To Choir, With Love

I love singing, but my favorite kind is in a group. For just a few moments, everyone is totally united in a single purpose: to make beautiful music.

I've sung in a choir pretty much nonstop since I was in grade school. For the last few years I've been especially privileged to sing under Dr. Brady Allred with Salt Lake Choral Artists. Singing in a choir creates unique connections. I may not actually know much about my choir neighbors, but as we meet together once a week, we become friends.

Choral singing may sound easy, but consider that a singer's instrument is more complex than any other--essentially the whole body. The act of singing is very physical and sensorial, and singing with others is especially intimate. We actually absorb each other's sound waves. They vibrate against our eardrums and tap telegraphic messages to our brains. If everyone sings just right--in just the same way--these sound waves weave together in an invisible though very real tapestry.

If you are not a singer, you may not understand when I say that those moments of unity are among life's most transcendent. I think others, like me, are addicted to chasing these "fixes" or highs. Although rare, they become inscribed not just in our memories but in our very cells. Each song, each voice, becomes a time capsule of sound.

Profile on Elizabeth Dole: "We've Received That We Might Give"

Interview by Mark Cook, publisher and editor of Priorities
Written by Jennifer Hughes

Published in FranklinCovey's Priorities magazine, Volume 2, Issue 6


It's almost un-American to ask who Elizabeth Dole is. Wife of former senator and 1996 Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole, "Liddy," as she is called, is actually considered a good bet for the 2000 presidential election herself (although she quickly denies any plans to run). But she's too busy for politics right now. She is president of the American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization that helps victims of some 60,000 domestic disasters a year. She has family relationships to ten to, including a "beautiful marriage" and her 97-year-old mother who is her "best friend." She has daily time set aside for devotional and exercise. And as if that weren't enough, she's always looking for something more to do.

A Life of Opportunities
Elizabeth Hanford Dole has the charming accent of a Southern belle from her childhood in the small town of Salisbury, North Carolina. She grew up in the lovely Southern home that is easy to picture as she speaks — complete with a magnolia tree. Her parents encouraged their children to succeed early. "They were very unselfish, and they wanted me to do things that would broaden my horizons," explains Mrs. Dole. She speaks glowingly of her parents, as if they were mentors and friends instead of authority figures. "My mother has certainly been a great influence in my life because she's very unselfish, very giving, always thinking of other people."

Inspiring "Meet the Mormons" Challenges Stereotypes

Have you ever been watching the evening news and finally just turned it off in disgust at all of the depressing stories? Have you, like me, said, "Why is the news just about all the bad things that happen in the world? Why doesn't anyone tell the stories of people doing good and making the world better?"

"Meet the Mormons" is that kind of good news we've been looking for. Six ordinary people--all Mormons--are profiled in this inspirational feature film. It was such a nice change to see news of people making a difference in the world, even just through small actions.

The church is also putting goodness into the world by donating proceeds from the movie to the American Red Cross. The ARC commented on the "Meet the Mormons" Facebook page: "We are grateful that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has selected the Red Cross as one of the primary beneficiaries for the proceeds from its film, Meet the Mormons. The support of the Church and its members is important in our work providing blood to patients in need and enabling the Red Cross to respond to disasters big and small."

Back to the movie. The film begins with man-on-the-street interviews and movie clips that expose some stereotypes of Mormons. The narrator notes that the movie will spotlight six members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She then asks viewers to watch the stories and decide for themselves what they think of the church and the way its members try to live their religion. It was decidedly un-preachy.

Why I Won't Do Black Friday Madness Anymore

The first time I shopped Black Friday was 11 years ago. We woke up at 5:30 a.m. and arrived at Wal-Mart just in time for the 6:00 a.m. opening. (How quaint!) The parking lot had fewer cars than on a normal shopping day, but quite a few started pulling in as the store opened.

Images from BlackFriday.com

The seasoned Black Friday shopper knows what came next: Feeling the fierce adrenaline rush. Dividing and conquering with a map of the store and an ad in hand. Pushing past the slow people wrestling a cart. Grabbing the $6 jeans off the already-messy display.  Feeling the electricity of this mad swarm.

I love bargains. My first Black Friday was a bit of a rush: I felt initiated. Crazy shopping for 20 minutes, standing in line to buy for an hour, and then home and back to bed for a lazy morning. O what fun it is to shop!

Having done it once, over the next several years it slipped into a bit of a tradition. You know, flip through the newspaper ads while the turkey is cooking. Find the thing we couldn't live without. Plan out how to best hit a few stores.

Book Review: Unbroken, A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, by Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is an unequivocal 5 stars. Put it on your bookshelf with other powerful WWII survivor stories like Night and Man's Search for Meaning. It's an incredible story of survival, of rising above insurmountable challenges, and of hope and faith.

Laura Hillenbrand took seven years to research and write before Unbroken was published! The notes section, in its tiny font, accounts for close to 1/4 of the pages in the book. Hillenbrand provides details and backstories that give the reader a very clear understanding of events. Each page is so information-dense, I had to slow my usual reading pace way down to make sure I got everything.

After reading this, I saw Devil at My Heels: A Heroic Olympian's Astonishing Story of Survival as a Japanese POW in World War IIat the library, which looked an awful lot like "Unbroken." Turns out it's an autobiography of Zamperini written with a co-author. I was astounded to see the difference between the two books.

I thought that the reason Unbroken was so superior to Zamperini's autobiography was that with an omniscient eye, Hillenbrand could include details that came from many sources, not just Zamperini's memory. It was a much more thorough picture of his life. I also didn't like his ghost writer's voice; it read like sport journalism. There's nothing wrong with that if you enjoy that style, but it made me appreciate Hillenbrand's approach that much more when I had something to compare it to. Her style just doesn't draw attention to itself. She lets the story speak for itself and gets out of the way.

I was concerned before reading this that the subject (WWII POW) was going to be very dark, and I steeled myself. But the overall feeling of the book I've come away with is not one of darkness but truly the unbroken nature of one man's spirit and his ability to overcome, and through that, seeing the ability of the human spirit itself to triumph over tragedy and despair. It was inspiring.

View all my reviews

Hearty Hamburger Soup

Here's a simple recipe for a delicious comfort food soup. This is like a taste of childhood to me! Because I like to make a big batch and you may not, I'm just going to put guidelines instead of measurements.

Hearty Hamburger Soup

Soup base: 

• half broth (any kind, or bullion and water) and half canned, stewed tomatoes  
• can of tomato sauce
• a little ketchup (1/4 c. for a large pan) (it sounds odd but it adds a nice little zing)

Put in:

• chopped onion
• cooked ground beef
• chopped carrots
• chopped celery (if you like) 

Season with basil or Italian seasoning, a bay leaf, and salt/pepper. Boil until the veggies are almost tender. 

Now use any of these add-ins: 

• a handful of barley 
• pasta
• corn
• kidney beans

Cook until everything is tender and serve. This takes about 1/2 hour to make with prep and cooking time. Enjoy!

Do you make a soup like this? Leave a comment of your variations.

Cute Retro Wallet for Cash Envelope Budgeting

Ta da! The finished product.

Several years ago, Mr. Jennifer and I discovered the Dave Ramsey method of financial management, and it revolutionized our lives. We followed the baby steps to get out of debt and be on our way to financial peace.

What's that old anecdote about couples only fighting about money, sex, and kids? Well, we  actually found out that when we were unified financially, we became closer and more unified overall as a couple. One down out of three things to fight about ain't bad. Just kidding, honey!

The basic money management Dave Ramsey advises is using a cash envelope system. It's so easy to overspend and lose track of money when using plastic. Of course you can still use your debit card, but cut up the credit cards and get yourself a cash wallet you can use for many of your daily expenses. Even just making this small change will make a huge difference in your life.

So. My old homemade wallet was falling apart, so when I found a pattern for only $1.50 for this darling little thing on Craftsy.com (I just discovered this website), I decided to take on the project. To clarify, I am NOT craftsy, but I do enjoy sewing. I took a home ec class in high school, but I'm pretty much a self-taught sewer. So if I can do it, so can you! (Keep reading! more pictures below)

The bottom card pocket was designed with a window for
a driver license, but I just made it a regular pocket.