Going to Church with the No Moes in Delta

I went to church with my sister-in-law. It was a cute little building that looks more like a house of humans than a house of God. But hey, I understand how it is. I was one of the only moes in a town full of catholics in Illinois. So it made sense to me to go to church with my sis-in-law. She needs family right now. So we went. It was interesting. It is a Christian Community church. There was a woman a few rows ahead of us who was standing and waving her arms around to the Christian rock that was playing over the loud speaker with the words projected on the screen.

It was completely different than anything I had experienced - yet beautiful in its own way. The rock beat seemed out of place to me - yet I was touched by the message in the lyrics to the songs. There was a complete sense of worship in the first 20 minutes as we just sat and listened to the music and read the words on the giant screen about giving your life to Jesus and accepting him. Isn't that what I already believe anyway? There was truth there.

After a while the woman who was waving her arms gave the sermon. There were only six of us in the whole congregation after three of the adults took the kids to Sunday School. The kids consisted of mine and my sis-in-law's.

The sermon was about the apolistic church. The minister's understanding of the word seemed vague. The message was about being an apostle to Jesus and the responsibility we all have of leading in the church. I didn't necessarily agree with it all, but I found the bits of truth precious and interesting.

When I took my little 3-year-old niece to Sunday school, Christian was telling the teacher that he had never been to a Christian Church before. I couldn't believe he still didn't understand that Mormons are Christians but not all Christians are Mormons. We have had that chat on several occasions. I worried about the boys being taught rot about mormons, but not enough to not be there. I figured it would likely foster some interesting conversations and nelighten them toward their own faith. Which, of course, it did.

I felt mildly rebellious for being the granddaughter of one of the town founders and first Mormon Bishops and attending a community Christian Chruch. I wondered if Edward Leo Lyman Jr. was rolling in his grave. Let alone my Bishop brother, Ben, Dad, and other enthusiastic Moes. Somehow, I doubted any of the women would question my choice, knowing why I was there. It was out of love for my brother, his wife and their children. They are getting divorced. They need family support right now. Going to church, whichever church, is something that should be encouraged and perhaps participated in. I love my bro and his fam. I had to do something to show my love.

My fore-mothers wouldn't judge me for this. I don't question their faith in living plural marriage. It took amazing faith to do that. It has to take a truckload of faith for a minister to preach a sermon to six people. Or perhaps, a substancial paycheck. Yet, I 'get' her. She was obviously educated outside of Utah. She refers to Musllims and is rather vague about local issues.

Wow.

Can you imagine being raised in a bigger city in another state and the best job you are offered is in Delta, Utah? The town Robert Kirby refers to as "hell" incarnate? (Brother Kirby has obviously never been to Battle Mountain). Yet she makes statements like, "Becoming a follower of Christ is not about joining a church." So obviously she has done her homework.

It wasn't all that different from the Mo church. After all, we are all people.

Emerson and Black Friday in Zion

Today is the day after Thanksgiving. Wow. We hiked in Zion Canyon. It was beautiful. The fall colors contrast with the red cliffs and reminds me that all I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen. I know. Ralph Waldo Emerson said it way before me.

I wonder if he ever hiked in Zion.

The children are all so beautiful. As glorious in their own individuality as each mountain and majestic tree. I loved the trees. We didn't really get a fall in Montana this year. Jumped right from blazing hot to fridgid then went to mild for a while, but by then, the leaves were just dead. They haven't really fallen off the trees. They just sit there, dull green and limp.

I feel a little like that today.

No Black Friday fun at Walmart for me. Oh no. Had to hike with the fam. Couldn't believe how many others had the same idea. We all looked at each other as if we had nerve to be there in Zion. According to the television, we were all shopping at walmart getting the black friday deals! The traffic was hideous, but worth it for the views and the fun hike.

Philo, Mom and a tv free Thanksgiving...

Doug's alarm went off at five oclock this morning. I was SOOO not ready to be a person yet. In my dreams I was still a building. Seriously. Christian said when bad things happen he likes to be an antelope. For some reason, he thinks antelopes are very small. I guess subconsiosly I like to be an inantimate object that only moves when shaken around by tectonic shifting of the earth's crust. It sounds like I was dreaming I was a building being shook up by an earthquake doesn't it? This was my intent. I can't remember what I dreamed, but it was a good one, I can tell. It will likely come to me while I am preparing my famous stuffing.

Today is Thanksgiving. My mom died on Thanksgiving day 18 years ago. There is always something a little painful about today.

Sometimes, how much we love our families is painful. It physically hurts to lose someone you love to death. I wonder how my sis-in-law is doing without Ben this year. Yet many of us feel alone even in the crowd of our families.

Is that partly why I love television? I get to connect with stories of other lives without any of the sense of loss that comes with real live human interaction?

We are in a Hotel. The kids are in a connecting room. We have access to two televisions. I skipped around the channels and eventually landed on the discovery channel and a series about Hoarding disorder. I learned. What if television actually got to the point Philo Farnsworth had in mind? Education.

Do you know the story of Philo Farnsworth? He was the Idaho boy who invented television. His plan was for it to educate the world. Interestingly enough, it CAN serve that purpose in its present state but only if the viewer has the interest, motivation, and self mastery to allow that to happen.

Teen Flicks, Horror Movies and Family

While I'm traveling around the country over thanksgiving break, I'm stopping in on family members who have access to television. Since I quit watching it, I've noticed a few things about myself when I do watch it.

I'm so much more materialistic when I watch tv. Those commercials makers target me and I take the bait, hook, line and sinker. I sit there and believe that if I don't shop for Old Navy sweaters on black Friday my kids will suffer tremendous loss.

My stress load is increased when I watch tv because I believe I should look like the models and I should bake all the goodies that are advertised. It is not possible to do both, but television doesn't tell you that.

Last time I watched television on a regular basis, I don't remember comedians talking about beastiality. Plenty of other vices, but innocent animals were left out of it. When you watch TV regularly, your senses are dulled on an incremental basis. When you quit for a while and come back to it, you are shocked by the blatentness of it all. I remember when Gone With the Wind came to my home town when I was a kid and my Dad debated allowing me to see a movie with one swear word in it. I remember the thrill of the moment when Clark Gable actually said, "Frankly my dear I don't give...", You know the rest. Last night when the comedian brought up beastiality, my brother-in-law protested that usually this was such a good show. His actually words were, "It isn't THAT bad". I hate being the party pooper and it is even worse when others percieve me as "Holier Than Thou" but don't I have a right to shelter myself as much as others have a right to what they deem entertainment?

Currently, I'm at my brother Matt's house. My boys are glued to a skateboarding contest. Their cousin threatens them with Elmo. My vote it America's Funniest Home Videos. But you can only watch poor innocent men get hit in the crotch so many times before you change the channel.

I have to say, I bonded over a freaky teen flick with my little brother. All the teachers were aliens. We had to chase my innocent son from the room occasionally and eventually watching the worms under one teens skin was too gross to continue. I only watched 10 minutes of the movie and knew exactly how it would end. But I can't get that worm face out of my head. That is the problem with me. If I see something scary, gross or sexual, it stays in hy head forever. And it isn't pleasant. My little 14 year old niece told me how all she watches is horror movies. I seriously don't get the attraction.

Day 81 Without Television...but still have MOVIES!!!

Last night Doug and I were sitting on the couch. We weren't watching anything but our little boys running up and down the stairs in a frantic game of tag/hide-and-seek. I turned to him and said, "You realize if Sponge Bob still was in our home, we wouldn't be doing this."
He commented on how glad he was I agreed to it. I told him I have something to occupy my brain and it makes a difference. Most of our marriage I've been up to my ears in diapers, midnight feedings, and other brainless activity. Not that most tv isn't. And I really miss some things. Not enough to give up.

I've decided to rent and watch every version of A Christmas Carol ever made. So far I've watched Mr. Magoo's and the one from the fifties. Both were amazing. I'm starting to know the lines by heart. It is such a great story.

Planned Parenthood

I had another assignment, from another class, to go somewhere out of my comfort zone.

I was thinking about this assignment one day as I was driving past Planned Parenthood. Being the Molly Mormon Mom of 7, I don’t think I could get any further from my ‘comfort zone’ than that. I pulled into the empty parking lot and went up to the door. There was an entryway and another set of double doors. I walked into the waiting area and looked around. There was seating enough for about twenty and not a soul in sight. It was clean and neat. There were magazines and cushioned chairs.

I imagined what it would look like to a young teenage girl in trouble. It was very un-intimidating. The posters on the walls had little or nothing to do with abortion or pregnancy for that matter. I noticed a Plexiglas partitioned of area and a window. After a few minutes a young woman entered the partitioned area and appeared at the window. She didn’t acknowledge my presence in any way so I approached the window and greeted her. I told her about my assignment and told her I just wanted to ask her some questions. She was friendly and helpful and told me about the services they provide to the community. She said that on Wednesdays there was a demonstration out front and the people were not allowed to enter the parking lot or come within a certain number of yards from the building so they would march, carrying their signs at the corner.

She loaded me down with pamphlets. I smiled at the fact that while I was playing the role of social work grad student, in reality, the likelyhood of being outside holding a sign would fit better for me, personally.

She said that they offer much more than abortion services. One of their important services is birth control. She was pretty and young and confident that she was in the right place performing a needed service. My perspective toward Planned Parenthood changed just a little. People who work there really believe in what they are doing. My opinion is, they are only seeing a little slice of a much bigger picture.

Narrow view, broad path.
Broad view, narrow path.

I don't mean to sound judgemental. I don't judge her. Or them.

But I ache over it all.

Oh Rats!

One of my EFY lectures includes a powerpoint on how sneaky pornography is. But I don't tell the kids that is what it is about. Instead, I tell stories about the rats in Europe that spread disease (bubonic plague) around and they were so plentiful that children were playing with them in the streets. There was an edict to kill all of the cats and dogs so the rats had no more natural preditors. People thought cats and dogs spread the plague. (sound familiar? Aren't we experiencing the same thing in the good is evil and evil is good messages that abound in our day?)

Then I tell the story from the Other Side of Heaven of John Groberg getting the bottoms of his feet chewed off by rats because he didn't listen to his more experienced companion who told him to keep his feet covered at night.

Then I show gross pictures of rats...(my motto when it comes to teaching and reaching teens is to gross them out as much as possible, then when I have their full attention, give them a spiritual lesson), Finally I tell the kids about people who peddle porn. I tell a story about flying into the Vegas airport and stepping off the curb in the parking garage and seeing porn scattered everywhere.

Today, there are people who play with it like children played with rats, not knowing or understanding the spiritual disease it spreads. Of course, the whole idea came from President Hinckley's quote, "Avoid pornography as if it were the plague".

We talk about the plague and what it does to your body and compare the spiritual death people may experience to it.