I have personally met all of the prophets. This will hold true until Boyd K. Packer and then it will be a while if ever again. I have met a few of the current 12 but not like I used to know. Interesting how things change. Thomas S. Monson is truly a hero to emulate.

My third hero is Clyde's co-worker, Will. They had to travel to Baltimore today and Will has ended up being a great traveling companion. Ordinarily I don't know if Clyde ever arrives somewhere because lets face it - he is a Luddite and refuses to get a cellphone. But Will insisted that as soon as they landed, Clyde had to call me to let me know all was well. If there is a problem, I am to call Will's cellphone. Thank you Will.

My last hero is my neighbor across the hall. I have no idea what his name is. We had a snow storm over the holiday weekend and because of that there has been residue snow and ice because the maintenance crew was on skeleton crew and could not keep up with it. Our kind neighbor saw me slip on the ice this morning so he went out and before I had returned from dropping Clyde off, he had the ice shoveled off the front stoop and the parking spot where we usually park - all shoveled out. When I went to thank him, he said, "We're neighbors and therefore family. Your husband helped my daughter shovel out her car during our last storm. It was the least I could do." We truly have a unique stairwell right now in that we do kind of watch out for each other. I tell people about that and the reply is, "Well they aren't from New England." Well it is sad but true. Acts of service make people heroes in my book.

A New Years Prayer

My friend Karyn Halverson put this poem on her blog. I liked it so much I asked her if I could use it. Here is my wish for you this New Year.

A New Year Prayer

~ Unknown ~

May God make your Year a happy one!

Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,

But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;

Not by making your path easy,

But by making you sturdy to travel any path;

Not by taking hardships from you,

But by taking fear from your heart;

Not by granting unbroken sushine,

But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;

Not by making your life always pleasant,

But by showing you when people and their causes need you most,

And by making you anxious to be there to help.

May Heavenly Father's love, peace, hope and joy be with you in the year ahead.