Memorial Day Weekend

New realizations:

Friday night was girls night. We had a scavenger video hunt. It was fun, but it also made me FINALLY realize that I really am not 17 anymore in more ways than one!


Sat Night- Date night with the hubby. Made me realize how much I love riding on his motorcycle with him! Later that night while my sister was opening her wedding gifts, it made me realize two things. First, how fast my siblings are growing up and second, that while us sibling used to be the loud ones,the grand kids are taking our places. Trent had guys night, it made me realize how we take things for granted, and having him here for instance then gone shows me how much I took it for granted having a husband home or alive.


Sunday- The R.S/Priesthood lesson was good, but made me realize how people view the bible is a lot different than what I think. Some people don't think it's a big deal to read it, not for our day, or etc. I on the other hand think it's like the first chapter of a book, the book of Mormon is the next chapter. Without the book of mormon we wouldn't hae known what happened to Christ during his death and Resurrection, the America's and those who received the truth to them much, but als without the bible we wouldn't have known what he taught to his people in Jerusalem They go hand in hand with each other. The more you learn about the traditions of the Jews, the easier it is to understand the Book of Mormon and visa versa. Someone said that it takes two witness's to show something is true, the bom is another testament of Christ, where as the Bible is the first. Makes sense to me. The Bible is a history book to me and makes me want to re read the book of mormon even more. It is just AS important as the book of mormon.'
I also am reading this book called "The kingdom and the crown series" I found out through the book that he uses the NR Bible not just the King James Version. I also have come to realize what a promised people the Jews are. Their celebrations of Passover and Hanukkah and the miracles that happened really did happen! Read the history of them if you aren't sure what it in tells. Those that are Christan or believe in One God * whether of purpose or being* would've been a Jew back in B.C. Therefore had I lived back then, I too would've been a Jew. I would hope that I would have known like many did When the true Messiah Came.

We went to My sister in law's property up in the mountains. IT made me realize how much we love riding four wheelers and such. I decided my hobbies are camping(if we had some kind of a trailer) with four wheelers and other motor vehicles, swimming, and watching movies. Luckily for me, my husband and kids like those too! Also showed me how big faith is getting. She got to roast a marshmallow and play on the big toys just like the rest of us.


Monday- I cleaned inside the house as Trent cleaned the outside. We both ended up in a huge water fight. Made me realize how much I love to see him smile. (He soaked me so I ran and changed into a swimsuit, and came out and got him good) WE then took the kids to some dirt hills and taught them how to four wheel on their own. I enjoy being with my little family, tonight we are going to a rodeo and then movie in the hot tub!

This last week, I have realized how someone can be an example to you without them even knowing it. You never know who is watching, or what another person is going through, you never know when that time to help another is passed .

Tonight Trent and I went on a much needed date! It was so fun to be with him. My mom took the kids and we went on his motorcycle to the movies. Can I just tell you how I haven't seen a great movie like "Prince of Persia" in a very long time!! Think Action packed like Indiana Jones mets Jumanji. Plus add a little eye candy and bamb you have a great show! jk ( I never thought Jake Gyllenhaal was cute before, but he pulls this off great!) lol. We went to Boston's afterwards and enjoyed our bike ride back to my moms. Trent left for a guys night ( I had a girl's night the night before which was nice to get out) and I stayed to watch my little sister open their wedding gifts. I will have to blog about the wedding once I get some pictures!

Today was the last day of preschool for not only the kids, but for me too! I will start it back up when Faith is ready for it. However, she is already so stinkin smart it amazes me. We had a pizza party , danced, celebrated, and I got the A & W idea from my friend Jenny's blog (thanks Jenny, I saw you did that for your kid's teacher and hope you don't mind me copying it) Now off to summer....

I hear all the time the politics of callings. Meaning, " A stake president was just released and called to primary" It doesn't matter. Each Calling is important, and just think.... If Christ had a calling I think it would probably be in the nursery, He loved children. Teaching children is probably the most influential one on many :)

Alright, I am loving studying Esther. My husband and I were talking about King Xerxes, which is the Hebrew name for the king Esther married. In the King James version of the bible they don't use the Hebrew name, so you have to find out what his name is in Hebrew. Well anyways, Trent and I were talking and I told him about King Xerxes, he said "Hey the kings name in 300 is King Xerxes" I asked him if it was The Greek war against Persia. Well, we looked online, and thanks to my Bible Study I am doing I already knew King Xerxes I parents where Darius and Atossa, and his Grandfather was Cyrus who let the exiles free from bondage to go re-build the temple. (Yes the temple I was telling you about in the other post "Solomon's Temple" ) Well come to find out The King Xerxes in 300, WAS Indeed the same King.(They portrayed him really weird in 300 lol) I found his lineage, and his parents name. I found out that it was during around 483 B.C which was the king's third year of reign and the book of Esther starts out when Xerxes is having his party to gain Greece. Now in 300, Spartans came to help Greece, and kicked Xerxes butt. I also found out that Xerxes was murdered ( I swear it was in his sleep if I remember correctly but couldn't find it) Anyways it's amazing the things you learn, not just from reading the bible, but looking between the lines. Finding out what the Hebrew names are, meaning of them, and looking at historical writings. For instance, a man from Greece wrote about King Xerxes in his time, and through this we find a lot of information. I know a lot of people are worried that I do these bible studies, what they don't realize though is it's not just the bible we learn, infact it has nothing to do with what their church believes, its the history behind the story. You know me, I love history and have been online *thanks Wikipedia, Lds. Org, and others) for hours! The weird thing is however, if you look it up online Esther isn't mentioned in King Xerxes profile. Which if they want separation from religion, Esther is the only book in the Old Testament and Torah that does not mention the word "God" or anything like it. This is one story you look between the lines of symbolism. Love it! It is the same guy though... Awesome.

Lately I have been reading a lot on other cultural beliefs of other religions.(Muslims/Jews for instance) I am very interested in what others believe. Right now I am reading books on Orthodox Jews and customs. My friend Holly gave me a book and I haven't been able to put it down. It is called "The Kingdom & The Crown" Series. Although fictional, it has some facts about the bible and customs of the day. There is a part that talks about Solomons Temple, how it was destroyed and rebuilt. This was our bible study I had with my neighbor - "Psalms of Ascent" where the captive Jews were freed to rebuild their temple, the songs sung as they were delivered, and customs of Passover. I check facts to make sure what I am learning is accurate and so far it has been when it comes to the Courts of the Temple. For instance there was a court for all to enter- then stairs leading to the "court of women" (meaning anyone of the faith could go there, but women couldn't go further up) Then the "Court of priests"up more steps until finally to the "Holy of Holies" room where one man once a year would enter. The temple had many workers, including Shepard's that would watch the animals to be sacrificed in the temple. It was these Shepard's that the angels appeared to when Christ was born. Think of the symbolism of that. Watching lambs that would one day be sacrificed. And so on. We learned about the passover and the Three feasts and customs of the Jewish people. There is so much symbolism in the Feast of Unleavened Bread that just jumped off the page once I truly understood it. ( Anything that gets me to read my scriptures is a good thing.. I really had no idea of the symbolism, time frame and history until I dived in two months ago )In this book it talks about the Zealot movement , Pharisees, Sadducee's and how they were all waiting for this mighty strong messiah to come deliver them from the bondage they were in . Little did they know that it would be humble, quiet and right under their noses that the Messiah would come. I thought about this, and how hard it would be to be waiting for someone to come free us physically and mentally from the pain of the day. However, if this is what the messiah was to do, what about their grandchildren and so forth? The Messiah would've come but what happens when the next problems arise? "God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son"- Not to free one person from the pain of their generation, but to free all mankind from the bondage of Satan's grasp. How grateful I am for this. I am not perfect, I am far from it. I have felt the love and power so strongly that God loves me and while this life may be hard, and not full of all the "Wishes" and free of trials and pain, one day there will be a day of rest for all. I think of the stories of Jesus, and the people who are talked about so little in the bible and read their history and the things they have given up for him back in the day. I am enjoying learning so much about the customs, even the religions of today, and while different, how so much alike they as the ones that were when Christ was on the Earth. I think of the things Christ did that could have gotten him killed, yet he and those that followed him still had the courage to stand and die for truth.

I know that I am a WWII and 9/11 history fanatic, but never in a million years did I ever think that learning about other cultures/customs of Eastern countries or thousands of years before I was here, would ever enter into my life. While some customs may be disturbing to me, I realize that it is normalcy to others. I am now addicted to learning about it.