GPS & Maps - Stories from the Class of 1964

Joe and I have been using a GPS for a number of years and have had some adventures and misadventures with it. Right before my recent trip to Ohio and Michigan I learned how to use Siri with Apple Maps and Google Maps on my phone. I had varying amounts of success with voice navigation on my travels. I like old-fashioned paper maps and usually have one on hand for a trip to unfamiliar territory. I also print out directions from MapQuest, just in case the GPS doesn't work. I like to be prepared. 

My generation started with manual typewriters. We are now using computers, smartphones, GPS, and all sorts of devices that didn’t even exist when we graduated from high school. I joined a few of my classmates for lunch on the weekend of of our 50th reunion and traded stories. Some of the funniest tales concerned our experiences with the transition from maps to GPS devices. Here are three of the funniest stories from the Class of 1964. I wish you could hear them being told - hilarious!

One woman started her trip in Philadelphia where she was visiting her daughter. She told her daughter to give her directions to Interstate 70. From there she knew how to get to London, Ohio. She followed her daughter’s directions and thought something was wrong because she wasn’t getting to I-70. So she stopped at a gas station to get a map. “A map???” said the gas station attendant. It was as though she was asking for some long buried artifact! I can’t remember if they located a map or not. It was just funny that something as common as a map (common when we were in high school) is no longer common. 

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Another woman had an adventure with her brother. They set off on a trip from Ohio to the East Coast. For some reason their GPS quit working (or they couldn’t figure out how to use it). They too stopped at a gas station to get a map. No maps at the station. They were referred to a nearby Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel had maps, but only for the surrounding area. She hilariously told about traveling across country, stopping at a Cracker Barrel every time they “drove off their map” and needed a new one!

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Another classmate and her husband were in a major city visiting their son and his family. They stayed at a hotel and were looking forward to the young granddaughters staying with them overnight at the hotel. Everything was going fine and people got ready for bed. The youngest girl started crying, wanting her parents. Eventually the older girl said, “Grandma, it’s not going to get any better. You’d better take her home.” It was midnight. My classmate put her coat on over her PJs and asked the hotel person to get her car. She programmed her son's address into the GPS and started driving. After driving a while she knew she was lost. She knew there were parts of this city she shouldn’t be in at night but didn’t know where those parts were or if she was in them. The little girl whined for her mother. The older girl asked if they were lost. My classmate was worried about being lost in this city at that time of night. In her PJs with her young granddaughters in the car! Finally she saw a street name she recognized so she exited the freeway and eventually found her way to her son's. Their street is very narrow with cars parked on both sides. Backing out of driveways can be tricky. Since it was the middle of the night she “parked” in the middle of the street, took the girls up to the porch and timidly knocked on the door so she wouldn’t wake the baby. No one came to the door so she finally pounded on the door which brought her son to the door. Then a neighbor, who had been at a late party, drove up behind her car and was irate that she was blocking the street. She got back in her car, put in the address of the hotel into her GPS and found that she had to make just two turns and she was at the hotel!

So it goes. 

Travel Observations

I recently went back to Ohio to visit family and friends and attend a high school reunion. Then I drove to Michigan to see our daughter and her family. 

One of the wonderful parts of traveling is the people you meet. I took a cab to the airport because I had to leave so early in the morning, 4:45. The cab driver moved here from Ethiopia about 6 years ago. We had an interesting discussion about Islam and Christianity in Ethiopia.

From Detroit to Las Vegas (on the way home; that’s a pretty southern route to take when trying to get to Seattle) – the man and woman next to me were going to Las Vegas to “people watch.” She said they don’t gamble. As we talked I found out she not only knows where Juddville, Michigan (the little deserted crossroads town started by our ancestors in the mid1800s) but she drives by the Juddville Methodist Church every day! What are the chances that any of the 175 people on that plane would know about Juddville much less end up sitting next to me! Waiting in line to board in Las Vegas, I spoke with a couple who ran the marathon in Detroit the previous day. They said they really enjoyed Detroit. Their goal is to run a marathon in every state. Michigan was state #35.

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My phone contains my watch, my alarm clock, my scriptures, my camera, flashlight, a GPS - and a multitude of other goodies. Lightens the load in the suitcase for sure. 

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It's interesting to compare the various airports I visited on this trip. I’ve been through Chicago Midway so many times over the years that I know the lay of the land. We won't even talk about the gambling machines in the Las Vegas airport. It's always interesting to see the variety of ethnic groups in the Detroit airport. 

 

Seattle’s airport has some unique features. Where else would you find Bigfoot paraphernalia? Or salmon swimming on the floor, leading to gurgling water fountains? Or a seafood place open at 5:15 am!!I love Ivar's clam chowder but that was a bit too early in the morning for me. 

The color scheme depends on the home town team 

blue and green for Seattle and scarlet and gray for Columbus

Prescreening - what bliss. I’m not sure how I got on the prescreening list, but it’s certainly nice. It prints out on my ticket and I get waved into a separate line. Don’t have to take anything out of my bag, don’t have to take off my shoes, … I don’t know if I’m prescreened just for Southwest or if it’s for all airlines. This relieves a huge part of the airport hassle.

How travel has changed - we make our own reservations online instead of going through a travel agent. I remember when all that changed and how it took a while to get used to not having a "real" paper ticket. 

People dress differently now too. People used to dress up to travel. People dress much more casually now. I switched from dresses or skirts to slacks when a friend died in a plane crash and there were articles about dressing so you could easily exit a plane. No nylons because the material melts onto your legs; skirts make it difficult to climb over seats and so forth. Most of the people in that crash died not from the crash but from the resulting fire because they didn’t get out of the plane quickly enough.

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Remember when you had to search high and low in airports to find outlets for recharging computers – often ending up sitting on floors to access an outlet? Now there are charging options in abundance. 

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Flying into Columbus I didn't see much color in the treetops. Fortunately the trees in other parts of Columbus and in Michigan were much further along in their gorgeous fall beauty. 

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It was raining when we landed in Columbus. I smiled since everyone talks so much about Seattle and rain. The red sign on the side of the terminal also made me smile - "Leave parking brake set." I had visions of a huge airplane drifting into the building if someone forgot to set the brake. 

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Home - It’s still strange to come into the Columbus airport as a visitor and not be coming “home.” Driving through Worthington and past our North Street house is interesting. It's still a wonderful community and a very nice place to live but it's no longer "home." 

These visits felt more like I'm on the other side of a major transition than I have been in previous visits. I guess it's about time since we're almost through our fourth year in Kirkland. On the drive to Michigan I saw many out of state license plates. When I saw the familiar Washington plate on a truck, I thought "home." 

I am thankful for the abundance of family, friends, and good memories that fill Ohio and Michigan. We are creating good memories in Washington. 

Fall Colors

 Back here I wrote about fall in Kirkland. It's nice but just doesn't compare to fall in Ohio. When I flew to Columbus in October I was hoping to catch the fall colors at their peak. Flying into Columbus I was disappointed when I didn't see many bright colors in amongst the green of the tree tops. Fortunately the trees at my sister's were very obliging. During the week I was there the trees in front of her house turned 

from this

 to this

I love how the leaves glow, even on overcast days. It's difficult to capture the color and the feeling in a photograph. I hope you've experienced a beautiful Ohio autumn.

I'm thankful I got to walk through crunchy leaves, experience the colors in the sun, in the rain, and on overcast days - and feel that special autumn feeling in the air. What a beautiful time of year!

Changes

During my recent trip to Ohio I traveled High Street from Clintonville to Worthington a number of times. It was interesting to see what's the same and what's changed since our move. There are BIG changes at 933 High Street in Worthington. 

looking south on High Street

Joe's office was in the back building at 933 High Street. The Ohio Department of Education leased space in the building for decades. Special Education was housed there as well as Title I. People who worked at the main Department offices in downtown Columbus referred to the Worthington location as the "country club" in reference to the newer offices and free, easy-to-access parking. 

On days he didn't need the car, Joe walked around the corner to get to work. We talked about putting a gate in the back fence but never got around to it. From Joe's office balcony you could look into our back yard. 

Driveway on the south side - the south side of the property backed on the  north side of our lot on West North Street

driveway along north side of property

A grocery store will be built on this site. It's supposed to feature "healthy and organic foods, including local produce, bulk items, a butcher shop, ..." Everyone in the neighborhood was sad when Jubilee Foods closed in 2006. Fresh Thyme will be a welcome addition. 

A Cookie History

On a recent trip to Ohio I was up late getting caught up with a friend. She brought out chocolate chip cookies. When I commented on how good they were, she smiled and said she still uses the recipe I gave her years ago. This brought back memories. Lori, a woman I visit taught in Worthington, brought me these cookies. She and her young son had made them with green food coloring for St. Patrick's Day. We liked them so much that I asked Lori for the recipe. It turned out to be the famous/infamous Neiman Marcus recipe. 

It's been proven that the recipe didn't actually originate with Neiman Marcus and the store didn't charge a customer $250 for the recipe. Check out details here. Neiman Marcus discusses the rumor on their website and lists a recipe which is different from the one that circulates on the Internet. 

I hadn't made the recipe in a while because I switched to this recipe that uses flax seed and wheat flour in addition to the traditional ingredients. When I got home from my trip, I made the tasty "Neiman Marcus" cookies. I'll be making them more frequently. 

Good friends and good cookies

Thoughts About Prayer

Prayer can be a major blessing in our lives. The following statements by Joseph Fielding Smith resonated with me when we discussed prayer recently in a meeting at church. 

Seek God "constantly in humble prayer." I like the reminders of "constant" and "humble." 

Prayer is something that we need. Not something that God needs. 

“Our prayers are uttered more for our sakes, to build us up and give us strength and courage, and to increase our faith in him." To this I add - to improve our relationship with him. 

“Prayer is something that humbles the soul. It broadens our comprehension; it quickens the mind. It draws us nearer to our Father in Heaven."

“Few things in life are as important as communing with Deity in prayer.”

“We should not pray merely with our lips; but in every act, in our conversation, in all that we undertake to do, we should try to carry out the expressions of our prayers, and be in harmony with the thoughts that we declare ... in our daily supplications.”

My comments - Communication and relationship building take time, work, focus, practice, and persistence. God wants a relationship with us. He wants to communicate with us. This can happen through prayer. 

image from painting Nicole Minnis

Book - Orphan Train

Orphan Train: A Novel 
by Christina Baker Kline

"Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to 'aging out' out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly out of juvie and worse. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian aren't as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance. Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life -- answers that will ultimately free them both."     

image & summary from WorldCat

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According to the National Orphan Train Complex, about "250,000 orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children were placed throughout the United States and Canada during the Orphan Train Movement" from 1854-1929. When the train pulled into a station, the children would be lined up so they could be "inspected" by the people looking for a child or cheap labor. A local committee was supposed to make sure the new parents were fit. 

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Our Stuff

Much of the story revolves around cleaning the attic in 90+ year old Vivian's attic. Molly helps her as part of a community service project. I can relate to this with our trek across country and our effort to go through family keepsakes and pass them along to family. 

The book starts with this quote from Women of the Dawn by Bunny McBride
“In portaging from one river to another, Wabanakis had to carry their canoes and all other possessions. Everyone knew the value of traveling light and understood that it required leaving some things behind. Nothing encumbered movement more than fear, which was often the most difficult burden to surrender.” 

I've never mastered the art of traveling light. It was a major test to go through our North Street home and decide what things to leave behind when we moved across the country. 

As teenaged Molly helps Vivian go through her possessions in the attic, Molly comes to understand they might not dispose of anything.
"After all, what does it matter? Why shouldn’t Vivian’s attic be filled with things that are meaningful to her? … Maybe it doesn’t matter how much gets done. Maybe the value is in the process – in touching each item, in naming and identifying, in acknowledging the significance of a cardigan, a pair of children’s boots.” (173) 

This resonates with me because we've spent much time and effort this year going through family keepsakes - naming, identifying, and acknowledging the significance of various items. We're taking pictures and recording stories so future generations will know. There is great value in the process. 

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“Vivian has given Molly’s community service sentence meaning. Now Molly wants to give something back. No one else knows Vivian’s story. There’s no one to read the documents of indenture, of adoption; no one to acknowledge the significance of the things she values, things that would be meaningful only to someone who cares about her. But Molly cares.” (177) 

This made me think of Joe and and his step-father, Ray. Ray didn't have any biological children. Joe is telling Ray's story because he cares greatly about him and wants him to be remembered. 

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Here are some family connections - 

Molly, one of the main characters, is a Penobscot Indian from Maine. Our ancestors were in Penobscot County, Maine - the Rowes beginning in the early 1800s. John Floyd arrived probably in the 1820s. Louisa Rowe and John Floyd married in 1831. Their son Edmond Floyd went to Michigan, married Elizabeth Allan. Their son, Harry Floyd was Mom's father. 

Vivian/Dorothy/Ne, the orphan with numerous names, had red hair. Prejudices and commonly held beliefs about red heads are mentioned in this book. Seems that many books I read have main characters with red hair. Curious. I'm glad we celebrate red heads in our family!

On one of my visits to Sidell, Illinois I spoke with a local historian who said the Cathcart family might have taken one of the children from the orphan trains. This source mentions that about 150 orphans found homes around Danville, Illinois. Danville isn't far from Sidell. I need to do more research on this topic. 

Common Sight

Frequently sighted in this area

Charging stations for electric cars

Prius, Teslas, more Prius, Neon Leaf, more Prius

more Prius

Ship Building & Life Building

"Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men. And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things." 1 Nephi 18: 2-3

If we counsel with God and build our lives after His "manner," we will be shown great things and will fulfill our potential and destiny as children of God. 

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Mangoes, Coconuts & the Gospel

One of the joys of living in a different country and culture is learning new ways to try to explain the hard to explain. 

When we were missionaries in the Bahamas we became well acquainted with mangoes - all sorts of mangoes - This site indicates there are over 400 varieties. Some mangoes were mostly seed, some were "stringy." It was said that Willamae, a member of our congregation in Nassau, had the very best mangoes on the island. They were certainly delicious - big and fleshy and very tasty.

Recently juice dripped down my arm as I ate all the goodness off the huge mango seed. I thought about Keith's lesson in Sunday School in Nassau. He was talking about the deliciousness of the gospel and how much there is to devour and relish. He struggled to convey how special the gospel is. Then he started describing the total pleasure of eating a good mango - going into great details about the taste, the texture, and the juice dripping down your arm. He then likened that to getting totally involved in Christ's gospel. That's what I think about every time I eat a mango.

In Nassau the members of the congregation always cleaned the church building and grounds on Saturday. Many people brought their own machetes and there was usually at least one person willing (and able) to scale a coconut tree to get snacks for the workers. One of the men would whack off the end of a coconut, drink the water and say 'Coconut water - the next best thing to eternal life!" 

mango image from pixabay

Caring For Each Other

Watchcare is the word often used to describe our stewardship for each other. It's all about ministering to each other - doing what Christ would do. This scripture beautifully describes what we do and why.

"... that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith. And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls."  Moroni 6: 4-5

Defense

Have you ever been reading and something goes off in your heart or mind that lets you know it's truth? That happened to me recently as I read the title of our Sunday School lesson. Normally I read right over the title and get to the scriptures in the lesson. This particular lesson was on Isaiah and was titled "The Glory of Zion Will Be a Defense." This phrase got my attention. An entire "lesson" raced through my heart and mind in the way that happens when the Spirit is the teacher.

Zion has many definitions. Check out some of them here. Sometimes Zion refers to a specific location. Other uses reference a state of being pure in heart and in tune with Christ. Enoch's city was called Zion.

I like the feeling and meaning of the words "glory," "Zion," and "defense." It's an interesting combination of words. There's a lot of meaning packed into that short phrase, "The Glory of Zion Will Be a Defense."

The lesson the Spirit taught me that day was that when challenges come, and they always do in some form or another, Christ and his gospel will be my defense. I will be protected as I follow Him. This brings to mind the scripture about putting on the armor of God in Ephesians.

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" Ephesians 6: 11-17

Laundry

When Mom got too weak to go to the basement to do laundry, Dad took over the task. It had probably been decades since Dad had done laundry but he was more than willing to do it. Everything went down the laundry chute into the barrel in the basement. Dad was supposed to sort whites and colors and permanent press and nonpermanent press. Evidently Dad just wasn't catching on to the permanent press stuff and it became a problem. Dad was very pleased with himself when he came up with a solution - anything Mom wanted done permanent press was put in a plastic bag before it went down the laundry chute. 

Joe's done the laundry most of our marriage. Periodically we had the same issue with white permanent press and nonpermanent press clothes; they just weren't caught in the sorting. After Dad shared his solution, we started using the plastic bag approach - problem solved! Picture - our North Street laundry basket. Out here we have enough room in the closet to have baskets for presorting permanent press and nonpermanent press - no more need for plastic bags - unless something needs special treatment. 

Celebrating Birthdays

It's fun to come up with special treats when celebrating birthdays

Dinner cooked in pumpkins - I know this looks like something from Pinterest but I've been making it for decades - long before Pinterest. 

This cake was a surprise - Cool Whip & sprinkles on watermelon

Fun times!

Fall

This is our fourth Autumn in the Pacific Northwest. As beautiful as it is here, Fall just isn't the same as in Ohio. Ohio memories - I love the colors of the leaves against the beautiful blue sky. I love the crisp feeling in the air. I love the rustling sound of walking through leaves. Sometimes the light and feeling in the air come together in a way that's truly magical. 

Part of our street is lined with maple trees that turn vivid red in the Fall. It was Spring when we moved in and we didn't even take notice of the trees. We didn't realize that maple trees aren't abundant out here as they are in Ohio - especially maple trees that turn this color of red. The other day I heard a rustle of leaves and saw a runner scattering the leaves beneath this tree. The sound, the colors - and almost the right feel in the air - what a gift!

Book - Tomlinson Hill

Tomlinson Hill : The Remarkable Story of Two families Who Share the Tomlinson Name-- One White, One Black - by Chris Tomlinson

"Foreign correspondent Chris Tomlinson returns to Texas to discover the truth about his family's slave owning history. Tomlinson Hill tells the story of two families, one black and one white, who trace their ancestry to the same Central Texas slave plantation. Tomlinson discovers that his counterpart in the African American family is LaDainian Tomlinson, one of the greatest running backs in the history of the National Football League. LaDainian's father was the last Tomlinson living on the Hill when he died in 2007.

LaDainian's earliest memories are from the idyllic community built by former slaves on the former plantation grounds. Chris learns that many of the stories surrounding the Civil War and the South that he learned as a child are simply untrue. He finds family letters that detail the mix of brutality and meager kindness that his relatives used to maintain order. He then compares and contrasts what the two families experienced at Emancipation, during Reconstruction, through the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and the Civil Rights era, and ending the day LaDainian's father died. Tomlinson Hill is more than a history of two families; it tells the story of America and how slavery still shapes our society. And it ends with the fulfillment of Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream that one day the sons of slaves and the sons of slaveholders would meet in brotherhood."

summary & image from WorldCat

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JHT comments

Very, very interesting book. Initially I read it because of the family history story. I became intrigued by the history that was lived by the two families.

For six years , author Chris Tomlinson worked in war zones in Africa and the Middle East –  “Every conflict I covered included an element of bigotry. In South Africa, I covered the end of apartheid, a political system based on the supposed inferiority of blacks. In Rwanda, I reported on the country’s recovery from genocide. In Somalia, the most homogenous nation in the world, bigotry was based not on clan, but on sub-sub-clan. I found that in every instance the bigotry was based on a human drive to divide ourselves up in order to hoard power and privilege. Science tells us that race, tribe, and clan have nothing [to] do with biology - -they are inventions of society.” (p 2)

“… after six years covering death, I was growing weary. In addition to war, I’d also covered earthquakes, volcanoes, and a tsunami. I could feel my nerves fraying, and my readiness to throw myself into horror evaporated.” He learned a fellow reporter died in a plane crash as he returned from a story Tomlinson assigned him to. “He was the twelfth friend I’d lost to the job, and I’d hit my limit for sorrow.” (p 350) I appreciate the reporters and journalists who put themselves in harm's way in order to keep the rest of us informed. Tomlinson moved to Texas in 2007, worked part time for Associated Press, and started writing this book.

I like this description of how our peace can be shaken when we learn something that shows us we haven't come as far as we thought or hoped. Loreane Tomlinson, hearing about something that happened to her young daughter -“A lot of times, when we look around, we think that we’ve come so far, and we have. Then somebody would come along and steal that peace that you had, that things are changing, and we’re making a difference.” (p 311) 

The author skillfully relates opportunities available to the white Tomlinsons and the black Tomlinsons at various points in the families' stories.

Martin Luther King dreamed that one day "the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood." Chris and LaDainian Tomlinson met together in brotherhood as they explored the history of their intertwined families. 

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The author is about my age. I contemplated what was different and what was the same for blacks and whites in small town London, Ohio compared to small town rural Texas where the story takes place. We didn’t have separate schools, separate drinking fountains, and so forth. I don’t ever remember thinking anything about a person’s color. Sadly, I have to admit that I don't recall noticing that my black friends didn't go to the community swimming pool and I don't recall it was discussed at home. 

My mother precipitated the integration of the pool sometime in the mid1960s when she told the people at the pool that one of the T... girls, who was in Mom’s 4-H or some such group, was coming to the pool with the rest of the club for a class – perhaps a Red Cross course. Mom essentially said, "This is what I’m going to do. There won’t be any trouble, will there?” There wasn’t. The next day black kids showed up at the pool and the public pool was integrated and truly public for the first time.   In 1968, after I moved away and was starting a family of my own, a cross was burned on my parents' lawn in London. This came about due to interracial dating my siblings were involved in.

Joe and I had interesting experiences with race when we served as missionaries in The Bahamas. We could go for days without seeing any other white people. Oftentimes we were the first white people in a Bahamian's home. The children often asked questions about color and inquisitively felt our hair and our skin. One little girl was very puzzled as she stroked my skin and finally exclaimed, "You have sprinkles on your arm!" She'd never seen freckles! Our black brothers and sisters cautioned us about words and which ones we could never speak even though we heard them using the words.


Bahamians didn't talk in terms of black and white. They used a wider range of colors to describe complexions - bright (light complexioned including white), to brown, to dark, to dark, dark. Conchy Joe was sometimes used for whites. This refers to the pink color inside a conch shell. My Bahamian sisters periodically asked me if I couldn't do anything else with my hair style. In great contrast to them, I wore my hair the same way - all the time.


Before our mission we would have described ourselves as colorblind. A more accurate description might have been we noticed color but it made no difference to us. During our mission we became so immersed in the work and the culture and identified with the people in a way that we truly ceased to even notice color. We became truly colorblind.


We are thankful for our deep and trusting relationships with our Bahamian brothers and sisters - and for all they taught us.




Thoughts About A Fence

We often hear of the importance of choosing the Lord's side. "... choose you this day whom ye will serve; ... as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24: 15

Recently I heard a story about a person sitting on a fence. Christ was on one side and was encouraging the fence sitter to get off the fence and join him. Satan was on the other side of the fence. The fence sitter asked Satan why he wasn't encouraging him in the same way Christ was. Satan's reply, "You don't understand. I own the fence." 

That really caught my attention. I’d never thought about it that way before. But it’s true; if we’re on the fence about a gospel principle then we’ve already moved towards Satan and away from Christ.

Book - The God Who Weeps

The God Who Weeps - How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life 
by Terryl Givens & Fiona Givens

God knows us. He cares about us. He’s someone we can have a personal relationship with. The authors tell of a God whose “heart beats in sympathy with ours, who set His heart upon us before the world was formed, who fashioned the earth as a place of human ascent, not exile, and who has the desire and the capacity to bring the entire human family home again.” (book jacket)

The authors have a vast knowledge of what poets, prophets, artists, authors and others have said about God throughout the centuries. I found the references fascinating and illuminating. Here's what one reviewer said - “What is clearly beyond contest is the authors' breathtaking erudition and command of the Western canon. On every page, in every paragraph, in nearly every sentence the authors seem to find a perfectly pitched quotation to elucidate or extend their point. The depth and breadth of their knowledge of world literature, theology, philosophy, and art, from Aristophanes and Julian of Norwich to lesser-known figures like Edward Beecher and Sarah Edwards, is astonishing. ... I stand in awe.” from review by Rosalynde Welch  

Here's what's covered in the chapters - 

- His Heart Is Set Upon Us - He feels our joy & sorrows over our pain
- Man [and woman] Was In The Beginning With God -  We lived with God before we were born
- We Are That We Might Have Joy - “Mortality is an ascent…and we carry infinite potential into a world of sin and sorrow”
- None of Them Is Lost - God wants everyone to come home to live with Him
- Participants In The Divine Nature - “Heaven will consist of those relationships that matter most to us now.” 
- Epilogue: Help Thou Mine Unbelief - The father in gospel of Mark said “I believe, help my unbelief.” He was caught between belief & unbelief. He chose to believe.

It's difficult to select favorite quotes - seemed like there was something on almost every page that I'd like to share. Here are some of my favorites. 

We can have a personal relationship with God. He wants us to. “It is His freely made choice to inaugurate and sustain loving relationships, and our choice to reciprocate, that are at the core of our relationship to the Divine.” “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1John 4: 19)  

jht - This is the case with our own families. We each need to choose to inaugurate and sustain relationships and reciprocate when others do the same. (53)

Quoting preacher Edward Beecher -  “Life, from beginning to end, [is] a constant system of education for eternity.” (65) 

More on relationships - “… our present relationships are both the laboratory in which we labor to perfect ourselves and the source of that enjoyment that will constitute our true heaven.” .. “Holiness is found in how we treat others, not in how we contemplate the cosmos. As our experiences in marriages, families, and friendship teach us, it takes relationships to provide the friction that wears down our rough edges and sanctifies us. And then, and only then, those relationships become the environment in which those perfected virtues are best enjoyed.” (112-113)

“What if in our anxious hope of heaven, we find we have blindly passed it by…? What if the possibilities of Zion were already here, and its scattered elements all about us? A child’s embrace, a companion’s caress, a friend’s laughter are its materials. Our capacity to mourn another’s pain, like God’s tears for His children; our desire to lift our neighbor from his destitution, like Christ’s desire to lift us from our sin and sorrow - these are not to pass away when the elements shall melt with fervent heat. They are the stuff and substance of any Zion we build, any heaven we inherit. God is not radically Other, and neither is His heaven.”  (120-121)

This book is definitely on my "read again" list. I invite you to read it and see what questions and answers you encounter. There's so much here for your head and your heart. 

image from goodreads.com