Un-Inspired

I’ve long identified myself as a Conservative, but it was not until 2008 that I really solidified by political beliefs and the reasons behind those beliefs. I’ve long loved history but it was not until 2008 that I began to understand how very relevant history is to what is happening today. 2008 is the year I finally was inspired to figure it out. The Presidential election fascinated me, beginning with both the Democratic and Republican primaries. In fact I’d say the Democratic primary was the more interesting for me. I loved the back and forth between the Clinton and Obama camps. Obama in particular was intriguing, I loved the idea that our country might elect our first African-American president. It was so historical! He was also a great orator to boot. I watched debates and stump speeches and tried to weigh their statements with what I believe. I decided that I needed to go deeper into what I believe and also what the candidates believe. When I made the effort to do research I realized how very much I disagreed with then Senator Obama. I can understand why so many just think he is the bees knees. Its easier just to take what the media says and what the candidate says and just believe it. I'm grateful I woke up. When I really started to nail down what I myself believed I began to look for candidates who believed the same as I did. I looked for evidence of belief not just in words but also in actions. I became curious as to who the possible vice presidential candidates might be. I found Governor Sarah Palin and began researching anything I could find out about her. She was in line with my beliefs. I was impressed that she lived what she preached. I was impressed that she took on the Republican problems before she took on the Democrats in her state. I still admire the Governor. The 2008 election started a whole new educational process for me. I decided I wanted to learn how our country got into our current economical and moral mess. Its been a great couple of 4 years, and I really have learned a lot. It took effort, but it has been more than worth it. I knew this election cycle would be less interesting, we already knew who the Democratic candidate would be. But, 2012 has been just plain old uninspiring. I watched debates, but found they were all talking circles around each other and around issues that, although the media tried to tell us otherwise, just aren't pertinent to really putting this country back on the right track. I certainly think President Obama must not be re-elected. But, I'd hoped we would be able to be inspired. It is going to be a very long difficult haul to correct what our progressive minded government has been doing to us for so long. I wanted to start the correction off with some bold truth telling. Maybe we still can. In the meantime keep learning, sharing and standing up.

Bond

I think one of my all time favorite guests that Glenn Beck has on his program is Rabbi Daniel Lapin. When Glenn was still on Fox the Rabbi and he had an amazing discussion about the Tower of Babel. Recently they had another amazing discussion about the worship of Ba’al. You can check it out here. Rabbi Lapin is such a wise and gentle soul and has such a great understanding of reality and truth. From what I understood the worship of Ba’al basically comes down to choosing the baser tendencies we have and denying ourselves of our higher divine natures. One example cited was the increasingly more deprave spiral of pornography. Our society is pretty messed up when you consider that pornography is protected against censorship but religion is considered offensive. Rabbi Lapin also discussed that one of the signs of choosing Ba’al is the inappropriate elimination of excrement. They discussed several historical examples and then recent examples such as the Occupy Wall Street people urinating in public places and pooping on police cars and such. Its pretty vile and yet its important to acknowledge that it is indeed happening. Listening to Rabbi Lapin talk I had one of those lightbulb over the head moments. Most of the children that I work with who have attachment/bonding issues have had major problems with excrement and urination. It’s one of the more unpleasant parts of trying to parent these kids. More recently I read the story discussing the way Greeks live now including how it is not uncommon to find people discreetly going through the garbage looking for food. This too was a familiar story for me. I’ve worked with kids who in survival mode would have to eat out of the garbage and even drink out of the toilet because of severe neglect from their untrustworthy parents. It dawns on me that one of the main issues in the debasement of our society in this country is indeed the lack of familial bonds.

When there is a lack of familial bond that makes it nearly impossible to have appropriate bonds with others outside of the family. These kids I work with have attachment issues because the bonds they initially formed were broken usually by someone they trusted. They then go into survival mode because forming another bond becomes a threat (because of the pain they’ve already experienced). My work is all about helping families bond. There are several key principles that help kids bond with their parents. The more I’ve learned about these principles and their effectiveness the more I’ve realized that the same principles apply in our ability to bond with God. So, here is a little bit of a rundown of what we work with to help parents and kids bond, and also how it relates to our relationship with God.

As a therapist I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of families that are struggling with issues of attachment/bond. Relationship is key to leading a happy, healthy life. We need one another. The bonds that should be most dear to us are in our families. The relationship I’ve been working most with, and learning about is between parent and child. The more I’ve learned about it the more I’ve realized that the principles that increase bond in a family relationship also works to strengthen our bond with God.

Coming in to mortality necessitated a separation from Our Heavenly Father. This was important in order for us to be tested and to grow. As God knew we needed a separation He also knew, and prepared for it, that we would need a way back to Him. The way back is called The Atonement of Jesus Christ. Our Savior made it possible to be, as the word implies, at one again with God. Our most important relationship is with God. It is essential to take the necessary steps to come unto Christ so that we can return to His presence.

An important concept and principle is that trust comes before love. Think of that parent child relationship. An infant has to implicitly trust in their parents to see to every need. If that doesn’t happen that can create problems for the rest of that individuals life if those trust issues are not resolved. Fortunately we know that God is everlastingly and in all situations trustworthy. He knows our needs and we are well in His hands, as long as we trust Him. When we learn then we learn to love. Think of those moments when an infant makes eye contact and connects with their parents and when they first genuinely smile. That’s bond, that’s love but they first had to know they could trust you to meet their needs.

So, how do we build trust between parent and child, and of course with God? Obedience is necessary in doing so. Children who learn to obey their parents, learn to trust that their parents make good decisions for them. We must learn to obey God, and as we do we find that He does indeed know our needs and will lead us to growth and happiness. Obedience to His commandments lead us to true happiness and freedom.

Consider another important aspect, what the Atonement makes possible for us. If we do it in the name of Jesus Christ, that means He made it possible. We know communication is essential to relationship. How sacred is prayer. God has blessed us with the opportunity to connect with Him. We pray to Him in the name of Jesus Christ. It is humbling to know we can communicate with Our Heavenly Father.

Once we demonstrate trust through obedience, we can fully commit to trust by making and keeping promises. A child shows their love to a parent by being trustworthy themselves by following through with the commitments they have made. Consider then the importance of our promises, covenants, with God and with each other. A baptismal covenant for instance is incredibly important, and bonds us with God. In my faith our baptism is followed by receiving the Gift of The Holy Ghost. We are promised the constant companionship of The Spirit as we live worthily. Keeping that promise increases our connection with God.

The crowning covenant in life we make is in marriage. In that we promise not only to God, but to another person to be faithful and trustworthy. How magnificent that is, that relationship with God and then with our spouse and the children born within that covenant are made eternal and lasting. It is again made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

There are many more ways to look at this topic but I’ll limit it to one more, the attachment and bonding that can come from pain and healing. An experience I’ve reflected on often is with my nephew Austin. He spent most of the first month of his life in the hospital. It was a scary time for our family, his parents especially. Austin, who was obviously in discomfort and pain, had his own hospital room complete with hospital bed. His parents, and then grandparents and aunts (including me) and uncles all took turns climbing onto the bed and holding that little guy. There was very little time in which someone wasn’t holding him. That was nearly 2 years ago. Austin is healthy and doing just fine. He also loves to be held. He has a strong connection with any of us that were there for him. He doesn’t remember the pain, but he does remember the bond.

So often we hear from the leftists view that we must avoid pain. The reality is that pain is a part of life. But, pain can actually serve to bring us together, it can be a catalyst for bond. We find healing in our connection. There’s a reason we hug someone who is in pain, physical and/or emotional, connecting with them helps to heal.

This is also true in our relationship with God. The Savior Jesus Christ is the Master Healer. The healing power of His Atonement is real. I have felt that in my own life. I’ve experienced being in His hands, and I’ve experienced being in His arms. I don’t remember or dwell upon the pain, but I will forever remember the bond I have with Him.

Bond with The Savior in turn bonds us to Our Heavenly Father. He has given us the gift to be in families, it is so important to bond with them. The only thing I can imagine that would be better than one day being in the presence of my Savior is being in His presence with the people that I love.

Of all the things that need to change in our country and society increasing the strength of the bonds we should hold dear and strive to build and maintain should be one of the primary steps. Seek to love those around you especially your family. Seek God and His commandments. Seek to make and keep sacred covenants. Seek to share this message with others. We need each other and the more we realize that and truly seek it the closer to healing, and the bond that comes with it, we can come.

Bethlehem, Gethsemane, Calvary

With fellow believers I celebrate this Christmas season with joy and gratitude. What a significant time this is. It is wonderful to be able to have this time to gather with family and acknowledge the importance of the birth of The Savior of the World.

As I’ve thought about His birth I’ve pondered about how important it was that Christ demonstrated His willingness to Atone for us. Each Sunday members of my Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, partake of The Sacrament bread and water in remembrance of His sacrifice and Atonement. There is a specific prayer offered for this ordinance, here is the prayer for the bread:

O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember Him, and keep His commandments which He has given them, that they may always have His Spirit to be with them. Amen.

One of the important aspects of the bread is that by partaking of it we are demonstrating our willingness. The bread represents His body. He took upon Himself a body in order to Atone for us, it was His demonstration of willingness. How utterly significant it is that the place where He was born, take upon Himself a body, is called Bethlehem which means “house of bread.” There are no coincidences in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here is the prayer that is said on the water.

O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God the Eternal Father that they do always remember Him, that they may have His Spirit to be with them. Amen.

There is an important difference in these two prayers. In partaking of the bread we demonstrate our willingness. In partaking of the water we demonstrate that we do. Just as Christ actually did perform the Atonement as He shed His blood in taking upon Him our sins and sufferings in Gethsemane and on Calvary.

Christmas is all about celebrating the life of Our Savior and His willingness to take upon Him the glorious mission of The Atonement. In celebrating this we acknowledge with humble gratitude that He fulfilled His mission. Jesus Christ is the light and life of the world. He lives, I know it. Merry Christmas.

Light Rules

I once heard a story about a young man who was fascinated by light. He equipped his pick-up with several varieties of headlights. At one point he was thrilled to obtain an airplane landing light. He was able to affix it on his car. He took a friend of mine up into the mountains and demonstrated its brightness by turning it on into rather dense foliage. All became visible, including some very shocked deer looking bewildered at the intensity of the light. The young man was one night driving in the mountains and happened to be come upon another car. At the time he had just his regular headlights on. The other driver coming his way flashed his brights signaling that the young man’s lights were too bright. The young man in turn flashed his light indicating that his headlights were at their normal setting (of course I imagine they were a little on the bright side given his fascination). The two drivers exchanged several more brightening signals until the young man finally became frustrated and went ahead and turned on his airplane landing light. Needless to say the other driver stopped in his tracks and from then on discontinued his brightening. Now, I think the story is funny, though I don’t know how happy I’d be if I was the other driver, it was a rather “in your face” moment. But, I was recently thinking about this story in working with my clients.

Many of the kids I work with have come from some heinous situations and have had to deal with dark evil. The best remedy for this is to shine an intensely bright light, to have an “in your face” moment with evil. So, we talk about truth, we face it in all of its ugliness and beauty. There is no hiding when you shine a light that bright.

I’ve also been thinking about light in terms of Christmas. I love the fact that a bright star was one of the signs of Christ’s birth. He brought light into a dark world. I marvel at the feeble attempts of society to try and dim His light. Congress has attempted to ban members from wishing their constituents a Merry Christmas. Some historians have attempted to change the term B.C. (Before Christ) to B.C.E. (Before Common Era). All across the country attempts are being made to stamp Christ out of Christmas from vandalizing to outlawing nativity scenes. Try as they might their attempts will fail. You simply cannot shut off that bright of a light. People will continue to celebrate Christmas, and will do so with the true spirit of Christ. Even if they try to change it to the Common Era, they will never be able to hide the fact that the Common Era started with the birth of Christ.

His light will not be darkened. We just need to have eyes to see the truth. The sun rules the day, the moon and stars rule the night. No matter how dark it is the light always rules.

Merry Christmas and may we all continue to follow His light in wisdom, faith, hope and love.

The Secrets We Keep

2 Chronicles 7:14
King James Version (KJV)
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

So, I work with a lot of kids these days in my profession. Its great and fun and very rewarding. But, it also requires a willingness to be able to go through some difficult sessions hearing about difficult things and sometimes facing some defensiveness. Healing so often requires overcoming barriers. One of the barriers that comes up a lot, especially lately with my treatment of children is secrets. Too often secrets are a result of shame and a desire to hide. These types of secrets have a strong tendency to keep children (and let face it adults too) stuck in old and hurtful patterns. Once a client begins to develop a sense of trust it is important to begin to address the secrets they have been keeping that are barriers to healing. There are five common areas in which kids keep secrets that keep them stuck and hurt.

1) Lies they’ve told
2) Things they’ve stolen
3) Things they’ve broken
4) People or animals they’ve hurt
5) Sex things

As you can imagine talking about these five areas can become a bit uncomfortable, especially when shame is involved in keeping the secrets in the first place. But, when these beautiful brave kids begin to open up about their secrets you can start to see a change in their very countenances. Releasing the secrets takes down barriers not just to their pain but also to their hearts. They can begin to really accept the love from others. It’s a difficult but wonderful process and I’m so proud of these kids when they are able to go through it.

The more I’ve thought about this process the more I’ve realized its appropriate for all of us to really address. Of course with my mind the way it works I also see a connection when it comes to our government. I think that in order for there to be real and honest change in our current government they are going to have to reveal all truth, all the things they’ve been trying to hide. Without that, no true healing can take place and we will just continue to see a vicious downward spiral no matter which party is in office.

1) Is there any doubt that our government has told lies. So common are lies that the media barely addresses it anymore. There is simply a wave of the hand dismissing the fibs politicians tell, because that is just what politicians do. There are lies, then there are lies told to cover up the other lies until there is a virtual mountain of lies. Its not just the current congress or current administration, this has been going on for a long time. Is it any wonder that the public has a hard time trusting its government.
2) Stealing is basically taking ownership of something that does not in fact belong to you. I understand the necessity of taxes. We do need to have some order, so we need to have a government and it needs a way to operate. But, when the government instituted the income tax it began to take away something that belongs to us, our property, our income. When the income tax was first introduced the politicians promised it would only be a tax on the wealthiest Americans. Wait you mean they lied?! Shocker. Our government has become addicted in a way to taking our money and using it for all sorts of stuff, that honestly is just unnecessary. They’ve tried to convince us that we need their services. The reality is they are using our money to give us things less effectively than we could get ourselves. They’ve made themselves a necessary middleman. The misuse of our funds needs to have a huge spotlight shone on it. They take from us and then try to convince us its for our own good. That’s enough. Our government needs to learn that they cannot just take without consequence.
3) There is simply no way to adequately address any of these areas when it comes to our government. What have they broken? Well, plenty. Breaking all sorts of laws, and the prescribed measures of the Constitution. They’ve also broken things they’ve said they built for us, Social Security, Medicare etc. Probably the biggest thing they’ve broken is trust. Once that is gone, its very hard to get back. Coming clean with all the things they’ve broken is a start.
4) People they’ve hurt. Again there is probably not a list adequate enough to cover this. The government has made itself out to be some granter of mercy. The reality is that is not their job, and they are harming the merciful processes that belong to the people. They create a problem, and then they’re cure just makes it worse.
5) Sex things. For those who say that character doesn’t matter and that morals are only relative I say bunk. Sexual addictions reveal all sorts of sickness. Morals and character does matter. We are so used to seeing unfaithful politicians that it sometimes barely makes news at all. Being unfaithful to marriage and morals, a commitment which should be second only to our commitment to God, speaks volumes about the ability to stay faithful to other things.

Our country needs a healing, a miraculous one. The only way true healing can take place is if all the secrets our government officials have been keeping are revealed. We need a big ol bright spotlight to shine on all the darkness. That is how we turn from the wicked ways, seek His face and receive that blessing. We must reveal, repent and pray. I have seen miracles. I testify that God can heal our land as He has healed so many things. But, we have to put ourselves in the position to receive that great blessing.

Thoughts on Governor Palin Not Running

In the end when we are all called before God Our Creator and asked to make an accounting of our lives, He will not ask what positions we held or how much money we made or how many people we influenced. He will ask how we treated the most important people in our lives, our family. Did we put them above other concerns? He will ask what we did with the gifts He gave. Life, Liberty, Responsibility, what did we do with those, and did we defend them not only for ourselves but for our family and those who follow? And He will ask about our hearts. What became of our hearts? Were they turned to Him? Were we filled with compassion and mercy and gratitude? This is the final accounting. There is no possible way for me to know what is truly in Governor Palin’s heart and all the things she has done with her life. But, by their fruits we can know some things. She has a servant’s heart. That service has always centered on her family, then to her community, then of course also to her country. She loves God, her family and her country in that order. I feel the same way. I am disappointed, but I also feel like I understand, not completely but I understand that she is following God’s guidance. I’ve said all along that she has my support whether she runs for president, senate, or straight for the hills to just spend time with her family because I trust that she is guided. If all she does is continue to be a great mom then her life will be a resounding success story. Of course she’ll do more than that and I look forward to standing by her side in standing up for God, family and this blessed country.


Sarah Emily Jordan

Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness: In That Order

Why does the liberal left, who wants more government, more laws and less choice value abortion so much? It seems to be the only "choice" that so many on the left are willing to defend. I know I'm not the only one to ask that question and notice the odd discrepancy. But, I've thought about it more this past little while, especially in light of our Vice Presidents despicable comments supporting China's one child policy and the more recent despicable lawsuit won by the couple who sued their OBGYN for not informing them of their child's missing limbs. They claim they would have aborted him had they known. What a disgusting message to send to that poor child. Anyway its been on my mind. Thinking about it recently the ideas of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (formally property in the original draft) popped into my head. I realized it wasn't just those rights that were significant but its also the order they were placed in that is significant.

Life is first. I'd been thinking about that original question in terms of liberty (why liberals value abortion). But, the reality is that leftism first does not value life. Thus leftism only respects the choice to end life, not just in terms of abortion but also in terms of euthanasia. Its important to note also that leftism tends towards eugenics as well. The leftist ideologies end up in sacrificing some life for the false ideal of the greater good.

The Founders were very deliberate when it came to crafting the founding documents. They were not just deliberate in including life, liberty and property/the pursuit of happiness, they were deliberate in the order.

The most basic fundamental God given right is life. If you do not respect life, than you have little respect for the next one, the power to direct that life. Without respect for the first two foundational principles than the third, the power of ownership/responsibility for what we do with our lives is likewise given little respect.

It goes more basic than those three principles. The leftist mindset also discounts individuality. I believe there is a power in unity, but that power can only be properly accessed when individuals make the decision to be unified. Its funny to me to watch governments attempt to artificially promote unity after they've witnessed the power of the real thing. For instance Argentina started the Falklands War hoping for the nation to rally in unity after witnessing the actual unity generated with their hosting of and winning the World Cup in 1978. Or here in the United States look at the government pushing idea of making 9/11 a service day. I don't disagree with that idea necessarily, but I do recognize that it is borne out of a desire to manufacture the unity we felt by choice that day.

It goes more basic than individuality still. Life, liberty, property/pursuit of happiness and the individuality with which we all experience these things are gifts from God. We don't have rights because we are superior beings or from any man made gift, we have them because we are children of a loving God who wants us to grow.

We understand that the great and marvelous day when swords will be made into plowshares and peace will reign, will be that day because the people will choose it, they'll choose God and to return to Him. Until that day we must protect the ability to eventually make that choice. That means we allow life to continue, allow for the right to choose to continue to allow for the consequence of our choices to be followed through be they good or bad, easy or difficult.

We stand at the dire moments and say as has been said in past generations, dispensations and times. We will live the gift we've been given and protect that gift for others even if that means giving up our own. I will gladly sacrifice other pursuits, in the pursuit of my children's right to pursue their own happiness. I will use my liberty to choose to protect others' liberty. I will use my life to stand testifying of my God and of His merciful gifts. I will stand shoulder to shoulder choosing to unite with others who will do the same.