The Seven Lean Years

I'll put these thoughts up today, because no one knows what the  stock market is going to do tomorrow.  How are the markets going to react to the S&P downgrade of the U.S. credit rating?

Here are just some thoughts.  President Hinckley warned us about the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine three times in General Conference, in  1998, 2001, and 2005:

As a backdrop for what I wish to say, I read to you a few verses from the 41st chapter of Genesis.

Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, dreamed dreams which greatly troubled him. The wise men of his court could not give an interpretation. Joseph was then brought before him: “Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:

“And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:

“And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed. …

“And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: …...

Now, brethren, I want to make it very clear that I am not prophesying, that I am not predicting years of famine in the future. But I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order.

President Gordon B. Hinckley,  "To the Boys and to the Men", Ensign, Nov. 1998, 51

I cannot forget the great lesson of Pharaoh’s dream of the fat and lean kine and of the full and withered stalks of corn. Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Times in Which We Live", Ensign, Nov. 2001, 72–74

Let us never lose sight of the dream of Pharaoh concerning the fat cattle and the lean, the full ears of corn, and the blasted ears; the meaning of which was interpreted by Joseph to indicate years of plenty and years of scarcity ( see Genesis 41:1-36).

http://lds.org/ensign/2005/11/if-ye-are-prepared-ye-shall-not-fear?lang=eng 

“If Ye are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear”  Gordon B. Hinckley, Nov. 2005

I have always wanted to know whether any of those talk signalled the start of the years of plenty.  There are those who think the 1998 talk was the start, but that would mean 2005 was the start of the lean years, and I don’t think that is true.  I am of the opinion that the 1998 talk was just a warning.

I am in the camp of those who think that the 2001 talk was the start of the seven years of plenty.  If I am correct (and I’m nobody, so who cares what I think) then the lean years started in 2008.

In an article I read on Saturday, I discovered that 

"The problems started at the start of the credit crunch four years ago - the unofficial anniversary is this coming Thursday August 9, and it has never gone away despite billions of taxpayers money being channelled into repairing the damage."

Read more:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2023101/3-TRILLION-shares-wiped-WEEK-world-economy.html#ixzz1UGgxtpY6

So this author says that August 9, 2007 was the unofficial start of the big financial crisis.  Lets say he is correct, and whatever financial thing happened on Aug. 9, 2007 was actually the start of the lean years (and not the exact day seven years after Pres. Hinckley gave a talk.) (P.S. I found an article explaining what happened that day:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/aug/05/northernrock.banking)

IF we want to assume, for the sake of argument, that the lean years started sometime between 

A) the unnamed financial event of Aug. 9, 2007 and 

B) exactly seven years after Hinckley’s 2001 talk, which would be Nov. 2008, 

then in either case we have been in the lean years for either four years or 2.5 years already.

AND IF we want to believe all that, then that means we’ve got 3 to 4.5 years left to go (of the lean years.)

So lets review some current events to see if our conclusions seem likely.

How is the grain harvest holding up?  Have you seen the news about all the crop failures?  

How are the financial systems of the world holding up?  

Why don’t you read Genesis 47 and see what happens during the seven years of famine.

Gen. 47:15: "And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth."

I don’t know if my conclusions are correct.  I hope they aren’t.  But IF we are in the middle of the seven lean years, and IF our seven years is patterned after ancient Egypt’s seven years, then I think our money system is going to fail.  Not this week perhaps, but soon.

Have a nice day.

"The Day the Dollar Died" Youtube

So, Standard and Poor just downgraded the US credit rating.

No, I don't think the dollar just died.  But I do think the scenario in this fictional video could be in our future.  You can just watch it like a fiction movie if you want.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2N8gJSMoOJc#at=19

"Kilroy was Here" onesie

I sewed a lot for my first four boys, especially for Adam.  This was a little onesie I made for him, with an applique picture on the front.  The guy's nose hangs over the edge of the brown.  Someone told me that this guy is called Kilroy, but I could be wrong.

After 28 years the stains are set, but I'm still going to take a picture of Adam's first boy wearing it.

Pink Quilt

I was cleaning out closets the other day and came upon some things I had made years ago.

This is one of two quilts I made when I was pregnant with my first baby.  I made a Puppy quilt for a boy, and this pink quilt for a girl.
By the time I had Tara ten years later, this quilt really didn't get that much use.
It has a few stains on it, and I'm not that crazy about it anymore.  But I remember how proud I was of it when it was first made.

"The Doorbell", "Tough Love"

Here's a YouTube video about the government coming to someone's door:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqoGORXAv2o&feature=player_embedded



And here's a facetious article about an intervention that George Washington and the Founding Fathers do for the United States of America.

Aug. 2, 2011  "Tough Love"  by Bill Markin.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/08/tough_love.html

It's called an intervention, and its time has come.

Hey, Tom...Ben...Alex.  Been a long time since I've seen you guys.  Whatcha doing here?

I asked them to come, son.

Father?  You're here too? What's going on, anyway?

Sit down, son.  We need to talk.  

(Go to the link to read the rest of the article.)

"We're in the last days---You can quote me on that."- Ballard

Elder M. Russel Ballard said at BYU-Idaho on Jan. 30, 2010, as told in the Church News. 

"Excerpting entire passages of scripture from Matthew 24, 2 Nephi 28 and Mormon 8, Elder Ballard firmly established that ancient prophecies regarding the last days preceding the Savior's second coming aren't just being fulfilled but are coming to pass at an accelerated rate.

"I'm telling you what the Savior said would be the signs of the acceleration towards that day when He shall come," he said. "We could stay here for a couple of hours talking about all of the prophecies of what will occur in the last days. We're in the last days---you can quote me on that. And it is moving more rapidly."

Conditions that Elder Ballard specifically cited as fulfillment of prophecy and signs of the times include "pornography and how real affection and how true and real love are being disturbed by Satan and his minions." (see Matthew 24:12); "an acceleration of the gospel going to all nations" (see Matthew 24:14); and how "Mother Nature is letting its power be seen throughout the world at a more accelerated pace" (see Mormon 8:30-31).

(as quoted in the Church News, Week Ending Feb. 13, 2010, p. 3)


(Some of this was also quoted in the August 2011 Ensign by Elder Allan F. Packer, in his talk entitled, "Solidly Anchored in Our Testimonies")

Regrets about Family Home Evening

We had a fifth Sunday lesson today, about parents' responsibility to teach their children the gospel in the home.  The teacher asked the class members to comment on how they had applied the principles of family prayer, family scripture study, family home evening, etc. in their family.

I listened to the comments and felt a lot of regret that we hadn't done as well as we should have with Family Home Evenings.  One thing I especially regret was that we didn't get into a habit of having each child give the lessons.  So to all my children, I am sorry we didn't give you the opportunities you should have had to give lessons to your siblings and parents in our home.

I guess the reason I am saying this on this blog is because maybe you young parents will realize, while your children are little, that no matter how hard something is, it is easier to start it early.  Yes, a five-year-old will complain, but a ten-year-old will complain more.  If you start out giving them little parts of the FHE lesson to do at an early age, and continue it throughout their lives, they will be accustomed to it and know that "this is the way we do it in our family."

I feel the same regrets over my children's table manners.  If only I would have concentrated on those consistently throughout the years!

Alas, I can't go back in time.  So learn from my mistakes, and pick the things you want to teach your children, and make sure you take the time to do it, before it is too late.



And here is Peter Schiff talking about the debt ceiling:

"This is not the crisis, the crisis is coming".  14 minutes long.
http://peterschiffchannel.blogspot.com/2011_07_30_archive.html

Random Quotes

She knew how to please a man but most days she chose not to.

It is better to have loved and lost than to live with that psycho for the rest of your life.

I understand the concepts of cooking and cleaning, just not how they apply to me.

Those who make the worst use of their time are the first to complain of its shortness.  Jean de La Bruysre

The formula for a happy marriage?  It's the same as the one for living in California:  When you find a fault, don't dwell on it.

Jay Trachman.

A happy marriage is the union of two forgivers.  Ruth Bell Graham

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.  Mignon McLaughlin

DirecTV really wants our business

I was going to cancel our satellite TV after General Conference, but Wayne wanted to watch American Idol.  Then he wanted to watch America's Got Talent.

I called about a month ago to cancel, and the guy talked me into just going with a cheaper package.  That lowered our $74 per month to $35 per month.  BUT it took away all the channels we really liked, so it was a stupid decision.

For a month I only had 2 channels I liked.  Last Friday I called to cancel again, the guy said he would put me back on the more expensive package, and give me a credit of $180, which would effectively lower my monthly bill for a year down to around $40 per month, even though I would be getting the $74 package.

For 4 days we did that, then we said, "Enough".  I called back to REALLY cancel, and cancelled.

Four hours later, DirecTV called back, and talked to Wayne.

He got off the phone, and said they really wanted us to stay with them, so they gave us $250 credit, which is free DirecTV for four months.  So now we have FREE satellite until November 26.

Brittany's Prayer

Told by Randal A. Wright:

"A few years ago I attended a fast and testimony meeting where Tammy bore her testimony about the importance of family prayer.  She had grown up in a less active family and married outside the church.  Later she became activated and her husband ultimately joined the church. She was sealed to her husband and children eight days before bearing this inspiring testimony.  In closing, she shared an experience from their family home evening the week they were sealed.

Their topic that week was temples and the eternal nature of families who were sealed together and remain faithful.  Their five-year-old daughter Brittany had several questions about the temple and being a forever family.  At the close of the evening, Brittany was asked to offer the closing prayer.  Her mother recounted that Brittany bowed her head and asked, "Heavenly Father, is it true?  Can we really be a family forever?"

After she had said those words, the room became totally silent.  After a very long pause, her parents wondered if she had gone to sleep.  Peeking at her, they saw she still had her head bowed and seemed to be thinking of what to say next. , so they remained silent and patiently waited.  Several minutes passed, and still Brittany said nothing.  

Finally, she opened her eyes, looked up at her parents, and said, "It's true. We really can be a family forever.  Heavenly Father talked to me and told me we could." 

I'll never forget the warm feeling that came over me when I contemplated the eternal truth that families really can be together forever and the power that comes to a family when they pray together.  This family learned firsthand that Heavenly Father really does answer prayers of faith for those willing to wait patiently for the answer."

25 Mistakes LDS Parents Make and How to Avoid Them, by Randal A. Wright, p. 233.

Too much regulation

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/right-out-of-atlas-shrugged-hear-an-exasperated-alabama-businessman-tell-the-feds-im-just-quitting/

I felt sad and angry listening to this businessman, who owns two coal mines in Alabama.  It reminds me of all the times in my life I would hear my dad (who owns a rock crushing company and lists "miner" as his occupation on his tax returns) complain about the excessive regulations the EPA has put on his business.  The stupidest knit-picky things, like exactly how far the water source has to be from the quarry.  There didn't seem to be a single person with common sense employed by that agency, just a lot of busybodies.

Here is what the coal mine owner, Ronnie Bryant, said at the Birmingham, Alabama public hearing:

“Nearly every day without fail…men stream to these [mining] operations looking for work in Walker County. They can’t pay their mortgage. They can’t pay their car note. They can’t feed their families. They don’t have health insurance. And as I stand here today, I just…you know…what’s the use? I got a permit to open up an underground coal mine that would employ probably 125 people. They’d be paid wages from $50,000 to $150,000 a year. We would consume probably $50 million to $60 million in consumables a year, putting more men to work. And my only idea today is to go home. What’s the use? I see these guys—I see them with tears in their eyes—looking for work. And if there’s so much opposition to these guys making a living, I feel like there’s no need in me putting out the effort to provide work for them. So…basically what I’ve decided is not to open the mine. I’m just quitting. Thank you.”

The Blaze contacted Bryant, and he remains as resolute as he was at last week’s public hearing. To him, it’s just not worth the time, money, and regulatory hassle to open up a new mine—even one located in a remote area with less environmental impact."

And just for kicks, you can read this 
http://newsflavor.com/politics/us-politics/white-house-insider-democrats-:disgust:ed-over-obama-incompetence-on-debt-ceiling-debate-2/
This White House insider claims that the story of Obama walking out on the Republicans is a complete fabrication, he says Obama walked out on the Democrats.  Just passing it along.

Rag Quilt for Tessa

 I have always wanted to try making a "rag quilt" or "shaggy quilt".  They are made by putting the seam allowances on the outside, and then clipping the seam allowances about every 1/2", and then washing them to cause them to fray.

I bought these special scissors, which were delightful to use!  They open themselves with a spring motion after every clip, like garden clippers.  It was easy as pie to clip all the seams.

I basically made a large square yellow center and put 6" squares around it for a border.  Everything was two layers, one layer of yellow flannel and one layer of yellow print quilting cotton.  There is no batting inside.

 Here are the seam allowances after clipping.

Here are the seam allowances after I washed the quilt and it was all frayed.  I like it.

What I'm doing this week

Zac came back from the Hill Cumorah Pageant work crew on Friday, got to hold Hannah for the first time, and then attended the rest of Youth Conference Friday and Saturday .  (Zac has such a dark tan from working outside for a month.

I have been in charge, for last several weeks, of getting all the housing and transportation for our ward's kids for Youth Conference. It took me a long time, organizing, phoning, and emailing to get it all arranged.  And hurray, it is over!  All the drivers remembered to drive.  There were 8 one-way trips transporting a total of 30 kids each time, from 4 host families, so there were about 5 vehicles for each trip.

This week I want to can some beef, if the price is okay.  The price of beef should be lower pretty soon, because of all the cattle ranches selling off all their cattle because of the drought.  But beware, because after that, the price of beef will go sky high.  To read more, go to my other blog, http://gottawannaneedagettaprepared.blogspot.com/

Now its time to start worrying about Bryce's and Marianne's wedding and open house.  Their  open house will be here in town, a week before their wedding.  So I am not stressing out about it quite as much as if it was a real reception, I am trying to think about it more as a party.




Speaking of parties:

"The Tea Party:  Right About Everything"

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/07/the_tea_party_right_about_everything.html


The false narrative is that the Tea Party is a bunch of stubborn nuts, if not outright racists. In truth, the Tea Party has been right about everything

Korihor's Argument

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency

"Korihor was arguing (in Alma 30:20-23), as men and women have falsely argued from the beginning of time, that to take counsel from the servants of God is to surrender God-given rights of independence.  But the argument is false because it misrepresents reality. When we reject the counsel which comes from God, we do not choose to be independent of outside influence.  We choose another influence.  We reject the protection of a perfectly loving, all-powerful, all-knowing Father in Heaven, whose whole purpose, as that of His Beloved Son, is to give us eternal life, to give us all that He has, and to bring us home again in families to the arms of His love.  In rejecting His counsel, we choose the influence of another power, whose purpose is to make us miserable and whose motive is hatred.  We have moral agency as a gift of God.  Rather than the right to choose to be free of influence, it is the inalienable right to submit ourselves to whichever of those powers we choose.

Another fallacy is to believe that the choice to accept or not accept the counsel of prophets is no more than deciding whether to accept good advice and gain its benefits or to stay where we are.  But the choice not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand.  It becomes more dangerous.  The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our power to take inspired counsel in the future.  The best time to have decided to help Noah build the ark was the first time he asked.  Each time he asked after that, each failure to respond would have lessened sensitivity to the Spirit.  And so each time his request would have seemed more foolish, until the rain came.  And then it was too late."

(Conference Report, April 1997, 33; or Ensign, May 1997, 25.)

What's Up with the Department of Justice's website?

I think an organization's website reflects the organization's ideals and goals.  For instance, if I went to LDS.org and found out they had pulled all the pictures of Christ and replaced them with, say, political leaders or clothing ads, I would be confused and upset.  I expect my church's website to display the ideals of my church.

I think there are some things going on in the Justice Department, and as reflected on their website, I think the changes are not good.

I got the following email, so I went to the Department of Justice's website and saw it for myself.

(The above are my comments.  Below is the forwarded email I received.)

http://www.justice.gov/

Well, how interesting   It seems the U.S. Department of Justice has changed its web site.Gone are the colorful red, white, and blue U.S. Flag decorations on the page,

Replaced by stark black and white. 



And at the top of the page, is a rather interesting quote:"The common law is the will of Mankind, issuing from the Life of the People."

Catchy, huh?  Just one tiny little (too small to be relevant obviously) point --the quote is from C. Wilfred Jenks, who in the 1930's was a leading proponent of the "international law" movement, which had as its goal to impose a global common law and which backed 'global workers' rights.'

How very interesting that 'they' couldn't find a nice quote from one of our Founders 

19th century underwear

I was a Clothing and Textiles major at BYU, and I really enjoyed my Clothing History class.  I have always liked learning about all sorts of historical clothing.  Here is a 2 minute video showing all the pieces that go under a big hoop skirt.

http://online.wsj.com/video/under-that-bodice-ripper-19th-century-lingerie/6F59DD35-7D10-4BF4-938D-083EDD201ABD.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_mpvidcar_1

IMHO Persecution will start because of our stance on homosexuality

I have been in conversations with other LDS people who share my opinion that the next great persecution of Mormons will be over our belief that homosexuality is a sin.

Here is an article pointing out that persecution of Michele Bachmann is already starting because of her church's counseling program.

"Liberals Launch Christian Witch Hunts",  July 21, 2011, by Peter Heck
http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/07/liberals_launch_christian_witch_trials.html

"ABC's investigation implies that there is something scandalous about a Christian clinic that seeks to use prayer and Biblical teaching to turn a person away from what the Bible calls sin.  Um...is ABC seriously unaware that this is what Christians do?  The real scandal would be if a supposed Christian clinic like Bachmann's didn't offer this kind of hope for those with unwanted same-sex attraction."

Rachel's birthday

Dear Rachel, I know you are recovering from a C-section, but I hope you can still have a happy birthday.  We are so thankful for you!

I got polled, and here are the results

A pollster phoned me a few days ago, and asked all sorts of questions.  Then I saw this article on the internet today, and recognized that it was the same poll.

I'm so glad my voice was heard.

http://www.nccivitas.org/2011/civitas-poll-obama-sees-14-point-drop-in-job-approval-rating/

Civitas Poll: Obama Sees 14 Point Drop in Job Approval Rating

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Katie Trout in Press Releases

Raleigh, N.C. – Since May, President Barack Obama has experienced a 14 point shift to the negative in his job approval rating among North Carolina voters, according to a new poll released by the Civitas Institute.  The poll also revealed that voters continue to hold an unfavorable opinion of Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue.

Today 3:00 to 4:00 pm Presidential Debate

Dear Reader,

 

The historic, first Tea Party Presidential Debate is going to be held from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Thaddeus McCotter, and Gary Johnson have accepted our invitation and will be there to answer your questions. Rusty Humphries and S.E. Cupp will be covering this historic debate live on Twitter and national radio in front of over 2.5 million Americans.  This groundbreaking debate has been put together by TheTeaParty.net and can be viewed live at www.140townhall.com

This is your opportunity to watch history in the making as TheTeaParty.net strikes yet another blow to the liberal media by taking control of the presidential vetting process.  This debate platform WILL SURPRISE YOU as it will provide a forum where the candidates will answer the same question at the same time and a discussion will ensue.  This may signal the end of the glorified joint press conferences that masquerade as real debate.  It is important that conservatives turn out in large numbers to this debate!  Please help us strike a blow against the liberal media establishment by viewing this cutting-edge debate at 3pm ET!

TheTeaParty.net is proud to offer this Presidential Debate free-of-charge to all Americans.  Our team has worked tirelessly to build an incredible infrastructure that educates and empowers conservative groups, activists and volunteers. Tools that can be found at TheTeaParty.net include an interactive map to help you locate a local Tea Party organization, the Tea Party Cyber Tour that gives you exclusive access to conservative leaders, and software that makes it quick and easy to contact your elected representatives in Washington, D.C.!  After you watch the debate, make sure to visit TheTeaParty.net.

Finally, the battle over the debt ceiling is reaching its apex.  Congress needs to hear from you!  In just minutes, you can let your specific members of Congress know how you feel on this critical issue by signing our debt ceiling petition.

Thank you,

Todd Cefaratti
Freedom Organizer

Laughing during a hymn

It hasn't been very many weeks that Wayne and I have been going to church together again.  He was in the bishopric for 3 years, so I never got to sit with him or hear him sing.  Before that, he was in the high council, and was always attending other wards, so I sat with him about 9 times a year.

It has been interesting to sing the hymns next to him.  He sings harmony so beautifully!  During the intermediate hymn on Sunday, every time he hit the deep bass notes I smiled, and the more I smiled the more I needed to tell him why.

So I whispered to him, "You sing pretty!"  and then every time he hit a low note he would smile and I would smile and soon it deteriorated into some very suppressed giggling, and neither one of us could sing at all, because he was so self conscious.  We could hardly get through to the end of the song.  I bet the people on the stand were wondering why we were being so irreverent.

I worried about doing the same thing during the closing hymn, but it was "Faith of our Fathers", and all I could think of was Bing Crosby singing it on our Christmas album.  So we controlled ourselves during that one.

More photos of Hannah

Tara with her newest niece.

The proud grandparents.

Photos of Hannah

 She looks just like Isaac's baby picture here.

We love this little girl!