Father of all earthly life

This is a hymn dealing with the tragedy of abortion. Murder is a horrible sin because it not only deprives someone of their choice to live, but also because of the spiritual damage it does to those who commit the murder. The zeal with which people rationalize murder in any form, but particularly when it is practiced against babes in the womb, should drive all of us to pray for divine healing and change. None of us but God knows the end of this scourge on the physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing of our brothers and sisters worldwide. But as God has seen fit to use imperfect men and women to bring about his purposes before, might he not do so again as we pray to him and cheerfully do all in our power?

Let us not smother the cries of the wounded and dead; let us work with the great Healer of souls till every life is precious and every soul has felt the strength of the love of God.

Father of all earthly life,

Lord of worlds enthroned,

Sacred blood defiles our land;

Heaven’s pillars groan.

Father we are pained for sin,

Deeds time cannot heal;

How shall we abide the wrath

Of thy wounded zeal?

Even Christ the Lord of all

Shrunk ’neath sin’s great weight;

Who shall this unworthy land

Save now from her fate?

Healing and compassion come

Lord alone from Thee.

Oh Deliv’rer of the meek,

Hear our anguished plea!

Send a message from above

That will peace afford,

Purge unclean and bloody hands,

By Thy Spirit’s word.

O Lord if it may be so,

Let our children dead,

Know the sorrow that we feel

That their blood was shed,

And may we through Jesus’ grace,

Which surpasses all,

Meet them one day face to face,

In Thy hallowed hall,

Cleansed from every wicked thought,

Knowing as we’re known,

Born again to never die

Through thy grace alone.

1 Cor. 13:12; Mosiah 27:25-26; Alma 34:6, 12

Link to sheet music

Happy Father's Day!

Hi everyone! I wanted to wish my dad a happy father's day. Here is a short poem I wrote in his honor today:

I asked my daddy what he'd done
That really made a difference.
I asked my daddy what he'd done
That really made him glad.
He turned to me and looked at me,
And when he caught my eye,
He said to me, The greatest thing
I've done is being dad.

The world would end tomorrow
If men refused to love;
Raise up sons and daughters
As they're given from above,
Foster home and family and
Teach the way to be:
By your good examples
You will touch eternity.

I love you Dad! I especially love how you fostered my love of writing at an early age. Few things in my life to this point have given me more joy than sharing the inspiration I receive through creating. I've published a few poems on a free poetry site here: http://a.allpoetry.com/poems/by/chessfan. I'll end with one of those today:

If time were a thread,
I would weave a sweater
Of the glowing ambitions of youth
And the experience of sires;
Of a thousand tales of valor
And of vibrant memories
To warm the cockles of my heart
And plant undying fire
For the deeds that stand
Apart in space and 
Light the pilgrim's weary march
To Calvary and beyond.

Bright Star of Morning

1. Bright Star of morning, Light of our dawning,
Send Thy sweet presence here, we pray.
Child of the Father, born of the water,
Blessed among men be Thy name this day.

Chorus:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Worthy the Lamb Who was slain to give life!
Alleluia! Praise ye His name!

2. Men from all nations join now to praise Him,
Blessed of man and of God above!
To all the earth He brought a new birth,
To all that live He brought the Father’s love.

3. Giver of breath, conqu’ror of death,
Sweet be the news o’er the mountains You bore.
Tidings of goodwill ring o’er the hills,
Never to be silenced by sorrow more.

4. O my soul take flight; fly to the Light
Who bore you His child and still bears you along.
Heav’n and earth mingle; let the notes tingle
In all the ears that hear our glad song!

Rev. 22:16; Mosiah 15:18-20; D&C 88:49-50

Defending the People

 Alma 48:13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.

The word “people” occurs over 1400 times in the Book of Mormon. By contrast, “friend” appears 23 times and “family” 31 times. It's not too much to say that Nephite prophets were obsessed with “people.” (See e.g., 1 Ne. 4:6; 15:5; 2 Ne. 1:5-12; 33:1; Jacob 1:4-8; 4:3-4; Enos 1:9-19; Jarom 1:3; Alma 45:13-16; Morm. 7; and many more.)

Who are the people?

A people is a gathering of individuals who are united by blood ties, shared values and traditions, and often shared geographic location.

In Christian theology, all human beings are spirit children of one Heavenly Father, and physical descendants of one earthly father, Adam. The first recorded division among men occurred when Cain and his wicked followers split from the followers of Adam. A still greater division occurred when the Lord confounded the languages of the people at the tower of Babel, resulting in many nations scattering to different parts of the earth.

In all times, God established covenants with those who were willing to serve Him. Because these covenants were taught and passed down with other family traditions, we sometimes substitute “family” for “people” in the phrase, covenant people. But it is worth noting that making and keeping covenants, and not lineage, is ultimately the defining characteristic of a covenant people (See 2 Ne. 30:1-2; 1 Ne. 14:1-2; 15:14-18; 2 Ne. 10:18-19). In like manner, all peoples share core values, often rooted in historical events that the founders of the nation participated in.

What do the people need to be defended against?

This question is much too broad for a single blog post, but I will address what I consider some of the greatest threats to my people.

Internal threats

As noted previously, people are defined in large part by their shared values. (This is easily seen in the extreme case: a people who no longer share any values will cease to be a nation.) I accordingly consider some of the deadliest threats to our continued status as a united people to be attacks on the values that Americans share.

By unanimous declaration of the American representatives in 1776, the people of America share a belief that God endows all men with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and that governments are created to protect all men in those rights. In addition, we believe government should be limited to the rule of law, equally applied to all people. When we sacrifice the right of others weaker than ourselves to their life and their freedom, we strike against the core of our shared values. As Martin Luther King has it, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Yet, in our supposedly civilized nation, the threats to innocent life and liberty are greater than ever before.

In 2008, approximately 1.21 million lives were ended by abortion in the U.S. The Supreme Court decisions which “legalized” abortion in the seventies clearly overstepped the boundaries of constitutional law and judicial authority, yet the federal government refuses to return power over this issue to the states, where it belongs. In general, the federal government has followed a policy of stealing power from the states almost at every opportunity, either directly (as in the case of abortion) or indirectly (by taxing Americans and returning the money only to those states who comply with federal regulations: e.g., public education). Historically a pillar of capitalism, the United States has fallen steadily in its economic freedom ranking as the size and power of the federal government have bloated.

Beyond the threats to life and liberty, our shared respect for and trust in God have been publicly called into question and legally challenged, especially by activist judges. We cannot continue to exist as a united people if we are not equally protected in our religious liberties. I applaud the work of institutions like the Becket Fund who are working tirelessly to defend these liberties, but I am appalled by how many of the lawsuits they face are backed by our own government.

External threats

In closing, I will say a brief word on the subject of foreign enemies. No great nation is ever conquered solely from outside; and America will be no exception to this rule. The Jaredites, the Canaanites, the Nephites, the peoples of Israel, Babylon, Carthage, Greece, Rome, and countless other nations have fallen prey to invading armies, but in every case that outcome was preceded and facilitated by a cankering and rotting of the principles on which great nations are built (2 Ne. 25:9; 1 Ne. 17:35; 2 Ne. 1:9-11; Alma 46:18). All the bombs in the world cannot save a nation that has lost its core values, and that is the greatest threat to America today. My personal suspicion is that many (if not most) of our foreign entanglements abroad, which Washington so presciently advised us to avoid, have created heightened levels of conflict and discontent and weakened our national security far more than strengthened it.

Conclusion

Defending one’s people is a serious and sacred obligation. It is not easy to fathom, and it is not easy to fulfill. It is my hope and prayer that Americans of this day will find the flame of patriotism that burned so brightly in previous generations has not died in our own hearts; and that once found, we never cease to kindle it till we have fulfilled our responsibilities to our families and our nation or our hearts beat no more.

What Would You Fight For?

Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.

~ Alma 48:13

Today, I had an interesting conversation with my roommate, Byran, about the status quo in America today. I was given the opportunity to express some things that have been weighing on my mind for some time regarding how the world works.

1. The devil's followers are shining examples of religious commitment to a cause, diligence, foresight, and faith. Their money is where their mouth is, and they believe they will win.

2. Everyone else, but particularly, the disciples of Christ, are far less organized, diligent, and committed than the followers of Satan. They question whether or not they can win.* They reason that because Christ and many of the churches that claim to follow Christ do not wage political battles that they should let others wage (and win) every battle that does not affect their day to day life (and even some that do). They pray for the coming of Christ, but do not labor to prepare (and preserve) free nations and peoples to receive Him when He does come.

3. The disciples of Christ have the truth on their side. Side note: Satan's side also has an unfair advantage (which will lead to their downfall in the long scheme of things): they will do anything in order to win. The rules of God and man are no obstacle.

This past Sunday, I was assigned to teach Lesson 31 from the Gospel Doctrine Book of Mormon manual. Probably not by coincidence, this lesson deals heavily with the war chapters and a fiery individual who figured prominently in preserving Nephite freedoms from threats domestic and foreign.

Latter-day Saints are used to quoting David O. McKay's profound statement: "No success can compensate for failure in the home."**

Are we equally familiar with these words of Ezra Taft Benson and David O. McKay?

Now it is not so much a case of a man giving up all his other duties to fight for freedom, as it is a case of a man getting his life in balance so he can discharge all of his God-given responsibilities. And of all these responsibilities President McKay has said that we have “no greater immediate responsibility” than “to protect the freedom vouchsafed by the Constitution of the United States.”

There is no excuse that can compensate for the loss of liberty.

Do we share President Benson's faith the Constitution will "be saved by the citizens of this nation who love and cherish freedom?" Have we labored "with all diligence" (Jacob 5:74, Moro. 9:6) to preserve our God-given freedoms? Are we prepared to live up to our God-given responsibilities? President Ezra Taft Benson said:

I reverence the Constitution of the United States as a sacred document. To me its words are akin to the revelations of God, for God has placed his stamp of approval on the Constitution of this land. I testify that the God of heaven sent some of his choicest spirits to lay the foundation of this government, and he has sent other choice spirits—even you who hear my words this day—to preserve it. 

We, the blessed beneficiaries, face difficult days in this beloved land, "a land which is choice above all other lands" (Ether 2:10). It may also cost us blood before we are through. It is my conviction, however, that when the Lord comes, the Stars and Stripes will be floating on the breeze over this people. May it be so, and may God give us the faith and the courage exhibited by those patriots who pledged their lives and fortunes that we might be free... (Emphasis added)

In the talks I have referenced, Elder Benson expounds the principles in the constitution. He also questions if the elders' commitment to defend it is sufficiently great. Consider these words, comparing the prophet Moroni to elders today:

Now part of the reason why we don’t have sufficient Priesthood bearers to save the Constitution, let alone to shake the powers of hell, is, I fear, because unlike Moroni, our souls do not joy in keeping our country free and we are not firm in the faith of Christ, nor have we sworn with an oath to defend our rights.

The only way this statement fits in with his faith and conviction that we will help preserve the Constitution is that many of these shrinking souls are going to man up and take the steps they have to take to become  effective ambassadors for freedom. In future blog posts, I want to explore the relevance of Moroni's oath to our situation. Why did he swear to defend specifically "his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion?" I want to do this because I believe understanding and following Moroni's example could be key in our efforts to successfully change the status quo and fulfill President Benson's dream of a free America welcoming the Savior at His Second Coming.

* e.g., D&C 1:35 For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.

**This is a true statement: great nations can only be conquered from within. Families are the same. We can only win the war for our freedoms if we win the war for individual hearts and minds.

Vacation blog time! My two top ten lists and tons of pictures...enjoy and leave a comment.

Top 10 Surprises:

10. TSA is no slower or more invasive than my last flight (2004ish). The metal detector is bigger and fancier, and there are more signs explaining how they do their job (without invading your privacy), but everything else is the same as before.

9. Unc's gate opener barely opens his gate wide enough to get his jeep in.

8. The spruce tree: thicker than Unc's bear hug and covered in vines, this greenery was a massive monolith, and conquering it was a war in itself. I also forgot I wasn't programming in a cubicle in Utah and didn't wear sunblock....big ol' sunburn for the rest of vacation. Yeah...

7. Unc has been both secretary and president of the Optimist Club and has been going there for over twenty years! One thing he is not optimistic about? Politics (they're all bad, Daniel).

6. Getting to hear inspirational speaker Phil Timp share his true story with the Optimist Club inside a Food City! Phil has courageously fought through health issues for his daughter Beth and now himself (ALS), using the challenges as opportunities to inspire others. He was, as Unc aptly put it, a "driven" individual, and he brightened everyone's day.

5. Cobbly Knob is in Gatlinburg. And it's only about 2 hours from Johnson City. I don't know why I never knew these things before: but close friends will attest that I take awhile to become oriented, if it happens at all.
  Mom and Unc used to get taffy in Gatlinburg: and the store that made the taffy is still there, and still making taffy!

4. Unc was bursting (pun intended) to show us the Tennessee dams. We didn't even make it home from the airport before we were gawking at Boone Dam, and that was before the weir dams, the earth dam, and even a dam at the softball fields where he works!

3. The rain. Tennessee has been getting a good soaking. Our hosts were adamant that there had been a drought, but we saw green in bunchfuls everywhere we went. A torrential rain even slowed our Friday evening trip across I-40: the worst I've driven through in years, but oddly exciting in a way.

2. Grandpa still remembers going to USO shows. I had never heard of them before, but it's a great sidelight of American history, and I'm grateful to him for pointing it out to me. Part of war is being able to keep perspective: with humor, for example. "But it's comforting to know that while we're all here celebrating Christmas at home, that somewhere out on the lonely frontier, Elvis is defending us."

1. Unc's attic: yes, it was raining and yes I only had a flashlight and yes it went out on me. Brownie points if you can guess what I saw!

Honorable mentions
- Dirt zamboni
- Live sawtooth sharks
- Finding Herbie
- Meeting the world's tallest man

Top 10 Unsurprises:

10. Grandma, Grandpa, and Unc all took us places they had lived before. I wonder if I will feel the same affinity for old homes I've lived in. Then again, these houses are older than mine...and hence, cooler...

9. Grandpa taught us even more about the Civil War - this time it was the battle of Johnsonville. Nathan Bedford Forrest's men, unsurprisingly, out planned and roundly defeated the Union outpost. The Union commander was so overwhelmed that he decided to burn what was left of the town and run for the hills, or should I say, the woods?

8. Historical markers! We passed one several times on the road that said something about a mount: but to our Westerners' eyes, there was only a smallish hill. We found another one while touring the park grounds in Bristol.

7. Grandma's sourdough bread. "We like it, so I keep making it." You and everyone else! It goes well with toasted pepper jack and cheddar cheese...

6. Gardens. There are always delicious, enormous, soft tomatoes for us when we come. Anyone else get nostalgic about having a compost pile, or is it just me?

5.  Restaurants! I love eating out; it wouldn't be a vacation without sampling the local cuisine: Golden Corral, Shoney's, Maggiano's Little Italy, Papa John's, Wendy's, and somewhere with an Argentine flair (El Matador, perhaps?)

4. Uncle Billy beat himself at pool by calling the wrong pocket for the 8-ball. I still had two stripes to go at the time.

3. Playing the Wii with Andy. Beating Andy at the cows game, not so much! (He won the rematch.)

2. Piano time everywhere there was a piano, including Uncle Carl's (where a flattering Aunt Iona called for more between pieces!). Granddaddy's spirit lives on...

George & Daniel at age 26

1. Enjoying Boone Lake. I had learned my lesson from Tuesday and wore plenty of sunblock on our Thursday excursion. Over my vote, we started late (around 11:15 am). We were only able to get in one run before a storm chased us into an empty covered dock. I made it up and out of the wake, so it would have to be called a success.

Responsibly, Unc ended the outing as soon as the rain had cleared out (around 15 minutes later) so he could monitor the weather for the softball games. (They ended up getting canceled after 30-45 minutes of uncertainty and some rain and lightning.)
    We also spent two evenings on the dock: we wore plenty of bug spray and had a great time overall. There was a little tension when Unc had to discipline Maggie: unlike Shiloh (who fancies himself a bit of a fisherman), she ignored his commands to lie down and not bother us while we were eating.

Honorable mentions
- Punctual mealtimes (and unpunctual)
- Dust (and the absence of dust)

July 22 - Snippet 2

It’s 9 pm MST of July 22nd. Mary Alma and I have had a quiet, reflective day. I had breakfast at 7:30 – and I was the late bird! I made myself oatmeal with frozen blueberries, plus a green jello square. We left for Church about 8, with Grandpa driving Grandma’s car. I helped Grandma straighten her seat. (Inside, she has a plastic cutting board to sit on: she has to sit on something hard or lie down for her back.) Mary Alma had trouble getting carsick yesterday, so she got the front seat.

I enjoyed the joy of Julia McGirt, who provided the organ (and piano) accompaniment for the service. I rejoice in good music and she was brimming with good music, to overflowing. We spoke our parts, and shook hands with others, and enjoyed it. The sermon by visiting pastor Keith Geitner urged us not to become obsessed with getting everything perfect, since it is God’s grace, not our efforts, that perfect us. He urged us to free ourselves to try things (e.g., be like people with a digital camera vs a 24-shot film camera).

We ate a little and talked a little in the overflow following the meeting. A community garden where members could take food (and make donations) or donate their own garden produce occupied a large table. Grandpa told me that Duke Ellis (a Stephen minister) ran that program. Grandpa’s class was a lecture from the Great Teachers series by a woman archaeologist who recounted the basics and the debate over Josephus’ account of the mass suicide at Massada. Apparently Josephus’ audience (Romans) were not particular about historical accuracy. Josephus employed the mass suicide motif more than once, a motif which would have shown the Jews to be a noble, worthy foe for the proud Romans to have defeated.

After the Sunday school class (all of the regulars contributed money: apparently, they are their own “corporation?”), Aunt Shelly drove Mary Alma and me over to the Franklin 2nd ward building, by the Nashville temple. We were greeted by numerous people, and profited from the lessons. Sacrament meeting focused on answers to prayer, and I felt that I would receive important answers and guidance for my life in the next few days. I’m on the lookout now. Sunday school was taught by M.D. Dan Follenger (?), a BYU grad with a scholarly spin. He spent a lot of time on Anti-Nephi-Lehies. Kent Jackson’s theory is that it should be Anti-Nephi Lehies (not from Nephi, descendants of Lehi). Plausible. He also encouraged us to see what doctrines had most impressed the recent convert, King Anti-Nephi-Lehi, judging from his speech to his people. In elders quorum, we had a thoughtful lesson on applying Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s talk: The Merciful Shall Obtain Mercy. One way to avoid getting mad is to note when we usually get mad and arrange our lives to avoid these situations (e.g., leaving early for work so we won’t be impatient).

At 2:06, Aunt Shelly picked us up, but we had to go to Sam’s for Uncle Billy (who was buying watermelon), so we didn’t get home till quarter to 3. We had a light lunch of sourdough bread, toasted cheese and Fleischman’s margarine, pepper and tomatoes + Gatorade (for me: Grandpa had bought me some at a gas station during our trip to New Johnsonville Saturday). We did Sudoku and I did show and tell with our photos from the first half of the vacation with Unc. At 5:45, we had dinner (soup, bread, crackers, tomatoes, and more of the frozen vanilla yoghurt + gluten-free peach/cherry cobbler – I was surprised to find cherry even better than the peach!).

Just like Christmas, I don’t want today to end. Do you know the feeling?

After dinner, Grandma showed me photos on their digital slide show that Andy had set up. I’m a little sad we haven’t seen more of Aunt Shelly and Uncle Billy, but they are understandably stressed with school and work, respectively, and I don’t want to be a drag on their time. Plus, I have a feeling my real happiness will not depend on making others do a single activity. I wonder if I am a vanishing breed, as I do not find as much pleasure in pursuing things that make me “busy” as I do in having people that I can become busy with doing things we all find worthwhile. I would rather give up what makes me busy to be busy with people I want to be my friends (and who want to be my friends, if there are any – I have hope).

To all my readers, what else should I tell about our vacation? Let me know in the comments or on Facebook or email, or when you see me in person. :) I'm going to do (at least) one or two top ten's in my next post: feel free to suggest what they should be about.

July 17th - A Snippet

For all you enthusiasts who want an unedited, live account, here's a journal entry from July 17th. I will be posting more vacation stuff in the near future.

Today, I woke up at 6:30, bright eyed and bushy tailed and went down to the parlor. It looked like it hadn't been visited in over a year: layers of dust to contend with, and a brown (caked dust?) coating on part of the keys, in spite of the dust cover. I eventually brought down one of the white fans to help clear the air, and commenced composing the waltz I had been trying to remember yesterday when Mary Alma watched me boot up Finale.

Around 7:45, Unc appeared, and I took a break. I was happy to find Unc's Book of Mormon, and sad to find it very dusty and unused, like so many other things in this large house. The contents were still fresh and snappy. I seemed to find things that spoke to Unc's situation.

I had breakfast (peach and Total cereal with icewater from the fridge), but Unc told me he doesn't eat breakfast anymore. He did call to announce the softball games on the message line of the Bristol VA Parks and Recreation. I thought he was doing it from memory but he later told me he was reading from a paper on the floor!

He began work alone on the gigantic fallen spruce. I was grateful I had packed my jeans, but I would later be sorry that I did not pack sunscreen. We were roundly toasted with the sun in the 80s and little cloud cover. I will have nice red arms, back of the neck and forehead for the next few days.

We got things pretty well cleared out by 12:30. I got some very sticky gum on one of my shoes which led to my wearing flip flops on our subsequent travels to see Unc's work, 35 minutes away in Bristol, VA. The main office is a converted home, with Unc occupying an upstairs bedroom. He had few wall adornments, among them his awards from the Optimist club!

First, Unc and his assistant Randy finished preparing the softball fields.

At Unc's invitation, Mary Alma and I left and meandered on the paved and rock trails around the sports fields and through some woods to Resting Tree Dr, which we crossed to get a look at the Resting Tree's historic marker. Here we learned the land used to belong to the Preston Plantation, and slaves of long ago were buried in the mulchy ground underneath the large spreading tree.

We enjoyed a nice lunch at Wendy's, where the wife and daughters of one of the softball coaches Unc knows said hi. Our touring continued, this time with Unc as guide. He drove us to his office where we met the first occupants, Samantha and Carly (tabby cats).

We met Pat Malone, who like Unc, has worked with the Parks and Recreation services for over 20 years. She was a nice Tennessee lady who offered us plenty of free stuff while we were there (free cats, free paper fans, free candy, etc.). We returned to the Beaver Creek Dam; much smaller than Boone Dam (which Unc showed us on our first day), but mounted on an impressively tall (and wide) hill, with steep grassy sides (roughly 50 degrees) and long concrete culverts and a water gate at the bottom. The culverts have caused at least one serious ski accident by Unc's account.

We saw one wreck - a new looking Subaru jeep had been rear-ended by a little car: the Subaru looked untouched but the car's hood was crumpled in over a foot. Leaving Wendy's, we got behind a wrecking truck carrying a red car that had been crumpled up to the driver's door, which was forced slightly open.

Unc returned to the fields to plug in the scorekeeping consoles. The first one was temperamental and only worked after unplugging and replugging it many times. The second worked almost instantly. We returned to the office and met the lady over the women's programs, a full time employee who can't wait to be retired (Joyce). She covered the night's games. Unc is covering tomorrow and Thursday, much to our chagrin, but what can you do? TN was suffering a horrible drought (along with much of the Eastern United States) and only last week did they have a solid week of rain-outs, pushing back the softball tournament schedule to our vacation week. So it goes.

We got home around 6:45 and after some TV and political talk, we carried turkey, condiments, drinks (including a tupperware container filled with refrigerator water), chips, a warmed can of beans, a radio (and more) to the dock. Unc likes nights on the dock ("It's so peaceful," as he put it). We stayed till after dark and talked and listened. Luckily, we have been doing bug spray faithfully and insect bites have been few.

Back at the house, there was more TV and (for me) some computer time, after I had finished the sticky task of cleaning my gummy shoe. Unc tried to help, chipping at the sole with a putty knife: I should have stopped him, because the soles are too soft to take it, but I didn't, and now I am missing a lot of rubber along with the sticky mess. I washed off both shoes with hot water from the stove, but I question whether I will not have to buy new comfy shoes for work. These have been stretched in a big way.

To be continued... :)

Land of the Free?

"Surely – certainly – it behooves patriotic citizens – such as you – to meet together to seriously consider present conditions in our beloved nation. It is imperative that American citizens become alerted and informed regarding the threat to our welfare, happiness and freedom.

No American is worthy of citizenship in this great land who refuses to take an active interest in these important matters."

Ezra Taft Benson spoke these words in 1966, but they ring just as true in 2012. A more contemporary but equally relevant message is being shared by one Ron Paul, e.g., last May.

That we have every hope of success is a sentiment shared by both the men I have mentioned. Ron Paul, despite efforts to portray him as a gloom-and-doom man, is aware of and happy for the real changes he has seen and hopes to see continue. President Benson, in a 1986 devotional, declared, "I have faith that the Constitution will be saved as prophesied by Joseph Smith. But it will not be saved in Washington. It will be saved by the citizens of this nation who love and cherish freedom. It will be saved by enlightened members of this Church--men and women who will subscribe to and abide by the principles of the Constitution."

I struggle with procrastination and leading out, but I can't ignore that we are clearly being called to preserve America's Constitution. We lovers of liberty need to meet together, physically or otherwise, and plan how we will do this. I urge all of us to heed the prophets of our time, before it is too late.

Ammon and the Power of God

On my mission, I experienced burnout. The mental image that came to me at the time was boiling water: spiritually, I had come to a boil, and I knew that if I was not replenished, I would run out. Another metaphor is a ship at sea: it may go far, but if it is not replenished with life-giving water and supplies, the crew will die and their journey fail.

Contrast what I felt with the experience of Ammon and his brethren. These men came with a strong testimony of God (Mosiah 27:15). They had spent months, perhaps years, teaching their countrymen about God (Mosiah 27:33-37). They had prepared themselves thoroughly for spiritual battle: “they were men of sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently that they might know the word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.” (Alma 17:2-3)

Then, comes their time to serve in the field. Ammon’s third day as a servant, robbers attack them and scatter their sheep. All Ammon’s coworkers want to do is bemoan their fate. Here’s Ammon’s response: “Now when Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy” (Alma 17:29) He’s full of joy, right as he is about to have to push himself to the limit? He’s full of joy, when he’s just been attacked by robbers and the people he needs to teach aren’t motivated even when their lives are in danger? Yes, he is! Why? “for, said he, I will show forth my power unto these my fellow-servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these flocks unto the king, that I may win the hearts of these my fellow-servants, that I may lead them to believe in my words.” 1. He has complete trust in the power of God in Him. 2. He is completely focused on the mission he has been given, to lead the Lamanites to believe in the word of God. Result? He flatters the servants and they work incredibly hard and save the flocks.

But wait. While they’re still warm from the exercise, the robbers show up again. Ammon’s response? “Encircle the flocks round about that they flee not; and I go and contend with these men who do scatter our flocks.” (v.33) He has totally assumed the role of a leader, and a leader puts his neck on the line for his followers. And the servants do exactly what he says. We’re not told if there’s an opening prayer before the confrontation, but I kind of doubt it. Ammon is in the zone; he is relishing his role. “Ammon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with his sling; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst them; and thus he slew a certain number of them insomuch that they began to be astonished at his power”.

This was the Lamanite justice system in action: the Lamanites knew plundering and murdering were wrong, and Ammon knew they knew. He also was full of and relishing the power of God in Him to protect his fellow-servants and the clueless sheep from the danger. Rather than backing off, the robbers charged him with clubs. “But behold, every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he smote off their arms with his sword; for he did withstand their blows by smiting their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him” (v. 37)

Ammon apparently didn’t know how to deliver a non-lethal slingstone, but he did specifically target the robber’s leader for death: some conflicts just have to be cut off at the roots, perhaps? With the leader dead, and many of their club arms missing, it’s the robbers who have had enough.

You might think Ammon is exhausted, but far from it. He helps water the flocks, and then remembers (there’s some good in a daily planner!) what all the other servants forget (or are they just giving him a chance to shine?): preparing the horses and chariots for the big trip to the party in Nephi.

While he’s still going full-steam ahead, the servants tell him to come see Lamoni. Here at last, he takes a breather. “Ammon turned himself unto the king, and said unto him: What wilt thou that I should do for thee, O king? And the king answered him not for the space of an hour” (Alma 18:13) After an hour passes, Ammon has had no revelation, so he repeats the question. It is then the Spirit of the Lord comes to his rescue, revealing what the king is thinking of. Hindsight being 20-20, it seems ridiculously easy to us to guess what the king was thinking of, but we need to remember that Ammon’s power does not come from relying on his own abilities, but from his complete trust in God, and his laser focus on his mission.

Ammon knows the king’s thoughts, but he still is interested in getting the king to speak for himself. “Are you marveling because I just killed seven guys and cut off lots of arms defending your flocks?” And then he repeats the magic phrase: “I’m ready to do whatever you want.” Remember that he’s already had a very full day to this point! But the power in him is inexhaustible, so he can say that and it is perfectly true.

The king says, “Well yeah, I kind of want to know who you are and how on earth did you get your magical power? I’ll give you whatever you want if you’ll tell me about your power source.”

Ammon, totally focused on his mission of leading the Lamanites to believe the word of God, at last makes a move: “Wilt thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee.” (v. 22) The king agrees, and Ammon begins teaching simply, in a question-and-answer format, about who God is, and why His power is in Ammon. Unlike some recent inhabitants of the wild west, the Lamanites were big on long talks. Ammon teaches the king and the servants about the creation of Adam and the scriptural record until Lehi. Then they cover Nephite and Lamanite history to the present, with relevant scriptures. He also teaches them the plan of redemption and all the works of the Lord. The king believes everything, and begins crying to the Lord for mercy: next, he falls to the earth as if he were dead.

Here again, Ammon seems to have decided it was time for a breather. He steps aside while the servants carry the unresponsive king to his wife, and not until two days later does Ammon get his wish: they ask him to take a look at the king and tell them what’s wrong. He prophesies the king will rise (apparently even giving the exact time: see Alma 18:11) and everything happens exactly as foretold. It’s a good thing Ammon is there punctually, because two sentences after Lamoni rises, he and his wife sink down again. Ammon bursts into thanksgiving to God, and he is overpowered too, not by exhaustion (and it’s an important distinction), but by joy (19:14). The power in Ammon is limitless, and it is being poured out upon all the people who will repent and believe on the name of Christ (Alma 19:36).

Years later, Ammon is still full of this joy and power (Alma 26:16; 27:17), and his converts are of the same fiber (Alma 23:6). What does Ammon attribute this joy to? 1. His faith and desires which are in God (Alma 18:35). 2. The infinite power, wisdom, understanding, and mercy of God (Alma 26:35-37).
To that we could certainly add the faith of Mosiah and the promise which he obtained from God (Alma 17:35) and the diligent missionary service and preparation of Ammon (Mosiah 27:32-37; Alma 17:2-3). Perhaps most significant of all is Ammon’s unshakable knowledge that he has been called of God to do what he is doing (Alma 18:34). Alma, his colleague and fellow preacher, also buoyed himself in the rough times by remembering this calling to himself and to his hearers (e.g., Alma 5:44).

In summary, I don’t think we can fully appreciate the intensity and unwavering energy of Ammon without acknowledging that he received strength from God. I also don’t believe we can experience the same degree of spiritual power and God-inspired success without turning to the same sources and receiving the same (or a similar) calling that Ammon received. This matter is critically important to me at this point of time in my life when I am trying to find whether and what God has called me to do, and (of secondary importance) how I should go about it. I will continue seeking for answers. Look out, robbers.

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible by A.J. Jacobs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you are interested in how the Bible strikes the secular and politically correct (and ridiculously funny), this may be just the thing. I found A. J. Jacobs’ book very intellectual without being stuffy, offering numerous little insights and funny moments, and I do mean funny in both traditional senses. If you want a page turner and many a good laugh, read on.



I did not glean many life-changing revelations from the pages, but I was entertained, and I believe that was Jacobs’ principal goal in writing. The words of Paul in 1 Cor. 2 come readily to mind (e.g., 1 Cor. 2:14). Jacobs himself admits that he is being a little superficial, and he is unsure how much or even whether he can change to the frame of humility so necessary to receive revelation from God. We do not fully come to know God by trying him out selectively and for limited amounts of time, but by humbly receiving and internalizing revelation from him (1 Cor. 2:11; Jacob 4:8).



Of course, God is much kinder than any of us deserves. It is kind of heart-warming how even Jacobs’ limited (and sometimes downright wacky) efforts at finding God bear fruit. Perhaps most touching was how he acquired a deep gratitude for his many blessings. That alone is one of the best gifts we can receive: to understand true gratitude.



In sum, I recommend it heartily, with a grain of salt.





View all my reviews

How the South Could Have Won the Civil War: the Fatal Errors That Led to Confederate Defeat by Bevin Alexander

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Excellent book; highly recommended. The author has given a very convincing overview that draws you into the period and the choices of generals, presidents, and other leaders that led to the South's eventual defeat. This reshaped my view of Robert E. Lee: he was a great field commander (far superior to most of his Northern counterparts) but with an antiquated and deeply flawed notion of how to win an 1860's war. Grant was not much better, but he had many more men to follow him. By contrast, Stonewall Jackson (and to some extent, the Union general Sherman) appreciated the importance of manuevers, foremost his defend, then flank attack, which won battles but did not convert Lee.



After the war, Lee was one of the greatest influencers for peace with the North, in example and precept. He may have been, in the long run, the greatest single contributor to the solidarity of the United States today.



The book does dig into technical details of battles, and the maps, while a big help, could have been well complimented with some photos. Really, someone needs to do an interactive 3d map where you can place armies (and equipment) of variable size, but I won't hold that against Mr. Alexander.



View all my reviews

A BYU friend recently recommended Goodreads to me. I visited the website, liked what they were doing, and promptly joined. Here's my first book review. I've been very interested in the Revolutionary War period for some time and have read a number of books on the subject and key figures from the period (more recently, 1776, Washington's General, and Benjamin Franklin: An American Life). I have a rather pathetic start at a historical novel during the period, and was enthused by the detail-oriented picture of soldiers on the battlefields provided in my latest foray: Patriot Battles, by Michael Stephenson. Here's my review:

Mr. Stephenson has done a great job condensing large amounts of information into short, crisp, logically structured data on the Revolutionary War. If you enjoy the period and want to get a feel for the realities of this war period (and especially the soldiers who fought the war), this book deserves serious consideration.

Given its brevity, the book naturally has omitted some areas of the war, viz. the stories of war prisoners, many of the naval battles and minor actions, detailed biographical information, etc., but it is no less commendable for its excellent detail in describing the soldiers who fought the wars, including an interesting sidelight on Negro soldiers serving on both sides; the recruiting process; the weapons used; etc., and a substantial account of the major engagements of the war from start to finish.

I will likely be coming back to this book when I write a historical novel on the period.

Come thou sinner unto Jesus

Recently, I finished the Book of Mormon and started again in 1 Nephi. Like every great classic carefully reviewed, there are new insights with each fresh pass. I found myself particularly touched by the message in 1 Nephi 6:4, where Nephi emphasizes our duty to come unto God.

My composing itch led me to the great hymn classic, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. If you have never taken the time to review its history, may I recommend wikipedia's summary of the hymn text and the author's life. I was interested to see the large number of revisions, as well as the poignant circumstances which led to the hymn's creation. These two starting points and a lot of help from the Fount of every blessing helped produce these lyrics. If they uplift and encourage you in your spiritual journey, I am well repaid.

1. Come thou sinner unto Jesus;
He awaits with open hands:
Come and take His yoke upon thee
And be loosed from Satan’s bands.
All eternity awaits thee,
Endless giving, endless life,
Let not worldly pleasures sate thee;
Give up all thy useless strife.

2. Rise up from receipt of customs,
Rise up from Damascus’ road,
Leave the nets of sin entangling,
For a better, lighter load.
Heed the call of Love made Human,
Take the gift He’s proffered long,
Let not worldly wealth entombing,
Keep thee from salvation’s song.

3. Lift thine eyes to see the stranger
Who thy hands might bring relief,
One kind word may save from danger,
And give peace in place of grief.
And for all that thou’st forsaken
By thy coming to the Lord,
If thy faith remain unshaken,
Hundredfold shall be restored.

Matt. 11:28-30; 19:21, 29; 25:40; Luke 5:27-28

Parable of the Spiders

The man's feet were on the threshold. "That great monster will crush us if we don't defend ourselves!" cried the hatchlings. No, he will only notice us if we sting him, the old wise spiders said. But the youngest, tired of talk, ran out and bit the man on the foot, and the man saw the nest, and killed all the spiders.

Trip to Mexico

This past June 11th through 16th, I took a vacation down to my mission stomping grounds to be with a very special family during their temple sealing. I am always telling people how friendly Mexicans are as a people, and I certainly witnessed this on my trip there. I was treated like a king everywhere I went. For example, I was only in Hermosillo 3 months of my mission, but I was practically best friends with the people in the ward during my brief visit.

I touched down in Hermosillo after an uneventful flight around 3 pm, and was pleasantly surprised to find a vigorous cool wind offsetting the mild heat of the Sonoran summer. This nice weather lasted through most of my stay. The pleasant surprises continued as I found Hermano Vega and a co-worker from the Ford Motor Plant inside the airport, waiting to drive me home.

A little about "Las Vegas": the husband and wife are very witty and love to go back and forth. Hno. Vega was involved with some comedy sketches work I understand as well, involving a certain Chik-fil-a style sombrero:


Despite Sister Vega's claims to the contrary, they had lots of friends and visitors (besides me :). Back when Hno. Vega was the mission leader, they were also very socially connected, which helped the missionaries out a lot, I can tell you. As long as we're on culture, I'll throw out a fun fact. The Sonoran visit, as a rule, must last 20 minutes or longer. An hour or two is more likely. I like the high value that Sonorans put on spending time together; it really is a cultural value. In our case, we were visiting pretty much all day, but hey, there was a lot to catch up on.

Next morning, I got up around bright and early to prepare for the hour-long bus drive to the temple. Hermana Vega fixed us some quesadillas (cheese melted on flour tortillas), showered, and changed into a skirt and blouse to take me there. The Vega family has struggled a bit to stay active in the Church recently, but Hna. Vega assured me they were going to return to full activity soon. She remarked it had been a while since seeing the temple.

At the temple around 8 am, I had a very joyful reunion with the Moreno family. They had not received their endowments, so the sealing did not take place till around 12 pm. We ate lunch around 1:30 pm, and after 2 hours+ of going back for my things (including a mandatory visit with the Vegas), we were ready to take photos of the Morenos before hopping on the bus to Obregon.

(I should interject that throughout the day, I had the opportunity to see many familiar faces from Navojoa (about an hour south of Obregon) and Obregon. There were also two sweet sisters serving as temple workers who I had met during my service as a missionary in Hermosillo. I liked the way their faces lit up when they recognized the gringo in their midst!)

We had a nice bus trip back to Obregon. I wrote another thank-you note and had a good long talk with Hno. Moreno. Like a lot of fathers these days, he was concerned about how he was going to make money to support his family. Some ideas he had were buying, fixing up, and reselling houses and getting a Visa to work in the U.S. once more (he had been there to work previously with a valid Visa I believe, but he got deported anyway). He has a carpentry business and business has been good recently; so much so that the family has moved out of the carpentry shop into a house about 15 minutes' drive away.

Sunday, we attended Church and I served as the ward pianist. Sonora has a huge drought of piano players, which the cheapness of keyboards and youtube piano lessons has failed to resolve. The youth have to be very self-motivated to learn, since there are about 0 people who teach piano lessons, even in the big cities.

I was especially impressed by Hna Moreno, a very stubborn lady who was not baptized until she had decided for herself it was the right thing to do. She had been working with a less active sister, and that sister came with us to Church on Sunday. After Church, the missionaries had a surprise baptism (surprise for the ward), and Hna Moreno, as president of the women's organization (Relief Society), stayed an extra hour and a half to make sure the elderly lady got an official welcome into the ward. I stayed too, of course; even returned missionaries love being in a baptism! The turn out of ward members and investigators was so good that it was standing room only at some moments. Hooray!

When we got home, Hermano Moreno had lunch ready for us: a tasty carne asada with roasted onions and jalapeno peppers, guacamole, salsa, and Vita soda. The afternoon was a time for visiting. The Moreno's had moved to a different ward, so I had only seen a few of my old friends at the temple yesterday. I was very happy when we managed to see everyone on my list except one (the bishop, a great friend to the missionaries, had had to leave town suddenly when an aunt died). Catch him next time...

I enjoyed all the visits a lot, but the last visit with the Herrera's was particularly touching for me. Like Hermana Moreno, Hermana Herrera had been very stubborn, but once she committed to being baptized, both of them never looked back. Despite a few small improvements and additions, the same portraits and couches and the same sweet spirit from when they opened their home to two missionaries washed over me when Hno. Herrera ushered me in. I didn't have the Herrera's telephone, so it was a genuine surprise when I popped up on the doorstep. Hno. Herrera was so excited to see me that he accidentally shut the door in Hno. Moreno's face!

Hna. Herrera had always tried to serve dinner to Elder Santiago (my companion) and me when we were teaching them the gospel, and we more often than not had to decline in order to get home before our 9:30 pm curfew. So it gave me a bit of guilty pleasure to eat two bowls of delicious posole at the hermana's invitation, accompanied by tortilla chips and home-made lemonade, taking till past 10:30 to do so!

Their son Daniel, who had been serving his own mission to Mexico City at the time of their baptism, gave us a ride home in his Volkswagen buggy. Wonderful day!

Monday, at Hermano Moreno's suggestion, Susana (his 20-year-old daughter) took me to do some touristy things in the morning. We saw the lagoon...or what was left of it. Someone's child had gotten infected by bacteria in the water and died, so it had been temporarily drained.

Another big piece of recent news was the fire that had ravaged a day-care, claiming the lives of 49 children. A simple monument with names of the victims had been tucked into the plaza:


We found Susi's cousin and enjoyed/endured a lengthy visit, before taking the bus to the centro to buy a few souvenirs. As usual, I did more looking than buying, but I hadn't ever gotten the mandatory tourist item of palo fierro. We found a cute little aguila for around 25 pesos (a little less than $2.50); it's on my dresser now.

Monday afternoon, I said good-bye to everyone (except Hna Moreno, who was working; we had said good-bye after breakfast) and hopped on a Tufesa to Hermosillo. If anyone ever decides to take Tufesa, I recommend taking your own hand sanitizer. I'm very picky about washing my hands after using the bathroom, but Tufesa buses only wait about 3-5 minutes at any given stop on the route. So yes, this is the second time I got left behind by the bus. The Tufesa folks were very professional in handling the situation (does this happen a lot?) - they got me a free seat on the next bus from Empalme and had a girl waiting to help me load my things on at Guaymas.

I was very distressed that I couldn't get anyone on my cell phone either on the trip to Hermosillo or once arrived. It turns out that you will hear a phone ringing even if you have neglected to put in the area code for Mexico (52) in front of the number. Once I figured that out, I got an answer on the first try. In hindsight, I should have just taken a taxi to the Vegas' house and then asked around for an internet cafe. Instead, I trundled out with all my baggage, going two blocks to a nearby internet cafe by the bus station. I was carrying around so much stuff that I left my phone by accident (in the internet cafe, I assume).

A lot of my remaining time with the Vegas was wasted looking for the thing. It was low on batteries and the fellow that got it will have to buy something to recharge it with if he wants to get any use out of it. He actually did call the number under Home, and talked to Mom, but she didn't understand a thing he said, and he didn't answer any of our calls or texts to my phone.

One good thing that did happen that day was getting to eat tacos al pastor for dinner. The prices (10 pesos for one small taco) would have been prohibitively high for a poor missionary (think, 1000 pesos a month), but as a rich tourist, it felt like money well spent. It was my treat; and we bought 17. The water was free at least, unlike the airport (18 pesos for a small bottle!). Our vendor followed the prescription on wikipedia, with the pineapple above and the onion below the "top" of meat. He actually fried the meat on a large griddle before serving it on the freshly warmed tortillas. There was the usual shredded cilantro with raw onion, guacamole (just avocado I think), salsa, and limones. I thought the pineapple gave the pork a nice flavor.


Tuesday morning, Hna. Chavez (another great sister from the Hermosillo ward) took me to the airport in plenty of time for my 11:50 flight. However, the plane door refused to shut, and after about an hour of trying to repair the thing, the flight was cancelled. I declined the free hotel accomadations and the 7 hour bus trip in (you guessed it) Tufesa, opting to stay another day with the Vegas and take the same flight for free. When we weren't looking for my phone, I found time to wash some dishes and some clothes, and get clobbered on PlayStation by Benjamin, the Vegas' twelve-year-old son.

The next morning, the plane took off just fine, on schedule. Unfortunately, AeroMexico had mismarked my bags, so I had to check in again at the Phoenix airport, setting my flight time back by a few hours. I got the last seat available on that flight. Perhaps I should call it the vacation that didn't want to end...

I bought a Quiznos sub for lunch and got change for a dollar (the cashier remembered me from when I bought lunch at Quiznos on Friday!). I called Mom as she was on her way out the door to give her the revised schedule. After lunch I managed to hang out without losing any more items until the flight was taking off. I sat next to Chris, an Air Force pilot from Maryland on the way home (Hill Air Force Base). He had been to some kind of boating conference in Los Cabos, San Lucas for people who live in their sailboats. To kill time, he told me lots of interesting things during the trip, including the different causes of turbulence, the doomster's view of the oil crisis (what happens when we run out of fossil fuel: I found an interesting documentary the next day on youtube), farming in Brazil, and programming planes in 1's and 0's (he also had an electrical engineering degree and had served as adjunct faculty at Weber State). It was a lot to absorb, but I love it so much when people listen to me, and the guy really knew a lot of interesting stuff. Mom was waiting at the airport to greet me, and in a short time, we were on our way home.

What did I learn? In general, I'd say Obregon and Sonora have modernized more since I was there: more computers, more paved roads, even a microwave (!) in the Herrera's house. The gospel gives us great strength by justifying an eternal perspective of life and our relationships with people. I truly am convinced that we can be with our families and our friends for all eternity through the power of God, given to prophets in our day. That is motivation to cultivate those relationships now and view death not as a final separation but a temporary separation of body and spirit, until we are reunited body and spirit and reunited with all our family members who choose to accept the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I hope I will see many if not all of my family and friends at that day, including the special folks I was with on this trip to Mexico.

Judicial Activism

Back in February, BYU's Prelaw Student Association sponsored a lecture by Judge James Taylor of the District Court for the Fourth District of Utah. Judge Taylor was a very intellectual, pragmatic individual who took his religion and his job very seriously. This being the case, I was very surprised by a comment he made somewhere in the middle of his talk. I'll paraphrase it like this: "I've never understood what is meant by the term activist judge. Speaking with a group of fellow judges, I found that they hadn't either. I don't understand what is meant by judicial activism."

This caused me a great deal of reflection at the time and has pushed me to research the topic a little. As a homeschooler and an active LDS, this topic is never very far off the radar. For example, California has been a particularly hot spot for judicial activists in recent years (i.e. the court case that all but made homeschooling illegal, the ruling overturning California marriage law and creating a constitutional right to gay marriage, etc.)

One of my first stops, of course, was wikipedia's page on the subject, which is remarkably light, considering all the activity in this vein. I found an interesting defense of judicial activism by a 1992 Cornell Ph.D., Sterling Howard. I'm still on chapter 1, but I'm looking forward to finishing the whole thing and perhaps improving some of the scant encyclopedic information on this very relevant issue.

A more thorough (and readable) historic look at the subject may be afforded by Paul O. Carrese's 2003 offering: The Cloaking of Power: Montesquieu, Blackstone, and the Rise of Judicial Activism. I was a little surprised to find that none of my three excellent local libraries carry a copy, but there's always Barnes and Noble. Stay tuned for more thoughts on this subject.

Swasical!

For those not versed in Miller folklore, Swa was a young, reckless, and remarkably successful general. His bold attacks against better equipped foes were the stuff of legend even in his own day, and while not always entirely sound, his tactics ultimately succeeded. Consequently, a bold, stylish attack which may or may not be sound (I believe it is in the present example) is denoted by the adjective "swasical." Known variations include "twasical", "swazzy", and others too painful to be set down.

Some historians believe the variations may have arisen from the various battle cries of Swa's yeomen troops, resulting in the various root forms: hwa, swa, and twa. Enough talk. Let's sac some rooks.

And One for Music...

I now have a site to host my music on! Thank you to
this site. My site is: http://sites.google.com/site/nuagormusic/

Now I can invite friends to hear my work online. Granted, I’m still
operating at a bare minimum level, but I can get fancier with time.
The main functionality (uploading and downloading my precious songs) is there. I’m
grateful for this wonderful free service; google has blessed my life since
the mission!

I had a fancier "store" version working in Ruby, but the issue of hosting keeps coming up. Always get free hosting when you can. Besides, my music is priceless, right? Cheers, and enjoy :)

Zugzwang - sort of

Eureka! I can use chessflash to publish my games on my blog. Find out how you can do it too!

This is a recent game against Ziggurat (expert level); the Custom Entertainment pack computer program that came with old versions of Windows.