Why Faith?

My friend Christina gave a talk this Sunday about Christ. She started off talking about how she used to think that everyone had some basic knowledge of who Christ is, until she got to college. One day one of her dorm mates from China pulled her aside and asked her who was this person in all of these pictures. The pictures were of Christ. Christina was in shock that this dorm mate had no idea at all who Christ was, so they would get together and study about Christ. Her friend had compelling questions, like - why is it so important to have faith in this person...that he would accomplish what they said he would accomplish?

That question has been rattling around in my head every since I heard the talk. Really, why is it so important?

I feel like I have a pretty good idea of the purpose of my life, and what it eventually leads to. But one thing I do not fully understand is why developing faith is so important, particularly faith in Christ. I have noticed from reading the scriptures and from my life experience that faith is one of the most important things we need to develop in this life. But one doesn't need faith to learn to love, and if love is the end goal, then why do all of the angels, repeatedly testify of Christ, and work to promote faith in Christ? Why do all of the scriptures point to Christ, both the old and the new Testaments? Why does that seem to be the end goal of everything the prophets write and say?

Now you can now understand how I used to drive my mother crazy with all of my 'why' questions as a child.

I had an epiphany yesterday as I was reading an article called The Education of President Obama. The article talks a lot about the falling popularity of the president and his ability to do the things he set out to do. Having read the book Love is Eternal which is about Abraham Lincoln, it sounded familiar: the endless voices of criticism, the shallow instability of peoples' confidence and support in their president. I spent yesterday morning thinking about how important confidence and support of a people are to a President.

Isaiah refers to Christ as the 'Prince of Peace'. The Lord's Prayer refers to God's "kingdom", (Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come…). And threaded throughout the scriptures there are references to Christ coming to rule and reign. So if he is to be our king, it is important that we believe in him. He was tested during his mortality. He is now the 'tried stone' (Isaiah 28:16), someone who did actually live his life as his Father in Heaven directed and did all that the angels and prophets foretold that he would. Despite inevitable death, He still did the right thing. Based on his mortal life, we can have confidence in Him.

A Christian Response to an Atheist Perspective

I have an athiest friend who pointed out once that part of her reason for not believing in God is because so many bad things happened because of religion. This perspective gives me pause sometimes as I read through the New Testament through Christ's life. She is absolutely right that many religious people have caused a tremendous harm, however, this morning I find myself considering the following:

First, Christ, the son of God, condemns the leaders of religion in his day, namely the Pharisees, Sadducees, and members of the Sanhedrin. He was constantly under attack by them. They were always trying to trick him into saying something they could use against him.

Secondly, I always love how people will paint Christ as this incredibly kind person, who would never do anything remotely harsh. But I often feel that we construe him to be as we wish him to be and overlook the full extend of his character. It is true that he does heal the sick, blind, deaf, and did sacrifice his life for the world. So yes, he is exceptionally kind. But he was not a person without a backbone either. When it came to hypocracy, he was out and out against it. Being called a "viper" isn't exactly a compliment. He was outspokenly harsh and condescending and against hypocrites, most especially the religious leaders of his day.

Matt. 3: 7

7 ¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

This comes from Matthew 23

13 ¶ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
• • •
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and canise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
• • •
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Lastly, Christ was actually killed by the religious leaders of his day. During his life they were always trying to publicly trick him. They knew or had a pretty good idea that he was the son of God. They had talked to people who had their vision healed, they had seen and witnessed what he was able to do. But they wanted him out of the way and did achieve it.

I was watching a Shakespeare play either this year or last, I cannot remember which one, and the most horrible character in the play at one point dresses up as a priest. While everyone is looking he piously reads his large bible for all to see. But the minute everyone is not looking, he is up to his rotten antics. As I watched the play I thought, this guy is the quintessential example of the people who incorrectly reflect religion.

But as a Christian, my atheist friend's arguments, although I completely see where she is coming from, do not prevent my continued belief in God. I believe that Christ is the Son of God, and he was ironically killed by church leaders in his community despite the fact that they knew he was innocent. Everything about Christ's life was done with great purpose and symbolism. And I do not think that the irony of my athiest friend's point of view was missed by God.

Giving in Your Own Way

Do you ever stop to wonder what other people think about in a day? Here are the course of my thoughts today.

While getting ready for work and driving to work:

My mother pointed out a few years ago that my father's brothers each give in their own way, but that they are both very giving. One of them will always lay out food when we come to visit and is very monitarily generous. The other gives freely of his time and will drop anything to come over and help my dad around the house when things need fixing. I used to think that one uncle was more generous than the other, and my mother's observation made me realize that they both give, but they give their own way.

This morning my mother's comment turned inward. I always used to think that I am not a very giving person because...well...I don't cook. I don't remember birthdays. I am not one to give cards or gifts or thoughtful things.  I'm not one for giving people baked things, making cards, or doing thoughtful things. But I was thinking about it, my talents, are different. I may show up a person's house week after week to teach a skill. I may run with you at 6:30 in the morning because you aren't working and I recognize that it is important to get up and have something constructive to do. I may show up night after night because you are on bed rest and I know you need company to fight the boredom. I may even consciously support you in ways you didn't even realize. But I do give, just like my previously unrecognized uncle's form of giving. This realization was comforting as I learned to appreciate my own manner of contributing to the world. It's less recognizable, but it's there, in its own way.

After my morning appointment:

I got a call on my work phone from my friend Katie.



She had voluntarily promised to clean my car last month because I had paid her entrance fee to my birthday event. But selfishly I really wanted her there, and I had enjoyed the chance to payback all of the times kind friends had paid for me when I was in school. But she insisted on cleaning my car in exchange. I had never reminded her to clean my car, and never planned to take her up on it.

Yesterday, she reminded me, "I still need to come and clean your car. I have tomorrow off and I am going to go to your work, and get your car key, and bring it to my house, clean it and return it." Sounded good to me. She called me in the morning and came in to get my key. But, as it turns out, she had brought the vacuum with her, an extension chord, and just needed a place to plug it in. I checked with my boss to see if it was ok if she could use a plug from our office.

Co-worker's reactions:

Me: Hey Boss, can my friend use a plug in the office. She is going to clean out my car and needs a plug.

Boss: Astounded. Is your friend going to clean my car too? Wandered around for the next little bit in awe that a person would voluntarily come to clean my car.

Co-worker #1: I need new friends.

Co-worker #2: Did you lose a bet?

Co-worker #3: If I were her, I would have just laid low until you forgot.

Well, truthfully, I had no intention of remembering. It was all Katie. Sometimes a person feels so undeserving of their friends. The whole rest of the day I just felt so inspired by her example and her service. I wanted to be someone who serves more. And I couldn't help but realize what a sweet person she is and I was impressed that she would make it a point to remember, because she so didn't have to. And all day that pervasive feeling of bien etre was all around. I felt more patient in traffic. I had kinder feelings towards the world in general. And that ambitious part of me wanted, with all that I am, to be the best friend my friends can have. One who is loyal, kind, thoughtful, and gives in her own way, just as Katie did.

Studette of the Month - September 2010

She is a Lifer. What is a Lifer you ask? The kind of friend with whom there are no awkward pauses if you haven't seen each other for years. The kind of friend who you know loves you despite the distance and time. The kind of friend that you respect deeply. The kind of friend who you know you'll be friends with for the rest of your life. Let me introduce you to a Lifer: Jessica.



Perhaps on paper, Jessica and I would seem to have little in common. She is from California; I am from New Hampshire. Jessica is trendy and dresses adorably; I wear hand-me-downs on a daily basis. She is a photographer, a clothing designer, super crafty and talented. She tried teaching me to make a pair of pants once...I had to seam rip them more times than I should ever admit in public.



But that is on paper...



The fact of the matter is, that the qualities that make a Lifer are loyalty, sincerity, forgiveness, depth, character, and being a friend who is somehow always there when you need them. Jessica is all of these. Tested, tried, and true.

She knew me as a Freshman in college and still loves me. She mailed me Nutty Bars once because she knows how much I love them. She was the only one with me when I reported to the Missionary Training Center. She wrote me on my mission. She lived in Salt Lake City for a few months before I moved away. She always let me stay with her when I was flying out of the country through LAX...to name a few.

Now, a little story about Jess.  One day I was reading a blog and I saw this lovely wedding. 





Imagine my surprise when I later discovered that my friend Jess had designed and made all of these brides maids dresses. Check out the very last name on this link. That's my Lifer!!

A Tribute For the Bet I Lost About the "Word" Squoze

The Sobering Truth

I do bankruptcy half the time, and I've seen the truth of this. Your tax returns and wages can be garnished. This is not made up. From what I can tell, this is a great summary.

Infographic by College Scholarships.org

My Favorite Quote Ever

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

~Teddy Roosevelt, April 23, 1910

Missouri, California, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and a Few Other Things

Well friends, the good news is I finally feel like I am turning back into me again. And I love it. Highlights as of late:

- A trip to Northern California for the 4th of July



- While there, I went paintballing



This lovely shot caused me to have to wear my hair down for two weeks because it looked undeniably like a hickey.



- San Francisco



Please note that I am wearing a fleece here that I had to buy on the pier because I was so cold. Walking out into the open air of Missouri was quite a contrast upon returning home.



Colette got married!!!



We were all soooo excited.



Look at my growing family!



- Finished Les Miserables, unabridged. Before you are too impressed, consider that it took me nine years to finish it.



- Grubfest 2010 - The annual trip to Grubville, Missouri was awesome. Wish you could have been there.



- As of Saturday all of my diplomas, certificates, etc. are hanging in my office. They take up half the wall. It was a surreal moment to see those many years of work expressed in pieces of paper that used to seem to meaningless. But there they are, bearing my name, ready to tell clients that the business card isn't lying. Please note that I have been an licensed attorney for two years and just NOW hung my diplomas on the walls. I know; I procrastinate.

The News of Today

My mother had e-mailed me and told me he wasn't doing well. I didn't think much more about it until I received an e-mail from Kristi today. Jim Duchane passed away.

Sitting in my windowless office I found my eyes misting with tears. I had work to do, but memories and thoughts were going through my mind. There were least four feet of snow on the ground in Concord, New Hamshire where I saw him last. He talked of the expense of heating his house with kerosene. It seems homeowners in New Hampshire always talk about the expense of heating their homes in the winter, just as Californians always seem to talk about money. I had asked him, as I often ask people, how he had met his wife.

Brother Duchane had fallen in love with a spunky, red-headed, Mormon woman many years ago. She was a security guard and he said she could beat the tar out of anyone. He was smitten. Even years later I could see that he was so taken by this woman who could beat up anyone.

I met Brother Duchene at church as a child. His two girls who were still children when I left for college. The summer after my mission, I visited a small branch in Northern New Hampshire where Branch President Duchene and his family are now attending. His oldest daughter is now soon leaving to attend college and wants to study forensics, and there was MG, his wife. My eyes are now misting as I think about MG.

MG was my primary teacher when I was a child. She loved being in Primary because her energy level matched ours. She never belonged in Relief Society, she belonged with us. She gave us homemade pies if we attended her class with perfect attendance each month. Month after month she delivered my pie to my home.

I remember the first time I came to know of this person called MG. I went with my mother to the Mother-Daughter Homemaking meeting. It seemed everyone would talk about this woman MG, old women, young women, everyone seemed to adore her. The first time I saw her she hugged an old woman. She is the spunky red-headed security guard who could beat anyone up, the woman who made Brother Duchane's eyes glow with the memory of first meeting her. How she must be missing him.

An hour or so later I am distracted by my phone signaling that I have a text. It is Deborah, my beautiful trainer from my mission, announcing the birth of her third child. I text back a quick congratulations and letting her know how proud I am of her accomplishment in bringing this child into the world. How happy she must be for her new daughter.

French Music and Human Dominoes

Coeur de Pirate

Coeur de Pirate || Comme des enfants from Dare To Care Records on Vimeo.

Oh The Places You'll Go

visited 13 states (5.77%)
Create your own visited map of The World


visited 33 states (66%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

Stud of the Month - May 2010

This is my little brother Vince; I call him Vinchenzo for short. This fuzzy little picture above is one of my favorite pictures of us, and clearly not for its aesthetic qualities. When I was living in Salt Lake Vince told me there were some girls from his mission coming to visit and wanted to meet up with them for dinner. When I introduced myself as Vince's sister, they excitedly exclaimed, "Oh, YOU are Vince's sister!!" and seemed overjoyed to finally meet me. I was a little bewildered. They proceeded to explain, in their lovely Belgian accents, that on Vince's mission he would always talk about his sister who was on a mission too. Finally became a running joke in their branch about about his sister. His sister this, his sister that. This is the picture they took to prove my actual existence to their branch back home.



Needless to say, it made my night to know that my brother loves me, not that I ever had much room to question. Vince was always an exeptionally helpful sibling. He is two years younger than me, so he left on his mission a few months before I did. We were both called French speaking, he was called to Belgium, and I was called to France. He was already attending the Missionary Training Center when I arrived. He caught me unaware with his camera in hand my first day at the MTC. He got the prized picture of me with a dork dot, and gave me a big hug. Our classrooms were right next to one another. Our schedules matched, so we would go running together and practice our French on our breaks, and eat our meals together. He left me little notes on post-its in my books. Every holiday that he could call home, he would get permission to speak to me. I was always impressed by his thoughtfulness. Once, he even sent me a package.

I got home before him and found him housing at BYU. We used to go running every morning together. He recently got married to a beautiful bride.



She couldn't be more lucky, and she knows it. I was talking to my grandmother about how lucky she is, and how helpful he has always been to me. Grandma piped right in, "That is true. When we needed help done who always came over, Vince." Vince is the guy who made me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when I was running out the door in high school. Vince is the guy who always made time for me in college and after. Vince is the guy who helped me clean my car after long road trips.



Not only that, but he is smart. I forget this sometimes, but when he came to my graduation we took time to talk...it had been a long time. He isn't quite the phone conversationalist that my sisters are. What a refreshing reminder that he is so fascinating to talk to, and such a good person; it emanates from him. I love you Vince!! And congratulations on getting married.

Some Articles for Thought....

The Science of Commitment

- Conclusion, marry someone who expands your horizons

Attractiveness and Crime

- My theory is that the correlation boils down to the need to feel loved. People who feel less loved have a higher propensity towards crime.

Things I Fell In Love With Today

And other cute ideas from here.


Cup Cakes in a Jar (I've been in love with these for a while.)

I've always loved these things...so random. And I've been to Antwerp!!


I just recently fell in love with this blog Fondly Seen. Isn't this greenhouse charming?

Quote of the day:

Have a time and place for everything, and do everything in its time and place, and you will not only accomplish more, but have far more leisure than those who are always hurrying.

~Tryon Edwards:

There were so many other things I fell in love with today...but there isn't time enough to share them all.

Nighty night.

Redefining

When I left high school to go to college, one of the things I was so excited about was redefining me. No longer would I be referred to as a "Methot", because no one would know what a "Methot" means. And I liked that.

I was also excited to be away from my more than one year relationship with my boyfriend because I couldn't go anywhere by myself without people asking "Where is Chris?" without ever asking the normal introductory question of "How are you?"

I was excited to be me for the first time, undefined by my relationships. Not a "Methot", not Chris's girlfriend, but me. Just plain me.

One thing that I have noticed since becoming a lawyer is that this now defines me. It seems that all too often I go out with friends and it is - "This is Chantal, a lawyer." Even when I try to run from it, there is the inevitable question, "What do you do?" And then there seems to be no way around it.

This morning the man who is working on our heating system came as I was getting ready for work. I was dressed in black heels, a skirt, and a sweater. As I was leaving he said,

"Are you a lawyer?"

"Yes." I answered. Then I paused and asked, "But how did you know?"

"You look like a lawyer." He replied.

I am not sure I am dressing any differently than I would have for work prior to being a lawyer.

I am also a notary public. In becoming a notary public I got not only the stamp, but also a bumper sticker stating that I am a notary public. I chose not to put it on my car, just like I decided in law school not to put up a bumper sticker for my law school.

In the future, I think I'll introduce myself as a notary public. Then conversations will run much like this.

Random Person: "Are you a notary?"

Me: "Um, yes." Pause, quizzical look, "How did you know?"

Random Person: "You look like a notary."

Indeed.

The Entirely Shallow Side

I am in love with this dress.

And this artist sings in French. Her music was used as a sound track on a U-tube video. I loved it.

Awaken Possibility in Other People

I suddenly had the realization that the conductor of the orchestra doesn't make a sound. He depends for his power on his ability to make other people powerful....I realized my job was to awaken possibility in other people....you know how you find out? You look at their eyes. If the eyes are shining you know you are doing it.

--Benjamin Zander

I highly recommend the whole talk, but if you cannot, start listening at 17:24.



I suspect this is what he envisioned...



Meet the amazing man who makes their eyes shine...



See their blog here

See their wikipedia link here

Loving This

I found this song on a blog I follow and I LOVE music that is written from the heart (and finding cool new artists).

First, I just like this song - just because, even if I didn't know this story.

Second, knowing the story certainly makes the flavor of the song even richer. The musician, Aaron Ivey has an adopted son, Amos, who is still in Haiti waiting to come home.

Now that you know the story listen, watch, and appreciate...



P.S. - Yesterday I came across a video on the Department of State's website about how they are responding to the disaster in Haiti. They have a hot line number, search and rescue teams, and State Department workers in Haiti (and the Dominican Republic) working around the clock to find American citizens. They have flown thousands of American citizens out of Haiti. I wish the video I watched was still up. It was fascinating.

Today the proclamations of the DOS website came to life when I had to call the US Citizen and Immigration Services customer service with an immigration issue. The poor operator was like "I am so sorry, we are experiencing a really high volume of callers right now with Haiti." I guess the USCIS call center has been helping out. Anyway, please notice on the DOS website that priority is being given to Haitian adoptions.

Some Advice....

"I want to suggest to you that it is your relationship with other people, including your husband or wife and your children that gives you your best chance to say what you believe about the Atonement. Your most important beliefs are not going to be statements made in a classroom. They certainly aren't going to be statements made in a symposium. What you will say best about your understanding of the Atonement, about love and repentance and forgiveness, will come in your human relationships with people who have problems, people who make mistakes, who haven't in every hour of every day done all that he or she could have done in righteousness. You know I'm describing you and me." - Elder Jeffry R. Holland

Number of Blog Ideas Stolen From Adam: 1

Number of times I lost my keys: 5

Number of times I lost my phone: 30

Number of times I lost my mind: 2

Number of Polar Bear Plunges completed: 1



Number of Times My Sister and I Performed Acroyoga at a Party: 1



States Lived In: 1

Times Moved: 1

Places of Abode: 2

Number of Roommates: 3 (35 is the current grand total)

Number of Times I Taught Max the Fine Art of Cooking: 2



(Once I found a battery that he slipped into banana bread. Here I left him to open the brownie bag...)



Number of Times Max Beat Me at a Water Fight: Once too many





Number of Gardens Planted: 1


Number of Times I Tried to Pass My Dad's Garden Off as Mine: 1

Number of People Who Believed Me: 0

Number of Gardens I Killed Due to Lack of Watering: 1



Number of Times I went Kayaking Under the Stars: 1

(Picture taken the next day. Kayaking under the stars was amazingly beautiful.)



Visitors from out of State: 7 (Nate, Cindy, Zack, Suz, Nancy, Tom, Jamie)











Number of Times I Visited the Arch: 2

Out of State Trips Taken: 6 (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., Nantucket, Tennessee, Utah, New Hampshire)













States seen in Person: 13

State Capitals Memorized: 50

State Capitals remembered: 14

Foreign Countries Visited: 0

Number of Passports Expired: 1 (sniff, sniff)

Boyfriends: 0

Number of car accidents: 0

Number of speeding tickets: 2 (So much for my perfectly clean driving records from three different states that I had when I graduated law school!!)

Number of times my car wouldn't start: 2

Number of times my car ran out of gas: 0

Number of Times people didn't recognize me on Halloween: Quite a few



Thanksgiving dinners: 2

Bungee jumps: 1



Sky dive: 0

Half Marathon Trained for: 1

Half Marathons Run: 0

Number of Awesome Women I got to Know in the Process: 6



Five Mile Run: 1



Football Games Watched: 1

Number of times I convinced people that I was living with a man: At least 2 (He is five, therefore not a man :)



Number of engagements faked: 0 (a record low)

Number of actual proposals: 0

Number of rings my mother had to bite into because she wasn't convinced I was actually engaged: 0

Number of rings my mother considered biting into: 1 (my brother is engaged. She believed him.)

Times I got to visit my K.L.E.B.: 3

Number of members of my family returning from a mission: 1

Number of members of my family: 7

Number of members who are returned missionaries as of 2009: 7



Number of Confederate Flags spotted in NH in 2009: 1



Number of Confederate Flags spotted in NH in all of my previous years of existence: 0

Wedding invitations received: 15

Weddings Attended: 2





Number of Great Wedding Dances seen: 1



Number of visits to the doctor: 0

Number of scars from Raymond: 0