Poetic Thoughts from Saturday Afternoon Session of the 187th Semi Annual Conference of the LDS Church

Gospel glasses keep us safe from any chance eclipse/and will help us with the gospel always come to grips/Meaningful connections need an unobstructed view/so we ignore the many to go wait upon the few.

A winning life is fruitful with repentance and resolve/to come unto the Savior and continue to evolve/The penitent are positive; contrition brings us joys/which never is pathetic and which never ever cloys.

The Lord’s true purpose is so strait that many never see/how it only can be served with true humility/Be humble and find meekness in the power of the Lord/and you shall find that modesty becomes a fiery sword.

Coincidence and God’s design are not the same at all/Coincidence is what man sees because of Adam’s Fall/But God unfolds His master plan no accidental way/with purpose orchestrated to guide us all the livelong day.

To show the Lord your heart you need/but sacrifice until you bleed/and then the Lord will kindly deal/with all your wounds to make them heal.

Without the Book of Mormon we are chips upon the wave/circling the maelstrom without a plan to save/The fullest understanding of the Master still resides/in this sacred guidebook that is proof against all tides.

Where the Heck is Catalonia . . . and Why Should I Care?

I must confess geography

Is not an easy thing for me.

Where Catalans inhabitate

Is something I can’t calculate.

The media is not much good

On making this thing understood.

Is it Europe or in France?

Does the place have much romance?

Their wish to vote is so sincere --

But what they want ain’t very clear.

I think they want to export cheese

Without a bunch of shipping fees.

Getting Creative with Oregano Oil!

Oil of oregano, which is distilled from the flowers and leaves of the oregano plant, could be one of nature's most powerful antibiotics. This natural and versatile oil can be used in multiple ways to help defend you from infection by dangerous bacteria.

How It Works: Oil of oregano contains a compound called carvacrol, which has been shown to help break through the outer cell membranes that help protect bacteria from the immune system. Studies have shown that oil of oregano is effective at killing bacteria, and could also help the immune system take action against viruses, fungi and parasites.

How to Use It: Make an oregano oil hand sanitizer: Because oregano oil is strong, you should first dilute it. Combine 10 drops of oregano oil with two tablespoons of coconut oil. Rub it into your hands as a natural hand sanitizer. Though it might look shiny at first, as it soaks in it can also help nourish your skin to keep your hands soft and smooth.

Vaporize it: Dangerous bacteria can inhabit your respiratory system and stir up trouble. To help your immune system fight a respiratory infection, put one drop of oil of oregano in a bowl of steaming water. Put a towel loosely over your head and inhale the steam once a day until you feel better. Of course, if your doctor has prescribed you antibiotics, don't stop taking them, and be sure to see a doctor if your symptoms are severe or don't improve.

Make a spot treatment for your skin: Because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, some experts have advocated the use oil of oregano to treat skin conditions like acne and rosacea. Combine equal amounts of oregano oil and olive or coconut oil and apply it to your problem areas with a cotton swab before you go to bed. Let it soak in, but don’t use it directly on any broken skin like cuts or scrapes.

Use it to brush your teeth: Oil of oregano also contains thymol, an ingredient used in many mouthwashes to combat bacteria, plaque and bad breath. Try adding a drop or two of oil of oregano on your toothbrush with or without toothpaste.

Take it for your tummy: Animal studies suggest that oregano and oregano oil can help fight parasitic infections and reduce infectious diarrhea. It may also affect the digestive ecosystem and alter the stomach's emptying rate. Adults over 18 can try capsules that contain 45 mg of pure oil of oregano once daily with meals.

Anyone with an oregano allergy should not use oil of oregano. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid oil of oregano, as it has not been tested in pregnant women. Always talk to your doctor before trying a new supplement or remedy.

Learn more about the benefits of essential oils from doTERRA Health Advocate Amy Snyder at http://my.doterra.com/amysnyder  

We Love the Homeless . . . But . . .

LOS ANGELES — Finding $1.2 billion to build housing for the homeless — as voters here did last year by overwhelmingly approving a hike in their own property taxes — may turn out to have been the easy part.

Los Angeles is now witnessing a fight that demonstrates why developing housing for the homeless has been such a tough challenge across the state, even when there is funding, good will and an open piece of land. A proposal to build a 49-unit shelter in the Boyle Heights neighborhood has been blocked by a City Council committee after running up against a wall of opposition.

Opponents invoked environmental concerns in seeking to derail the project, pointing to an abandoned oil well on the site. They also argued that its proximity to a lively restaurant and shopping mall catering to the largely Latino community there would be a source of disturbance for homeless people trying to start a new life. José Huizar, a City Council member who blocked the complex, said that while he supported the construction of housing for homeless people, the nonprofit group promoting this project was attempting to muscle through a plan over well-grounded neighborhood concerns.  from the NYTimes

We do so love the homeless, and we want them to get better.

And that is why we give them cans of soup and then a sweater.

We’ve raised our taxes to finance new homes for their relief.

But when they live nearby us we are filled with bitter grief.

It’s just that our vicinity is not quite safe, you know.

There’s traffic and there’s noises and the wind can really blow.

They’d be better off far on the other side of town,

Where there is nothing but dead weeds and trees all turning brown.

In fact if you can manage all their shelters to construct

In another county we’d be glad to then conduct

All of them to their new homes, where they can always be

Snug and cozy and away from our vicinity.

Amy Coney Barrett

One of President Trump’s judicial nominees became something of a hero to religious conservatives after she was grilled at a Senate hearingthis month over whether her Roman Catholic faith would influence her decisions on the bench.

The nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, a law professor up for an appeals court seat, had raised the issue herself in articles and speeches over the years. The Democratic senators on the Judiciary Committee zeroed in on her writings, and in the process prompted accusations that they were engaged in religious bigotry.

“The dogma lives loudly within you,” declared Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, in what has become an infamous phrase. Senator Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah, accused his colleagues of employing an unconstitutional “religious test” for office.   from the NYTimes

Amy Coney Barrett goes to church religiously.

That makes her a suspect in a vile conspiracy.

The Seventh Circuit Court in old Chicago doesn’t need

A zealot who thinks God is in her pocket for each plead.

Her dogma is so obvious, her halo blinds the eye.

 Is there any case in much good conscience she can try?

Does she think that angels flit about in her courtroom?

(and does she think that witch Feinstein is flying on a broom?)

The Senators should dump her so she never rules in court --

She’d always be a-preachin’ to each lawyer with a tort.

Protect our justice system from such godly people, who

Would make a mock of all of our fine precedent voodoo!

The Lobbyists Fight Back

WASHINGTON — Republicans’ release of a sweeping plan to rewrite the tax code has set off a scramble among Washington lobbyists and trade groups to protect valuable tax breaks and other long-ingrained provisions.
from the NYTimes

They crawled out from the woodwork; they popped up from lobster bisque;

They left their merry junkets and returned home mighty brisk.

The lobbyists were circling their wagons for attack;

They heard that Congress had a tax plan that was plainly whack.

Each special int’rest fellow and each pressure grouping gal

Was worried that their ‘fix’ was gone, which would mean low morale.

They huddled and they muddled and they gurgled and they gasped;

Looking for the smallest slightest straw that could be grasped.

Twas finally decided that there was just one sure means

Of deflecting Congress -- twas the sharing of the greens!

Yes, greenbacks always paved the way for good intentions -- so

The lobbyists dug deep and filled great barrels full of dough.

Not caring who might see them and without a hesitation

They spread the gravy ev’rywhere, as merely a ‘donation.’

And so the mighty tax plan that was to solve our many ills

Is somewhere off in Fairyland, beyond the farthest hills . . .

Get an Energy Boost from these Essential Oils!

Essential oils are a great alternative to prescription drugs that offer energy and a healthier state of mind. I use essential oils every day in my shower, every night in a diffuser, and I even apply some to pulse points like on my wrists and ankles. Enjoying the pleasant smells of essential oils can make a difference in your life, helping the day go from stressed and hectic to focused and energetic. For so many people, tiredness is an accepted way of life, but there are quite a few essential oils that can help with energy so the crankiness and fatigued part of your day goes away. If you’ve never used essential oils before, then keep in mind that not all of them will have the same effect on you as on another person, so one oil might make one person feel awake and another person really relaxed. Also, I would recommend doing research on which oils can be used orally and which ones can only be used topically or diffused into the air (since drinking an essential oil isn’t the best idea). I’ve assembled a list of different essential oils that can help with fatigue and bring energy into your life, leaving behind those tired school and work days.

Eucalyptus

This is an oil I use in the bathroom every morning, not just because it’s great at opening sinuses and helping with asthma (which I have), but also due to its great mental stimulation qualities. Eucalyptus oil is good for removing mental exhaustion and fatigue as it helps increase blood flow to the brain, and getting more blood to the brain is usually seen as a good thing.

The oil can also help with stress and mental disorders, as gaining more mental clarity can reduce chaotic thoughts tied to stress and upsetting thoughts tied to depression. If you love the smell of mint, then Eucalyptus oil is an essential oil to consider in helping to remove the cobwebs from the mind and rejuvenate the senses to help you go about the day—happy and awake.

Lemon

This is staple for anyone into essential oils, as lemon oil can do so much from cleaning kitchen cabinets to helping with weight loss to getting rid of dandruff. My mom always keeps her trusted lemon oil under her kitchen sink cabinet, ready to be used in the dishwasher. As for lemon oil’s ability to help with energy, it’s great at reducing insomnia and regulating sleep, which will naturally help amp-up energy levels.

Lemon oil, not surprisingly, offers a whole ton of vitamin c, if taken orally, which can help boost your immune system and fight off colds and diseases, therefore taking away sluggishness and giving your body much needed energy. Since lemon oil tastes just like lemon juice when added to water, it’s a great oil to take internally and with a familiar taste, lemon oil isn’t as intimidating as lesser known oils. Of course, you don’t have to ingest it; just diffusing it into the air is good enough.

Grapefruit

I guess a lot of the citrusy oils have a common thread among them: They’re great at rejuvenating the mind. Just like lemon oil, grapefruit oil has a wealth of vitamin c to help you feel revitalized and ready to take on the day after waking up sluggishly in the morning. Grapefruit oil and eucalyptus oil both help with blood circulation, causing more blood to reach the brain.

If eucalyptus is too minty for you and lemon oil is too, well, lemony for you, then grapefruit is a little bit more on the orangey side of smells and flavors. Just the smell alone of grapefruit will help with reinvigorating the mind and body for the day ahead. Grapefruit can even act as a mild depressant, erasing “brain-fog” and sour moods, as well as removing aches and sluggishness within the body.

Cinnamon

Now onto the spicy stuff. If you’re not a fan of citrus or earthy smells, but love hot, spicy smells, then cinnamon oil for definitely for you. Cinnamon oil is good at releasing insulin into the body, which means it can help keep blood sugar levels stable, therefore helping with fatigue and crankiness or moodiness. Cinnamon oil can be taken orally, so you can add drops to a drink or a food recipe for flavoring or as an extra pick-me-up.

Though, due to the hotness of the oil, if you use it on a patch of skin, especially the face or neck, then dilute it with a carrier oil (coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil) so it doesn’t cause skin irritations. Once, a little bit of cinnamon oil accidentally got on an Aloe Vera plant I was using for my skin, so my face literally felt like it was burning, so be careful with this one. A good alternative to breathing in the oil, instead of putting it on the body, is to diffuse it into the air with a diffuser, that way you still can get the positive, energy boosting benefits of cinnamon oil.

Rosemary

Rosemary oil is good for improving mental clarity, which is why I love to put it into my shower every morning. It’s great at helping to reduce stress levels, since rosemary oil can decrease the levels of cortisol, a hormone that is related to the fight-or-flight part of stress. With newfound relaxation, your mind will be more at ease and ready to think more clearly and calmly, helping with mental focus and energy.

Just like lemon and grapefruit, rosemary oil can help keep the immune system strong, leading to reduction in colds. There’s nothing that screams “lack of energy” like a cold, so if inhaling rosemary oil helps with the common flu, then look to gaining more energy in the future. Rosemary oil has an herbal smell; if you love the smell of more natural, outdoor scents, then check rosemary oil out.

You don’t have to turn to prescription drugs if you’re feeling fatigued all the time, unless of course you’re dealing with a chronic disease, then going to your doctor is a wise choice. But if you’re feeling just a little tired here and there, then definitely give essential oils a chance. Listed are only a handful of all the essential oils that can give you more energy and mental focus, so I recommend doing more research and checking out even more essential oils for your journey into acquiring more energy.

Learn more about the benefits of essential oils from doTERRA Health Advocate Amy Snyder at http://my.doterra.com/amysnyder 

Fast Food Workers

ORLANDO, Fla. — The American fast food industry is built on two pillars: cheap hamburgers, and cheap labor.

As economists try to understand why wages have stagnated across the country’s economy, they are examining the cheap labor part of the equation closely. A few have zeroed in on an obscure clause buried in many fast-food franchise agreements as a possible contributor to the problem.

Some of fast-food’s biggest names, including Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Pizza Hut and, until recently, McDonald’s, prohibited franchisees from hiring workers away from one another, preventing, for example, one Pizza Hut from hiring employees from another.

The restrictions do not appear in a contract that employees sign, or even see. They are typically included in a paragraph buried in lengthy contracts that owners of fast-food outlets sign with corporate headquarters.

Yet the provisions can keep employees tied to one spot, unable to switch jobs or negotiate higher pay. A lack of worker mobility has long been viewed as contributing to wage stagnation because switching jobs is one of the most reliable ways to get a raise.

from the NYTimes

Worker mobility in fast food stores

Is just about nil, closing many fine doors

For toilers who want to move up in their field,

But find that their bosses this point will not yield.

This is a restriction that makes little sense;

It has no relation to skills or expense.

Perhaps it is meant just to rub noses in

The fact that the rights of their workers are thin.  

What is the reason a dull franchise holder

Lets profit margins his soul start to moulder?

But then if they paid more for working a grill,

A Big Mac would cost you a ten dollar bill.

The Tale of Benny the Pauper

WASHINGTON — The tax plan that the Trump administration outlined on Wednesday is a potentially huge windfall for the wealthiest Americans. It would not directly benefit the bottom third of the population. As for the middle class, the benefits appear to be modest.  from the NYTimes. 

Benny was a pauper who lived in a drafty shack;

He ate but very little and a mattress he did lack.

He worked for meager wages and no benefits had he;

But as a true American he’s happy as can be.

Because he knows that money cankers souls and causes grief;

And that the struggle of the poor brings blessings by the sheaf.

So when he heard that taxes for the rich would be decreased

He felt a swelling in his heart like dough with lots of yeast.

He hoped that the economy would now recover quick,

And that the banks and Wall Street would soon really start to click.

To celebrate this milestone in the history of man

He splurged upon tomato soup, and had a second can!

We all should be like Benny, never counting our own gain --

But thinking of the money market crowd and their great strain.

The Bible says that Caesar always must get his own due;

So let’s all pay our taxes like we’re eating honeydew!  

Banning Books

A book, or two, or three, or four,

Upon my tables, chairs, and floor.

I take them from my shelves to read

So in my head ideas will breed.

When I unearth a rotten thought

From paperback that I have bought,

I do not want it quickly banned

But rather wish to understand

Just what the author was about

By working with such shabby grout.

Not ev’ry book must sacred be,

And some are written scurvily --

But banning books does not succeed

In protecting any creed.

Rather, when a book is rot,

I’d like to see the author shot . . .