John McCain's economy expertise

According to exit polls in Florida, economy was the number one issue people were concerned about. People in Florida worried about the economy picked this guy as their man?? Sounds like the exit polling in New Hampshire where 35 % of McCain voters said they were very upset about being in Iraq! So they voted for a guy who has said he has no problem with us being there for another hundred years, even ten thousand years if necessary! My friends, lets have a little straight talk here, don't you think people should know a little about the candidates before they vote? Paleeeeez!

Watch this, and ask yourself if this guy has a clue about the economy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu-tg1kQ8dk

People with time to spare

Some people (and cute little piglets) have lots of time on their hands! I thought I would send a photo or two of such people (and piglets) for your enjoyment, since it seems I am having a hard time finding the time to do an honest to goodness, well thought out post. (Especially since I just spent most of my computer time replying to everyone elses blogs, which I have neglected to do for weeks.)

Two posts today

Make sure you read em both!

"The PEACE of NATURE" by Isaiah Shingleton

I swim with the fish


I dream with the squirrels



I love to climb




I like to smell flowers





I see the birds play and sing






I see a nest







I see the joy in nature

It is quiet and peaceful

Huckleberry Finn

We have a friendly nickname for our son Isaiah. Many of you have already heard it. We call him Huckleberry Finn.

If you know Isaiah, you will understand why this name fits so well. I have a story about our little Huck that will illustrate for you the topic of my post.

Isaiah loves to be outdoors, playing in the woods, making forts, riding on the tractor with his dad and siblings, watching us mow the lawn, taking five mile bike rides without his mother's permission, etc.

But I think his favorite thing is to play in or around our lake. We have fish in the lake that he watches quietly for hours. He walks around and around the lake watching, throwing crickets, bread chunks, bugs, and watching the fish eat the treats he scatters.

One day Andrew went around the lake with Isaiah and came back to report that the fish follow Isaiah around the edges of the lake. Where he goes, they go. I thought that was pretty humorous. They follow him even when he doesn't throw food. This has gone on for months.

Well, recently I bought him a fishing pole.

Do you think it took long for Isaiah to get his first catch?!

Before I could hardly say "Huckleberry Finn", he had two huge bass ready for the frying pan!!

As I pondered this event, I began to think about how Satan deceives us. I think like this story, he is slow, steady, patient, and maybe even a bit friendly. (I am in no way comparing my son to the devil, only trying to illustrate what has to be done if you want to bait, catch, or trap something.)

Likening how Isaiah baited the fish for months with free food with no hooks attached, I think Satan baits us for a long time before he moves in for the kill. He makes us feel safe first. How about the scripture in 2 Nephi 28:21-22?

21And others will he pacify, and LULL them away into carnal SECURITY, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea Zion prospereth, all is well--- and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away CAREFULLY down to hell.

22And behold,others he FLATTERETH away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he sayeth unto them: I am no devil, for there is none--- and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains from whence there is no deliverance.

A very interesting quote from C.S. Lewis gives us keen insight into devlish tactics. In the fictional letter, the master devil, Screwtape, instructs the apprentice devil, Wormwood, who is training to become a more experienced devil:

" You will say these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report SPECTACULAR wickedness... it does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their CUMULATIVE effect is to edge the man away from the Light and into the Nothing... indeed, the safest road to hell is the gradual one-- the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts."

Many years ago, President Monson was on assignment to the Island of Tonga. He tells of visiting a classroon where the instructor had in his hand a strange appearing lure made with a round stone and large seashells. It was called a maka-feke, meaning "octopus lure".

The teacher explained that tongan fishermen glide over a reef, paddling their outrigger canoes with one hand and dangling the maka-feke over the side with the other. An octopus dashes out from its rocky lair and seizes the lure, mistaking it for a much desired meal. So determined is the grasp of the octopus, and so firm is its instinct not to give up the precious prize, that the fisherman can flip it right into the canoe. President Monson says, "Today we are surrounded by maka-fekes with which satan attempts to entice us and then ensnare us. Once grasped, such maka-fekes are ever so difficult-- and sometimes nearly impossible-- to relinquish."

What are the maka-fekes in our lives? We can think of the maka-fekes of the world, such as drugs, alcohol, immorality, pornography, etc. I have thought of a few others that can become maka-fekes if not in proper balance:

How about shopping...
Love of money, pride...

How about abusing our bodies with food, making it our comforter?

I am sure we can all personally think of many, many more.

May we all pray for discernment, so that we will not be "led carefully down to hell", having our souls cheated by the devil who pacifies and flatters us.

This post has been adapted and condensed from a talk I gave recently in church.

A surprising thing happened this evening at the ABC New Hampshire Republican debate. Only 2 candidates showed up.
The first candidates name was Fredmitt McGiulihuck. This candidate is an advocate for bankruptcy, warrant-less wire tapping, and attacking nations with aggressive war. He believes in policing the world, and thinks fanatic Muslims hate us because of our freedom.
Candidate number two goes by the name Ron Paul. He is a 10 term Congressman from Texas. He is an advocate for freedom, peace, and prosperity. This man is well read and researched on America’s foreign policy, and believes in learning from history. He seeks to restore our standing with the world, and restore the civil liberties that Fredmitt McGiulihuck has been taking away.
Ron Paul showed up to discuss the Constitution, the rule of law, ending the war, and bringing fiscal responsibility back. Mr. McGiulihuck showed up to uphold the status quo. Surprisingly he spent a large majority of his time attacking Ron Paul. He attacked Ron Paul’s foreign policy understanding, and insisted that terrorists hate America because of our freedom.
Ron Paul asked Fredmitt how he would feel if China tried to occupy America. Upon this, McGiulihuck laughed and failed to acknowledge the question.


In all fairness, this clever little article is not my own. I copied and pasted it from another blog. I thought it was appropriate after watching the so called debate myself. I dont know if the other guys are worried about Dr. Paul or what. They laughed at and mocked and accused and talked over him enough to make me want to punch my pillow and fuss at the t.v. a few times. I think the strategy was for them to gang up on him all at once whenever he talked about foreign policy, and laugh at him the rest of the time. I guess they are a little threatened by the fact that he is in third place in New Hampshire in the polls, and he made more money than any of them in the last quarter!

A SAD DAY

Katie has left us for new frontiers, with her best friend Kathleen. College for these two- wow, where did the time go? She will be gone for seven months, which seems like forever to her mother! We have gone through more than a few tissues on her behalf.

This

Pretty

Much

Describes

How

We

Are

Feeling

Today...

Even the dog.

Finally

I finally posted! I was having a little brain fart after Christmas while waiting for Pip to change my template. She did a great job and I love it. Even if I didn't love it, I would still love it because I know it took her about 2 hours to get just the right combination. She used her friend Caroline's digital papers and really outdid herself. I love her so much. I think I'll buy her the new camera she has always wanted and maybe the new car she has been waiting for and maybe braces so she can have a great smile like me and . . . whatever she wants!

Thanks sis.

Love,

Joe and Shellie Paul

and Ron Shingleton.

Before and After

This is Andrew after swimming in a triathalon. I think he sucked in too much air, thus the after picture...



























It's probably not a good idea to fart in a wetsuit...







WhoaaaaaaaHaaaaHaaa!!!!
I really do crack myself up sometimes!!