Joseph Smith wasn't just a man. He was a man with thousands of people who counted him a dear friend. And these people either wrote in journals or had children. It becomes nigh unto impossible to know enough about a milieu that includes Joseph to avoid conflicting viewpoints. And that is just with the people who love Joseph, whether then or now. Just imagine the millions who despise or hate Joseph. It's enough ... Continue reading »

I adore the sound of my husband's voice. It's not just that I love him, though that is true. When I was first dating him, I would save the messages he left and play them over and over again. "Hi, Meg. Give me a call." The stars danced. The sun wept. That was nearing two decades ago, and ... Continue reading »

On Sunday Beth's Personal Progress leader came by to suggest ways in which the Young Women Personal Progress Achievement Award could be adapted for Beth, since she's autistic. In particular, this earnest leader was suggesting that Beth could maybe earn the award by doing less. Now the Young Woman Person Progress Award is a big deal for a Mormon girl. It is like the Eagle Scout Award for a boy scout. ... Continue reading »

Usually on Monday, someone will ask: "How was your weekend?" For some reason, I rarely remember the details of those blissful days away from work. Maybe I'm too compartmentalized. Work is work, and not work is not work. Or maybe I'm just having so much fun I fail to sleep enough during the weekend, and thus my Monday morning mind cannot comprehend the glory that was my free time. This weekend was unusual because ... Continue reading »

In February my buddy, Luc Reid, asked for volunteers with whom he could work on some area where they wished to become more motivated. I had three areas that came to mind: 1) Writing 2) Physical Health (e.g., diet and exercise) 3) Household Organization I decided that the first thing I had to knock out was the household organization thing. At the time I started working with Luc, about 50% of my home was effectively ... Continue reading »