China Babies Baby Doll Boxes...

Will be found this morning in:

THe Love BoXes SHoP

Think! by Michael LeGault...

Think by Michael LeGault is one of the more interesting books I've read in a while.

The premise of this book reminded me of a story I read about a world famous heart surgeon whose good friend had a terrible heart condition for which there was no known treatment or surgery. The friend asked the surgeon if he would pray about it and perform surgery anyway. The friend was convinced that the surgeon would see a way to save his heart and subsequently his life. That is just what happened. When the heart surgeon opened his friends chest and looked at the damaged heart he saw a diagram in his mind of how to repair his friend's heart, which he successfully did. His friend lived to regain health and the pioneering surgery saved the lives of many others.

However, had most of us opened up a chest with a damaged heart, I don't believe that we would have been so inspired because, we do not have the many years of training and education that this world famous heart surgeon had. Inspiration follows preparation, therefore we must think. We must develop the critical thinking skills that will prepare us to be inspired.

Our culture has in many ways lost it's ability to think critically. We tell ourselves that we don't have the time. It takes less time to be gullible and so we believe selectively based on our gut, the things we read, hear or see on TV. There are too few reporters like John Stossel out there debunking the bunk.

For instance just before graduating university, I worked in the counseling office of a local high school. The school district had constructed a policy prohibiting all school clubs and the students were upset maintaining that they needed those extracurricular activities on college applications. The students along with some teachers staged a peaceful protest. A few hundred students walked peacefully across the street with some faculty and a few poster board signs and stood there for about 35 minutes. I watched it all from the window. During the time of the protest, I received a call in my office from a local television reporter who asked me for a statement. I was not an authorized spokesperson for the school or the district and so I declined. A few moments later the phone lines at the school went berserk and I learned that this journalist was reporting a "riot" at the school. I have since decided to be skeptical about what is reported by the media.

LeGault writes about the differences between healthy skepticism (I will believe when something is proven) and cynicism (I will believe nothing). He talks about the dangers of "reckless generalizations" often the basis of racial prejudice and junk science including scientific fear mongering. He also discusses the important topic of "conceding the act of governing" which is something that concerns me very much. When we get the idea, so different from our founders definition of liberty, that our government needs to take care of us in every way and we give away our liberties and truly our ability for great achievement in order to "have done for us" we are at risk as a nation.

I didn't think LeGault was right on the money on every page of this book. He will have to prove some of his thesis to me. However, I do believe that there are things that are really and truly true. There are facts that can be depended on and we need to prepare our minds to find those facts and as a generation of Americans to expand on and improve the body of knowledge that exists in our world. I also believe that the ability to think and to learn, and the desire for knowledge are a spiritual quest. Like a healthy body that must be fed nutritious foods, a mind must be fed real substance to thrive. If we feed our bodies on Mars Bars and Snowballs, we are soon weak and sick, likewise our minds must be fed not junk, but from the best books we can find. A quest to be more thoughtful, wise, graceful and a search for what is honest and true are, I believe, one of the qualities that can make a man most like God.

Truth and Lies in The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Maybe because of what I posted below, I just couldn't face this book to the end. It is a visual book... maybe sensual is the right word because it is so well written that I felt I could almost feel and smell the dust, destruction, decomposition and all the horrors of the apocalyptic society that McCarthy describes.

The book made me think. I was glad to get some input from Elisa that helped to direct my thinking. This book reminded me of Heart of Darkness and Lord of the Flies which were required reading when I was in school. I hated those books and have always felt that they were lies. People aren't that ugly, selfish or horrid... not all of them.

Think of 9/11 when NYC firefighters climbed flights of stairs they would never descend to save strangers they had never met. I see selfless acts of kindness in my neighborhood everyday. Simple kindness makes scenarios described in all of these books an impossibility... a lie.

But, maybe these books should be read as a cautionary tale. For if all kindness and selflessness is gone... the bleak scenes in all these books would surely become reality.

Thanks Elisa for a brave choice that made me think about not just this book, but many others.

At Home in Mitford...

If you haven't had the chance to listen to these books on tape... do. They are lovely; really sweet to listen to. John McDonough does such a fantastic job reading these books so fantastic in fact that you get the sense of the characters so much you feel like they really are your neighbors.. people you see everyday.

Every once in a while, a book like this is a must. Full of faith and optomism, they are the perfect foil to the rantings of TV journalists who spew forth doom and destruction at every turn. Sometimes the spirit just needs a break.

I personally have been exhausted by the gloom of the past weeks. I hope the congress can get their act together and we can get this financial mess sorted or atleast begin sorting it. I couldn't even make myself watch the VP debates last night... This election, while extremely important has lasted an eternity.

If you are feeling like me, a mini vacation to Mitford is just the thing. These books are perfect with a basket full of ironing and a cold drink.

Fairy Princess Angel Boxes...

Find them in...

THe Love BoXes SHoP

Favorite Photos from my Vacation...

Frogging around is a good way to chill-lax.

It's good to be optomistic!
Colorful shoes help you run faster!

Get Smart...

Some funny moments. Better written in the first half than the second. My favorite part of the film was Anne Hathaway's lovely wardrobe. I'm glad I didn't go out and pay real money to see this in a theater.

Speaking of Baby Stuff...

I love ABaby for looking at Nursery gear. They have lots of cute things.

Wrapping it Up...

I'm going to a baby shower... It's OK to use non-traditional colors these days I think. If you look in the stores there is a ton of brown... I wish there were a few more options since I'm a bright and not a brown loving girl.. but anywho I think that means you can go non-traditional. I love wrapping things up.

Collecting...

I wouldn't say that I'm a big collector because I only have 3-4 of these, but I love 14X36 size movie posters. They are pre 1980 so I guess that makes them a fun vintage find.. It's fun to have them from some of your favorite films.

The Millionaire Next Door...

This book is a classic in my opinion. I've read it 3-4 times. It's a really enjoyable book beyond the fact that I believe that it really proposes what are sound and safe financial practices during good times and those that are less certain. Read it and tell me what you think.

Support Your Local Sheriff...

Little c loved this fun old film. It's a great pick for family night.

Black White & Pink...

Earth's crammed with heaven... ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

in

THe Love BoXes SHoP

Baby Carriages...

It seems like I've been working on these baby carriages forever. I need them to turn out just right. The red one is a gift for my baby and so I wanted it to be perfect.
This one has been listed in THe SHoP

And I will be listing another later this afternoon. Lots of painting to do.. I hope you are having a great day.

Mary Kaye Huntsman First Lady of Utah...

Yesterday C and I went to hear Mrs. Huntsman speak. She was so interesting and personable. She spoke about her concerns for children in the state and some of the things that she is trying to do to help them. She told about adopting her two cute daughters, one from China and one from India. Her talk was so inspiring. I was grateful that I was able to attend the event.

If you are interested, you can learn about Mary Kaye Huntsman's initiatives for children and other programs on her web page HERE.

Seven Years in Tibet...

I found this to be a very fascinating read. Heinrich Harrer tells the story of his escape from an English prisoner of war camp in India during the Second World War into Tibet and the forbidden city of Lhasa where he eventually became the tutor to the current Dalia Lama.

The high adventure story of Harrer's escape mountaineering through the Himalayas is fairly interesting, but I was really interested to learn about the city of Lhasa before the Chinese invasion and the personality of the Dalai Lama as a young man. He was a brilliant and curious teenager who seemed to feel deeply his responsibility as a leader and was anxious to be a person of great wisdom and understanding.

I do not understand the Chinese government position toward Tibet and the Tibetan people and hope that some time in the future the Dalai Lama will be able to return to the city of Lhasa and live his religion in peace with his people.

Pink Peek-A-Boo Bunnies...

Back in the...

SHoP

An Ideal Husband...

Amazing acting. Perfect script. I love this film. The actor who plays the father makes so much of a small role. I just enjoy watching his perplexed face.

Cool Runnings...

Family entertainment with a can do attitude.

Night Crossing...

This film just goes to show that you can make a film very intense without having to show a lot of gore. I really think that Night Crossing conveys the feeling of being trapped by an oppressive government. This was the perfect introduction to this bit of history for little c. A little artistically awkward and a tiny bit outdated in parts, but overall a really great film. See it again if it's been awhile. Thanks Lora!