{MY FINAL} for REL200

I have so enjoyed this class.  I have loved reading and writing my thoughts and I have done very well.  But can I tell you, I am done but I also know that I need to do it all again next semester.  I'm feeling a little burned out and wishing my home was back in order.  I also know that this is my season and things could be worse, but lets not go there.  I have been blessed with a loving husband who loves and adores me.  My best friend.  We have three beautiful children that God has allowed us to raise, so we need to do our best always.  I am proud that I am Mommy, Mom, and Babe.  Now I am proud to add student to that list, although it is hard.  I rather be Mommy, Mom, and Babe.  I am thankful that I get to do this program through BYU-I.  Some people are not that lucky.  When I graduate in the spring of 2017, I will be the first graduate of my birth family.  That seems so crazy to me.  What blessings God has given me and what a great example to my family I get to be.  I have really enjoyed reading and pondering the scriptures and the Proclamation.  If you have not read it do so.

This is my family and over this year we have not had one picture taken of all of us together.  So here we are.  From Pittsburgh PA, to Alligator Alley AL, this fall.

{I belong to the Church}

...of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I know who I am, I know God's plan, I'll follow him in faith!  Yep that is a primary song from our children's song book.  It is one of my favorites.  You can listen to it here. (click on audio and then music and lyrics and you can listen to it.)

Last week this is some that I've posted, in my class and these are some of my thoughts.   Now I know there are so many things going on in the world and people are being persecuted for having certain beliefs.  I know how that is, I am a Christian, and I know how it feels to be shamed because I am Mormon,  that I believe in a living prophet, that a boy named Joseph Smith restored our church on the earth for this day.  But the pioneer Latter Day Saints knew it also.  They were tared and feathered, they were burned out of their homes, they were told to leave or they would be "Exterminated".  That was the word used.  Crazy I know.  And here we are doing it all over again to a people who believe differently then everyone else.  Some scriptures I've read this week put it in the best perspective.

Ephesians 6:

 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Romans 1: 

 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Doctrine and Covenants 134:

 2 We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.

 3 We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people if a republic, or the will of the sovereign.

 4 We believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable to him, and to him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.

Anyway, isn't these some great verses to PONDER?  I think so.

This is a beautiful picture of the Washington DC Temple.

{Love Language}

The last three weeks in class we talked about our Love Language and how we believe or don't believe on how they work.  I LOVED it!  So we went to this website took the test and discussed whether or not we believed what was said was true about us and we had to ask three others to do it also.  My love language is physical touch and so were my boys, I had them do it also.  Rob was quality time, Isabella was words of affirmation and I asked my SIL to take it also.  Now when she took it she said it had changed and when I told my teacher this, he said he was not surprised and really neither was I she has changed.  Now I on the other hand.  I guess for my immediate family this is how I have been but for other friends and family I had to warm up to hugs and kisses and saying "I love you" to them.  So in the end it was a fun time for our family.  It made us more aware of our differences and that even though not every one is a toucher, like my daughter, they still want to have love and there are many ways to do that.

This was during fall break.  I love them so.

{The Family: A Proclamation to the World}

This is the title to the class I am taking for religion at BYUI.  I love it.  Each week we review and talk about a paragraph or two and we dig deep into what the meaning of the paragraphs mean to us.  We discuss and ponder with each other and it is truly a blessing in my life right now.  Here is a link to the Proclamation.  Read it ponder and pray about it and then tell me what you think.  Now if you don't think you can do what I ask then I really don't want to know your opinion.  But if you are sincere about your thoughts and have come to them in the correct way, by pondering and praying then I would love to have a dialog with you.

new river gorge in West Virgina in August 2015

I love this video and it comes directly from the Proclamation.

{FOCUS}

So it has been awhile . . .and I'm a little behind.  So let me try to get you up to speed.  My family is growing up.  Two of my three children are taller then me, shocker I know.  My oldest is 13 and in 8th grade and my next is just 11 and in 5th and my youngest spit fire is 7 and in 2nd.  Since my last writing, we have many wonderful moments and moments of heartache and disappointment but because we believe in an eternal plan we say a prayer and continue to move forward.  I have started back at school.  This is my 4th semester.  I am taking classes at BYUI online and it is awesome although at times harder and it makes me have to focus more and it makes my family have to work a bit harder too.  So it is good for everyone.  Here are some pictures to update you on what we've been doing over the last year and a bit.

My goal for the next little bit is to focus on my classes.  I am taking a religion class at BYUI it focuses on marriage and family and for my capstone I was given many choices of projects to do and I chose to write a blog.  So I am continuing this one and focusing on marriage and family for the next little bit.