Clone Army Band

Check out this band created by Ammon:

It's the Clone Army Band!!

The vocalist

The lead gun-tarist

The drummer

After creating this band, Ammon wrote their first song. (Keep in mind, you Star Wars purists, that Ammon is only 9 and has not been allowed to see all episodes of the Saga. I will check my spelling.)

We're here to tell you about Star Wars.

It starts out with Qui-Gon Jinn

In battles, he would win

And he found Anakin.

He was killed and died.

Now he's totally fried.

Obi-Wan trained Anakin as a Padawan.

As he grew, many battles he won.

But he became Darth Vader

The great, big, fat hater.

He hunted and killed all the Jedi

So now they're in their death-beddy-bye.

But Jedis were still there

They grew little gray hair.

Since they were outnumbered, it was not fair.

But the Sith did not care.

And Obi-Wan was killed and died.

So now, he, too, is fried.

And this Jedi did no yoga

His name was Master Yoda.

He trained young Luke

So he would not puke.

He went to face Vader

The great, big, fat hater.

Darth Vader cut off his hand

I'm telling you: I wrote this song with my Clone Army Band!

Luke's knowledge of the force got stronger

So his force lasted longer.

He faced Darth Vader again

This time he could win.

The Emperor shocked him.

The Emperor was a good fighter.

He was like a big, fat spider.

And Darth Vader destroyed him.

So the Emperor is in his coffin.

Anakin brought balance to the force.

That power was an energy source.

Don't worry, this won't take long.

Because now it's time to end our song.

Thank you, Coruscant! You've been a wonderful audience! (I added this part in. I probably will regret that.)

Creativity

Sarah is so creative. She has a lot of ideas for projects. Luckily, Sarah has a grandma who assists her in her creativity. Sarah took fabric scraps Grandma had for a little quilt that was never made and designed her own quilt. Grandma JoAnn helped her sew it. It's quite lovely.

Invictus

Chris and I recently watched the movie Invictus. I liked the movie. If you have seen it, it will be obvious to you that it made me remember the poem "Invictus" (first published in 1888), which at one point I had memorized.

Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

It's a powerful poem, don't you think? In about 1927, Elder Orson F. Whitney of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote this response to the declaration "I am the captain of my soul":

The Soul's Captain by Orson F. Whitney

Art thou in truth? Then what of him
Who bought thee with his blood?
Who plunged into devouring seas
And snatched thee from the flood?

Who bore for all our fallen race
What none but him could bear. –
The God who died that man might live,
And endless glory share?

Of what avail thy vaunted strength,
Apart from his vast might?
Pray that his Light may pierce the gloom,
That thou mayest see aright.

Men are as bubbles on the wave,
As leaves upon the tree.
Thou, captain of thy soul, forsooth
Who gave that place to thee?

Free will is thine -- free agency
To wield for right or wrong;
But thou must answer unto Him
To whom all souls belong.

Bend to the dust that head "unbowed,"
Small part of Life's great whole!
And see in Him, and Him alone,
The Captain of thy soul.

I am not criticizing "Invictus," which is powerful and empowering. However, it's essential to recognize that our real power on this earth comes from a Higher Power.

And yesterday I read this little gem from President Spencer W. Kimball: "The man who leans heavily on his Lord becomes master of self and can accomplish anything he sets out to do, whether it be to secure the brass plates, build a ship, overcome a habit, or conquer a deep-seated transgression" (from The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 176).

[If you would like to read Elder Whitney's thoughts on "Invictus" in context, you can find those here.]

More strivings within

I bet you thought I forgot I was writing about this hymn, right? I didn't forget. I've just been busy.

"More holiness give me, More strivings within,"

Mirriam-Webster gives two possible definitions of the verb strive: 1. to devote serious effort or energy; and 2. to struggle in opposition; contend.

As I've thought about these definitions and using them in the context of this prayer/song, it has made sense to me to combine them. We want to devote serious effort and energy within our own souls to become better. So, what or who are we contending with as we try to achieve this? The natural man.

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." (Mosiah 3:19)

We spend our lives with more and more strivings within as we devote serious effort to contending with the natural man and choosing to become submissive to the Lord's will. The following scripture very plainly tells us some of the blessings of submission:

"Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God." (Helaman 3:35)

The blessings listed in Helaman include having their souls filled with joy and consolation. I think a connotation of the word submission in our culture is that one is weak and being oppressed. But when the submission is to God, the person becomes strong and filled with joy. Because God does not oppress. God is love.

Speaking her language

Beth: My teeth got dry.
Me: Would you like a drink of water?
Beth: No. Water doesn't make me spicy.
Me: Oh. So you want a breath mint?
Beth: Yes!