Thank You Denise

I love books, especially picture books. One of my favorite books this time of year is Thank you Sarah! It is the story of Sarah Josepha Hale. She was the widowed mother of five children. Over a period of 38 years she wrote to president after president, trying to persuade them that our country should have a national day of Thanksgiving. Abraham Lincoln finally listened and in 1863 he declared the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving day.

One woman writing a letter can make a difference!

My sister in law Denise is a very busy mom of 4 children. I am grateful that she took the time to write a letter about tolerance that was published in her local paper. Thank you for making a difference Denise!
Here's her letter:

Our choices have been made and now we should look at ourselves to see where we stand in the name of tolerance.

It seems in our quest to participate and to be active in the political process we have fallen in the trap of accusing people of hatred and bigotry when their view hasn't matched our own.

When we lean out a car window or have our children lean out the car window to call a group of people bigots or racists, we should be sure we aren't being hypocritical or bigots in our own right.

It may be time for us to teach our children what democracy is, what tolerance is and is not, and what freedom of speech is, because from what I saw during the last three weeks of the election we as a community are confused.

We claim that we want a better world and a place where our children can be responsible and sensible adults, but that is not what we are teaching them. We certainly do not want to become the parent or adult who provides the example by saying "do as I say, but not as I do."

I have been left to think about the community of Agoura Hills and the things I saw people doing to each other during the election. Truth be told, I am dismayed by the hatred and the intolerance I was a witness to. Verbal abuse and physical intimidation is not tolerating someone's view. Stealing signs is intolerant. Throwing objects at people that have a different view from yours is called intolerance. I am left to wonder what we are teaching our children.

We shouldn't have to live in a community where we are scared to voice our view because it may not match our neighbors. Your neighbor may have a different opinion but it doesn't make your neighbor a racist, a bigot, or a hater.

We should be teaching our children how to make good and wholesome political choices, not showing them how to tear other people down.

We have time before the next political process to evaluate what we are doing in the name of tolerance.

November Titles

Harvest Time

When your 18 year old son sends you flowers just to say
"I love you Mom"
it feels like harvest time
after many years of sowing, watering and weeding.

Ryan loves BYUI.
He has great professors and friends
and he's only had to make one trip to urgent care!

In the Thick of Things

Aaron is busy with:
pre-calculus
biology
writing a law brief for a supreme court simulation
Eagle Scout project
seminary class president

He did take some time out for fun with friends on Halloween.
He also carved this happy pumpkin in the middle.
(Marianne's is on the left and Evan's scary one with the "dark mark" is on the right)

From Baby to Young Woman

Marianne seems to have grown up overnight!
Babysitting
Going to plays with friends
Studying Shakespeare
Singing in 3 different choirs
Writing essays
Playing the flute
Finally has her own room, complete with new furniture!

Full of Fun

Evan collected 14 pounds of candy on Halloween
beating his big brothers' records.

More fun stuff:
Webelos
piano
soccer
Reading
Puzzles
Swordfighting
"Classic TV" (Sponge Bob & Hogan's Heroes are two favorites)

Thank you Shireen!

I woke up yesterday morning to the good news that Prop 8 had passed! I had expected to feel elated. After all, I had spent many hours working on the campaign. Instead, this thought came into my mind, "You have done well, but this is only the beginning. Much more is expected of you." I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I do know that I need to work harder at opening my mouth and speaking up for truth and righteousness.

Today I opened up my local paper to find an opinion article written by a dear friend of mine. It has nothing to do with Prop 8, but it has everything to do with making a stand for honor. The article quotes the words of John Adams in reminding us that our "constitution was made only for a religious and moral people."

I met my friend Shireen many years ago when I was a new homeschooler. Aaron was in a gardening club with her oldest son. She was a great example to me as an experienced homeschooler and helped give me confidence that I really could do it!

Today she continues to inspire and encourage me through her writing. She not only took the time to write an essay, but she submitted it to the newspaper and got it published! Shireen is a very busy mom who also works with her husband in their business and volunteers in the community. She doesn't have time to write an article--but she did it any way!

I hope you will take a few minutes to read her article "Where is honor?" HERE

Then take a few more minutes to decide how you can heed Shireen's call to "become involved and stand up in this fight against moral decay and corruption."

Shireen is only one person but she made a difference. We all need to follow her example and work to strengthen the power of one.

Each of us can and should make a difference by standing up and speaking out!