Where There Is Ego  

Posted by Candace E. Salima

A week ago I was privileged to go hear entertainer, Merrill Osmond, speak at a fireside. His main topic was the Refiner's Fire and the power it holds in the lives of the children of God. Truly, this man, next to my husband, is one of the sweetest, most righteous men I have ever come across. I was so grateful that he let me know he was speaking that night. One particular thing he said really struck home with me: "Where there is ego, you will never find the Lord."

He said these words and the room stilled for me. Indeed, the hallmark of the Lord's cry for each of us is humility. So where does confidence become arrogance and humility become pride? The Merriam Webster dictionary defines confidence as:
  • 1 a: a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances b: faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way
  • 2: the quality or state of being certain : certitude
  • 3 a: a relation of trust or intimacy b: reliance on another's discretion c: support especially in a legislative body
  • 4: a communication made in confidence : secret
The definition itself clearly delineates between confidence, which is alright with the Lord, and arrogance which is not. The lesson the Lord has tried to teach us over and over to not rely on the arm of the flesh (see D&C 1:19), but turn to Him and trust that He will never let us down.

The definition of the good kind of confidence is: faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way

This is the kind of confidence the Lord needs us to have. Ego is when we believe we can do everything without help from anyone, even God. This is one of Satan's greatest deceptions and, to my great sorrow, one of my greatest failings.

I work hard to hone my skills and talents, but I'm afraid there comes a point where I say, "Yeah, I can do this. No sweat." Really, there's a sweat. I promise. But I think it behooves all of us to remember all of our gifts and talents come from our Father in Heaven. We were given what we needed in order to accomplish the things He sent us here to do.

And so it brings us back to, where there is ego you will never find the Lord. So my ego is going straight out the window. Every day, morning and night at a minimum, I shall remember to thank my Father in Heaven for the countless blessings showered upon us. For the gifts and talents He granted me I will express my gratitude and ask for continual guidance. I will remember that I am here in this life at the behest and blessings of a loving and eternal God. I have one overriding job . . . to bring as many of the sons and daughters of God back with me as I possibly can.

To this end I stand as a witness of Jesus Christ in all things, in all places and in all times. When asked, if it is within my power, I speak at all firesides, youth conferences, womens conferences and more, sharing the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation which He came to fulfill. For where I am, I am determined to find the Lord.

Gordon B. Hinckley on Polygamy and Mormons  

Posted by Candace E. Salima



The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has this great new website on Mormons and Polygamy. With the recent furor over the FLDS polygamist compound in Texas, the Church found that many people, over 40%, still confuse polygamist groups with the ACTUAL Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church has taken a stand, established a presence on the web and beseeched the media to clearly differentiate between the two. Check it out. Now, if only novelists such as Elizabeth Lowell and Nora Roberts would do the same we'd be getting somewhere with smashing the myths and establishing the truth.

From USA Today: Mormons Launch Campaign to Put Distance Between Themselves and Polygamists

From the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Church Seeks to Address Public Confusion Over Texas Polygamy Group

From the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: The History of Polygamy and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

From the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Polygamy, Then and Now

So let me quote author, Janet Jensen being quoted by an Australian newspaper one more time . . . Mormons are NOT Polygamists and Polygamists are NOT Mormons.

Letter to the Editor the Orange County, CA Newspaper Wouldn't Print!  

Posted by Candace E. Salima

From: 'David LaBonte'

My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the OC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to 'print' it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel so inclined. Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange County Register:

Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.

Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer. Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity.

Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy, France, and Japan . None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan... They were defending the United States of America as one people.

When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German American or the Irish American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.

And here we are in 2007 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.

Rosemary LaBonte

Cosmopolitan's Wacky Beauty Tips  

Posted by Candace E. Salima

I found these insane beauty tips on MSN.com which they pulled from Cosmopolitan magazine which I haven't read since 1995. But these are REALLY good and I need to share. You better believe I'm going to be using several of them:

Toothpaste on a zit? Vinegar in your hair? Some of that ridiculous-sounding advice you've heard in passing is really right on.

By Eleanor Langston


You've been told this line before: "Okay, I know it's weird, but...." What follows is a surprising piece of advice — about anything from clearing up a zit to taming a flyaway — that totally does the trick. Call it word-of-mouth beauty. Sure, these tips might sound strange at first ("You put diaper cream where?!"), but there's a logic to them. We rounded up tons of such pointers (from pros as well as real girls) and tested them at Cosmo. Though a few clunkers had to be kicked to the curb, all the rest, presented here, are real gems.

1) Powder Your Roots
If your hairline starts to look greasy, dig up a big, fluffy makeup brush, and dip it into a pot of loose powder. Tap it once on the back of your hand to remove the excess, then dust it over your roots. It mops up oil and blends into your strands, so no one will know you didn't shower.

2) Scent Strands with Perfume
Spray a light shot of fragrance into your brush's bristles. Run it through strands from roots to ends and your hair will smell amazing throughout the day.

3) Cure Calluses with Vaseline
Slather on the petroleum jelly, and put on socks before bed to dissolve tough calluses overnight.

4) Spot-Treat Smudges
Dip a cotton swab in eye-makeup remover, and trace it along your lids to erase any slipups or goofs when there's no time to redo your whole look.

5) Fix a Flushed Face
If you turn red and stay that way after exercising (like seriously red for hours, even though you're healthy and hydrated), take an antihistamine like Benadryl when you leave the gym to reduce redness.

6) Soften Your Bod with Avocado
Take a ripe avocado, remove the pit and skin, and mash it up in a bowl. Slather it all over your body, let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse off. Your skin will be sooo soft — avocado is a natural moisturizer.

7) Super-Glue a Nail
Instead of tearing off your nail when it breaks, put a tiny dab of Super Glue over the split, and paint a generous layer of your favorite nail polish shade over it. Go for an opaque option (like red, purple, or coral) to camouflage and seal the crack.

8) Use Makeup Remover on Stubborn Lipstick
Don't try to rub off red lipstick (which makes it smear across your mouth — not so sexy). Instead, take a cotton ball or tissue, dip it in makeup remover, and just dab to erase the dark stain fast.

9) Tame Brows with Eye Cream
Pat any kind of rich eye cream over brows to help keep them hydrated and banish those icky white specks that look like dandruff.

10) Buff with Baking Soda
If you find yourself streaking (not glowing) after applying self-tanner, put some baking soda on a loofah, and scrub away the stripes.

11) Brush on Hair Spray
For the final step of your blow-dry, spray hair spray onto your brush, and run it through strands from roots to tips. This way, your 'do isn't plastered and stiff but still holds volume and shine.

12) Boost Body Lotion with Baby Oil
If you're craving shiny legs that aren't greasy, blend a drop of baby oil into your normal body lotion for extra luster.

13) Dab Essential Oil on a Hangnail
Put on apricot oil, the kind found in health-food stores, to protect cuticles from turning rough and raggedy.

14) Quell a Cold Sore with Cream
When a cold sore is coming on, dab a bit of thick moisturizer, like Aquaphor, over it to prevent it from getting worse.

15) Freeze Your Eyeliner
If the tip of your eyeliner pencil crumbles and smears on your lids, store the liner in the freezer for 15 minutes before use so the tip is firm and goes across your skin smoothly.

16) Use Toothpaste on a Zit
Use just a pea-size amount. Let sit for 15 minutes to absorb the oil so the pimple won't get more clogged, then wash off.

17) Heat Up Your Curler
If you have stick-straight lashes, try blasting your metal eyelash curler with a hair dryer for a couple of seconds to heat it up so your lashes bend more easily. And use a waterproof mascara. The formula dries faster than other mascaras, so it sets the curl more effectively.

18) Use Soap Without Water
You know those fancy bars that are actually too pretty to use? Toss them in your underwear or tee-shirt drawers to make your skin smell delicious.

19) Groom Brows with a Toothbrush
Mist an (unused!) toothbrush or eyebrow comb with hair spray to help flatten and tame unruly brows.

20) Put Diaper-Rash Cream on Dry Spots
Slather on a thick layer of diaper-rash cream to heal cracked elbows and feet.

21) Lubricate Your Lashes
An easy way to draw attention to your eyes without putting on a pile of makeup is to comb petroleum jelly lightly through the tips of eyelashes to get a sexy, subtle sparkle.

22) Steamroll Flyaways
Spray on hair spray, then roll the can over your strands. The round bottle fits the curved shape of your head, locks in the spray, and flattens out frizz.

23) Spike Lotion with Bronzer
If you don't have time to book a self-tanning session, mix a few pumps of body bronzer with regular hand lotion and pat it on your legs for a gradual dose of sexy, beachy color.

24) Air-Dry Your Curls
Let your hair dry indoors before going out in the cold. The curls will be really bouncy and piecey-perfect.

25) Press a Tea Bag on Splotches
If your skin is sensitive or just looking irritated and puffy for some reason, steep a bag of green tea for a minute or two, let it cool down, and dab it over your face. The antioxidants in the tea take down inflammation.

26) Shave with Conditioner
Ran out of shaving cream? Do double duty by coating your stems with a thick hair conditioner. It softens the hair so it's easier to shave off and makes legs feel amazingly silky.

27) Amp Shine with Vinegar
Mix one part vinegar with four parts carbonated water, and soak dry hair. Leave on for 15 minutes before you shampoo to lock in shine and combat dullness.

28) Exfoliate Your Pits
If your underarms start to look dry and flaky, an easy trick is to exfoliate them with a gentle face scrub to keep that skin pretty when going sleeveless.

29) Customize Your Body Lotion
Instead of shelling out for an expensive perfumed body product, you can make your own by pouring a few drops of fragrance into any scent-free lotion. Rub it on — the scent will last for hours.

30) "Brush" with Mouthwash
If you're too wiped out after a late night of partying to clean your teeth, rinse with water and mouthwash, then use a dry toothbrush on the area where your teeth hit your gums.

31) Make an Egg-White Mask
To revive tired, dull skin without hitting the spa table, try this: Crack open an egg in a bowl, separate the yolk, and use the egg whites to make a face mask. The proteins help to heal and restore skin's moisture. Leave it on for five minutes, then rinse off.

32) Dry Sensitive Skin with T.P.
Instead of drying your face with a scratchy towel, pat with toilet paper — it's ultrasoft on delicate skin (and bums!).

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.

Review of Caught in the Headlights by Barry K. Phillips  

Posted by Candace E. Salima

I know I'm reviewing a lot of good books lately, but I've been taking a little break from life and just immersing myself in good reading. A foreword by Glenn Beck was all I needed to pick up the book, Caught in the Headlights: Ten Lessons Learned the Hard Way by Barry K. Phillips. Endorsements by author, Jason F. Wright, Congressman Chris Cannon and radio personality, Pat Gray got me to open the book. Barry's writing and his sense of humor kept me reading.

From the back cover we learn a little more about the book:

"We've all had those 'deer in the headlights' moments when we realize we've been chasing the wrong things. Caught in the Headlights: Ten Lessons Learned the Hard Way is a frank, insightful look at 10 key goals most of us think we want--only to discover our eyes are on the wrong prize. Barry K. Phillips not only entertains, but also examines common values and enlightens us to the goals we should seek, and what to do differently now that we know better.

Phillips is a writer, comedian and cartoonist. This was one of the most delightful and informative books I've read in quite some time. He covers ten different topics, such as: Happiness, self-esteem, pride, freedom, control, tolerance, forgiveness, success, the big event and the perfect body. All things each of us pursues at one time or another in our lives.

Phillips helps us, through self-deprecating humor, to come to the realization that what we want isn't always exactly what we need. One of my favorite parts of the book is near the beginning, a humorous disclaimer. Playing off the "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" slogan for the city of sin, Phillips offers the following disclaimer to those indulging in the darker side of life in Las Vegas:

"Offer valid for persons with no conscience or moral character only. Persons being condemned at the judgment seat to a toasty place in hell may not use this offer as a legal and binding contract. While Satan was involved in the creation of this offer, he cannot be held responsible for your actions. After all, he IS Satan. Persons repenting later may experience a shortness of breath, deep sorrow, and excessive amounts of regret. Offer intended for the use of our regular, soulless clientèle only. Offer not valid where prohibited, including all aspects of your life once you return home."


When I stopped rolling on the floor with laughter, I found it oddly profound. I mean, really, think about what that slogan offers the takers: "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." But Phillips is right, as he points out. God knows what happened in Vegas too. Ouch!

Each chapter is accompanied with a delightful cartoon and insightful commentary on life and the things we can learn, if we are only willing. I think once you've read this book, you'll find it one you'll return to often. Only 104 pages it's a quick, fun read with some lasting lessons.

Lucky for us, Barry decided to drop by and visit, so I took the opportunity to ask him a few questions:

I understand you wrote for Glenn Beck's Fusion Magazine. Can you tell me how that came about?

Yes I did. Believe it or not, I just asked. This was a few years ago, when I first started listening to Glenn. I went through his website and found the email address of the General Manager of his company and emailed him. He referred me to his brother who actually ran the magazine. He, the Editor, told me to send them some samples written in the Fusion style. I'd never seen the magazine and told him so, but sent along some samples. A few days later he contacted me and said, "when you can write you can write!" and they had me start writing. Glenn was about to go on his Christmas tour for that year, and they wanted to meet me, so I went to Boise and met Glenn back stage. That's the short version, but that's how it all began. I suspect that wouldn't work today, given how big Glenn has become.

Where did the idea for Caught in the Headlights come about and what's behind the title?

The book just came from things I've gone through. Have you ever seen how deer get frozen in their tracks when headlight's hit them? This book is about those "caught in the headlights" moments that I've experienced in my life – moments that I think we all experience – where I've realized I was after the wrong things. The thing is, even if you get those things, you come up wanting. The ten lessons in the book are about very common things that we think we want, but we really don't.

I loved your approach on these different pursuits which seem to consume people, what about these drew you to write about them?

I was amazed at how many people have dealt with these same issues, but so many never figure out how to learn the lessons. You know the old adage, "if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got." Breaking the cycle of repeating the same old things is pretty hard to do, so I thought others might benefit from what I've learned. Besides, Harry Potter was already out there, so I couldn't write those again, now could I?

Which one is your favorite chapter and why?

I guess my favorite part of the book is probably the chapter about wanting control over your life. Sounds like a nice idea, but it's really not as good as other options that that I talk about in the book. There are some great lessons I learned about that, and they've really made a difference in my life.

I understand you also drew the cartoons included in the book. How long have you been doing that?

Yes I did. Growing up, I always thought I'd draw for Disney or maybe do a cartoon strip. So I've done that for a long time. I have a confession… I thought up all 10 cartoons in about a two hour period, while mucking out our horse stalls. Maybe the manure cleared my head, or clouded it, depending on your point of view.

Tell us a little about yourself and what's in store for the future?

Well, I'm married, have five kids and love to hot-air balloon, cook, camp (with a large trailer, not exactly roughing it), golf (not well, but I get my money's worth with all those extras strokes per hole), and I follow most major sports. Feeding the family wise, I'm currently creating an online university for a major corporation. I am in the process of writing my second book, which will hopefully have a lot of humor… at least I'll think it's funny. I don't want to spill too much more about it just yet, but I hope to have a rough draft complete in a 3 or 4 months.

Where can Caught in the Headlights be purchased?

I was hoping you'd ask that! It can be purchased online through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders. But if you'd like an autographed copy, and some other free things that I've written, you can buy it directly through my website at www.barrykphillips.com. It should also be in major bookstores sometime in the next 3 to 4 weeks.

I really loved this book. Phillips is now ranked amongst my favorite authors. Caught in the Headlights: Ten Lessons Learned the Hard Way is a Must Buy!

Trade Paperback:
116 pages
Publisher:
Cedar Fort (June 2, 2008)
Language:
English
ISBN-10:
1599551675
ISBN-13:
978-1599551678
Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches

Post your questions for Barry via leaving a comment and he will drop back by to answer them.

Mormon Handcart Pageant  

Posted by Candace E. Salima

Okay, somehow I am now on the list of people to contact for all the fun stuff going on around Utah. I'm not going to complain, it gives me lots more to share with friends and family and to drag my husband to.

The Martin and Willie Handcart Companies was a difficult and tragic time in Mormon history. Saints who started out late in the year to cross the plains and the Rockies suffered greatly and lost many loved ones to the conditions. And yet, never has it been recorded anywhere, that I could find, a complaint from a single person who was a part of those companies.

When word reached Salt Lake City of the perilous condition of these Saints, Brigham Young, who was in the middle of conducting General Conference, closed the session and ordered the men to round up supplies and get to Wyoming immediately and rescue those beleaguered Saints.

And now, in Juab County, Utah, they have dedicated an entire pageant to the Martin and Willie Handcart Companies. It is free and I think worthy of rounding up your family and heading down to Nephi.

Here are the details:

MORMON HANDCART PAGEANT

A theatrical re-enactment, dedicated to the Martin and Willie Handcart Companies of 1856 and their Rescuers, both past and present.

When: July 23-26, 2008, 9:15 PM

Where: Juab County Fairgrounds Arena, 350 W. Center Street -- NEPHI, UT

Admission is FREE!

For information about pre-pageant activities & the Chuck Wagon Supper (6:30 PM)
Live oxen, mules, wagon teams, & horses.
Pioneer Story Telling, History Displays, Musical Entertainment,
Handcart Art Show, by Julie Rogers.
log on or call

www.handcartpageant.com

(435) 623-0196

THE NEXT SEASON IS NOT UNTIL 2010!!! SO COME NOW!!!

1 of 2 posts today, read on.

When Will Americans Rise Up and Stop the Insanity?  

Posted by Candace E. Salima

From WorldNetDaily it has been reported:

HOMELAND INSECURITY
Latest buzz: Shock bracelets for all airline passengers
'Just when you thought you've heard it all'


Posted: July 08, 2008
10:52 pm Eastern
© 2008 WorldNetDaily

An official with the Department of Homeland Security says the U.S. should consider having airline passengers wear electronic bracelets that could track their movements, hold personal information and be triggered like a Taser to stun them into immobility.

Paul S. Ruwaldt of the DHS Science and Technology Directorate wrote the inventor of "the immobilizing security bracelet," a Canadian company, saying he looked forward to receiving a written proposal, according to Washington Times columnist Jeffrey Denning.

"It is conceivable to envision a use to improve air security, on passenger planes," said Ruwaldt's letter, posted on website of the company, Lamperd Less Lethal.

"Just when you thought you've heard it all," wrote Denning.

According to a company video, the bracelets would assist pilots and crew members on commercial air carriers as the "last line of defense" against terror attacks.

The video says passengers could be fitted with "electronic ID bracelets" they would wear until they disembark their flights. The device would replace a ticket, carry passenger information, track passengers through terminals and track carryon luggage.

But the key feature is that the bracelets could be discharged, as a gun, and leave the wearer "immobile for several minutes" although without causing "permanent injury."

"For a businessman on his way home, to a young family going south for a winter holiday, wearing an EMD bracelet during flight is a small inconvenience to assure their safe arrival," says the company. "Many, if not most, passengers would happily opt for the extra security."

The company acknowledged on its website the negative response to Denning's story about its product: "It is amazing how much controversy our new research project has created."

Denning, who writes an aviation safety blog for the Times, was horrified.

"Clearly the Electronic ID Bracelet is a [euphemism] for the EMD Safety Bracelet, or at least it has a nefarious hidden ability, thus the term ID Bracelet is ambiguous at best. EMD stands for Electro-Muscular Disruption," he wrote.

"So is the government really that interested in this bracelet? Yes!," he continued.

Ruwaldt wrote in his letter to the company, 'To make it clear, we [the federal government] are interested in … the immobilizing security bracelet, and look forward to receiving a written proposal."

Denning commented: "Would every paying airline passenger flying on a commercial airplane be mandated to wear one of these devices? I cringe at the thought. Not only could it be used as a physical restraining device, but also as a method of interrogation, according to the same aforementioned letter from Mr. Ruwaldt.

"Would you let them put one of those on your wrist? Would you allow the airline employees, which would be mandated by the government, to place such a bracelet on any member of your family?"

The Canadian company responded to the publicity about its proposal with a website statement:

"We wish to clear up any misconceptions regarding the EMD Safety Bracelet for Airline Security," the company said. "The bracelets remain inactive until a hijacking situation has been identified. At such time a designated crew member will activate the bracelets making them capable of delivering the punitive measure – but only to those that need to be restrained. We believe that all passengers will welcome deliverance from a hijacking, as will the families, carriers, insurance providers etc. The F-16 on the wingtip is not to reassure the passengers during a hijacking but rather to shoot them down. Besides activation using the grid screen, the steward/stewardess will have a laser activator that can activate any bracelet as needed by simply pointing the laser at the bracelet - that laser dot only needs to be within 10 inches of the bracelet to activate it."

On the Times forum page, some readers ridiculed the idea.

"If you boarded the plane with the intent of terrorism, what would you do first? 1. Try to light your bomb shoes on fire. 2. Place your plastic explosives on the flight door to gain access to the cockpit. 3. Wave your weapon about and start shouting. 4. Remove your bracelet," posed one contributor. "Ding ding ding, you chose #4, unless you sir are an idiot."

Lamperd, of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, also provides training and designs specialized civil defense-related equipment. It boasts of expertise in "less-lethal tactics and equipment" used by military and police departments around the world for crowd control and "peacekeeping.



And just when I thought I might willing to start flying again. They implement this insanity and I believe Americans will stay away from flying by the droves. All it takes is one insane flight attendant, one paranoid pilot, someone with an agenda . . . or, I know, it goes down like it always does. What is put into place to protect turns back on us and bites us! I cannot believe our government, a perfectly useless department like Homeland Security, is even considering something like this. What do you want to bet the idiot who came up with plan is a Democrat.

I'm reconsidering the RV thing. Clearly flying is out of the question.