She's Growing UP

When MaryAnn is the age Rebecca is now Rebecca could be married or serving a mission, but I will still have a little girl who is growing up. Rebecca is looking forward to being in Young Women's before the end of the year, and likes to remind us the she won't be able to come to Webelos anymore, because she will be at "HER" activity.

Meridian Magazine showcased MormonAD video's today, and it reminded me how much I enjoyed reading the New Era when I was a young women, and Rebecca has already been asking me to get the New Era for her to read. WOW, my little girl really is growing up! This was one of my favorite MormonAd's - I have always been my own person, my own kind of beautiful, and what a wonderful gift of identity I have been given to love myself for who I am. I hope that I am able to instill that gift in my children.

Another Question

It appears that others are asking questions, like Eamonn McCann when he asks, "What if Mormons are right and Catholics and Protestants wrong?"

Here's the article
********************************************************

What if Mormons are Right and Catholics and Protestants wrong?
Thursday, 28 August 2008

Why are the Catholic bishops so concerned about Mormons baptising dead parishioners? The Mormons didn’t invent baptism of the dead. The practice has a significant history within mainstream Christianity. The decision to order its abandonment was taken only after heated debate, and was a close-run thing.

What’s the difference, anyway, between baptising the dead and baptising babies? A tiny infant will have as much understanding as a dead person — none at all — of the complex philosophical belief-system it’s being inducted into when baptised, say, a Catholic. Transubstantiation? There’s daily communicants go to their deaths without any clear understanding of the concept. So what chance the mewling tot?

Indeed, given that all Christian Churches believe that the soul lives on after death and retains understanding and consciousness of self, doesn’t it make more sense to baptise dead adults than live babies?

Apart from which, if the Catholic bishops hold that the beliefs of the Mormons are pure baloney (as they must), and their rituals therefore perfectly meaningless, how can it matter to them what mumbo-jumbo Mormons might mutter over Catholic cadavers?

The current controversy has been prompted by Archbishop Dermot Clifford and Bishop Bill Murphy complaining to the National Library in Dublin about records handed over by the Church being made available to all and sundry. The Mormons are believed to have taken advantage of this facility to comb through parish records and baptise the souls enumerated therein, a batch at a time.

The bishops stepped in after the Vatican warned all national churches earlier this year about Mormons misusing diocesan records. I have heard it suggested that the alarm of the Holy See had escalated after reports that Mormon multiple baptisms were regularly breaking the official record set by General Liu Kung Lee who, in one afternoon, baptised seven regiments of Chinese soldiers into Christianity with a fire-hose.

Let’s look at the facts as understood by the early followers of Christ. For more than 300 years after the Crucifixion, baptism of the dead was widely accepted, its biblical basis located in 1 Corinthians 15, 29: “Otherwise, what shall they do who are baptised for the dead if the dead rise not again at all? Why are they then baptised for them.” In other words, a deceased person could be baptised by proxy: otherwise, how could such a person be included in the Resurrection? A good question.

The radical Cerinthians and the Marcionites were especially energetic baptisers of the dead. It was to wrong-foot these sects, seen as competitors with the official Church at a time when it was consolidating its position as the State religion of the Roman Empire, that the Synods of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397) voted, after bitter debate, to condemn the practice.

Interestingly, a clear trace of baptism of the dead has lingered in official practice to the present day, in the form of prayers for divine intercession on behalf of the unbaptised souls. Prayers for intervention were encouraged in Catholic schools in the 1950s. For all I know, this remains the case.

Baptising the dead might be seen as analogous, too, to the Jewish prayer of intercession. Which serves as a reminder that US Jews put a halt to galloping post-mortem Mormonism a couple of years ago by arguing that deJudaising those who’d perished in the concentration camps constituted a profound insult to Holocaust victims. Following talks in New York between leaders of the two religions, the Mormons backed off.

The key point is, surely, that all religions believe that the soul, after death, at last knows what’s what — whether Hinduism, Free Presbyterianism, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, Catholicism or whatever is the true religion. What if it’s Mormonism? What if it’s an everyday occurrence on the other side that Catholics and Protestants are left standing dumbstruck at the Gates, gasping: “Mormons! Who’d have believed it?” And maybe a wife berating her husband: “There! I told you it would be the Mormons! But would you listen?! Now it’s eternal hellfire for the two of us, I hope you’re satisfied.”

In that scenario, shouldn’t all members of all other religions be literally eternally grateful to the Mormons for sharing their saving grace even unto and after death?

If, on the other hand, it isn’t the Mormons at all, those who turn out to have been right can wave a merry farewell to the crestfallen followers of Brigham Young as they trundle downwards to their eternal comeuppance.

What’s the problem?

Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon

I've always believed the Book of Mormon to be true, to have been translated from Gold Plates by Joseph Smith, and the more that I learn about Joseph Smith, and the standard works of the LDS Church, the more that I believe. How Can you not belief, that is a question I often ask myself when I come across something new - like this video.

Glasgows at Home

The Glasgows are a wild and fun loving bunch, who enjoy getting together, talking, laughing, joking, teasing, eating, talking, working, laughing, and eating, did I mention talking and laughing.
We had a great evening tonight at my Mom and Dad’s house. Bonnie, Tyler, and Ally decided to surprise everyone and move back from Florida. They discovered that it is really difficult to orchestrate a cross continent move without telling anyone, and without trapping someone in a sticky situation between a story, half truth and little white lie. You may think it deceitful, but to “a Glasgow” it is a lot of fun, and makes life much more interesting. All the hiding, truth evading, and stories came to an end tonight when the entire Gail Glasgow Clan descended upon Mom and Dad at “HOME”.

We had a wonderful evening full of love, laughter, food, talking, hugs, and joy. We worked together to put one of our favorite family meals on the table, Finger Food Delight, we lifted our voices up in song as we sang, The Primary Colors, we bowed our heads in prayer as we blessed the food, and began and ended our family home evening. We all listened and learned more about the Prophets of the 7 dispensations of the Gospel as we listened to Malinda teach us a lesson. We rejoiced in the fact that we were all together again, all 15 of us.

A Second Fridge

When my Grandma moved in with us she had 2 fridges and an upright freezer. She hardly ever uses her extra fridge, so she said that I could use it. It has been so wonderful, and really saves me a lot of time and money. I am able to go shopping at Costco twice a month, get 8 gallons of milk and store it in the 2nd fridge until we need it. This saves me from having to "run to the store" late Saturday night so we have milk for Sunday. It also saves me money because I am in the store less, therefor less of a chance for items to jump into my cart that I don't really need.

We just recently discovered another item that stores well in Grandma's fridge, yogart. We love yogurt, and having a wide variety of flavor in little cartons takes up a lot of room, but now I can get our favorite Tillamook yogurt at Winco once a month (about 50 containers) can easily be stored in the extra fridge.

While MaryAnn and I were shopping this morning she made a new friend.

Laughter Really is the Best Medicine

Our Sunday evening traditions usually find us planning games as a family. I don't often get to play however, as I am the one tending to the little kids. However, this week we played Family Fun with my parents. I love this game because even it is an interactive game that doesn't require a lot of continual focus or card holding and I can play even if I am busy with the baby.

Tonight my parents were playing with us and we were first entertained as Rebecca and Emily had to sit down on the floor back to back and try to stand up without using their hands, and without their frogs falling off of their head. I wish that I had my video camera, it was so much fun to watch them struggle, and laugh, and except that they had tried, but failed.

Next we got to watch Isaac attempt what my Mom said was impossible, laying down on the floor, putting a cube on his forhead, and standing up without dropping the cube. It only took Isaac 2 tries and he succeeded! Woo Hoo, Way to Go Isaac. Again, I wish I had my camera.

However, the funniest part of the night was when Brad had to hum a tune and try to get his teammates to guess it. Both Rebecca and I had read the card, (I had to decide if Isaac would know the song to hum it, or if he should just try to guess.) As Brad opened his mouth (or closed it) to begin humming my Dad shouted out, "The Star Spangled Banner" Rebecca and I were both amazed, I started laughing, while Rebecca shouted "What?" Dad was right, and Brad hadn't even hummed a note. My Dad started laughing, and laughter is mighty contagious. It was so funny, I was crying. It was probably a good minute or so before we got ourselves under control and could go on with the game. I don't think we ever really even asked Dad how he came up with that answer, just a wild guess, I assume.

Brad and I were reviewing the events of the day and we had to laugh again at how much we had laughed before. I have now gotten at least 2 great workouts out of my Dad's confident (yet premature answer), "The Star Spangled Banner." Brad said he was worried that Dad was going to fall out of the chair, or "croak" right then and their. Blessedly, that is not the case, and as we continue to laugh as a family we will keep his heart in good shape. Laughter is one of the best Glasgow Family Traditions!

No More Guilt

Mother's feel guilt, often, and lots of it. Homeschooling mothers have even more reasons to worry. This article by Kathryn Louis of Milestones Academy is appropriately titled, "Let Me Reassure You." This paragraph by Kathryn is very reassuring to me, because this is what our homeschool looks like most of the time.

One sweet mother asked what the bare minimum should be. In my opinion, devotional, the 3 Rs, and plenty of outdoor time are the most crucial school activities. If you then can add a little history and science, you are doing well. Handicrafts are almost too sad to miss but may be postponed.

Thanks you Kathryn for your sweet words and your dedication to share your wealth of wisdom and experience with homeschooling mothers everywhere.