Thoughts and stories, by Pal

 I love Meridian Magazine and you probably have seen, I reuse many of their inspirational articles, and I always give credit to whomever wrote it.  This is another really good one! Fact-finding or fault-finding? By  Joni Hilton  · November 25, 2021 We live in an era of sharp division, harsh words, and violent flare-ups. We see it in the streets and sometimes in our own families. Somehow, we have forgotten how to agree to disagree. Instead of fact-finding when we encounter someone with a different view, there is fault-finding. Someone’s differing view suddenly defines the person. Hatred of an opinion has become hatred of the person who holds it. We seem to have forgotten “hate the sin but love the sinner” as our society sinks into personal attacks and cancel culture. Why must our dislike for a political position have to become dislike for the person who holds it?  Do you dislike people of other faiths?  Folks who cheer for other teams? People who like the mo...

  This is a very great article!  I had a first cousin, Emma Lois Smith, now deceased, who was born with Cerebral Palsy.  She was very intelligent, and had a Master's Degree, but was not appreciated for who she really was!  I've known other's with children and/or grandchildren who are wonderful people, and not understood their whole lives! Share this on Facebook (opens in new window) Share this on Twitter (opens in new window) All sharing options President Joe Biden hands a pen to artist Tryee Brown on July 26 after signing a proclamation celebrating the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. July is Disability Pride Month.   Susan Walsh, Associated Press On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law, ensuring that people with disabilities do not face discrimination in their public lives, including the ability to get an education, get and hold a job, have access to transportation and t...

Beautiful thoughts, to help us forgive others!   The Crucial Skill of Giving Beauty for Ashes By  Kate Piersanti  · July 13, 2021 I love the phrase “beauty for ashes.” It’s from Isaiah 61:1-3. The Spirit of the Lord God  is  upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to  them that are  bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them  beauty for ashes ,  the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, t...

The other entry I posted today was about getting to know people of other faiths, and learning from them.  I'm putting them both out today, as I believe they are related, and in getting to know our neighbors, and those of other faiths, we can truly "Love Our Neighbor" -- especially at this holiday time, and Christmas time! How witnessing 2 neighborhood tragedies led this man to connect with others through bread by LDS Living  | Nov. 12, 2020 Makes You Think In this week's episode of   This Is the Gospel ,  three storytellers share what the gospel of Jesus Christ looks like in action. After witnessing two neighborhood tragedies, Ben decides to reach out to his neighbors through a new weekly practice. Read to find out how Ben applied the gospel of Jesus Christ through something as ordinary as a loaf of bread.  An adapted excerpt from the story is below. You can also  listen to the full episode here  or  read a transcript here . Last May, I was asked ...

  This article has very deep meaning!  And I'm going to learn from it!   Must Everything Be Political? By  Steven Smith  · October 29, 2020 The following first appeared in Public Square Magazine. You’ve been a devoted member of the local Birdwatchers Association for . . . how long has it been? . . .going on fifteen years now.  Although you initially joined almost on a whim, your membership has become important to you: it’s pleasant getting together on a sunny Saturday morning with people you wouldn’t otherwise encounter to go out into nature and appreciate, together, the many-hued marvels of your feathered friends. This is something you’ve come to look forward to. Then, last week at the association’s annual meeting, something changed.  There was the usual business: officers were elected, scheduling discussed, association dues set for the coming year.  And then one of the members, Robert, proposed that the Association’s website should add an e...