Guest Art...

I've been visiting with family members... which is why I have not been posting for the last couple of weeks.
The creative vibe runs through my family and is translating to the generation coming up.
I gathered up a few drawings from my nieces and nephews, pictures for me, created during their visit here - so I decided to digitalize and keep their works and feature them as guest artists on the blog.
This piece is by the 'little lord of leaping'. I used to call him that because the child never walked as a baby-boy - he ran, jumped, hopped, skipped and yes, leaped, everywhere he went. :) He has slowed down, a bit, now that he is going into the double digits (12).
This masterpiece was done on the back of a bowling alley score sheet inbetween the little lol's turn at knocking pins.
He explained, "The moon is golfing and that's one of those funny golf hats and he hits the star in the eye with the ball and his eye pops out and he says 'ow! my eye!' and the sun has one of those monocle thingies and that's Saturn with braces and a butt-chin." I'm not sure now what the little thing is above Saturn, I think it maybe the eye-ball, also saying 'ow!' =)
Gotta love youthful imaginations and the images they inspire.
Hoping we can all see the universe through the eyes of a child - from time to time - in this new year coming, and that peace, joy and prosperity will attend you (Right along with the Sun and the Moon and the Stars!).
**************** Note from Evan, the Artist:
"The thing above Saturn is not the eyeball, it's PLUTO, and he's saying 'AW!' Because he's afraid that he's going to be the next golf ball!"
See? I thought there was more to it! Thank you for the correction, Evan!
****************
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This scripture from Galatians has been pressing upon my mind this passing week:
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.
If the above 'fruit' is manifest in your hearts and in your homes I'd say you, my friends, are on a good, and well balanced track; and if winds of adversity, or change blow your way, you will fare well and remain strong - even standing as a strengthening force for others in times of trial.
I met with my spiritual advisor this morning.
I made the appointment yesterday, as I remembered, I had yet to attend to my end of year tithing settlement.
I've come to understand, that it is rather important to me, as a matter of obedience, faith, and humility - to inventory, evaluate and declare myself regarding tithes and offerings at the end of each year... honest accountability is a good thing for the soul.
I also needed to pick up the reference materials for the gospel doctrine course of study for 2006.
I will be reading through, studying, and God willing, teaching, principles from the Old Testament. . . so many truths and great blessings, standing there in, for the children of men to benefit from. Even if you're not the 'religious sort' one can benefit from the wisdom of the ages.
My mind made the link from my morning appointment with the Branch President to the tail end of the Old Testament which teaches of the Lord's law of the tithe (Malachi 3:8-12) and His great blessings which He visits upon those who are careful to observe it.
Malachi 3:10 - 'Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.'
And vs.11 - 'And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.'
Sounds good to me. I was thinking of putting in a serious garden this spring and can't think of a better endeavor-partner, in the whole-wide universe to have, than God. Praying providence in every needful thing for me and you in the year ahead.
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May you do good work and may your harvest and blessing be plentiful in 2006!!!
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(P.S. Watch out for 1st quarter, golf swinging moons!)
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D. ~

Restoration - Life Renewed

I decided to go with the Alekx suggestion in naming this piece.
(I've got a request in to Aunt Ursula for a German translation of the above title)
I couldn't wait til next Friday to post it.
Too much excitement in the air!
I'm busy all week with People and Parties and Pot Lucks and catching up on housework-fun, so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to catch up with all of you blogger friends of mine... there are some post you've done that I want to revisit... any who... here's a scan of what the finished Still Life looks like - complete with simulated frame and matting. I've left it big in case some of you want to click / enlarge on the pix to look at details or for those of you who would like to download and print a copy for keeps. Just remember, you may have to resize it to print it and, please, feel free to enhance to your heart's delight. (i.e.: change the coloring on the "matt" / "frame" etc...)
_______________________________________________
Sabbath thoughts:
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Church was wonderful today!
I loved the special music presentations by the primary (children) and young women's groups. Excellence - just made my heart sing (and my eyes water!) to hear them.
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There will be a big celebration at the end of this week going into Christmas (pot luck and a special, televised, Church Broadcast) as it coincides with the anniversary of the birth of Joseph Smith, Jr. and hence the 'restoration of the fullness of the gospel' through the coming forth of the book of Mormon. One very simple scripture, quoted from that volume, stands out in my thoughts yet this evening... from the book of Jacob 6:12 - "O be wise; what can I say more?"
Plain and simple, huh?
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Christmas, for me, will be extra special - falling on a Sunday this year. Services at Church will match it (the great music continues on!). I'm only sorry that we'll just be there for morning worship services - no Sunday school classes - which is appropriate. As the best, ultimate place for Christ's gospel of self mastery and selfless love is played out at home against the back drop of loving family bonds.
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The Gospel Doctrine lessons I teach the youth seem to be going ok, at least in content and format! Heh! =) [They keep trying to convince me they'd do even better with cookies!] Hehehee.... someday....
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Last week's talk was about the importance of being good citizens, I was trying to relate that concept directly to the youth both temporally and spiritually... about how being a good citizen out in the world ties back to being a good citizen in the kingdom of God.
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Then I came upon this statement, in the teacher's manual, by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve (a modern day Apostle) :

"In The Church we often state the couplet, 'Be in the world but not of the world'... Perhaps we should state the couplet... as two separate admonitions. First, 'Be in the world.' Be involved; be informed. Try to be understanding and tolerant and to appreciate diversity. Make meaningful contributions to society through service and involvement. Second, 'Be not of the world.' Do not follow wrong paths or bend to accommodate or accept what is not right... "
"Members of the Church need to influence more than we are influenced. We should work to stem the tide of sin and evil instead of passively being swept along by it. We each need to help solve the problem rather than avoid or ignore it."
(in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 100-101; or Ensign, May 1989, 80)
. . . That's a lot to think about right there. . .
Then, today, our lesson was on the importance of family and on gaining inspiration to strengthen the one you have.
I Loved this quote from the President of the Church, Gordon B. Hinckley taught: "When you are married, be fiercely loyal to one another. Selfishness is the great destroyer of happy family life. If you will make your first concern the comfort, the well-being, and the happiness of your companion, sublimating any personal concern to that loftier goal, you will be happy, and your marriage will go on throughout eternity." (Ensign, Dec. 1995, 67)
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I told the youth that, one could do well to substitute any member of the family and 'relationship', for companion and 'marriage', in that quoted ideal - even their siblings - and ultimately, their personal happiness would enjoy a great increase.
.
I've kept coming back, again and again, to these quotes. I'm guessing I really need to...
Mater of fact I've had an example play out right before me, THIS WEEKEND, on how miserable one can be in the face of potential happiness - by taking the selfish role.
(I won't horrify you with the details!)
I believe that there are some "keyes" in those quotes, somewhere, for me (anyone really) - to use for good purpose.
Most likely I need to 'tighten up' on that encouraging part. The part about being progressively more active, aware and kind - rather than passive, selfish and hard... I pray the Lord guide me in these things.
It's an infinitely better use of ground, and far more difficult for weeds to grow, in a full, thick bed of flowers, no?!
"O Be wise, what can I say more?"
Enjoy the Bouquet of Blessings your family and community brings to you!
Wishing you all renewed life during this course of the 'Season of Joy'!
Merry Christmas! . . . and much love, to all who pass this way!!!
D. ~

P.S. - If you dare click the link and then 'listen' to that Christmas Story, told by John Henry Faulk, have some tissues ready - just in case!

18 Hours in

December 4th, 2005 - Yea! I'm almost done! Sorry if it took you awhile to pull up the blog. I left it on the big side in case anyone wants to click onto it to enlarge. (That's really the best way to see the work I've put into it so far) I'm thinking of inventing another, darker, bloom on the right side of the bouquet. That side is tricky b/c it's in the direction of the 'light source'. I'm also thinking about smoothing out the table cloth on that side and with a little value rendered into the lamp - I'll be able to call it good. I got some happy accidents going in there, too... just gonna hint at the possibility of a sheer curtain behind the lamp, all I had to do was pull some high lights out of the graphite smudge with my eraser to do it.
I'm figuring I have about 18 hours into it at this point. One of my friends squawked a bit over the hours I said here - until I reminded them that it's a BIG drawing. (For me anyway. I'm more accustomed to 8x10s)
And, I know, my old buddy, Alekx was right - I never should have buried my talent for as long as I have! It gives me such great joy to create beautiful things. =) PLUS, I'd be a lot faster had I been out drawing stuff, lo, these many years, rather than with-drawing into 'my little cave,' for want of a better term. *tisk* Oh, well - I certainly feel like kickin' it out now! Hehehee!
I was really into it yesterday.
I could feel myself practically champing at the bit to get it done.
I made the terrible mistake of not saying anything to my art teacher when I had the chance, on Friday, and I never did get a hold of him to open up the classroom I needed. Saturday) Otherwise - I would be done by now!
I went a head and pulled it out of my sketchbook to make it easier to scan and bled all 6 scan sections together - for blogger viewing pleasure - and my own record.
I've never taken inventory of my work in progress before. I think it's been kinda neat to record what happened at the end of each work session.
By the time this draft hits my blog, the completed drawing should be protectively framed, and hanging on a wall some where sweet.
Hope you all have a sweet weekend.
Cheerios!
D. ~
12/16-2005 - It is finished. I double matted (Rita's frame shop was running a special) and put it into the cheapest frame I could find from Wal-Mart - which is, indeed, pretty flimsy-cheap. BUT - Hey! It's in something hangable and protective. =) I left the original work at the Wrightstone Building in care of Dr. Johnson. I'm working on a post for next Friday that will be suitable for download... a Christmas gift to any of my blogger friends who would like to have a printed copy for themselves...? I'm feeling the Spirit and it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas - Merry Christmas, God bless us everyone!

Aunt Helen

Aunt Helen passed away over the weekend.
She'd made it all the way up to 89 years and 9 days old.
I attended her funeral today, where I was suprised and delighted, to see her older sister, my Aunt Freda! Her daughter Janice as well!
Appearently Janice thought it was important for her mother to attend and put up enough of a fuss for Roger (the son/brother - not living in a care facility) to okay everything with nurses and such, load up their considerable gear, wheelchairs, walkers and whatnot (Whew! How well, I know what that's like. Roger and his wife said something to me about trouble getting all to fit in the trunk of their car. =) That was a determining factor which actually crossed my mind when I bought the car I'm driving now. Before Caddy I was into bungie cords - but I digress...)
Uncle Jim, the one I mentioned a couple of months ago, was there, and so was a cousin, Dorothy, who rounded out the attendees from that generation of relatives - the 90 and older club. Aunt Doris couldn't make it back from MI. Her long term love interest, Chuck, is battling a brain tumor.
Aunt Helen made quite an impression on me in my youth. I may not have known her as well as some of the other cousins who've lived here continually. However, I remember that red hair and wide open spirit! She was known for a quick wit and smile to ride along with it, always with the light of intelligence and good humor twinkling in her eyes. She used to send me birthday cards. In the mail! When I was a wee tot! YOU know how special mail to a young child is. Children never ever get a letter or card just for them. But I did. From my Aunt Helen. I think that thoughtful act on her part may have started me off on my own fancy for dispatching cards by mail from time to time.
Aunt Helen was always lean and active. I've heard it said that no one could out pick her in a tomato patch. Absolutely no one!
She worked for a number of years in the circulation department of the local paper, the McCook Daily Gazette, they too, appreciated her quickness and dedicated work ethic.
Parkinsons and the advancing years exacted a heavy toll on Aunt Helen these last few years. Her hearing and recollections of faces to names faded along with her once hearty laughter. However, She maintained a smile that could light up a room!
I wish I could have stayed with my family and heard the stories they all had to tell...
*sighs*
I was required at my semester finals - immediately following the church services.
(That was tough! But I know Helen would want me to continue, going and doing good in my life, ... after all, that's what she did with her's.)
Peace and God's speed to your soul, dear Helen!

Dr. Johnson

Some of you expressed curiosity over my Drawing I instructor, Dr. Johnson.
Here's a recent photo that ran both on College e-zines and in the local, Gazette.
The Wrightstone building serves the College in a gallery capacity as well as providing classroom space. The door directly behind the guy (Wayne) on the right, is a room I've dubbed as the "Mad Mac Lab". I feel rather like a Mad Artist in there, with some of the stuff I've concocted this semester! I'm thinking about putting them together in a flash file... got to make it through this week of FINALS, first! =)

McCook Community College Art Instructor Rick Johnson (left) gathers with members of the Lester Jack Olson family recently to celebrate MCC art show featuring Olson’s works. Pictured are: (second from left) Kelly, Jeri and Sandra Powell, Delmar Ebert and Wayne Twyman (PHOTO BY MICHELE GILL).

A quote that stuck with me from worship services yesterday:
"Seek that (the good things) which man, can neither give, nor take away."

Listen to what I found on NPR! An hour long Christmas concert from the World Cafe! If you're in the Christmas mood, but a little rung out with all the traditional music, usually heard this time of year, try that link and then click "Listen" ... you can putter around and listen to some great, "live" recordings at the same time!!!

AAAaaaahhhaaaaahhh-A!

^ Primordial scream.
Think: Led Zepplin's Immergrant Song
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FINALS LOOM
STRESS bearing down on me,
WOLVES.... CIRCLING!
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and then,
and then,
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...I visit a few of you lovelies out on the net...
you've left the gift of "Joy" on your door posts for any who would partake...
and reminded me of mine own!
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Learning, brings me great joy
Art in general, but most especially, that which pours out of me, brings me, great joy
Endeavoring to magnify talents and to walk uprightly, in obiedience to that God which gave sweet life, and the redeemtion there of, unto me, brings me, great joy
This pursuit of happiness IS NOT wasted effort... the path may not be easy, but the joys the journey will bring, are so worth it!
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Hark! Is that a Fogleberg tune floating at the edge of my tenuous hold to sanity?
Me thinks it tis... 'Joy in the Journey' ...no, that's lyric, and I'm mixing it up to boot! The title is 'Along the Road' that's the tune.
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yes.
.
yes.
.
yes.
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My 'virtual tea leaves', just now? ->

Reading No. 15

"Take no remedies if your heart is clear."
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People, my heart is clear.
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Now THAT's a joyful noise!

Here's the words to that tune I just named, (The one now, firing off in my head!):

Artist: Dan Fogelberg
Album: Phoenix <-(LOVE that LP!)
Title: Along The Road

Joy at the start
Fear in the journey
Joy in the coming home
A part of the heart
Gets lost in the learning
Somewhere along the road.

Along the road
Your path may wander
A pilgrim's faith may fail
Absence makes the heart grow stronger
Darkness obscures the trail.

Cursing the quest
Courting disaster
Measureless nights forebode
Moments of rest
Glimpses of laughter
Are treasured along the road.

Along the road
Your steps may tumble
Your thoughts may start to stray
But through it all a heart held humble
Levels and lights your way.

Joy at the start
Fear in the journey
Joy in the coming home
A part of the heart
Gets lost in the learning
Somewhere along the road
Somewhere along the road
Somewhere along the road.



=)
DORKO!

Progress Detail 2

Another 6-7 hours into it.
My art teacher said, "It's beautiful" - high praise.
(Sorry about the 'missing square', but again, because this is a 2 foot by 1 and a half foot drawing, I had to scan twice match them up, bleed and then merge 2 images together to show you what I did today -[12/2])
Progress was slow on this section due to the fine detail on the book and eye-glasses.
"Implied line" is tricky.
(where you imagine a line to be but you don't really put one in there)
It can be extremely challenging, for instance, there were a couple of times when I was using 2 hands to draw - one to steady the other - lol! Never had to do that before, but there were a couple places that needed one very, very fine, well placed line, to do the trick and I didn't feel risking a squiggle, off my mark, would make me very happy.
I think the effects are well worth the effort in the long run. Especially since teacher pointed out that the book and glasses will be the composition focal point - so I needed to be mindful of that eye travel.

I am liking the piece more and more as I push it to completion. =)
I expect that the lamp will be the easiest part - once I get the rest of the flowers in the basket this'll almost be a done deal.
Hope you enjoyed the progress report.
By the time I post this draft the completed picture should be matted and in a frame.
That's the goal.
Hope your goal is a safe, enjoyable weekend!
Cheerio!
D. ~

Swipe files

Every artizan keeps swipe files.
I was talking to a classmate and they said, "My whole house, practically is jammed with swipe file!"
I had to agree. "Same here, I got file drawers, magazine stacked, notebooks jammed!" (I broke down and started buying holders for them a few years ago - but now that I'm living on the barrowed funds of student loans I'm thinking re-cycling Cheerios boxes to house magazines and artsy notebooks, would be a great way to go!)
They are pure reference, things that caught the eye or captured the fancy.
We were instructed early on in both the Digital Imaging class and the Graphic Design to start compiling a swipe file (I mentioned this in yesterday's post).
I downloaded some images I'd been sent in e-mails that had been obviously, (and humorously!) photoshop enhanced. Even though I turned in the file to teacher, I can add to it up to tomorrow, so, I'm still looking to pad up that file if any of you think you'd have something good soxed away somewhere? =)
At any rate.... we laughed and laughed when I handed a few of these around the 'Mad Mac Lab' and so I thought I might post the ones I still have on computer file here on the blog, too.
Gotta love the richness, texture and good natured fun someone else's imagination - spilling out into the world - can add to our own day to days!
Four Candles is one Opie sent to me that I couldn't just print off and stick into the file so I'm linking it. Hope the link works and you like it as much as I did! =)
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This one came with the message that "This is a pix of 2 identical dolphins. If you see any differences in the 2 you may be stressed and in need of a vacation"
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Then we have the penguins. This came with the caption to "Do the brave thing .... and then run like hell!" (I think it's the spectator penguin with the little purse that cracks me up the most here.)

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I must admit the pix titled "Smart Turkey" took me a moment or 2 to figure... hiding out under the lampshade, pure turkey genious! hehe...

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Last, but not least - we see a pix that came titled as 'East Texas Bird Dogs' I took editorial privildge in saving a copy to my swipe file and renamed this one East Texas Bird Dawgs. Hehehee!

Happy 'Hump-Day' everyone! =)

Just one more thing...

Yep. That's all I need - just one more thing to deal with going into finals week! NOT!!!
I've discovered the computer lab's equipement loads and runs much faster than mine. (rolls eyes heaven-ward - considers a rant .... na, no time! ) So! I stayed after BSAD1020 yesterday padding up my Digital Image swipe file, to be graded, naturally. I came away at around 4:30 - 5 p.m., plenty of time for a late lunch, early supper, and back to Wrightstone for Graphic Design.
I
nearly
froze
to
bits
between Walsh-Brady
(er, these are the names of buildings, sorry)
and my car!
So I went to Wendy's dollar menu board by drive through and then directly home to munch and to put on more clothes! Heh. And I thought I was fairly well dressed when I'd left the house that morning!
The Temp. guide in the car read 14 degrees... I'm thinking "yeah, hang a big fat MINUS sign in front of that." The local news came on while I was finishing up the chicky nuggets and confirmed that we were sub-zeros in windchill at minus 4. um-hum.
I check messages, tick mark a call or 2, off my heart and mind, and gather all my G.D. trappings... be nice to get to class early - missed last week due to school closings. .. .. . but NoOo!
I get the grand idea to swing the car up to the mailbox out at the highway on my way out to class. I roll down the window to retrive the scant letters in there (Thank-you Burfica for the Christmas card & pix of kiddo!) and... swinging the Caddy back on route to Wrightstone... and... the dang window refuses to roll up!!!!! Just one more thing to deal with! Grrrrrrrrrrrr at myself for not thinking! Yea!!! At myself for 'extra clothes'!!! (Still, I nearly froze the left side of my body into a solid block, by driving on. Hehehee.)
Stupid power windows, worked at the drive through earlier because the car was warm then... the car was a fridgidare by the time I got back in and had the lame idea to check the mailbox... old power windows are tempermental -especially in zero temps.
There's my big Tuesday update... going with the extention cord and space heater plan RIGHT NOW to try to "fix it". I DO NOT want to drive around with that dang window down during this cold snap! I was seriously enough, disgruntled, and let's not forget, "chilled," - last night, to spur me on to some intense, problem solving drills NOW! ... wish me luck, please!
ok.
now where's my hat and gloves gone to...???
:D

Joy to the world!

The extra-special benefit of regular church attendance during the month of December is the singing!
These next four Sunday's will be packed with Christmas hymns, flanking the sacrament hymn, each week.
Yesterday, we were few in number & ever more blessed to have been faithful in our journey to worship.
Jack Frost had iced every twig on every tree, every fence line, he even got any and all weeds sticking up through the snow. It was truly a winter 'wonderland' to behold on the drive into town.
The opening song yesterday carried on that elation for all creation I was feeling - Joy to the World!
As I partook of the sacrament - I was mindful of His great goodness, and humbled, almost beyond expression at the thoughts that always come to me with the sacrament, the love He has offered me - I Stand All Amazed - was the sacrament hymn, and how fitting! I quote the 2nd verse, "I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine, That he should extend his great love unto such as I, Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify. Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me! Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me!" -- end quote.
I also marvel, that the great creator of all, would instill into me a little, tiny bit of His divinity, a little, tiny bit of creation's talent, and the eyes to see, to glimpse from time to time, the majesty and miracle of it. I am so very grateful for His gifts to me.
As the branch presidency opened the meeting to testimony I was reminded of my baptismal covenants and ever thankful that I know what they are! To come into the fold of God, and to be called His people, to be willing to bare one another's burdens, that they may be light; yes, and to be willing to mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in the need of comfort, and to stand as witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places that I may be in, even unto death. God's promises in the baptismal covenant? That ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life -- (which is the greatest of all God's gifts) The act of baptism in the name of the Lord, is "as a witness before Him that ye have entered into a covenant with Him, that ye will serve Him and keep His commandments, that He may pour out His Spirit more abundantly upon you." What a deal! =)

I had forgotten that, being the first Sunday of the month, this would be a Fast and Testimony meeting - so I was not fasting, but fueled up on those Cheerios and skim milk, again. Still, I felt impressed to stand and bare my testimony - what an honor and a privledge it is to have one... to be able to emulate the Saviour who did just that throughout his earthly walk - stand, and bare His testimony.

The closing hymn, yesterday was - It Came upon the Midnight Clear

It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to men From heav'n's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing.

Still thru the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heav'nly music floats O'er all the weary world.
Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hov'ring wing,
And ever o'er its babel sounds The blessed angels sing.

For lo! the days are hast'ning on, By prophets seen of old,
When the ever-circling years Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heav'n and earth shall own The Prince of Peace their King,
And the wholeworld send back the song Which now the angels sing.

Wishing a JOYFUL week to all who pass this way today!!!
Dorko

Still Life

I started a new still life in Drawing I.
Thats what you see here.
I've barely begun.
I thought you might like to see the process... now remember I'm rusty, so it's taking me longer than ever to get the information down.
(That's artist talk for "draw the thing!")
Took me 3 hours just to get the main sketch down. . . but then, like anything else in this world, if it aint right to begin with nothing will make it right in the end.
I figure I have about 6 hours draw time into it at this point.
When I begin to render details, I prefer to work left to right, across the page - b/c I am right handed and I don't like smearing the details, with my drawing hand, once I've got them happily in there.
I spent a considerable amount of time trying to get this thing onto the computer, big problem is that it's a big drawing. (24"x18")
I scanned it 6 times and tried to bleed the scans together.... but found some pretty wide variance in pigmentation from scan to scan.
Thought I'd mention that as another reason it looks a little messy moving from left to right.
I'm posting the bottom 3 scans and a detail of the lower left side which I think is coming along nicely.
Feel free to click on the picture to see an enlargement. I just did, and it really is better - getting down the angle of the book and those glasses is what took the majority of my time in class today.

I'm thinking I'll post some of the progress, as I go along with it - or at least the finished work.
Hoping it'll be good enough for a mat and framing, as I love the sceen - a grandmother's specticles and opened, German bible, are set before a bouquet of flowers, on a table attended by a fancy lamp with a glass shade. . .
What, if anything, do you think would be "a name" for this piece?
Have a well drawn weekend, ya'll! =)
Cheerios!
D. ~

Yesterday's surprise!

Bambambambambam!
.
Dingdingdingding-dong!
.
Bambambambam!
.
Dang!?
I folded up my text-book and headed towards the door...?
.
There stood this guy, cap, sunglasses, little gray pepper, here and there in his beard. I looked beyond him to the unfamiliar car out in my drive, he'd had someone with him and they were just stirring to get out of the car. When I looked back again, he was smiling, and reaching to remove his cap... that smile gave him completely away - !!!
"Bobby!" I popped-off (surprise and pure delight)! Looking again to the car, I saw now another old, dear friend, Ronda, heading my way! =) =) =)
This is not the 'Bobby' I wrote about eons ago, that had taken some hard correction, courtesy of the state of Arizona, this Bobby and I go way, way, way back, as do Ronda and I, to that sweet time - post highschool graduation when we were all on the verge of what's next.
They came right on in and we all settledown for some story telling on ourselves and each other, of course!
They'd been driving by when Bobby pointed to the house and remarked, "'Dorko', used to live in the basement of that house."
Then Ronda, deadpanned a little FYI to him, "'Dorko' is living in that house right now. She's been working with my Mom up at the College."
Ronda said he gave one glance back at her and flipped a u-turn! Hehehee.
Apparently, no one had told him I was back in the area, and Ronda was just pleased as punch to rat me out. :D
The fools had been gallivanting around, not just yesterday, but the day before, when all roads were deemed impassable - these two were traversing the highways between Trenton, Culbertson and McCook... which (with saucer-sized eyes) Ronda testified, were in FACT, bad, bad, bad. "...especially between Culbertson and McCook!" she said.
"You know me," Booby chimes in, "If it's snowing, I think I gotta be out F____in' around in it." My turn to smile (-had I stopped since I realized who was beating down my door???) and I laughed, knowingly! Those old memories of experiences drifting clearly back into the view point of my mind's eye - just like the wind and snows had blown their drifts steadily forth in Monday's ground soirees.
He must have read memory from the look in my eye, b/c he began the story, of a time when He and I, along with my brother and another girlfriend of mine, had been out 'dinking' around in a blizzard "Out north on Q street, when I decided to be cute," he said, "and I took off-road over a cane field." He then got a little lost with some technical jargon, something about misjudgement of exactly where he was in relationship to that road vs field, (heh!) so I up and 'helped' his snow-drifter story along, a bit, by assuring dear Ronda, that getting his Blazer stuck was akin to driving a boat in - just that smooth... and then we sank! I still remember how both He and my brother had to jam their shoulders into the Blazer doors to get them open, shoving snow with the movement of the door panels and when they jumped out, they sank too! I remember all they had to dig us out with was one of those tinsy-winsy folding camp shovels! I also remember thinking this is one of those times when I'm glad I'm "a girl"!!! Heheheee. We girls stayed warm and dry in the back seat of the Blazer while those young men took turns digging. We told them if they could do it in an hour we'd go back to my place and bake up some Chocolate Chip Cookies for them. We were back at my place with-in the hour. lol. An amazing feat when I look back at it. That storm like this one just past produced drifts that were roof-top high. The one Bobby had "glided" into that night was a monster as well. . . and yes! We made them the Chocolate Chip Cookies.
(Here's some pictures of Sunday/Monday's storm posted on NTV's web site)
We talked long and laughed much in the short visit - I feel strangely renewed and refreshed by it, the combination of past memories and present company bringing about that joyful, celebratory feeling - true friendship's gift.
Priceless!
Love 2 all who pass this way today!
D. ~

Back to Blue

Back to Blue, blue skys.
I can see for miles and miles across the river valley and... I just saw another tracktor plowing up the highway. Lookie. There's actually traffic out there zipping past... better gather my in town to do list together. I'm sure shool's in session today! =)

White out!

White out conditions…
Travel is NOT advised!!!
….More than 100 schools closed across the state…
(my classes are among that number)
Zero degree visibility extends from the highway, to out most of the (snow packed!) windows here, at my home.
Power has been winking on and off
- NO TV for me - hehehee, those signals and my antenna are not strong enough to with stand the forces of this ground blizzard.
I will wrap myself up in blankets and text books and count my many blessings yet again!
Speaking of blessings, sometimes we can be the answer to somebody else's prayer. Check out this story from NPR - just click on the listen button there while you putter with other things.... I think you'll find it heartwarming - I did! =)
Cheerios2U all!!!
– hope all are warm and safe!
-Dorko

Whispering gears

The Virtual Tea Leaves site from dear Mona's blog over at Want Peace caught my eye today... I went to readings and this is what wisdom I found there for me:

The Higher Powers have provided you with all the gears.
It may therefore be as well to engage them sooner or later, otherwise you'll merely be making a series of attention grabbing, but ultimately futile, pooping noises. :)
Whisper "I love you! I love you!" to the whole mad world and get going.

So! Rather than sink to the level of fruitless emissions - revealing in a bounty of those attention grabbing, pooping noises, I do believe I'll engage some of those gears and gaining some altitude and some traction here... all the while, whispering, "I love you!"
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(You know there's quite a bit I DO love about this whole mad world! :D lol!)
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P.S.: I think "I love you!" could be my favorite thing to whisper - what's yours?

Untitled

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Just another piece of non-representational art. This one is an oldie, a combination of graphite, and colored pencil.
This is a majority of the work... the original is, again, too large to scan completely.
Wishing you all a good weekend - keep warm, will ya? =)
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Cheerios 2U!
Dorko

Back at home

Praise God. All slept well last night...
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and ... I am...
Back home again, safe and sound... if not still a little rattled by the sincere desire to do well at school and thus pressing the stress button every so often - rather like a lab rat desperately trying to figure which gizmo releases the tasty pellets this time. Hehehee.
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OMGolly! I just realized I gotta whip up an art piece for the blog, here - before the sun sets.. .... maybe on oldie again? heh.
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Aunt Dona called with information that Aunt Freda is not at her best, but perhaps on a more rapid decline than what I'd been impressed with last spring. Aunt Freda is in her mid-nineties. (That 92 year old Uncle Jim I wrote about in September is one of her little brothers.) JK, Freda's daughter, who happens to be in the same assisted living home as Freda, (JK used to be a university professor, has MS. "It" finally brought her back to this home state of ours and into an assisted life-style, 4-5 years ago) has passed along the news that Freda is most likely (the doctors say) suffering mini strokes, effecting memory and a slight aspect of speech, which has become softer than ever and a touch slurred.
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Aunt Dona's call was for the roadtrip to visit them.
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I SOOO wish they were here, in the "hometown" with 'everyone' else. *sighs* They are in Grand Island (2-3 hours away... & yes, Nebraskans often measure distance in time :P) because 'Roger' lives there. Roger is Freda's son. Roger has a mediocre reputation with some members of the family, swinging the wide swath from things he's done to stuff he doesn't do.
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Reading between the lines at the Thanksgiving table last night we see Freda, her friend and regular diner table mate May, daughter J.K., niece Dona, niece Dian (my Mom) and great-niece 'Dorko'. Roger, the single, solitary, living relative within a 150 mile radius - was no where to be seen or heard from - and it wasn't talked about either. *sighs*
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I can easily count a half - dozen or more people that would visit them on a regular basis if they were in McCook. Can't help, selfishly wishing they were here...
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It was a nice visit, albeit short - spent the day with them all. I helped J.K. activate a hotmail account. I'll send her directions on how to actually use the thing via snail mail this coming week. Aunt Dona had brought J.K. the most thought full gift, which we all took great delight in. Some one at a recent highschool reunion had been selling CD recordings of the local high school band and choir too, made during the time when J.K. had been a member of it and when it was at such a pinnacle of perfection, that they'd been honored and dispatched around the nation to strut their stuff! I must say! They really did sound professional! I've never heard a highschool band that 'spot on' - ever!!! J.K. was thrilled beyond measure. Heartwarming to see a gift, this early in the season of gift giving hit home so sweetly for the recipient and all present, sharing in the moment. =)
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Pictures were passed around, memories discussed.
Aunt Dona had come up with a journal in my grandmother's hand. She started reading from the tail end of it which were entries dated into the 1920's, "Praise God, all slept well last night" ... we had an enjoyable time celebrating our 72nd wedding anniversary ... Dona began to explain that this was a copy of a journal that came west from Stockbridge MA with our Pioneering grandparents. In Stockbridge they'd rubbed elbows with the rich and the famous - there were some surprising names dropped in a letter contained in the journal, one entry discribed the day the news litterally rang out along the eastern seaboard through the sounding of church bells tolling, of President Lincoln's death. The inscription on the inside cover said it was a copy of a copy of the original, which was my Great-great-great grandfather's journal. It was a treasure I'd like to have a copy of. I got the briefest glance at it - reading over the first few pages which were dedicated to our family's history and the storys of 'olden times' and a gentle admonisment that any person reviewing the book should not do so, unless they had at least a spark of interest in the family who's history it contained...
more discussion
- apparently my triple-great grandfather and many members of his family were diligent in keeping journals. My grandmother had been in possession of several - then in her zeal to gather more of the family history together (Grandma and Freda were loyal members of the D.A.R. or the Daughters of the American Revolution, and Family/History research/documentation is something that they do) she sent them off to 'cousins' out west and they, unfortunately, were never returned.
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I told my mother on the trip home that I thought that might have been one of the most important things discussed during the visit. I didn't know any such thing had ever existed before. I wonder now if those items can be tracked down and copied in a format that could be easily broadcast and shared with all interested members of the family!!?? Gives me something to think about, other than my current course of studies anyways.
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Mother just called... and we'll be off together once more now, this time to visit the next generation coming up, those beautiful nieces of MINE, and yes... praise God, still - all slept well last night.
(Thought I saw my cat, picking a pair of ear-plugs out of her little kitty head, this morning! :D)

PPT - Opie's idea...

I received this e-card from the Presidential Prayer Team.
I hope the link works - it was a beautiful card!
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A few of you out there may find this hard to believe, but it was Opie Outlaw's idea / suggestion that I start praying, (Hard!) for the President...
I thought about it for 2 shakes of a lamb's tail and realized he was right.
Since my understanding is that prayer is not only a commandment, but a very special commandment for me. .. . in relationship to my own, very personal, relationship with God - and that prayer is a pivotal principle in my spiritual walk, I realized that, I should be praying for my leadership, both religious and secular.
Big smile... that Huckleberry sure has some good instincts, when it comes down to the advice, he's dished out to me.
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Thank you Opie.
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Thank you PPT for the beautiful e-card.
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Thank you Bloggers for both your snarks (which make me lol!) and you're honest, heartfelt words left here, in commenting, and ringing out to all who dare pass your way - on your own blogs!
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Love to you all!
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Thank you, God, for the blessings and lessons of this year .... Thou art steadfast, good and merciful. 'Tis you, dear, Heavenly Father, that I love most of all... and so I pray, in the name of my brave redeemer, even the name of your only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

a.m. Skim

Perhaps I should change the name of the blog to Cheerios and Skim Milk.
That's a little truer to life these days. =)
Just hurried through a cup full of all that and set about compiling the answers to the last straggler surveys due in for the 'big project' for a Business Communications class. Class members teamed up to conduct a survey regarding our on campus food services and the final result will be individual papers analyzing/forecasting the results of that work. FUN! (snort.)
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I know I didn't write about this because things have been so so so hectic for me lately... but there was a grave concern raised with regard to my brother's pregnancy last week. (yah. I KNOW, it's actually his wife that's preggers - I just like to say it like this ...Twain shall become one... and all that, doncha know? anyways-) they'd had an ultra sound that showed a possible swelling around the baby's brain. So off to Omaha this passing week's end to natal specialist and then off again for the rendezvous child exchange, collecting his oldest 2 daughters from my former SIL. Word just in viva the family grapevine is they are back at home in McCook again, and all is well! All is well. (Insert happy dance here) Thanking God this morning, truly.
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Speaking of worship - the children's holiday program yesterday, then my gospel doctrine class with the youth were wonderfully engaging. . . however that last meeting of the morning was the best. Maybe I can find time for a few words on the discussion topic, Free Agency and Responsibility, later this evening... it was the type of lesson that's worthy of a review anyways.
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Right now studies call...
Starting out Thanksgiving week, very thankful, indeed. =)

Li'l Pink Dots...

I Found this site surfing blogs... said it was guaranteed to take my mind off studies for 3 minutes... read the instructions after you click here

No. 7

A Nonrepresentational piece. Which means it's not supposed to mean anything. But... then... artist just can't seem to help themselves sometimes... choices, conscience and sub-conscience choices, are made and the composition progresses, layer upon layer, line upon line, precept upon precept.
(The 2 'twirled' shapes are a light bulb and a pair of scissors. I used 2 brush tips on the painting layer: one brush was made out of Opie Outlaw's eye, and the other was a startip with a checkered flag texture, the question marks are actully text and in the proper font they spell out a word, ...so on, and etc, etc, etc... )
Of course all of those lovely layers needed to be compressed in order to display it - so the fullness, of this piece, is just a wee bit deminished - you can click on it, to enlarge it, if you'd like a closer looksie.
Meanwhile.... Hope everyone has a sunny weekend - inside and out!
Love and Cheerios 2U all!
D. ~

News Flash!

(c) FreeFoto.com
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This just in!
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Bananas are easier to peel ... from the other side!
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Also anyone needing a photo out there in blog-land might consider this cool and groovey site: www.freefoto.com their rules of use are easy enough to understand.

Go! Bison GO!

Yea! Team!
The 'Crimson and Cream' have, amazingly, done it again!
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McCook Senior High School's football team, The Bison, (12-0) are contenders for the Nebraska Class-B state championship!
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What an accomplishment! FOUR straight trips to the big game!!!? Their accumalative record over those passing four seasons, now stands at 51 to 1. UNDEFEATED, save for one match-up in four years! And what a match up that was; the 1 loss came in the last 15 seconds of a barn-burner of a game -in last year's state Class-B title match!
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The team has had to over come great tragedy, injuries, and tough opponents - to reach championship, in this season's journey to Lincoln.
(ALL High school state championship games are played out on the most famous football field in the state of Nebraska - the legendary Memorial Stadium, down east, in Lincoln. - Home of the Huskers!)
This year's trip has the feel of an against the odds scenario for the McCook Bison football team. They first had to over come the tragic, accidental death of a beloved assistant coach, coach Ron Coleman - a far reaching loss impacting many, many, many individuals within the community. Then, during the opening game of the year - the Bison lost two of the best players in the state, Brendan Liess and Jeff Klug, to injuries. They lost several other key players to injuries, including a defensive tackle, J.D. Stone, and his back-up, Daniel Schaffert.
Stone has returned for the final few games of the season, but the injuries have taxed the Bison's team and tested their depth.
They've overcome so much, those kids have worked their tails off. And, that coaching staff, the job they have continually done is unbelievably good and straight-forward... to championship they ALL go.
Yea, TEAM!

The Title of Liberty

I was going to dash off to the Mad Mac Lab early. Then I trolled a few blogs and you all got me thinking .... of the great debt.... of how tender my heart and feelings are for.... our veterans.
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Thinking of veteran's Day today this scripture popped into my head...
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John15:13
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Also, a story from the book of Mormon came to mind. It's a story about the courage of one man, an ancient, who rose to become a great military leader in defense of his family, his brethren and his homeland - despite his own distaste for bloodshed and war.
He is known as 'Captain Moroni'.
He stood in opposition to a wicked man seeking to destroy the church of God and to destroy the foundation of liberty - which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous sake.
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Moroni was the chief commander of the armies of a peaceable Christian people ...and when he'd heard of the dissention of this one man who was drawing many down with him into iniquity - leading them away to do evil and be the cause of great wickedness, so that he could devide the people, break them and rule over them - Moroni rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it -- In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children -- and he fastened it up the end of a pole. ...and he called it the title of liberty. and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessing of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land -- .
..... He prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored, ...when he had poured out his soul to God, ... he named all the land - a chosen land, and the land of liberty. And he said: Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own transgressions. And when Moroni had said these words he went forth among the people... the story explains a little history and Moroni's inspiration behind the title of liberty. In rallying his people he reminded them of their linage and that they were a remnant of the seed of Jacob and also of Joseph, who's coat of many colors was rent by his brethren into many pieces; 'yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain.
. It was an anguishing time, for Moroni and his people looked upon their adversary and saw a fallen brethren persecuting them, for taking upon them, the name of Christ...
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.Sure. I know. You're probably thinking about all the horrible, horrible atrocities committed in the name of "Christianity" and that all who fight a cause may not be Christian at all... I'd say to that, let's not digress here, as I'm not quite done with telling my story, and I'll give you this; I'm always suspicious of anyone saying 'God told me to wage war with you'. However, the remarkable thing about Captain Moroni is his faithful, wise, and merciful heart - the story goes on to detail how, through prayer and the exercise of his faith, he was given over to extrodinary skill and knowledge in defending, the title of liberty shall we say, through fortification of the cities and the preperation of protective armerment for his men and strategic planning in gaining the upper hand over the adversary in selection and placement of his people on the potential battle fields - I say potential, because Captain Moroni is on record as giving the 'enemy' an opportunity to lay down their weopons and to covenant to never wage war with his people again. Those that did so, were allowed to leave the battlefield in peace, and return to their homes and their families. Those that refused were thus engaged.
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A heartfelt salute to all those who've answered the call to defend 'the title of liberty' and my ferverant prayers are likewise, thus engaged, for all those standing firmly on the potential battlefield this day and always - making those difficult and oft' times split second decisions between life and death - may they all find their peace....
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I am humbled and greatful beyond words for their love and their sacrafices.
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Now off to school on a wing and that prayer of mine.....

Heaven...

I'm gona get KILLED for this!
Butt... I don't care.
Check out my escort to 'the other side'.
Hehehee. =)
Say your prayers -
help keep those guardian angels ever near to you.
A Heavenly weekend to you all!
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Sweet dreams...
Dorko

Superlative!

We played with vectors and masks today! =)
The second pix is actually 2 photos masked together.
The river is one mile north of me.
There is a park built in around the sandpits there.
The place holds many happy memories for me.
Right now this pond in the pix is holding a bunch of trout!
They release them, for kids to fish out. COOL, huh?
You might say it's s u p e r l a t i v e !!! Heheheee

Mooncity

Ah.
Here we go.
=)
...Let them with eyes to see, see ....
A little amazing, isn't it? This is the exact, same, pix that I posted on Friday....
Except for now, you might say we are no longer looking through the glass, darkly.
I converted the file to a jpeg which is web-friendly, now we get the fullness of all the special effects woven in the design of things here.
Hope you all have a blessed-eyes-wide-open week!
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Cheerios 2U!
Dorko

Orbs

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This was NOT the finished product.
This was my artful play with the first step in a tutorial on how to use the 'shapes' tool. We learned how to 'constrain' to obtain the perfect circles. I just HAD to toss in a few ovals (to suggest floatation - I can't help myself - beaming smile!).
I WANTED to post the finished version which had blending options engaged. I learned a valuable lesson in paying attention, here!
Yesterday I left class with this (pix) on my zipper and a lesson about how not all data files are created equal, freshly floating in my mind. The lesson text was careful to point out that some details just will not transfer, manifest, nor be received fully and properly - if the media you are crossing over - is not recognizable by the receiver, or in a format the receiver can grasp. (un-huh, got it - sure I do! Insert embarrassed blush, here -> x)
The above 'creation' has much more to it than you can see here. It has embossing. It has inner glows. It has outter glows. It has drop shadows. It has a richness, a depth and a texture - yet, we cannot see it .... because I forgot to make it a 'jpeg' before hopping along my zippidy do da day, yesterday.
Perhaps I can weddle into the Mac Lab today and get the file right for my use here.
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Ironic how this little thing echos a spiritual prompt recurring just lately.
That would be the thought for me on how the Lord stands ready all the day long to bless, exceedingly and yet, for me, due to my own unpreparedness, and my own short-sightedness... I've called his blessing cursed ... hope, hope, hope those days have gone by. I'm getting better at realizing opportunity in adversity, really I am!
I have, still, failed to receive all that I could have had, under His direction and merciful guidance. Why? Pick anyone of the human frailties and I'll have a short-comings, Dorko-story I could tell you. heh.
Add another oopsy to the pile.
The good news is that "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
So a lesson I skimmed has now been driven deeply 'home' for me...
Of course that sends my mind reeling in several other passages that are demonstrative of that love. Like the one in the book of John which plainly entreats, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
I'll leave that turning over in my mind for now...
Love is flowing out to all of you today! =)
May Peace attend you this weekend...
Cheerios,
from the Dorko!

Life is good

I saw an article today that I think I'll cut out of the newspaper for my Graphic Design swipe file. The teacher warned us all, again, last night, that we'll be graded on such... and another warning from the Chapter we were reviewing (13! of all things, heh!) ... against looking to advertisers for inspiration. So, that in mind, I'd like to say that while admiring the design here, it's not about swiping their art - not at all; rather it's the philosophy reported on, which I'm seriously drawn to....

The headline "Life is Good" caught my eye. <-(That link goes to the 2005 Pumpkin Festival at their web site. I loved the photos I found living there!)
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"Do what you like. Like what you do."
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It's a philosophy that 2 regular, nice guys - John and Bert Jacobs, have embraced in life to become successful in business.
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Their 2 man mobile T-shirt business has evolved into a 152 person staff in Hudson N.H. (pop. 7,814), nad a 15-person design center on Boston's Newbury Street -- just across from where police used to run the brothers off for peddling shirts without a legal permit.
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"The media are tremendously focused on what's wrong with our world," Bert says. "Nobody has an opportunity to focus on what's right. You wouldn't think our clothing would be so different than what's out there, but it is. People are drawn to it."
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(Insert big smile here, & my thought: 'Just like I was to the article about them, no doubt.')
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Things got even more interesting when notations were made about their teaching background and their determination to "give back".
As soon as profit margin would allow the 2 established a charitable division to raise money for children's causes.
The company created 2 annual outdoor festivals that raise money: Project Joy and Camp Sunshine.
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Knowing stuff like this is going on in the world just makes your day a little brighter, no?
Put your lights on...
Life IS sooo GOOD!
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Peace, love, and grapenuts people...
Have a great week!

Death by Candlelight

Boo! .... did I scare you? (Heh)
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I found this old, old, old ink pen sketch.
I ripped it out of the sketchbook to scan for your Halloween viewing pleasures.
I have no earthly idea why I scribbled the word 'Ideas' under this composition. (lost that in the scan with my sig.)
My best guess is that I was heavy into experimentation at the time - playing with techniques in drawings, people. *sheesh* (I know what some of you were thinking! lol!)
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..Happy weekend!
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Mmmmmm. candy. =)

Frottage...

"Frottage," explains the Art Teacher, "is bringing texture into your composition by use of an underlaying surface ...and
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... some
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transferance."
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Sounds a bit like psychology 101, A? lol
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This is a little more concrete, as in putting paper down on a side walk and rubbing your crayon over the paper will transfer the concrete's texture into your work - cool, fast designing, minimum work-efforts.
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I used a bit of fottage technique (I didn't know we had a name for it until now) when we practiced drawing circles last month.
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You can see I got bored.
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I drew the Apple, named it, Red Delicious and then the Atom looking thingie.
I drew an Orange - both naked and in full dress... which looked really blah until I went to the block wall of the Art room and added a little 'frottage'.
Click on the pix - you can make it larger which will make it easier for you to see the lovely effect the rubbing gave me. :) ... then came the tea cup.
This is all leading up to a still life...so...there will be more tea cups to come. lol

Stage Riders

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The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality,
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and instead of thinking how things may be,
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to see them as they are.
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— Samuel Johnson

O.Baby. Its cold....

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That's right!
O. Baby. It's cold... Inside and out.
My main "cuddle"-partner these days?
*sighs*
The CAT!
She, (her name is Dr. Suess. Dr. CLAUDIA Suess) snuck pass the pile of text books I was climbing through this weekend, settling into the comforter I had stretched across my lap, lapsing into a soft purr.
I was so into the written word I failed to even look at her as she nested.
When I did give her the half second of attention she'll tolerate outta me, I noticed she was sporting a 'spider-web' bonnet.
*Sigh2*
Seems like all creatures great and small are lookin' for a little extention to comfort and warmth in the relay-hand-off of youthful Summer to that fickle-dandy, Autumn...
I can't help but wonder when old man Winter will come screaming in??? I'm hoping he'll hold off until November and let the little kids have their tricks and treats.
Meanwhile... Note to self: Spider safari with Dr. Suess - a.s.a.p.!!!
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P.S.: Broke down and switched on the furnice TODAY... I know. . . I'll pay dearly for being such a cold snap "weenie".

Allstars

I heard this interesting post on NPR, waking up this morning. . . about the North Mississippi Allstars. I liked their mix bag of musical tricks. (click here and you can listen to them.) There are 2-3 songs posted with the story.

Masterpiece...

Life - is an art.
YOU are the artist.

Water Pot 1+2

Finally. The Art Teacher said we could take some of these preliminary sketches home! I tried to bring them home last week. The Teach saw them on my desk and snuck them back over to his pile on the light table. Explaining all the while that although he was done looking at them he still needed to document them. He was basically paying a compliment to me, saying that he need to record my work, as a reflection of his work - as teacher. =)
If the water pot here looks a little goofy, it's because All Art Teachers want you to work big and my beautiful, precious, lovely, I-just-want-to-hug-it all the time scanner doesn't accomodate the size drawings I've been doing. (niether will the big one at the Mac Lab in the Wrightstone Art Building on Campus) So... I scanned twice, played with opacities, lined up image (as best I could), merged the layers, enhanced the tonal qualities then placed a burnt orange layer under to bevel out into a frame for good measure. Thankful all the while that said scanner came with the soft-ware enabling me to do all that fancy foot-work. It has already helped me soooooo much in my other 2 Art classes!The Art Teach really liked this one - all kinds of excited that I "got" the concept that he wanted little to no fluff and all the sight line details of composition kept in there. Heh. I "get" it. Story of my life now, and for the remainder of my time cruising through my studies here at "school", both in and out of the Art Room.
Love to all who pass this way!
Have a happenin' weekend!
Cheerios,
D.
~

$$$$$$$$$$$$

No.
Didn't win the Big Lotto.
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However I am celebrating a little victory.
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I Just made it the last 15 days or so, squeeking by, penniless... and today is PAYDAY!
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Of course I've been at school and I've no idea what was directly deposited into my bank account, yet, but I do know some (not near enough, most likely) went in there TODAY! =)
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Now, I can pay all those creditors, I gave the heads up to, earlier this month - I hope.
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Doh! Lookit da time! Back to school I go...

What seek Ye...?

I've been waiting for this. I was impressed with the final speaker's remarks at this past Sunday's worship services. Brother Hardy, a high priest, was visiting on behalf of our stake (area) council. I asked Bro. Hardy if I could have a copy of his talk. He sent it to me along with some supporting notes he said he did not end up using. (time & the holy spirit sometimes dictate edits at the pulpit) Bro. Hardy used the published remarks from 2 general authorities along with Biblical and Book of Mormon references in his talk to sustain his topic points. Here is Brother Hardy's talk:

WHAT SEEK YE……………
Good morning brothers and sisters, it’s nice to be here with you today. I would like to convey to you the love of the stake presidency. These good men work very hard and pray very often for the members of this stake. They are truly dedicated individuals.
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In John 1 35-38 we read: "Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
"And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! "And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. "Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye?"
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Brothers and sisters, what seek ye?
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Your very presence here today would indicate that one of the things you seek is a closer relationship with our savior. Your presence here indicates you are seeking after eternal values. As the 13th article of faith states: “13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.�
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We find a world today looking for answers to the question, What seek ye? in so many different ways. Too many are sowing seeds of a fruit that will not nourish an eternal soul.
In Luke 8 5-15 we read the parable of the sower:
5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
The deciples inquired of Jesus what the meaning of this parable might be. This is his reply:
11 Now the parable is this: The seed• is the word of God. 12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation• fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked• with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest• and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit• with patience.
Brothers and sisters the key here is the ground not the seed. The seed is the word of God, we know it will be sowed over the face of the whole earth and it is perfect seed. The ground on the other hand is us, the inhabitants of this world. We determine what type of ground we will be. How well do we prepare ourselves to accept and nurture this seed that it might bear fruit? Are we the “good ground�?
Those who are the ground by the wayside hear the word then allow the Devil into their lives and take the word of God out of their hearts. Those who are on the rock receive the word with joy, but develop no root and fall away when temptation comes.
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Those who are among the thorns may describe the plight of many of the world today. They have heard the word and go forth and I quote: “and are choked• with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.�
This particularly hits home with me. Now I don’t feel that I pursue the pleasures of this life to excess, but the reference to being choked with cares and riches might apply. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a wealthy man in terms of worldly possessions. I’m just an average guy, but I fear I sometimes let cares about worldly issues and the pursuit financial reward choke my spiritual progress. It is a dilemma I dare say many of us have. I realize that many of us are not wealthy. One poor man said, “I know that money isn’t everything. For example, it isn’t mine.� And another observed, “Even books on how to be happy without money cost more than I can afford.� However, the relationship of money to happiness is at best questionable. An unknown author said, “Money is an article that may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness.�
Once we can feed, cloth and shelter our family, how much more money do we need…..is there ever enough, and will we have to pay a spiritual price to get it?
Those who are choked with thorns of cares and riches and pleasures quote “bring no fruit to perfection.� Let us rather be the good ground and with an honest and good heart, and with patience bring forth fruit an hundredfold.
A major problem we face in preaching the gospel in many areas of the world is the general apathy toward religion, toward things spiritual. Too many are very comfortable with their present lifestyle and feel no need to do more than "eat, drink, and be merry". In 2 Ne. 28: 8 we read “And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat•, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify• in committing a little sin•; yea, lie• a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit• for thy neighbor; there is no• harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.�
These people are not interested in anything but themselves—here and now.
Societies in which this secular lifestyle takes root have a deep spiritual and moral price to pay. The pursuit of individual freedoms, without regard to laws the Lord has established will result in the curse of extreme worldliness and selfishness, the decline of public and private morality.
Such secular societies are described in Doctrine and Covenants 1:16: "They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world."
For this reason, the Lord's Church was instructed to follow the prophet and seek something different from what the world is seeking.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides answers to the question, What seek ye? Our Church is the means by which men and women find our Savior and His gospel.
Most people are searching for happiness.
It is obvious that since we don’t always desire that which is good for us, having all our desires granted to us would not bring us happiness.
In fact, instant and unrestrained gratification of all our desires would be the shortest and most direct route to unhappiness.
In Alma 41:3–7 we read 3. And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good.
4. And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame—mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption—raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other—5. The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.6. And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness.7. These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own "judges", whether to do good or do evil.
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Both happiness and unhappiness are much of our own making.
A friend sent me this e-mail: A 92 year-old, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he manoeuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. "I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
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Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on
the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from it what you've put in it. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories and thank you for filling my Memory bank. Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
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As the Prophet Joseph Smith told us, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God�
The more faithfully we keep the commandments of God, the happier we will generally be.
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Pleasure is often confused with happiness but is by no means synonymous with it.
The poet Robert Burns wrote an excellent definition of pleasure in these lines:
But pleasures are like poppies spread: You seize the flow’r, its bloom is shed; Or like the snow falls in the river, A moment white—then melts for ever; Or like the borealis race, That flit ere you can point their place; Or like the rainbow’s lovely form Evanishing amid the storm.
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Pleasure, unlike happiness, is that which pleases us or gives us gratification. Usually it endures for only a short time. We are enticed daily to pursue worldly pleasures that may divert us from the path to happiness. We are not content with what we have and think that happiness comes from having more or acquiring more or being more. We look for happiness but go in the wrong direction to find it.
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The story is told of Ali Hafed, a wealthy ancient Persian who owned much land and many productive fields, orchards, and gardens and had money out at interest. He had a lovely family and at first was contented because he was wealthy, and wealthy because he was contented.
An old priest came to Ali Hafed and told him that if he had a diamond the size of his thumb, he could purchase a dozen farms like his. Ali Hafed said, “Will you tell me where I can find diamonds?�
The priest told him, “If you will find a river that runs through white sands, between high mountains, in those white sands you will always find diamonds.�
Said Ali Hafed, “I will go.�
So he sold his farm, collected his money that was at interest, and left his family in the charge of a neighbor, and away he went in search of diamonds, traveling through many lands in Asia and Europe. After years of searching, his money was all spent, and he passed away in rags and wretchedness.
Meanwhile, the man who purchased Ali Hafed’s farm one day led his camel out into the garden to drink, and as the animal put his nose into the shallow waters, the farmer noticed a curious flash of light in the white sands of the stream. Reaching in, he pulled out a black stone containing a strange eye of light. Not long after, the same old priest came to visit Ali Hafed’s successor and found that in the black stone was a diamond. As they rushed out into the garden and stirred up the white sands with their fingers, they came up with many more beautiful, valuable gems. According to the story, this marked the discovery of the diamond mines of Golconda, the most valuable diamond mines in the history of the ancient world.
Had Ali Hafed remained at home and dug in his own cellar, or anywhere in his own fields, rather than traveling in strange lands where he eventually faced starvation and ruin, he would have had “acres of diamonds.� We feel only pity for Ali Hafed as we picture him wandering homeless and friendless farther and farther away from the happiness he thought he would find in digging up diamonds in a far-off place. Yet how many times do we look for our happiness at a distance in space or time rather than right now, in our own homes, with our own families and friends?
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In the story The Little Prince, the fox was wiser than he knew when he said, “Now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye�
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The Savior of the world taught us to seek that inner peace which taps the innate happiness in our souls. He said: “My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid� (John 14:27).
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That inner peace spoken of by the Savior seems elusive when we are preoccupied with things we have or things we wish we had. In a time when we are both obsessed and consumed with the possession and the acquisition of objects, the counsel of Moses seems more needed than ever: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, … nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s� (Ex. 20:17).
In Mosiah 2:41 we read : “I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness�.
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Many of us are consumed with being successful.
An unknown poet has written:
Success is speaking words of praise,
In cheering other people’s ways,
In doing just the best you can.
With every task and every plan.
It’s silence when your speech would hurt,
Politeness when your neighbor’s curt.
It’s deafness when the scandal flows,
And sympathy with others’ woes.
It’s loyalty when duty calls.
It’s courage when disaster falls.
It’s patience when the hours are long.
It’s found in laughter and in song.
It’s in the silent time of prayer,
In happiness and in despair.
In all of life and nothing less,
We find the thing we call success.
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If we truly seek after Christ and his blessings of happiness through obedience there is a key element that we must embrace and that is Charity. There are many types of charity but particularly significant in these trying times is to show love, even to your enemies, “bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you�
Have you ever been hated, cursed or despitefully used?
IT IS EASY TO BE CHARITABLE TOWARDS THE PEOPLE WE LIKE. I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS AND IT MAKES ME FEEL REALLY GOOD WHEN I CAN HELP THEM OR GIVE THEM A KIND WORD OR A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT. BUT I WILL ADMIT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE HARD FOR ME TO LIKE AND IN TURN I AM SURE THERE ARE THOSE THAT DON’T JUST DON’T LIKE ME. WE MAY HAVE OPPOSING OPINIONS ABOUT RELIGION OR POLITICS, OR WE MAY HAVE OFFENDED EACH OTHER OR TAKEN OFFENSE. IT MAY GO BEYOND DISLIKE. THERE MAY BE BITTER ANGER AND HATRED INVOLVED. HOW DO WE SHOW CHARITY IN THESE CASES?
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IN mathew 5: 43-48 we read
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43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
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THE SCRIPTURES DOCUMENT NUMEROUS CHARITABLE ACTS. ONE I FIND PARTICULARLY POIGNANT IS THE LOVE AND CHARITY MORONI SHOWED FOR HIS BRETHREN.
MORONI HAD WITNESSED THE GENOCIDE OF HIS PEOPLE THE NEPHITES. HE HAD BATTLED AT COMORAH AGAINST THE LAMANITES. IN THE FINAL BATTLE HE WITNESSED THE SLAUGHTER OF OVER 200,000 NEPHITES.
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MORONI FINISHED THE WORK HIS FATHER, MORMON, HAD STARTED. HE DID THIS TO BENEFIT THE DESCENDENTS OF THE VERY PEOPLE WHO NOW SOUGHT TO TAKE HIS LIFE. HIS WRITINGS END ABOUT 36 YEARS AFTER WE LAST HEAR FROM MORMON.
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AFTER HAVING FINISHED THE ABRIDGEMENT OF ETHER’S WRITINGS FROM THE 24 PLATES MORONI SEEMS ASTONISHED TO STILL BE ALIVE. WE TALKED ABOUT LOVING YOUR ENEMIES. HERE IS WHAT MORONI WRITES.
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MORONI 1: 1-4
1 NOW I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me.
2 For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ.
3 And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.
4 Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that which I had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any more; but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth• unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord.
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What a stellar example of charity to his enemy and their posterity.
Take note that he refers to them as his brethren.
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Our search for happiness largely depends on the degree of righteousness we attain, the degree of selflessness we acquire, the amount and quality of service we render, and the inner peace that we enjoy. Some of us may have detoured from the road to peace and happiness through transgression. Jesus has provided us with a chance to overcome that transgression. He urges us begin the process of clearing up any problem so that we may again enjoy a quiet and a peaceful conscience. When we truly repent of our sins, the Lord has promised, “I, the Lord, remember them no more� (D&C 58:42).
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“What seek ye� brothers and sisters?
May we always seek out that which is good and remember in our hearts the last article of faith we memorize in our primary sunday school lessons.
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“13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.�