SSU (Week 3a): Articles of Confederation

• Articles of Confederation
  

SSU (Week 2b): Declaration of Independence

• Declaration of Independence
  

Natural Law

"True law is right reason in agreement with nature; it is of universal application, unchanging and everlasting; it summons to duty by its commands, and averts from wrongdoing by its prohibitions....It is a sin to try to alter this law, nor is it allowable to repeal any part of it, and it is impossible to abolish it entirely. We cannot be freed from its obligations by senate or people, and we need not look outside ourselves for an expounder or interpreter of it. There will not be different laws now and in the future, but one eternal and unchangeable law will be valid for all nations and all times, and there will be one master and ruler, that is God, over all, for he is the author of this law, its promulgator, and its enforcing judge. Whoever is disobedient is fleeing from himself and denying his human nature, and by reason of this very fact he will suffer the worst punishment" Cicero---
The Founding Fathers talked a lot about Natural Law (which I believe is the Spirit of Christ we are all born with essentially). I never heard it put into words quite so well as through Cicero.

Why can't we see more of this from OUR government?

I'm not an advocate of big government, but if our government is going to do something....do this. What a great program to help others help themselves...

Microfarming Project Helps Families in Ecuador Become Self-Relient

I wish I could go there and learn all those tips on successful farming. I have been trying to read up on gardening so I can start one here. It is so overwhelming! But I will persevere and learn from my mistakes.

“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.”

This is a simple, yet beautiful talk by Spencer W. Kimball. I don't know why, but I was balling as I read it (and you all know I don't cry often). It touched my heart and feel that it might touch yours as well.

The False Gods We Worship (August 1977)

Milton who?

Milton Friedman. Ever heard of him? Me neither.

If you thought Milton Bradley knew everything there is to know about The Game of Life, then you should learn a little about this other Milton. I'm not sure how I made it this far in my life without knowing the name Milton Friedman.

In a nutshell, Milton Friedman was an American economist - many may argue that he was THE American economist. The former Keynesian supporter had a lot of radical ideas that were rejected in the 1960's when they were first presented. Over the years, his economic philosophies have increasingly been accepted.

Friedman has been called "the most influential economist of the second half of the 20th century…possibly of all of it". He was also known as a public intellectual, preaching his ideas in books, scholarly articles, papers, magazine columns, TV programs, videos, and lectures.

Again I ask, how did I miss this guy? He only died 3 years ago. Perhaps our parents were remiss in their duties by leaving Guru Milton out of our bedtime stories. So I have been reading about him and absorbing the vast amount of information, books, lectures, videos he put out there. While I haven't formed a solid opinion on him, I'm am sure intrigued and, thus far, really like him a lot. It's like an economic man-crush.

To get you started:

• Milton Friedman (Wikipedia)
• Friedman debates Phil Donahue on Capitalism
• Really, really cheesy (yet informative) tribute to Friedman
  
• (there are endless YouTube videos you can follow from there)
• Compilation of interview questions
  

So what do you think?

SSU (Week 2a): "Give Me Liberty"

• "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death"
  

SSU (Week 1): Magna Carta

• Magna Carta (text)
  

• Magna Carta Overview
  Short, simple, and straightforward explanation of what the Magna Carta is exactly. (Kim Watson)

If you want to add or comment on this SSU topic, do it in comments. Ready.....go!

Sun Flares

Just a little note....on Fox News they had a scientist on telling about the sun flares that are building. Supposedly they will damage the satelites...which obviously would be extremely damaging to our current world. They are guessing they will come sometime around 2012. I guess this happened in 1859, pre-technology. Anyway, just seems like a lot of "stuff" going on. I like to take note and file it away. NOT as an alarmist, but to be prepared.....

Sibling Symposium University

The Sibling Symposium University (SSU) in now in session!

Every Sunday and Thursday night, we will be posting a reading assignment. For the next 3-4 months our course of study will be the United States Constitution.

Proposed Syllabus (in order):

• Magna Carta
  
• Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death Speech
• The Declaration of Independence
• Articles of Confederation
• Federalist Papers
  
• The U.S. Constitution
• Bill of Rights
• Amendments to the Constitution

After the reading assignments are posted on Sunday and Thursday, the posts will be open for discussion. Let it never be said that our constitutions are weak.

....and I'm not gonna take it anymore!

Check out this impassioned video from Glenn Beck. There are two videos - watch the lower one for the full 14 minutes.

Glenn Beck answers critics

Question of the Week

Was Lehi a Jew?

Fulfilling of Prophesy

Kim! This is perfect! Just the kind of thoughts I'm looking for. I'm going to print those quotes up and put them on my fridge. I do NOT think it is a coincidence that we are all feeling the pressure of food storage right now. My whole marriage I've tried to keep up a food storage, but I've never felt the inspiration so strong as I do now. The last issue of the Ensign was wonderful with the words of inspiration about the 10 Virgins. It is amazing how if we are LOOKING for signs of the times they are all around us. I wonder how much we are missing. Tonya pointed out to me that some signs have been fulfilled that I didn't know about like the moon turning into blood. President Hinckley said in October of 2001 in the talk "Living in the Fullness of Times" that "The era in which we live is the fulness of times spoken of in the scriptures, when God has brought together all of the elements of previous dispensations. From the day that He and His Beloved Son manifested themselves to the boy Joseph, there has been a tremendous cascade of enlightenment poured out upon the world. The hearts of men have turned to their fathers in fulfillment of the words of Malachi. The vision of Joel has been fulfilled wherein he declared:
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
"And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
"And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
"The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.
"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call" (Joel 2:28–32)."
So, this has already HAPPENED!!!! I even listened to this conference and missed the whole implications of what he said. It makes me wonder what else has come to pass that I have missed. Anyone else find something?

Food Storage Inspiration

All right, I'll go first :). Our ward has a Preparedness Program for which they pass out flyers each month with a spiritual goal and a food storage goal. They also include a quote to inspire us to prepare. I really liked the quotes from February and March...I'd never heard them before, and they did inspire me...so I'll pass them along.

"There is no person who knows the real purpose for which this welfare program is being instituted, but hardly before sufficient preparation has been made, the real purpose will be revealed, and when that time comes it will challenge every resource of the church to meet it." - Harold B. Lee

"When people are able but unwilling to take care of themselves we are responsible to employ the dictum of the Lord that the idler shall not eat the bread of the laborer." - Elder Boyd K. Packer

These two quotes quickly eliminate some common excuses for not having our food storage. It's easy to assume that in some future time of need, the church, our neighbors, or family may be able to pick up our slack. That is not so. I'm feeling great pressure (or divine inspiration, perhaps) to acquire an entire year supply for my whole family, so we will be able to rely on ourselves when the famine comes (that's what it's for, right? ;) I have a long way to go, but it is growing. Slowly, but surely. We have signed up to purchase and assemble six 72-hour kits with the ward this week. Can't wait!

Welcome, Family!

We keep talking to each other about all the "signs of the times", the words of the Prophets (past and present), and such. Let's make it information for ALL of us. I know you are all doing great research and finding information that we would love to have, so SHARE!!! Share your thoughts and impressions....
I can't wait to hear from you all!