Generation Clean

I was at a conference for women a few weeks ago, and a quote by Tolkien was mentioned. I loved it and jotted down in my notes, 'they may have clean earth to till. -Tolkien.' It struck me because it reminded me of this blog that I started years ago and have neglected for a long time. I came home and googled the quote. It was a little different than my notes, and after finding it, I had to read over it several times to feel like I fully understood it. “It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule.” ―  J.R.R. Tolkien ,   The Return of the King I have not read the book the quote comes from, so I do not know the context in which it was written, but this is how it translates for me: I don't have to do everything or know everything,...

“We have a  family home evening program once a week [Monday night] across the Church in which parents sit down with their children. They study the scriptures. They talk about family problems. They plan family activities and things of that kind. I don’t hesitate to say if every family in the world practiced that one thing, you’d see a very great difference in the solidarity of the families of the world .” --- Gordon B Hinckley My family meets for FHE every Monday night. We try not to get too elaborate or it feels overwhelming. Here is a quick outline of what we do. We rotate who does what each week: Opening Song. Someone picks a song and we sing it together. It's usually a children's song from church or a hymn. Opening Prayer. Someone says an opening prayer asking Heavenly Father to help us have a nice time and that we will feel His Spirit. Family Business. We talk about what is coming up this week so we all know what's going on and who needs to be where. Lesson. ...

This video is so powerful! Leave it to Elder Holland to say this right. He gets right to the heart of the reason I do this blog. It's the reason my kids are still begging for cell phones of their own, and I have not caved in. It's the reason I have passwords on the computers, Wii channels like Netflix, and my cell phone. It's the reason I worry over which friends my children choose. And it's the reason my husband and I do scripture study and still say individual prayers (yes, even with the 13 year old) with each of our kids at night: I don't want to see my children suffer because of bad choices. Some may see me as paranoid or strict. I know that children need to learn how to be independent and how to take the consequences of their actions. Believe me, there are still plenty of choices they are allowed to make, and still plenty of consequences when they make poor ones. What I want to do is be sure that everyone in the family feels that home is a safe place. I wa...

This quote comes from an exceptional talk about envy by Jeffrey R Holland . He gave this in April 2012 General Conference. Another one of my favorite quotes from his talk is:  "Envy requires us to suffer all good fortune that befalls everyone we know. What a bright prospect that is! Downing another quart of pickle juice every time anyone around you has a happy moment!" When you put it that way, it sounds so obviously ridiculous to be bitter for others successes. I think "pickle juice" is going to be our family's new catch phrase for identifying jealousy and envy.  Ok, and there's just one more that's really good too.  I wish I could put this one on a banner at the kids' middle school! "Coveting, pouting, or tearing others down does not elevate your standing. Nor does demeaning someon e else improve your self image."

Inspired by this article by Pat Archbold, I created the image above. I agree with the general theme of what he says. It is true that the "pretty" (a calm, innocent beauty) of women has been replaced for the most part by the agitated gaunt look of  "hot." And a hearty "Amen" to the part of the article about how disappointing it was to see Olivia Newton John's character in Grease throw away her prettiness to become hot and attract a guy. I have never understood why that movie was so popular for mothers to show their daughters. Maybe because the music is catchy? I hope that my daughters will understand that when they live a good life it shows in their faces, and that is what makes them pretty. It's not the makeup, outfits, or hairdos that do it, beauty grows from the inside out. That brings me to a favorite quote by my sister Erica: "It's more important to be nice, than pretty." Ooh, I need to make another artsy quote of that ...

image by freeimageslive.co.uk - BrianNorcross Quote by Gordon B Hinckley Design by Generation Clean

My daughter just taught me how to make this. I used this quote because it's so insightful. Be good!

Reese Witherspoon just made a new fan. I've always thought she was more respectable than most celebrities, but I just love what she did at the MTV Awards. There, she was given the "MTV Generation Award." I'm not really sure what that is, but she seemed to have a next generation in mind when she accepted it. She said, “I get it, girls, that it’s 'cool' to be a bad girl, but it is possible to make it in Hollywood without doing a reality show.... So, for all the girls out there, I t’s totally possible to be a good girl. I’m going to try to make it cool .” Two years ago she also made this impressive statement: "I had my first baby when I was 23, so I've always been choosing roles knowing that I have a daughter and I have a responsibility to her and to the world to be representing women of strength . These are the women I know in life. I think it's a natural extension of parenthood for you to feel like you’re responsible for the worlds you create,...

When Mother Reads Aloud When Mother reads aloud, the past Seems real as every day; I hear the tramp of armies vast, I see the spears and lances cast, I join the thrilling fray; Brave knights and ladies fair and proud I meet when Mother reads aloud. When Mother reads aloud, far lands Seem very near and true; I cross the deserts’ gleaming sands, Or hunt the jungle’s prowling bands, Or sail the ocean blue. Far heights, whose peaks the cold mists shroud, I scale, when Mother reads aloud. When Mother reads aloud, I long For noble deeds to do... To help the right, redress the wrong; It seems so easy to be strong, So simple to be true. Oh, thick and fast the visions crowd My eyes, when Mother reads aloud. - From The Children's Book of Heroes by William J Bennett