Thursday, February 28, 2008

International Folk Dance Ensemble

What a wonderful evening we had last night.






The International Folk Dance Ensemble preformed in Everett. Can I just say---WOW!!! It was great.








As you can tell, by the blurry pictures, it was fast paced and colorful and non-stop.



We were able to house a couple in our home for the night. (Newlyweds – 2 months) They were the sweetest - Biff & Rosie Jones. We stayed up too late talking about everything. And then they had to get up early this morning because they have another performance tonight over in Port Angeles.





They finished up the night of dance with an Appalachian Clogging - Updated urban – I was floored at how wonderful it was, and so colorful.




If you ever get a chance to go and see them do not miss them…….. THEY ARE GREAT!!!!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

ALL PUNS INTENDID

1. Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.

2. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, "I'll serve you, but don't start anything."
3. I went to a seafood disco last week...and pulled a mussel.
4. What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.
5. A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm, and says "A beer please, and one for the road."
6. Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: "Does this taste funny to you?"
7. "Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Green Grass of Home." "That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome." "Is it common?" Well, "It's Not Unusual "
8. Two cows are standing next to each other in a field. Daisy says to Dolly, "I was artificially inseminated this morning." "I don't believe you," says Dolly. "It's true; no bull!" exclaims Daisy.
9. An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.
10. Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.
11. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day, but I couldn't find any.
12. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.
13. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel, and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office, and asked them to disperse.
"But why," they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."

14. And finally, there was the person who sent 14 different puns to his friends, with the hope that at least ten of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

SHERIFF JOE IS AT IT AGAIN!

SHERIFF JOE IS AT IT AGAIN!

Found this story and had to post it --- I think that jails all over the USA should be run this way.

Update on Joe ArpaioOh, there's MUCH more to know about Sheriff Joe!

Maricopa County was spending approx. $18 million dollars a year on stray animals, like cats and dogs. Sheriff Joe offered to take the department over, and the County Supervisors said okay.

The animal shelters are now all staffed and operated by prisoners. They feed and care for the strays. Every animal in his care is taken out and walked twice daily. He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior. They give great classes for anyone who'd like to adopt an animal. He has literally taken stray dogs off the street, given them to the care of prisoners, and had them place in dog shows.

The best part? His budget for the entire department is now under $3 million. Teresa and I adopted a Weimaraner from a Maricopa County shelter two years ago. He was neutered, and current on all shots, in great health, and even had a microchip inserted the day we got him. Cost us $78.

The prisoners get the benefit of about $0.28 an hour for working, but most would work for free, just to be out of their cells for the day. Most of his budget is for utilities, building maintenance, etc. He pays the prisoners out of the fees collected for adopted animals.

I have long wondered when the rest of the country would take a look at the way he runs the jail system, and copy some of his ideas. He has a huge farm, donated to the county years ago, where inmates can work, and they grow most of their own fresh vegetables and food, doing all the work and harvesting by hand. He has a pretty good sized hog farm, which provides meat, and fertilizer. It fertilizes the Christmas tree nursery, where prisoners work, and you can buy a living Christmas tree for $6 - $8 for the Holidays, and plant it later. We have six trees in our yard from the Prison.

Yup, he was reelected last year with 83% of the vote.

Now he's in trouble with the ACLU again. He painted all his buses and vehicles with a mural, that has a special hotline phone number painted on it, where you can call and report suspected illegal aliens. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement wasn't doing enough in his eyes, so he had 40 deputies trained specifically for enforcing immigration laws, started up his hotline, and bought 4 new buses just for hauling folks back to the border. He's kind of a 'Git-R Dun' kind of Sheriff.TO

THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH JOE ARPAIO HE IS THE MARICOPA ARIZONA COUNTY SHERIFF AND HE KEEPS GETTING ELECTED OVER AND OVER THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY:

Sheriff Joe Arpaio (In Arizona) who created the 'Tent City Jail': He has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them.

He stopped smoking and porno magazines in the jails. Took away their weights, cut off all but 'G' movies.

He started chain gangs so the inmates could do free work on county and city projects. Then He Started Chain Gangs For Women So He Wouldn't Get Sued For Discrimination.

He took away cable TV until he found out there was A Federal Court Order that Required Cable TV For Jails So He Hooked Up The Cable TV Again Only let In The Disney Channel And The Weather Channel. When asked why the weather channel He Replied, So They Will Know How Hot it's Gonna Be While They Are Working ON My Chain Gangs.

He Cut Off Coffee. Since It Has Zero Nutritional Value. When the inmates complained, he told them, 'This Isn't The Ritz/Carlton....If You Don't Like It, Don't Come Back.'

He bought Newt Gingrich's lecture series on videotape that he pipes into the jails. When asked by a reporter if he had any lecture series by a Democrat, he replied that a democratic lecture series might explain why a lot of the inmates were in his jails in the first place.

More; On The Arizona Sheriff:

With Temperatures Being Even Hotter Than Usual In Phoenix (116 Degrees Just Set A New Record), the Associated Press Reports:

bout 2,000 Inmates Living In A Barbed-Wire-Surrounded Tent Encampment At The Maricopa County Jail Have Been Given Permission To Strip Down To Their Government-Issued Pink Boxer Shorts.

On Wednesday, hundreds of men wearing boxers were either curled up on their bunk beds or chatted in the tents, which reached 138 Degrees inside the week before. Many were also swathed in wet, pink towels as sweat collected on their chests and dripped down to their PINK SOCKS.

'It Feels Like We Are In A Furnace,' Said James Zanzot, An Inmate Who Has Lived In The TENTS for 1 year. 'It's Inhumane.'

Joe Arpaio, the tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic. He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates:

'It's 120 Degrees In Iraq And Our Soldiers Are Living In Tents Too, And They Have To Wear Full Battle Gear, But They Didn't Commit Any Crimes, So Shut Your Damned Mouths!'


Way To Go, Sheriff!


Maybe if all prisons were like this one there would be a lot less crime and/or repeat offenders. Criminals should be punished for their crimes - not live in luxury until it's time for their parole, only to go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can't afford to have for themselves.

Sheriff Joe was just reelected Sheriff in Maricopa County, Arizona.

On the news this morning (December 11, 2007) Sheriff Joe has instituted another Road Gang for DUI Offenders. They will clean up around Phoenix and wear a pink shirt with a sign on the back that says 'Cleaning and Sober' and striped prison pants. What a guy. You just gotta love him!

Monday, February 25, 2008

My Talk about the ATONEMENT - Feb 2007

“There once was a man who wanted something very much. It seemed more important than anything else in his life. In order for him to have his desire, he incurred a great debt.

“He had been warned about going into that much debt, and particularly about his creditor. But it seemed so important for him to do what he wanted to and to have what he wanted right then. He was sure he could pay for it later.

“So he signed a contract. He would pay it off some time along the way. He didn’t worry too much about it, for the due date seemed such a long time away. He had what he wanted now, and that was what seemed important.

“The creditor was always somewhere in the back of his mind, and he made token payments now and again, thinking somehow that the day of reckoning really would never come.

“But as it always does, the day came, and the contract fell due. The debt had not been fully paid. His creditor appeared and demanded payment in full.

“Only then did he realize that his creditor not only had the power to repossess all that he owned, but the power to cast him into prison as well.

“ ‘I cannot pay you, for I have not the power to do so,’ he confessed.

“ ‘Then,’ said the creditor, ‘I will exercise the contract, take your possessions and you shall go to prison. You agreed to that. It was your choice. You signed the contract, and now it must be enforced.’

“ ‘Can you not extend the time or forgive the debt?’ the debtor begged. ‘Arrange some way for me to keep what I have and not go to prison. Surely you believe in mercy? Will you not show mercy?’

“The creditor replied, ‘Mercy is always so one-sided. It would serve only you. If I show mercy to you, it will leave me unpaid. It is justice I demand. Do you believe in justice?’

“ ‘I believed in justice when I signed the contract,’ the debtor said. ‘It was on my side then, for I thought it would protect me. I did not need mercy then, nor think I should need it ever. Justice, I thought, would serve both of us equally as well.’

“ ‘It is justice that demands that you pay the contract or suffer the penalty,’ the creditor replied. ‘That is the law. You have agreed to it and that is the way it must be. Mercy cannot rob justice.’

“There they were: One demanding justice, the other pleading for mercy. Neither could prevail except at the expense of the other.

“ ‘If you do not forgive the debt there will be no mercy,’ the debtor pleaded.

“ ‘If I do, there will be no justice,’ was the reply.

“Both laws, it seemed, could not be served. They are two eternal ideals that appear to contradict one another. Is there no way for justice to be fully served and mercy also?

Let me stop the story right there I will get back to it later …


1. GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE IS NOT A DETERMINING CAUSE.—


Consider this

A mortal father, who knows the weaknesses of his son, may by reason of that knowledge predict the sufferings awaiting his wayward boy.

He may foresee in that son's future - forfeiting blessings that could have been won, loss of position, self-respect, reputation and honor; even the dark shadows of a prison cell may appear in the saddening visions of the father's soul.

He foresees the developments of the future, and he finds only sorrow and anguish in his knowledge. Can it be said that the father's foreknowledge is a cause of the son's sinful life?

The son reaching his maturity; he is the master of his own destiny: an agent unto himself.

The father is powerless to control or to direct the son’s actions and, while he would gladly make any effort or sacrifice to save his son from the fate impending, he fears for what he sees as the consequence of his son’s actions.
--------------------------------------

Our Heavenly Father has a full knowledge of the nature and dispositions of each of His children, a knowledge gained by long observation and the experiences He has had with each of us in our pre-mortal existence.

By reason of that knowledge, God reads the future of men individually and of men collectively as communities and nations; He knows what each will do under given conditions, and sees the end from the beginning.

His foreknowledge is based on intelligence and reason. He foresees the future as a state which naturally and surely will be; not one which must be - because He has willed that it shall be.



2. Man Free to Choose for Himself.

"The Father of souls has endowed His children with the divine birth right of agency:

He does not and will not control them by force; He impels no man toward sin; He compels none to righteousness.

Unto man has been given freedom to act for himself; and, associated with this independence, is the fact of strict responsibility and of individual accountability.


In the judgment with which we shall be judged, all the conditions and circumstances of our lives shall be considered.

The INBORN TENDENCIES due to heredity,

The EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT whether conducive to good or evil,

The WHOLESOME TEACHINGS of youth,

The ABSENCE OF GOOD INSTRUCTION—

These and all other contributory elements must be taken into account in the rendering of a just verdict as to the soul's guilt or innocence.


This is what I have always believed and to see it in writing helped me know the mercy of the Lord –


(This is the reason that I try hard not to judge others. I know that I do not have all this information at hand, and for me to judge with out it would not be fair to them or me. Please be careful not to judge others with out all of the information needed to pass a true and just judgment.)


3. The Fall a Process of Physical Degeneracy.—

This is something new to me but as I was studying for my talk I found a good reason for the fall, one that I had never considered before, but now makes perfect sense.

The principle of the Word of Wisdom was revealed unto Adam. All the essentials of the Word of Wisdom were made known unto him in his immortal state, before he had taken into his body those things that made of it a thing of earth. He was warned against that very practice. He was not told to treat his body as something to he tortured. He was told that he must not take into that body certain things which were there at hand.

He was warned that, if he did, his body would lose the power which it then held of living for ever, and that he would become subject to death. It was pointed out to him, that there are many good fruits to be plucked, to be eaten, to be enjoyed. And it was told unto Adam: Touch not these things; for in the day that thou doest it thy life shall be shortened and thou shalt die. "

God knew the weaknesses of Adam & Eve and he knew that one or both would fall to temptation.

Could he have stopped it?

When my children were still young and needed my permission to do something, they would come and ask if they could go some where that I felt was not safe.

I would tell them NO

They, as all children do, wanted to know why.

I would say “What kind of a mother would I be if I allowed you to walk into temptation?”

But now that they are out on their own I have to trust that they will use the teachings that I tried to instill in them.

They are now living their own lives, and will make their own mistakes. I can not live their lives for them. Nor would I want to.

We have to let our children make their own choices.

We teach and train our children how to be a good person and a great citizen; we pray and hope that the teaching and training take hold. We let them out into the big bad world and hold our breath.

Like God, we know to some degree what our children will make of themselves. Good or bad we can only stand by; offering advice; praying they will use it; and being there if they come to us for help.


Remember in the story - “He had been warned about going into that much debt, and particularly about his creditor. But it seemed so important for him to have what he wanted right then. He was sure he could pay for it later.


God presented a plan - the “Plan of Salvation” – The plan of Happiness – the Atonement” to us in heaven before we ever came to earth, because He knew that we would be like this man, having a debt that needed to be paid and no way to justly pay for it.


NOW BACK TO THE STORY!!!

“ ‘If you do not forgive the debt there will be no mercy,’ the debtor pleaded.

“ ‘If I do, there will be no justice,’ was the reply.

“Both laws, it seemed, could not be served. They are two eternal ideals that appear to contradict one another. Is there no way for justice to be fully served and mercy also?

“There is a way!

The law of justice can be fully satisfied and mercy can be fully extended—but it takes someone else. And so it happened this time.

“The debtor had a friend. He came to help. He knew the debtor well. He knew him to be shortsighted. He thought him foolish to have gotten himself into such a predicament. Nevertheless, he wanted to help because he loved him. He stepped between them, faced the creditor, and made this offer.

“ ‘I will pay the debt if you will free the debtor from his contract so that he may keep his possessions and not go to prison.’

“As the creditor was pondering the offer, the mediator added, ‘You demanded justice. Though he cannot pay you, I will do so. You will have been justly dealt with and can ask no more. It would not be just.’

“And so the creditor agreed.

“The mediator turned then to the debtor. ‘If I pay your debt, will you accept me as your creditor?’

“ ‘Oh yes, yes,’ cried the debtor. ‘You saved me from prison and show mercy to me.’

“ ‘Then,’ said the benefactor, ‘you will pay the debt to me and I will set the terms. It will not be easy, but it will be possible. I will provide a way. You need not go to prison.’

“And so it was that the creditor was paid in full. He had been justly dealt with. No contract had been broken.

“The debtor, in turn, had been extended mercy. Both laws stood fulfilled. Because there was a mediator, justice had claimed its full share, and mercy was satisfied”


The Lord knew that we would need a friend to step in and help us. This friend would give US the mercy we need and give God the justice that is asks for.

WHO IS THIS FRIEND?

4. Christ Wrought Redemption from the Fall.

Christ Was the Only One Who Could Atone for Our Sins

There are several reasons why Jesus Christ was the only person who could be our Savior. One reason is that Heavenly Father chose him to be the Savior. He was the Only Begotten Son of God and thus had power over death.

(John 10:17–18) Jesus explained: “I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again”

Jesus also qualified to be our Savior because he is the only person who has ever lived on the earth who did not sin. This made him a worthy sacrifice to pay for the sins of others.

We see all throughout the scriptures that when a sacrifice was offered up unto the Lord, it was a pure and unblemished.

"The Savior thus becomes master of the situation—the debt is paid, the redemption made, the covenant fulfilled, justice satisfied, the will of God done, and all power is now given into the hands of the Son of God—the power of the resurrection, the power of the redemption, the power of salvation, the power to enact laws for the carrying out and accomplishment of this design.



5. Redemption

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts the doctrine of the fall, and the account of the transgression in Eden, as set forth in Genesis; but it affirms that none but Adam is or shall be answerable for Adam's disobedience; that mankind in general are absolutely absolved from responsibility for that 'original sin', and that each shall account for his own transgressions alone; that the fall was foreknown of God, the necessary condition of mortality.

A Redeemer was provided before the world was.

Redemption comes to all without their seeking it: but that individual salvation or rescue from the effects of personal sins is to be acquired by each for himself by faith and good works through the redemption wrought by Jesus Christ."

Friday, February 22, 2008

Sunshine and Golfers

Today it was a beautiful sunny day. For a Friday the golf course was fairly busy. This past week an aveage of 25 golfers pass my back window every day.

So this is what living on the 18th tee is going to be like all summer long.

P.S. -- People here Golf in the RAIN! I find that amazing. Such Dedication!

Kathy

Sunday, February 17, 2008

These are priceless!!

These are priceless!!

Great quotes from Police OfficersThese 16 Police Comments were taken off actual police car videos around the country:

16 "You know, stop lights don't come any redder than the one you just went through."
15 "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while."
14 "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document."
13 "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired."
12 "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you."
11 "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?"
10 "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?"
9 "Warning! You want a warning? O.K, I'm warning you not to do that again or I'll give you another ticket."
8 "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?"
7 "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go to ride on rides, eat cotton candy and corn dogs and step in monkey poop."
6 "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven."
5 "In God we trust, all others we run through NCIC."
4 "How big were those 'two beers' you say you had?"
3 "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can."
2 "I'm glad to hear that the Chief (of Police) is a personal friend of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail."
AND THE WINNER IS....
1 "You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't. Sign here."

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Bird Watching is adictive

First thing that you should know is that I did not take any of these pictures. I collected them from surfing the internet.

This is a Chickadee - a member of the titmouse family.

I see them everyday at my birdfeeder.

They are a small bird and beautiful to watch. their coloring is Black and White and Gray.

We also had these birds in Marion come to our feeders all the time.



This is a Dark Eyed Jenco - a member of the Finch family.

The ones that feed at my feeder are very bright in color.

They have a dark (Black or dark Gray) Head - a redish brown Back - usually a white chest.

I love to watch them.

They are the size of a finch or chickadee.

This is a Spotted Towhee - a member of the Towhee family.

These birds are very pretty.

They have a black head, a white breast and orange side feathers. They are the size of a finch or chickadee.

I took a lot of pictures of the birds that feed in my yard but they were not very clear. So I wanted to use these pictures instead. I hope that you enjoy them.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Prophetic Passing

Prophetic Passing
Anna M. Molgard
January 27, 2008


I imagine he's running to Marjorie now,
Yes, running, not waving his cane.
I see him embracing his father and mother
While they keep repeating his name.


I see him now meeting his forebears,
Brother Brigham and Joseph are there.
Sweet reunion of prophets, united by service
That only such noble men share.






I see him embraced by the Savior
While Father says, "Good and well done.
So faithful in stalwart endurance, I welcome
My noble, most excellent son."






I then hear the ripples of laughter
As he says the reception's just fine,
But he hopes that he'll get an assignment or two
Since there's no need to waste any time.






I can hear his clear voice in the stillness
At the close of this sweet Sabbath day,
Have faith and move forward — there's work to be done.
President Hinckley would want it that way.


Weather report





WOW what a week!

The passes here in Washington and Oregon have been closed due to lots and lots of snow!!
Interstate 90 through Snoqualmie Pass – it closes often for a day or two but this week it was closed for one week (7 days). The avalanche threat was great. They were setting of explosions to create manmade ones to get a lot of the snow off the mountains.

There were these two trucks going over the pass – they pulled over to put chains on and trees fell and totaled both semis.


The weather service said that as of Friday, 130 inches of snow had accumulated at Snoqualmie Pass. The normal for the date is 79 inches. The record, from 1964, is 154 inches. (And it is still snowing).


Here it is sunny today. But it was raining all day yesterday. I do not miss the snow because I do not drive when it is on the roads.

Shiloh is in Utah visiting Jacob. I hope that the roads clear before her starts home.


Okay – okay this is not Washington (It is Switzerland) bit it is how it feels some days.

STAY WARM EVERYONE - Later, Kathy