Sunday, July 02, 2006

INNOCENCE

Kiaya and baby sister Ari
http://feyavanyasthoughts.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Simple Obedience

My fellow-seminary teachers liked this thought this morning (of course we were all half asleep at 5:45 am) so I thought I would share it:

Here is Joseph F. Smith's description of the work it takes to build an imperishable foundation of truth: "The men and women who are honest before God, who humbly plod along, doing their duty, paying their tithing, and exercising that pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, which is to visit the fatherless and the widows in their afflictions and to keep oneself unspotted from the world, and who help look after the poor; and who honor the holy Priesthood, who do not run into excesses, who are prayerful in their families, and who acknowledge the Lord in their hearts, they will build up a foundation that the gates of hell cannot prevail against; and if the floods come and the storms beat upon their house, it shall not fall, for it will be built upon the rock of eternal truth." (Gospel Doctrine, 12th ed. )

President Smith made building on a foundation of truth sound like a long list of things to do. He seems to be describing work. I remember President Ezra Taft Benson saying with a smile about his service, "I love this work. And it is work."

Yet you will notice that the work is simple obedience. It is not complicated things; it is not fancy things or getting great spiritual manifestations. This is work within the abilities of the most humble and the least educated.

Elder Henry B. Erying "Because He First Loved Us"

Update!

Since my father refuses to update his own blog, I decided to help him out a little.

I was just daydreaming....as I am known to do, and recall Halloweens of California days past....

Where Dad dressed as Bandito Bunny.....complete with full white jump suit, bunny ears, tail, gun shells slung across his chest, pistol and handlebar mustache.

Mother, you need to find that picture so it can be shared with the wide world of bloggers.

I love my bandito of a bunny of a father.

Sarah

Monday, October 17, 2005

Your 1920's Name is:
Jewel Bailey

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Happy!

This is me happy to be in Machu Pichu. (May 2005) Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Daddy's Little Girl


Okay, maybe not so little. But the spittin image of him anyway. And what a wonderful Dad he is. I've been reminiscing a lot lately about reading The Hobbit and other such books at bedtime with him. Love that.


And my viking bloodline.


And the mirror face.


Love you!

Sunday, October 02, 2005

My Incredible Kids...and Grandchildren

Just thinking today about how incredible my kids are. They are all so brilliant, good-looking and so very, very good. (I sound a little bit like Garrison Keillor discussing the folks from Lake Wobegon where the women are strong, the men are good-looking and the children are "better than average".) I suppose I could say that in Jones family, it's where all the women are strong and good looking, the men are outnumbered and the daughters are not just above average but oustanding in every way. Of course, the same goes for those exceptional grand daughters: Maddie, Hannah, Gracie and Lily. Lori and I take a delight that only grandparents can comprehend in those wonderful children. We are prejudiced, but have to confess we love them and our children with an intensity that seems overpowering at times.

Thursday, April 28, 2005

Category: Great Movie Moments...

Second Hand Lions: Robert Duval as Uncle Hub...

In the movie, Hub gives Walter the speech he thinks all young men should hear:

" Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good. That honour, courage and virtue mean everything ; that power and money ... money and power mean nothing. That good always triumphs over evil. And I want you to remember this.... that love....true love never dies ! Remember that boy ... remember that. Doesn't matter if it is true or not, a man should believe in those things , because those are the things worth believing in...... got that ? "

...I'll believe in spite of what many would point to as evidence of the contrary....