Book Review: Swiss Family Robinson

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann D. Wyss


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
The only thing that kept me reading was a commitment to Book Club. This is one case where the movie is much better than the book. Where was the plot? The climax? The denouement? I suppose that if I had read this with Thomas who likes to play "building a fort" and loves animals then I would have enjoyed seeing his excitement.....well, his interest. But I won't recommend this to others.

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She's.........

Oh, do I blog about it before she does? I guess not....stay tuned to hear how excited we are.

In The Nightstand Drawer

Emily and Karin have shared a bedroom since Emily was in a crib, but mostly it has been Karin’s room. Her clothing, jewelry, shoes, bags, school bags and books have filled the drawers and closets. Her pictures hang on the wall and the air smells of her perfume. It was so wonderful to have her here last summer living with us. I miss her tremendously and even when she is gone, the room feels like Karin to me.

Things are beginning to change. Emily is growing up and starting to move Karin’s things out of her way. Pretty soon Karin will want her pictures and curios and then Emily will fill the space with her own pretty things.

This week we were cleaning out some drawers and Emily found a 3x5 card with Karin’s handwriting on it. She remarked that Karin had left her a special note. I recognized the card immediately. We’ve had a tradition in our Young Women’s that the last Sunday of the year, after Christmas, girls who have recently graduated and left the Young Women’s organization to attend college or move on somewhere else, come back and share their experiences with the girls including how Personal Progress has helped them.

The note card we found contained some of the thoughts that Karin shared when she was invited back to Young Women’s. I love these thoughts she wanted to share with her YW friends about how to be happy and successful in your new ward. They are from her freshman year at BYU.

Here is what she said
• Go to all 3 hours of church, take notes.
• Attend firesides, take notes
• Bear your testimony on Fast Sunday
• Accept a calling
• Be friends with the Bishopric
• Attend ward prayer and FHE
• Attend the Temple

I love these thoughts because they show an easiness and a willingness to believe. I’ve had friends who have decided to find out if a gospel principle is true by not doing it. For example, they might decide not to pay their tithing and wait to see how they feel. Somehow this is supposed to prove to them if it is a true principle or not. I’m not perfect by any means but I do love the scriptures that teach that the Lord will pour out his Spirit upon us because of our easiness and willingness to believe in his words. (See Helaman 6:36). What a better way to learn if a principle is truly from God. One of my favorite talks from the last General Conference is Elder Ringwood who teaches me how to have an easiness and a willingness to believe. He says this attribute comes from:

Having a soft heart
Having a heart sensitive to the Holy Ghost
Have a heart that can love
Having a heart that can make and keep sacred covenants
Having a heart that can feel the power of the Atonement of Christ

He says that developing a soft heart comes by
Showing a desire and exercising diligence
Having the word of God sink deep into our hearts
Having a heart that is willing to change
Being willing to repent and obey
Daily living of the Gospel

I love this quote, “…this easiness and willingness to believe will come from doing those seemingly insignificant things taught to us repeatedly since our youth. Obedience will bring soft hearts and an easiness to believe in the word of God. I bear witness that an easiness to believe will bring an outpouring of the Spirit.”

Karin has been and continues to be an example to me of someone who chooses to obey and believe with easiness. I have seen the Spirit poured out on her in abundance. So, while this little note card wasn’t written specifically for Emily I will keep it in her drawer and hope that she listens to her older sister.

Motherhood can be so wonderful.

Gumbo

Scott says, "Anything this fun to say, must be good!"

3 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 to 3 cups of chopped vegetables - celery, zucchini, okra, squash, carrots, green beans, etc. ) That's total veggies, not 3 cups of each
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Grillmates Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts, cooked, cubed
1 14 oz pkg of smoked beef sausage, sliced (cook the sausage briefly in a skillet to release some of the fat and then drain on paper towels before adding)
3 cups hot cooked rice

Heat oil in large pot. Add onion and garlic and stir cook about 2 minutes. Add all the vegetables, stir cook for about 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes, bay leaf and spices. Heat to boiling and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and sausage and simmer 10 more minutes. Scoop rice into bowl and ladle soup over the rice.

My Daily Life

One of my favorite books to read to Emily is the Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck. She loves to carry around the Beatrix Potter books, they are just her size. Imagine our delight when Mr. Fox showed up in person.

Book Review: Have a Little Faith

Have a Little Faith: The Story of a Last Request by Mitch Albom


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While this book has many nice thoughts, I felt that the author missed the point entirely. He spent 8 years visiting and interviewing his childhood rabbi in order to give his eulogy; he also gets to know a local minister and his congregation. The experiences of these men are touching, they have overcome hardships and prejudice and have spent their lives in service to their fellow men. However, the author, while admiring their commitment to God - doesn't get it. You have to turn to God with faith - not just admire others who do so.

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