Kent and Jan Brooksby

Update - finally!

2011-12-13T13:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess I left that one hanging in the air. Following my visit with Dr. Knippers late at night, it appears that some of my eye fluid has pulled away from the back of my right eye. I went the following week to see another eye doctor in Mesa, who told me the same thing. Now it has been over two months since I noticed the big "floaty" in my eye and the flashing lights, and nothing has changed. Not better; no worse. It is kind of irritating, when I am comparing numbers on sheets or screens all the time, and as I move my eye back and forth, the big floaty scrolls across my field of vision. Back and forth, back and forth. I have not yet learned to ignore it, as the doctor suggested.I think I am getting to that age when, if I notice something wrong with my body, I think, "Well, I guess I had better get used to that." Getting old is a strange phenomenon, but it beats the alternative.

Here I Am

2011-10-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been almost a year since my last posting - and that was a lame one about my tree. The uninformed might conclude that I live a rather boring life. However, those who know me well know that my life is one of almost constant excitement! Accountant by day, ukulele player by night. Mix in Scouting and grandfathering, and you have a pretty exciting existence. Right now, I am waiting for my eye doctor to call me back. I noticed while driving home from Casa Grande today that I was not seeing very clearly out of my right eye, and that there were flashes of light like lightning when I blinked. Dr. Knippers (my former assistant Scoutmaster and an opthalmologist) is going to look into my eye tonight. It could be the beginning of a detached retina, which I would just as soon not have, thank you very much. I'll try to repost in less than a year to report on the exam.

My Poor Poplar Tree!

2010-10-19T18:44:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of my poor, sick poplar tree. So sad!

Recent photos

2010-10-19T18:16:00.001-07:00

Cousins and me at the Judd cousin reunion at Lee's Ferry, October 15, 2010

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My Dad and siblings at the Judd reunion.

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A little angel named Janie Rose.

What a week!

2010-09-05T22:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, this has been an exciting week! Tuesday morning I went to get a shirt from the laundry room and discovered the water heater had sprung a leak overnight, and was spraying water everywhere. We were leaving that night, so it had to be fixed immediately. I turned off the water (I thought), called the plumber and asked them to bring a water heater and install it. He came pretty quickly, turned off the water to the house, and replace the water heater. When he turned the water back on, our kitchen faucet blew up! I spent the afternoon replacing the faucet. I'm sure glad this happened before we left town!

We came down to Mesa Wednesday morning to watch Emily's kids while Emily and Geoff went to Utah for Geoff's brother's wedding. We had a great time taking care of Jackson, Natalie, and Staci Wednesday through Sunday. What great kids! Staci turned 4on Tuesday, and Jackson turned 9 on Thursday, so there was a lot of partying going on. Jan and I hit the bed hard every night, exhausted. There is clearly a reason why we have children while we are still young.

Saturday night we all went over to Andrea and Tyler's apartment for a taste treat - bacon cheeseburgers with grilled Krispy Kreme donuts for the bun! We had heard of these treats before, but had never eaten one. The secret is in splitting the donuts in half, putting the unglazed side over the grill, then putting the glazed side next to the meat. It wasn't too bad (Jackson said it wasn't any weirder than putting ketchup on graham crackers), but I have never finished a hamburger before with sticky fingers. Thanks, you two!

Tomorrow is Labor Day, and we get to go home. Amazing - you spend a week with your family and you can't wait to "go home." If home isn't where your family is, where is it?

Welcome, Mr. & Mrs. Spahr

2010-07-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

What a glorious week last week. The wedding was lovely; the couple were sealed by uncle Bud Whipple. It was hotter than, well, it was hot, but nobody melted. The reception was absolutely beautiful. We saw a lot of old friends and made some new ones. We must say that Tyler's family were really wonderful about the whole thing, in spite of the fact that they were not able to be in the temple. What great people. We look forward to many years of association with them.

'Nuff Said

2010-07-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

The Gila Valley Temple

2010-05-23T11:56:00.001-07:00

We went to the broadcast of the dedication of the Gila Valley Temple this morning. There was such a beautiful, peaceful, sweet spirit there. Jan knows Pres. Crockett from her NAU institute days, and we visited with both Pres. & Sis. Crockett a couple of weeks ago in the Snowflake temple. It was uplifting, hearing their sweet testimonies this morning. I wish I had the power to express what was in my heart, but words cannot express it. I left the broadcast this morning with the hope burning in my breast to be a better man, a better husband, a better father and grandfather. That is what the gospel does to us, makes us desire to reach higher and be better. And as Elder Holland said this morning, the purpose of the temple is to fill us with the Lord's forgiveness, for we certainly all need it. I am so thankful for the opportunity that was afforded us today, to be in the Celestial Room of the new temple, even though we were hundreds of miles away, and to feel that sweet spirit in our hearts. What a time we live in!

What a month!

2010-05-17T15:59:00.001-07:00

In the last month or so, the following changes have taken place in our family:

1. Andrea and Tyler announced their engagement.

2. Melissa and Brad bought a new home.

3. John and Anna bought a new home.

4. Melissa and Brad had a baby - Henry.

5. Geoff passed his comprehensive exams and is through with pharmacy school (Hooray!!)

That's a lot of good in a very short time. What's next?

Meet Henry Marshall Crider

2010-05-14T19:40:00.001-07:00

Just thinking of this story...

2010-03-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

Some years ago, President Gordon B. Hinckley told a parable about “a one room school house in the mountains of Virginia where the boys were so rough no teacher had been able to handle them.

“Then one day an inexperienced young teacher applied. He was told that every teacher had received an awful beating, but the teacher accepted the risk. The first day of school the teacher asked the boys to establish their own rules and the penalty for breaking the rules. The class came up with 10 rules, which were written on the blackboard. Then the teacher asked, ‘What shall we do with one who breaks the rules?’

“ ‘Beat him across the back ten times without his coat on,’ came the response.

“A day or so later, the lunch of a big student, named Tom, was stolen. The thief was located — a little hungry fellow, about ten years old.

“As Little Jim came up to take his licking, he pleaded to keep his coat on. ‘Take your coat off,’ the teacher said. ‘You helped make the rules!’

“The boy took off the coat. He had no shirt and revealed a bony little crippled body. As the teacher hesitated with the rod, Big Tom jumped to his feet and volunteered to take the boy’s licking.

“ ‘Very well, there is a certain law that one can become a substitute for another. Are you all agreed?’ the teacher asked.

“After five strokes across Tom’s back, the rod broke. The class was sobbing. ‘Little Jim had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around his neck. “Tom, I’m sorry that I stole your lunch, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever!”

President Hinckley then quoted Isaiah:

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows...

“He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

We should always remember that the One who took the beating for our offenses is the very One we have offended. How can we not love Him forever?

New Picture

2010-01-22T17:02:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post this picture. The awards dinner scheduled for Jan 23, at which I was to receive the Silver Beaver, has been cancelled because no one can get out of their driveways right now for all the snow. They say it will be held later, in a month we can count on NOT to have snow (July?).

You Never Can Tell...

2010-01-13T13:31:00.000-08:00

THE GINGHAM DRESS
A TRUE STORY By Malcolm Forbes

A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's outer office.

The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard & probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge. "We'd like to see the president," the man said softly.

"He will be busy all day," the secretary snapped.

"We will wait," the lady replied.

For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away.

They didn't, and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted.

"Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave," she said to him.

He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, and he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office.

The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple.

The lady told him, "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus."

The president wasn't interested. "Madam," he said gruffly, "we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."

"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly. "We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard."

The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard."

For a moment the lady was silent.

The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now.

The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?"

Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment.

Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling back to Palo Alto, California where they established the university that bears their name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.

You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

I hope to keep this in mind whenever I start to judge.

When Dreams of a White Christmas Come True...

2009-12-31T16:17:00.000-08:00

Lydia prepares a snowball to throw at Grandpa

Joshua loved "helping" with the dishes

Adam and Joshua ride the toboggan down the hill

The Crider kids playing in the snow at Edler Lake

Adam, Lydia and Joshua on the toboggan. The little ones couldn't get enough!

Adam takes the disc down the hill

Our Family Christmas Party 2009

2009-12-23T08:56:00.001-08:00

Friday, December 18 was the night of the family Christmas party. We ordered a 6' sub from Ned's, and met at 5:00 at the northeast corner of the Phoenix Zoo parking lot. We easily located a picnic pavillion (the park was empty) and set up for dinner. Everyone was there except Emily's family who had to spend Christmas in Utah this year. After we had all eaten, we walked over to the Zoo Lights show. It was beautiful, and the kids really loved it, especially the talking giraffe. Almost all the children rode the carousel before we left the zoo, then we went to Cynthia's. We had Owen and Adam in the back seat of our car on the way back to Mesa. Owen said, excitedly, "Adam! Wasn't that fun? The zoo was so cool! But now we're going to the funnest part - eating donuts!" Owen told a story about two little boys named Owen and Adam who were best buddies who played together and had sword fights.

We all gathered together at Chris and Cynthia's place for hot chocolate and donuts. We passed out the Christmas presents and visited. It was a low-key evening; no schedule to adhere to, no sky-high expectations, just being around the people I love the best in the world. What more could I want for Christmas?

How's that again?

2009-12-14T16:57:00.000-08:00

I recently was a judge in the annual VFW Patriot's Pen essay contest for grades 6-8. This year the topic was "Honoring our Heroes." Here are some sentences that I really got a kick out of.

"If stuff was mandatory everyone would do it so that's another way we can but its not all about fun stuff because I am sure that the war wasn't fun for our courage's men that fought there I think that everyone should have a flag in the yard."

"I don't know about this holiday (July 4th) but every time it comes around I feel really happy."

"One of them is the days that we have parades for the 4th of July. It gives thanks for the winning of the Civil War."

"Guns and mustaches do not make up a hero."

"When they come home is the best time to honor them would be when they come home."

"They (veterans) are the freedom fighters and fight for us. They are the bravest in the whole world, the whole universe, the whole galaxy. They will keep on fighting until death, until the end of the human race."

And my favorite:
"There sacrifice not to be in vane. Supporting our troop, the sacrifice not to be chosen. It's a duty and they gladly serve are country. They are ones who leave a reality stable and good society, to go to the farthest outreached of the world."

Come again? Last year one of the kids wrote that his grandfather had been "a tailgater on an air plan."

But I WANT it!

2009-12-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot recently about a story told by Elder D. Todd Christofferson at October conference.

An incredulous female friend asked a young adult woman, committed to living the law of chastity, how it was possible that she had never “slept with anybody.” “Don’t you want to?” the friend asked. The young woman thought: “The question intrigued me, because it was so utterly beside the point. . . . Mere wanting is hardly a proper guide for moral conduct.”

As we look around at the world today, how many troubles do we see that are the result of people expecting to get what they want? The recent news reports of the world's greatest golfer are a good example of people not knowing how to deny themselves of what they want. In my work, I deal every day with people who demand that the Town buy something we cannot afford, simply because those people want it. But wanting something does not mean you should get it.

I believe that one of the worst things parents can do for their children's moral development is to give them whatever they want. Those children will grow up believing that they are entitled to have whatever they want, simply because they want it. At the same time, they do not value what they receive, because they did not have to earn it. They never learn to tell themselves, "No. I can't have it. I can't afford it." As parents, we want to give our children what we didn't have when we were growing up, but we need to be careful to give them what we did have, too.

Our whole society is groaning under the weight of people who think they should have whatever they want, and they think other people owe it to them. Look at all the people who bought way more home than they could afford, because they wanted a spacious home - because everyone else had one. Living beyond your means is a sign of moral failure.

I am sure this posting will raise some eyebrows, but that is ok. Raising eyebrows lets more light in when we are examining ourselves.

On My Honor...

2009-11-08T18:29:00.001-08:00

I received some very exciting news this week. I am being awarded the Silver Beaver by the Grand Canyon Council of the Boy Scouts of America. This is the highest award a Council can give, and I can hardly believe I was nominated, much less chosen! I will actually be presented the award in January, but they let me know now. When I think of the Silver Beavers I know, including my father-in-law, I am humbled to think I have been admitted to this club.

I love the Boy Scouts of America. It has been an honor for me to work with them in shaping the lives of young men. This is the last remaining organization I can think of, outside the church, that stresses personal character and integrity, and that teaches young men to make moral decisions.

I wasn't much of a Scout when I was a Scout. I was scrawny and didn't really have the vision of the whole thing. I never made Eagle (I had to settle for eternal Life!), but I have been a dedicated Scouter ever since catching the vision at Woodbadge in 1998. That experience, along with all the other Scouting experiences I have had as an adult (Woodbadge staff, Philmont, Order of the Arrow), changed my life for the better, and hopefully for good. It is easy to be of service to a cause you really believe in. Thank you, Boy Scouts of America, for what you have done for America's youth for the last 100 years, and for this old man in the last 12!

Hold on!

2009-11-01T19:22:00.001-08:00

This morning our Stake President drew this exponential curve on the blackboard in our Priesthood leadership meeting. He asked us where we thought we were on that curve, and most of us said we were somewhere around the area I have circled below:

I agree. The rate of the growth of evil in this world is increasing, and Satan is parading things around as "normal" that were not even talked about in polite company just a couple of years ago. Little children are being exposed to evil in ways my generation can hardly comprehend.

When we visited Emily and the kids last September, we spent one morning at the park. They have a merry-go-round there. I have always enjoyed those things.

On a merry-go-round, if you are out at the edge of the toy while it is spinning around, you are going to feel a LOT of centrifugal force, trying to push you off. The only safe place to stand on that toy while it is spinning is right in the center. Any distance from the center increases the force pushing you off.

That is how it is in the world today. If we are not centered, we will not be able to stand the forces that are coming. The center is Christ, and the best place to stand to stay close to Him is the Temple. We simply must spend more time there if we and our family are going to stand. We need to make our homes like the temple - free of the noise and confusion and distraction of the world, free of the influences of evil. So much is at stake. I hope everyone in my family will renew their efforts to hold to the Center (Christ) for safety.

We want the spirit in our home...

2009-10-31T18:43:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful adult session of our Stake conference this afternoon. Pres. Milt Jensen told a story about how his wife disciplined their children that I thought was just too good to forget. I wanted to pass it along.

When their children would misbehave, instead of grounding them for life, Sis. Jensen would say, "You know, we want the spirit in our home. It wouldn't be right to invite people into our home to visit or play if we didn't have the spirit in our home. So it is important that you learn how to play together (or whatever it was) so that the spirit can be in our home again." I thought that was really a great thing to say. Teach the little ones that the things they do influence the spirit in their home, and make friend visits contingent on the spirit being in the home.

Ours was not a perfect family; there were many times I dropped the ball in our family having prayer together, or reading the scriptures together. But we succeeded more often than we failed, I believe. I believe that every generation tries to give their children a better life than they had; to give their children what they didn't have. It is really important, however, that parents give their children what they DID have - a home with the spirit of God in it. Reading the scriptures together every day, praying together every day - these are vital factors in building a family that lasts. We want our family, all of it, to be together forever. That is how it is done.

Another Friend Found!

2009-09-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken in August, 1970 when I was in the Language Training Mission (LTM) in Provo. The Stuttgart District was a unified group of guys, half going to Munich, half going to Berlin, working hard to learn German.

Last Saturday we were in Albuquerque for a wedding when I noticed a man in the group that looked really familiar to me. I couldn't think of where I knew him from, but I thought his name was Rod. I asked Jan if she knew him, and she said she had never seen him before. I was really puzzled.

After the wedding, I walked up to him and asked him if I looked familiar. He said no. I told him my name, and he said the name was familiar to him. His name was Rod Williamson. We talked for a couple of minutes before we figured out where we knew each other from. We were both in the Stuttgart District in the LTM 39 years ago! Neither of us had even thought of the other one in all that time. He is the third missionary from the left; I am the fourth one from the right. He went to Berlin.

We had a good time talking to each other after the wedding. He is a retired scientist from Sandia Labs in New Mexico. I invited him to stay with us if we are ever in town; he said we would always have a place to stay when we are in Albuquerque. I was amazed that I could remember his face after all this time. I showed the picture to Jan, and she couldn't pick out which one he was.

Life is pretty amazing sometimes. How fun to reconnect with old friends.

Let me get this straight...

2009-08-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

Obama's health care plan will:

* Be written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it.
* Be passed by a Congress that hasn't read it (but exempts themselves from it).
* Be signed by a president who smokes (and also hasn't read it).
* Have funding administered by a treasury chief who did not pay his taxes.
* Be overseen by a Surgeon General who is obese.
* Be financed by a country that is nearly broke.
* Run as effectively as the US Postal Service.

What could possibly go wrong?

And if I oppose it, that makes me a NAZI RACIST. Huh???

Brrrr!

2009-08-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

It was downright chilly this morning! I woke up all wrapped up in my sheet and comforter, and finally screwed up enough courage to jump out of bed and close the bedroom windows. Then I hurried downstairs to close a couple of windows there, too. I couldn't find my outside thermometer, but I'll bet temperature this morning at 6:00 was in the high 30's to low 40's.

Danged Global Warming - still messing with my mind.

I am posting this to mess with the minds of all my loved ones in the Valley of the Sun where this never happens! Love you all.

The Worst Day Golfing...

2009-08-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

...is still better than the best day at the office. Last week I participated in the GFOAZ Summer Training golf tournament at the Hilton El Conquistador course in Tucson, affectionately dubbed "The Perspiration Open." It is a four-man-scramble format, and is always a lot of fun. There were prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishes, as well as prizes for longest drive, longest putt, and tee shot landing nearest the pin.

The 6th hole was the "Nearest the Pin" hole, and the green was about 155 yards away up a hill, invisible to the tee box. I shot a 6-iron, and landed on the green (the only one in my group) about 30 feet from the hole. At the time, it was closest to the pin, but I knew in my heart it wouldn't hold, since there were really good golfers behind me. Imagine my surprise, then, when the next day I was awarded a $50 gift certificate from Best Buy for my tee shot! Then it was announced that my team had finished in 2nd place at 2 under par (1st place was 3 under). So I got another $50 gift certificate from Best Buy for that, making $100 in golf winnings. Not bad for someone who only plays once or twice a year, just to keep my game sharp.

The final day of the conference there was a drawing for an iPod Shuffle, and my name was drawn out of the hat for that. That's a lot of winnings in one week for someone who never wins anything. I was almost tempted to stop on my way out of Tucson to buy a lottery ticket. Of course, I didn't.

An Old Friend Found!

2009-07-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

Ever since I returned home from Germany in 1972, I have been trying to make contact with one of my old companions, Christian D Roode from South Africa. I have inquired about him with every missionary returning from there; I have Googled his name; I have posted queries on the Internet - everything I could think of. All to no avail.

Saturday, July 25th, 2009, I got a phone message from someone I have never met, telling me of Br. Roode's whereabouts. This young man had been looking at the South Germany/Austria website (don't know why) and saw that I was looking for Christian D. Roode. He phoned to tell me Br. Roode lives in Las Vegas and he gave me his phone number and address. So last night, almost 38 years after I last spoke with him, I called him. He was so surprised! It was so nice to hear my old friend's voice again. He has lived in the US for years, teaching music to elementary school children. They must have a lot of fun in his class - he is a hoot!

What an enjoyable evening. I will have to look him up next time I am in Las Vegas.

The Hiatt Reunion

2009-07-16T22:45:00.001-07:00

I think the picture says it all. The annual Rudge and Ruth Hiatt reunion is a kid's paradise where children can play with lots of other children and eat Red Vines all day. Seriously, what a blessing it is in our lives to be part of this wonderful family. This family has been a source of strength to us and our posterity, and we hope we have been a source of strength in their lives, too. This year was harder than usual because so many of our grandkids had been, or were, very sick.

It is always a bit of a challenge, finding sleeping places for 162 people (and growing), but the effort is well worth it. There is no one in that vast crowd that does not love and support every other person in the family - even those that are not blood related. Often our Japanese friend Shinji shows up because we all love him, too. We miss everyone who doesn't come. The Hiatt's have built a family that hangs together because we want to, and that strength comes from a temple going posterity. Mom and Dad aren't able physically anymore, but their posterity keeps going.

The high point of the reunion for me is always the Sunday family meeting. This year was special because I got to participate in giving my father-in-law a blessing after his difficult week. When the meeting was over, Emily told me that Jackson had never seen anyone get a blessing, and he wanted to know if it would be OK for him to get a blessing, too (he had been sick most of the week). I was so pleased to know that Jackson would seek out a priesthood blessing. We went upstairs in the cabin where John and I gave Jackson a blessing. We then gave Emily a blessing too, after her very difficult weeks of sick kids. When we went downstairs, we found out that Lydia had come down with what was going around, so Brad and I gave her a blessing. She recovered almost immediately. Having the opportunity to use the priesthood to bless four beloved members of my family in one morning makes this a reunion I will long remember.

Thank you, Mom and Dad Hiatt, for raising such a special family!

Writing English Real Good

2009-07-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

Here is George Orwell's list of rules for good writing:

(i) Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
(ii) Never use a long word where a short one will do.
(iii) If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
(iv) Never use the passive where you can use the active.
(v) Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
(vi) Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
- George Orwell, On Politics and the English Language

Here is my list of rules for good writing:

Verbs HAS to proper go with its subjects.
Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
Don’t use no double negatives, not never.
And don’t start a sentence with a conjunction.
It is wrong to ever split infinitives.
Avoid clichés like the plague.
Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.
Be more or less specific.
Never use a big word where a diminutive word will suffice.

My Buddy and Me

2009-07-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

Well, the six weeks that Emily and Geoff were here flew by. So many of the things we wanted to do and planned to do just couldn't materialize. Geoff was so busy working, putting in long days at Walgreen's pharmacy, Jan worked long days at the hospital, I worked long days at Town Hall, and between us all, the time for things like camping and hiking disappeared.

I did get to spend some fun times with Jackson, as I wrote about earlier. I know he can hardly wait till his Daddy is through with school so they can do fun things together. Here are some pictures - I will post more later.

Jackson learns how to rope a calf from Rex Lamoreaux

Jackson gets his first experience on horseback

Jackson learns how to shoot a .22 caliber rifle

Jan and the kids enjoy Shush Beto (Big Bear) Lake

A couple of cute kids at the Family Reunion

Everyone has fun at the Annual Brooksby Children & Descendents Exceptional Family Gathering at the Hiatt's In June (The ABCDEFGHIJ)

Politicians

2009-07-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

A few of my favorite quotes about politicians. Gotta love 'em!

What I say is that no man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent.
– Abraham Lincoln

A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman thinks of the next generation.
– James Freeman Clarke

He knows nothing and thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a political career.
– George Bernard Shaw

Suppose two-thirds of the members of the national House of Representatives were dumped into the Washington garbage incinerator tomorrow, what would we lose to offset our gain of their salaries and the salaries of their parasites?
– H.L. Mencken

In America, anybody can be president. That's one of the risks you take.
– Adlai Stevenson

Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.
– Robert Louis Stevenson

Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles.
– Ambrose Bierce

Did you ever notice when someone you know is nominated for high office how you’re torn between local pride and fear for the country?

The politician is an acrobat. He keeps his balance by saying the opposite of what he does.
– Maurice Barres

The Democrats may remember their lines, but how quickly they forget the lessons of the past. I have witnessed five major wars in my lifetime, and I know how swiftly storm clouds can gather on a peaceful horizon. The next time a Saddam Hussein takes over Kuwait, or North Korea brandishes a nuclear weapon, will we be ready to respond? In the end, it all comes down to leadership, and that is what this country is looking for now.
– Ronald Reagan

Political bedfellows share not only the same bed, but the same bunk.

Treaties are like roses and young girls. They last while they last.
– Charles de Gaulle

Whenever the nation (USA) is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy.
– Ann Coulter

If you think too much about being re-elected, it is very difficult to be worth re-electing.
– Woodrow Wilson

When they call the roll in the Senate, the senators do not know whether to answer ‘present’ or ‘guilty’.
– Theodore Roosevelt

Now I know what a statesman is; he’s a dead politician. We need more statesmen.
– Bob Edwards

Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it, and then misapplying the wrong remedies.
– Groucho Marx

A conservative is one who admires radicals centuries after they're dead.
– Leo Rosten

A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel.
– Robert Frost

I have never believed in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.

There is no nation so poor that it cannot afford free speech, but there are few elites which will put up with the bother of it.
– Daniel P. Moynihan

Most of the energy of political work is devoted to correcting the effects of mismanagement of government.
– Milton Friedman

I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office.
– H. L. Mencken

Democrats raise taxes. It's their way of paying for programs that buy votes from people who don't pay high taxes.
– Pete Waldmeir

It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.
– Samuel Adams

No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.
– Mark Twain

If liberals didn’t have double standards, they wouldn’t have any standards at all.
– Burt Prelusky

When a man spends his own money to buy something for himself, he is very careful . . . [But] when he spends someone else's money on someone else, he doesn't care how much he spends or what he spends it on. And that's government for you.
– Milton Friedman

When politicians rush to fix things, it's a sure sign that either the intended patient is dead or fully healed.
– Tony Snow

An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.
– Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
– George Bernard Shaw

A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money.
– G. Gordon Liddy

Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.
– Douglas Casey

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
– P.J. O'Rourke

The most important political office is that of private citizen.
– Louis Brandeis

If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free.
– P.J. O'Rourke

The best politics is right action.
– Mohandas K. Gandhi

Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.
– Pericles

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.
– Edward Langley

We’d all like to vote for the best man but he’s never a candidate.
– Kin Hummbard

Washington is a Hollywood for ugly people. Hollywood is a Washington for the simple-minded.
– Senator John McCain

When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.
– P.J. O'Rourke

When government officials talk about ‘creating jobs,’ they usually mean creating government jobs.
– Alan Reynolds

If pro is the opposite of con, then progress must be the opposite of Congress.

The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.
– Plato

Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some evidence that they can't read them either.
– Gore Vidal

Private passions grow tired and wear themselves out; political passions, never.
– Alphonse Marie Louis de Lamartine

What you guys want, I'm for.
– Dan Quayle

It takes a lot more integrity, character, and courage to be a conservative than it does to be a liberal. That’s because at its most basic level, liberalism is nothing more than childlike emotionalism applied to adult issues.
– John Hawkins

When I have to choose between voting for the people or the special interests, I always stick with the special interests. They remember. The people forget.
– Henry Fountain Ashurst, U.S. Senator from Arizona

When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President; I'm beginning to believe it.
– Clarence Darrow

You can say ‘tough’ all you want and still be a wimp. Or a politician.
– Thomas Sowell

The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it.
– P. J. O'Rourke

Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber.
– Plato

The greatest good we can do our country is to heal its party divisions and make them one people.
– Thomas Jefferson

You vote yourselves salaries out of the public funds and care only for your own personal interests; hence the state limps along.
– Aristophanes

There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.
– Alexis de Tocqueville

The Democrats seem to be basically nicer people, but they have demonstrated time and again that they have the management skills of celery. They’re the kind of people who’d stop to help you change a flat, but would somehow manage to set your car on fire. I would be reluctant to entrust them with a Cuisinart, let alone the economy. The Repub-licans, on the other hand, would know how to fix your tire, but they wouldn’t bother to stop because they’d want to be on time for Ugly Pants Night at the country club.
– Dave Barry

It is useless to hold a person to anything he says when he’s in love, drunk or running for office.
– Shirley McLaine

No diet will remove all the fat from your body because the brain is entirely fat. Without a brain, you might look good, but all you could do is run for public office.
– George Bernard Shaw

When one of our people gets elected, sooner or later he [or she] stops being one of our people.
– Stan Evans

A thief is more moral than a congressman; when a thief steals your money, he doesn't demand you thank him.
– Walter Williams

Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.
– Mark Twain

America is a nation without a distinct criminal class...with the possible exception of Congress.
– Mark Twain

The Founding Fathers did not foresee a permanent political class, out of touch with the people and in touch only with their careers and self-interests.
– Cal Thomas

Sometimes, a man must rise above principle.
– Senator Everett Dirkson

If there is one eternal truth of politics, it is that there are always a dozen good reasons for doing nothing.
– John le Carre

[The Motto of the Democratic Party] We don't know where to stand or what we stand for, and in fact we're not good at standing for anything anyway, but at least we know we can't stand Republicans.
– Peggy Noonan

Nothing doth more hurt in a state than that cunning men pass for wise.
– Francis Bacon

There is nothing in life so pathetic as a former president.
– John Quincy Adams

The Democratic definition of bi-partisan is: “Do what we want.”
– Rich Galen

Western do-gooders may occasionally swing by some Third World basket-case and condescend to the natives, but for the most part the multiculti set have no wish to live anywhere but an advanced Western democracy. It’s a quintessential piece of leftie humbug. They may think globally, but they don’t act on it.
– Mark Steyn

Politics is not about facts. It is about what politicians can get people to believe.
– Thomas Sowell

In order to become the master, the politician poses as a servant.
– Charles DeGaulle

People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war, or before an election.
– Otto von Bismarck

In politics, there are few skills more richly rewarded than the ability to misstate issues in a way that will sound plausible and attractive.
– Thomas Sowell

Scratch a liberal and you will uncover a bigot.
– Thomas Sowell

To anger a Conservative, tell him lies. To anger a Liberal, tell him the truth.
– Kent Brooksby

The height of statesmanship is to come home with a dam, even if you have nowhere to put it.
– Will Rogers

In politics, the clearer a statement is, the more certain it is to be followed by a “clarification,” when people react adversely to what was plainly said.
– Thomas Sowell

Most of the great problems we face are caused by politicians creating solutions to problems they created in the first place.
– Walter Williams

During a campaign, the air is full of speeches and vice versa.
– Henry Adams

Lyndon Baines Johnson was a man of his last word.
– William F. Buckley

If this [the U.S. Senate] is the world’s greatest deliberative body, I’d hate to see the world’s worst.
– Senator Barry Goldwater

Beware politicians who peddle fables that cast themselves as the heroes.
– The Wall Street Journal

Here comes the orator! With his flood of words, and his drop of reason.
– Benjamin Franklin

In politics, power trumps knowledge.
– Thomas Sowell

Kent’s list of Qualifications for the Presidency:
1. No lawyers
2. No Ivy League University grads
3. No Senators
4. No one who believes in “taxing the rich”
5. No one whose paycheck has ever had the words “US Treasury” printed on it
6. No one who believes “the country needs my leadership”
7. In short – no one who wants the job

"Don't Fence Me In"

2009-06-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, June 26, Jackson and I went to see my friend, Rex Lamoreaux, to ride horses. Jackson had never been on a horse before, and I couldn't stand the thought of another generation of my posterity not experiencing horseback riding. Rex was really kind letting us take an hour of his time for a little boy to dream of being a cowboy. Jackson's eyes were the size of plates as we walked up next to "Speedy." "Is THAT a HORSE?" he exclaimed. He thought they were a lot smaller, I guess.

Next thing you knew, Jackson was up on the back of old Bert, legs dangling over the sides of the saddle because they couldn't reach the stirrups. Rex led Bert and Jackson around the pen a few times, telling Jackson how to tell the horse to stop and how to use the reins to steer him. And within a couple of minutes, Jackson had control of the horse and was riding him around the enclosure. Bert was really gentle and an easy ride for a new rider.

Then it was my turn to mount Speedy. Speedy was well named, I can tell you. He likes to move. We were in a pen perhaps 30 feet long full of pine trees, and all Speedy wanted to do was lope or gallop. Finally I got him out of the pen where he could move more freely, and move we did. He was a great ride, if a little spirited for someone who hadn't been in the saddle for a couple of years.

Finally, Rex took Jackson over to the roping area and taught him how to throw a lasso. Rex is a professional roper, so he has ropes and practice steers on his property. Jackson got the hang of roping pretty quickly. It was really a fun hour for both of us.

As we were leaving, Jackson asked how long we had been there. I told him it had been nearly an hour. "An hour? It felt like two seconds!" he remarked. That, to me, is the sign of a successful morning with grandpa and grandson. I, too, wished we had had more time.

Hope and Change for the Better

2009-06-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

Back in the days of the Soviet Union, there were two state-run newspapers (unlike the USA today), named "Tass" (the News) and "Pravda" (the Truth).

The common wisdom shared among the Soviet people was "There is no truth in the News, and no news in the Truth."

I am beginning to realize just what they felt. When I see headlines in the Republic like, "White House Warns of Global Environmental Catastrophe Unless Pollutants are Cleaned Up" I am aware that if I bother to read that article, I will just be getting spin - no analysis or attempt at truth. I am not alone in these feelings. As you look all over the country, major newspapers are meeting their demise as people, no longer trusting them to deliver the truth, stop buying the papers. And as you see politicians in Washington trying to give papers bailout money to keep them afloat, you might ask yourself, "Why would politicians want the newspapers to survive?"

Sorry, I know I promised no more political stuff on my blog, but sometimes I have to say something, or my sorrow over the demise of this country just gets too much to bear. We are watching the systematic dismantling of everything that made this country great by the very people who swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution and us. So I am sad. I have been in mourning since November, and nothing I see on the news helps alleviate the sorrow.

But there is a bright note. We have known this was coming for a very long time, and we know what happens on the other end. So the worse things get, the closer He is to coming and saving us again. I know that God's hand will be seen in miraculous ways in the preservation of this country. So fasten your seatbelts, everyone. It is going to be a bumpy ride before it gets smooth and we get our God-given freedom back.

Worth Reading

2009-06-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

My Mother sent this to me this week, and I wanted to preserve it, so here goes...

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.

It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25 No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27 Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Why the Debate Isn't Over

2009-06-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

OK, I'll do another political post, at the request of my family and friends:

Those true believers in Global Warming declare "the debate is over" and denounce non-believers in the same camp as "holocaust deniers." In fact, there is a lot of disagreement regarding this "global emergency," and several questions need to be asked.

1) Is it really happening? It is still too cool to plant here in Pinetop-Lakeside, and we have only once been above 80 degrees this summer.

2) If it is happening, is it bad? Would a slight increase in overall temperatures lead to more land for agriculture, avoiding famine? When many more people die from cold than from heat every year, might this save lives? If we could save even one life, wouldn't it be worth allowing global warming? (I'm joking of course - this is the liberals' favorite argument for increased government control of our lives.)

3) If it is real, has it ever happened before? There is a lot of evidence to show that the earth has warmed and cooled many, many times in the past.

4) If it is real, is it caused by man? Many of the earth's warming trends happened long before the "scientists" accept the existence of human life.

5) If it is man caused, can we change it? I think you would be hard pressed to find any law that has ever been passed that had a global effect on anything.

6) If we change it, can we undo the change? You and I could start a rock rolling down a hill, but we might have a hard time stopping the rolling.

I have noticed that fewer and fewer of my liberal friends (yes, I do!) still refer to "global warming." They have now adopted the new buzz phrase of "global climate change." It's hard to sell warming when it is still in the 30's at night in June in Arizona!

So basically the world is divided into two camps - those who believe that God is in control of the universe, and those who believe that they are in control of the universe. To the latter group, God is a threat to their own desires for power. They use catch phrases like "let's put science back in its rightful place" - that is, go away, God, I am here.

This has nothing to do with global environment - it has everything to do with government control of our lives. Don't drink the Kool-Aid on Global Warming. It is a hoax.

Mantra for Today

2009-06-08T15:08:00.001-07:00

Repeat these words over and over again until you believe:

"Computers make my job easier and my life better."

There now, don't you feel better?

Great News!!!

2009-06-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

I will no longer post politically charged sentiments on my blog. No one reads them, and if they do, they don't like them and don't comment on them, so what's the use?

From now on, no more political commentary. Great news for anyone who still reads the angry ramblings of an old curmudgeon. Only happy thoughts and politically neutral thoughts. Not one more mention of Pres. What's-his-name.

What if...

2009-06-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

I am no fan of President George W. Bush, but in the last couple of months I have grown increasingly nostalgic for “the good old days.”

I wonder how the liberal left (and their lap dogs, the Press) would have reacted if:

If George W. Bush had made sure he appeared on as many television shows as possible, including the Jay Leno Tonight Show…

If George W. Bush, while on television with Jay Leno, had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics…

If George W. Bush had demanded the removal of Winston Churchill's bust from the White House…

If George W. Bush had given Tony Blair a set of inexpensive and useless (to Tony Blair's UK video formatting) DVDs, when Tony Blair had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift…

If George W. Bush had never held a real job before running for President…

If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches…

If George W. Bush had insisted that he was the only person to rise through the ranks of the Chicago political machine having never become corrupted…

If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia…

If George W. Bush could not utter a coherent sentence without the aid of a teleprompter…

If George W. Bush had included in his first budget funding for a private army accountable only to himself…

If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent "Austrian language"…

If George W. Bush refused to entertain questions at his press conferences from journalists or networks he didn't like…

If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who turned out to be a bunch of tax cheats…

If George W. Bush had paid billions of taxpayer dollars to his political cronies who elected him, including criminal organizations like ACORN…

If George W. Bush had blamed everything that happened the first three months of his first term on Bill Clinton…

If George W. Bush promised to reject lobbyists in his cabinet, then appointed lobbyists throughout his cabinet…

If George W. Bush had campaigned with the mantra of "Change," then filled his cabinet with people who served in his Dad's cabinet…

If George W. Bush had ordered the CEO of a major corporation to resign, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so…

If George W. Bush disregarded folks protesting (tea parties) his policies as minor irritations…

If George W. Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year…

If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years…

If the Bush Administration had allowed Air Force One to fly low over New York City while 9/11 remained fresh in the minds of New Yorkers…

If after promising transparency in government George W. Bush had refused to release the photographs of Air Force One flying over New York City…

If George W. Bush had claimed tax cuts for family's earning less than $250,000 per year, and then the fiscal budget set the income threshold at $200,000 per year…

If George W. Bush had called Democrats "bitter"…

If George W. Bush's Department of Homeland Security had released a report calling liberals "leftwing extremists," and possible "domestic terrorists"…

=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=

Please, anyone, help me understand how Obama is so brilliant and impressive.

And this is only the first few months - we still have three years and nine months to go!

Party Central

2009-05-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

We have become a party house! Last weekend we had Bryan and Natalie Hatch, Natalie's brother Brian and his wife and three boys, Andrea, John and Anna and their boys, Emily and Geoff and their family, and Jan and me. It was a good thing our additional room was finished and available for sleeping bags.

Monday, John and I took the canoe out on the lake and paddled some of the little kids around. By Monday night, our crowd had dwindled from 19 to only 8, and the house felt so roomy and quiet. But luckily, Melissa and her kids drove up Wednesday, so we were back to 12. The cousin kids have been having SO much fun playing together - it has really been fun to have them around.

Yesterday I took some of the kids out on the canoe again. It is really fun, paddling the canoe on Edler Lake. It is just a nice size to paddle on - you never get too far from where you started. All the kids wanted to help "paddle" too, although their contributions to momentum were minimal.

Life is good. Family is pure joy. Jan and I can't wait for our ananual Kent & Jan Brooksby Family Reunion in Mesa on Father's Day weekend.

Did You Ever Stop and Think About Scorpions?

2009-05-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

My parents moved to Mesa, AZ shortly after they married. Many things there were new to them, including air conditioning, citrus trees in the yard, and scorpions. My Mom was very worried about scorpions. She had heard horror stories about deadly scorpions attacking babies, so when I was born, she took a lot of precautions. She set the legs of my baby crib in glass jars. She made sure my bed was away from the wall and no part of the bedding touched the floor. Some of my earliest memories are of looking at books with my mother and younger brother and sister – books with pictures of scorpions. She made sure that we knew the dangers of scorpions.

Several years later, when my brother Don was a little boy, my mother asked us to clean out the storage room and added, “Be careful – and watch out for scorpions!” Don looked at her and asked, “What’s a scorpion?” My mother was stunned. She had spent so much time teaching the older kids about scorpions, and she had assumed that the same knowledge had been acquired by the youngest. But it hadn’t.

The summer I turned 16, a normally dry river near our home flooded. I drove down to see the raging waters. I parked the old Plymouth Valiant about 50 yards from the edge of the water, and walked to the river’s edge. After watching the river for awhile, I turned to return to the car. I was amazed to see the ground in front of me moving! Closer inspection revealed that the ground was covered by hundreds of scorpions, scrambling over each other. They had been there as I walked to the river, but I hadn’t been paying attention and walked right through them. But now I had to hustle through the scorpions to get back to my car.

Many years later, my brother Craig and I took our children scorpion hunting near our sister’s house in Mesa. Scorpion hunting is done at night, using ultraviolet lights. Under the ultraviolet light rays, scorpions glow an iridescent green, and are easily seen. What a sight it was, seeing green scorpions hanging on the branches of the citrus trees we were walking under, clinging to the block walls of the neighborhood, and shining in the brush we were walking through. It made me wish I had worn boots instead of thongs! But once they are seen, they are easily picked up with tongs or, in my brother’s case, chopsticks, and dropped into a big jar of cleaning fluid to die. We later made them into paperweights and bolo tie slides.

Last year on television, I saw a news story of a man in Indonesia who lives in a room with 5,000 scorpions who crawl all over him and in his mouth. He was shown covered with scorpions, and the reporter mentioned that he gets stung by the scorpions an average of 30 times a day. But he is past feeling it, so the stings have no effect on him. I was left wondering, how did he get that job? Did he seek out the opportunity, or did someone else press him into it? And why on earth did he stay in there instead of running to safety somewhere else?

What scorpions are WE living with that we a too comfortable with?

Round 2

2009-05-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

Last week I was called into the Bishopric of the Woodland Lake Ward, as Executive Secretary. The new Bishop is Dave Merrill, who served as my 1st Counselor when I was the Bishop. I was thrilled to hear that he had been called, and thrilled with my new assignment. The two counselors have no Bishopric experience, but they are really good men. I am sure this will be a good experience.

Of course, I was saddened to be leaving the Primary after 2 1/2 years. I have been teaching the same children since the day I started, and I have really grown to love those kids. Sure, at times it has felt like I was locked in a room full of squirrels, but they were MY squirrels and I loved them.

On a more secular note: the budget for the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside is finally FINISHED!!!!! Woo Hoo!!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of thoughts on this Mother's Day. It has been a quite Mother's Day here. Jan had to eat my cooking, but she forgives me because she knows I mean well.

I know a few women who hate to go to church on Mother's Day because they can't relate to all the talk about perfect mothers, knowing that they are not perfect. I have just one thing to say about that - DUH! Of course you're not perfect. Who is? No one I have ever known.

Here is what I think makes a perfect mother. The perfect mother loves her children and makes them feel safe at home. She gives a refuge from the storms of life because no matter what else is happening in the world, they know that My Mom Loves Me. That basic foundation is the mortar that holds civilization together.

That's it. If you love and nurture your children (and who else would?), you are a perfect mother for those children. Did you give birth to them? Doesn't matter if they are loved and they know they are loved. Do your children recognize all you have done and continue to do for them? Maybe not, but I faith that someday they will. There is nothing sadder to me than seeing a grown man or woman who does not absolutely adore his/her mother. To me, it is evidence of a major character flaw in the child.

So mothers, keep up the perfect work. You are not individually perfect, but the importance of what you do every day cannot be measured, or perhaps fully appreciated. I am so grateful to God for the mother He gave me, for the example she continues to set for me and my posterity, and for the mother of my children He led me to. I could not have better examples of perfect motherhood than the ones I have.

Thank you.

Our Anniversary Train Ride

2009-05-01T19:20:00.001-07:00

Almost 37 years ago, Jan and I went on our first official "date" together (after a month or so of swimming in her pool) to ride the White Mountain Railroad that ran from McNary to Maverick, Arizona. That was a beautiful ride, through the tall Ponderosa pines on the last narrow-gauge railroad in the state. To commemorate that ride, we celebrated our 36th anniversary a little early by riding the Verde Canyon Railroad that runs from Clarkdale to Perkinsville. Perkinsville is a lot like Maverick, in that neither place exists anymore.

We left the train station at 1:00, traveling past a big slag pile that covers 40 acres 40 feet deep. The molten rock was poured there over the period of 40 years, and it is really something to see. After we passed the slag pile, the train took us on a two-hour trip up the Verde Valley. It was a beautiful day, just a little breezy, and our first class car was very comfortable to ride in.

In Perkinsville, the locomotive disconnected from the train and attached at the opposite end of the train for the two-hour ride back to Clarkdale. There was a long tunnel that curved through the mountain, long enough to be totally dark inside. Back in one of the coach cars, a whole car full of school children screamed all the way through the tunnel.

After the train ride, we drove into Cottonwood to the Blazin' M Ranch for an evening of cowboy cookin' and singin'. If you have ever been to the Rockin' R Ranch in Mesa, you have seen both. The food was identical, the layout was identical, the music was identical, but it really was a great time.

The next day we drove into Jerome, then on to Prescott where we picked out the tile for our new master bathroom. We looked and looked for something to match the tile we already had, but couldn't find the right stuff. Finally the sales person said, "If you want, I can show you some of the discontinued tiles we have in the back room. You can't return them, but they are only $2 a square foot instead of $6.50." What the heck, we thought, it would be worth a look. The first thing we looked at was the exact match of the tile we had brought with us! We got all of our tile for about 1/2 of what we had budgeted. So that was a great end to a great trip. Happy to have that decision made, we got in the car and drove back to Pinetop.

It was a fun anniversary trip. Happy 36th, my love.

Some of my favorite President Hinckley quotes

2009-04-27T09:32:00.001-07:00

"Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."

“Our lives are the only meaningful expression of what we believe and in whom we believe. And the only real wealth, for any of us, lies in our faith.”

"It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another in all our relationships. In other words, to become more Christlike."

"My plea is that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we 'accentuate the positive.' I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment and endorse virtue and effort."

"The only way to get anything done is to get on your knees and plead for help and then get on your feet and go to work."

"How grateful I am, how grateful we all must be for the women in our lives."

"It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us...if we put our trust in Him, if we pray to Him, if we live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers."

"Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great purpose in heart."

A Poem for Jan - Take 2

2009-04-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

Jan read the poem I wrote, then removed from the blog, and she said it was OK to post it after all. She only dislikes it when I "exaggerate her qualities" (like I could). Anyway, for those of you who care, here is the poem I wrote for her:

Dear Jan,
Soon we celebrate our 36th year together.
In that time I have come to know,
Far better than I knew,
Just what love really is.
Sometimes I wish I could meet you,
Fall in love with you,
And marry you all over again.

And yet, in a very real sense,
I meet you anew
Every day,
I fall in love with you again
Every day,
And I renew my marriage vows with you
Every day.

Our lives have become a kind of dance –
My movements are meaningless,
Even comical,
Unless I know that you are moving with me;
And I try my best to complement the moves you make.

Thank you for making my life beautiful,
Meaningful,
Joyous, and
Whole.
You are my life, my heart, my love forever.

Worth Reflecting On...

2009-04-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

"[T]his scripture has a key in it. 'And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and longsuffering; being temperate in all things, being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive. And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works. And may the Lord bless you, and keep your garments spotless.' (Alma 7:23-25)

"Being submissive, gentle, easy to be entreated, and patient are all attributes. But the actions Alma commends to us are to ask for what we need and to return thanks. Please don't think of that as a routine command to say your prayers. Oh, it is much more than that. If you pray, if you talk to God, if you plead for the help you need, and if you thank him not only for help but for the patience and gentleness that come from not receiving all you desire right away - or perhaps ever - I promise that you will draw closer to him. And then you will become diligent and longsuffering." (Henry B. Eyring, "To Draw Closer to God" Deseret Book, 1997, p.97)

I don't know why this needed to be posted tonight. Perhaps someone out there will know. I love you all.

A Poem for Jan

2009-04-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

I have removed this poem from my posting because I remembered (in time) that Jan hates it when I write sweet things about her on the blog. It embarasses her. So even though I wrote a sweet love poem, out of respect for her feelings I have removed it. Sorry everyone. What she thinks of me is more important to me than your disappointment.

Grandkids

2009-04-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

Joshua loved wearing Grandpa's mountain man hat. It looked like a big hat with legs most of the time. Adam loved wearing it, too.

Susie Q hunting for Easter eggs in the snow, AGAIN! Seems like every time she is here for Easter, it snows.

The Crider kids after feeding the ducks on Easter Sunday. Lydia discovered that ducks are nice.

Adam reading books to us last weekend. Adam and Joshua loved sword fighting with our nerf swords (which is also Owen's favorite game). How many Robin Hoods can you have in one family?

Lydia enjoyed running in the snow and throwing snowballs at Grandpa! She even found a few eggs.

Owen found a lot of Easter eggs. Good thing they were colored. White ones would have been hard to find.

This is what Joshua looks like when you can get him to hold still.

We just LOVE having grandkids here. Bring 'em on! Even though it feels like we are living through a tornado, we really miss the tornado when it stops. We are so blessed to have the wonderful grandkids the Lord has given us. (Oh, yes, we love our children and their spouses, too. :)

Tea Party

2009-04-10T22:16:00.000-07:00

Next Wednesday is the day to let your lawmakers know that you are Taxed Enough Already! There will be hundreds of thousands of Americans peacefully protesting in the streets all over this country. Thousands more have mailed teabags to their "leaders" in Washington telling them that they have had enough of their lying and hypocritical actions. Let your voice be heard. Don't let them take away our freedom - our country - without letting them now what you think and where you stand.

Wha, Pilgrim!

2009-03-22T16:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I am back from the 2009 Mountain Man Rendezvous, and it was really fun! The turnout was a little low - only about 800 boys - but those who came really had a great time. I spent Wednesday through noon Saturday with six of the best Dutch oven cooks in Arizona. (That's me in the center of the picture) I didn't really belong there, not being much of a DO cook myself, but I did learn a lot.

I saw many old Scouting friends, including a couple of men who I had helped through Woodbadge 10 years ago, and another who I served with on Woodbadge. I got to be a judge in a Dutch oven cookoff using the secret ingredient of Vienna sausages (oh, boy! They are so good fried!). The boys could use them in a main dish (lots of Vienna sausage stews), a bread (yes, they baked them into a bread), or even a dessert. It is hard to believe, but I ate some pretty tasty desserts Friday night with those sausages in them, including peach cobbler and a couple of chocolate pudding cakes. My favorite was called Vienna mincemeat pie. It was really good! Mushed up Vienna sausages with raisins and other mincemeat ingredients, and deep fried as individual pies. One troop brought their entry (5-Meat Stew, made with javelina, elk, venison, quail, and Vienna sausage) to us in a big milk can along with a 6 foot pig trough lined with aluminum foil. They were going to pour the entire thing into that trough on our table, but we convinced them that we were eating the entries of 10 different troops, and that we could only take tastes of their entry. We couldn't eat an entire trough full of 5-Meat Stew.

I got home Saturday about 12:40, and by 12:45 Jan had shaved my beard off. I looked younger with all that grey beard gone, but now I look kind of funny to me - like there is something missing from my face. I may have to grow it back. We'll see if my grandkids prefer Grandpa with a beard or without. So what do you think, grandkids? Do you want me to have a beard, or not?

EMT's and Politicians

2009-03-06T14:20:00.000-08:00

Imagine you are traveling in your car when you come upon the scene of an accident. You get out of your car to see if you can help. You see an injured person sitting on the side of the road, bleeding heavily from a cut on his head. Immediately you jump into action. Removing your belt, you wrap it around the injured person's neck and pull it tight, stopping the blood flow to his head. Almost immediately, the EMT arrives and tells you that you are doing the wrong thing. You sneer at him and say, "Those who would say I should have done nothing are just wrong. Something HAD to be done and quickly."

"But you are killing the patient!" screams the EMT.

"I do not ascribe to that philosophy," you reply. "That kind of treatment reflects the failed policies of the past."

Which is better in this situation: doing nothing or doing the wrong thing? Is the person who tells you that you are doing the wrong thing saying that you should do nothing? Obviously, the answer is no. If someone is doing the wrong thing, should you agree with the treatment just so you won't make waves? Are you mean-spirited if you say the belt around the neck will kill the patient? What if the person putting the belt around the neck of the injured person is black? If you disagree, does that make you a racist?

This is the level to which "political discourse" has fallen in this country. Our President (and I use the term loosely) demands that America will fall unless we put in place "reforms" that will kill what America has been and make it into a Socialist state that he has always wanted. He villifies those who oppose these measures as "wanting to do nothing." This is a false dichotomy. There are many other options besides the wrong option and "doing nothing." But in the haste of a false "crisis," discussion and debate are labeled as harmful. Really?

Those who oppose these measures are labeled as obstructionists or racists who oppose only because of political motives. Is it possible that they oppose because what is being done to "fix things" is the WRONG THING? Can someone tell me how placing Draconian restrictions on CEO pay will create jobs? Or how the complete makeover of the US health care system will create jobs? (Government beaurocracy jobs do not count)

Why is it that a person who gets an advanced education, works many long hours, studies and analyses business trends and builds a company to the point of success is evil if he/she makes more than $500 thousand per year? Why is it that a person who can throw a ball accurately and who makes millions of dollars per year is not evil? Or what about a person who makes a living pretending to be someone else and who makes millions of dollars per year? Evil? Not evil? Why does the President of the United States attack people who work for a living and say nothing of people who play or pretend for a living? Is it because they contributed to his campaign?

I hate to sound like a political nutcase, but I believe that the President of the United States knows NOTHING about how economies work. He doesn't understand where banks get their money - they get the money from US! We put our money in the bank, the bank lends it out to businesses or individuals who pay it back with interest, and they share that interest with us. It is that simple. If you add to the equation politicians who demand that banks lend money to people who cannot pay it back (which is what happened), the banks will lose money, and we all lose money in the process. This is what happens when you have politicians who think they know more about running a bank than bankers do.

The same politicians think they know more about the car industry than people who have spent their entire careers running the car industry. Politicians demand that car makers build cars that meet certain guidelines - but car makers want to build cars that people will want to buy. That is how they stay in business.

Politicians attack people who have retreats at resorts, but if everyone stops going to resorts, the people who work at those resorts will lose their jobs. Maids, desk clerks, reservation agents, chefs, waiters, lifeguards, etc - not exactly the highest paid people - will no longer be needed and their jobs will end. This is how politicians create the very problems they think they know how to solve. In reality, politicians know very little about anything except getting elected.

Instead of funding hundreds of billions of dollars to "stimulate the economy" by putting all of us, our children and grandchildren in debt to the Chinese, the President could have simply declared that no one would have to pay any income taxes this year. It would have been far less expensive to the United States and would have immediately given everyone bigger paychecks. That would have stimulated the ecomony, but it would not have made us all slaves.

We are seeing the dismantling of America by the very people who were originally elected as stewards of this nation. Perhaps if our President had spent as much time studying free market economics as he spent reading the writings of Karl Marx and other revolutionaries, he would have SOME IDEA WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT!

Sorry - I had to get that off my chest. Pray the God will deliver us from those who seek to destroy us, wherever they live. Killing us is not the only alternative to doing nothing.

Life Changes Quickly

2009-03-02T13:07:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, a dear friend of mine who is only 45 years old suffered a rupture of an artery in his head - an aneurism. Usually this is fatal. For some reason, his was not. He woke up Thursday morning dizzy and unable to stand. From there it got worse, until his wife took him to the Emergency Room Thursday night. There, another friend who is an ER doctor, told him he had had a stroke and air-evaced him to Barrow's Neurological Center in Phoenix. That airlift saved his life. It turns out that a large part of his cerebellum was damaged beyond repair. Saturday night he had surgery to remove the destroyed brain tissue and reduce the swelling. Jan and I went to visit him Sunday and his doctors told us that they expect a full recovery. We are thankful to God for preserving his life through wonderful medical knowledge.

It turns out the cause of this stroke was very simple - Wednesday night he had popped his neck as he often does. You know (are you reading this, Andrea and Cynthia?), he cracked it to relieve the tension in his neck. This caused the artery to rupture. The doctors told us that in the last two months they have had FOUR young people there with strokes who had just had their necks adjusted by chiropractors. The doctors said, "If you have neck tension, take an Advil - don't pop your neck!"

Anyway, here is a young man who had all sorts of other plans for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and the next month. Instead of accomplishing those plans, he will be resting in bed - all because of a very simple thing that he has probably done thousands of times. He could have died - in almost any prior time he would have died - just from popping his neck.

It made me think about my life. I have thought many times since Friday about how anything I do could be the last thing I ever do on this earth. Not that I am paranoid: I just want to make sure that I don't do things that I know are wrong. I set a life goal many years ago not to die doing something stupid like bridge diving. I also don't want to die having just committed some sin.

This experience has not made me fearful. I am not walking around thinking, "Am I going to die right now? Right now? Right NOW?" It has, however, made me think about all the time I waste. What if I were do die playing Solitaire? Stupid!

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for preserving my friend's life.

Things I Do Not Care About

2009-02-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I write on this blog, when no one reads or comments, but for the record, here is a list of things I could not care less about. I haven't written anything curmudgeonly for a long time, so don't complain.

1. Anything that involves "celebrities." This includes everyone who is famous for being famous, or who is famous because his/her parents are famous, or anyone who is famous for hanging around celebrities. So anything "newsy" about Paris Hilton, Lisa Marie Presley, Nicole Ritchie, or Cato what's-his-name just gets a big yawn from me.

2. Anything that has to do with movie or TV "stars" - what they are wearing, what cause of the day they are endorsing, what they eat, etc. Brangelina? Ho hum. Jennifer Aniston? Sarah Jessica Parker? The stars of CSI or Friends or The Office or any other TV show? Dull, dull, dull! And this goes TWICE for TV shows dedicated to the activities of celebrities and stars, like Entertainment Tonight or the dozens of knockoffs. Who cares?

3. Anything said by Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, or B. Hussein Obama (or almost any other politician). As soon as they start telling us the truth about ANYTHING, I will consider listening. It was politically correct for a few days after B. Hussein Obama's annointing/coronation to say that we all hoped he would succeed. Now that America is beginning to see what the most inept President ever wants to do to us, I can openly say that I hope he fails miserably - I hope he is the greatest failure as a President in American history. When I get any sense that they care about me and my family, whether we succeed, I will start caring about whether they succeed.

4. I don't care about the opinions of Europeans about America - what we should do, how we should act, how our government should be structured, etc.

5. I don't care about people who rip off "the system" to get famous, like "Octomom."

6. I don't care about rock stars or professional athletes. I don't care who used steroids. People always say, "Well, Babe Ruth hit his homers without performance-enhancing drugs." But I have no doubt that he would have, had they been available. His "performance enhancer" of choice was alcohol.

7. I don't care who wins Academy Awards, or People's Choice Awards, or the Screen Actors Guild Awards, or Golden Globe Awards, or Grammys or Emmys or any of the other self-congratulatory awards that celebrities give themselves to enhance their fame and to make them feel better about the fact that they do NOTHING to improve the world. They make their comfortable living by pretending to be people who actually DID something with their lives, and this empty fact eats away at them. That is why actors get so vocal about things they know nothing about. It is an attempt to do something meaningful.

8. I don't care if companies that were mismanaged or have become obsolete fail. This goes for America's auto manufacturers. If they went under, and if every union official in America suddenly lost his job, I would not care.

9. I don't care about any TV show that uses "Reality TV" as a format. Ugh! Those shows are about as real as a $3 bill.

So there you go. This is my short list. Don't ask me questions about A-Rod or Bono or Brad Pitt or the rest of them. Don't ask me what movies or actors won Oscars. Don't ask me about Survivor Island or whatever it is called. Don't ask me. I don't know, and I could not care less.

The Ultimate Food!

2009-02-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

There seems to be some argument as to whether or not man can live by bread alone. But I’ll bet you’ve never heard that accusation leveled against strawberry rhubarb pie. There’s a reason for this.

Think about it. You’ve got fruit – the fresh, luscious strawberries. Then there’s rhubarb, a fibrous vegetable, almost inedible raw. Your dairy group is well represented in the crust (if made correctly), in the form of copious quantities of butter. Plus you have, of course, wheat. Wheat is good for you.

So you have fruit, veggies, dairy, grains and fiber all brought together, miraculously, into the most sublime taste experience imaginable. If it hasn’t been done yet, I would like to officially nominate strawberry rhubarb pie for the title of The Ultimate Food.

I remember well where I was sitting the first time I tasted strawberry rhubarb pie. I was at the home of my friend, Jim Pribbeno, on Gilbert Rd north of McKellips, almost to the river bottom. His Mom offered me a piece of this pie I had never heard of. I have always been willing to try new foods (within reason), so even though I had no expectations, I accepted. Oh My! It was pure heaven.

Years passed before I had another experience with the ultimate food. This time Jan and I were at Pres and Bobbie's house in Fredonia. I forget what the occasion was. Anyway, Bobbie had made strawberry rhubarb pie. Jan had heard me talk of it, and didn't think it would taste good, but I encouraged her to try it. It was truly love at first bite. Knowing that I was married to what would become the world's best pie maker, I got Jan to ask Bobbie for the recipe. That was one of the smartest things I ever did in my life.

Over the years, Jan has made a lot of wonderful pies of all sorts. But she knows that my favorite now and forever is strawberry rhubarb - that king of foods, The Ultimate Food. I know at least one son-in-law who would agree.

Another wonderful treat is to save the sauce that is formed from cooking the strawberries and rhubarb and sugar together, and serving it over vanilla ice cream. If the pie doesn't finish you off, this will. Indescribably delicious!

(Now I have to see if I can talk her into making me one. Writing this has made me very hungry for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!)

Happy Valentine's Day, My Love!

2009-02-14T08:25:00.000-08:00

Well, it is Valentine's Day again. This is our 36th Valentine's Day together. Our first one was in 1973. We had been dating for seven months and engaged for just three weeks. We were looking forward to a lifetime together with great anticipation. I took you to a Valentine's Day dance at the MCC Institute; we left early, then we sat and talked (wink, wink) in the car for hours. You gave me that card with the two naked people embracing on the front, and I knew I was marrying the right gal. I tried to find that card to scan for this posting, but it has mysteriously vanished after all these years. Or maybe I just can't find stuff. Someone must have thrown it away! It's Gone.

Anyway, what I thought was love at the time we married was just a little drip in the vast sea of emotion. The last 36 years have taught me what real love is. Love is patience, patience and more patience. Love is forgiveness over and over and over and over again while you wait for me to grow up. Love is going through experiences that neither of us would have wished for, and holding onto each other for dear life. Love is the glue that holds us together when everything else seems to be falling apart. And our love will see us through the trials that lie ahead, and there will be many. Yes, my love was just a little drip in 1973, but now my love for you envelopes me and warms me and comforts me and sees me through every moment of my life. You are the heart of my heart, the center of my soul, my eternal Sweetheart. I hope and pray that I can make you happy every day of what remains of our life together.

Happy Valentine's Day, Jan!

P.S. Jan insists to this day that she didn't notice the couple on the card were naked. Yeah, what ev!

The Repentance Chair

2009-02-08T18:18:00.001-08:00

Today in church one of the speakers talked about something she and her husband have in their home. It is called the "Repentance Chair." It is a chair, big enough for one child. Whenever her kids get into a quarrel or a fight (I know, this never happens in YOUR home), both children are placed in the chair and told that they must remain there until each can tell their Mother what he/she could have done differently to have made the situation/altercation different. There is no "he started it" kinds of statement allowed - each must recognize his or her role in the fight, and identify what he/she did wrong in escalating it. I thought that was a great idea. No blaming. No fault finding, except within yourself.

So often we are prone to see what the other person did wrong. No feeling in humanity is more common than the feeling that if someone else would change, everything would be fine. The Repentance Chair helps children see that they have a major role in any fight they are in. Great idea.

You Know Not to Do That, Right?

2009-01-14T17:17:00.000-08:00

Dad told me it was past my turn to write something on the blog. I told him I didn't set it up and that it was HIS thing and besides he likes to write and I don't. However, because I'm trying to improve in sportsmanship, I will be a good sport now and give you something new to read. Here it goes.

I got a belated Christmas card last week from a long time dear friend of mine who is going through a divorce after more than 20 years of what seemed to be a great, adventure filled, temple marriage. I called my friend the next day and listened to her for two hours. She said that things had not been good between her and her husband since he started making tons of money(millions)in land investments about 6 years ago. He became friends with some big wigs in Phoenix and was pulled into their way of living. First he had one drink of alcohol just to get along with them. Then he had the occasional drink with his friends. My friend didn't know this was going on. They bought a big beautiful house in Queen Creek and a condo in Hawaii. They went on several vacations a year. My friend always had great things to write about in her yearly Christmas letter. I'm ashamed to admit I felt a little envious of their lifestyle.

Anyway, about four years ago, my friend said her husband started coming home from business meetings drunk. She begged him to stop. He would apologize when he was sober and beg her forgiveness(he would never do that again). She is one of the sweetest, least judgemental persons I know and of course she believed and forgave him. Little did she know that he had already started using meth and having affairs with other women. Over the next few years he started abusing my friend. Of course he always cried and begged for her to forgive him when he was sober. She tried to help him but he gradually turned into a mean, abusive person. She stayed with him because they have a twelve year old son that adored his father.

My friend prayed for help constantly and attended the Temple to try to get answers to what she should do. Then one night last May,her husband put a loaded gun to her head and raped her. He told her if she went to the police he would kill her and their son. Now she knew she had to get out. After her husband fell asleep,she took her son to a friend's house and she went to her bishop. He took her to the police. They arrested her husband the next day. Apparently, he had been under suspicion for business fraud along with another guy he worked with. The police were quick to bring him in. He has been in jail since and is awaiting trial on fraud charges. The other charges cannot be proved (his word against hers) so they have been dropped. My friend has lost everything material but she said she feels more at peace now than she has for several years and her son is happier too. She will start teaching at Franklin Academy in Queen Creek next Fall.

The point to me telling you this story is just a warning to never, never compromise your standards. It will start you on a path to destruction. Also, appreciate the life you have, love each other and love the Lord. I am so grateful to have a husband who lives righteously and who loves and cares for his family.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

Today was too lovely to be believed. At 11:00, it was 60 degrees outside! I was outside in a T-shirt with my iron bar and shovel, trying to break up the ice from our driveway so we won't slip and slide every time we go to the car. Around 1:30, Melissa and Brad and the kids, along with Jay and Lecia and their kids arrived to play in the snow. The kids wasted no time in running into the front yard to play. Tomorrow they are going up the the old Sunrise along Hwy 260 to sled and play all day. They planned to stay at Hiatt's house up here, and after hours of shoveling and packing, they succeeded in getting into the driveway. We'll see if they can get out tomorrow!

Happy New Year to any readers. This year will either be much better than last year, or the end of civilization as we know it. Either way, it should be quite an adventure.

I have been reading "The 5,000 Year Leap" by Cleon Skousen. I recommend it to everyone. It will really open your eyes to the meaning of the Constitution and it will show you just how far we have come from what the Founders intended. I am also reading "Liberal Fascism" by Jonah Goldberg. It is really worth reading, too.

Keeping the Town afloat financally is getting to be a lot like banging my thumbs over and over and over again with a hammer. People have gotten so used to buying whatever they want or "need" whenever they want or "need" it, they can't seem to understand what "we are out of money" means. I might just as well be rubbing a cheese grater against my forehead. But I am grateful to have a job, I truly am.

We will be breaking ground this month for the foundations of our home addition. That garage would really have come in handy already this winter, with all the snow we have had. Global warming, indeed! Our high last Saturday was 22 degrees. Balmy!

That's enough random posting for one night.

Shoveling in a Winter Wonderland

2008-12-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

December 23 - We woke up this morning to a LOT more snow! I got up at 6:00 and looked out the window. The snow was more than a foot deep and still snowing. I started shoveling, and had a path cleared for one car a little before 9:00. That is a 12" ruler in the photo on top of my car. Today is the day we drive to Mesa for the Brooksby family party tonight, and it looks like it is going to be a rather slow trip with all the snow on the roads.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! Remember always the real reason for the blessed season.

Our Best Christmas Ever

2008-12-16T13:41:00.000-08:00

If I were asked to name my favorite Christmas ever, I would immediately answer Christmas, 1994. Christmas fell on a Sunday that year. I was the Bishop of our ward, and we had decided only to have Sacrament meeting that year, combined with the other ward in our building. The meeting was special: one of the speakers was Greg Prososki, who was not a member of the church and who had never expressed any interest in joining the church (He was later baptized).

After church that morning, our family opened the presents we had at home, then bundled ourselves into our van for a drive to Mesa to spend Christmas with the rest of our extended family. On the way down, we sang Christmas carols and excerpts from Handel’s Messiah. Having a musical family is such a blessing.

As we were approaching the Valley of the Sun, we remembered that Sister Kaggie, a sweet, elderly lady in our ward, lay recovering from a stroke at Barrow’s Neurological Institute in Phoenix. We thought of how hard it must be lying in a hospital bed on Christmas, hundreds of miles from family and friends. Jan suggested that we make a detour and do some Christmas caroling to her in the hospital; after all, no one in Mesa knew what time we would be arriving. Instantly, the entire family agreed.

We drove into Phoenix and after driving around for awhile, arrived at Barrow’s. An inquiry at the front desk gave us her room number. We rode the elevator to her floor in excited anticipation, planning on the songs we would sing for her. As we arrived at her room, we started singing. I will never forget the lovely smile and excitement in her eyes as she recognized us.

My family sang for her for perhaps twenty minutes. People from all over the floor came as they heard the music. Finally, we stopped singing and wished her and everyone there a Merry Christmas as we left. We walked back to our van quietly, and really didn’t talk all that much as we made the drive back to Mesa.

I don’t remember anything else about that Christmas: what I got, what anyone else got, or anything else we did. Without a doubt, it was the best Christmas I remember, because we shared the love and joy of the season with a dear friend in need. It was only two more years until she had passed on. But the memory of singing to her that Christmas day lingers on in our family.

The Adventures Continue...

2008-12-15T14:30:00.000-08:00

What a week we had last week! On Tuesday we flew to Salt Lake City where Emily and the kids picked us up. We spent the afternoon having lunch at Big H burgers (Yum!) then went to the Discovery Zone children's museum for a few hours before riding the tram to Temple Square to see the Christmas lights. That was a full day. Wednesday we just played with Jackson, Natalie and Staci. We had a great time.

Thursday was sad, saying good-bye to the kids. Natalie just broke our hearts - she was so sad about us leaving after only two days. She wanted her Grandma to stay "for five years." She kept saying, "I just can't take it anymore!" through her tears. We rented a car and drove to Rexburg to help John and Anna pack and move. John's graduation was Friday night, but there was an enormous winter storm moving into the area Friday night. We told John that we hated to miss his graduation, but if we didn't get out of Rexburg Friday, we might not get out for a week. At the last minute, he agreed and passed up his own college graduation to go with us.

We left Rexburg at 3:00 Friday afternoon, me driving the moving truck, Jan driving the rental car, and John and Anna and the boys in their car. We drove like the wind (John gets his driving habits from Jan, if you know what I mean), and finally called it a day in Nephi, Utah at about 9:00 pm.

Saturday morning there was no snow in Nephi - a relief - but it was blizzarding in Salt Lake City, so we hurried and left. We had dark clouds hanging over us almost all day, but the only thing we really had to contend with was extremely high winds all the way to Phoenix. I mean, there were many times that I thought we were going to be blown clear off the road or into oncoming traffic. It was a white-knuckled 12 hours of driving. Finally we arrived in Mesa, and I was completely exhausted.

Sunday, Jan and I drove home to Pinetop-Lakeside. There was a little bit of snow on the ground, but the driving was pretty easy. Today (Monday) it is snowing, and the forecast for tonight and tomorrow is MAJOR snow. So we got home just in time.

As I came to the office this morning, I found my office decorated with congratulatory ribbons, decorations, and confetti. In our travels last week, I had to miss the Town Christmas party, where I was named "Department Head of the Year" by our Town Manager. It was a nice surprise to come home to. I got a plaque and a $50 gift card to Safeway.

It has been a pretty rewarding/enjoyable/stressful/happy week. Love to all.

Thanksgiving Thoughts and More

2008-11-30T16:20:00.000-08:00

Well, as usual, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Pine at the cabin with family members. Cynthia, Chris and Hannah drove up to spend Thanksgiving afternoon with us, and Melissa, Brad and the family came up Friday for a few hours. We loved spending time with loved ones, thinking about the many ways our family has been blessed and continues to be blessed. We are so thankful for our parents, our siblings, our extended family, and all of our posterity. If we were to be any more blessed, we would not have room to receive it all.

I was talking with Phil Thursday, and he was telling about the life lessons he has learned watching dogs interact with their young. He says that from the moment a baby is born, be it a dog or a human, it is either being trained by the parents or the parents are being trained by the baby. He gave some tasty scraps once to their dog who had given birth just a week before. The puppies tried to get to the mother's food. As they approached, she growled and then snipped at the puppies, biting them enough to feel it, but not enough to hurt. The puppies backed away. When they tried later, all she had to do was growl and they backed off. They learned very early to obey their mother.

My grandpa Hamblin taught me about letting a horse have its own head. He told me that a horse has to learn who is in charge. If the rider is not in charge, the rider will have no control over where the horse and rider go. Sometimes you have to speak the language the horse understands to get him to obey, because nothing is more useless than a disobedient horse.

This got me thinking about parenthood. The scriptures tell us that we are to teach our children to obey their parents, to correct them when they need correcting, to teach them to be subject to their parents (Prov 13:24, 23:13). This is a commandment. I have often wondered why children have to learn to obey. Why not just let a child determine what happens in the home? The little one doesn't want to go to bed, so he doesn't have to until he feels like it. He doesn't want to eat what Mom has fixed, so she fixes something he likes. He wants a story, then another, then another, when the parents need to get other things done. There is one basic thing wrong with raising a child this way.

That thing is the godly quality of obedience. How will a child raised that way ever learn to submit his will to God, when he has never had to submit his will to anyone before? This is the way to raise a bunch of "natural men;" enemies to God. Children who always get their way as children not only grow up spoiled, but it will be much harder for them to grasp the concept of obeying God's commandments later, because they have grown up thinking that their way is the right way. Does that make sense?

Deuteronomy 8:2 says, "And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldst keep his commandments, or no." In other words, the people were being tested, and it took 40 years for the Israelites, as a group, to show the Lord that they would be obedient. There must have been a lot of people used to having their own way in that group.

Mosiah 3:17 says that unless we become as little children, submissive, humble, meek, patient, and willing to submit to all things even as a child submits to his father, we cannot be sanctified. It sounds to me like parents must set the rules and enforce the rules, or else how can a child learn to submit to his father, and later to his Heavenly Father?

Too many times, I see young families who just let their children do whatever they want, with no reprimands or consequences, in the name of gentleness. Again, I am not suggesting that parents need to be mean or harsh, but they need to teach their children that the parents make the rules and the children obey. I believe that this is truly in the best interest of the children. Parents must be gentle but firm. It is time to go. It is time for bed. This is what we are eating tonight. No, you may not do that. This is not meanness; it is kindness. It is helping them turn into the kind of people Heavenly Father wants and needs.

Just as we sometimes have to say, "Lord, I don't know why I have to go through this trial, but I know you do, and I trust you," our children need to learn that theirs is not the will that governs the universe.

So much for the ramblings of an ancient parent. Think about it.

How did this happen?

2008-11-09T16:54:00.000-08:00

We had a very interesting experience last Friday night at Will and Melanie's wedding. The DJ called for all married couples to come forward to the dance floor for a dance off. Naturally, we joined the rest of the couples, and started dancing with the rest of them. The DJ then asked for any couples who had been married less than 5 hours to move to the side, so Melanie and Will moved off. Then he called for those married less than 5 years to move to the side, which they did. He called for those married less than 10 years, and they left; less than 15 years, 20 years, 25 years, 30 years, and more and more people moved to the side. At this point, there were only two couples left on the dance floor - Jan and me, and MY PARENTS! Whoa! Was that ever a strange sensation! When he called for 50 years or less, we left Mom and Dad alone on the dance floor, which had been the purpose of the game all along. The DJ read the story of how they met, and how they had just celebrated their 59th anniversary. It was really a sweet moment in a very enjoyable evening. But being the second oldest people at the party was strange!

It reminded me of when I was teaching Psychology at Glendale Community College. We were talking about how some events have so much emotion tied up in them that you never forget where you were and what you were doing. For instance, I remember where I was when I heard about the revelation that gave all worthy men in the church the Priesthood. Anyway, I asked the class, "How many of you remember where you were when you heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated?" No one raised his hand, so I asked again. No response. Finally, a young girl in the back of the class said, "Mr. Brooksby, we weren't born yet." That day I realized which side of the hill I was standing on. That was more than 20 years ago, and I am still standing on that hill, on the downhill side.

The End of America?

2008-11-02T09:37:00.000-08:00

Lately I have lain awake at night many times, wondering if America would survive this election cycle. I have spent altogether too much time worrying about the America my children and grandchildren would have to live in. I have expressed these concerns openly. As I have seen Americans embrace socialist principles over the last couple of decades, I have been saddened, because socialism is the antithesis of the gospel of Christ. While Socialists preach of compassion and taking care of the poor, they embrace the element of force and compulsion to use other people's money to achieve their lofty goals. Imagine this: Jan and I gave more money to charity last year than Barack Obama and Joe Biden combined! Just think of the difference between 1) skipping meals voluntarily and giving the money to feed the poor and 2) having so much taken from you by force to feed the poor that you can hardly feed yourself. The first scenario is the result of love and leads to greater self control and spiritual growth, while the second has nothing to do with love and does not foster personal growth.

A half-century ago, in a classic exchange between two men on opposite ends of the moral and political spectrum, Soviet Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev bragged to Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson (an Apostle at the time), "Your grandchildren will live under communism!" To which Elder Benson enthusiastically replied: "If I have it my way, your grandchildren will live free!" Khrushchev fired back, "Oh you Americans! You're so gullible! We'll spoon feed you socialism until you're Communists and don't even know it. We'll never have to fire a shot!" Ironically, history has to some degree vindicated both men.

There is no question we are living in the Last Days. All the signs of the times are becoming obvious. We are in for some turbulent days ahead. So many times when we read the scriptures about our days, we are frightened by the words of terror and destruction and we miss the little words hidden within that should console us. The Lord does not want His people fearful – He wants us faithful. Look at the following from 2 Nephi chapter 1:

7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.
9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.
10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord… behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.
11 Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten.

And what about these words from Moses chapter 7:

60 And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah;
61 And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve;
62 And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.

That sounds to me like the only real safety in the days ahead lies in personal righteousness and obedience to the Lord’s commandments.

Fear and faith cannot exist in the same person at the same time, so we must choose whether we want to be filled with fear or faith. I was impressed with the words of Hugh Nibley when I read the account of his experiences in the D-Day invasion of France. He was among the first ashore in that invasion, but he was not afraid. He viewed his entire war experience with this belief: it does not matter what becomes of me; it only matters what I become. As we watch the unfolding of events that we have known for years would unfold, we must not be afraid. They are signs to us that the Great Event that we profess to look forward to is just around the corner. Let us have faith in God, come what may. I am going to cease worrying about America, even if I can’t stop caring.

Let's all hold on to each other until this roller coaster ride comes to an end.

Disney Adventures

2008-10-28T21:23:00.001-07:00

We had a great time in California last week. Kent was at a software conference at the Disneyland Hotel, hobnobbing with Mickey and Goofy. Jan got to play in the park with Melissa and Brad and the kids. We discovered that Susannah and Owen are roller coaster nuts! They LOVE roller coasters. Lydia prefers rides that are a little less exciting like the Story Book Land boat ride (I think she has a great future as an accountant). When Grandpa Kent finally was able to join the family at the park Wednesday night, Susannah and Owen dragged him onto a roller coaster, encouraging him to be brave. Lydia was frightened by the elevators at the hotel (she's definitely Grandpa's girl).

Our first night together, we thought we would try taking the family to Goofy's Kitchen, a restaurant right next to the hotel. There were lots of familys in there, so we figured it would be good. When I told them we had four adults and three children, they told me there would be no charge for the two-year-old. Then they told me that the cost of the buffet for four adults and two children would be $193! We decided instead to go back to our room and order a Pizza Hut delivery. Two large pizzas, delivered, cost us $34, saving us $160. Eating this way, we saved enough money over the next two days to pay for the trip!

It really was fun. There is nothing can compare to a four-year-old coming off a ride exclaiming, "That was the BEST RIDE EVER!" A great time was had by all. Can you believe it - dinner was going to be $193!

What do you know for certain?

2008-10-18T19:01:00.000-07:00

Last week we were in Mesa, and we were reading a magazine of Grandma Hiatt's. I won't name the magazine, but it is named after a certain celebrity whose picture graces the cover of every issue (talk about self-absorbed!). Anyway, there was an article in which this celebrity mentioned being interviewed a few years ago when the interviewer asked her "What do you know for certain?" She said the question completely stumped her - she couldn't think of anything she knew for certain. It is probably not her fault; after all, she is a leader in a world that says that everything is relative and that certainty is a sign of closed mindedness. In this issue of her magazine, she asked several "important" people - other celebrities - to write a blurb on what they knew for certain. Most of the responses were pretty fluffy, like "I know I am a great athlete." Dull!

Here are some things I know for certain. I know that God lives. I know that He answers sincere prayers, for He has certainly answered mine. I know that He loves His children and gives them the experiences and the challenges they need for their growth and development. These experiences and challenges are not always what His children think they need, but they are what they need nonetheless.

I know that Jesus is the Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. No one I know has greater need for saving and redeeming than I do, and I am grateful for that saving grace. I know that the Savior restored the fulness of His gospel to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith, the great prophet of the restoration. I know that He continues to lead His church through living apostles and prophets. I had a powerful, sweet witness of President Hinckley's apostolic calling while on my mission, and I know that that same spirit of prophecy rests today on President Monson and the Twelve.

I know that repentance is the greatest gift we can receive from God. And I know that the key to real repentance is repenting not only of the sin, but repenting of the motivation for the sin. We must give up our unrighteous motivations to really ever come clean.

I know that the real key to happiness is obedience to the commandments of God. I know that He gave us the commandments not to keep us from having fun, but to clear the way to stay free from entanglements that prevent joy. I have had to learn this lesson way too many times, but I think I have finally learned it.

I know that I married a woman of incredible patience and faith, and that my life would be empty without her. She has been my closest friend in my life, and continues to be. Our marriage grows stronger and sweeter because of her. She has given me a family who I love more than I love life itself. I know now that little children are pure and sweet and should be loved more and scolded less. Sorry, kids, for taking so long to learn that one!

I know these things for certain. I feel sorry for people who cannot say they know anything for certain, no matter how rich or famous they are. I would not trade what I know for certain for wealth or fame, because the things I know give me strength and peace and comfort in this life, whatever it throws at me.

Since everyone seems to be tagging these days, I tag everyone who reads this blog to write what they know for certain.

Photo Tag?

2008-10-12T21:19:00.001-07:00

OK, we will participate. Here is the fourth picture in our fourth photo pholder. It is Grandma holding Joshua in Rexburg in May 2007 - he was just a couple of weeks old.

We are not tagging anyone!

Back by Popular Request

2008-10-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how, as people get older, they start sounding like Andy Rooney?

I have been thinking a lot about civilization and manners lately. Couldn’t say why, except that I have seen a great decline in basic civility – those rules which preserve civilization – in my lifetime. Here are some things I remember about the world when I was younger:

1. People used to dress in their best clothes to go shopping, even grocery shopping. No one would think of going to a store dressed in worn out jeans and a crumpled T-shirt, much less in a shirt that has profanities printed on it.

2. People used to dress in their best clothes to travel on airplanes or trains. No need to elaborate there, is there?

3. One never used to see or hear profanity in public, unless he or she were visiting a construction site or shipyard. And certain things were just not allowed on TV - not just bleeped out. People who could not control their tongues were simply not on the air.

The whole “in your face” attitude that began in earnest in the 60’s has nearly destroyed manners in our society. You see, manners are not just a matter of knowing what fork to use. Real manners or etiquette begins with knowing where you are in the world, and seeking to ease the experience for your fellow travelers. If we ask ourselves, “How does what I am doing affect the other people in this room? What can I do to help the other guy have a pleasant day?” we will find ourselves on the road to true civility.

A person with good manners listens to others who are talking with the aim of understanding the other person, not just waiting for a break to speak.

A person with good manners does not keep others waiting, because he knows that other people’s time is just as valuable as his own. If he is going to be late, he calls ahead to apologize and let people know.

A person with good manners – a civil person – dresses neatly because he thinks others do not want to see a slob. He eats carefully, slowly, taking small bites rather than wolfing down his food. He says “Please” and “Thank You” because he likes to hear those words himself, and because he has a genuine sense of gratitude for what others do.

A person with good manners smiles at people he meets because he knows that a smile creates an immediate feeling of being at ease with a stranger. I heard someone say once that whenever he meets someone new, he always says, “I am glad to meet you. I have heard so many nice things about you.” That is really civilized.

This is why we are told to always pass the salt and the pepper together. It is just an effort to ease the journey for our fellow human beings. Since a person who wants salt often wants pepper, too, keeping and passing them together prevents a person from having to ask two people for what he needs. Does that make sense?

I am not saying that we should be compulsively focused on what we are doing all the time; only that we should try to be on our best behavior and walk gently through this life, helping to ease the way for everyone else we meet. You will recall what the Savior said about losing our life in the service of others. If we will earnestly try to help and serve others, we will find others trying to help us in our journey, too.

RANDOM THINGS ABOUT MOM

2008-10-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

I don't usually fill these out because I have a hard time thinking of anything random about me that you all don't already know. Oh well, Andrea tagged me and so I'll give it a try. By the way, I typed this all myself with no help from Kent!

1. My favorite movie all the time I was growing up was "Pollyanna." I loved that she went around her town trying to make everyone feel glad-even the major grouches. Then everyone in town loved her in return. I wanted to be just like her but that ended up being mostly in my dreams.

2. I love music but I can't listen to music and concentrate on anything else. Like right now Dad is playing the piano in the living room and I'm trying to type this silly thing and can't think at all. Music totally distracts me. I must have undiagnosed ADD.

3. I've always wanted to learn to scuba dive. Even when I was a kid I would swim around under water and see how long I could hold my breath pretending to be a mermaid. Boy! I wish I could swim under water now. When I've tried lately, my bouyant body will not let me stay under for more than ten seconds at a time.

4. I love getting cards that people write in. I have two boxes under my bed stuffed full of cards. So when I tell you that what you write in the cards you send to me is the best present, I really mean it.

5. My favorite cereal is Nabisco Shredded Wheat (lg biscuit) with green grapes. I also like Wheaties with fresh peaches, Cornflakes with bananas and Cheerios with strawberries. I just have to have those cereals with those fruits or I'm not happy.

6. I'm super analytical. I'm really good at games where I can take my time and think about each move to make such as: Mastermind and Scrabble. I'm not so good at games where you have to think and move really fast like: Nertz or Boggle. I think I drive people crazy when they play games with me, but I have improved in sportsmanship since getting older.

7. My favorite kind of movies are the really quirky, funny ones like "Waking Ned Divine","A Pyromaniacs Love Story" and "So I Married an Ax Murderer". I even like "Napoleon Dynamite". I hate, hate, hate scary movies. My big brother and I use to watch scary movies on Saturday afternoons after which he would chase me around the house pretending to be a monster. Then that same night I would have awful nightmares.

The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

2008-10-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

Well, General Conference just ended, Jan is in the kitchen singing "How Great Thou Art" and making an apple pie, and life is good. I have thought many times over the last two days of Conference as I listened to all the mentions of hard times and adversity, how richly blessed my life has been. Times are a little hard right now, and may get a lot harder before they get easier, but life is good.

I was thinking of the hard times my parents have lived through. They were young during the Great Depression and didn't realize they were poor because everyone they knew was poor, too. Then there was the horror of WWII. The US fought for several years before the war started turning in our favor. Millions were killed in that war. My father returned from the war and married, and I was born only 5 1/2 years after the end of the war, and just after the outbreak of the Korean war.

I remember as a little child, watching the news and wondering if we were going to be attacked with atomic weapons. We used to do A-Bomb drills in grade school; just like a fire drill but you didn't get to go outside. I remember thinking the world could end any day.

After my mission we married and almost immediately the Arab oil embargo started. We used to go get in line at the gas station at 5:30 in the morning to have a chance to get gasoline for our cars. Those were hard times in my young life.

When I got out of grad school, Pres. Carter was President, mortgage interest rates were between 12% and 16%, inflation was running at about 20%, and unemployment was at an all time high in my lifetime. Those were hard times, trying to make a living as a young marriage counselor and make a house payment on a new home (it cost $70,000 with a 12.5% mortgage).

Life has easy times; life has hard times. We can never rely on the world's solutions to the world's problems to be very effective. We know what the constant truth is, and if we hold fast to that, come what may, we can make it through. The important thing in this life is not what becomes of us, it is what we become. How greatful we are to know what we know and to know that this will all work out for the best in the end. We have read the book, and the ending is a happy one.

Tagged! (revised)

2008-10-02T22:08:00.000-07:00

I got tagged by Andrea (thanks a LOT!)so now I have to write 7 random things about myself. Here goes (man, I hate these things):

1. I am a co-holder of the AZ state record for TP'ing houses. One night in my Senior year at Westwood High, my friends and I TP'd 45 houses in ONE NIGHT! We selected houses at random all over Mesa, and left little signs that said, "Congratulations. You have been TP'd by the Four-Eyed Gang" (that was the name of our nerd group).

2. I have always secretly wished that I had been a band teacher. Just the thought of all those beginning clarinet and saxophone players!

3. If I could only listen to one kind of music for the rest of my life, I would choose - no, I couldn't choose one. I would rather listen to no music than only one kind. Well, maybe sacred choral music. Or perhaps smooth jazz. Or Chicago. Or if I could listen to Jan sing, that would definitely do!

4. I still think "Take the Money and Run" is one of the funniest movies ever made. I'll bet I have seen it 20 times, and it still makes me laugh. My favorite TV show as a kid was Adventures in Paradise. Now my favorite show is Jeopardy.

5. I used to feel like a real failure as a missionary, but my brother told me to get over it, and pronounced me happy. So now I no longer feel like a failure.

6. I really have missed my grandparents as an adult, especially my grandfathers. I felt so close to Grandpa Hamblin, and I felt cheated when he died while I was on my mission. I don't know if he ever knew how much he meant to me.

7. Heaven to me would be being locked in a room with all my grandkids for a week!

I tag whoever had the guts to read all the way through this rambling. Man, I hate these things! I also hate those emails that ask your favorite color, what you are wearing, the last time you cried, etc, etc, ad nauseum. There - I got it off my chest, and I feel so much better.

Alhamdellah!

2008-09-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

A story from "The White Bedouin" by George S. Potter:

Once upon a time there was a king and his faithful chief servant. The servant was a good Muslim. He was known to be cheerful and always thanked God for every event, whether good or bad. "Alhamdellah: thank God; It's a good thing," he would say.

One day the king decided to take trip and have his chief servant accompany him. Just before they were to leave on the journey, the king accidentally cut off part of his little finger. "Alhamdellah," the servant said. "It is a good thing." The chief servant's apparent insensitivity outraged the king, so he had his loyal servant put in prison.

While on his journey, the king had to pass through a dark jungle. Deep in the jungle, primitive savages attacked the royal party. The king's guards were killed, and the king was taken hostage. They savages gathered firewood to burn the king alive. Just as they were about to sacrifice the king to their pagan god, the savages noticed that a part of his finger was missing. Sacrificing such an imperfect offering would only offend their god, so they let the king go free.

When the king returned from his journey, he immediately freed his chief servant from prison. "Forgive me. Forgive me," the king said to his chief servant. "You were right. If I had not cut off part of my finger, I would have been burned at the stake. Will you ever forgive me?"

"Alhamdellah," the chief servant said once again. "Thank God you threw me into prison. It was a good thing."

The king shook his head, "How could it have been a good thing that I put you in prison?"

The servant replied, "If you had not put me in jail, I would have been with you in the jungle, and the savages would have sacrificed me in your place."

This story really strikes a chord in me. We never know in advance when "tragedy" strikes, how it may turn out to be a blessing. We need to have enough faith in our father in Heaven to accept His will for us - whatever it entails. We need to be more like the servant and thank God for everything that happens in our lives, because we cannot tell, from our mortal vantage point, what the bigger picture is.

Our Trip

2008-09-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

What a time we had in Canada! On Friday, Aug 29, we flew into Vancouver. We stayed downtown at the Sheraton Wall Centre, which was centrally located. Our first evening there, we ate Sablefish at the Blue Water Cafe. The fish was unbelievably tender and delicious, if a bit pricey. After dinner we walked along the sea for a couple of miles then went back to our hotel.

The next morning, we took a taxi to Stanley Park in north Vancouver. It is a beautiful park full of trees, lakes, hiking paths, and flowers. In December 2006, a cyclone hit the park, knocking down 10,000 trees, but you could hardly tell, there were so many left standing. We got to briefly watch a cricket match, then hiked into the centre (Canadian spelling) of the park. After that, we rode a bus to Granville Island - the artsy crafty center of Vancouver. The picture above is the view from the northern edge of Stanley Park.

Sunday we caught a bus at 7:30 in the morning that drove us several miles to the ferry. The bus drove right onto the ferry for the 90 minute trip to Swartz Bay, north of Victoria, then when we arrived, it carried us right into downtown Victoria. We checked into our B&B and caught a bus to church on Quadra Street. After church we walked around Victoria for awhile, then went back to our room for a good night's sleep. The Spinnaker B&B was right next to Victoria harbor, which doubles as the runway for the local pontoon airplanes. It was neat seeing all the ships and planes coming and going in the harbor.

Monday we caught a ride on a whale watching boat, and headed out to sea. After about 4 hours of whale watching, the ship dropped us off at Butchart Gardens. What a beautiful place that is! Jan remarked that if the Celestial Kingdom doesn't look like that, she will be disappointed. I agree.

Tuesday we took it easy, just wandering around looking at the incredible beauty of Victoria. The place looks and feels like Europe, with enormous baskets of flowers hanging everywhere. It was a gentle walk along the sea from where we were staying into downtown, so we did a lot of walking. It took away the guilt of eating some of the food we got to eat there.

Wednesday morning we caught the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles, Washington, where our friends the Wilcoxes met us. They drove us to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Forest (see picture), then to their home in Shelton. We spent the next couple of days in the back seat of their car, craning our necks looking at the dense forestation and craggy mountain peaks of the Olympic penninsula. We drove out to Mt. Ranier on Thursday, and we weren't prepared for the beauty of that mountain. Just breathtaking!

Saturday morning we drove into Seattle to visit the famous Pike's Place Market, where you can see the fish mongers throwing fish to each other across the crowded room. There were thousands of flowers for sale, and fresh fruits and vegetables of every color and description.

All too soon, though, we had to leave for the airport. We were wondering why, when we have so often said that "no matter where you go, you will run into someone you know," we had not seen anyone we knew except our friends we had planned on seeing. But sitting in the Alaska Air terminal, Jan suddenly said, "That looks like Jeanine Blau!" - a friend from our childhood ward that neither of us had seen in more than 3 decades. And sure enough - it was she! So we are proven correct yet again!

All in all, it was a wonderful trip, packed with the most beautiful scenery imaginable. We are glad to be home, though. Our bed felt really good Sunday night.

Goodbye, eh?

2008-08-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

Well, the magic day has arrived, and we are off to Canada on Friday. We have wished and planned for this day for a long time. Friday we fly to Vancouver, where we are staying at the Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel, just south of Stanley Park. We will be there all day Saturday and Saturday night. Sunday morning we will take the ferry from Tsawassen to Victoria. We'll go to church in Victoria, then spend the day sightseeing. We are staying at the Spinnaker Victorian Guesthouse Sunday night through Wednesday morning. Monday we are taking a whale watching boat trip that drops us off at Butchart Gardens for an afternoon of sightseeing. Tuesday we will just wander around seeing whatever our feets takes us to. Wednesday morning we take the ferry to Port Angeles where our friends, the Wilcoxes, will pick us up. We will spend the next few days with them, ferrying in to Seattle to see the sights there, and then leave Saturday evening to fly back to Phoenix.

This is our first vacation alone together since our honeymoon 35 years ago, so we don't feel the least bit bad about making it a blowout occasion. We love you all, and we will post details and pictures upon our return, eh?

Family Reunion 2008

2008-08-11T20:37:00.001-07:00

We held the 2nd Annual Brooksby Children & Descendents Exceptional Family Gathering ("ABCDEFG") at the Hiatt Cabin in Pine July 31-Aug 1. It was wonderful to have EVERYONE there, including both sets of great-grandparents. What a blessing to have a family like ours that loves one another and supports one another. We had planned to have a Hawaiian theme with structured activities, but once the grandkids got playing, all sense of structure was GONE, GONE, GONE! No theme next year; we'll wait until everyone is just a tad older before we try a theme.

It has been a hectic month, to say the least. We had Cynthia and Chris and Hannah from July 3 - July 7. On the 9th, Kent flew to Salt Lake to join Emily and the kids on a two-day drive down to Mesa. On the 11th, Emily, Melissa, Andrea, all the kiddos and Kent drove to Pinetop for a weekend (or week) together. The next weekend was the Hiatt reunion, with John and Anna and the boys coming to Pinetop for a week, then the ABCDEFG, followed by a drive back down to the Valley for Chris' graduation on August 2 (Congrats, Dr. Chris!). When Mom and I drove home early the morning of the 3rd, we spent the entire afternoon sleeping a deep and needed sleep. But what a joyous month, having so much time with so many family members.

The biggest news from Pinetop-Lakeside is that Jan and I are going to Vancouver/Seattle for 9 days at the end of the month! We are flying into Vancouver on Aug 29, riding the ferry to Victoria on the 31st. We go whale watching and tour Bouchart Gardens on Sep 1, and take the ferry to Port Angeles, WA on Sep 3. Our dear friends, the Wilcoxes, will meet us there. We'll spend 4 days seeing the sights of Washington State, and fly back to Phoenix on the evening of September 6. We are really looking forward to this trip, because it is the first real vacation we have taken alone together in a long, LONG TIME! It will cost a ton, but what are credit cards for?

Fishing with Jackson

2008-07-16T14:12:00.001-07:00

Jackson and I went fishing at Edler's Lake across from our home on July 15. After sitting there for quite a while with no action, I took my line out of the water and attached a gold CastMaster lure. Using a technique that only Grandpas know that I cannot tell you unless you are a Grandpa, Jackson caught his first fish! It was a real beauty - a rainbow trout nearly 18" long. It was his first fish, and boy! was he excited. We took it home and cleaned it (Jackson held the fish's heart in his hands like a real fisherman) and cooked it for dinner. It wouldn't even fit in my frying pan after I cut the head off. That was a big fish! Congrats to Jackson. Now the bad news - when your first ever fish is a lunker like that, it's a long, slow, descent into regular fishing. I have only recently recovered from our Lee's Ferry fishing trip, which nearly spoiled Arizona fishing for me.

My Jib Jab Premier

2008-07-16T13:57:00.001-07:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Papa for President!

2008-07-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

Counsel for my Grandchildren

2008-06-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

I was looking for some pictures for my Primary class, studying Alma 37:35-37, and I came upon a couple of pictures of little kids reading the scriptures.

Both of the blogsites I looked at talked about how their little children are learning to read by reading the scriptures. It reminded me of how early Andrea learned to read, largely because we read the scriptures and she wanted to help. I hope and pray that my grandkids are learning to read the scriptures daily. I was not raised in a home that read the scriptures every day [the Church did not emphasize it back then], and it has been a struggle for me every day of my life. As I have seen the world collapsing around us, and because I know it will continue to collapse into more and more wickedness, I cannot overemphasize the importance of daily scripture reading and daily family prayer. If you think your children will be adequately armed to face the adversary without those two things, you are mistaken. They must be prepared better than you were, so you must do better than I did as a parent to prepare them. Do not fail in this sacred responsibility. The stakes are too high.

Please excuse me for preaching what I have not adequately practiced. I love every single person in my posterity, and I shudder to think of any of them wandering into forbidden paths and getting lost. No matter what it takes, teach them to read and ponder the scriptures and to pray meaningfully. Oh, and one other thing: I would rather have pictures of my own grandkids reading the scriptures than pictures of total strangers (hint, hint).

Letters from my Great-Great Grandfather

2008-06-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

Today I felt like posting two letters from my great-great grandfather, Warren Marshall Johnson, that mean almost as much to me as the scriptures. Whenever I feel like I have had a bad day or things aren't going as I had planned, I read these letters to give me perspective. I don't know why I feel impressed to share them, but for whoever may be blessed by them, here they are.

Lee’s Ferry, Arizona July 29, 1891

President Wilford Woodruff

Dear Brother,

It has occurred to me that you ought to know how affairs are going at this place, which is my excuse for intruding on your time, which I know is fully occupied with other affairs.

Last spring I divided my family, according to your counsel, a portion of them moving to Kanab for the purpose of schooling my children. In May 1891 a family residing in Tuba City came here from Richfield, Utah, where they had spent the winter visiting friends. At Panguitch they buried a child, and without disinfecting the wagon or themselves, not even stopping to wash the dead child’s clothes, they came to our house, and remained overnight, mingling with my little children, and the consequence was in 4 days my oldest boy of my first wife was taken violently ill with fever and a sore throat.

We knew nothing of the nature of the disease, but had faith in God, as we were here on a very hard mission, and had tried as hard as we knew how to obey the word of wisdom, and attend to the other duties of our religion such as paying tithing, family prayers, etc., etc., that our children would be spared. But alas, in 4 ½ days he choked to death in my arms. Two more were taken down with the disease and we fasted and prayed as much as we thought it wisdom as we had many duties to perform here. We fasted some 21 hours and I once fasted 40 hours, but all to no avail for both my little girls died also. About a week after their death my fifteen-year-old daughter Melinda was stricken down and we did all we could for her but she followed the others, and three of my dear girls and one boy has been taken from us, and the end is not yet. My oldest girl 19 years old is now prostrate with the disease, and we are fasting and praying in her behalf today. We have become better acquainted with the nature of the disease, than at first, and we are strongly in the hopes that she will recover, as two already have that came down with it. I would ask for your faith and prayers in our behalf, however. What have I done that the Lord has left us, and what can we do to gain His favor again?

Yours in the gospel

Warren M. Johnson

(Letter from Warren M. Johnson to Wilford Woodruff in Warren M. Johnson letter folder, LDS Church Historian’s Library. Jonathan died May 19; Laura Alice, June 11; Millie, June 15; and Melinda July 5, 1891, all of diphtheria.)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lee’s Ferry, Arizona August 16, 1891

Warren Foote, Dear Brother:

Your kind and welcome letter was received a very long time ago. I was surprised at receiving it, for I had no idea that any of my friends would take the trouble to write me during my affliction. Rest assured that I shall ever feel grateful to you for the words of comfort your letter conveyed to me. It seemed almost as though God had forsaken us, and that he had turned a deaf ear to our fasting and prayers and anointing and administering the ordinances of the gospel to the sick, for it was all of no avail, and four of my dear children are now lying in their graves. It is a fearful blow for us, for you know that ever since I heard the gospel, I have tried as much as the average of our brethren to live up to the principles thereof. I have tried to pay my tithing, obey the Word of Wisdom, attend to family devotions, and teach my children correct principles, and God promised if we would do so the destroyer should pass over us. There are unseen influences around us here, that are trying to cause me to lose faith in God, and to make me feel that there is no use for me to continue to pray, for He will not hear my prayers – that there is no use for me longer to obey the Word of Wisdom, or anoint with oil and lay on hands to rebuke disease, for the promise that when we do so they will recover does not apply to us. When I look around and see others that do not pay their tithing in full, use tea and coffee, tobacco, strong drink, etc., do not attend meetings only once in a while, do not have family prayers, etc., and they are blessed with their families in health, and plenty of this world’s goods to allow them to live at ease, it is hard indeed for me to see the hand of God in the death of my children, and especially, after obeying the call of the Priesthood in coming out here, and for sixteen years having one of the hardest missions that was ever the lot of a member of this Church to perform. You can imagine how I feel, as you know how I have tried to live, and the implicit faith I had in the gospel, and the promises of God to those who tried to be faithful. However, I feel this way only at times, for there are other spirits or influences around us that say to me, that God is the Father of the spirits of my children, and that He loves them as well as I do, and that He knows infinitely better than I do what is best for them and us. God said that He would have a tried people in the last days, and those who desire to do right will have to pass through greater trials than those who are not trying to reach the highest glory. Bro. Foote, I feel well, when I look at it in the above light and especially when I think of the influences we felt when my children were breathing their last, we could not feel bad, there was such a heavenly influence in the room. And also the looks of the children after death – almost a smile on their lips. I never saw anyone look as beautiful as they did after death. Joseph Stewart was here when Minda died, and several times he remarked, “She is as pretty as a doll.” I know they are happy now and I hope I shall not give way to the spirits of evil, but that I may live so that bye and bye I can go and dwell with them. I can assure you, however, that it is the hardest trial of my life, but I set out for salvation, and am determined through the help of my Heavenly Father to hold fast to the iron rod, no matter what trials may come upon me. I have not yet slackened in the performance of my duties, and hope and trust that I shall have the faith and prayers of my brethren that I may live so as to receive the blessings you, having authority, have placed upon my head. I often think how much better off I am today than when I lived on the Muddy, with no one but myself to look after, and I feel to thank God for all this. May God bless you Brother Foote in all your labors.

Yours in the gospel.

Warren M. Johnson
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When I think of the comparison between my hard days and his hard days, I am ashamed to think that I EVER complain. I will probably never face adversity like he did, so if I fail to hold to the rod, I will have no excuse at all.

Father's Day 2008

2008-06-14T20:18:00.000-07:00

I got a cool shirt for Father's Day with pictures of all of my grandkids on it, holding signs that say "We Love Our Grandpa." I love it. I wore it to Safeway Saturday night, and several people told me how cool they thought it was, and how nice it looked on me. I thought I should take a picture of me wearing the shirt, so everyone can see what it looks like. So here I am in my Father's Day shirt. Thanks, Everyone! And thanks especially for being such a wonderful family who are all trying to follow the Savior. That is all I really wanted or needed for Father's Day.
Finally, here is the secret of being a great Dad - - - - - Have Great Kids! It's that simple.

All I Want for my Birthday...

2008-06-10T19:45:00.000-07:00

I was speaking Sunday night with my dad, and he asked me to follow my brother Craig's idea of posting a birthday "wish list" on the computer so people would know what I want for my birthday. Not really wanting anything, I thought to myself how funny it would be to simply say I wanted World Peace (or was it Whirled Peas?). I was imagining that when Dad said, "And don't put anything stupid on your blog like "World Peace" either!" I guess after 57 years, a father knows his son.

Most of what I would really like for my birthday is way too expensive. I would like a tuba. I would like a big case of .45 caliber bullets so I would have a good excuse to buy a .45 caliber pistol. I would like a set of bagpipes. You know me - always the practical guy.

On a realistic note, I would like a nice dress watch. Nothing too beefy because I have these danged thin, feminine wrists. But something nicer than a Timex that would look dressy would be nice. I would like some of the sunglasses that completely cover my glasses and wrap around the sides so I don't get glare from above. I would like CDs of great music like Andy McKee or Rachmaninoff. I always enjoy good music. I would like a good "grandpa" book like "The Dangerous Book for Boys" or "Nick of Time." I would like a new set of scriptures (not a quad). I would love someone to say, "I will come up to the White Mountains and go fishing with you." Yes, after all these years, I have come to realize that my parents are right - it's TIME that you want, not THINGS.

I are a Good Essayist!

2008-06-05T18:12:00.001-07:00

One of the joys of my job is that every year I get asked by the VFW to judge essays in the "Patriots Pen" contest they hold nationwide. This contest is for kids from 5th grade to 7th grade. They are given a theme like, "What Service to my Country Means to Me" and away they go. Every year I sit down and read hundreds of these - no exaggeration here. Here are some of my past favorite sentences.

1. "The schools and teachers are the ones that means to me because I wouldn't be smart right now."

2. "Love means to in the service of our country means to me is loving our country your pride and the people in war." (???)

3. "The country of America is bright, glamorous, free, and glittery."

And my all-time favorite to date:

4. "In World War II, my grandfather was a tail gator on an air plan."

Reading these, I can hardly wait till next Spring.

Out of the Mouth of Babes

2008-06-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

I have been reviewing my Humor Journal this week, and I wanted to share some of the gems I have recorded that originated from the mouths of my grandchildren. I would LOVE IT if their parents would send me more of these golden quotes for my collection.

1. Emily sent me this one in December 2004. "We are still trying to get Jackson completely potty trained. He is only willing to sit on the toilet if he wants to - and if he doesn't want to you better believe we bribe him. A couple of days ago we told him that if he would go #2 in the potty we would take him to Chucky Cheese that night. We don't buy pizza; just get some tokens and play a few games. Jackson loves Chucky Cheese (as he puts it, "Chucky Cheese is a good guy, huh, Mommy?"), so he was sitting on the potty just crying and crying because he couldn't go #2 and he was "never going to see Chucky Cheese again!" Later he said that he would go #2 in the potty when he was older, "like when I'm a missionary, OK, Mom?"

2. Jackson bumped his head on the couch and was crying. Emily asked him if he was going to have a goose egg on his head. He replied, "No, I'm just going to have a little chicken egg."

3. One day I was talking with Jackson about one of his two favorite subjects at the time - sharks (the other one was dinosaurs). We were talking about how some sharks eat people. He looked at me and said, "Papa, I don't think a shark would eat you." When I asked him why he thought that, he replied, "Your skin is too old!"

4. Christmas time, 2007 we were talking on the phone with Melissa when she suddenly burst into laughter. It turns out Susannah had been bugging Owen, so Melissa had asked her to stop pestering her brother. Susannah scowled (boy, can she scowl), put her hands on her hips, and said, "This family just isn't working out for me!"

I have a few more that I haven't included. But I would love to add to my collection. So, parents, please… send them in!

What Happens in San Francisco...

2008-05-31T13:03:00.000-07:00

Years ago, in March 1985, I attended a Humor and Creativity in Therapy conference in San Francisco in that section known as "Japan Town." While I was there, I wandered around the little Japanese shops and found one where they carve the little soapstone stamps, known as Hanko, that Japanese artists use to sign their paintings in red. I really wanted one (they were reasonably priced), so I asked the man in charge if he would make one for me that said, "A man who heals with laughter." The rest of the conversation went something like this:

Him: "No."
Me: "Why not?"
Him: "Because it might not mean anything in Japanese."
(long silence)
Me: "You mean you can't write that phrase in Japanese?"
Him: "We could, but it might mean something bad."
Me: "But I don't even read Japanese!"
Him: "Then why do you want the stamp?"
(longer silence)

I eventually gave up, reconciled to my plight of never owning a Hanko stamp. Craig told me later that there are certain mental paths the Japanese cannot walk along. I think I found one.

As a result of that conference, I began writing a humor journal, recording the funniest things that happen to me each day. It has been a hit and miss proposition, but out of that effort came my 120+ page joke book that everyone loves.

The Last Gasp of Winter

2008-05-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

We got 4" of heavy, wet snow last night, and it is supposed to keep snowing until Sunday. We lost power for over three hours last night, we lost power several times overnight, and the power was off when I left for work this morning. We lost several big branches off the poplar tree in the front yard. The leaves were already out, and the wet snow was just too much. We listened to cracking and crashing all night as branches fell onto the yard and into the street. What a mess! Our high today is supposed to be in the low 40's.

Danged Global Warming (again)!

2008-05-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

Three nights ago, we slept with our windows open all night, with only a sheet over us for comfort. Our high Tuesday was 89°! Yesterday, the wind blew so hard, I thought we were all moving to Holbrook. As I write this, it is snowing hard. They are saying we could get 6"-12" tonight, and up to two feet at Sunrise. Of course, tonight is graduation for BRHS. This global warming is so unpredictable.

I am smack dab in the middle of budget season. Usually, budget preparation is like nailing Jell-O to a tree. This year, it is like nailing Jello-O to a moving tree. I calculated the total gallons of fuel we used last year, and figured $4 per gallon for my budget. Now it looks like that will be way too conservative. Crazy thing is, for every dollar the price of gas increases, my budget has to change by $28,000! I saw a cartoon yesterday of an accountant working on a difficult problem exclaiming, "Hey, I know! I'll just add another zero!" If only it were that easy.

This Sunday, Jan and I celebrate 35 years of wedded bliss together. I can honestly say that 35 years ago, I had no idea what love really was, or how deep and profound it can be. We are both the worse for wear, but more committed than ever to each other's happiness. We are planning on going the distance together. Marriage is no cakewalk - there is a lot of compromise along the way; lots of sacrifice - but it is the only way to go. I love her with all my soul. Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart!

Howdy, Howdy

2008-05-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

I guess it has been too long since I posted anything, and I am feeling serious blogguilt. I have been working on transcribing a talk I heard on BYU-TV for which no transcript was available. It is a long and tedious task, but I hope it will be worth it in the end.

On Monday, May 5 I got to go to X Diamond Ranch near South Fork (near Eagar) to play host to a bunch of Germans who were here learning about the West. The Arizona Office of Tourism asked me to come because I speak a little German, and they thought that would be useful. So I put on my best cowboy duds and went to the ranch. I had a great time talking to them (most of them spoke better English than I spoke German, but who cared?). They asked what I did for a living, and together we figured out that my title in German is Finanzminister. Boy, were they excited that someone of my lofty station in life would deign to visit with them. I guess a Finanzminister is a high and lofty station in Germany. There was a copy of a book on Lee's Ferry there at the ranch, so I showed them a picture of my great-great grandfather, Warren Marshall Johnson, and that really impressed them. I was obviously eine echte Cowboy, born and raised in the Old West. It was a lot of fun.

We have been so happy to have Grandpa and Grandma Brooksby here with us for the last couple of days. The weather has been beautiful and cool without being cold, and we have just had a blast. We introduced them to "Apples to Apples" and we watched "Amazing Grace" together last night. By the way, if anyone has not seen that film yet, you should.

More later. I promise to be more diligent in writing. Till then, Adios, pardners!

Random Things about me

2008-04-12T16:39:00.000-07:00

Well, two of my daughters have thrown down the gauntlet of posting random things, so I feel compelled to respond. I was hoping Jan would write something, but she said after reading Emily's and Melissa's postings, all of her random traits had already been covered. I don't know if I can come up with 7 things, but I will do my level best.

1. I love really bad music. I don't know why, but it probably stems from my parents exposing me to Spike Jones when I was a little boy. I love the best music, too, but I do get a kick out of well-executed, awful music. My friend Bruce Johnson and I had a thing going for a couple of years, trying to find the world's worst music, but after sending tapes of Whitey Carson, Florence Foster Jenkins, Mrs. Miller and Jonathan and Darlene Edwards to him, he declared me the winner! What an honor!

2. I enjoy being laughed at, but only if I am encouraging the laughter. I thought for years that I could make it as a stand-up comic, but I know now that I wouldn't really have made a good comic. Still, I know a LOT of jokes, and enjoy telling them - even when people pretend they don't want to hear another one.

3. I love books, and I have too many books. I used to dream of having a room in my house that would be my library. A room with all four walls covered in books, with a single, comfy high wing-back chair in the middle of the room. So I began early on to purchase books for my library. Unfortunately, I never got my library - just a house full of boxes full of books. I was often encouraged to give them away, but I couldn't part with them, because I thought of them as friends. But now I am beginning to realize that I need to share my friends, so I am donating books to the local library. I know that they will just turn around and sell them, but that doesn't matter to me anymore. I have to get rid of some books.

4. I am the only living Adolf Hitler impersonator that I know of. I have been told that I look a lot like Hitler (and Elvis! - talk about random!)

5. A doctor told his patient, "I have good news and bad news. The good news is - they're naming a disease after you!" Similarly, I have a disease named after me - my family calls it "Kent Brooksby Disease." The symptom is an inability to fall asleep, no matter how tired you are. I get one or two of these nights almost every week.

Well, that is the end of my random list - and it isn't the least bit funny!! Proof again that I would not have made it as a comic. I would love some feedback from my kids on random traits of mine. I am afraid that I sound really DULL!!! (Voice in the back of my head: "Of course you are dull. You are an accountant. What do you expect?")

General Conference April 2008

2008-04-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

I can't remember a General Conference when I felt uplifted any more than the most recent one. I had been hoping and praying that Pres. Monson would give a talk that would really confirm for me the divinity of his calling. Nothing against Pres. Monson, really, but I have heard his stories so many times I just wanted something different. I didn't hear it Saturday night at Priesthood session, but Sunday morning and afternoon the Spirit bore witness to me during his talks that he is truly a prophet of God.

I have felt for year that there is a qualitative difference between a Seventy talk and an Apostle talk, and a qualitative difference between an Apostle talk and a First Presidency talk. All the talks this conference were excellent, but the talks by those Apostles who spoke on doctrines (Oaks, Holland, Ballard, Bednar, Packer, etc) were exceptional. And then there were the talks by the First Presidency! I have always enjoyed Pres. Uchtdorf's talks, but this time he really bowled me over. I would defy anyone to listen to his Sunday morning talk and not be moved. I plan to download the Apostle and Presidency talks in video format to a CD soon and pass them out to nonmember friends (as well as keeping one for myself).

What a glorious time we live in, when we can sit in the comfort of our living rooms and participate in a meeting 600 miles away because some light beams are bounced off a satellite thousands of miles above us in geosynchronous orbit. When we can log on to the Internet a couple of days later and watch each talk online, and download the text of the talk to read or download it to our MP3 player. Think of the advantages of being able to lift our spirits every day as we go through the trials of life! I never cease to be amazed. We are really blessed.

Good News

2008-04-07T15:25:00.000-07:00

I didn't tell anyone in the family except my Dad and Mom, but two weeks ago I had a prostate biopsy. Last time we were in Mesa, I had my Dad give me a blessing, prior to the biopsy. My PSA levels were high enough that Dr. Copeland thought there was a 50-50 chance that I had prostate cancer. So I went in for the biopsy. I won't tell you what that entails, but I will say that it isn't the slightest bit pleasant. He took a LOT of samples.

Anyway, today I got my results. No cancer. Just "chronic and acute inflammation." That means I have to take "a boat-load of antibiotics and Motrin" (Dr. Copeland's words - at least I think he said boat-load) for the next month, then get another PSA test. The previous doctor just accepted the fact that "high PSA levels is where you live," and let it go at that. This doctor wants to get rid of the inflammation.

I will admit to being more than a little relieved when I left the doctor's office this afternoon. A little good news goes a long way, and I may even sleep better tonight. I wasn't quite ready for what prostate cancer involves.

Out of the Best Books

2008-04-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago, at Brint and Brea's reception, I ran into a dear friend of Craig's who said to me, "You haven't written anything for awhile in your blog." She was the first one to say anything to me about it, but I realize now it has been nearly a month. So for better or worse, here are some of my thoughts.

Some years ago, I attended a conference of the Association of Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists in Salt Lake City. Our guest speaker was Vaughn J. Featherstone of the Seventy. He made the remark that the first 100 pages of "les Miserables" had had as profound an impact on his life as anything he had ever read. Shortly thereafter, I began writing a list in the back of my journals of the books I had read while writing in that journal. Next to the title and author, I write a very brief book report of 10 or fewer words. Today, I want to summarize those lists into a "best of the best" list. I read a lot, and I feel like Daniel Webster who said, "I can no more remember the books I have read than the meals I have eaten, but they have made me what I am." Marion G. Romney said, "The older I get, the less time I want to spend reading anything I do not want to remember." I must say that my taste in books has changed over the years, and many of the books I marked as "best" in my first journal wouldn't make the cut today. So with that preface, here is a list of the Best Books I Have Read (Besides the Scriptures) Since 1978 (in order of reading, not in order of importance):

1. Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
2. Nibley on the Timely and the Timeless - essays of Hugh Nibley
3. The Road Less Traveled - Scott Peck
4. Walden's Pond - Henry David Thoreau
5. Infinite Atonement - Tad Callister
6. The Peacegiver - James Ferrell
7. Bonds That Make Us Free - Terry Warner
8. Leadership & Self Deception (and) The Anatomy of Peace - the Arbinger Institute
9. les Miserables - Victor Hugo
10. The Holy Secret - James Ferrell

That is my Top Ten (OK, it's really 11) out of the total list of 133 books that I remembered to write down in my journal. There are many other that were worthwhile, but these 10 I find myself drawing on repeatedly. There are many books in my list, mostly fiction, that I cannot even recall reading today. Several of them were followed in the listing by the words "absolutely my LAST novel." Not that all novels are a waste of time - "les Miserables" comes to mind as my favorite - but I think most are. Other "book reports" in my journal say "a great cure for insomnia" or "how Western civilization will fall to Islam," but several of the above say, "This Book changed my life!" or "Every missionary should read this book ASAP."

I am so glad that some of my love of reading seems to have seeped in my genetic code in varying degrees to my children. As Mark Twain said, "The man who doesn't read is no better off than the man who can't read."

Just this last week, Jan and I read "The Holy Secret" by the author of "The Peacegiver," James Ferrell. The purpose of the book was to help us learn to really love the scriptures, to love the Sabbath, and to love the Temple. If we don't love what is holy in this life, then we will not like holiness in the next. Our attitudes toward what is holy now tells us which direction we are heading. What is dull to us today will be dull to us tomorrow. If our souls don't yearn to understand the Lord's words here and now, will will not suddenly begin to yearn for them then. It was one of those books that really makes you reach deep inside for an understanding of the principles he is teaching in his familiar, conversational style. This is another book we will be returning to again and again.

Fathers

2008-03-07T13:47:00.000-08:00

OK, I know it is not even close to Father's Day, but the other day as I was waiting for "Monk" to start, I caught the last few moments of a "Jag" rerun of a Christmas show, and thanks to the miracle of DVR, I was able to write down word for word what the actor was saying. I thought it was good enough to pass along. Remember, these are not my own words, but I agree wholeheartedly with them.

"When God revealed himself to us, he did so through a family, which is why I speak to you of Joseph, the forgotten man of the Christmas story. We know much about Mary and of course the Christ child, but the Bible makes few references into the life of Joseph. Therefore he remains a mystery, just as many of our own fathers do. But we do know that Joseph was a gentle father and a courageous man. He saved his family from Herod by taking them on a dangerous journey to Egypt; taught his children his own trade, as fathers do even today. Joseph died before Jesus grew up to be a man and began his ministry, yet Joseph still believed. Blessed are those who believe that he will bind up the broken hearted and free the captives.

"At his best, a father is the solid foundation of a house, taken for granted. At other times he may need shoring up himself. He may be tired; he may be impatient; he may be mired in his own problems; but always the father looks beyond the here and now. He keeps one eye trained on the next generation - so of necessity he is a man filled with hope. Hope that a knowing God watches over the universe. Hope that justice will prevail. Hope that we will be reunited with our loved ones.

"As the Apostle Paul said, 'Abide by these three; faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love.' So when we give thanks to the Father for our blessings, let us not forget Joseph or our own fathers. May they not be forgotten."

Whatever their faults, what a blessing it is to have a father in the home who IS home, mentally, spiritually, as well as physically. We feel so blessed to have the fathers we have - your grandparents - and the son and sons-in-law that are the fathers of our grandkids. Thank you for what you are silently doing to bless the lives of others and to provide a foundation for our crumbling society. May God bless you.

Opportunities Lost

2008-03-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

“There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.”
– William Shakespeare, “Julius Caesar”

This quote from William Shakespeare is an accurate assessment of life. A shorter version of this sentiment is “Strike while the iron is hot.” When you get the inspiration to do something, do it. In this installment of “The Babbling Brooksby,” I will try to show you why this is true.

About 25 years ago, I was asked to speak at a singles fireside in North Phoenix. They gave me several weeks’ notice, but when the day arrived I still had no idea what I would be talking about. I had prayed and prayed for guidance, but had received nothing. So I drove the many miles from Mesa to the church on Greenway Rd, without any clear idea what I would be saying to roughly 100 singles from all over the state. All of a sudden, while driving, I received an insight that came to me in complete form – I would talk about the principles of gardening (about which I knew nothing!) and relate them to personal and spiritual growth. Like I said, the insight came complete in an instant. I arrived, gave my talk, and prepared to leave. But many of the people there told me, “That was so insightful, you should write a book.” I started toying with the idea. Today I am still toying with the idea, but while I have written a forward and bits and pieces of all 10 chapters, the original insights are no longer available to me. I had a gift given to me that could have touched a lot of people, but I didn’t move with the tide when it was available.

Just about the time we moved to Pinetop-Lakeside, I had an idea for a hymn I wanted to write. It was about the atonement of Christ, and was called, “How is it Done?” inspired by Enos 7. I wrote several verses, and even had an idea of the basic tune and mode in my head. I didn’t take the time to sit down at the piano and put notes to paper, and today, I hardly remember the words. It could have been a beautiful hymn, or at least a pretty song, but it will not happen because I delayed.

Earlier this year, I had a couple of strong impressions of what to write in my “Babbling Brooksby” article, but I kept putting off writing, and the insights are gone.

C.S. Lewis said, “The more often a man feels without acting, the less often he will ever be able to act, and, in the long run, the less he will ever be able to feel.” The Lord gave me some really good pieces of inspiration, but I didn’t do the required work and now I don’t feel those inspirations anymore.

I could go on and on about opportunities squandered, but that would be a real downer for you to read. Suffice it to say that I want my children and their spouses and children to be wiser than I have been. When you feel the inspiration that is the time to act. Don’t delay or you may be writing an “Opportunities Lost” column of your own someday.

"Each indecision brings its own delays and days are lost lamenting over lost days...What you can do or think you can do, begin it. For boldness has magic, power, and genius in it."
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“What you do is of little significance; but it is very important that you do it.”
– Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi

Love to all.

Good to use when considering an impulse purchase

2008-02-28T14:12:00.000-08:00

My Life

2008-02-28T14:06:00.000-08:00

This is how I often feel

2008-02-28T14:04:00.000-08:00

My Daddy-Daughter Date with Melissa

2008-02-23T15:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Feb 22, Melissa and I drove to Flagstaff to go to a Ladysmith Black Mambazo concert. You will remember them from Paul Simon's "Graceland" CD. It was snowing pretty hard when we left Lakeside at 3:45, and we wondered if it would be a safe trip. But by the time we got outside of Show Low, the snow had stopped, and we had clear roads all the way to Flagstaff. But it was snowing in Flagstaff, and as we ate dinner (coconut shrimp at Red Lobster - Yum!) we watched the snow continue to fall. We drove to the concert at Prochnow auditorium and listened to two hours of the most amazing harmonies! What really amazed me was that the lead of the group, the guy who always stands out in front, Mr. Shamalala, started this group 47 years ago. He's in the red shirt in the picture, and doesn't look a day over 50, but he is probably closer to 70. He writes all the songs, and four of his sons are in the group. Anyway, the music was fantastic, and it was amazing to see all nine of these men kicking higher than their heads as they sing.

We walked the two blocks back to the car in deeper snow than we came in. When we got back on the freeway, we found the roads really slick and all the traffic moving much too fast, but we stuck with it, and only came close to hitting one semi. By the time we were 10 miles east of Flagstaff, the roads were clear again, and the driving conditions were fine until we got between Taylor and Show Low, when the blinding snow and slick roads made it almost impossible to get home. We pulled in the driveway at 1:00 am, glad to be home. What a great night we had. Thanks to Melissa and Brad for a memorable Christmas gift (it was also Melissa's birthday present from Brad).

Words and Phrases I am, like, so tired of hearing!

2008-02-14T10:24:00.000-08:00

Sorry for this posting, but the curmudgeon in me just won't be quieted. The following are words and phrases I am extremely tired of hearing.

1. We need to think out of the box. If people really want to get out of the box, they should learn a new metaphor.

2. We need to rethink our entire paradigm. Thank Stephen Covey for this one. Most people who use this phrase couldn't even give a cohesive definition of the word paradigm.

3. People who don't know the difference between "Your" and "You're" I mean, how hard is it to remember? Likewise, those who can't tell which "There" to use. Don't good grammar matter no more?

4. Sherbert… this one has bothered me for a long time, but now this adulterated spelling of "sherbet" is even in the dictionary! Thanks, Cynthia, for reminding me.

5. Any time I hear an ad that says, "Savings up to 50-, 60-, even 70% and more!" Emily reminded us of this one.

6. Confusing "less" and "fewer." Hearing things like, "50% less calories than the other brand" makes me homocidal! Here is the rule of thumb: Less is used to speak of things you measure; fewer refers to things you count. Clear enough? Let's have less confusion, and we'll make fewer mistakes.

7. Valley Girl speak. This includes the interminable use of "like" and phrases meant to substitute for the word 'said' such as , "I'm all," "We're like," and "He goes." Included in this category are people who end their declarative sentences by raising their intonation at the end so that everything sounds like a question. What Ev!

8. Overuse of the word 'so' as in, "I am SO not hungry right now!" "You are SO not going to the movies!" etc. This relates to the overuse of 'very,' which most editors will tell you is an unnecessary word. Mark Twain once said that every time you feel like writing 'very' you should substitute the word 'damn.' He said that if you go back later and remove all the 'damns' your writing will be just as good and clearer to read.

9. Irregardless. Oooooh! This one has bugged me since 1st grade, when I first discovered that I was a nerd in the making. I mean, really - caring about the proper use of language in 1st grade? There ain't no such word as irregardless.

10. I could care less. What you mean is, you couldn't care less. Saying you could care less means that you do, indeed, care, which is the opposite of what you are trying to communicate.

I would love to get feedback on this one from, like, you know, the people who read this blog (if they exist). I will include their comments as they come in.

What God May Ask You

2008-02-10T17:32:00.000-08:00

God won't ask what you're highest salary was, but He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

God won't ask how much overtime you worked, but He'll ask if your overtime work was for yourself or for your family.

God won't ask how many promotions you received, but He'll ask how you promoted others.

God won't ask what your job title was, but He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.

God won't ask the square footage of your house, but He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, but He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.

God won't ask about your social status; but He'll ask what kind of class you displayed.

God won't ask how many material possessions you acquired, but He'll ask if they dictated your life.

God won't ask what you did to help yourself, but He'll ask what you did to help others.

God won't ask how many friends you had, but He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

God won't ask what you did to protect your rights, but He'll ask what you did to protect the rights of others.

God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, but He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.

God won't ask about the color of your skin, but He'll ask about the content of your character.

God won't ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but He'll how many times they didn't.

God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation, but He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

Does anyone read the Constitution anymore?

2008-02-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

In the early 1800's Congress was considering a bill to appropriate tax dollars for the widow of a distinguished naval officer. Several beautiful speeches had been made in support of this bill. It seemed that everyone in the House favored it. The Speaker of the House was just about to put the question to a vote, when Davy Crockett, famous frontiersman and then Congressman from Tennessee, rose to his feet.

“Mr. Speaker, I have as much respect for the memory of the deceased and as much sympathy for the suffering of the living as any man in this House, but we must not permit our respect for the dead or our sympathy for a part of the living to lead us into an act of injustice to the balance of the living. I will not go into an argument to prove that Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. We have the right, as individuals to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity, but as members of Congress we have no right to so appropriate a dollar of the public money. Some eloquent appeals have been made to us upon the ground that it is a debt due the deceased. Sir, this is no debt. We cannot without the grossest corruption, appropriate this money as the payment of a debt. We have not the semblance of authority to appropriate it as a charity. I cannot vote for this bill, but I will give one week's pay, and if every member of Congress will do the same, it will amount to more than the bill asks.”

There was silence on the floor of the House as Crockett took his seat. When the bill was put to a vote, instead of passing unanimously as had been expected, it received only a few votes. The next day a friend approached Crockett and asked why he spoken against a bill for such a worthy cause. In reply, Crockett related the following story:

Just a few years before, he had voted to spend $20,000.00 of public money to help the victims of a terrible fire in Georgetown. When the legislative session was over, Crockett made a trip back home to do some campaigning for his re-election. In his travels he encountered one of his constituents, a man by the name of Horatio Bunce. Mr. Bunce bluntly informed Crockett, “I voted for you the last time. I shall not vote for you again.” Crockett, feeling he had served his constituents well, was stunned. He inquired as to what he had done to so offend Mr. Bunce. Bunce replied, “You gave a vote last winter which shows that either you have not capacity to understand the Constitution, or that you are wanting in the honesty and firmness to be guided by it. The Constitution, to be worth anything, must be held sacred, and rigidly observed in all its provisions.”

“I take the papers from Washington and read very carefully all the proceedings of Congress. My papers say that last winter you voted for a bill to appropriate $20,000.00 to some sufferers by a fire. Well, Colonel, where do you find in the Constitution any authority to give away public money in charity? No Colonel, Congress has no right to give charity. Individual members may give as much of their own money as they please, but they have no right to touch a dollar of the public money for that purpose.”

“The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitution, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution. You have violated the Constitution in what I consider to be a vital point. It is a precedent fraught with danger to the country, for when Congress once begins to stretch its power beyond the limits of the Constitution, there is no limit to it, and no security for the People.”

“I could not answer him,” said Crockett. “I was so fully convinced that he was right.” I said to him, “Well, my friend, you hit the nail upon the head when you said I had not sense enough to understand the Constitution. If you will forgive me and vote for me again, if I ever vote for another unconstitutional law, I wish I may be shot.”

After finishing the story, Crockett said, “Now sir, you know why I made that speech yesterday. There is one thing now to which I will call your attention. You remember that I proposed to give a weeks pay? There are in that House many very wealthy men, men who think nothing of spending a weeks pay, or a dozen of them, for a dinner or a wine party when they have something to accomplish by it. Some of these same men made beautiful speeches upon the debt of gratitude which the country owed the deceased, yet not one of them responded to my proposition. Money with them is nothing but trash when it is to come out of the people. But it is the one great thing for which most of them are striving, and many of them sacrifice honor, integrity, and justice to obtain it.”

Think on this the next time you hear politicians talk. Where in the Constitution does it grant Congress the power to give millions of dollars to build museums, fund the arts, or to fund social programs like midnight basketball for junkies? Nowhere - and those who vote for such things are ignorant of the Constitution and do not deserve to be drawing their salaries. Andwhen you hear politicians speak of making everyone do anything, such as making everyone buy health insurance, ask yourself, "Where in the Constitution is that power given?"

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents."
– President James Madison

"I cannot find any authority in the Constitution for public charity; [such spending] would be contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Constitution and subversive to the whole theory upon which the Union of these States is founded."
– President Franklin Pierce

"I feel obliged to withhold my approval of the plan to indulge in benevolent and charitable sentiment through the appropriation of public funds. I find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution."
– President Grover Cleveland

"To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, the guarantee to everyone the free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it."
– President Thomas Jefferson

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. A wise and frugal government…shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare but only those specifically enumerated [in the Constitution]. "
– Thomas Jefferson

"A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman thinks of the next generation."
– James Freeman Clarke

"If you think too much about being re-elected, it is very difficult to be worth re-electing."
– President Woodrow Wilson

"In America, anybody can be president. That's one of the risks you take."
– Adlai Stevenson

"Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary."
– Robert Louis Stevenson

Religion and Politics

2008-02-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

Well, the best man for the job of President of the United States bowed out of the race yesterday, "for the good of the party." He gave a speech upon withdrawing from the race that, had he given it weeks ago, may have excited conservatives across the nation to realize that he was the one they had been looking for. Oh well, politics is a dirty business, and no one knows it better than the presumptive nominee of the GOP, John McCain. Combined with his toady, Mike Huckabee, they raised the issue of a Mormon running for President like it was some kind of sinister thing. The message couldn't have been clearer: "We want Mormons to vote for Republicans, but they need to remember their place as second class citizens. We don't need any uppity Mormons thinking they are our equals." And whereas I heard when I was a child that "anyone can grow up to be President of the United States," the tacit message of the GOP was that that does not apply to Mormons. Well, I heard the message, loud and clear, and yesterday I contacted the County Recorder and changed my voter registration to "No Party Preference," in other words, Independent. It is a tiny gesture, but it is the only gesture I can make. As a wise man once said, democracy is the form of government in which everybody gets what the majority deserve. And with a McCain/Hillary/Obama presidency, the majority is going to get it, good and hard.